Colusa County, CA History

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

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Records of Permanent Development.
 
CHAPTER VI.
(Continued)
 
1880.
 
        January 4, Sheriff Arnold arrested the following persons, charged with 
cutting the Wilkins Slough levee: W. B. Kirtley, E. M. McPhetridge, J. C. 
Griffith, George and Anthony Corvall, Pres. Garmyle, W. Wiseman, R. Thorp, John 
Hart, Wm. Gossman, Frank Hyatt, D. Reed, Charles Wooley, Frank Thompson, John 
Cole, James Nixon,D. C. Fortna, H. Fortna, O. H. Newton, James Tisdall, Wm. 
Hyatt, James Alberson, Charles Latham, W. L. Carter, R. Cox, B. Viney, James 
Smith. These were all brought before Justice Wharton and held to bail in the sum 
of $500 each. These parties are all well-to-do people, and will make their case 
a test case. . . Jackson Hatch resigns the office of district attorney, and T. 
J. Hart appointed for the unexpired two months of the term of office.
        January 17, Charley Taing, a Chinaman, under sentence of death, attempts 
suicide by hanging himself in his cell, but is cut down before life was extinct. 
. . L. F. Moulton issues a pamphlet on the subject of reclamation.
        January 30, the third execution under the law in the county took place 
in the hanging of Charles Taing, a Chinaman, for the murder of another Chinaman, 
at L. Scearce's ranch. Sheriff Arnold attended to all the preparations and 
details of the execution. Father Wallrath assisted the condemned man 
spiritually, and baptized him on the morning of his doom. The Chinaman showed no 
evidences of fear, and met his fate with composure.
        February 7, near College City, a team attached to a gang-plow became 
unmanageable, and the driver, John W. Wright, undertook to hold the leaders by 
their bridles, but they got away from him, and the plow struck him, cutting him 
almost in two at the waist. He was instantly killed. . . John Ragland killed by 
C. S. Lancaster, near Newville. Domestic trouble at the bottom of the tragedy.
        February 15, death of N. Proctor Smith, at San Francisco, in the 
eighty-first year of his age. He was one of the pioneers of Colusa County, 
having engaged in business in Colusa in 1852. In early life he was a sea-faring 
man, and was the first American to obtain the consent of Turkey to sail an 
American ship into Turkish waters. . . Curt Platt, a farmer residing a short 
distance below Princeton, having hidden $2,200 in the hay of his barn, is robbed 
of the same by his Chinese cook.
        February 29, Rev. M. McWhorter preached the pioneer sermon at Norman.
        March 8, a violent norther at Willows blew the new Methodist Church off 
its foundation. Jones' brick warehouse was badly damaged, Rathbun's residence 
unroofed and the portico and fire wall of the Central Hotel carried away.
        March 20, Northern District Teachers' Association met at Orland, J. G. 
Barkley presiding.
        March 27, death of Gilman Roberts, a pioneer of the county, residing 
here as early as 1852.
        April 5, Charles Redinger, who was in jail under sentence of death, and 
a burglar named Carter, sawed their way out of the prison and escaped.
        April 30, Ferdinand F. Reckart committed suicide by shooting in the 
Dexter Bowling Saloon at Colusa. . . Henry Wilkins, in the employ of F. Quint, 
near Willows, accidentally kills himself by the premature discharge of a rifle.
        May 1, the warehouse of the Farmers' Storage and Commission Company, at 
Colusa, sold under a mortgage foreclosure to E. W. Jones & Co. . . At the 
municipal election held in Colusa, the following officers were chosen: Recorder, 
J. H. Liening; Marshal, Henry Wescott; Secretary, James Porter; Treasurer, James 
Bond.
        May 19, death of John F. Carr, a pioneer and a justice of the peace, 
residing at Butte City at the time of his death. . . Elders Keith and Durham 
hold a protracted meeting at Sycamore.
        June 9, A. H. Rose, Thomas C. King and Howell Davis elected Trustees of 
Reclamation District No. 124.
        June 16, Board of Supervisors adopt plans for a bridge across Stony 
Creek, to cost $12,000.
        June 24, on O'Keefe's ranch, seven miles from Maxwell, a dispute arose 
over some trivial matter between Michael Flaere and Henry Bismarck, alias 
Waldoff, when the latter was cut in the neck, severing the jugular, while 
another cut pierced his heart, causing instant death. Flahoe was arrested, and 
after a trial sentenced to be hanged.
        July 5, an accident occurred at the Sun Building, where a crowd of 
people had gathered to witness an equestrian procession, when one corner of the 
balcony gave way, resulting in slightly wounding several persons.
        July 13, Colusa organized a Hancock Club, with Richard Bayne, President, 
and Robert Barnett, Secretary. Princeton also formed a club to support General 
Hancock, with Dr. Thomas B. Eagle, President, and J. F. Sersanous, Secretary. 
These were followed by other Democratic organizations in the county, notably at 
Willows and Williams.
        July 16, the boiler of Davis & Jeffries threshing-machine exploded on 
Fellows' farm, three miles below Colusa, killing an employe known as Portuguese 
Joe. . . The annual report of Superintendent of Schools Houchins showed that 
there were sixty school districts in the county, and two thousand nine hundred 
and sixty-five children between the ages of five and seventeen. The total 
valuation of school property in the county was $81,115.
        July 30, a fire destroyed the large warehouse of Howell Davis, at 
Sycamore, inflicting a loss of $8,000.
        August 7, a Republican mass convention assembled in Colusa, and 
nominated Dr. W. W. McKaig, J. E. Hayman, E. W. Jones and E. C. Hart, delegates 
to the State convention. A few days later a Garfield Club was organized at 
Colusa, with the following officers: W. W. McKaig, President; J. D. Gage and 
Colonel George Hagar, Vice-Presidents; W. E. Norris, Secretary, and E. W. Jones, 
Treasurer.
        August 16, Captain James B. Eads and party arrived in Colusa on an 
examining tour of the river.
        September 24, J. Leake was killed by a moving train at Willows. . . A 
boiler of an engine running a separator on Dr. Glenn's ranch, exploded, killing 
three men outright, and badly wounding several others. Joseph Brady, the 
foreman, was blown eighty yards and instantly killed. The two others who lost 
their lives were Chinamen.
        September 26, Dr. D. J. Hunter, one of the early settlers in the 
foot-hills of the county, having settled west of Princeton in 1854, died at 
Tehama.
        October 14, O. S. Mason died. He was a useful member to the community of 
Colusa. He had filled several public offices, among them Deputy Sheriff and 
Justice of the Peace, and was prominent among a number of secret and benevolent 
orders. . . Charles Kokdee, who killed George Squires on Stony Creek, and served 
a term of imprisonment therefor, died suddenly at Germantown.
        October 17, the corner-stone of the Catholic Church at Colusa laid. 
Bishop O'Connell, of the diocese, officiated, assisted by Rev. M. Colgan, of 
Cape Town, Africa, who preached the sermon.
        October 22, J. C. Freese, the express agent at Arbuckle, was robbed of 
some $2,000. He claimed that while sitting in the depot office late at night, a 
stranger entered, knocked him over the head, and proceeded to rob the safe. 
There were so many suspicious circumstances in Freese's conduct both before and 
after the robbery, that his story was not believed. Wells, Fargo & Co. set to 
work to procure evidence against him. For this purpose, their detective, J. C. 
Bolton, was placed in charge of the Arbuckle Hotel, and, suspecting one Shelton, 
a jeweler of the place, he laid a trap for him, which proved successful, Shelton 
acknowledging that he engaged in the robbery in connection with Freese. Freese 
was indicted, found guilty and sentenced to three years in the penitentiary.
        October 27, the Washington school-house with its contents destroyed by 
fire.
        October 28, F. G. Crawford leased the Willows Hotel. 
        October 30, a fire broke out and destroyed a large portion of the town 
of Orland. It originated in G. G. Ellis' barn, and the wind soon carried the 
flames to neighboring stores and houses, twenty-three of which were consumed, 
with a loss estimated at $40,000. . . Appointments of the M. E. Church South 
were: Colusa District, James Kelsey, P. E.; Colusa Station, T. A. Atkinson; 
Princeton Circuit, G. W. Humphreys; Arbuckle Circuit, J. F. Roberts; Willows 
Circuit, A. L. Paul; Maxwell Circuit, M. B. Sharbrough; Orland Circuit, J. M. 
Overton.
        November 16, George Vossmeyer, while driving out of Colusa, fell from 
his wagon and was killed by concussion of the brain. . . Dedication of the 
handsome Masonic Hall at Willows.
        November 18, the stubble took fire at H. H. Wooley's place, just west of 
College City, while a brisk norther was blowing, that swept through the town. It 
was with extreme difficulty that the town was saved from destruction. Every man, 
woman and child turned out to check the course of the flames. A barn belonging 
to P. Hannum and one to J. W. Shoemaker were destroyed.
        November 21, Wm. Bartlett killed James Hudspeth, at Colusa. A coroner's 
jury pronounced it a case of justifiable homicide.
        December 4, death of Professor Bradshaw, of Pierce Christian College.
        December 14, death of J. B. Cain, at his home in College City. . . The 
Orland Times, the first paper published in that town, issued its initial number. 
It was a seven-column folio, and edited by J. W. Malone.
 
1881.
 
        January 10, a fire at Williams consumed Miller's stable where it 
originated, the wagon shop of N. Nelk and the black�smith shop of Hamilton & 
Peters.
        January 20, the body of Engineer McCloud, who was drowned on December 
23, was found near Butte Slough, by John Grant and Fred Watson. . . Dr. Hughes' 
gold quartz mine on Sulphur Creek is showing an abundance of rock, assaying $200 
per ton. . . An attempt was made to burn the barn of James Danley at Maxwell.
        At this period proceedings were begun before the Assembly looking to the 
impeachment of Hon. F. L. Hatch, Superior Judge of the county. The charges 
brought against him were intemperance and partiality for certain attorneys 
having business in his court. Judge Hatch was a gentleman of high legal 
attainments and literary adornment. No sooner had these proceedings begun before 
the Legislature than the Board of Supervisors met and passed resolutions 
eulogistic of the judge and condemnatory of the attempt to impeach him and drive 
him from the bench. Citizens of the county individually aroused themselves in 
his defense, and came to his assistance by visiting the members of the 
Legislature and expressing their warm admiration for both his judicial course 
and personal conduct in everyday life. Judge Hatch was, after a protracted 
examination of many witnesses, exonerated by the committee of the Legislature to 
whom the matter of impeachment had been referred, and returned home, to meet 
with a cordial reception from his friends and neighbors, who manifested at every 
turn their delight at his vindication. A serenade was tendered him, while the 
court�room was crowded to hear the felicitations of Richard Bayne in welcoming 
Judge Hatch to his home.
        February 5.�The greatest flood ever known in the Sacramento Valley came 
on this day and lasted during the following day, though the rain began falling 
as early as January 27. The water was reported higher at Red Bluff and Tehama 
than the oldest pioneer could remember. The water ran out in volumes on Dr. 
Glenn's farm at Jacinto and for a mile on the Lincoln tract, eight miles above 
Colusa. Deeter's levee broke and submerged a large tract of country. The great 
damage that was done was caused by the waters of Feather River washing across 
the Sacramento. This water came so rapidly as to rush nearly up to the bank of 
the river at Princeton. Opposite Colusa it came close to the base of the levees, 
and it was only eight inches below the water in the river. At the head of Butte 
Slough it was so much higher than the Sacramento as to rush across the river and 
carry away the levee on the west side. The water filled the basin north of 
Sycamore Slough as no one had ever seen it filled. This caused it to flow over 
the levees on the south bank of Sycamore Slough and flood the Mormon basin. The 
damage to property in the basin was estimated at $300,000. The total loss to the 
county could not have been less than $500,000.
        February 7, P. B. Chamberlain was appointed postmaster at Williams. . . 
Petitions were in circulation all over the county praying the President to 
pardon the Mussel Slough settlers.
        February 20, dedication of Trinity M. E. Church South at Colusa. Bishop 
Kavanaugh officiated. At the conclusion of the services, the indebtedness of the 
church, amounting to $5,000, was liquidated, with the exception of $560, which 
was assumed by the trustees. The chairman of the board of trustees, J. W. Goad, 
presented the church for dedication. The cost of the church edifice was $17,000.
        March 8, a large number of ladies and gentlemen met in the court-room at 
Colusa, to organize a Library Association, with Stephen Addington in the chair 
and Robert Barnett, secretary.
        March 19, Allen Murphy, who had been employed to work for Joshua Jones, 
near Butte City, fired several shots at the latter. . . Death of Mrs. Eliza T. 
Singleton, a school�teacher of Colusa, noted for her literary abilities. . . 
John Muery, a carpenter at Willows, was killed by falling from a windmill which 
he was repairing for the Willows brewery.
        April 3, death of Stephen Smith, at Princeton, who was a pioneer of the 
year 1851.
        April 16, George Browning made an unsuccessful attempt to shoot J. P. 
Shoemate, in front of the latter's saloon, at Colusa.
        April 17, death of John McCoy, near Maxwell, one of the first settlers 
in that locality. . . Services were held in the new Catholic Church at Colusa 
for the first time.
        April 30, a large gathering of owners of sheep and hogs met at Willows 
to adopt measures to exterminate the coyotes that abounded in the foot-hills 
west of Willows. One among the measures adopted was that from a fund raised by 
assessment upon the sheep-raisers of the district, $15 should be paid for every 
coyote scalp.
        May 4, H. Ketchum shot and killed William Mooney at the town of Willows. 
Ketchum was held to answer in heavy bail. The evidence before the magistrate 
tended to connect William Simpson and William Williams with the crime, and they 
were accordingly held. All the accused were acquitted later.
        May 15, death of S. W. Brittain, at Reno, Nevada. Deceased was an old 
resident of the county, living for the most part at Leesville, was a 
school-teacher, and at one time held the position of county superintendent of 
public schools.
        May 29, death of Mrs. Will S. Green, wife of the editor of the Colusa 
Sun, a lady universally esteemed for her social worth, literary culture and 
deeds of kindness.
        May 30, at Butte City, George Buchanan shot and killed William Evans. 
After an examination before Justice Robinson, Buchanan was discharged.
        June 3, the County Board of Examination issued first-grade certificates 
to the following teachers: Neena Wagenseller, S. C. Smith, George F. Myrick, A. 
W. Sanford, J. M. McCoy, Hattie Hunter, E. H. Parnell, C. J. Walker, A. B. 
Galloway. The second grades were: Miss Maggie Reardon, Miss J. Strother, G W. 
Sellman, Charles Johnson, Judson Appley, Mrs. H. L. Wilson, Anna Ritterath, J. 
R. Grimstead, Edgar Hunter. . . The agitation of the anti-debris question had 
for some time past been the engrossing theme of the residents of Colusa County. 
They had been working with prudent deliberation to accomplish the purpose of 
preventing the absolute destruction of agriculture in the Sacramento Valley, and 
also the Sacramento River as an outlet for shipping their products. The people 
were at last becoming terribly in earnest in the matter of the mining debris. 
For this purpose a meeting was held in the court-house, at which D. H. Arnold 
was chosen president, and Robert Barnett, secretary. A committee of the 
following gentlemen was appointed to meet again at the court-house on June 10, 
to take measures for immediate action: H. J. Glenn, John Boggs, G. F. Packer, 
William Murdock, A, D. Logan, W. S. Green, W. P. Harrington, J. Furth, John 
Wiles, Samuel Picknell, I. L. McDaniel, M. Davis, T. C. McVey, L. F. Moulton, S. 
W. Randall, Joe McConnell, C. Kopf, H. Davis, John W. Browning, J. H. Byers, B. 
B. Glasscock, Henry Gregory, Peter Petersen, Joseph Farnsworth, J. C. Stovall, 
F. W. Schultz, T. M. Phelps, S. Burtiss. At the meeting which followed, on June 
10, several important resolutions were passed, among them being one to 
co-operate with the Yuba and Sutter County Contingent Fund Committee, in all 
things necessary for stopping the filling of the rivers by mining debris. 
Another resolution was that two citizens of Colusa County be appointed to go and 
investigate the hydraulic mines at the head of the Sacramento River and on its 
tributaries. This was the most representative and earnest, if not the most 
important, business meeting ever held in the county. . . The school census of 
the county gave a total of one thousand five hundred and seventeen boys, and one 
thousand five hundred and thirty-one girls.
        June 18, all the business houses, including the saloons, were closed 
under a new Sunday law at Willows, except the saloon kept by Al. Allen. Allen on 
the following day went to Princeton, plead guilty to a violation of the law, and 
was fined $10, by Justice Robinson. Then a complaint was lodged with Justice 
Brasfield, at Colusa, against Mrs. Allen, in whose name the saloon was carried 
on. Mrs. Allen was fined $25, and "Shasta," her manager, the same amount. At 
Maxwell some ten persons were arrested for violating the Sunday law, merchants 
as well as saloon keepers.
        June 24, a row in Chinatown at Butte City, in which only Chinamen were 
engaged, resulted in the killing of three of them.
        July 4, a destructive fire swept over the Montgomery ranch, which is 
located partly in Colusa and partly in Tehama Counties, consuming two thousand 
five hundred acres of grain. . . At Fouts' Springs the national holiday was 
celebrated by a goodly gathering. W. J. Carpenter delivered the oration. Miss 
Nellie Fouts furnished the vocal music and Rev. Mr. Greene made a patriotic 
address.
        July 22, John Gorey was seriously stabbed at Colusa by some unknown 
person. One Mike Shay was arrested for the crime. . . Pierce Christian College 
showed a total of ninety scholars for the preceding year.
        August 3, a lodge of the A. O. U. W. organized at Princeton, with a 
membership of twenty-six. . . An Irish Land League formed at Colusa.
        August 5, a fire broke out on the farm of William Ash, near Berlin, 
destroying some forty stacks of wheat before it could be checked. Loss, $7,000. 
. . The town taxes of Colusa amount to 105 cents on the $100. Eighty cents of 
this are for general purposes, and twenty-five cents for roads.
        August 17.�The following is a statement of the assessed valuation of 
property in the county for 1881:�
 
Real estate                                                                      
      $11,450,955
Improvements                                                                     
         685,809
City and town lots                                                               
         224,490
Improvements on same                                                             
    487,540 
Value of improvements assessed to persons other than real
owners                                                                           
                47,688
Value of personal property, except money                                 
3,926,182
Amount of money                                                                  
         97,746
Value of railroad franchises                                                     
      621,000
                Total                                                            
         $17,541,410
 
