Yuba County

History

Chapter II - History of California  - transcribed by Craig Hahn, Oct. 2003

Discovery—Early Voyagers—Origin of the Name—Establishment of Missions—Discovery of the Bay of San Francisco—Secularization—Revolutions-Settlement of Yerba Buena—Russians at Fort Ross—Americans’ Desire for the Possession of California—Blunder of Commodore Jones—Thomas O. Larkin’s Effort to Secure the Territory for the United States—Arrival of Fremont—Acts of the Bear Flag party—Construction of the Noted Flag—Seizure of Monterey by Commodore Sloat and Yerba Buena by Captain Montgomery—The Mexican War—Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo—Subsequent Events

      The Spaniards, having conquered Mexico in 1519, were desirous of possessing still more new territory. They had a vague idea that a land lay northwest of “New Spain”, as Mexico was called, which would rival that country in wealth and beauty. Cortes, in 1535, made the attempt to discover this region, but after landing on the peninsula of Lower California gave up the search. The coast of California proper was discovered in 1542 by Jose R. Cabrillo, who sailed as far north as the 44^th parallel of latitude. Authorities differ in regard to the derivation of the name California. The most probable theory is, that the word was found in an obscure Spanish novel, Las Sergas de Esplandian, published in 1515, in which the name applied to an island “on the right hand of the Indies, near the Terrestrial Paradise.” For a number of years the book was exceedingly popular. It is not claimed that the newly discovered land was the same as that mentioned by the Spanish author, or that it was applied on account of the beauty of the country, for the parts explored at that time were confined to the rough and rocky coast. Like all new lands, California was supposed to abound in valuable minerals and precious stones, hence the name used in the romance spoken of seemed peculiarly appropriate. This, with the additional desire to lend greater interest to the country, by the use of so popular a name, was undoubtedly the reason for the application. Another theory regarding the naming is that it was derived from the Latin words calidas fornus—hot oven. The reason assigned by those who favored this theory is the universal use among natives of the sweathouse or hot-oven in the treatment of disease. In 1579, Sir Francis Drake, an English navigator, after having failed in an attempt to sail through the supposed open northern sea, turned southward and on the seventeenth of June, sailed into a “faire good bay,” which was probably the present Drake’s Bay. It was soon afterwards called San Francisco Bay by the Spaniards, but it was not until nearly two centuries had elapsed, that this name was changed to its present application. In 1595, the San Augustin, commanded by Captain Cermenon, was wrecked in Drake’s Bay. The pilot, who escaped to Mexico, went out seven years later in an exploring expedition under Sebastian Vizcaino; the vessels, two in number, stopped at San Diego and Monterey, sailed into Drake’s Bay and went further northward. The modern Bay of San Francisco had not yet been discovered. In 1740, a map was published in Spain which had a rough representation of the bay; the source of this knowledge is unknown.

      The discovery of Lower California was followed by the settlement of that region by the Jesuits. In 1767, an order was issued for the expulsion of the Jesuits, the Franciscan friars succeeding them in the Missions already established in the Californian peninsula. The Mission system was now to be extended farther north into what was called for the first time Upper or New California. Father Junipero Serra was selected to take charge of this enterprise by the superior of the convent of San Fernando, in New Spain, under whose general direction the work was to be carried on. By previous arrangement, four expeditions were sent from Lower California to the new territory, two by land, and two by sea. The San Carlos, which sailed on the eleventh of January, 1769, did not reach their destination, San Diego, for three months and a half. In the meantime, the San Antonio, which departed, a month later meeting more propitious weather, arrived at San Diego, April 11^th.  This was the commencement of the permanent occupation of California by white men. The first land expedition, under Captain Rivera and Friar Crespi, arrived at San Diego, May 14^th; second under Captain Portala and Father Junipero Serra, reached that place on the first of July. Active operations were now commenced on the sixteenth of the month the Mission of San Diego was founded. On the fourteenth of July, Captain Portala, governor of the territory, with friars Juan Crespi and Gomez, and a large party of whites, departed on a journey to occupy Monterey.

