Colusa County

History

Records of Permanent Development.

CHAPTER VI.

1862.

        Colusa County, at the beginning of 1862, had a population variously estimated, but the most thoughtful estimates would not place it at less than four thousand five hundred. It had grown, as we have seen, conservatively. There never had been any organized effort to "boom" the county or to drag in immigration, when it could be drawn in, slowly it is true, by personal observation of the fertility of its soil and the perfection of its climate. Those who came here came to stay. They remained, and the generation that succeeded them, inspired with the same love for their environments, knew no other and sought no other region to be dedicated with that sweet, endearing, soul-satisfying word, "home." Hence where these conditions obtain, permanency of habitation results, which in turn is a powerful factor in promoting the comfort of families, the improvement and adornment of one's surroundings, and that genial, social intercourse and neighborliness of feeling which are the real solaces of life. It is essentially a county whose homes and home life have been her best inspiration from its earliest settlement. It is but natural then to expect, as we unfold its annals from year to year, down to the date of present writing, that intelligence, refinement and good-fellowship are the marked characteristics of this people. It is true that occasionally the knife and pistol disturb the quietness of neighborhoods, but these were only sporadic cases, and inseparable from the conditions in which the county found itself while their paucity, in comparison with neighboring counties, was a cause for much congratulation. The fact was, the people of Colusa County were too busy in developing their resources; in soil experiments; in pastoral pursuits; in the making of new roads, bridging sloughs and rivers, establishing stage lines, boating on the Sacramento, petitioning for new mail routes and the establishment of new post-offices, organizing school districts, building public schools, erecting churches, reclaiming swamp lands, introducing irrigation, raising wheat by the millions of bushels annually, guarding their lands from overflow, planting fruit-trees and vines, visiting frequently the land-office at Marysville, in locating or proving up their claims to homesteads; in supplying the mines with provisions; in laying off new towns; in selecting supervisors with business capacity; in protecting their sheep from coyotes and their live-stock from grizzlies; in prospecting the foot-hills and canyons of the Coast Range for silver, gold, copper, cinnabar and petroleum; in improving the "scrub" cattle with long horns, constricted paunch and "poor-house" frame, which the most nutritious of grasses could never succeed in fattening; in introducing and blending with their Mustangs and Cayuse ponies the aristocratic blue-bloods and thoroughbreds, horses that had acquired the "mettle of their pastures" in the blue-grass lawns of Kentucky, in the meadows of Missouri, on the prairies of the Middle West, or in those romantic grazing stretches and pasture-shelters of the Mohawk Valley, which at that period boasted of the monarchs of the turf. The people of this county, we repeat, were too much occupied in these multifarious pursuits to be other than peaceful and law-abiding.

        At the period of which we write, the nation was in the midst of the great war for the integrity of the Union. Colusa County had been settled to a very great extent by families from the Southern States, of which Missouri supplied the greatest number of immigrants. Party and sectional feeling was at fever heat. Colusa County, without halt or abatement of majorities, scored at every election Democratic success, so invariably and so much so as to have earned for it the contemptuous appellation of the "South Carolina of California," as applied by the supporters of Lincoln's administration. Yet, barring the hot words of disputation, and the coarse invective, inspired more by whisky than by sectional or partisan antagonism, there were no personal outbreaks. The Southerner voted his Democratic preferences, and won; and the Republican, with regular persistency, voted his ticket, and lost, on county matters; but there was little or no acerbity manifested.

        The rains of the winter season of 1861-62 will always be remembered. They were unprecedented, and their maximum rainfall has scarcely been reached since. The plains were flooded, as if by a sudden inundation of the sea. Stony Creek was four feet higher in the hills than was ever known before, inflicting much damage, especially to stock and fencing. At the Buttes, a Mr. Coffee estimated that out of nine hundred head of cattle or more, he lost six hundred. Laban Scarce also was quite a loser of cattle in this locality. Sheep seemed to have escaped with little or no loss. At Grand Island the flood was more devastating than in any other portion of the county. A large number of cattle perished from flood and cold. Two houses were washed away, one of them belonging to a Mr. Kennedy and the other to a Mr. Baker. Owners of sheep and cattle were compelled to take their herds down to Knight's Landing, and drive them thence to the foot-hills. Where stock could not be removed, the high water had driven them to the high lands, where, instead of drowning, they would starve to death, there being little hay or grass at that time on the island. Even brush was packed to cattle, in this emergency, to keep them from starving. During all this period of high water, Colusa town loomed up like an Ararat in a broad sea. The river, rolling swiftly but smoothly, kept within its banks, and the town suffered little or nothing.         

        The rainfall of this season registered thirty-five and fifty-four one-hundredths inches, and was only exceeded, in previous years, as far as any record has been kept and known, by that of 1852-53, in which thirty-six and fifteen-hundredths inches fell, and in 1849-50, in which there was a rain precipitation of thirty-six inches. Following hard upon the rains, came another visitation almost phenomenal. The plains, which had recently resembled an inland lake, assumed another shape, caused by excessive cold during the first week in February, 1862. They stretched away beyond vision, one glittering sheet of ice. In many places the current had piled up sheets of ice, one upon another, ten feet high, forming stationary icebergs.

        In the latter part of April, 1862, the whole county was shocked at the news of a desperate fight of some of its settlers on the north fork of Stony Creek, with Indians. A party of the latter, hailing from the Round Valley Reservation, who were of the Hat Creek and Pit River tribes, had been committing depredations,

robbing houses, and killing stock, and completed their cruel work by murdering Henry Watson, on Little Stony Creek. These Indians were led by a squaw, named "Hat Creek Lize," well known in the Pit River country as a desperate woman, a fearless rider, equally an adept in the use of the rifle or the bow and arrow. She was of large stature, pitiless in her vengeful moods, and celebrated for her barbarities. The killing of Watson aroused the settlers, and they took instant measures to capture or slay these wild miscreants, who took to flight along the foot­hills, pursued by fifteen white men. On their way, these Indians came down into the edge of the valley, about eight miles from where they had shot Watson, and killed an Indian boy who was herding sheep for Mr. Darling. From there they crossed Thorns Creek and went four miles up the canyon in the creek and entered the mountains, but not without stopping to kill many head of cattle. Here they rested and built themselves two huts, feeling that they were safe from pursuit. On the 3rd of May the original band of pursuers was reinforced so that their number was now thirty, the same being about the number of the Indians. On the next day the settlers had come up to the Indians, where, after a desperate battle, lasting one hour and a half, the Indians beat a retreat, with a loss of fifteen of their number killed and several wounded. In this engagement S. W. Shannon, of Round Valley, received a mortal wound, and S. R. Ford was fatally injured. In this fight the squaws stood fighting by the side of the male Indians, and several of them died bravely.

        There was another outbreak of the Indians this same year. About the first day of August, the Indians at Milsap's ranch, near North Stony Creek, and comprising seven men and four or five squaws, under the leadership of "Big Bill," the murderer of Williams, entered the home of John G. Wilson, near Stony Creek, and stole a number of articles of clothing and some provisions. Wilson and his family were absent from the house at this time, having gone to the mountains. A few days after the robbery, he returned, and, finding his house plundered, he went over to the Indian rancheria referred to above, for the purpose of recovering his property. The Indians immediately commenced an attack on him, the squaws throwing rocks at him, while a buck undertook to seize his gun. In the struggle, Wilson

discharged both barrels of his gun at the Indian, after receiving an arrow shot in his hand. Wilson now fled, the Indians pursuing him and shooting him with a number of arrows, one piercing his face. Mr. Milsap, hearing the affray, rescued Wilson, took him to his house, and had his wounds dressed by a physician. The settlers hearing of the difficulty, gathered together the next morning, and went in pursuit of the Indians. They succeeded in killing "Big Bill " near Thorns Creek. Three more of the band were killed between Milsap's and Brown's ranches. A few days afterwards, Pete, who had shot Wilson, was caught near the reservation and hanged, the hanging being done by friendly Indians.

        The Fourth of July this year was celebrated in various localities throughout the county, but the union of citizens of Tehama and Colusa Counties at John James' ranch, on Stony Creek, was exceptionally large and enjoyable. Frank Spalding was the president of the day, and the oration was delivered by W. H. Rhodes, of Red Bluff. A celebration was also held on Grand Island, in the grove of Alex. Montgomery's farm, which was largely attended. Charles R. Street, editor of the Colusa Sun, delivered the oration.

        July 13, a fire occurred at Princeton, on. the farm of John Helphenstine, in which his barn, stables and seventy-five tons of hay were destroyed, inflicting a loss of $2,000.

        July 18, the United States Supreme Court dismissed the suit of the government vs. Thomas O. Larkin and John S. Misroon, in the matter of the confirmation of the Jimeno land grant, and patent was ordered to be issued, thus bringing to a close a very important piece of litigation.

        November 17, O. C. Berkey, one of the earliest settlers of the county, and an honorable, public-spirited citizen, died suddenly.

        November 18, pursuant to notice, a convention of justices of the peace was held in the court-house, and H. W. Dunlap and J. Ort elected associate justices.