        September1, the Union Hotel at Germantown was burned down.
        September 2, the contract for building a bridge across the river at 
Colusa was let to William Burrell, at $16,500.
        September 23, shortly after the receipt of the news of the death of 
President Garfield, the town trustees of Colusa assembled and passed resolutions 
of sorrow over his violent and untimely taking off. A deep feeling of sadness 
pervaded the whole county, irrespective of politics. A meeting of the citizens 
of Colusa was called, presided over by Colonel George Hagar, and of which 
Richard Bayne was secretary, to take into consideration the manner by which an 
observance should be made of the great calamity. The meeting resolved to hold 
appropriate exercises in the Methodist Church, on the 26th inst. President 
Keith, of Christian College, Hon. F. L. Hatch, Richard Bayne, John T. 
Harrington, and others were invited to deliver addresses. . . Captain Vickers, 
proprietor of a saloon at St. John, was stabbed severely several times by David 
Lowery.
        October 5, death of Hon. F. L. Hatch, in the fifty-ninth year of his 
age. The deceased was a talented, learned and honorable gentleman, who had 
passed through a varied, active and useful career. He first filled the office of 
county judge of Colusa, by appointment of Governor Haight, in order to supply a 
vacancy. He served in this capacity twice by election and twice by appointment. 
The bar of the county met and paid high tribute to his personal worth and 
fidelity to duty. They attended his interment in a body. The crowds who attended 
his funeral, and the evidences of grief they manifested over his demise, showed 
that no ordinary civic loss had been sustained by the community. . . The 
Methodist Conference sent the following ministers to the Colusa district: James 
Kelsey, P. E., Colusa Station; J. M. Ward, Willows and Elk Creek; G. W Humphrey, 
Princeton; M. C. Fields, Arbuckle; A. Adam, Maxwell; J. M. Overton, Orland.
        October 9, the residence of W. E. Mitchell, five miles north of 
Princeton, destroyed by fire.
        October 15, the steam flouring-mill at Orland, owned by H. W. Nelson and 
conducted by A. Papst & Bros., was burned down, together with two thousand sacks 
of wheat, six tons of flour and a quantity of wood. . . A meeting was held at 
Maxwell for the purpose of making a test for artesian water in the county. A 
subscription paper was prepared for the purpose of procuring means to bore a 
well, which should be located somewhere between the north line of the town of 
Willows and the south line of the town of Arbuckle. Canvassers were also 
appointed to solicit subscriptions. John Boggs presided over the meeting, with 
Will S. Green, secretary.
        October 18, Martin Reagen, while driving a team by night from Colusa on 
the Princeton road, was thrown out of the wagon, falling on his head. He was 
found dead in the road the next morning. . . At Williams a fire broke out in the 
rear of Parker's saloon, destroying the saloon building and also the saloon of 
C. F. Ruker, Glover's harness shop, Drake & Frazier's saloon, and the saloon and 
bowling alley of Alexander Miller. . . Hon. George A. Blanchard appointed Judge 
of the Superior Court to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Hatch.
        November 1, death of Fielding Calmes, in the seventy-fourth year of his 
age. He was an early pioneer of the county, settling first in Bear Valley and 
then south of Stone Corral. About a year before his demise, he selected his last 
resting-place, on the top of a hill near his home, and, procuring lumber, made 
his own coffin. He was a man of wonderful vigor and esteemed highly. . . The 
Orland Times was purchased by the "Orland Times Publication Company," with Frank 
Freeman as editor.
        November 23, during a thunder-shower at Olympo, the barn of F. C. Graves 
was struck by lightning, setting fire to the structure. Two young ladies were 
out milking at the time, and, having a couple of buckets of milk, threw them on 
the fire, promptly extinguishing it.
        November 27, the body of Patrick Conway was found below Princeton by W. 
Pearson, while engaged in fishing. Conway had fallen from the gang plank of the 
steamer Dover on the night of October 31.
        December 4, the Catholic Church at Maxwell, under the patronage of the 
Sacred Heart of our Saviour, was dedicated by Rt. Rev. E. O'Connell. . . Albert 
B. Dickhut, a young man farming near Orland, went hunting with twenty others in 
the Coast Range. He left camp with his pack-mule, dog and rifle. Failing to 
return within a reasonable time, his companions, thinking he was lost, started 
in search of him, maintaining lighted signals during the night. Some days after 
the first search, which proved to be fruitless, his pack-mule and three deer 
which he had shot were found in a gulch, but no other trace of Dickhut could be 
discovered. Two weeks after his disappearance, his remains were found in a deep 
gulch not more than half a mile from his camp. It seems that in the darkness he 
and his mule had fallen over a slight declivity, and he had gotten on his feet 
again only to fall down, a short distance below, a steep precipice, to be 
crushed between two huge bowlders.
        December 9, at the examination of teachers held in Colusa, the following 
obtained certificates: A. W. Glover, Miss Verona Teel, Mrs. L. L. Orr, Miss 
Annie Anderson, Miss Marsh, W. Westfall, Miss Annie Cameron, George Cartwright, 
Miss Flora McCormack, Miss Annie C. Fisher, Miss Ella Grover, Miss Ella 
Laughenour, Miss Annie M. Johnson, Miss Amelia Barrington, Miss. Lillie 
Laughenour. . . Mrs. C. Ubrig engaged by Rev. M. Walbrath to take charge of the 
Catholic choir and parochial school at Colusa.
        December 26, Professor George A. Kern, principal of the Webster Public 
School, of Colusa, accidentally shot himself, and died a few hours afterwards. 
The professor had been searching for some article on a high shelf, on which was 
a loaded pistol. He knocked the weapon down, when it exploded, the ball taking 
effect in the bowels of the professor. He was alone in his room, and, after 
calling for assistance, he crawled to his bed, which was found to be on fire 
when friends arrived.
        December 28, the bridge across the Sacramento at Colusa was completed 
and accepted. It had been in course of construction nearly three months. It was 
built by the California Bridge Company, under the supervision of A. W. Burrell. 
The cost of the bridge, including bank protection, was $18,500. The completion 
of this structure was an event long to be remembered by the citizens of the 
eastern side of the county. It was celebrated at Colusa in a most elaborate 
manner. A procession, headed by D: H. Arnold, as marshal of the day, passed 
along the streets of the town to the center of the bridge, the scene of 
interesting ceremonies. In this procession were the Masonic Fraternity, Board of 
Supervisors, county officials, town officials, invited guests, members of the 
bar, fire department, Good Templars, Knights of Honor, I. O. O. F., Chosen 
Friends, town and county school-children. W. S. Green was president of the day, 
Jackson Hatch, orator, and Rev. T. A. Atkinson, chaplain. Six pretty young 
misses who were to drive the golden spike were accompanied by ten youths as a 
guard of honor. The bridge was christened by Miss Sadie Whitney. The ceremonies 
con�cluded in the evening with a masquerade ball at the theater.
 
1882.
 
        January 6, the officers for the ensuing Masonic year of Tuscan Lodge, 
No. 261, at Williams, were installed by Dr. Albert Fouch, P. M. They were: 
Reuben Clark, Master; H. C. Crowder, Sen. W.; P. B. Chamberlain, Jun. W.; John 
F. Fouch, Treasurer; J. W. Crutcher, Secretary; F. M. Boardman, Sen. Deacon; H. 
F. Munson, Jun. Deacon; S. J. Duncan, Marshal; W. R. Tully, Tyler.
        January 9, at Maxwell, a barber named Henderson and a blacksmith named 
Simpson quarreled, when the former fired twice at Simpson. Henderson was held to 
bail.
        January 24, Joseph McConnell, one of the largest farmers in the county, 
was shot and killed by Fred Laux, and died on the following day. The difficulty 
occurred at a place McConnell had purchased some twelve miles above Colusa. He 
had sold a portion of it to Laux, and the trouble grew out of the location of 
this tract. After the shooting, Laux went to Princeton and surrendered himself. 
McConnell settled in Colusa County in 1858. Laux was found guilty of murder in 
the second degree, and sentenced to fourteen years in the penitentiary.
        February 4, A. B. Woods, of Yolo County, committed suicide at the Colusa 
House, Colusa, by shooting himself in the head. . . The Colusa Stock Association 
held a meeting and chose the following officers: President, Dr. W. H. Belton; 
Vice-President, Wm. Ash; Secretary, Robert Barnett; Treasurer, Wm. P. 
Harrington.
        February 7, David T. Bird was found dead in his cabin on Henry Eakle's 
land, Cortina. He died of heart disease. Bird came to California in 1846, with 
Fremont.
        February 9, the post-office department awarded the following mail routes 
in the county: To David Small, from Chico to Newville, $1,050; David Small, from 
Tehama to Newville, $800; B. C. Epperson, from Williams to Bartlett Springs, 
$450; Chico to Princeton, George Allman, $699; Marysville to Colusa, E. A. 
Harrington, $700; Willows to Orland, J. Culverhouse, $496; Arbuckle to Colusa, 
J. D. Carr, $1,340; Williams to Colusa, William Miller, $225; Venado to Sulphur 
Creek, A. H. Tevis, $215; Willows to Elk Creek, A. E. Boone, $619.
        February 20, Colusa County obtains of State, school money, $21,460, 
being $7.02 to each census child. . . Charles Grey, an employe of G. W. Murdock, 
near Orland, found dead from drunkenness and exposure. . . The first issue of 
the first newspaper published at Williams appeared. It was called the Central
News, and was edited by G. B. Henderson. . . W. P. Harrington mentioned very 
favorably by several of the leading journals of the State, as a suitable 
candidate for Governor.
        February 28, the residence of E. B. Moore, in the foot-hills west of 
Williams, burned.
        March 8, Patsy Gallagher was shot and killed by Bill Kemp, at Willows. . 
. Dr. H. J. Glenn appointed postmaster at Jacinto.
        March 12, a Land League meeting in the cause of Ireland was held at 
Colusa, electing the following officers: President, M. J. Rourke; 
Vice-Presidents, Richard Carter and J. T. O'Sullivan; P. Lee, Treasurer, and P. 
J. Welsh, Secretary.
        March 20, the contract for the bridge across the Sacramento from Chico 
Landing to the St. John road, was let to the California Bridge Company, at a 
cost of $25,470. Ten thousand dollars toward the payment of its construction 
were raised by private subscription, Butte County furnishing the remainder. . . 
A protracted meeting in progress at Maxwell, conducted by Rev. A. Odum and Rev. 
T. A. Atkinson, of the Methodist Church.
        April 1, Equality Lodge and Colusa Lodge, F. and A. M., were 
consolidated under the name of Colusa Lodge. Officers elected: J. B. Cooke, W. 
M.; F. Furth, S. W.; W. N. Herd, J. W.; J. W. Goad, Treasurer; W. T. Beville, 
Secretary.
        April 5, a meeting of the citizens of the county was held at Colusa, 
having for its object the encouragement of American and European immigration to 
the county. W. S. Green was called to the chair, and Julius Weyand was chosen 
secretary. Among those prominent in the futherance of the scope of the meeting, 
were: B. B. Glasscock, G. C. Ingrim, Robert Barnett, H. S. McMichael, Lewis 
Cary, Wm. Ash, W. D. Dean, F. W. Schultz. The organization which resulted from 
this meeting was "The American and European Labor Association." It was 
essentially an anti-Chinese organization, looking to the displacement of the 
Chinese in kitchen and household work, on the ranch and in the town residences, 
and supplying their places with American or European men or girls. It was the 
further design to patronize only American or European laundries, gardeners and 
peddlers, and to employ only these classes in all branches of industry, farming 
and manufacturing included. The association proposed to bring domestic help, 
hired girls, from the crowded cities of the East, and secure them employment as 
cooks or house-servants, and thus quietly relieve the county of its pestiferous 
and insolent Mongolian colony, who had now assumed to dictate the wages at which 
any of their countrymen should be employed.
        April 14, death of William Sherer, at his home, near College City, aged 
seventy-five years. Deceased was an old resident of the county, and enjoyed the 
respect of all.
        April 16, James Drake, formerly a resident of Grand Island, committed 
suicide at Maxwell, by taking laudanum. . . An Indian named Henry, whose abode 
was on Elk Creek, came into the Little Stony Creek settlements and made threats 
upon the life of John M. Pugh. A complaint was filed, the arrest made and the 
Indian was ordered to give bonds in $1,000 to keep the peace, or go to jail. 
Failing to give bail, J. M. Walkup, the constable, took charge of him, and for 
safe keeping took him to Lewis Morris' house, intending to take him to the 
county jail in the morning. Shortly after midnight, a crowd of masked men rushed 
into the room where the prisoner was, took him from the officer, and, conducting 
him outside, proceeded to hang him on an oak tree about one-quarter of a mile 
from Morris' house. The lifeless body, after an inquest, was delivered over to 
the Indian's friends. This Indian, Henry, was the same man who was implicated in 
the murder of Miguel Berryessa, and was said to be a terror to his own people, 
and very much feared by the whites.
        May 1, the municipal election at the town of Colusa took place. The 
Trustees elected were: W. D. Dean, R. Barnett, E. W. Jones, P. J. Welch, A, 
Bond; Recorder, J. R. Samuel; Marshal, Henry Wescott; Treasurer, J. L. Jackson; 
Secretary, J. W. Porter.
        May 3, John J. Waste, a pioneer resident of Colusa County, died near 
Chico.
        May 15, Rt. Rev. E. O'Connell, bishop of the diocese, confirmed 
twenty-five persons in the Catholic Church at Colusa.
        May 17, the house of Briggs Flack took fire and burned down. Mrs. Flack, 
her baby, and a young girl, Miss Rice, were in bed at the time of the fire. Miss 
Rice was burned to death. Mrs. Flack and her baby were shockingly injured by the 
flames. . . Death of Charles Sherman at Chico. He came to the county in 1852, 
and resided therein many years.
        May 27, death of Dr. C. W. Hansen, at Willows.
        May 30, a fire broke out at Willows at two o'clock in the morning, and 
in a very short time the principal business portion of that thriving, 
progressive place was in ashes. It was the most calamitous event which had ever 
happened to any part of the county. The fire originated in the Central Hotel, 
occupied by Captain Williams, and a strong north wind prevailing at the time, 
the fire swept all the line of buildings south, chiefly business houses, 
consisting of stores, saloons, hotels and restaurants. The fire was so rapid and 
so eager in its destructive work that little could be saved. In the hotel where 
the fire originated, the occupants had barely time to escape with their lives. 
There being no water nor any facilities for fighting the fire, the citizens were 
compelled to stand by and see their property destroyed by
the devouring element. In the list of property destroyed were three hotels, 
large stores carrying immense stocks of merchandise, the Journal office, 
lawyers' offices, and various other places of business. The following are the 
names of those who were burned out: Weston's photograph gallery, Park & Duncan's 
law office, Sherfey & Nordyke's butcher shop, Allen & Callahan's saloon, Sehorn 
& Calder's store, Smith's barber shop, Duncan's bakery, saloon of Wm. Bentz, 
saloon of Samuel Culver, F. W. Stone's jewelry store, Hansen's drug store, J. A. 
Thompson's grocery, the Gutman Building, Bates' saloon building, the Journal 
office, O. R. Coghlan's law office, Hochheimer & Co.'s general store, 
post-office, Willows Hotel, F. G. Crawford, lessee, Palace Hotel, Brook's 
saloon, Isaac's general merchandise store, W. L. Robinson & Co.'s hardware, 
Ketchum's saloon, Mrs. Jones' house and millinery stock, I. A. Lawrence's 
undertaking rooms, Mrs. E. B. Price's hotel, Clark's tailor shop, Central Hotel, 
Kaminsky's jewelry store, Putman's drug store, Mellor's blacksmith shop and 
residence, J. Kahn's clothing stock. The total loss was estimated at over 
$200,000�a serious if not irreparable loss, one would be tempted to assert, for 
a young town which had only four years before been a portion of a large cattle 
range, were he not aware of the energy, pluck, perseverance and confidence in 
the future of their town, which the people of Willows have always so manifested 
as to evoke the admiration of every newspaper in the State. This loss was not, 
however, a calamity at which despair was permitted to dolefully officiate. It 
was a temporary affliction, involving discomforts and some financial 
inconveniences which could, with good judgment, be removed or overcome. Willows 
had been tried with fire. She had now passed her crucial period, her citizens 
claimed, with a feeling almost of satisfaction. To become a leading town in 
Northern California, this baptism of fire is a necessary process, for, argued 
they, there is scarcely a city that has grown to prominence or reached eminence 
in the West, but has gone through the same ordeal. This destructive fire seemed 
to them both a precedent and an augury of success, and so before the ashes of 
their burned business houses had cooled, telegrams flashed over the wire for 
brick and lumber with which to rebuild. Mechanics were sent for, and building 
contractors were making estimates before the insurance adjusters had reached the 
scene of the disaster. An instance in point exemplifies the energy and 
confidence of these people: When F. G. Crawford, the landlord of the Willows 
Hotel, was burned out completely at two o'clock in the morning, he had breakfast 
prepared for his guests in another building at seven o'clock the same morning, 
while he was a few hours afterwards engaged in selecting a spot on which to 
erect a new hotel. This was only one of the many instances of never-faltering 
pluck and unswerving devotion to their handsome, thrifty town, which these 
people manifested. It is this spirit of enterprise, of mutual co-operation of 
purpose, which caused Willows to be rebuilt larger and more substantially than 
before, with business houses unsurpassed in the county, and with churches and 
school-houses and warehouses which some towns in the State having five times her 
population cannot vie with.
        June 7, the County Board of Education granted first-grade certificates 
as follows: I. R. Grimstead, Miss Sadie C. Hughes, Judson Appley, G. W. Sellman, 
A. G. Mitchum, John C. Williams, Miss Carrie Bateman, Miss Katie Miller, Miss 
Mollie Cope. Second-grade certificates to Emma J. Heitman, Lizzie McCormick, 
Ella Ridgley, Alice M. Adams, Mamie C. McManus, Mary C. Spaulding, Clara 
Montgomery, Annie Sauber, T. Jay Philips, Ida C. Tull, Helen M. Totten, Mattie 
C. Hannum, Annie M. Baker, Martha W. Westfall, Nora Meadows, Roseta Sauber, H. 
W. Prouse, C. W. Lovelace, J. N. Campbell, Mollie Meadows, Walter Gay, Ab. 
Hunter, John H. Bartholomew, Augusta Weston.
        June 20, the Democratic State Convention, which met in San Jose, elected 
Hon. John Boggs, of Colusa County, its presiding officer.
        June 24, the Willows Journal re-appeared with its first issue after the 
fire.
        June 29, the Colusa Fire Company elected the following officers: Wm. 
Roche, Foreman ; J. Grover, First Assistant; James Roach, Second Assistant; 
George Tibbets, Secretary; L. Cary, Treasurer. . . A house belonging to Emil 
Kirchbaum, above the brewery in Colusa, was destroyed by fire.
        July 1, a post-office was established at Fouts Springs.
        July 2, James Riggs was drowned at Jacinto, while bathing in the river.
        July 7, J. Roderick, who resided near Berlin, was struck by the pay-car 
of the Central Pacific Railroad, while driving across the track at Williams, and 
was thrown high in the air and seriously injured.
        July 20�The Board of Supervisors have advertised for proposals to build 
a Hall of Records after the plan of Mr. Mathews. The architect guaranteed that 
it will not cost more than $18,000.
        July 30, death at Maxwell of Robert H. McDow, an old soldier of the War 
of 1812, in his eighty-second year.
        August 3, Eugene Trumble committed suicide near Willows, by shooting 
himself in the head with a shot-gun. . . Trains have begun to run regularly into 
Orland.
        August 11, Frank Schelonge at Willows slashed Charles Fairchilds in the 
abdomen with a razor, inflicting severe wounds. . .The Democratic county ticket 
this year consisted of the following candidates: Superior Judge, E. A. 
Bridgford; Sheriff, Mayberry Davis; County Clerk, W. H. Miles; Assessor, W. J. 
Ford; District Attorney, Edwin Swinford; Treasurer, Robert Barnett; School 
Superintendent, J. L. Wilson; Surveyor, A. G. Mitchum, Jr.; Coroner, Dr. F. W. 
Heitman; Supervisor First District, E. B. Graham; Supervisor Second District, 
Waller Calmes; Supervisor Third District, J. F. Keeran. . .. The Republican 
county nominations were: For Treasurer, Melvin Eddy; District Attorney, W. G. 
Lovelace; School Superintendent, W. H. Reardon; Coroner, Dr. J. Calhoun; 
Supervisor First District, Wm. Ash; Supervisor Second District, E. A. 
Harrington; Supervisor Third District, George F. Packer. Hon. George A. 
Blanchard was indorsed for the office of Superior Judge.
        August 26, death, at Oakland, of John C. Addington, one of the 
proprietors of the Colusa Sun.
        August 30, the safe of the Colusa post-office was robbed of some $1,400 
in coin, over $1,000 of which had been placed there by outside parties for 
security.
        September 1, Thomas Maloney killed one Smith, at Orland.
        September 14, a number of young ladies met together at Colusa, for the 
purpose of organizing an association to further the project of connecting Colusa 
with the Northern Railway. Miss Mollie Perdue presided; Miss M. Feeny was 
Vice-President; Miss Zoe Green, Secretary, and Miss Ella Laughenour, Treasurer. 
The Executive Committee consisted of Miss Sarah Burns, Miss Ella Laughenour and 
Miss Sue Calmes. Resolutions were adopted inviting the young ladies of the town 
and county to form themselves into an association to be known as the Young 
Ladies' Railroad Fund Association. These young ladies did not, of course, 
anticipate raising money sufficient to build a railroad, but they sought, by 
bringing people together socially and discussing a matter so important to the 
welfare of the county, to do their share in securing railroad connection.
        September 21, "Doc" Stewart shot and fatally wounded Wm. Finnell, at 
Arbuckle. The difficulty originated in a game of cards.
        September 23, opening of the Chico bridge for travel. The event was 
celebrated by an enjoyable picnic near the new structure. . . Orland and 
vicinity were at this period engaged in debating the subject of the formation of 
a new county, a public meeting for this purpose being held one week later, after 
which the subject was dropped for want of enthusiasm.
        October 18, the corner-stone of the hall of records laid, under the 
direction of the Masonic fraternity. There was a procession of members of the 
Grand Lodge in regalia, likewise of the subordinate lodges, Odd Fellows and 
Workmen.
        October 19, the County Central Committee of the Good Templars placed a 
partial county ticket in the field, consisting of the following candidates: For 
Assemblyman, Warren Green; Sheriff, John M. Pugh; Assessor, W. J. Ford; County 
Clerk, Julius Weyand; School Superintendent, W. H. Reardon; Coroner, Joseph M. 
Walkup; Surveyor, A. T. Welton. .  . Rev. Father Subert, Catholic pastor at 
Willows, returns from a visit to Europe and is received with demonstrations of 
warm welcome.
        November 3, death of Rev. George W. Humphrey, pastor of the Methodist 
Church at Princeton. . . A barge in tow of the steamer Dover, broke in two, near 
Princeton, and five thousand sacks of wheat were sunk.
        November 7, at the State and county elections held, the Democratic 
majority in the county averaged nine hundred and sixty-two. The entire 
Democratic ticket was elected. . . Rev. M. O'Reilly appointed Catholic pastor at 
Willows.
        The financial condition of the county at this time can well be 
appreciated in comprehending that the county was comparatively out of debt, with 
only $15,000 of outstanding bonds, that the floating debt did not reach $5,000, 
and that in the county treasury there were $100,000. Besides, the rate of 
taxation was the lowest in the State, San Joaquin County only excepted.
        December 3, death, at Colusa, of Dr. F. W. Heitman. . . The spacious new 
hotel at Williams completed and placed under the management of David F. and G. 
W. Orr.
        December 8, at the examination of teachers, Miss Mary F. France received 
a first-grade certificate. Second-grade certificates were awarded to Miss Dora 
Sherer, Miss Georgiana Edenmuller, W. B. Cutler, W. W. Brown, and Henry A. Burt.
        December 14, Doc Stewart found guilty of manslaughter for the killing of 
Wm. Finnel, at Arbuckle, and sentenced to ten years in the State prison.
 