      They passed by the desired spot without recognizing it, journeyed on up the coast, and November 7, 1769, arrived at the Bay of San Francisco. Hence, friar Juan Crespi, the leader of the expedition, made the real discovery, and it was not accomplished until one hundred and ninety years after its supposititious discovery by Drake. The party returned to San Diego and on a subsequent expedition located the Mission of San Carlos and the Presidio of Monterey. The following, from Hoffman’s Reports, volume one (appendix), is a list of the twenty-one Missions established by friars during their occupation. With the date and place of their location:--

      In addition to those mentioned in the above table and generally accepted as being properly called Missions, the following are given: Canada de los Pinos or College Rancho, located in Santa Barbara County, and containing 35,499.37 acres; La Laguna, located in San Luis Obispo County, and containing 4,157.02 acres; Two Gardens, in San Luis Obispo County.

      At first the Indians were exceedingly cautious about approaching or connection themselves with the new style of civilization, but gradually their fears and superstitions were overcome and they began to cluster around the Fathers. Their old habits and manner of living were thrown off and they contented themselves with the quiet life and somewhat laborious duties of the Missions. In 1822, the independence of Mexico from Spanish rule was formally recognized, and two years later a republican constitution was adopted for the government of the Mexican citizens, under which California, on account of her sparse population, ranked only as a territory. In 1836, a change having been made in the political affairs in Mexico, the Californians arose in rebellion under Juan Bautista Alvarado and Isaac Graham, but were finally quieted down and compelled to accept the condition of affairs.

      Heretofore the soldiers in the Presidios had played an unimportant part, the friars in the Missions being the controlling power, but now the Mexican Government intended to reverse the order of prominence. August 17, 1833, the Mexican Congress passed a bill to secularize the Missions in Upper and Lower California. This took away from the friars the control of the Mission property, placing it in charge of administrators; it gave the civil officers predominance over the priestly class. The President of the republic issued his instructions to Governor Figueroa, of California, who in turn, August 9, 1834, issued a decree that in August, 1835, ten of the Missions would be converted to pueblos or towns. A portion of the Mission property was divided among the resident Indians, who had now become independent citizens, but their business capabilities were not sufficiently developed and their old habits were too strongly implanted, so the greater proportion soon resumed their former wild mode of living. This action on the part of the Mexican authorities was the death blow to the Mission system and its overthrow was soon accomplished.

      The following extract is from the original report of Rev. Father President of the Mission establishment of the Upper California, dated 31^st of December, 1828, now in the possession of Mr. J. Alexander Forbes. It shows the result of the labors of the Fathers during a period of fifty-nine years from 1769.

      A margin should be added to the number of live stock, as the Fathers, who were compelled to donate to the support of the Presidios in proportion to the property possessed by them, would report below the true amount.

      In the meantime, foreigners had commenced their visitations and settlements. In the summer of 1835, Wm. A, Richardson moved from Saucelito to Yerba Buena (San Francisco), opened a store, and began trading in hides and tallow. Jacob P. Leese, for a number of years a resident of Los Angeles, in July, 1836, built a store in Yerba Buena. He had previously met many obstacles in obtaining a grant of land upon to locate the building, but by the authority of Governor Chico, this was finally effected. Previous to the location of Richardson and Leese, the only inhabitants of the Pueblo and Mission at Yerba Buena were Spaniards, Mexicans, and Indians; in other parts of the State, several Americans had settled. In 1840, there were in Yerba Buena four Americans, four Englishmen, and six other Europeans. For a number of years, the Russians had been occupying and trapping in the country around Bodega bay under a charter from Spain, their headquarters being Fort Ross. Although the Mexican Government had cast envious eyes on the little settlement, the authorities did not dare to molest the occupants. Finally in 1840, the Russians withdrew, disposing of their establishment and property to Capt. John A. Sutter, for thirty thousand dollars, to be paid on time.

      The desire for the possession of California by the Americans commenced with the dawn of the nineteenth century. The sway of feeble Mexican power caused no advancement in the condition of the population, and a land of such vast resources needed stronger and more enlightened rulers. Being located contiguous to the United States, and having a large part of its population of that nationality, it was no wonder that the tendency for annexation was in that direction. An offer was made to Mexico for California in 1835, when it was expected that the annexation of Texas would be accomplished, but it was rejected. Notwithstanding this refusal, from 1837 the securing of the State was regarded as a certainty, and in event of a war with Mexico, California was to be seized. Acting under the instructions, Commodore Jones entered the harbor of Monterey, October 19, 1842, with the frigate United States and the corvette Cyane, and hearing rumors of war, took possession of the town. The falsity of the report was learned the next day, and the lowering of the flag, and the offering of an apology quickly followed. With the inauguration of President Polk on the fourth of March, 1845, the movement tending to the acquisition of California took a more definite shape. June 24, 1845, the Secretary of the Navy, George Bancroft, issued orders to Commodore Sloat, in command of the North Pacific Squadron, directing:--“If you should ascertain with certainly, that Mexico has declared war against the United States, you will at once possess yourself of the port of San Francisco, and blockade or occupy such other ports as your force may permit.” Both England and France desired possession of the territory, but neither dared to take the initiatory steps towards securing it.