At this period there was living at the upper end of Grand Island, Mrs. Gorham, surrounded by her relatives, and one whose remarkable vigor for a person aged eighty-six years, as well as from the fact that she was born in that year of patriotism, 1776, renders her entitled to notice. She was born in Virginia, moved to Kentucky in her fortieth year, and, after residing there forty years, came to California in 1860. She retained a vigor of mind not often vouchsafed to mortals of her advanced age, and could converse on events dating as far back as the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. Born when the nation was born, she had witnessed wonderful events, and lived to see the place of her nativity the theater of more sanguinary conflicts than that identified with her childhood.

THE VOTE OF COLUSA COUNTY FOR STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

        Fitzgerald                                                     451

        Swett                                                           376

        Stevenson                                                      15

                Whole number cast                              842

                Fitzgerald's majority over Swett             75

FOR ASSEMBLYMAN.

        Thompson                                                  453

        Butler                                                         380

                Whole number cast                             833

                Thompson's majority                             73

FOR COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

        Street                                                         441

        Pulsifer                                                       372

                Whole number cast                             816

                Street's majority                                   66

FOR CORONER AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR.

        Wooley.                                                    438

        Durst                                                         369

                Whole number cast                            807

                Wooley's majority.                               69

FOR SUPERVISOR SECOND DISTRICT.

        Estill.                                                         149

        Sherman.                                                   139

                Whole number cast                            288

                Estill's majority                                     10

        The tax levied for this year for the use of the several funds was as follows:—

        State Fund                                        $11,215 34

        County General Fund                          11,215 34

        School Fund                                         1,868 89

        Building Fund                                       4,672 23

        Road Fund.                                             934 44

                Total                                        $29,950 24

        Number of acres of swamp and overflowed land in the county, 97,256.

1863.

        This year was not remarkable for any stirring or extraordinary happenings. It was the third year of the war, and Colusa County, by its firm adherence to the Democratic party of that period, by its invariably large and increasing Democratic majorities, as well as by its rash and often imprudent expressions condemnatory of the administration of Mr. Lincoln, became the target of every Republican newspaper in the State. There existed in Colusa a saloon, at which the leading politicians and office-seekers congregated to discuss politics as well as to imbibe beverages. It bore the saucy and defiant name of the Copperhead Saloon. Hanna & Chester were the first proprietors of the place, and on their business cards, which were scattered everywhere throughout the State, and preserved either as curiosities or to stir the blood of the loyal when read at public meetings, they announced that at Durst's Old Corner, opposite Suydam's store, they prepared "Constitutional Cocktails," "Seymour Smashes," "Habeas Corpus Juleps," and " Vallandigham Eye-openers." This saloon continued its business, and flaunted the same name until the May following, when it ceased to advertise itself. Doubtless, the presence of United States soldiers, who were at that time sent to the county seat, had much to do with the disappearance of the name of this whisky mill, it being but reasonable to suppose that its mixed assortment of so much "constitution" and so little proof spirits was soon exhausted by the thirsty boys in blue.

        It was during the early months of this year that this county, which had been always classed as a "cow county," showed evidences of minerals under the explorations of the prospector. Around Simmon's Springs, now known as Wilbur Springs, rich prospects of quicksilver were found, as also gold in paying quantities. Garnett & Co. found excellent indications of copper, but it was chiefly for gold and quicksilver that this locality afterwards became the scene of busy exploitation, as will be seen further on.

        It will recall the memory of many old-timers to transcribe here the names of those who figured prominently in business or the professions. Among the attorneys were: D. Shepardson, J. C. Treadway, McQuaid & McQuaid, H. C. Street, F. L. Hatch, H. W. Dunlap, John A. Rush, C. C. Hazen, of Colusa, and H. Young, of Princeton, were practicing. John H. Liening was the proprietor of the Colusa House, and was also postmaster. U. S. Nye, of Frute, was introducing French Merino bucks, as was also Lew Byngton, and advertising them for sale. J. Hop Woods, a remarkably active man, conducted the Colusa Drug Store. Alex. McGregor and M. McDougald, as well as Jonas Baer, did the blacksmithing for the town. Louis Cary was in the store and tinware business. Marker & Corey conducted the Eagle Livery Stable, on C Street, near the United States Hotel. Goad & Jones carried on the Colusa Lumber Yard. Allen Pinkard spread himself as a tonsorial artist. George F. Jones was largely engaged in general merchandise. At Princeton the hotel was conducted by A. Munsel. James C. Carlisle carried on a dry goods and grocery store in the same village.

        September 26, J. C. Addington and Will S. Green purchased the Weekly Colusa Sun, and at once began placing it in the front rank of journalism, as an able advocate of locality, conscientious in its intercourse with the public, and whose editor immediately attracted the attention of the press of the State for his originality of thought and method of expressing it.

        October 3, W. F. Goad tendered his resignation as county clerk, and was succeded by Jackson Hart. October 15, two white men, named Richards and Stanley, engaged in a fight with some Indians, on Cortinez Creek. The former killed an Indian known as Captain Lewis, when the friends of the latter killed his white assailants. During the month of October, Rev. T. C. Barton, of the M. E. Church South, was sent back to this circuit by this conference Elder Pendegast was active in Baptist work and performing baptism by immersion, while the Catholics were deliberating whether they should erect a church at Colusa or Sycamore Slough.

        Great excitement now prevailed, owing to the discovery of various copper lodes in Indian Valley. In November, more than two hundred miners had gathered here. Leads were located, and the croppings of some of these could be traced as much as twenty miles. Thinking that this locality must soon become a center of great activities for miners and copper smelters, a new town called Ashton was laid out, additions were made to it, and town lots became valuable. The Mary Union, Copper Hill and Pioneer were among the first companies to open up and develop their claims. Pack-trains, usually driven by Indians, were seen crossing the plains; loaded with copper ore, en route to San Francisco, for reduction or a mill-run test. An almost breathless interest in copper for a time took possession of the people, to the partial neglect of other affairs. Even the then postmaster of Colusa was so occupied in dreaming out fortunes in the mines that it was said of him that he one day forgot to open the mail on its arrival, and in an absent-minded moment of rapt copper-bound felicity, he sent the same mail back the way it came.

        In Stony Creek district the excitement was at fever heat. Five hundred claims were recorded within a week. The recorder was occupied day and night with what proved to him for the time a veritable gold mine. A new district was formed west of Snow Mountain, ledges located, and the people had now grown wild with the fever for "copper feet." As new developments are made and machinery brought in, we will notice them in the order of their occurrence, though for a complete summary of this subject the reader is referred to a carefully-written article, prepared by Julius Weyand for this work.

        The apportionment of the school fund made by the Board of Education, at Sacramento, on November 12, for the school districts of Colusa County, was as follows: Franklin, 51; Union, 62; Indian Valley, 43; Colusa No. 1, 75; Plaza, 42; Princeton, 14; Grand Island No. 3, 63; Grindstone, 17; Stony Creek, 32; Marion, 58; Grand Island No. I, no apportionment―447 children, at 58 cents each, $259.26.

        Coal was now being discovered in various localities along the Coast Range. A. R. Weaver, of Colusa, in company with others, located a claim on Big Stony Creek; and a company was incorporated at Marysville, to develop a coal bed located on Bear Creek, about two miles below Wilbur Springs. The capital stock of the company was $420,000. Some work and money were expended on these properties, but the quality of coal extracted not proving valuable, they were soon abandoned. Assessment for 1862, total valuation, $1,603,460. Assessment for 1863, total valuation, $1,545,261.

1864.

        Colusa County began the new year with a total indebtedness, including the interest on outstanding warrants, of $35,000. This debt might have seemed unusually large for a county so sparsely settled, but that it had something valuable to show for it. The court-house, a fine structure, had cost, inclusive of its furniture, $30,000. And bridges costing over $20,000 had been constructed in the county. Besides, schools had been maintained in nearly all of the districts. And wherever local distress had been discovered, it was relieved by county funds. Taxable property, it is true, had decreased to some extent, as the assessment for 1863, compared with the assessment for 1862 and 1861, clearly proved. Taxes to sustain the war for the Union pressed heavily upon the settlers, and added not a little to their burdens, while several dry seasons had added to this list of discouraging circumstances. The year itself opened with a dry season, the ground being almost as hard and arid as in August. The drought extended all over the State, and particularly were its effects felt in the ranches of the lower counties, where cattle were dying off by the thousands. Truly this year began with dismal auguries for the people of the county and State generally.

        Copper mining still continued with unabated zeal and industry. Mining districts increased, and incorporation of companies with dizzy figures for capital stock was the order of the day. The companies incorporated were: May Union Company, capital stock $48,000, doing business in Indian Valley; North Star Company, capital stock $18,000, place of business Ashton; Copper Hill Company, capital stock $22,500, doing business at Ashton; Blue Hill Company, capital stock $45,000, place of business Colusa; Pioneer Company, capital stock $16,500, place of business Indian Valley; Colusa Mining Company, capital stock $34,500, place of business Colusa; Indian Valley Company, capital stock $48,000, place of business Colusa; Blazing Star Company, capital stock $39,000, place of business Ashton.

        In February a bill passed the Assembly fixing the boundary line of Lake County on this side of Bear Valley, a boundary so unreasonable and abnormal as to call forth the protests of the people of Colusa County. The bill was killed in the Senate.

        March 16, hail fell to the depth of five or six inches, in the evening, at Sycamore Slough.

        Mining excitements having broken out in various parts of Nevada, particularly in Reese River and Humboldt, as also in Boise, Idaho, numbers of Colusans set out for these distant fields of venture. Subsequent events show that most of them returned, and that of those who returned, few had succeeded as well as if they had remained.