1883.
 
        January 2, after serving fourteen years as supervisor, C. Kopf, on his 
retirement from office, is presented with a gold-headed cane. . . Sheriff 
Mayberry Davis appoints W. T. Beville, under-sheriff. S. M. Bishop, Robert B. 
Murdoch,of Willows, and T. D. Cain, of College City, appointed deputy clerks, 
and J. H. Pope, chief deputy assessor. . . This month was the driest January on 
record.
        February 1, the school trustees of Williams give notice of an election 
to be held, on the 24th inst., to vote upon the proposition to issue bonds in 
the sum of $10,000 for the purpose of erecting a school-house. . . Bishop 
Hargrove, of the Methodist Church, began conducting a short series of meetings 
at Colusa.
        February 15, Charles Wehrman was found dead in his house at Orland. He 
was a very early pioneer.
        February 17, Dr. H. J. Glenn, of Jacinto, perhaps the most extensive 
farmer in the world, shot and killed at his home by Huram Miller. Miller had 
been in the employ of Glenn but a short time as book-keeper. Glenn had favored 
Miller in many ways. In fact, he made the place of book-keeper for Miller, 
hoping to restrain him in his thirst for strong liquors by occupying his mind 
and keeping him aloof from opportunities for social indulgence. Dr. Glenn stuck 
to Miller like a brother, in fact, there are not many brothers who would be so 
ready to overlook faults and forgive financial obligations as Dr. Glenn had done 
towards the man who afterwards slew him. On the 9th inst., it appears that 
Miller came to the table at Glenn's ranch under the influence of liquor, when 
Glenn chided him, remarking, "You are drunk again, Miller," to which the latter 
replied with expressions of abuse and villification, when the doctor struck him 
with his fist. Miller brooded over this castigation, nursing his vengeance and 
awaiting the hour for retribution. He went to Chico to have his gun fixed, and 
then carried it around, ostensibly for the purpose of raffling it. At 2 o'clock 
in the afternoon of the day of the murder, Dr. Glenn went to the stable, about 
fifty yards from the hotel, to order his team. Miller at this time was standing 
on the porch with his gun in his hands. Dr. Glenn passed by him, and when some 
twelve or fifteen feet from him, stopped and turned his head slightly to look at 
some horses going by on the road. At this instant Miller raised his gun and 
fired. Most of the charge of buckshot entered his head above the ear, and he 
fell, striking a billiard table that was on the porch. He died the same night 
about 10 o'clock. As soon as he fired, Miller started to run in the direction of 
the store, up the river, and then struck out across the fields in the direction 
of Willows. R. M. Cochran, the superintendent of the farm, started in pursuit in 
a buggy and ordered Miller to drop his gun, which order was disregarded. Cochran 
then fired a shot from his repeating rifle alongside of him, and told Miller 
that if he did not halt and lay down his gun he would hit him the next time he 
fired, and, this command being disregarded, he fired and hit him on the leg. At 
this Miller fell, and on Cochran making him throw his gun from him, he went up 
to him and captured him. He was immediately placed in a wagon, conveyed to 
Willows, and delivered over to the authorities. Once arrived there, Constable 
Ayres, of Willows, knowing the popularity of Dr. Glenn with his men and with the 
community, concluded to bring Miller to the county seat before a mob could be 
organized to lynch him. (For biography of Dr. Glenn see elsewhere.)
        February 18, W. C. Applegate, a goose herder on the ranch of J. C. 
Campbell, near Maxwell, arrested for the killing of Ah Sam, a Chinaman.
        February 28, Dr. J. M. Banks, of Colusa, died. . . James T. Ross, while 
wading in Butte Slough, engaged in duck hunting, got beyond his depth. Having a 
rifle strapped to his back, he was unable to retreat or extricate himself, and 
was drowned. . . James Saultry, a former deputy marshal of Colusa, who lost both 
arms while firing a Fourth-of-July salute at the San Quentin penitentiary, where 
he was employed as guard, was voted the use of, or interest on, $25,000 by the 
State Legislature.
        March 14, letters of administration on the estate of the late Dr. Glenn 
were granted to E. S. Wilson, a brother-in-law of Dr. Glenn. The bond was fixed 
at $250,000. Besides some fifty-eight thousand acres of land owned by the estate 
in Colusa County, there were also sixty thousand acres in Oregon, with forty 
thousand head of cattle, and also an extensive ranch in Nevada. Dr. Glenn left 
no will. . . The Colusa Young Men's Christian Association was organized at 
Colusa.
        March 16, death, at Colusa, of Marion Tate, one of the pioneers of the 
county, he having located near the town of Colusa, in 1852. . . The hall of 
records completed, at a cost of $25,000. It was first occupied by County Clerk 
Miles, on the l0th inst.
        Up to this date it seemed that the crops would be a disastrous failure. 
The scarcity of rain and the consequent parched condition of the soil made but a 
dismal forecast. There was hardly a farmer in the county that would not have 
compromised on "feed and seed." But the rain came and the community took heart 
of hope. At Princeton the rainfall was two and twenty-five-hundredths; at Grand 
Island and Arbuckle, something over three inches; at Colusa, two and 
thirty-hundredths; in the balance of the county, the precipitation was slightly 
less.
        March 30, death of Alexander W. Cooley, at Chico. Deceased was a pioneer 
of Colusa County of the year 1852, and had lived in the county nearly 
twenty-five years, at Butte City. . . A fire at Orland burned the hotel owned by 
A. Muth, Klein's Hall, and Connelly's saddle and harness shop.
        April 10, a call was issued for a meeting of the citizens of Willows, to 
take steps towards inaugurating a canal system. . . J. L. Jordan discovered a 
copper ledge twenty feet wide, showing rich copper, on Stony Creek, near Smith's 
Mills.
        April 20, Dr. A. F. Malone, of Colusa, appointed wharfinger at San 
Francisco. . . The property in Colusa County belonging to the Glenn estate 
appraised at $1,250,000.
        April 29, the first through train from Willows to Red Bluff passed over.
        May 8, George S. Kline was found drowned in a ditch six miles west of 
Orland.
        May 14, a fire at Maxwell broke out in the dry goods store of A. Jacobs.
        May 19, irrigation meeting held at Maxwell. . . The estimate of the 
value of the whole crop raised on the Glenn estate this year placed at $700,000. 
. . Census of Colusa school district shows five hundred and nineteen census 
children.
        Colusa County, under the new constitution and by classification of the 
Legislature, was placed in the fourteenth rank, and had the following salaries 
attached to its offices: Clerk, $4,000; recorder, $3,000; auditor, $1,800; 
sheriff, $8,000; tax collector $1,000; treasurer, $2,100; district attorney, 
$2,100; assessor, $5,000.
        May 27, a fire occurred at Maxwell, originating in the restaurant of A. 
S. House, and resulted in the destruction of the restaurant building and bowling 
alley belonging to Craig & Herd. . . Death of William Nelson, at Galt, a 
pioneer, who had lived for many years at Grand Island, and who at one time owned 
extensive tracts of land there. He helped to chain Sacramento in laying out that 
city.
        June 10, a man named Callahan, but who was always known by the name of 
"Shasta," was shot in a house of ill-fame at Willows. . . A couple of murderous 
foot-pads met a Chinaman near Princeton and deliberately killed him, throwing 
his body in the river.
        June 14, in a mine on Sulphur Creek, a man named Kennedy was killed by 
the premature explosion of a blast. . . The residence of John Matthews, on the 
Hunter farm, on Funk Slough, with its contents, destroyed by fire. A Chinese 
cook was suspected of setting the fire. . . Frank Freeman retires from the 
Orland Times, and is succeeded by Thos. Dawson. The following persons were 
recommended to the State Board for educational diplomas: Judson Appley, E. A. 
Parnell, Miss Annie Alderson, Miss Callie Vivian and Miss Nettie Stone.
        The total number of acres of land assessed in the county were one 
million one hundred and seven thousand seven hundred and fifty-nine, valued at 
$12,192,337; improvements thereon, $792,414; value of city and town lots, 
$254,699; improvements thereon, $588,098; improvements assessed to others than 
owners of land, $22,990; personal property, $3,079,899; money on hand, $322,913; 
value of mortgages, $3,040,528; deductions on mortgages, the same; total value 
of all property, $16,930,656.
        July 3, Jonas Spect, a pioneer of California, died at Colusa. He was 
elected a member of the first Constitutional Convention of the State, but on 
account of business did not attend. He was elected to the first Senate and took 
his seat, but subsequent returns gave the seat to General Vallejo. He came to 
Colusa in 1868, though he had made a trip through the county as early as 1850, 
finding only two white inhabitants, Colonel C. D. Semple and Sterling, at the 
place where Hon. John Boggs now resides.
        July 26, a disastrous fire at Colusa broke out in the hay-loft of the 
Dexter Stable and spread rapidly. Some twenty horses were supposed to have 
perished. A strong south wind was blowing at the time, but, notwithstanding 
that, the fire spread and did not stop till it had destroyed the Germania Beer 
Hall, Boysen's photograph gallery, and Garden's bakery, Spaulding's blacksmith 
shop, Bassford's wagon shop, the restaurant of Charry & Lemoine, the millinery 
store of Misses Wiscotchill & May, the dress-making rooms of Mrs. Gilmour, W. 
Cook's fruit store, Guernsey & Munson's meat market, A. Frank's tailor shop, the 
office of J. H. Liening, F. L. Mann's bakery, L. Keser's harness shop, Cayot's 
restaurant, Mark Totten's gunsmith shop, Padilla's barber shop, B. Probst's shoe 
store, Perdue's saloon and the Chapin corner were also destroyed. The Colusa 
County Bank and the jail and court-house were at one time in great danger. The 
loss was estimated at $90,000, with an insurance of about $35 ,000.
        July 27, W. H. Waite and Charles Winkler, two young mere of Butte City, 
had some words, when both went off and armed themselves. Returning, Winkler shot 
Waite in the forehead, inflicting a severe wound.
        August 1, under the new schedule of fares adopted by the railroad 
commissioners, the rates were very much reduced. As an instance, the former rate 
of fare from Williams to San Francisco was $6.75; the tariff was now reduced to 
$4.90 between these points. . . Agitation for the removal of the county seat to 
Williams.
        August 28, death of A. H. Mitchell at Colusa, a pioneer of the State and 
long-time resident of the county seat. . . George Thompson, after leaving 
Jacinto, and when nearing L. H. McIntosh's place, is held up by foot-pads at the 
point of a revolver and robbed of a sum of money.
        August 31, death of William Vincent in San Francisco. The deceased came 
to Colusa in 1851 and built, with C. O. Berkey, the Colusa House. In 1853 he was 
appointed county treasurer to fill a vacancy, and the same year he was elected 
for a term of two years. In a fatal moment he was induced to indorse a friend 
for a large amount. The friend's obligation was not discharged, and Vincent was 
held responsible. He did not seek to save himself by a transfer of his property, 
and his honesty proved his ruin, for he took to drink and went the way of the 
disheartened and purposeless. His death was caused by jumping into the bay near 
the ferry-slip in San Francisco. He was rescued and resuscitated, but died on 
his way to the City and County Hospital of that city. . . Work was begun on the 
Stony Creek canal on John A. Towl's place, at the Butte Canyon. The work was 
done by the Stony Creek Canal Company, with a capital stock of $200,000. The 
directors for the first year were: N. D. Rideout, John Boggs, H. B. Julian, W. 
P. Harrington and W. S. Green. Before beginning work on the Towle place, this 
company had gone to considerable expense in having the country examined from the 
mouth of Elk Creek, on Stony, to Thomas Creek above the Mountain House, seven 
miles northwest of Newville. The company proposed to begin with digging a canal 
only fifty feet wide to carry three feet of water. This amount of water would, 
it was estimated, irrigate one hundred and ninety thousand acres of land, and 
when enlarged, two hundred thousand acres more. Considerable work had been 
performed on this canal, but, failing to secure the right of way across private 
lands, and being menaced with suits by riparian owners, the promoters of this 
irrigation project were reluctantly compelled to abandon it.
        September 17, burning of the dwelling-house of Mrs. Lou Merrill, outside 
the town limits of Colusa, together with a large granary close by.
        September 30, Michael McKay run over by a wagon near Sycamore, and dies 
the following day from his injuries.
        October 10, the Pacific Annual Conference of the M. E. Church South met 
in Colusa. Bishop Hargrove presided. Some eighty persons, ministers, church 
officers and prominent laymen of this denomination, attended the conference from 
abroad. The appointments for the Colusa district were: C. S. Rankin, P. E.; 
Colusa, Rev. T. H. B. Anderson; Princeton, T. C. Barton; Arbuckle, J. C. 
Pendergast; Maxwell, J. G. Shelton; Orland, D. M. Rice.
        October 21, Huram Miller, for the murder of Dr. Glenn, found guilty of 
murder in the first degree, with the imprisonment penalty. . . Peter Donnelly 
found dead in his bed at Colusa, having died from natural causes.
        At the sale of some of the outside tracts of the Glenn estate there was 
brisk competitive bidding. The tract half a mile wide from Princeton to the back 
of the grant, embracing four thousand three hundred and twenty acres, was 
purchased by Hon. John Boggs for $12,525. The strip known as the Forney Glenn 
tract, just above Princeton, half a mile wide and running from the river to the 
back line of the grant, one thousand five hundred acres, was sold to D. H. 
Arnold for $22,050. The tract one mile wide and containing about three thousand 
acres, lying south of Packer's upper place, was purchased by George F., for 
$40,000. The tract two miles square, two thousand five hundred and sixty acres, 
lying south of F. Quint's place, was bought by Hon. John Boggs, the 
consideration being $35,840.
        October 25, a destructive fire at Norman consumed the general store of 
J. Davis and the saloons of J. Davis and P. Palin. The post-office, which was in 
the Davis store, was also consumed.
        November 4, Asa Parker, a foreman on the ranch of Waller Calmes, on 
Cortina Creek, fell over and expired suddenly from heart disease.
        November 6, the Young Men's Christian Association of Colusa gave their 
first social at their rooms. . . A young man named Hempstead, in the employ of 
the California Bridge Company, fell from the top of the bridge across Stony 
Creek, near Orland, and crushed the bones of both legs below the knee. These 
were amputated, and he expired under the operation.
        November 10, death of Dr. J. G. Calhoun at Willows.
        November 19,a fire broke out in Williams in Stanley's building, and soon 
all the buildings in that row were ablaze. Crutcher & Manor's store, 
Chamberlain's variety store, in which was located the post-office, Mrs. Rickey's 
millinery store, Dr. Crowder's office, Dr. Rickey's office and Fouch Bros.' drug 
store, Darnell's boarding-house, Duncan's harness shop and Mehl & Lunx's boot 
store, soon met the same fate. The fire crossed the street to Miller's building, 
which was quickly consumed, together with Classen's building, Williams' 
millinery store, Kimball's tin shop and hardware store, Long's dwelling and 
millinery store and Dr. Crowder's dwelling and barn. The loss was estimated at 
$35,000.
        November 27, the Teachers' Institute met at Colusa and was presided over 
by Superintendent J. L. Wilson; secretaries, A. W. Sanford and Miss Adela Gay. 
Some fifty teachers of the county were present. Professor A. L. Mann conducted 
the exercises. It is a noteworthy fact that twenty-four years previously, 
Professor Mann taught school in Colusa in one small room, and that room 
continued to do educational service till 1869-70. The contrast between the date 
of the professor's first efforts in school-teaching and the educational 
advantages enjoyed in 1883 was as remarkable as it was grateful, for Colusa in 
1883 had ten large school-rooms crowded with children.
        December 9, death of Mrs. Catherine Hoy, of Grand Island. She came to 
Colusa County with her first husband, Dr. Hopkins, in 1853. Dr. Hopkins died a 
few years afterwards, and his widow moved to a farm on Grand Island, when she 
married Rufus Hoy, also a pioneer of the county. Mrs. Hoy was a woman of marked 
character and superior intellect.
        December 18, Sam Snyder, an old resident of Colusa, was found dead in 
his bed from heart disease.
        December 25.�This festival was celebrated very generally and in a very 
happy manner throughout the county. At Willows a masquerade ball lured the young 
to pleasure. Some eighty maskers were on the floor. The following were awarded 
prizes: Richest lady's costume, Miss Edith Pendergriss, as Princess Carnival; 
richest gent's costume, Samuel Herd, as knight in armor; best-sustained 
character, Mrs. G. M. Potts, as a Digger squaw. . . One hundred and fourteen 
tickets were sold for a merry ball at Maxwell. At Colusa, Christmas trees laden 
with gifts were placed in the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches. The Christian 
Church held a social. At the Catholic Church its bell called the faithful to 
High Mass, while in the evening the children of the Sunday-school connected with 
that church enjoyed their Christmas tree. . . Dr. T. H. B. Anderson, so long a 
resident of Colusa and pastor of the M. E. Church, accepts the Presidency of the 
Pacific Methodist College at Santa Rosa.
 