     Thomas O. Larkin, the American Consul at Monterey, who under instructions had gained a great amount of influence among the leading native Californians, suggested and caused the issuance of a circular by Governor Pico, in May, 1846, calling a convention of thirty of the more prominent men in the country. This assemblage were to discuss the condition of affairs and to petition the Mexican authorities for an improved government; if the request met with a refusal, the territory was to be sold to some other power. The tendency of this discussion would be towards the transfer of the territory to the United States. The convention did not meet, however, as events transpired which precluded the possibility of a peaceful transfer. Lieut. John C. Fremont arrived in that year, and soon became embroiled in a wordy conflict with the authorities in regard to the ownership of a horse, which nearly led to a pitched battle. This serious complication was averted, and Fremont moved off towards Oregon. On the fourteenth of June, 1846, the Americans north of San Francisco, under Captain S. Merritt and Mr. Wm. B. Idle, without consultation with the representative men of the lower portion of the country, suddenly seized the town of Sonoma, imprisoned General G. Vallejo and others, declared California independent, and raised the celebrated “Bear Flag.” It seemed necessary to the revolutionist to have some standard under which to pursue their career and conquest, and accordingly they devised, and with the rude appliance at hand constructed a banner. Perhaps no better description of the noted flag can be give than that published by us in our Illustrated History of Sonoma County. “Three men,--Ben Duell (now of Lake County), Todd and Currie,--made a flag. Duell and Currie as it happened were both saddlers, and did the sewing; Todd painted the stripes and the bear. The material of which the stripes were made was not, as had been stated, an old red flannel petticoat, but was a new flannel and white cotton, which Duell got from Mrs. W. J. Elliott, who had been brought to the town of Sonoma,--her husband, W. B. Elliott, being one of the bear-flag party. Some blue domestic was found elsewhere, and used in making the flag; the drawing was rudely done, and when finished, the bear,--from which the flag and party took their name,--resembled a pig as much as the object for which it was intended. The idea of the bear was, that having entered into the fight, there was to be no back-down, or surrender until the end in view was accomplished.”

      News of the war on the Rio Grande reached Commodore Sloat at Mazatlan on the seventh of June, 1846, and on the following day he sailed in the Savannah for Monterey, arriving on the second of July. On the seventh, Captain Mervine went ashore and took possession of the Custom House and Presidio, raised the Stars and Stripes and read a proclamation from Commodore Sloat announcing that “henceforth California will be a portion of the United States. The next day Captain Montgomery, commanding the Portsmouth the lying at Yerba Buena, received his orders from Commodore Sloat and hoisted the flag on the plaza. Three days afterwards, the colors were floating at Monterey, San Francisco, Sonoma, Bodega, and New Helvetia, and soon afterwards at Los Angeles and San Diego. The war between Mexico and the United States lasted two years, although little fighting was done in California, and that confined to the lower parts of the territory. The occupation of the Mexican capitol by General Scott, September 14, 1847, practically ended the war although the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was made February 2, 1848, and the ratifications were exchanged May 30^th.

      The discovery of gold, January 19, 1848, an account of which will be found in a subsequent chapter, gave a wonderful impetus to immigration. Men flocked in from all parts of the world, populating this region heretofore comparatively unknown. The need of a more stable government being felt, and as it was certain that the new territory would soon possess the necessary requirements of a State, General Riley, the Military Governor issued a call for a convention to prepare a constitution. The delegates assembled September 3, 1849, and when their work had been duly ratified, the election for State officers was held. After a heated and bitter discussion between Northern and Southern members relative to the question of slavery in the new acquisition, Congress, on the seventh of September, 1850, passed a bill admitting California as a State, and two days later, the President’s signature was appended.

      On its subsequent history, volumes could be written, but most of the information would prove so familiar to the reader as to preclude any glance at the pages. The progress has been marvelous, and while it has been by irregular movements at varied intervals, still the summit of prosperity is far in the future.

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