        April 19, the county Democratic Convention met at the court-house in Colusa. Judge J. W. Thompson presided, and J. M. Wilson was elected secretary. C. D. Semple, I. N. Cain and T. A. Botts were appointed a Committee on Resolutions. The resolutions adopted would serve more to exhibit as curiosities the vagaries and hallucinations of the fierce partisans of that day than to be treasured up or reproduced with resentment now and here. Among many resolves following a quintuple of "whereas," a few are selected for their defiant bluntness. One reads as follows:

        Resolved, That war is disunion; that it is subversive of the American principle; that all just powers of government are derived from the consent of the governed; that at no time could war have restored the Union, even if it had been prosecuted for no other purpose than to execute the laws; that no free American should desire a Union with subjugated States—and enslaved people.

        Another resolution "straight from the shoulder" is couched in the following words:

        Resolved further, That we are in favor of peace upon any terms that shall be honorable to both the belligerents, and therefore our delegates are hereby instructed not to vote for any delegate to the National Convention who will support any War Democrat as a candidate for President or Vice-President.

        The convention then chose C. D. Semple, Robert Harris, S. M. Wright and John A. Rush as delegates to the Democratic State Convention, while the following gentlemen were appointed the County Central Committee for the ensuing year: J. Hart, Chairman; C. Kopf, I. N. Cain, U. S. Nye and A. J. Scoggins.
        May 1.—That there was very little contention among neighbors or violation of the criminal laws is readily shown by the small amount of business spread upon the docket of the District Court, which convened on this day. The calendar only exhibited ten cases, only in one of which was the State a plaintiff. Most of these cases had lingered on the docket for several years, leaving very little for the court and juries to adjudicate.

        The celebration of the Fourth of July was carried out in a most enjoyable manner in Colusa. Some six hundred persons were on the grounds to participate in the patriotic festivities. Hon. John A. Rush delivered an impromptu address, and Rev. Mr. Barton read the Declaration of Independence. There was dancing in the court-room in the afternoon and at night, with a display of fire-works in front of the court-house, which at times illuminated the plains around the town.

        July 10, the officers and members of Colusa Lodge No. 142 F. and A. Masons attended the funeral of James B. Laing, who had died of consumption in Virginia City, Nevada, but whose remains were brought to Colusa for interment. Mr. Laing had resided in the county since 1851. He was the first deputy clerk of the county, and was elected clerk in 1853 and re-elected in 1855. In 1857 he was elected county judge.

        General John Bidwell was nominated in this district for Congress by the Republicans in the latter part of August, the Democrats nominating Jackson Temple, of Sonoma County, as his opponent.

        The assessor's report, which was completed about September the first, exhibits statistically many items of interest. From what is here quoted, the amount of land inclosed and cultivated for the year 1863 will be seen:—

        September 14, a meeting of Catholics was held at the court­house for the purpose of establishing a Catholic mission. Rev. G. Laufthaler, a priest of New York, was present and preliminary steps were taken towards the erection of a church in Colusa. Colonel Hagar and Colonel Semple each passed their deeds for a block in the town to aid the project.

        September 17, the Democracy of Colusa County met at the court-house to ratify the nomination of McClellan and Pendleton. Dr. Frank Spalding presided. W. H. Hobbs was chosen secretary. J. C. Addington at the same meeting was selected unanimously as the candidate for county superintendent of public instruction, and Will S. Green for county surveyor.

        October 1, John O'Neil, a veterinary surgeon, was thrown out of his sulky in Colusa and died from the effects thereof two days afterwards.

        October 9, Isaac Anderson, a long-time resident of Colusa County, died in Virginia City, Nevada.

        The presidential election of this year was bitterly contested. Colusa had never before in a campaign enjoyed so many opportunities for hearing so much campaign oratory. The chief speakers on the part of the Democracy were Hon. Jackson Temple, Col. F. L. Hatch, Col. E. J. Lewis, Wm. Neely Johnson, and others of note. Those who presented the Republican side of the argument were Gen. John Bidwell, Jesse Goodwin, Henry Edgerton and G. W. Tyler. Political clubs of both parties were formed in various parts of the county, exhibiting at their gatherings the most ardent devotion to either Lincoln or McClellan. On election-day an incident occurred which showed the intensity of the conflict. Dr. Spalding, who had not been out of bed for two weeks, caused himself to be hauled to the polls, and when he reached there a hundred or more of his fellow-Democrats gave him an ovation in cheering him till the court-house rang with their applause. But the county went Democratic, McClellan carrying it over Lincoln by one hundred and fifty-one votes.

        November 25, after a long period of drought, two successive dry seasons, the rain began falling, to the relief and gladness of everyone. As most of the cattle had been sent out of the county, the grass grew abundantly, and was not tramped down or eaten off, as would otherwise have been the case. The rain continued to send down its blessing for nearly two weeks, thus giving a renewed and quickening impulse to farming and causing more grain to be sowed this winter than in any previous year. During all these seasons of drought speculators had endeavored to cause people to believe that the supply of wheat and barley was greatly deficient, though the fact was the supply was equal to the wants of the country. Nevertheless they succeeded in forcing the markets to so high a figure that large quantities of grain were imported from Oregon and Chile. It now made a rapid decline in prices. If this had not taken place, hundreds of farmers would not have been able to buy feed and seed their lands.

        Christmas was celebrated with private parties and trees bearing gifts for all corners. A ball was given at the court-house, which was the affair of the season, and of which the following gentlemen formed the Committee on Arrangements:

        Princeton, John Boggs, J. J. Waste; Ashton, E. S. Utter, W. W. Greene; Monroeville, A. C. St. John, Louis Mendleson; Grand Island, W. L. Nelson, George Stinchfield; Colusa, John H. Pope, W. H. Hobbs, Robert Barrows; Union, Joseph McVey, with Edward Hoole and Charles E. Price acting as floor managers.

1865.

        January 1, the officers of Colusa Lodge No. 142 of F. and A. Masons, opened the year with the following officers: George F. Jones, W. M.; Robert Barrows, S. W.; A. Van Dorsten, J. W.; J. Hop. Woods, Treasurer; Edward Hoole, Secretary.

        George Nichols, an old resident of Colusa County, was buried in an avalanche of snow while on his way to Virginia City, during the latter part of January. Five hundred dollars were offered for the recovery of his body.

        For several months past indications of petroleum had been so frequently met with in the neighborhood of Simmon's Springs, on Bear Creek, and in many places in Antelope and Bear Valleys, as to excite great interest, if not bright dreams of sudden fortune, such as came to many in the oil discoveries of Pennsylvania. A great deal of work was performed in prospecting for the oil. The Colusa Petroleum Company was organized at Colusa, for the purpose of boring for oil in the district west of that town, with the privilege of working on some eight or nine different "indications." Louis Lewis bored with hand-drills on what was known as the Glotzbach place, on the Freshwater, a well about four hundred feet deep, the same now being a flowing well emitting a strong, inflammable gas, burning freely if conducted through a funnel and set on fire; but, as the oil was not in sufficient quantities, and the gas could not be utilized profitably, Lewis abandoned his project.     Rowe and Fleeson began boring by hand about a quarter of a mile below Simmon's Springs, and constructed a water-wheel in order to use the waters of Sulphur Creek to run the machinery required for deeper explorations. To further the prosecution of their work, they proposed to receive cash subscriptions for any amount, large and small, and in return would issue certificates for double the amount, payable whenever a flowing well of oil was secured. A Mr. Hughes and Mrs. Warner, of Sacramento, used a steam-engine in boring for oil at Lane's place, now the McMichael farm, but they failed to find oil in paying quantities. An oil prospector from Virginia City, Nevada, named Taylor, bored to a good depth on the Gilmore ranch, in Bear Valley, and at other places in the foot-hills, but abandoned his labors in despair. The Empire Company had machinery constructed, brought up by boat and taken out to their ground on Fresh­water. The California Company did the same.

        The Calmes claim, at Cub Valley, was thoroughly and patiently prospected, while all this time claims were being recorded with a rapidity and singular disregard for the rights of land-owners or of original locators, which showed an enthusiastic confidence in the richness of these borings which subsequent events did not justify. Everyone clung to the theory that as soon as the surface water was gotten rid of, veritable geysers of petroleum would gush out from under their drills, and, shooting upwards in oleaginous prodigality, the real great problem would then be how to store it or find barrels to contain it. After several months of careful prospecting, of hard work, and after sinking no inconsiderable sum of money, the oil enterprise was given up, and these expectant "dukes of Petrolia" soon philosophically forgot their disappointment in the less feverish but unfailing resources of the grain-field, the stock pasture, the shop, or the store.

        March 30, Abraham K. Gibson, a pioneer of Colusa County, who located there in 1851, died in Potter's Valley, in Mendocino County.