1884.
 
        January 1, Dr. H. C. Crowder, of Williams, appointed a member of the 
State Board of Health by Governor Stoneman . . The decision of Judge Sawyer, of 
the United States Circuit Court, on the slickens question, received in the 
county with manifestations of joy. . . Twenty-three pensioners of the war were 
residents of the county at this period.
        January 16, F. T. Mann and Ed. Harrington, of Colusa, took a census of 
the widows in that place. Their object in doing so was to present each widow 
with a sack of flour. This they did, it requiring forty-seven sacks to make the 
distribution . . Death of Isaac Cleghorn. He came from Illinois in 1850, and had 
resided ever since in Antelope Valley, where he earned among his neighbors the 
reputation of a brave, upright, honorable man.
        January 22, the Maxwell Star purchased and conducted by W. W. Felts and 
James H. Hodgen.
        The latest date at which the heavy rains set in since the settlement of 
California by the Americans, was January 13. That day came and was passed for 
several weeks, and still there were not even indications of rain. The farmer 
looked to the skies for hope, but found nothing but disappointment and dismay. 
It was a trying period upon his cheerfulness. At last, on January 26, relief 
came. Copious rains descended all over the county, which, for the first week 
that it continued, fell at an average of four and fifty-hundredths inches. 
Everything was now changed as if by magic, and the county had a living chance of 
experiencing a year of average agricultural prosperity.
        February 3, death of Mrs. Marion Tate, at Colusa, a most estimable lady, 
and a pioneer of 1853.
        February 5, George W. Ware, one of the earliest settlers and leading 
merchants of Colusa, died in San Francisco, while seeking medical relief. . . 
The farm-house on the ranch of Waller Calmes, at Cortina, destroyed by fire.
        March 3, I. L. Roberts, an old resident of Colusa, and once engaged in 
the saloon business in the old Eureka Hotel, was shot and killed in Tombstone, 
A. T.
        March 15, death of Benjamin S. Anderson, on Elk Creek. . . By reason of 
a break at Schadds, two thousand acres of grain were drowned out. . . Eight 
million bushels of wheat is the anticipated result of the coming season's 
harvest in the county.
        March 25, Elijah W. Corwin, a pioneer, died in Colusa, at the home of 
his daughter, Mrs. G. W. Ware. . . J. B. Cooke, J. B. De Jarnatt, Edward de St. 
Maurice and T. H. B. Anderson visited Marysville to obtain permission from the 
commandery there to organize, at Colusa, the Colusa Commandery of Knights 
Templar. . . Death, at Chico, of John R. Perkins, a Colusa County pioneer. . . 
Death of Samuel G. Medley, a resident in early times in Bear Valley.
        March 28, candidates for the various county offices to be voted for at 
the fall elections, began taking time by the forelock by announcing their names. 
Of those early in the field, were: Mayberry Davis for Sheriff, Dr. M. Crowder 
for Coroner, E. R. Graham for Sheriff, H. M. Albery for District Attorney, B. F. 
Howard for District Attorney, E. A. Bridgford for Superior Judge, Frank Wilkins, 
F. M. Putman and John L. Jackson for Treasurer, W. H. Miles for County Clerk, C. 
L. N. Vaughan for the Assembly, J. H: Pope and James W. Porter for Auditor.
        April 13, the celebration of Easter at Colusa was unusually interesting. 
The decorations and service at the Presbyterian Church were quite attractive. At 
the Catholic Church, the music and floral decorations were charming, and the 
sermon, by Rev. M. Wallrath, highly spoken of. The good taste in the decorations 
of the Methodist Church was unmistakable.
        April 17, the highest water ever known at Colusa, made this day 
memorable. It had reached the remarkable height of twenty-five feet five inches, 
fully nine inches more than the very highest point ever known, and a full foot 
higher than any ordinary water. Breaks occurred at Hubbard's place, three miles 
below Princeton, one near the Seven Mile House and one near Colusa. The 
backwater from the break of the Sycamore Slough dam had filled in the lowlands 
of the basin, and some ten thousand acres of grain went under. The levee at 
Princeton, at the ferry cut, broke, and water ran through the town. There were a 
number of other breaks on the east side of the river. The damage promised to be 
immense.
        April 19, at a Republican mass-meeting, Wm. Ash, George A. Blanchard, 
Elias Houx, E. C. Hart and Warren Green were chosen delegates to the State 
convention, to meet at Oakland. . . At the Commencement exercises of Pierce 
Christian College, three young men received a classical diploma and one a 
scientific diploma.
        May 4, Rt. Rev. P. Manogue, the new bishop of the diocese, confirmed a 
large number of candidates in the Catholic Church at Colusa.
        There had been a suit pending for a number of years between Swamp Land 
District No. 108 and Colonel George Hagar, in regard to the payment of 
assessment on grant lands for reclamation purposes. The district embraced a 
portion of the Jimeno grant, and Colonel Hagar held that it was not subject to 
taxation under the act of 1868, which provided for "the management and sale of 
lands belonging to the State." The suits were carried through all the State 
courts, and finally found their way to the Supreme Court of the United States, 
where a decision was now rendered in favor of the district. The amount of money 
involved was very large.
        At the town elections in Colusa, the total vote was two hundred and 
sixty-five, being a very light one, owing to the fact that little interest was 
manifested. The vote stood, for Trustees, W. D. Dean, two hundred and 
fifty-eight; E. W. Jones, two hundred and sixty; P. J. Welsh, two hundred and 
sixty-one; Robert Barnett, two hundred and forty-four; A. Bond, two hundred and 
fifty-six. Recorder, W. H. Brasfield, one hundred and sixty-eight; J. H. 
Liening, ninety. Marshal, W. J. Ping, one hundred and seventy-one; Henry 
Wescott, ninety-two. Secretary, Oscar Robinson, two hundred and fifty-eight. 
Treasurer, B. H. Burton, two hundred and forty-four.
        May 9, in a drunken row at Newville, an Indian named Spence stabbed and 
killed another Indian.
        May 10, Andy Summers, a blacksmith, was shot and instantly killed, at 
Williams, in a house of ill-fame, by the proprietress, a woman named Alice 
Greer. The woman came to Colusa and surrendered herself. She was afterwards 
tried and acquitted. . . A. D. Logan engaged in building large warehouses on the 
railroad, at Willows, Orland and Maulton. . . The Butte City and Chico Good 
Templars gave a picnic at Jacinto.
        May 31, the Democratic County Convention met in the theater in Colusa, 
R. M. Cochran, of Jacinto, presiding, with O. B. Coghlan, secretary. The 
following ticket was nominated: Superior Judge, E. A. Bridgford; Sheriff, 
Mayberry Davis; Clerk, W. H. Miles; Auditor, J. W. Porter; Treasurer, J. L. 
Jackson; District Attorney, Edwin Swinford; Coroner, Dr. H. C. Crowder; 
Surveyor, W. E. Brasfield. For Supervisors: First District, P. Hannum; Second 
District, C. Kopp; Third District, C. C. Felts; Fourth District, J. F. Keeran; 
Fifth District, W. A. Durham.
        June 2, the body of an unknown man in an advanced stage of decomposition 
was taken out of the river one mile below Princeton, and an inquest held thereon 
by Justice of the Peace Herron.
        June 7, first-grade teachers' certificates were awarded to Miss Belle 
Putman, T. J. Washer, W. M. Finch, Miss Helen M. Totman, L. M. Reager, U. W. 
Brown, James R. Shelton, Miss Dora Sherer, Edgar F. Zumwalt, Miss Mattie Rice. 
Second-grade certificates, to Miss Millie A. Owen, Harry Totman, W. C.
Yates, Lillie Gay, Miss Jessie Heaton, Berlin Laughenour, Ruth Mason, H. L. 
Gibson, Joseph M. Campbell, Ella Peart, Myrtie Riddle, Miss Carrie Hadsell, G. 
W. Cartwright and W. T. Saxon. . . A man named Felix was found drowned in Butte 
Slough. His death was caused by being thrown from his horse into the water.
        June 8, Leonidas D. Gleason died at his home on Grand Island. He had 
resided there nearly thirty years.
        June 21, O. B. Coghlan purchased the Willows Journal from E. C. Hart.
        June 25, Maggie Smith, an inmate of a disreputable house in Colusa, 
known as the "Blue Wing," was fatally burned by her clothing catching fire. She 
died of her injuries two weeks later.
        July 6, the large barn of Stephen Burtis, on Sycamore Slough, destroyed 
by fire.
        July 12, the following delegates were chosen to attend the Republican 
State and Congressional Conventions: C. P. Wilson, W. P. Harrington, A. B. 
Manor, A. Hochheimer, Dr. W. C. Edenmuller. . . A ratification meeting over the 
nomination of Cleveland and Hendricks was held at Colusa. A national salute was 
fired, and speeches made.
        E. P. McCurdy, once a resident of Colusa County, had returned from 
Arizona in company with two brothers, Fred and Charles Dreher. McCurdy had 
induced these young men to come with him, promising to show them good gold 
prospects in the Coast Range, which he had run across during the oil excitement. 
They hired three horses and started out, camping in the foot-hills beyond Bear 
Creek. Having reached the neighborhood of the reported mine, McCurdy and Charles 
Dreher went prospecting, leaving Fred Dreher in camp. Some hours afterwards 
McCurdy returned alone, and, upon being questioned, could not account for the 
absence of his companion. He said that he had heard a pistol shot, and perhaps 
his companion had had an encounter with a bear. Then he and Fred Dreher started 
on the hunt of the missing man and returned without him. Fred Dreher asserted 
that McCurdy had killed his (Dreher's) brother, and McCurdy on the other hand 
maintained that Charles Dreher had left him shortly after they had set out for 
the supposed mine, had returned to camp and been killed by his brother Fred, for 
his money, of which he had several hundred dollars in his possession. The day 
after this prospecting adventure, the body of Charles Dreher was found in the 
range of hills between Bear Creek and Little Indian Valley, but over the range 
in Lake County. McCurdy and the brother of the deceased were arrested and 
committed to the Colusa County jail. As the crime was committed in Lake County, 
both prisoners were afterwards conveyed there. The surviving brother was 
afterwards released and McCurdy found guilty of murder in the first degree.
        July 24, J. A. Welbourne and H. M. Hackew were arrested, charged with 
arson, in firing Mrs. Merrill's residence on September 18 previous. . . V. A. 
Ryan purchased the Orland Times.
        August 4, Charles Hemstreet, a saloon keeper at Princeton, had shut up 
his place, and, before going home, stopped at the saloon of Adam Hank. While 
there engaged in throwing dice with some friends, two masked men came to the 
door of the saloon, and, with pistols presented, demanded, "Hands up !" All 
hands went up except Hemstreet's, when the latter was shot through the heart, 
dying instantly. The murderers then fled.
        August 20, the Crawford House, one of the largest and best-appointed 
hotels in Northern California, opened at Willows. . . Ninety threshing-machines 
were at work this season in this county, threshing on an average eight hundred 
sacks to the machine, or seventy-two thousand sacks per day.
        September 1, twenty-five years ago, Waller Calmes and Miss Lizzie Cooper 
were married, at the same time with Amos Roberts and Miss Martha Cooper. The 
same couples met again on this day and celebrated their silver wedding together.
        September 4, a Lodge of Odd Fellows instituted at Arbuckle, with the 
following officers: George H. Weaver, N. G.; W. H. Cross, V. G.; R. Hughes, 
Recording Secretary; J. R. Hayman, Treasurer; J. O. Johnson, P. Secretary. . . 
The contract to build the Catholic Church at Orland, according to plans and 
specifications drawn by Rev. M. Wallrath, awarded to A. G. Bryan, of Chico, the 
cost to be $2,800.
        September 20, the County Republican Convention met at Colusa Theater, 
Hon. George A. Blanchard presiding, with A. M. Pearsall, secretary. The ticket 
formulated was as follows: Superior Judge, W. G. Dyas; Assemblyman, Elias Houx; 
Sheriff, William Ash; Clerk, Melvin Eddy; Auditor, James D. McNary; Treasurer, 
Joseph Boedefeld; District Attorney, J. C. Deuel; Coroner, Dr. W. C. 
Eidenmulier; Surveyor, C. E. Hughes. Supervisors: First District, Cyrus P. 
Wilson; Second District, E. A. Harrington (indorsed); Third District, Cornelius 
Boardman; Fourth District, H. C. Stanton; Fifth District, F. C. Graves 
(indorsed). . . The State and county tax this year was fixed at $1.30 on the 
hundred dollars
        October 8, Frank Entremont, a restaurant keeper in Colusa, fatally 
stabbed by Jerry Moynahan. . . Death of David Melarkey, at Grass Valley, a 
pioneer of Colusa, of the year 1851.
        October 17, death, at Grand Island, of Isaac Howell, in the 
seventy-ninth year of his age. Deceased came to Grand Island in 1853, and 
resided there up to the time of his death. . . Rev. Father Reynolds takes 
pastoral charge of the Catholic Church at Willows. . . The Bank of Willows, with 
a capital stock of $45,000, since gradually increased to $200,000, has been 
opened for business. N. D. Rideout, president, and W. C. Murdoch, cashier.
        November 2, death of J. W. Tull, at Colusa. Deceased came to the county 
in 1854, and settled at Tull's Point, on Grand Island.
        November 4, at the elections held, Cleveland's electors carried the 
county by a plurality of seven hundred and seventy-four. The entire Democratic 
county ticket was carried for the Democratic party, by majorities ranging from 
six hundred and ninety-four to eight hundred and ninety-five, Wm. H. Miles, for 
county clerk, receiving the highest vote on the ticket. The justices and 
constables elected throughout the county were�Township No. 1: John Williamson 
and W. I. Glenn, Justices; A. A. Thayer, W. S. Phelps, Constables. Township No. 
2: W. H. Brasfield, W. M. Armstrong, Justices; Constables, W. J. Creason, C. M. 
Perdue. Township No. 3: Justices, James Woodland, R. De Lappe; Constables, J. B. 
Knox, John Morris Township No. 4: Justices, W. Duncan, F. McNorton; Constables, 
A. Klemmer, G. M. Potts. Township No. 5: Justices, G. B. Gudgel, H. B. Sanders; 
Constables, Thomas Brown, J. L. Cady.
        November 17, Allen Grove, residing near Berlin, was thrown under his 
wagon at Williams and received fatal injuries.
        November 22, George W. Nicholson, a long-time merchant of Colusa, died. 
He was a pioneer of the State, having crossed the plains in 1849.
        December 12, first-grade certificates were issued by the Examining Board 
to Miss Mollie Bowling, Miss Emma Eidenmuller and Miss Mary E. Bateman. 
Second-grade certificates, to Miss Fannie Keith, Miss Dollie Melvin, Miss Agnes 
Pendergriss, Mrs. Betty A. Shunan, Mrs. L. S. Sanford, and Thomas P. Alford.
        December 17, a fire occurred on the farm of Jacob Laux, in Washington 
Township, destroying fifty tons of hay, twenty tons of Egyptian corn and various 
farm implements. . . The yield of cereals in the county estimated at eleven 
million bushels.   
        December 27, the first service held in the Catholic Church at Orland. . 
. Jerry Sheehan, employed on the Sligher ranch, near Jacinto, was found dead in 
his bunk. His death was due to natural causes.
 
1885.
 