        After four years of bloody war, news reached here of the surrender of Lee and the fall of the Confederacy. Scarcely had the armies been disbanded when the intelligence of the assassination of Lincoln struck dismay and filled with grief the whole country. The news was received in the town of Colusa with expressions of regret and grief over the untimely murder of the President. The news being received on a Saturday evening, flags were hoisted at half-mast at sunrise on the following morning, both on the court-house and the Colusa House. These were both up on the day of the funeral, but not on Thursday. A small body of soldiers had shortly before been sent here under command of Captain Starr, who ordered the sheriff to hoist the flag on the court-house, which was accordingly done. To add to the excitement unavoidable in such scenes, several citizens of the town were reported at military headquarters as having expressed themselves jubilantly over the violent death of the President, one or more Democrats being charged with asserting that if the Republicans would fire a salute over the tragic event, they, the Democrats, would furnish the powder. The rumor spread and was aggrevated by the sensational additions to the original story as it passed from mouth to mouth, and finally culminated in the arrest, by Captain Starr, of Marion Tate, Josiah Lee, Jonas Baer, D. Shepardson, A. J. Scoggins, Charles E. Price, H. Goodman and John Campbell.

        These men were conveyed to Fort Alcatraz and put at hard labor, and were released after nearly two months' imprisonment. Even during this period of political acerbity, there occurred a pleasant incident in connection with one of the prisoners, which relieved the sternness of the situation. Marion Tate, one of the arrested, was engaged to be married to Mrs. Susan M. Berkey, of the town of Colusa. His prospective imprisonment seemed likely to defer their nuptials indefinitely. But his fiancée determined that prison bars should not prevent the marriage so earnestly desired by both. So she secured Tate's parole from Captain Starr, married him on a Tuesday evening, in the presence of a goodly assembly of both Republicans and Democrats, of officers and soldiers, and on the following morning Tate reported again as a prisoner. It might be added here that the grand jury of the county in the following October indicted Captain Starr for the crime of kidnapping in arresting citizens of Colusa County without authority of law.

        June 17, Fisher Calmes, an excellent young man and citizen, was drowned in the Sacramento River, just below Moon's ranch.

        July 4, the nation's birthday was appropriately celebrated at Colusa. A. Calden acted as the marshal of the day. Ed. Hoole read the Declaration of Independence, and J. Deal was the orator of the occasion.

        July 12, something phenomenal in the weather of the county took place. Snow fell in Antelope Valley, covering the ground in some places, and shortly afterwards disappeared.

        July 22, the Democratic County Convention met and was presided over by G. C. Ingrim, of Bear Valley, with James M. Wilson, of Grand Island, as secretary. The ticket formed consisted of Jackson Hart for County Clerk, Sam. M. Wright for Sheriff, J. Hop Woods for Treasurer, Dudley Shepardson for District Attorney, Samuel H. Small for Assessor, I. N. Cain for Coroner and Public Administrator, J. C. Addington for Superintendent of Public Schools and James S. Long for Surveyor.

        July 29, the Republican Convention organized, with J. J. Hicok, Chairman, and J. F. Sherwood, Secretary. Its nominees were: For Sheriff, A. Calden; County Clerk, Julius Weyand; District Attorney, J. W. Platt; Treasurer, J. L. Howard; Assessor, U. F. Moulton; Coroner, John Cheney; Superintendent Public Schools, S. A. Waldron; Surveyor, S. B. Talbot. One of the resolutions 0f the platform adopted at this convention favored negro emancipation but opposed negro suffrage.

        September 5, the county elections resulted in an average Democratic majority of two hundred for every officer. The brunt of the fight made by the Republicans was on Calden for Sheriff, yet Wright, Democratic, secured a majority of one hundred and sixty-two.

        October 3, Dr. T. H. B. Anderson was appointed to the Colusa Conference of the M. E. Church South, by the Pacific Conference. Dr. Anderson served for several years in Colusa, and by his scholarship and devotion to duty, endeared himself to all.

        Cattle stealing in the fall of this year was carried on in a systematic mariner throughout most of the northern counties of the State. In Colusa County the ranchmen were not exempt. John Toney, Wm. Joselyn and Win. Bramer were arrested, indicted for stealing two droves of cattle, one from Nelson & McVey, and the other from J. C. Wilson. They were found guilty and sentenced to the State prison by Judge Dunlap, for long terms. This summary vindication of the law had the immediate effect of breaking up a large band of horse and cattle thieves.

1866.

        The new year, socially, was ushered in by a grand ball at Princeton chiefly attended by young people from many parts of the county, while their elders enjoyed a dance at Colusa in the supervisor's room. The January apportionment of the State School Fund amounted to $1.39 per child; the county, to $1.42. The number of school-children was rated at five hundred and fifty-nine.

        January 8, John H. Liening, the postmaster, was arrested on complaint of B. F. Patton and J. W. Jones, charging him with opening a sealed letter at the post-office not addressed to himself. Liening was a few weeks afterwards tried by a jury, most of whom were political antagonists, and promptly acquitted. The prosecution was the outgrowth of partisan hostility.

        January 16, a bill was introduced into the Legislature by Smith, of Butte County, to take from Colusa into Butte County all that portion of Colusa County on the east side of the river. The petition on which this bill was passed, though containing many names, was signed by only two residents and tax-payers of Colusa County. A remonstrance was prepared and subscribed to universally throughout the county. The act, however, passed the Senate.

        January 30, J. H. Liening, J. C. Treadway and H. Hadley were arrested on indictment of Grand Jury for kidnapping. The intent of the indictment was to connect these gentlemen with having caused the arrest of citizens of Colusa County, of which mention has already been made, for exulting over the assassination of President Lincoln. These arrests to a great extent grew out of the political friction of the period. The defendants subpoenaed over one hundred witnesses in their behalf, many of them Democrats. At the first trial of Liening, the jury disagreed, and on the second hearing, a few days later, a verdict of not guilty was brought in. Treadway was tried the first time and the jury failed to find a verdict. The charges against both Hadley and Treadway were afterwards dismissed on motion of the district attorney, on the ground of the impossibility of securing a verdict by a jury impartially selected, on account of the political character the case had assumed.

        February 16, Reed, of Yolo County, introduced a bill in the Legislature providing for the survey of a route for a great irrigation canal through Colusa, Yolo and Solano Counties. One year previously the residents of that portion of Colusa County lying near the Sacramento River, desired to satisfy themselves of the practicability of constructing a large canal for the purpose of irrigating the dry plains of that county. They secured the services of a competent engineer, who, with the assistance of Will S. Green, the county surveyor, who had been advocating systematic irrigation for years previously, ran a preliminary line of levels for a canal one hundred feet wide at the bottom, four feet deep, with side slopes of two to one. And from the line thus run an examination of the ground, an approximate estimate of excavation and detailed estimates of head-gates, culverts and waste-weir, demonstrated the practicability of the survey. It was upon this survey that Mr. Reed based this bill. The Assembly voted to appropriate $8,000 for the survey of this canal, and was followed by the Senate the same day.

        March 1, a difficulty occurred between John Ketchersides and James May, just outside of the town of Colusa, over a band of sheep, in which May was shot, dying almost immediately afterwards. Ketchersides surrendered himself to the authorities, was taken before Justice Cooper, and the case against him dismissed.

        March 2, Tuck Glasscock was arrested at Cortinez, charged with taking a number of sheep belonging to Julius Weyand.

        March 10, a call was issued to all persons interested in the defeat of the Diaz grant, to meet in Colusa for the purpose of devising ways and means. Nearly the whole of the southern half of the county was, at this time, clouded by the shadow of a grant of eleven leagues of land, claimed by General Halleck and his associates, Peachy and Billings. Every owner of land or settler from the Larkin grant to Knights Landing and from the Jimeno to Clear Lake was interested in removing this cloud and perfecting his title.

        It was early in the spring of this year in that season when a young man's mind lightly turns to thoughts of love or pleasurable reformation, that one Sam Snyder, a local character in his way, who had lived with Digger Indians, and had eaten, danced, sweat and jumped into the river with them, concluded to try his allurements on the daintier females of the white people. For this purpose he issued the following communication: "Having been for some time past accused of being matrimonially allied to a female of dusky hue, and of being immoral and vicious in my habits, I desire to announce that if I have so offended, my life henceforth shall be a moral, virtuous and industrious one. For that purpose I hereby offer to enter into marital relations with any white female of respectability, anywhere between the ages of twenty and thirty years. I am a working man and therefore desire that my wife shall be a working woman.  Weight and appearance no object. Any female who can respond to this offer may address me by mail at Colusa." The marriage records of that time fail to show that Sam succeeded in finding anyone to take the contract of supporting him, once filled by the dusky-hued native American artiste in grasshopper pie.

        April 6, Ernest Zisseniss, an employe of Henry Burrows, at Grizzly Bend, was drowned in a slough three miles east of the French crossing of Butte Creek.

        During the month of April, the proprietors of the Sun established a volunteer mail route, on which, leaving Colusa on Sunday morning, they would carry mail matter for anyone desiring it, and also take along with them copies of their newspaper to subscribers on the route. The route lay from Colusa up the east side of the river to Jacinto; up Stony Creek to African Valley, and by the way of Nye's and Stone corral on the return trip. This was a much-needed piece of enterprise, seeing that except the tri-weekly mail from Marysville, the people of the county had no mail facilities worth anything to them.

        April 30, R. J. Walsh, a wealthy land-owner in the county, died of pneumonia. His remains were taken to San Francisco for burial in the Catholic cemetery. His biography will be found elsewhere in this work.

        May 27, Rev. Father Crinnian held services in Colusa. At their close $1,800 were subscribed for the erection of a Catholic Church. Grand Island had also contributed $400.

        Some idea of the immense amount of grain raised in the county this season may be given by the statement that one firm in Sacramento City disposed of over $20,000 worth of agricultural implements to the farmers of the county during the last spring months.

        A band of murderers and thieves had for a long time made their headquarters at Cortinez and Cache Creek Canyon. A warrant was issued April 22nd for the arrest of Tuck Glasscock, one of the leaders of this gang of outlaws. He was captured at his father's house and brought to Colusa. Glasscock told the officer arresting him not only of many thefts of horses but also of a murder committed by Jose Gonzales, a Spaniard, who had resided at Cortinez for several years. The murdered man was an escaped convict named Jose Maria Juarez, who had just sold a stolen band of sheep, and had some $1,200 in his possession. The body was found and the buck-shot in his neck showed he had been killed with a shot-gun. Gonzales and his wife were arrested and placed in jail. Three more of this band were a few days afterwards hunted down and locked up. Gonzales was indicted for murder, and his case certified to the District Court for trial. Here Gonzales withdrew his plea of not guilty of murder and pleaded guilty of manslaughter, and was sentenced to eight years in State prison.

        A company was formed with H. C. Bailey, of Grand Island, as the leader, having for his companions M. Tate, B. F. Patten, Wm. H. Thompson and Thomas Click, who agreed to start for Texas on September l0th in order to find homes. Several meetings had. been held to induce others to join them, with the same object in view.

        July 4.—This year the town of Colusa failed to celebrate the national holiday, something unusual in its history. At other places in the county there was a pleasing display of patriotism. A well-attended ball was the leading feature of the celebration at Grand Island; at Shelton's, on Stony Creek, there was a large gathering of neighbors, while at the ranch of Stephen Reese, in Bear Valley, there were the old-time oration and music, followed by a picnic and dance.

        August 6, the Board of Supervisors allowed the county auditor a salary of $500 per annum.    .    .    Resignation of J. C. Addington as county superintendent of public schools accepted, and W. S.Green appointed to fill the vacancy.

        October 3, Captain Hukely and an Indian named Crow were arrested at the instance of W. P. Hanson, charged with poisoning some four Long Valley Indians a month previously. These Indians had partaken of some soup and died from its effects. The case was heard before Squire Cooper, and about one hundred Indians were in attendance. The accused were discharged.

        November 1, Colusa was made a money-order post-office.

        November 18, Judge Hiram W. Dunlap, the acknowledged leader of the Democratic party, died of consumption. He was a native of New Hampshire, and was forty-one years of age at the time of his death. He came to Colusa in 1851 and engaged in the mercantile business in company with J. N. Suydam. He was elected to the Legislature in 1856. In 1863 he was chosen county judge. He left a wife and three children.

        December 16, Samuel M, Wright, sheriff of the county, died. Deceased was born in Lawrence County, Alabama, in 1821, came to California in 1849, and to Colusa County in 1854. At the time of his death he was serving his second term as sheriff. He was a highly-respected and influential citizen.

1867.

        January 1, the postmaster-general advertised for proposals to carry the mails from Chico to Colusa and back once a week; also from Chico by Stony Creek to Nome Cult.

        January 9, Levi Stevens was arrested, charged with the murder of an Indian, who was defending, it was claimed, his house and family from the invasion of white men. The case against Stevens was dismissed.

        January 22, John Stevens was killed in Wilson's Saloon, in Colusa, by James Tevis. Tevis was committed, without bonds, to await the action of the grand jury. Tevis was found guilty of murder in the first degree, and was sentenced to be hanged, by Judge Belcher.

        February 9, the Colusa County Library Association was organized, with W. S. Green, President; Charles Spalding, Vice-President; R. R. Rush, Recording Secretary; C. S. Allen, Corresponding Secretary; John Compton, Treasurer.

        March 9, I. N. Cain resigned the office of coroner and public administrator, and was appointed sheriff, to fill vacancy caused by death of S. M. Wright.

        Heavy rains had fallen all this winter, and the roads leading around and out of the county, were many of them, at least, impassable for several weeks. Owing to the overflow, a great deal of land that was in grain the previous season was not put in grain this year, but more was sown in the high land. . . The Odd Fellows began taking measures to organize a lodge at Colusa. . . A little daughter of Mrs. Lane, of Antelope Valley, was instantly killed by a pistol in the hands of her young brother Everett, who was not aware that the weapon was loaded. . . Quarterly meeting of M. E. Church South held at Princeton. . . The Moselle Smelting Works commenced to turn out copper. . . Bishop Kavenaugh held services several times in the court-house.

        March 23, a meeting of members of the order of Odd Fellows was held. Dr. C. A. Hathaway, of Oriental Lodge, No. 45, was Chairman and M. Stinchfield, Secretary. A resolution was adopted to unite and institute a lodge at Colusa. C. Spalding, A. S. Culp, O. F. Cook, Jacob Weaver and M. Stinchfield were appointed a committee to procure regalia and jewels and correspond with the Grand Lodge. . . Major Cooper, in soliciting contributions to relieve the distress of the poor in the Southern States, succeeded in placing $250 in the shot-bag he carried around for this purpose. . . Elder Pendegast held a series of protracted meetings during the fourth week of April.

        May 1, the children of the Sabbath-school held a picnic in the grove below Colusa. About one hundred children participated. Miss Lucretia Liening was crowned Queen of May and Miss Georgia Allen, Miss Belle Greene and Miss Florence Anderson served as maids of honor. In the evening of this day Squire McDaniels gave a charity ball for the benefit of the Southern sufferers, realizing $100 therefrom. . . Deputy Grand Master Merrith, and a number of the officers of the Marysville Lodge, aided in instituting a lodge of Odd Fellows at Colusa. The officers elected were: M. Stinchfield, N. G.; W. F. Goad, R. S.; Austin Cook, P. S.; Jackson Hart, Treasurer.

        May 10, Alexander Montgomery, a wealthy and enterprising land-owner of the county, on the eve of his departure to revisit the scenes of his childhood in the north of Ireland, and to make the tour of Europe, gave a grand ball and sumptuous banquet at the court-house to a delighted and royally entertained assembly of his friends.

        May 21, Messrs. D'Artenay, Schreiber & Co., after spending many thousands of dollars in putting up smelting works at the Lion claim, were forced to suspend operations. The share­holders agreed to purchase a Haskell furnace and appointed Julius Weyand and Fred Clay to make the necessary arrangements. . . Julius and Gus Weyand had been threatened for some time by a number of horse and sheep thieves. The brothers started out on a hunting trip and were gone a week longer than was expected. Fearing that they met their doom at the hands of these marauders, their neighbors organized a party and went in search of them, but the Weyands returned home the next day, having met with no adventures. . . S. C. Chester took charge of the National Hotel at Colusa.

        June 1, the Democratic County Convention assembled, with J. S. Long, chairman, and Gil Jones, secretary. The following officers were nominated: County Judge, Frank Spalding; County Clerk, Jackson Hart; Sheriff, I. N. Cain; District Attorney, W. F. Goad; Treasurer, J. Hop. Woods; Assessor, S. H. Small; Public Administrator and Coroner, Lewis Cary; Superintendent Public Schools, S. W. Britton. C. D. Semple, Jackson Hart and J. S. Gibson were appointed delegates to the State Convention.

        June 2, a little daughter of J. B. Dunham, residing at the foot-hills, near Nye's, was thrown from a horse and so fatally injured that she expired the following morning.

        June 12, the Democratic Joint Convention of Colusa and Tehama Counties nominated Colonel E. J. Lewis, of Tehama, for the Senate and W. S. Green, of Colusa, for the Assembly. . . White Scoggins, a seven-year-old son of A. J. Scoggins, was drowned in the river near Colusa.

        June 22, the Republican District Convention met at St. John and nominated A. G. Tooms, of Tehama, for the Senate and S. A. Waldron, of Colusa, for the Assembly. . . E. A. Harris, of Sycamore Slough, announced himself by posters scattered through the county as an independent candidate for sheriff. . . John Strong, a sporting man of Colusa County, was killed at Santa Rosa in the back room of a saloon. His assailant was acquitted.

        July 13, the Republican County Convention nominated their ticket at the court-house. It consisted of: County Judge, J. B. Hicok; Sheriff, A. Calden; County Clerk, J. P. Howard; District Attorney, J. G. Treadway; Treasurer, George Ware; Public Administrator and Coroner, Julius Weyand; Superintendent Public Instruction, W. W. Burnett; Assessor, R. G. Burrows; Supervisor First District, C. J. Diefendorff.

        July 24, David Carter, a hard-working carpenter, but addicted to drink, in a fit of delirium runs across the fields near Colusa, raving mad, and drowns himself in the Sacramento River.

        August 1, an Indian and a Spaniard committed a brutal assault on the person of a highly respectable married woman living in the foot-hills. They were captured at Boggs' rancheria and confessed their crime. Public excitement ran high over the outrage; the whole neighborhood was up in arms. They were identified by the injured woman. A vote was taken by the crowd as to the course to be pursued with the criminals, and the decision was to hang them. They were accordingly taken to the nearest oak tree and lynched.

        September 3, the State congressional and county elections returned an average Democratic majority in the county of two hundred and sixty.