        January 5, the new Board of Supervisors met, it being the first time 
that the county had five supervisors.
        January 14, J. W. Crutcher's store at Williams was broken into and 
robbed of a valuable assortment of merchandise and jewelry.
        January 29, quite a severe shock of earthquake was felt at Colusa and at 
other points in the county. . . Death of M. Hageman, the first store-keeper in 
Germantown.
        January 31, a fire at Williams destroyed the stable and saloon of M. A. 
Long, together with a dress-making establishment.
        February 10, Barnett, Member of Assembly from Colusa County, introduced 
a bill in the Legislature known as the "Barb-wire Fence Bill," which was passed 
to its second reading without opposition, but, owing to letters received from 
farmers of the county and elsewhere in opposition to its passage, the bill was 
withdrawn.
        March 11, Sanford E. Wilson, administrator of the Glenn estate, was 
thrown from his buggy between Willows and the Jacinto ranch, and died a short 
time afterwards. N. D. Rideout succeeded the deceased as administrator, with F. 
C. Lusk as legal adviser.
        March 16, a fire broke out at Willows destroying two barns belonging to 
J. W. Williams and Tim Reidy.
        March 23, John T. Cain, a farmer owning a ranch near Arbuckle, shoots 
his wife in San Francisco, and then kills himself.
        April 13, burglars entered the store of Nelson Butler, at Princeton, 
blew open the safe and carried away with them $1,400 in coin, some notes of hand 
and land papers of considerable value.
        April 19, the drug store of Dr. T. B. Eagle, at Princeton, was destroyed 
by fire, with a loss of $6,000.
        April 22, death of Charles H. Wescott, who had served six years as town 
marshal of Colusa. . . The Willows Journal changed hands, W. H. Kelley and K. E. 
Kelley becoming the proprietors. . . Twenty-two members of the Colusa Commandery 
meet in the annual conclave of Knights Templar at San Francisco.
        April 29, the District Conference of the M. E. Church South convened at 
Colusa, Rev. C. Y. Rankin, presiding.
        May 3, Bishop Manogue dedicated the Catholic Church at Orland, and 
administered confirmation.
        May 10, Charles De Witt, a gambler of Willows, shot and killed Dolly 
Sullivan, a woman of the town. The woman had refused to support her murderer any 
longer, and he took this method to avenge himself.
        May 12, Lee Powell, a young man raised on Grand Island, commits suicide 
by shooting himself in the head. He left a letter stating that he preferred 
suicide to disgracing his family by his unfortunate propensity for drink.
        May 17, at Paul Maupin's hotel saloon in Jacinto, Patrick Brick shot and 
killed a young man named A. J. Jones. After Jones had fallen, his assailant went 
up to the prostrate man and emptied the remaining three chambers of his revolver 
in his head. Brick was a resident of Willows, and a blacksmith by trade.
        May 20, James Dorsey, formerly a constable of Williams, was thrown from 
a horse while riding in that town, and instantly killed.
        June 1, Robert Barnett, of Colusa, appointed revenue collector for the 
fourth district. . . The following teacher& obtained first-grade certificates: 
Edgar Hunter, Miss M. S. McCormick, Miss Olive L. Richmond, Charles Lathrop, J. 
Lathrop, Katie M. Hughes, Myrtie Riddle and Carrie Totten. Second-grade: Nellie 
M. Leland, Emma L. Clarke, George W.. Moore, J. H. Lovelace, W. J. King, Leonora 
Meador, Alice D. Miller, Ella S. Ridley, Bonnie L. Ford, Villa Chappel, Mary K. 
Donnelly, Laura Connolly, Lucy M. Nason, R. Asa Evans, Clifford H. Tubbs, Nora 
Meadows, J. W. McReynolds and Georgiana F. Pierce.
        June 9, Charles De Witt, charged with the murder of his mistress, Dolly 
Sullivan, at Willows, on May 10, was found guilty of murder in the first degree. 
The case occupied the attention of the court five days.
        June 20, Michael Brady killed W. A. Bristow, on the Glenn ranch, by 
cutting him across the neck and abdomen. The difficulty originated in a drunken 
brawl. . . Colusa Commandery No. 24 installed its officers, as follows: Sir J. 
B. Cooke, E. W.; Sir E. W. Jones, Gen.; Sir R. A. Gray, Capt. Gen.; Sir T.
H. B. Anderson, Prelate; Sir M. Davis, Treasurer; Sir W. D. Dean, Recorder; Sir 
C. P. Wilson, S. W.; Sir A. A. Thayer, J. W.; Sir E. de St. Maurice, 
Sword-bearer; Sir J. L. Jackson, Warder; Sir R. Cosner, John Cheney and J. T. 
Jones, Guards.... . . A young man named J. D. Fisher committed suicide at the 
Durham House, Maxwell, by shooting himself in the head with a Winchester rifle.
        June 29, J. L. Hansell, a young blacksmith in the employ of I. N. Cain, 
of College City, drowned at Grand Island mills, while bathing. . . Subscription 
papers being circulated to forward the promotion of a branch railroad to connect 
Colusa with the Northern Railway. Business men of Colusa subscribing liberally. 
. . Samuel S. Crossin dies suddenly of heart disease, at the home of his father, 
Captain Samuel Crossin, at Colusa.
        July 7, the Board of Supervisors declare the Sacramento River bridge at 
Colusa a free bridge.
        The following are the footings of the assessment roll for 1885: Number 
of acres of land, one million one hundred and twenty-four thousand five hundred 
and eighty-eight; value thereof, $15,694,942; improvements thereon, $915,854; 
town lots, $312,343; improvements thereon, $684,310; personal property, 
$3,800,150; money, $134,347; total, $21,541,946. An increase of $2,220,662 over 
the preceding year.
        The teachers for the ensuing scholastic year at Colusa were: Miss Katie 
Morris, Mrs. Miller, Mrs. Drake, Mrs. Heitman, and Messrs. Hayman, Johnson and 
Warnick.
        July 14, the subscribers to the Colusa Railway Company (now known as the 
Colusa and Lake Railroad Company) met at the court-room and elected E. A. 
Harrington, W. P. Harrington, E. W. Jones, J. B. Cooke and W. D. Dean, directors 
for the first year, authorized to perfect the organization. B. H. Burton was 
elected treasurer. A resolution was passed that it was the sense of the meeting 
that the thanks of the entire people of the county were due to E. A. Harrington 
for his laborious and persistent efforts in having the stock of the road 
subscribed to. . . A fire broke out in a barn on the Riley place of the Glenn 
ranch, destroying the building, together with a large amount of grain, some 
eighteen head of horses and mules, together with farming implements. . . Maxwell 
makes an offer of $15,000 for the western terminus of the Colusa Railroad.
        July 15, Judge Bridgford sentenced Patrick Brick, convicted of murder in 
killing Jones the previous May, and Charles De Witt, found guilty of the murder 
of Dollie Sullivan, at Willows, to be hanged. The date was not fixed, as a 
motion for a new trial and notice of appeal were made in each case.
        July 17, Frank Wezer shot and killed a Chinese vegetable peddler at 
Germantown, without any provocation whatever. . . Articles of incorporation of 
the Colusa Railroad Company filed with the Secretary of State. There were one 
hundred and fifty-one names of incorporation, whose aggregate subscriptions 
amounted to $41,200, and ten per cent was paid in.
        July 22, a fire occurred in the brick stage stable of William Miller, at 
Williams, destroying that building, and, communicating with other buildings, 
consumed Hannah's saloon, Peter's blacksmith shop, Nelk's wagon shop, and the 
variety store of P. B. Chamberlain, together with the post-office. The 
stubble-field adjoining town caught fire and burned for a distance of three 
miles to the northwest. Total loss, $15,000.
        July 29, reception at Colusa, by the members of the A. O. U. W., to 
"Father" Upchurch, the founder of their order. At least five hundred people 
gathered in the theater to witness the exercises. After the speeches and 
singing, nearly four hundred persons sat down to a banquet at the Barnum Hotel 
and Charry's Restaurant. Delegations of the Order of Workmen came from 
Marysville, Meridian, Maxwell, Williams, Butte City, College City and Grand 
Island, to pay their respects to this venerable apostle of benevolence.
        August 5, a large barn on the farm of J. W. Potts, four miles above 
Williams, was discovered to be on fire. Three hired men sleeping in a house near 
the barn, did not awaken in time to save anything. The barn and its contents, 
with the house the men occupied, were burned to the ground. Eight head of 
horses, one hundred tons of hay and five hundred sacks of barley were consumed. 
The loss was about $4,000. As soon as the fire had burned the building down, and 
it was discovered that only eight of the sixteen animals supposed to have been 
in the barn had actually been in the barn, the motive of the fire became 
apparent. Looking around, the neighbors found the tracks of the missing animals, 
while Potts ran across a note tacked to the pump, telling him if he wanted to 
live, to leave the county in thirty days, and defying him to follow the 
horse-thieves. Pursuit was begun, and the eight horses found at Arbuckle in the 
possession of one Frank Parker, who was arranging for their shipment to San 
Francisco. It was with difficulty that Parker could be saved from lynching at 
the hands of the enraged farmers, but he was finally brought to Colusa and 
lodged in jail.
        August 8, memorial services were held during the forenoon in the 
Methodist Church at Colusa, in honor of General Grant, whose remains at the same 
hour were being committed to the tomb in New York. Church bells pealed forth 
solemnly, and places of business were draped in mourning. Appropriate addresses 
were delivered at the church, by Judge Bridgford, Judge Blanchard and John T. 
Harrington.
        August 17, Professor Henslee reopens and takes charge of the Orland 
Normal School.
        September 9.�At Colusa, Will S. Green had sent out, some weeks 
previously, an invitation to the old settlers of Colusa County, of 1852 and 
prior, to partake at his residence of a pioneer dinner. The following ladies and 
gentlemen were present: Mrs. George F. Jones, Mrs. McIntosh, Mrs. Sarah Bernard, 
Mrs. Harrison Helphenstine, Mrs. J. F. Wilkins, Mrs. James Powell, Mrs. Mary 
Turman, General John Bidwell, Hon. W. C. Hendricks, Judge J. C. Hulse, H. H. 
Worley, L. H. McIntosh, M. Davis, J. H. Liening, Dr. James Compton, George 
Moore, C. Kopf, George Goldning, N. Laux, A. Shuckman, E. B. Graham, Jacob 
Myers, James Keefer, John Ream, Wm. Riley, Colonel J. F. Wilkins, Amos Roberts, 
James Yates, Steve Allen, Joseph Bounds, Jessie Kingsberry, L. H. Helphenstine, 
Frank Antreau, Vincent Cleek, John Reynolds, Allen Pinkard, James Oliver. 
General Bidwell, mentioned in the foregoing, was never a resident of the county, 
but he had explored the county in 1844, from the present town of Colusa across 
the foot-hills to Stony Creek. . . The Board of Supervisors let a contract to 
the Pacific Bridge Company to build an iron bridge across Stony Creek at the 
lower end of African Valley, for the sum of $15,900. . . W. G. Hunt sold his 
Colusa ranch to Hon. John Boggs. The land consisted of about one thousand five 
hundred acres, near Princeton, and the price paid was $30,000.
        September 16, Frank Van Weizer withdrew his plea of not guilty, in 
shooting to death a Chinaman at Germantown, on July 16. He then plead guilty and 
was afterwards sentenced to imprisonment for life.
        October 2, a Frenchman named Harry Lafont fell over�board from the 
steamer Ceres between Moon's Ferry and Meridian, and was drowned. It was 
supposed to be a case of somnambulism.
        October 3, a Parlor of the Native Sons of the Golden West organized at 
Colusa. Delegations of the Order from Marysville and Oroville were present. 
Forty-one charter members were instituted. The officers elected and installed 
were: J. W. Johnson, P. P.; J. W. Porter, P.; George L. Cutler, First Vice; N. 
S. Wilson, Second Vice; L. J. McDonald, Third Vice; E. T. Crane, Treasurer; 
Louis Hammersmith, Financial Secretary; J. A. Murphy, Recording Secretary; Frank 
Wilkins, Marshal; S. R. Hart, J. W. Campbell and George Ahlf, Trustees. After 
the installation ceremonies, a banquet was served at the Colusa House.
        The taxes this year were $1.35 on the $100, as follows: State 54.4; 
common fund, 35 cents; school, 15 cents; road, 30 cents; road bond, 5 cents; 
sinking, 6 cents. There was also a special school tax ordered by the Board of 
Supervisors: In Stony Creek, 25 cents; Colusa, 21 cents; Jackson, 70 cents; 
Williams, 35 cents; German, 20 cents; Pierce, 30 cents; Arbuckle, 30 cents; 
Maxwell, 40 cents; Bridgeport, 25 cents.
        October 11, at Willows, a fire started in a small stable back of the 
Central Hotel, and, the wind being from the north, the entire block, except the 
bank, was destroyed. The following individuals and firms were burned out: George 
W. Freeman hardware; Hochheimer & Co., general store; Chapman & Mellor, saloon; 
J. C. McCoy, Central Hotel building; J. Kahn, variety store; Wm. Bentz, saloon; 
Nordyke & Sherffey, butcher shop; Z. Bates, building; George Mellor, building; 
Joseph Mailer, building; Culver & Culver, saloon; Joseph Parque, saloon; O'Brien 
& Hay, saloon; G. A. Gutman, drugs; J. E. Putman, drugs; O'Brien & Hay, saloon; 
Mrs. Matthews, millinery; Wm. View, shoe store; W. W. Vincent, barber shop; Dr. 
Pirkey, dentist; J. a Johnson, stable. The loss was estimated at about $140,000, 
with about sixty per cent of insurance of this amount.
        The appointments for the Colusa district of the M. E. Church were: 
George Sim, Presiding Elder; Colusa, T. H. B. Anderson; Princeton Circuit, C. O. 
Steele; Arbuckle, A. L. Paul; Maxwell, L. C. Renfro; Orland, J. M. Brown; 
Willows, B. F. Burns.
        October 16, death of Claus Kopf, a pioneer of the county. He was a 
supervisor at the time of his death, and had served in that capacity nearly 
thirteen years. He was an honorable, prudent, and safe counselor in public 
matters, and was held in the highest esteem. Wm. N. Herd was appointed 
supervisor to fill the vacancy occasioned by his death. . . A Baptist revival in 
progress at Grimes, conducted by Revs. C. C. Bateman and A. J. Cummings.
        November 22, a severe storm visited the Stony Creek section. At African 
Valley a number of bridge timbers and several iron casings for piers were 
carried away. At Orland, out-houses and windmills were blown down.
        November 30, the steamer Dover arrived at Colusa, towing a barge on 
which was the locomotive Colusa, the first locomotive used by the Colusa Road, 
and the first ever seen in Colusa. George Ogden, a native of the county, was the 
first locomotive engineer employed by the company.
        December 16, a lodge of the A. O. U. W. organized at Arbuckle. Members 
were present from Grand Island, Colusa, and College City. . . Sudden death of 
Reese Nanna, an old resident of Union township. . . A curious method of 
procuring unanimity in a jury-room was put in practice at Williams. It was in a 
case before the justice of the peace involving the conflicting claims of two 
Germans to a band of turkeys. The testimony was all in, attorneys had made their 
argument, and the case was given to the jury. While that body was deliberating 
in a private room, the constable, who stood guard, heard a violent noise, and, 
on entering the room, found one juryman prostrate on the floor, with a 
fellow-juryman leaning over him beating him most unmercifully.
 
1886.
 