        September 6, the M. E. Church South began holding a camp-meeting on the west bank of the river near Sycamore. Father Fisher, Elder Barton and Rev. J. G. Shelton, P. E., with a full supply of other ministers, were in attendance. . . Colusa flour carried away the premium at the State fair. . . The oil well of L. Lewis was sunk seven hundred feet, but his funds giving out, a subscription list was prepared to raise money sufficient to continue the work to a depth of one thousand feet. . . Rev. B. F. Burris, Elder Peterson and Father Merel were visiting various places in the county and holding services at stated intervals in the interest of their particular denominations. . . W. K. Estil and H. H. Cook elected justices of the peace for Colusa township.

        December 8, the first Catholic Church erected in the county was consecrated at Colusa by Bishop O'Connell. At this time none of the Protestant denominations had yet erected a church edifice in the county, being obliged, and for that matter content, to hold services in the scattered school-houses, in the homes of the farmers, or in the supervisors' room or the court-house at Colusa. . . Heavy rains and high water caused the river to reach the top of the river banks. So heavily did the torrents pour down that on the night of December m the river filled up three and a half feet. Thousands of sheep and cattle were taken to the high lands for security. Colusa and its environs at Christmas-time became an island in a yellow waste of water. Between here and the Coast Range the county presented the appearance of an inland sea. At Grand Island a large portion of agricultural land was overflowed, and the Sacramento River was within half an inch of high-water mark.

1868.

        January 4, installation of officers Colusa Lodge, No. 133, I. O. G. T., by P. G. M. Stinchfield. The officers were: A. S. Culp, N. G.; J. H. Pope, V. G.; Harry Peyton, R. S.; J. H. Liening, Treasurer; L. E. Hamilton, Marshal; W. N. Herd, Con.; Walter Wilson, O. G.; E. H. Small, I. G. A banquet in the evening terminated their proceedings. . . Wolson Black, in crossing a creek in Antelope Valley, was washed off his horse and drowned.

        January 18, James Tevis, who had been sentenced to be hanged for the murder of John Stevens, had his sentence commuted by the Governor, to thirty years' imprisonment in San Quentin.

        February 3, county treasurer's report in totals for the preceding quarter:

                Amount of State Fund                $25,761.35

                Amount of Common Fund           17,987.53

                Amount of School Fund                 1,756.44

                Amount of Building Fund                1,061.69

                Amount of Interest Fund                3,631.10

        J. M. Allen was appointed County Surveyor in place of Will S. Green, resigned.

        During the latter part of January and the first days in February, a sort of pneumonia, epidemic in nature, prevailed, causing the death of a number of infants. Nothing of a similar character had been known before or since in the county.

        February 15, O. S. Mason, acting coroner, held an inquest on the bodies of four Indians murdered in Cortinez Valley. The names of the Indians were Jim, Pinto, Lenons and Jake. Verdict of the jury was that they came to their death by pistol shots fired by unknown persons.

        March 6, the river rose to an unprecedented height but soon subsided. It was caused by warm rains melting the snow in the mountains, together with a great precipitation.

        March 16, Governor Haight approved a bill passed by the Legislature providing for the Board of Supervisors to issue bonds in an amount not to exceed $50,000, at 10 per cent interest, the money to be used for road and bridge building throughout the county. On May 4 following, the board issued, in accordance herewith, one hundred bonds of the denomination of $500, and the result was the improvement of the roads in almost every direction, and the construction of substantial bridges.

        March 24, Board of Supervisors fixed the county tax rate for that year at $1.32, which, with the State tax rate of $1.13, made $2.45.

        April 12, Gilbert R. Abbe, a pioneer of the county since 1851, and who resided in Butte Creek township, died.

        April 25, the People's Navigation Company organized, with a capital stock of $100,000. A. Calden was chosen President of the corporation; John H. Pope, Secretary; J. Hop. Woods, Treasurer. The Enterprise, a boat of this company, was launched in Stockton, August 24, following. .

        May 29, W. C. Smith, State deputy, organized a Lodge of Good Templars, at Colusa, with the following officers installed: W. C. T., J. F. Wilkins; W. V. T., Mrs. S. J. Cain ; W. S., T. J. Kallins; W. F. S., O. S. Mason; W. T., Mrs. F. E. Small: W. M., H. T. Walker; W. D. M., H. B. Marshal; W. I. G., Miss M. D. Greene; W. O. G., W. T. Wright; W. C., M. K. Estil; P. W. C. T., J. A. Smith; R. H. S., Mrs. H. J. Allen ; L. H. S., Miss Isabella Greene; Lodge Deputy, W. T. Wright.   .   .  The Grand Jury, at their meeting, recommended the Supervisors to exclude dances and shows from the court-house. . . The wool clip of the year estimated at $200,000.

        June 15, Colusa County Teachers' Institute organized at Colusa. S. W. Britton, then superintendent of schools, was chosen President; A. S. Cook, Secretary, and R. R. Rush, Vice-President. The meeting was one of interest.

        July 2, death of M. B. Gibson, at Colusa, a pioneer of the county, settling there in 1851. He came to the State in 1849.

        July 4.—Simmon's (now Wilbur) Springs was the scene of much enjoyment on this day, the people going there from all parts to celebrate.

        August 9, B. Strode shot Jack Marble, while the two were riding together near Cortinez. The ball lodged in Marble's neck and he fell from his horse. Strode reported the matter at the county seat, and stated he acted in self-defense. Marble remained in the locality where he was shot about a week without attention, when he was taken to Colusa and received medical treatment. It was impossible to remove the ball, which had lodged in the spinal column. Ten days after the shooting he died, after first making an ante-mortem statement charging Strode with his murder. A warrant was issued for Strode's arrest, but he had disappeared from the country.

        September 4, camp-meeting opened at Princeton, under the direction of Rev. J. S. Shelton.

        October 18, the steamer Capital run into the steamer Colusa and sunk the latter. Two boat-hands, who were asleep on the sunken boat at the time of the collision, were drowned.

        December 5, a temple of the A. O. O. H. was organized at Colusa.

1869.

        The new year was ushered in with a glorious rain, a warrant of a prosperous year. Prosperity in this county must come nearly altogether from the products of the soil. The town of Colusa had doubled her population since the beginning of the previous year, and the estimate was that ten thousand acres of new land would be plowed.

        January 2I, a young man named B. D. Pond was killed on Stony Creek. He was shot through the back while driving some hogs out of a field near Webb's place. W. S. Webb and William Webb, his son, were arrested and charged with the crime, but on examination before Justice Estil they were discharged. The Webbs were afterwards rearrested on a warrant sworn out before Justice Mason and gave bonds for their appearance before the Grand Jury, in the sum of $2,500. The trouble grew out of the fact that Webb, who is an old settler on Stony, had taken up a large claim of unsurveyed land, and, as was the habit in those days, threw a sort of brush fence across the valleys and claimed to the tops of the hills. Other parties had settled on his land; among them was Pond, the murdered man.

        At this time great excitement prevailed all over the county. Fences and buildings of all kinds were being hastily erected on the so-called Diaz land grant, and which was the cause of so much litigation and attempts at adverse possession. The farmer left his plow, the lawyer his office, the merchant his store, to secure for himself a portion of this debatable land, and wrest it from virginal waste to civilized productiveness. The Marysville land-office, L. B. Ayer register, worked diligently in order to take care of the multitude of pre-emption filings and homestead claims which came pouring in. These lands had but a short time previously been restored to private entry by the United States surveyor-general, and the register, refusing to let the lands be entered, had advertised them for thirty days, allowing persons having improvements thereon to file homesteads or pre-emptions. Hence the unusual activity in camping or building on the Diaz land grant. . . Washington's birthday was celebrated by a calico ball given by the Ancient Order of Oriental Humility at Colusa.

        March 13, the residence of J. S. Gibson, ten miles west of Colusa, destroyed by fire, with a loss of $1,500. . . The first velocipede was seen in the county at Colusa, arid drew out a large crowd to watch its speed and manipulation. . . Father Kelley, of the Catholic Church, Rev. L. C. Renfro, of the M. E. Church South, Rev. Mr. Beauchamp, of the Cumberland Presbyterian, were ministering at intervals among the people. Elder De Witt was preaching to the members of the Christian Church, which had just completed its church edifice in Colusa.

        April 26, the Odd Fellows of Colusa celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of their order, with a procession through the city, an oration by Robert Desty, of San Francisco, and a ball in the evening.

        May 27, the heaviest norther experienced in several years swept over the plains of the county, prostrating trees and upsetting a few barns and out-houses. At Colusa it tore off a part of the cupola of the Catholic Church and wrenched window-frames from unfinished buildings. . . The district meeting of the M. E. Church South convened in their new church, holding services during five days, at which Bishop Marvin presided.

        May 28, new hotel at Princeton opened with a grand ball. Hotel in charge of S. H. Jackson.

        June 23, William Miller was killed on Mrs. Tiffie's ranch in a melee about some trifling matter. Miller had a long knife in his hand, which he endeavored to use on James Dobbins and others, when Dobbins shot him, inflicting a mortal wound. Dobbins was arrested, and afterwards acquitted on the ground of justifiable homicide. Dobbins was again arrested and placed under heavy bonds.

        June 26, Sam Davis resigned as city marshal of Colusa. Samuel Wilson appointed in his place. A tri-weekly express began running from Colusa to Princeton. At a meeting of citizens of Colusa to discuss school matters, C. D. Semple and W. W. Greene were nominated trustees, with the express understanding that they would undertake to have a tax levied to build a new school-house. Major Cooper was the hold-over trustee. There were one hundred and fifty school-children in the town, but only indifferent accommodations for about thirty. J. C. Addington returned after a two years' absence in the East and resumed his connection with the Colusa Sun. . . A tri­weekly opposition stage line to Marysville established by James Smith; fare, $2.00. . . The Colusa Jockey Club, with flaring handbills, announce a purse "free for anything with hair and legs on" in the way of trotting and pacing horses in the county, "except Boggs' black horse and Van Dorstan's horse, ' Governor Haight.' "

        July 4, celebrated by a ball and supper at Colusa, and by trotting and pacing races. On the following day a dispute over the ownership of land twelve miles northwest of Colusa, between E. C. Hunter and M. Sparks, terminated in a shooting affray, in which both parties took an active part. Hunter was shot through the ear. He was held to bail and Sparks discharged.

        July 29, Thomas Neilson, a Dane, committed suicide by laudanum poisoning. . . Supreme Court reversed the decision in the case of Yates vs. Smith and Allen. The principles of this case involve the right to the town of Colusa. Yates claimed the land under the Colusa grant, and Smith and Allen under the Jimeno. Judge Belcher had decided in favor of Yates.

        July 31, election in Colusa resulted in the success of the proposition to build a school-house to cost $8,500.

        September 1, the elections in the county resulted in the usual large Democratic majorities. The ticket elected consisted of Laban Scarce, Assembly; Sheriff, J. B. Stanton; County Clerk, J. F. Wilkins; District Attorney, S. D. Wall; Assessor, W. N. Herd; Treasurer, Harry Peyton; Surveyor, E. J. Edwards; Public Administrator and Coroner, L. Cary; Superintendent Public Schools, S. W. Brittan; Supervisor Third District, A. S. C. Cleek.

        September 29, Trustees of Jackson School District ordered a new election to submit the question of raising $800 to build a new school-house (the proposition to raise $1,200 having been defeated). An election was also ordered in the Bridgeport school district. S. M. Bishop elected town marshal of Colusa over four aspirants.

        November 8, George S. Hayward, living on the plains about twelve miles west of Colusa, was run over by a wagon and killed.

        December 1, a lodge of the Knights of Pythias was instituted in Colusa by Grand Chancellor George H. Chard. The lodge is named the Oriental Lodge, No. 10. The following officers were elected and installed: James Davison, W. C. ; M. L. Tindall, V. C.; Dan Smith, R. S.; J. H. Calden, B.; E. W. Jones, F. S.; O. S. Mason, G.; A. P. Spaulding, I. S.

        December 14, J. H. Liening sold the Colusa House to French & Cromer, for $30,000.

        December 20, two prisoners, Jack Jones and J. B. Forestelle, confined in the county jail, charged with felonies, made their escape. Forestelle was captured two weeks later by Waller Calmes.

1870.

        January 6, John Burgett discovered in his cabin two miles from Colusa, suffering from a gun-shot wound in the head, and died the next day. Coroner Cary at the inquest was unable to decide whether the shooting was accidental, murderous or suicidal. A mysterious affair. . . Charles Allen, at a special election, chosen Marshal of Colusa. . . M. E. Church South organized a Sociable Society, drafted constitution and by-laws, and Miss Lettie Wilbur was chosen President, Miss Sue Howard, Vice-President, Miss Mattie Scoggins, Treasurer, and S. D. Wall, Secretary.

        January 19, the Board of Trustees entered into a contract with J. B. Cooke, of Grass Valley, for the erection of water works in Colusa. His franchise was at that time for ten years.  After the trial and acquittal of Moss, the Webb-Stony Creek murder cases were dismissed, having cost the county thousands of dollars. In the protracted trial of these cases, some of the jurors tried hard to be excused from jury service, as is evinced by the following letter, whose orthographic desperation was only equaled by his disgust at the turn matters were taking in bringing in of disagreement : "To the Honorable Jedge of the Court of Colusa County I here set forth facts Apertaining to Said cases now on dokuments before Said jewrors And I herein avere that Said jewrors will not agree in any Cases now pending befor this Court Also I wish you to Bear in mind that I belong to no Secret Organation which others do And also an impartial jury Cannot try these Cases Therefore I Hope you will excuse me from serving on the jury." . . A bill was at this time introduced in the State Senate by Senator Hutchings to incorporate the "Colusa, Marysville and Nevada Railroad," in which the incorporation sought the aid of the city of Marysville and of Colusa, Sutter, Nevada and Yuba Counties to the extent of $450,000 for the building of the road, Colusa County to contribute $10,000 when the road had entered its territory.

        March 1, articles of incorporation filed in the office of the Secretary of State by Messrs. Boggs, Goad, Hagar and Mills for the establishment of a banking house in Colusa, with a capital of $200,000.

        March 4, Charles McCoy, an old resident of Bear Valley was shot by a man named Chapel. The cause of the trouble arose over the ownership of a piece of land. Chapel was discharged by Justice Ingram. Dr. May, formerly a resident of Colusa County, arrested on a charge of abducting or stealing his wife from the home of her parents in Yolo County, and was sentenced to four years in the State prison.

        March 7, new county officers installed. Colonel Wilkins, County Clerk, appointed as Deputies, S. M. Bishop and Gabe Tutt. Stanton, the Sheriff, appointed G. G. Crandall, Under Sheriff, and R. R. Rush, Deputy Sheriff. . . Dr. Glenn loses a barn and some twenty head of horses by fire at Jacinto . . Good Templar Lodge organized at Princeton, with S. W. Spade as Worthy Chief Templar; also at Colusa, with H. P. Walker as Worthy Chief Templar, and Miss Lettie Wilbur as Worthy Vice-Templar, lectured on two evenings in Colusa.

        March 24, a meeting of citizens was held to organize a Jockey Club, with the following officers: President, John Boggs; Vice-Presidents, John Culp, Col. George Hagar, J. S. Gibson, Col. E. J. Lewis, of Tehama, Dr. S. T. Brewster, of Plumas, Chas. F. Reed, of Yolo; Secretary, C. D. Bellows ; Steward, M. Tate.

.  .   . James Keil, a resident of Cortinez Valley, found insane and sent to Stockton Asylum.

        May 1, at the charter election of the town of Colusa, the following officers were chosen: Trustees, S. P. French, Gil. Jones, H. M. Hughes, Wm. Riley, Frank Rose; Marshal, C. S. Allen; Treasurer, E. W. Jones; Secretary, J. B. De Jarnatt. . . Judge Keyser presided for the first time in the district court. Board of Supervisors declared the office of County Superintendent of Schools vacant, and appointed Geo. W. Howard to fill the vacancy.

        May 24, William Wingo convicted for the shooting of Michael Billow at Princeton, and sentenced, by Judge Spalding, to ten years' imprisonment.

        June 1, liberty pole raising at Princeton; John Boggs, Master of Ceremonies; oration by Major S. D. Wall. .   .  Three men, named Chas. Lunn, E. T. Atkins and Thomas Bobo, arrested and charged with burglarizing the Town Talk Saloon, of Colusa The grand jury refused to indict them and they were discharged.

        June 21, a little son of Wm. Miller was drowned in the river about two miles below Colusa, while bathing.

        Colusa County authorities issued the following number of licenses for the year: Thirty saloons, $1,800; twenty-five traders (cigars and confectioneries), $840; three druggists, $90; three tin shops, $90; five hotels, $360; four livery stables, $120; furniture dealer, $3o; two jewelers, $60; four brokers, $48; three lumbermen, $60; peddlers, about $500; propagation, $400.

        July 4.―The day was celebrated by the assembling of citizens in front of the Eureka Hotel, at Colusa, to listen to the reading of the Declaration of Independence, by Capt. J. P. Wood, and an oration by J. L. Howard. The hotel at Wilbur Springs destroyed by fire on the morning of the same day. New stage line between Knight's Landing and Princeton made its first appearance.

        July 9, Sheriff Stanton arrested "Scotch Ned" Gergin, who had stolen twelve head of milch cows from H. N. Yates, and was driving them to the Coast Range.

        August 4, a dance given in the just-erected Clayburgh store building in Colusa, to celebrate the event. . . Rev. Father Becker stationed at Colusa Catholic Church. . . John Fletcher, a plasterer working for Judge Diefendorff, on Grand Island, committed suicide.

        August 13, I. T. Rice, living on Merrill's farm, six miles above Colusa, was thrown from a wagon and killed. . . Princeton Good Templars organize a lodge. . . New and valuable discoveries in gold and cinnabar in the Sulphur Creek mining district. . . Good Templars organize a lodge at Spring Valley.

        September 10, the assessment roll of the county foots up $4,315,946. There were 1,232 persons and firms assessed, making an average of about $3,500 to the tax-payer.

        September 15, Colusa County Bank opened business with a capital stock of $200,000. W. F. Goad, President, and Wm. P. Harrington, Cashier. . . A peddler robbed of over $500 by foot-pads, in the canyon of Freshwater Creek, above Glotzbach's. . . Harl Brothers establish a general store in Bear Valley.

        September 17, three men, named Alonzo Stewart, J. A. McClain and E. P. Wells, killed in Antelope Valley, presumably by Robert and W. H. Hamilton, for whose arrest Sheriff Stanton offers a reward of $3,000, and Governor Haight, $1,000.