        January 2, death of John Dunlap, a pioneer of the county. He had served 
as deputy county treasurer several years, and in 1875 was elected to the office 
of treasurer. . . The first bridge on the Colusa Railroad completed and the 
track laid to Hoppins Slough. . . The Colusa County Democrat of Willows issues 
its initial number, Messrs. Alexander & Putman, publishers.
        The amount of taxes, State and county, charged to the collector, was 
$301,929.63. At the beginning of this year only $6,788.52 were delinquent of 
this amount�a very small percentage.
        January 10, James H. Goodhue, a pioneer of the county, dies at Los 
Angeles. Mr. Goodhue came to Colusa County in 1853. He was for a number of years 
engaged in mercantile business on Grand Island.
        January 12, an apportionment of the county school fund was made 
allotting to the various districts the following amounts: Arbuckle, $830; Chase, 
$332; Colusa, $2,905; Floyd, $200; Maxwell, $830; Oakdale, $332; Pierce, $830; 
Stony Creek, $830; Walsh, $332; Wildwood, $246; Williams, $830; Zumwalt, $1,660 
and to all the other districts $415 each.
        January 25, Patrick Brick, for the murder of Andrew J. Jones, was 
sentenced to be hanged on March 12. by Judge Bridgford.
        January 26, death at Colusa of W. H. Brasfield. Deceased had held 
several offices in the county.
        January 27, death of Mrs. Mary Milsap near Newville, in her ninety-first 
year. She had resided in this part of the county with her children more than a 
quarter of a century.
        February 1, an Anti-Chinese Club organized at Sycamore, with E. G. 
Morton, Sr., as president; H. S. Green, secretary, and Mattoon Philips, 
treasurer. A club of the same character was instituted at Maxwell.
        February 10, N. F. Parker convicted of grand larceny in stealing horses 
from J. W. Potts, and also of arson in the second degree in setting fire to the 
barn belonging to the same person.
        February 16, an Anti-Chinese Club formed at College City; F. C. King, 
president; W. H. Jacobs, secretary. In their resolutions, the members of this 
club pledged themselves to introduce white labor in place of the Chinese and to 
patronize only white laundries and white vegetable and fruit venders.
        February 24, the Central Hotel at Williams, belonging to J. C. Stovall 
and leased by Mrs. Lizzie Trapp, was burned, with a loss of $6,000.
        February 25, an Anti-Chinese League organized at Colusa; president, D. 
Shepardson; vice-president, W. N. Herd; secretary, J. C. Mulligan; treasurer, 
Oscar Robinson. Fifty-one signatures to the roll of membership were obtained at 
this first meeting of the League.
        March 3, the supervisors named Frank Freeman, R.  M. Cochran, George M. 
Sutton, William Ash, T. J. Hart and W. H. Cross, delegates to the Anti-Chinese 
Convention at Sacramento. . . Watt Perdue takes charge of the Mountain House, on 
Freshwater.
        March 5, the cars for the first time ran through over the Colusa 
Railroad. This was a construction train.
        March 13, K. E. Kelley retires from the editorial service of the Willows 
Journal, leaving W. H. Kelley sole editor.
        March 29, George W. Hoag died at his residence near Willows. The 
deceased came to Colusa in 1852, and, having pitched a tent, engaged therein in 
the occupation of blacksmith. In 1854 he closed out his shop and purchased a 
farm in Antelope Valley, which became afterwards the property of J. S. Cone. 
Later on he settled on the Glenn ranch, where he engaged extensively in the 
cultivation of grain. Next to Dr. Glenn, he was for many years the largest 
producer of grain in the county.
        March 31 , a Post of the Grand Army of the Republic organized at Colusa. 
The following were chosen officers: C. M. Ballantine, Post-Commander; E. de St. 
Maurice, S. V. Commander; A. E. Potter, J. V. Commander; John E. Hayman, 
Adjutant; A. B. Cooper, Quartermaster; Frank Z. Smith, Surgeon; J. B. George, 
Chaplain; F. J. Calmes, Officer of the Day; D. B. McCallum, Officer of the 
Guard. The Post was named, "General John F. Miller, Post No. 110, Department of 
California." . . The town of Colusa for the first time illuminated by gas.  The 
company furnishing the gas was incorporated March 5, 1885, with a capital stock 
of $50,000. The officers of the company were: J. W. Goad, president; E. W. 
Jones, vice-president; Colusa County Bank, treasurer.
        April 3, the first passenger train over the Colusa Railroad carried free 
excursionists from Colusa to the junction and return.
        April 5, Patrick Brick, who shot and killed Andrew J. Jones, in front of 
the hotel at Princeton, early in 1885, had his sentence of death commuted to 
imprisonment for life.
        April 23, a man named Henry Drier, living on Grand Island, who was 
subject to attacks of melancholy, committed suicide by walking into a corner of 
one of his fields, pulling off his boots, inserting the muzzle of a shot-gun in 
his mouth and then blowing the top of his head off.
        April 28, O. W. Watson, of Grand Island, filed a complaint charging a 
Chinese cook in his family with placing strychnine in a jug of water to avenge 
himself for some reprimands on the part of his employer. The Chinese was 
arrested. . . L. Dozier, a druggist of Sacramento and a long-time resident of 
Colusa, drowned in the river.
        May 3, at the town election at Colusa, two hundred and forty-seven votes 
were cast, resulting in the election of the following officers: Trustees, E. W. 
Jones, W. D. Dean, P. J. Welch, A. Bond, L. Cary; Marshal, W. J. Ping; Recorder, 
J. H. Liening; Treasurer, B. H. Burton; Secretary, J. T. McAmis. On the 
proposition to vote for the erection of a town hall, the measure was defeated.
        May 15, at the Democratic primaries, the following nominations were 
made: Senate, John Boggs; Assembly, T. J. Hart; Sheriff, W. T. Beville; Clerk, 
S. M. Bishop; Assessor, W. A. Durham; District Attorney, H. M. Albery; 
Treasurer, J. L. Jackson; Auditor, J. W. Porter; Coroner, Oscar Robinson; School 
Superintendent, J. L. Wilson; Surveyor, W. E. Brasfield; Supervisor First 
District, P. Hannum; Supervisor Fifth District, M. O'Hair.
        June 4.�This was the day set for the execution of Charles De Witt, 
convicted of murder in the killing of Dolly Sullivan at Williams. A scaffold had 
been erected between the jail and the court-house, and a high board fence put 
up, but a dispatch came in the evening announcing that the Governor had granted 
a respite till the 14th inst. A numerously-signed petition continued to be 
circulated. The reason which seemed to induce many to sign this document was 
that Brick, who had been sentenced to be hanged a few weeks previously, but was 
afterwards sent to the penitentiary for life, was, if anything, a more 
red-handed murderer than De Witt, and that De Witt was entitled to a similar 
clemency. But petitions were in vain, De Witt suffering the death penalty on the 
day his respite expired. Some fifty persons witnessed the execution. De Witt 
left the jail and walked to the scaffold cooly and collectedly, serenely smoking 
a cigar while Sheriff Davis was reading the death warrant. On the gallows he 
made a long and rambling speech, abusing the attorney and witnesses who had 
appeared against him. Even the parlance of the gambler, for such he had been, 
found expression in his very latest words, when he said, "When I get on the 
other shore I am liable to play four aces against a certain attorney." The crime 
for which De Witt suffered the death penalty was as follows: He was a gambler at 
Willows, and on the 10 of May, 1885, he shot and killed Dolly Sullivan, a woman 
of the town.  He had lived on the earnings of her shame until within a few hours 
of the tragedy, and there appeared to be no provocation for the crime except 
that she would not support him any longer. Early in the morning of the murder, 
he went to the house where she lived and demanded admittance. As he had 
threatened the previous evening to kill her, he was refused admittance. He then 
broke in through the window of her room, and followed her to another room where 
she had taken refuge. Hugh Miller, the proprietor of the house, remonstrated 
with him and asked him to go away. Miller lay in bed at the time, when De Witt 
fired at him, inflicting only a flesh wound. The woman then jumped from another 
bedroom, and, running to the murderer, threw her arms around his neck and 
piteously begged him to desist and leave the house. He in reply instantly shot 
her, the ball entering her side and lodging in the spine. As De Witt fired, he 
put his arm around her and dragged her from the bedroom into the hall and fired 
two more shots into her. The second shot missed, but she fell to the floor from 
exhaustion, and as she lay there, he fired the third and last shot, which passed 
through her arm. This was the fourth judicial hanging in the county, the first 
being that of N. Bowman, already mentioned in these pages, the next was that of 
Thomas, who stabbed and killed Seth P. Handy, at Spring Valley, on July 27, 
1856; and, lastly, that of Charley Taing, a Chinese who murdered a countryman on 
Scearce's farm, January 30, 1880.
        June 7, the Board of Examination awarded first-grade certificates to the 
following teachers: Miss Laura Donnelly, Mrs. L. McKean, Miss Lillie A. Zumwalt, 
Miss Emma McClintic, Miss Lillie Laughenour, Miss Lucy M. Mason, W. A. Cobb, T. 
H. McDonald, Walter Gay, J. N. Hellen. T. P. Alford. Second-grade certificates 
were awarded to Albert J. Butler, Anna Cameron, E. E. Scott, Ella S. Ridley, 
Carl Spelling, Ida Mitchell, Nellie Raub, Alexander Kerr, E. B. Cline, H. M. 
Yates, C. W. Linder.
        June 8, articles of the incorporation of the Colusa and Lake Railroad 
filed. The directors organized, with the election of E. W. Jones, President; W. 
D. Dean, Vice-President; C. M. Ballantine, Secretary, and the Colusa County 
Bank, Treasurer. A committee was appointed to purchase the necessary material 
for the construction of the road as far as Antelope Valley.
        June 11, one of the most violent northers ever experienced in the county 
occurred. It proved most disastrous to the grain-fields, over one million 
bushels of wheat being destroyed.
        June 14, the Christian Church at Maxwell, which was approaching 
completion, was blown down by a heavy gale of wind.
        June 27, a fire in the grain-field of G. F. Packer's upper farm, above 
Princeton, destroyed some hundred acres of grain.
        The school census showed that in the county there were three thousand 
three hundred and twenty-two children between the ages of five and seventeen 
years, and two thousand six hundred and eleven under five years. . . Teachers 
for the Colusa public school for the ensuing term were as follows: J. E. Hayman, 
principal; J. W. Warnick, vice-principal, J. R. Shelton, Howard Ford, Miss 
Morris, Mrs. E. M. Miller, Mrs. S. D. Drake, Mrs. Emma Heitman.
        July 4, at Orland, the day was celebrated in an enthusiastic manner. 
Delegations from Willows, Germantown and Red Bluff participated. At the grove 
Silvey's band of Willows led the music. Frank Freeman was president of the day. 
Professor Henslee read the Declaration. Mrs. Fern Graves read an original poem, 
entitled "The Bell of '76." The day's festivities closed with fireworks and a 
ball. . . At Williams the Social Club of that town directed the exercises. A 
sunrise salute was fired. A procession was formed with the young ladies of 
Williams representing the various States. Many farmers and their families from 
Willows, Maxwell, Arbuckle and Colusa were present.
        July 21, death, near Colusa, of Jeremiah Powell, a highly-esteemed 
pioneer of the county. . . The town of Sites, in Antelope Valley, being laid 
out, and a warehouse in course of erection.
        July 25, death of Lewis Morris, an old resident of Smithville. His 
funeral was the largest ever witnessed on Stony Creek.
        August 6, the Board of Supervisors awarded the contract for building the 
Butte City bridge to the king Bridge Company, of Cleveland, Ohio. The contract 
price was $24,960.
        August 8, Milton McWhorter, a former preacher and editor at Willows, 
once a candidate for school superintendent in the county, and at this date 
editor of the Marysville Democrat, shot and killed S. G. Robinson at Sacramento, 
a deputy United States marshal, employed by the Anti-Debris Association in 
watching the progress of hydraulic mining. It appeared that Robinson took 
exceptions to certain articles published in the Marysville Democrat, and whose 
responsibility McWhorter bravely shouldered, and for this reason Robinson had 
sent word that he intended to chastise the editor. On the evening of the 
shooting, Robinson demanded of McWhorter if he was the author of the articles in 
his paper reflecting on him, Robinson. On McWhorter replying in the affirmative, 
Robinson struck him in the face, when McWhorter fired his pistol at his 
assailant, and with fatal effect. McWhorter was arrested, tried and found not 
guilty.
        August 17, a fire at Germantown destroyed the Union Hotel and Union 
Hall, the livery stable of C. J. Robbins and D. Schumann's dwelling-house.
        September 6, death of Nicholas Laux, at Colusa. He was an old pioneer of 
the county, having settled in 1852 on the east side of the river, on what is now 
known as the Graham place, and resided on that place up to the time of his 
death.
        September 9, while some children were returning in the afternoon from 
school in the northwest suburbs of Williams, on the road to Maxwell, the body of 
a newly-born child was found in a bundle lying in the road. The body was 
decently buried by the citizens and a reward of $100 offered for the arrest of 
the perpetrators of the crime.
        September 18, the Eagle Stables at Colusa, belonging to Timothy 
Sullivan, destroyed by fire. Twenty odd buggies and carriages were also 
consumed. Loss, about $9,000. The fire originated by the upsetting of a lantern, 
which set fire to the hay.
        September 23, a fire at Colusa, which originated in a vacant building on 
Levee Street, between Fifth and Sixth, destroyed about $18,000 worth of 
property. Among the buildings burned was that of Con Desmond, one of the first 
houses erected in the town. . . James Lowry, of Willows, committed suicide at 
Dixon by taking laudanum.
        September 29, Hon. John Boggs nominated at the Joint Senatorial 
Convention at Tehama, for the State Senate. . . The Colusa and Lake Railroad 
completed to Sites. . . Over fifty houses had been built in Willows since the 
beginning of the year.
        The Republican county ticket consisted of the following nominees: State 
Senator, R. H. Blossom; Assemblyman, William Ash; Sheriff, I. V. Devenpeck; 
Clerk, W. F. Mason; Treasurer, A. A. Thayer; Assessor, C. P. Wilson; Auditor, D. 
B. Watkins; District Attorney, George A. Blanchard; Coroner, Julius Weyand; 
Surveyor, A. T. Welton; School Superintendent, C. M. Polly. Supervisor First 
District, T. J. Vaughan; Fifth District, Hiram Mizner.
        The following appointments were made by the conference of the M. E. 
Church: Colusa district, James Kelsey, P. E.; Colusa Station, T. H. B. Anderson; 
Princeton, Dr. Briggs; Willows, M. V. Howard; Maxwell, H. E. Towson; Arbuckle, J 
Folsom.
        October 26, a brakeman by the name of Davis, in endeavoring to put a 
tramp off the train at Willows, was shot and slightly wounded. . . The contract 
for grading the West Side and Mendocino Railroad west from Willows was let to 
Turton & Knox, of Sacramento.
        November 2, at the elections the Democratic County ticket was carried by 
majorities ranging from six hundred and eighty-eight to nine hundred and 
twenty-one. The justices of the peace elected were: Township No. 1., J. H. 
Williams and J. B. Lucas; Township No. 2, J. H. Liening and William Frazier; 
Township No. 3, R. De Lapp and D. Glover; Township No. 4, W. R. Duncan and P. M. 
Neison; Township No. 5, T. Birch and G. B. Gudgel; Township No. 6, S. Munch and 
J. L. Lynch; Township No. 7, J. Bond and J. Decker.
        November 6, Thomas C. Hubbard, a wealthy farmer, died on his place near 
Princeton. He left an estate valued at $70,000. A few weeks before his death he 
signed a document written by some other person but not witnessed, bequeathing 
only a house and lot in Oakland to his widow, and the remainder of his estate 
among his children. The widow contested his will.
        November 24, the railroad depot building at Norman destroyed by fire.
        November 23, Cleamon Juprey, a native of France and a cook on one of the 
river steamers, lost his footing while attempting to go from the boat to the 
landing at Grimes, and was drowned. His body was found floating in the river, 
December 26.
        November 28, death, at Colusa, of Jordan Farris, at the age of 
ninety-one years. The deceased had been a soldier in the war of 1812.
        November 29, Gracie, a little daughter of W. H. Baker, of Maxwell, 
kicked in the forehead by a horse and was killed instantly.
        The Colusa Railroad Company and the Colusa and Lake Railroad 
consolidated and articles of incorporation filed. The directors for the first 
year were: George Hagar, J. H. Roberts, W. P. Harrington, W. D. Dean, J. W. 
Goad, E. W. Jones, E. A. Harrington, Peter Peterson and John Sites. The officers 
of the consolidated road were: President, W. P. Harrington; vice-president, E. 
W. Jones; secretary, C. M. Ballantine; general superintendent, E. A. Harrington. 
The capital stock was $400,000.
        December 20, the Colusa County Teachers' Institute convened at Colusa, 
attended by all the teachers of the county, and by several distinguished 
educators from abroad. . . Death of E. C. Bunker at his home, ten miles north of 
Colusa. Deceased was one of the early pioneers of the county, having reached 
here to take up a permanent residence in 1852.
        December 21 , William Ogden, of Grand Island, died. He came to the 
county in 1855, and as one of its pioneer farmers early led off in extensive 
wheat growing.
        December 25.―Among the attractive features of this day's celebration, at 
Colusa was a balloon ascension by Professor Melville, who went up to a height of 
six thousand feet. In coming down, the balloon fell in the river below the 
landing. Seeing where his air ship must certainly land, the daring aeronaut 
keenly watched its course of descent and, when about one hundred feet from the 
water, he sprang from the balloon, and, diving head foremost into the river, 
safely swam ashore, amid the cheers of a great throng.
 
1887.
 
        The new year was ushered in with some talk that a measure would be 
introduced in the Legislature providing for the division of the county, with 
Willows the center of the new county. The advocates of the measure kept very 
quiet, and the talking was done by those in opposition thereto.
        The first day of the new year was observed in various parts of the 
county as an occasion for festivity. At Willows and Colusa the ladies kept open 
houses, and in the afternoon at the latter place occurred another balloon 
ascension, which people attended from all over the county. In the evening, Butte 
City Lodge, No. 206, Ancient Order United Workmen, gave its first public 
installation and reception. The installation exercises and literary and musical 
program were followed by a banquet. The Verein Eintracht, a German society of 
Colusa, gave a ball at the Colusa Theater, the music for which was furnished by 
the Willows band.
        January 2, Wm. Tolson, a pioneer of 1849, and an early resident of 
Colusa County, died at his home on Grand Island, aged sixty-three years. . . H. 
D. Schmidt was tried in the Superior Court, charged with stealing $2,000 worth 
of cattle from John Finnell, on the Walsh ranch, and on January 17 he was found 
guilty as charged. He was sentenced to San Quentin for seven years.
        January 26, J. F. Kleiser, of the Nordyke & Marmon Co., began putting in 
the machinery of W. E. Browning & Co.'s flouring-mill at Colusa.
        January 28, James M. Kendrick, a pioneer of Colusa County, died at his 
residence near Newville, aged sixty-one years. He was a successful farmer and 
esteemed by all who knew him.
        February 5, John S. Morris, an early resident of the county, and a man 
of prominence, died at Winters, Yolo County, in his sixty-seventh year.
        February 8, the Board of Supervisors visited, inspected and accepted the 
Butte City bridge across the Sacramento River. The following day a heavy rain 
set in, and up to the morning of the 12th inst., four inches of water had 
fallen. The river began to rise rapidly, and at noon the following day it lacked 
but a few inches of the high-water mark. From bank to bank the muddy torrent 
rolled on to the ocean, while on its bosom floated innumerable pieces of drift. 
The floating trees, saw-logs and planks began to lodge on the dolphin of the 
bridge which served as a protection to the center pier. The dolphin gave way at 
about one o'clock on the morning of the 13th, under the immense pressure of the 
drift, which had filled the river over a quarter of mile above. It was 
impossible to clear the drift, and the large crowd of people who had gathered to 
render what assistance they could toward saving this expensive structure, waited 
for its inevitable destruction. The bridge had already moved several inches, and 
in the middle of the afternoon of the same day, the massive iron piers began to 
tremble like a twig in the breeze, the frame-work swayed to and fro, the 
powerful current seemed to toss it about like a leaf upon its surface, and at 
last it went down to the bottom of the river with a mighty crash. The structure 
had been paid for, and there was no way for the county to be indemnified for the 
loss. The builders refused to assist in its restoration.
        February 12, the Board of Supervisors adopted the following resolution 
to encourage the planting of shade trees along the public highways:  Resolved, 
That to any and all persons who will plant shade and ornamental trees on any of 
the public roads and highways of Colusa County, not less than three rods in 
width, shall receive for each and every tree thus planted and growing at the age 
of four years, the sum of $1.00; provided, that the trees shall be planted in 
regular rows at a distance of at least twenty feet from each other, and not more 
than four feet from the boundary of the road or highway; and provided, further, 
that the county shall in no manner be liable for any injury to trees thus 
planted, but the same shall be protected at the expense of the persons planting 
the same, until it is satisfactorily proven they have reached the age above 
stated, and been accepted by the Board of Supervisors.
        February 13, the Ancient Order of United Workmen, Colusa Lodge, held 
memorial services at the Trinity M. E. Church, the occasion being the death of 
"Father" Upchurch. M. Stinchfield read a poem written for the occasion, and Dr. 
T. H. B. Anderson delivered an eloquent eulogy.
        Early in the session of the Legislature of this year, a bill was 
introduced in the Assembly for the division of Colusa County on the township 
line between townships seventeen and eighteen, providing for the creation of the 
county of Glenn, out of all that portion of the county north of said line. The 
Assembly Committee reported adversely on the bill, but it passed that body. The 
Senate Committee reported it back without recommendation. On March 5, the bill 
was defeated in the Senate, on reconsideration, by a vote of twenty-one to 
twenty. This measure was the cause of a very warm contest. The advocates of the 
bill did their utmost to secure its passage, and the opponents of the measure 
were equally as active. The people all over the county were deeply interested in 
the contest, and the excitement only subsided with the defeat of the bill.
        March 7, the Bank of Orland was incorporated with a capital stock of 
$100,000. A. Beerman was elected President; L. Scearce, Vice-President, and R. 
B. Murdoch, Cashier; Directors, H. W. C. Nelson, L. Scearce, A. Beerman, A. D. 
Logan and W. C. Murdoch.
        Steps were taken to organize a military company at Colusa, the 
Legislature having provided for ten new companies of national guards.
        March 16, Frank Freeman suspended publication of the Orland Times, and 
moved the material to Willows, where it was united with the Willows Journal, of 
which paper he became editor, and made it a daily. Mr. Freeman had made a bright 
local paper of the Times.
        During the spring of this year, much interest, in various parts of the 
county, was taken in fruit culture, and orchards and vineyards were set out 
about College City, Williams, Maxwell, Willows, Orland and Colusa. The number 
planted this year is estimated at thirty-eight thousand fruit trees and one 
hundred thousand vines.
        March 26, a mass-meeting was held at Maxwell, to discuss the proposition 
of forming an irrigation district under the Wright law. George M. Sutton acted 
as chairman. The plan proposed was for a large district to take water out of the 
Sacramento River by a canal running from the northeast corner of the county, 
southwesterly, crossing the railroad at Willows, and thence to the foot-hills, 
down which it was to follow. H. P. Eakle, J. P. Rathbun and R. De Lappe were 
made a committee to canvass the sentiments of the people affected, in regard to 
the measure.
        March 27, a Chinese committed suicide at Colusa, by drowning himself in 
the river.
        G. Kammerer, proprietor of the Colusa Brewery, in a fit of delirium, on 
the morning of April 1, walked to the river bank and fell in. His body was 
recovered seventeen days later.
        April 4, the ladies of Arbuckle gave a "Dairy-maids' Convention," which 
was a very pleasing affair. The proceeds were devoted to the Presbyterian 
parsonage fund.
        April 5, the flouring mill at Colusa, which had been in course of 
construction since the previous fall, turned out its first flour. The company 
adopted the name "Sunset Flouring Mills." The building just completed is four 
stories high, and is fitted out with all the latest patents for producing 
first-class flour.
        April 2, Ira G. Hoit and Professor Allen, of the commission for the 
location of a Normal School in Northern California, visited Willows and Colusa. 
At both places they were shown the attractions of the localities for such an 
institution, and at Colusa they were given a banquet.
        April 7, Hong Di, a Chinese cook, working for Joseph Billiou, near St. 
John, shot and killed Mrs. Billiou. While Mrs. Billiou, her two daughters, Annie 
and Maude, and William H. Weaver, were at the supper table, the Mongolian opened 
the door leading into the kitchen, and, as Mr. Weaver was rising to his feet, 
fired a Colt's revolver; the ball, entering Mr. Weaver's left shoulder, passed 
through and fell to the floor. The Chinese then shot Mrs. Billiou, the ball 
entering her left breast and passing through the heart. She died instantly. He 
next shot at Annie, who opened another door and ran out on the porch. As she did 
so, Hong Di shot at her again, following her around the house and shooting at 
her as she entered the dining-room again. Little Maude jumped out the window and 
ran to St. John, a mile and a quarter distance, for assistance, and a few 
minutes after Annie looked out the door, when the Chinese shot at her once more, 
the ball lodging in the casing by the side of her head. Hong Di then left for 
the jungle along the banks of the Sacramento River. The murder created the 
wildest excitement, and hundreds of people joined in the search after the 
criminal. At the time of the murder, Mr. Billiou was absent in San Francisco. 
Mrs. Billiou came to America with the family of Richard J. Walsh, with whom she 
had lived up to the time of her marriage. She was an early resident of the 
county. . . H. H. Thomas received his commission as post‑
master of Colusa, and took charge of the office.
        April 8, J. H. Byers, a pioneer of the county, an extensive farmer on 
Grand Island and interested in the merchandise business at Colusa, died; aged 
sixty-five years.
        April 10, while Sheriff Ball, of Butte County, and Sheriff Beville and 
others, were searching for the murderer of Mrs. Billiou, above Butte City, they 
came to a wood-chopper's camp. They thought they were on the trail of the 
murderer, and they went to the house and demanded entrance. While they were 
seeking entrance at the front door, a Chinese, resembling Hong Di, ran from the 
back door with a rifle in his hands. They pursued and called on him several 
times to stop, when one of the party shot and killed him. At the inquest, the 
person doing the shooting was exonerated.
        April 9, the little son of P. V. Berky fell from a beam in L. F. 
Moulton's granary, striking on another, cracking his skull. He died a week 
later. . . Mat Sedgwick, an old resident of the county, having been one of the 
earliest to settle on Grand Island, died at Maxwell in his sixtieth year.
        April 13, the District Conference of the M. E. Church South met at 
Maxwell.
        April 16, the first number of the Orland News issued, J. H. Rogers, 
editor.
        April 19, flowing water struck on N. D. Rideout's farm, near Norman, at 
a depth of over one thousand feet. The stream being light, only flowing a foot 
above the surface.
        An unusual number of picnics, celebrations and entertainments by home 
talent occurred during the latter part of April and May. The amateurs of Colusa 
rendered "Enoch Arden" and "Hidden Hand," April 15 and 16. They repeated the 
plays at Marysville. At the Agricultural Park, the Colusa Lodge, I. O. O. F., 
celebrated the sixty-eighth anniversary of the establishment of the order in 
America, by appropriate exercises. The young people of Butte City gave a 
minstrel show, and a picnic and ball were given by the Ancient Order of Oriental 
Humility, at Sycamore, April 29. Indian Valley, Mount Hope, and Grapevine 
Schools gave a picnic and entertainment April 6, at Smithville. The teachers of 
the respective schools, C. M. Polley, C. W. Linder and W. J. King, 
superintended, and a very pleasant time was had. The Grangers gave a picnic at 
Sites May 7, which was largely attended. The Stony Creek Lodge, I. O. O. F., 
gave a picnic and celebration at Orland, May 13, at which Jackson Hatch 
delivered an oration on Odd Fellowship. This long run of picnics culminated May 
20 and 21. The Grand Island Lodges, A. O. U. W. and I. O. O. F., united on the 
former date in a celebration at Grimes, and the Sunday-schools of Colusa held a 
picnic at Agricultural Park, while the Presbyterian Sunday-school at Arbuckle 
gave a pleasant picnic at the grove south of that place, and a picnic and ball 
at Willows, by the band.
        April 22, J. E. Putnam sold his interest in the Colusa County Democrat, 
published at Willows, to T. J. Alexander, who continues the publication. . . 
Another meeting of citizens was held at Maxwell, to take steps toward forming an 
irrigation district. G. M. Sutter, H. P. Eakle, P. R. Garnett, G. F. Packer, G. 
B. Harden and W. P. Harrington, were appointed a committee to make the necessary 
arrangements for a survey and petition.
        April 23, the grading on the Willows and Mendocino Railroad from Willows 
west, about completed. . . C. H. Merrill, of Willows, appointed by Governor 
Bartlett director of Agricultural District No. 3. . . Another flow of artesian 
water was struck at N. D. Rideout's farm southeast of Norman, at a depth of 
eight hundred and seventy-one feet.. The flow rose about twelve feet above the 
surface of the earth.
        May 5, Colusa was connected with the postal telegraph by a loop from the 
main line at Williams.
        May 13, the residence of W. A. Durham, four miles west of Germantown, 
was destroyed by fire. Loss, $4,000, with no insurance. . . James Lawler 
purchased and took possession of the Union Hotel at Orland.
        May 21, the members of the Board of Supervisors, and R. Cosner, A. 
Hochheimer, Oscar C. Schulze, G. M. Sutton, J. C. Keith, and others, met at 
Maxwell to devise means for attracting immigration to the county. C. C. Felts 
presided, and O. C. Schulze was elected secretary: The meeting adjourned until 
June 1, without forming a conclusion. . . Early in the morning the rifle carried 
by Hong Di was found on the bridge across the Sacramento River near St. John, 
with a note signed by the murderer, stating in substance that he had been hiding 
most of the time since the crime was committed, in a warehouse near Mr. 
Billiou's place, and also that he was tired of life and intended to jump in the 
river. This circumstance excited the suspicion of the officers, who began anew 
the search for the murderer.
        May 22, Hong Di is captured in a grain-field near Gridley, Butte County, 
by A. L. Schubert, a sewing-machine agent. He was placed in jail at Oroville, 
and was removed to the county jail at Colusa, two days later.
        May 30, the John F. Miller Post, G. A. R., of Colusa, observed 
Decoration-day with appropriate exercises.
        June 3, the preliminary examination of Hong Di was held before Justice 
Frazier at Colusa, and he was held to answer to the charge of murder in the 
Superior Court, without bail. . . At this time there was much discussion of a 
proposed railroad from Colusa to Chico, and some effort made to raise 
subscriptions for stock.
        June 10, permission granted to enlist and muster in the Colusa Guard.
        June 11, Samuel Houchins, who had been employed by the Board of 
Supervisors to expert the county records and official books, made his report, 
showing the records to have been well kept and no errors existing, excepting a 
few clerical errors, which were adjusted.
        June 16, the Colusa Guard enrollment completed, and Burr Mitchell 
elected Captain, F. C. Radcliffe First, and James Moore Second Lieutenants. The 
number on the muster roll, sixty-three.
        June 20, the directors of the Bank of Orland let a contract to Walker & 
Merwin to build a two-story, glass front, brick bank building, for $7,095.
        June 21, a Parlor of Native Daughters of the Golden West was organized 
at the residence of Mrs. Robert Cosner, at Colusa. The following officers were 
elected: Past President, Mrs. Richard Bayne; President, Mrs. G. A. Blanchard; 
Vice-President, Mrs. H. B. Turman; Second Vice-President, Mrs. J. R. Bobst; 
Third Vice-President, Mrs. E. C. Peart; Marshal, Mrs. J. W. Porter; Financial 
Secretary, Miss Hattie Hunter; Outside Sentinel, Miss Jamison; Inside Sentinel, 
Miss Farnsworth. . . William Harris was run over and killed by a train, at 
Willows.
        July 1, George L. Cutler died at Colusa. He was a graduate of Pierce 
Christian College, and for a number of years teacher in the Colusa public 
school, after which he was admitted to practice law, which profession he 
followed in Colusa. He was a native of California, in his thirty-second year.
        The one hundred and eleventh anniversary of American independence was 
celebrated at Colusa. The Chico Guards united with the Colusa Guards in the 
celebration. Judge E. A. Bridgford was president of the day, and Dr. T. H. B. 
Anderson delivered the oration. Miss Jennie Gilmour was "Goddess of Liberty," 
and Miss Lida Ponder Bond, "Columbia."
        July 6, the trial of Hong Di, who murdered Mrs. Billion, April 7, was 
begun in the Superior Court. District Attorney Albery appeared for the people, 
and T. J. Hart defended the Chinese. The taking of testimony consumed three 
days, when the case was given to the jury. The evidence, taking the prisoner's 
own testimony, proved an intent to murder. The jury remained out from eleven 
o'clock of the 9th inst. to nine o'clock the next morning. During all this time 
the crowd of people drawn together by interest in the case, hung about the 
court-house waiting to learn the verdict. The l0th inst. was Sunday, and at nine 
o'clock court was called to hear the verdict of the jury. The room was filled 
with spectators, and as the clerk read the report, the crowd stood breathless. 
The jury found the prisoner guilty of murder in the first degree, and fixed his 
sentence at imprisonment for life. A voice in the crowd said, "Your honor, the 
sentence is not satisfactory." At this point, a half-dozen men stepped forward 
where the prisoner was sitting. Judge Bridgford arose and demanded order, and 
the sternness of his voice secured attention. The court-room was cleared, and 
Hong Di taken back to his cell. All that day the greatest of indignation 
prevailed over the verdict. The jail was kept closed and guarded by a score of 
deputy sheriffs. In the afternoon rumors were circulated that a mob would storm 
the jail and lynch the criminal. The Colusa Guards were called out to guard the 
building. In the forepart of the evening a dummy was fixed up to represent Hong 
Di, and was taken out of the back door of the court-house to a carriage in 
waiting, and was driven away at a rapid rate. Shortly after, the outer office of 
the jail was thrown open and the guards discharged. The sheriff gave out that 
Hong Di had been removed. At midnight, the mob, numbering hundreds, which had 
been gathering all the evening, advanced to the jail in a quiet and orderly 
manner, and demanded the keys of the building from Sheriff Beville. He refused 
to give them up, but said he would take a committee of three appointed by the 
mob, through the jail and convince them that the murderer had been removed. This 
was declined. The sheriff was overpowered, and the mob proceeded to search the 
building. One of the mob knew of a secret cell underneath the building, and at 
once led the way to it. In order to get to it a carpet had to be removed and a 
section of the flooring. This was done, and the leader of the mob and two others 
went down, and in about ten minutes returned with the criminal. He was taken to 
the railroad turn-table, a rope placed around his neck and he was told to make 
his last statement. He had nothing to say, but in answer to questions, he said 
he was "drunk with whisky" when he did the shooting. He was lynched to the top 
cross-beam of the turn-table, and his body left for the coroner to cut down the 
next morning. At the inquest the following day, a jury rendered a verdict that 
Hong Di came to his death by the hands of unknown persons.
        July 29, I. V. H. Safford, a farmer living west of Willows thirteen 
miles, was shot twice by Sim Welling, an employe on his ranch, from the effects 
of which Safford died the following day. Welling fled to the hills. What 
prompted Welling to do the shooting is unknown. . . A reward of $1,500 is 
offered for the capture of the murderer. . . A telephone line connecting 
Arbuckle and College City with Woodland and Sacramento is built.
        August 2, I. R. Hodgen & Son, of Maxwell, took the contract for building 
four bridges, aggregating one thousand feet, five miles east of Maxwell.
        The wheat crop this season is very large, heavy yields being reported 
from various parts of the county. The combined harvester takes a prominent place 
in the harvest-field, a large number being used. A corner on wheat was attempted 
in the San Francisco market, which inflated the price to $2.17 per cwt. for a 
short period.
        August 7, the residence of T. B. McDow, north of Maxwell, destroyed by 
fire. None of the household goods were saved.
        August 13, the residence of Albert Papst, eight miles west of Orland, 
was destroyed by fire. Loss, $1,300.
        August 17, Richard S. Browning died at his home on Grand Island, aged 
sixty-seven years. He had been an esteemed resident of the county for over 
thirty years.
        August 18, the Williams Farmer made its appearance, a neat six-column, 
all-at-home paper, with S. H. Callen editor and proprietor.
        August 28, a Board of Trade was organized at Colusa, and the following 
persons elected officers: Robert Cosner, President; L. Cary, Vice-President; F. 
C. Radcliffe, Secretary; W. D, Dean, Treasurer.
        September 10, the Orland Irrigation District was organized, including 
about fourteen thousand acres of land on the north side of Stony Creek, north of 
Orland.
        September 12, a Chinese attempted to kill Stewart Harris, at Colusa. The 
Chinese was a cook who had been in the employ of Mr. Harris four years, but 
recently discharged. Mr. Harris returned to his house late in the evening and 
the Chinese attacked him with a knife, cutting him slightly on the head, when he 
was scared away. Later he was arrested and bound over to appear for trial in the 
Superior Court.
        September 14, a meeting, called by the Board of Trade of Willows, 
considered the subject of irrigation.
        September 20.�The exhibit of Colusa County at the State Fair this year 
was large and well arranged. The exhibit took the third prize, of $250.
        September 24, a petition for the formation of. the Central Irrigation 
District was completed.
        September 25, while Arthur and Frank Weston were attempting to cross the 
Sacramento River in a row-boat at Monroeville landing, the boat was capsized, 
throwing the occupants into the water. The latter could swim, but Arthur could 
not, and, in attempting to get on the bottom of the boat, he again turned it 
over and was drowned. He was a son of Jubal Weston, a native of Colusa County, 
and twenty-three years old. He was a civil engineer by occupation.
        September 26, George T. Whetstone commits suicide at Colusa with a 
revolver, the ball passing through the body below the heart.
        September 28, a Board of Trade was organized at Orland; with S. A. 
Stiles, President; R. B. Murdock and M. O'Hair, Vice-Presidents; J. H. Rogers, 
Secretary, and L. P. Behrens, Treasurer.
        October 5, Charles Seavers, a farmer living five miles north of Colusa, 
committed suicide by hanging himself to a rafter in his barn. Some months 
previous he had been thrown from a buggy, fracturing his skull, and it was 
thought the accident caused his mind to be affected, with the result as stated. 
He was sixty-one years of age, and a respected citizen of the county.
        October 7, the residence of O'Hair brothers, five miles north of Orland, 
was destroyed by fire. Loss, $3,000.
        October 9, the Catholic Church at Colusa was dedicated. Two excursion 
trains, from Sacramento and Woodland, and Willows and Maxwell, brought a 
thousand people to attend the exercises. The services were conducted by Bishop 
Monogue, of Sacramento, assisted by Fathers Quinn, Reynolds, Paulenus and 
Wallrath. In the afternoon, fifty-eight children were presented to the bishop 
for confirmation.
        October 24, early in the morning, a fire broke out in Willows, 
destroying nearly a block of buildings. The following persons were losers: G. W. 
Freeman, loss, $2,000; Z. Bates, $800; J. P. Klemmer, $350; W. Vian, $200; M. 
Murphy, $700; J. Summers, $1,500; Mrs. Shane, $1,000; Frank McNorton, $2,500; L. 
Benoit, $700; Charles Newman, $8,000; G. Henning, $3,000; Enoch Ogle, $4,000; F. 
Phillipi, $200; John Hanna, $200. After the fire, the citizens of Willows raised 
a purse of $75, which was presented to the hose companies, who were complimented 
for their zeal and efficient work in extinguishing the flames.
        October 27, the Board of Supervisors ordered an election upon the 
formation of the Central Irrigation District, to be held November 22. (For 
description of district, see chapter "Irrigation Districts.")
        November 1, August Marko, a saloon-keeper of Colusa, under the influence 
of liquor, shot himself through the head, dying almost instantly.
        November 5, Ex-Governor St. John, of Kansas, addressed the people of 
Colusa on the subject of "Prohibition."
        November 8, John R. Samuels, an old resident of Colusa, died, aged 
fifty-four years. . . At about this time irrigation meetings were held at 
Williams, Maxwell and Norman to discuss the formation of the Central Irrigation 
District.
        November 22, the Central Irrigation District was organized by a vote of 
two hundred and seventy-one for and fifty-one against.
        November 24, J. R. James was placed in the county jail at Orland, for 
disturbing a ball at that place. At about four o'clock the following morning, 
the jail building was discovered on fire, and before assistance arrived, the 
entire building was enveloped in flames, and its inmate was burned to death. It 
was supposed that James, who was under the influence of liquor, had set the 
fire, hoping thereby to attract attention and get out. . . A public school 
building costing $2,000, being built at Sites.
        November 27, William Hopkins and Rufe Frazier were playfully scuffling, 
when Mart Dixon shoved the two apart, and as he did so he stabbed Hopkins in the 
abdomen. At the time, Hopkins did not know he was hurt, but ate supper and went 
to bed, shortly after which time he called on one of his companions for help, as 
he had been stabbed. Two days later Hopkins died. Dixon, his murderer, escaped.
        November 28, the Colusa County Teachers' Institute convened at the 
county seat. The teachers from all over the county were in attendance. 
Superintendent Wilson called the meeting to order and delivered an opening 
address. Aside from drill work, the meeting was addressed by Professor Wm. 
Henslee, of Orland, on "School Management;" Judson Appley, of Williams, on 
"Physiology;" Professor Reardon, of Willows, on "The Teacher;" Professor 
Armstrong, of Colusa, on "How to Manage Boys;" J. H. Mitchell, of Newville, on 
"Writing;" Professor J. C. Simmons, of Colusa, on "Old Field Schools;" State 
Superintendent I. G. Hoit, on "Progress of Popular Education;" Professor Allen, 
on "The People's College." Papers were read by Misses Fannie Keith, Agnes 
Pender, Lillie Gay, and Messrs. A. N. Thompson and W. Gay.
        December 10, Lee Ying, the Chinese who made an assault on Stewart Harris 
with intent to murder, was found guilty, in the Superior Court, and sentenced to 
fourteen years' imprisonment.
        December 22, P. J. Welch, a merchant, and for six years a trustee of 
Colusa, died, aged fifty-nine years. He was a public-spirited man, and an early 
settler. He built the first brick house in Marysville.
        December 23, James Randolph, a laborer working for J. W. Bondaurant, 
near Germantown, committed suicide by shooting himself with a Winchester rifle.
        The year was an eventful one in the history of Colusa County, full of 
exciting incidents and important improvements. Aside from what has been 
mentioned, the various parts of the county seemed to take new life. In Colusa 
much improvement in the way of new residences, was made; Willows made 
substantial advancement, with the foundation laid for more; Orland boasted a 
fine new bank building, while Williams and Maxwell came in for their share of 
development. The Willows and Mendocino Railroad had been located and graded, and 
the county beyond, about Elk Creek, became more densely populated. Much 
government land was entered in this locality and many new residences built. 
Farming had been almost revolutionized by the introduction of the combined 
harvester, and what population of the laboring class the county lost on this 
account, she more than made up in permanent settlers who sought homes within her 
borders. The growth was slow but it came to stay. Willows met with a sore defeat 
in the killing of the Glenn County bill, and her loss by fire was heavy, but her 
people, nothing daunted by disappointment, went to work with renewed vigor in 
building up their town. During the year electric light works were built and the 
town lighted by electricity. The subject of irrigation had become an absorbing 
topic in the county. Two districts, one embracing one hundred and sixty-four 
thousand acres of land, had been formed, and the supervisors are being 
petitioned for the formation of two others. Farmers began to realize that 
wheat-farming was not the most that could be made of the land, and fruit-trees 
and vines were set out more extensively than ever before. The year just closed 
was the first of a new era in Colusa County.
 