        October 8, the school election in Colusa resulted in favor of building a new school-house. J. H. Pope elected Assessor and Tax Collector.

        October 10, Albert Mayfield shot and almost instantly killed by Rufus Fellows, at Newville. Fellows escaped. . . Court-house draped in mourning over receipt of the news of the death of Gen. Robert E. Lee. . . Rev. G. W. Fleming, M. E. pastor at Colusa. . . Census Marshal S. R. Murdock made returns of his work, giving the number of houses in the county at 1,283; families, 1,196; inhabitants, 6,093; improved land, 206,725 acres; wood land, 28,135 acres; unimproved land, 278,853 acres. .  .  James Lane, an old resident of the county, was found burned to death at the upper end of Colusa town. . . Six families in a body arrive from Missouri to settle at Stony Creek.

        November 1, an Indian named Frank, drew a knife and attempted to stab J. Hop. Woods. He was arrested and bound over.

        November 23, death of James H. Calden, of Princeton, an old settler in the county. . . Death of J. Hop. Woods, an extremely active and popular gentleman. He had served five consecutive terms as county treasurer.

        December 1, William Hamilton, one of the brothers accused of killing Stewart, McClain and Wells, in Antelope Valley, on September 17, but who had escaped his pursuers, was brought to Colusa and jailed.

        December 14, Levi Stevens, who had been discharged from the employ of D. Shepardson, became abusive and violent, and was shot and killed by the latter. . . Frank Beaudry, known as "Crazy Frank," a harmless wreck of a man, found dead in a little tent occupied by him on the bank of the river, above the ferry at Colusa.

        December 22, a destructive fire broke out in Colusa, in Hughes & Cheeny's stable, destroying the building and burning several horses. John Koon's saloon was also burned. The goods were all removed from Greenham's bakery and Hamilton's saddlery store, and these buildings were saved. The total loss estimated at $5,900.

1871.

        January 4, Colonel Cobb, of Antelope Valley, arrested as an accessory to the killing of McClain, Wells and Stewart. . . Some queer scenes were occasionally witnessed in the justice of the peace courts. In Squire Weaver's court, some very hard names were bandied by opposing attorneys, one of whom was fined $10, but the fine was remitted on the offending lawyer promising to stand the treats for the crowd. . . W. W. Greene disposed of his interest in the Eureka Hotel at Colusa. . . Congressman Johnson introduced a bill establishing post routes from Colusa to Newville, and from Ingrim's, in Bear Valley, to Grindstone.

        January 15, Hon. J. H. Craddock, of Sutter County, holds county court for Judge Spalding, on account of the latter's illness.

        February 2, Germans of Colusa celebrate the surrender of Paris with bonfire and burning of powder.

        February 18, John Arnold appointed town marshal of Colusa. . . A human skeleton was plowed up on Kilgore's ranch, near the county seat. . . A post-office established at Kanawha, formerly the adobe house, Levi Welch, postmaster. . . Candidates for town marshal, John T. Arnold, Jonas Baer, Lyman Oatman and Marion Tate.

        February 28, the dams placed in Sycamore Slough by the trustees of Reclamation District, No. 108, carried away by the flood. The dams cost the district $7,000. . . Elder Carpenter, of the Christian Church, and Elder C. W. Rees, of the Baptist denomination, active in church work at that period.

        March 15, a lodge of A. O. U. W. organized at Colusa; O. S. Mason chosen Worthy Commander and Rev. L. E. V. Coon was appointed acting Past Worthy Commander.

        April 19, a feud between two brothers-in-law resulted in a street affray in Colusa between Isaac A. Cleghorn and A. B. Hawkins, both of Antelope Valley. . . Cleghorn drew a Remington five-shooter and Hawkins a Sharp four-shooter. Cleghorn was wounded in the right shoulder. . . So thick had candidates become for the various county offices that thirty-five had already announced themselves as candidates before the Democratic Convention to fill the offices of county judge or State senator down to supervisor. . . In a fit of despondency, Edwin Samuels drowns himself in the Sacramento River, near Colusa.

        May 1, at the Colusa town local election, the interest of the day centered on the office of town marshal, John T. Arnold being elected. James McTurk found guilty of assault with a deadly weapon. School trustees of Colusa elected, Jack Hart, W. S. Green and J. W. Goad.

        May 31, William Hamilton and Colonel A. Cobb, charged with the murder of Deputy Sheriff McClain in Antelope Valley, discharged in the District Court at Marysville.

        June 6, two heavy shocks of earthquake felt in Bear Valley.  T. J. Hart appointed town attorney. . . The remains of Dr. A. J. Johnson, an esteemed citizen of Colusa, brought home for interment from New York City. His funeral was remarkable for the respect and evidences of grief it elicited from the community.
        July 5, at a saloon formerly known as the Webb Ranch, on Stony Creek, occupied by Tant Greene, an altercation occurred between the brothers Van and John McDaniels and Greene, in which Greene shot and killed Van McDaniels. Greene came to the county seat and gave himself up.

        July 18, O. F. Cook, formerly of the Colusa Mill, leased for a term of years the Grand Island Flouring Mills.

        August 7, Judge Frank Spalding, on account of ill health, resigns his place on the Democratic ticket as the nominee for county judge of Colusa County. . . Governor Haight and Creed Haymond address the Democracy at Colusa.

        August 28, a very large gathering at the court-house to hear the joint debate between Pearce and Coghlan, Democratic and Republican candidates respectively for Congress. . . Dwelling-house of F. M. Rose, in Colusa, destroyed by fire, with a loss of nearly $3,000.

        The county elections this fall were hotly contested. The Democratic ticket, consisting of the following candidates, was elected throughout by handsome majorities: For Joint Senator, John Boggs; for Assemblyman, Loomis Ward; County Judge, F. L. Hatch; Sheriff, J. B. Stanton; County Clerk, Giles G. Crandall; District Attorney, S. D. Wall; Treasurer, Harry Peyton; Assessor, W. N. Herd; Surveyor, James L. Long; Superintendent of Schools, E. J. Edwards; Coroner, F. X. McAtee ; Supervisor (Second District), C. Kopf. The Republican candidates were: State Senator, C. J. Diefendorff; Assemblyman, Harry Collins; County Judge, J. J. Hicok; Sheriff, J. H . Liening, County Clerk, J. L. Howard; District Attorney, A. L. Hart; Treasurer, William P. Harrington; Assessor, J. C. Lovelace; Surveyor, J. H. Jones; Superintendent of Schools, E. Read; Coroner, Julius Weyand; Supervisor (Second District),. C. Boardman.

        October 18, Marsh Glasscock was killed in his saloon at Spring Valley by W. R. Mills, of the Ohio House. Coroner's jury rendered a verdict of justifiable homicide. . . Colusa amateurs gave their first entertainment at Wood's Hall, appearing in the short plays of Madcap, Phantom and Family Jars. . Rev. E. K. Miller, of M. E. Church South, appointed to the pulpit of Colusa.

        October 17, F. L. Hatch elected county judge over J. J. Hicok and Shephardson. The justices elected throughout the county were: Stony Creek, J. Heaton and S. N. Green; Monroe, S. A. Robinson and W. White; Colusa, John Dunlap and Samuel Baker; Colusa No. 2., J. T. Daley and J. H. Graham ; Union, J. S. Black and John Cartwright; Grand Island, James Hern and H. Davis; Spring Valley, Godfrey Ingrim and J. B. Lucas; Indian Valley, J. W. Gaither and Julius Weyand.

        November 2, County Assessor Herd in his report to the State authorities estimates the population of the county at nine thousand. The number of registered voters was at this time, two thousand seven hundred. . . Daniel Blair, who had settled on Freshwater Creek as early as 1853, died in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, while visiting relatives. . . Rev. W. H. Hill, of Sacramento, occasionally visited Colusa at this period to minister to members of the Episcopal Church. . . J. M. Lemon engaged with a force of two hundred men in building a levee around Grand Island, in Colusa and Yolo Counties. It is intended to reclaim seventy thousand acres of land owned by A. H. Rose, L. A. Garnett, W. C. Ralston, and others.

        December 2, Snow was unusually heavy in the mountains the Coast Range having the appearance of a solid mountain of snow. . . Jones and Gage began the erection of a flour-mill in Colusa.

1872.

        January 1, death of Mrs. Stephen Cooper, who came to California as early as 1846 and located in Colusa County in 1854, on what is known as the Cooper Homestead, near the town of Colusa.

        February 3, a large mass-meeting of the farmers of Colusa and Sutter Counties held in Colusa to oppose the levee or dam across Butte Slough and the mode of reclamation adopted by district No. 5. Jonas Spect presided and speeches made by A. L. Hart, J. H. Liening, W. H. De Jarnatt, T. J. Hart and others. . . John Grant and William Cullin, two former residents of Colusa, arrested for participating in the robbery of Wells, Fargo & Co.'s treasure-box on the Shasta stage during the previous summer.

        February 27, Colonel Charles D. Semple, a prominent and much-respected pioneer, died at his residence in Colusa. He settled in the county in 1850. (See biography.). . .  Three men, named Smith, Amadon and Ralph, drowned from a small scow-boat after leaving Eddy's landing. . . Clark Hammerson by his skill in billiards wins the champion's cue in Colusa. . . A