1888.
 
        January 3, William Riley, a pioneer of Colusa County of 1851, died, aged 
sixty-eight years.
        January 11, Mart V. Dixon, the murderer of William Hopkins, taken to the 
county jail by J. G. Thompson. Dixon was arrested at Carthage, Illinois.
        January 14, a fire broke out in Robert Fay's place in Willows, 
destroying the building and contents; loss, $10,000. . . A fire started in 
Buetelle's tailor shop in Colusa, which was destroyed, also De Jarnatt's butcher 
shop. At the time a strong north wind was blowing, and the entire southern 
portion of the town was threatened. By diligent effort of citizens, it was 
prevented from spreading. The loss caused by the fire amounted to about $3,300. 
. . The Orland South Side Irrigation District was organized by a vote of 
seventy-eight for and twenty-five against. . . The coldest weather Colusa County 
ever experienced occurred at this time. A cold wave seemed to pass over the 
whole country, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. While the thermometer seldom 
fell below thirty degrees Fahrenheit above zero in Colusa County, at this date 
it reached twenty-two degrees above zero, and at the time a severe wind was 
blowing., which made it seem even colder. Ripe oranges were frozen, but the 
trees were but little affected.
        January 15, Mrs. P. A. Earp, while in a fit of temporary insanity, 
leaves her home near Sycamore and drowns herself in the Sacramento River. . . 
The baseball club of Willows, "H. & Co.'s," and the Marysville club, "H. & L.," 
played the deciding game of the Northern California League at Colusa, which 
resulted in victory for the Willows club by a score of fourteen to four. . . The 
Colusa County Horticultural Society formed. L. F. Moulton elected president, and 
Frank W. Willis, secretary. The society has for its object the promotion of the 
study and pursuit of horticulture in all its branches. 
        At this time William P. Gay, at the residence of F. C. Graves, near 
Orland, was reported by the attending physician sick with the small-pox, and the 
country became alarmed. Dr. Tooley visited the patient, under instructions from 
the Board of Supervisors, and pronounced the case measles. He claimed that the 
attending physician had applied an oil which caused pustules to form, which 
resembled those of small-pox.
        January 26, Rufus Buster, a resident of Grand Island since 1858, and an 
esteemed citizen, died from a paralytic stroke. He was sixty-three years of age.
        February 6, David Pearson killed William Sexton, eight miles south of 
Elk Creek. Sexton settled on unsurveyed government land, claimed and improved by 
Pearson, who had told him of his claim. He, however, paid no attention to 
Pearson's claim, and began plowing the land. Pearson ordered him off, and he 
refused to go, when Pearson went to his cabin, got his rifle and began shooting 
at him. Sexton returned the fire with a revolver, but, owing to the distance, 
which was about seventy-five yards, did no damage to Pearson. The fifth shot 
fired by Pearson passed through Sexton's body, causing his death. Pearson had 
always born a good reputation up to this time. After the shooting, Pearson 
surrendered himself to the authorities, and was placed in the county jail at 
Colusa. The jury found him guilty of murder in the second degree, and he was 
sentenced to twenty-five years in the State prison.
        February 28 and 29, a race program was carried out at the Agricultural 
Park, Colusa.
        March 7, Mart V. Dixon was sentenced to imprisonment for life for the 
murder of Hopkins. . . In reply to a telegram to Sheriff Beville, from Arkansas, 
stating that Sim Welling, the murderer of I. V. H. Safford, had been arrested, 
Deputy Sheriff Stanton, accompanied by Pallas Love and J. E. Putman, went to 
identify and return with the prisoner, who proved not to be the man wanted.
        March 11, the work of laying rails on the Willows and Mendocino Railroad 
begun. . . Steven White, living near Butte City, stepped outside of his house 
just as a large tree blew down, and was caught under its branches, injuring him 
badly. . . After having contained a number of prisoners for some time, the 
county jail is once more empty.
        March 24, the Democratic County Central Committee met in Colusa. A 
convention for nominating county officers was called, to meet April 28, at 
Williams, the delegates to the convention to be chosen April 21 , in primary 
election.
        April 1, the residence of L. C. Leane, south of College City was 
destroyed by fire. Loss, $2,200; insurance, $1,150.
        April 2, the question of issuing bonds in the sum of $750,000 by the 
Central Irrigation District for the purpose of constructing irrigation works, 
was voted on, with the following result: For bonds, one hundred and eighty-nine; 
against bonds, thirty-six. . . A large granary on Eppinger & Co.'s Butte ranch, 
near Orland, was destroyed by fire, together with considerable machinery and 
grain. Loss, $4,000; insured for $1,000. . . The young people of Williams 
rendered the drama "East Lynne" very creditably. . . The delegates from this 
county to the Republican State Convention were A. A. Thayer, W. P. Harrington, 
E. M. Houx, J. R. Troxell and O. C. Schulze.
        April 7, Mark Lahore committed suicide at Fouts Springs. He had been in 
a despondent condition for some days previous. He was fifty-five years old and 
unmarried.
        April 9, while Mrs. Schrader, living in Williams, was washing, her 
little three-year-old child fell in a tub of scalding-hot water, from the 
effects of which he died the following day.
        April 12, Mrs. O. M. Harris died at her residence in the foot�hills west 
of Maxwell. She had been a resident of the county since 1857, and had lived at 
the same place thirty-one years. . . W. H. Miller was arrested in Sacramento for 
stealing one thousand grain sacks from J. W. Browning, on Grand Island. He took 
them down the river in a boat and tried to sell them at Sacramento for three 
cents each. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eighteen months in the State 
prison.
        April 14, a Parlor of Native Sons of the Golden West was organized at 
Willows.
        April 24, the body of G. W. Mitchell was found in Butte Slough. The 
verdict of the coroner's jury was that he came to his death by accidental 
drowning.
        April 27, Hiram A. Greenwood, an old resident of the county, an esteemed 
and prominent citizen, died at his residence near Orland, in his fifty-fourth 
year.
        April 28, the Democratic County Convention met at Williams, with Dr. R. 
A. Gray, chairman, J. B. De Jarnatt, secretary, and S. J. Mathews and S. H. 
Callen, assistants. The following persons were nominated for the various county 
offices: A. H. Rose, Assemblyman; W. T. Beville, Sheriff; J. L. Seawell, County 
Clerk; H. M. Albery, District Attorney; Samuel Houchins, Auditor; C. C. Felts, 
Treasurer; Dr. R. B. Duncan, Coroner and Public Administrator; W. E. Brasfield, 
Surveyor.  J. F. Argyle, Edwin Swinford, G. B. Hardin, K. E. Kelley and L. 
Scearce were chosen delegates to the State Convention. A. H. Rose, W. J. Clark, 
S. R. Smith, W. F. Miller, J. C. Stovall, G. B. Hardin, W. H. Kelley, J. A. 
Hill, A. M. Jackson, David Brown and Robert Cosner, were selected the Central 
Committee. At the close of the convention the following township officers were 
nominated: Second district, W. N. Herd, Supervisor; P. F. Dolan, Road Overseer; 
third district, Henry Husted, Supervisor; J. R. Terrill, Road Overseer; fourth 
district, J. F. Keeran, Supervisor; fifth district, G. W. Bradford, Road 
Overseer. . . At nine o'clock in the evening a slight earthquake-shock was felt 
in various parts of the county. The vibrations were from south to north. No 
damage done.
        April 29 was the seventy-fifth birthday of Colonel J. F. Wilkins, who 
had been a resident of the county about thirty-four years, and the Sunday-school 
children of the Presbyterian Church presented him with an elegant easy-chair.
        May 5, Howell Davis, an early resident of the county and extensive 
farmer near Sycamore Slough, died. He was a native of Pennsylvania, born 
December 27, 1831.
        May 16, a daily mail service is put on between Newville and Chico, 
passing through Orland and St. John.
        May 19, as a number of boys were herding cattle near the College 
building in Orland, a pistol was discharged, killing Robert Lee Stennett. The 
weapon was out of order, and Walter Hicks was playing with it, when it went off, 
the ball entering the right side of the head just above the ear. He was thirteen 
years old.
        May 28, L. F. Moulton is having erected, in front of the Colusa 
post-office, a drinking fountain, with a watering trough for horses. . . The 
town site of Fruto, at the terminus of the Willows and Mendocino Railroad, is 
laid out.
        Irrigation was a theme of much discussion in the county at this time. 
The Supreme Court had decided the law, under which districts were formed, 
constitutional, and the Central District proceeded to offer bonds to the amount 
of $100,000 for sale. Two efforts to form a district, including lands about 
College City and Arbuckle, were defeated, but a district embracing one hundred 
thousand acres of land along the Sacramento River was formed, the Orland 
district abandoned and in its place the Kraft district was organized.
        July 4 was celebrated with fitting ceremonies at Williams and Willows.
        July 10, a combined harvester, owned by Messrs. Kennedy, Williams and 
Moore, was destroyed by fire near Germantown; loss, $1,800. . . The telegraph 
line from Colusa to Lake County was changed from via Williams and the Mountain 
House to the line of the Colusa and Lake Railroad, via Sites.
        July 14, the Maxwell Mercury was issued, a neat seven-column paper, by 
John G. and Charles C. Overshiner. . . Alexander Montgomery donates $5,000 to 
the Presbyterian Church of Colusa.
        July 15, the remains of James L. Howard were brought to Colusa for 
interment, he having died in New York. He settled in Colusa County in 1853, and 
was twice elected sheriff of the county, in 1857 and 1873. . . The National 
Educational Association met in San Francisco, and the teachers of this county 
were well represented. Aside from showing school work and the high standard of 
the schools, an agricultural and horticultural exhibit was made, and a 
fifty-page illustrated book descriptive of the schools and resources of the 
county, was distributed gratuitously. The exhibit and headquarters of the county 
teachers were at Irving Hall, San Francisco.
        July 19, the residence of J. E. Wohlfrom, Berlin, was destroyed by fire 
at four o'clock in the morning, from an unknown cause. Annie, the 
sixteen-year-old daughter, entered the house to save papers of value to her 
father, when her hair and clothing caught on fire. These were extinguished, and 
it was thought she was uninjured otherwise. She had inhaled smoke, however, 
which a few days later was the cause of her death.
        July 23, Charles C. Overshiner, while working about the press of the 
Maxwell Mercury, caught two fingers of his right hand in the machinery, causing 
an injury which required an amputation.
        July 30, a fire was set at the farm of John Conners by one of his small 
children, and $1,000 worth of wheat and other property destroyed.
        August 1, Martin Sullivan, a young man in the employ of William Billips, 
at Colusa, is found in his bed bleeding profusely at the mouth and nose. He died 
before a physician could be secured. The coroner's jury returned a verdict that 
he died from an overdose of laudanum.
        August 6, fire broke out in D. C. Henderson's carpenter shop, in Colusa, 
which was destroyed, with the house of Marshal Scoggins, occupied by S. S. 
Russell. Loss, $1,800.
        August 13, George Browning, living on Grand Island, received a kick in 
the breast from a mule, which caused his death. He was thirty-six years old and 
a son of Richard S. Browning.
        August 24, a fire at Orland destroyed the meat market of Webb & Bryan 
and the residence and barn of Dr. Welch.
        September 1, the county Republican convention met at Colusa, C. M. 
Ballantine, chairman, and C. M. Polly, secretary. The following ticket was 
elected: Assemblyman, J. C. Campbell; Sheriff, W. F. Mason; County Clerk, Julius 
Weyand; Treasurer, C. C. Hicok; Auditor, C. B. Whiting; District Attorney, I. 
Hurlburt; Coroner, D. R. Watkins; Surveyor, A. T. Welton; County Central 
Committee, W. E. Jones, C. M. Ballantine, F. W. Willis, P. Peterson, A. A. 
Thayer, A. Hochheimer, T. L. Knock; Road Overseers, John Hamlan, District No. 1; 
 J. A. Armstrong, District No. 2; James McDermott, District No. 3; J. R. 
Troxell, District No. 4; H. W. Steuben, District No. 5; Supervisors, J. O. 
Zumwalt, District No. 3; I. V. Devenpeck, District No. 4. . . Colusa County 
makes an exhibit, under the auspices of the Horticultural Society, of resources 
at the State Fair, and ranks in second place, taking a prize of $450. The 
exhibit was superintended by Samuel Houchins.
        September 8, Edward Peiper, an employe of Eppinger & Co., on the Butte 
ranch, was thrown from a wagon in Germantown, when the team was running away. He 
clung to the singletree and was dragged about a hundred feet, when he let go and 
fell under the wheels, one going over his breast and another his neck, killing 
him instantly.
        September 15, shortly after midnight, Hugh J. Glenn, Jr., fell from the 
porch of the Commercial House, in Willows, to the curb-stone, striking on his 
back, from the effects of which he died shortly after. He was the fourth son of 
the late Dr. H. J. Glenn.
        September 28, Maberry Davis died at his residence near Butte City. He 
was born in Clark County, Illinois, June 15, 1824, and settled in this county 
March 6, 1852. He held the office of county assessor in 1858 and was twice 
elected sheriff, in 1882 and 1884.
        October 25, the brick building in Colusa occupied by Steiner & Mogk as a 
general merchandise store, and the Masonic hall overhead, was destroyed by fire. 
The loss was $50,000; insurance, $33,800.
        The campaign of this year was one of interest to the citizens of Colusa 
County, who were given the opportunity to hear many orators of both local and 
national repute of each party. A hot contest occurred over the office of 
assemblyman. Hon. A. H. Rose, the Democratic candidate, stood on a party 
platform pronounced against the division of the county, while J. C. Campbell, 
the Republican nominee, was unpledged on that issue by party platform. He 
pledged himself, however, to the people in his canvass of the county, outside of 
division precincts, that he would, if elected, oppose the dismemberment of the 
county. The result was that all the division vote of the county went to Mr. 
Campbell, which, with his party vote, elected him. J. O. Zumwalt (Republican) 
was elected Supervisor in the Third District and James McDermott (Republican) 
was elected road overseer in the same district; H. W. Steuben was elected road 
overseer in the fifth district. The remainder of the Democratic ticket was 
elected by majorities ranging from six hundred and twelve to one thousand and 
forty-four.
        November 13, J. R. Moody, a painter of Williams, stabbed his wife 
several times with a small knife, at her parents' home, at Maxwell, after which 
he attempted to take his own life by stabbing himself in the breast. Neither the 
attempt to kill his wife nor himself was successful. He was arrested and lodged 
in jail.
He had an examination the following week, before Justice De Lappe, at Maxwell, 
and was bound over to the Superior Court to answer the charge of attempt to 
murder.
        November 15, a fire in Germantown destroyed the Germantown Hotel, F. 
Todt's meat market, M. Carmody's and E. Claussen's saloons and M. 
Schlusselbhlum's store; loss, $14,400; insurance, $8,550.
        November 17, a wrestling match occurred at Willows between McFarlane and 
Faulkner. Sports from Colusa bet on McFarlane, the bets being taken by the 
backers of Faulkner. Faulkner won, and the Colusa sports lost over $1,000. The 
Colusa boys thought they had a sure thing, as it had been put up to let 
McFarlane win, but the prearranged plan of winning was changed by the wrestlers, 
as above stated.
        November 26, Mrs. Ann Woods died at the residence of her brother, John 
Reynolds, in Colusa. She was sixty-three years old, and had been a resident of 
the county since 1854.
        November 28, Mrs. Rebecca McIntosh died at her residence north of St. 
John, where she had lived thirty-six years. She was eighty-eight years old.
        December 4, Manuel Silva, a laborer on the ranch of A. J. Rasor, three 
miles above Princeton, threatened the life of Thomas Kern, with a spade. Kern 
got a rifle from an adjoining room and shot Silva. Kern was held without bail to 
answer before the Superior Court.
        December 10, an excursion to an auction sale of town lots at Fruto. . . 
Three hundred and twenty-three persons in the county pay taxes on $5,000 or over 
this year; thirty-one, on $100,000 or over, and nine persons, on over half a 
million dollars each.
        December 27, William Harden, a respected citizen, seventy-four years of 
age, died at Maxwell.
 
1889.
 
        On the first day of the year occurred a total lunar eclipse of the sun. 
The obscurity of the sun's rays was greatest at Willows, and for the purpose of 
making observations, Professors Pickering, of Harvard College, Roach, of Blue 
Hill University, and Upton, of Brown University, with assistants, erected an 
observatory at that place. The first contact occurred at a little after eleven 
o'clock, and totality lasted one hundred and eighteen seconds. From the time of 
contact until the moon left the disk of the sun, was a little over two hours. 
Excursion trains from various parts of the State were run to Norman and Willows, 
for the purpose of making observations. The sky was perfectly clear, and an 
excellent opportunity for making observations was offered. During the eclipse, 
the thermometer fell from fifty-two degrees to forty-five and one-half degrees 
above zero.
        January 9, a bill was introduced in the Legislature to divide Colusa 
County on the township line running between townships seventeen and eighteen, 
but not crossing the river, following the river from that line to the Tehama 
County line. The Assembly passed the bill, and it went to the Senate. The people 
in and about Willows, Elk Creek and Jacinto were almost unanimous in favor of 
division, while those of Germantown, St. John, Orland, Newville and Princeton 
were opposed. At Norman and Smithville the sentiment of the people was divided. 
The contest was fought bitterly by both sides. It passed the Senate, and 
Governor Waterman refused to sign the bill. The members from the county, John 
Boggs in the Senate and J. C. Campbell in the Assembly, opposed the bill.
        January 31, Lewis Cary, a resident of Colusa since 1853, died in his 
sixty-seventh year.
        February 4, A. B. Wodleigh was found at Colusa Junction, under the 
influence of an overdose of morphine. He was restored to consciousness, but died 
the next day. He admitted he took the morphine with suicidal intent. His 
residence was in Modoc County, where he had some property. . . A stage team, 
property of the Colusa Stage Company, ran off of the Butte City ferry and was 
drowned in the river. . . The Colusa Agricultural Works are ready to do work, 
having gotten their foundry and machine shop in running order. . . The Colusa 
Canning Company organized, with a capital stock of $30,000.
        February 23, T. H. Dodson begins the construction of a county jail at 
Orland.
        March 1, the Fruto Land and Improvement Company begins work on 
irrigation ditches, to water its lands six miles south of Elk Creek. The company 
also is setting out grape-vines extensively, purchasing from one party one 
hundred thousand, all of the Muscat variety, for raisins.
        April 1, Samuel Murdock died at the residence of his son, G. W. Murdock, 
near Orland. He was an early settler of the county and was sixty-four years old.
        April 4, the stock held by N. D. Rideout and W. C. Murdoch in the Bank 
of Willows and the Bank of Orland, is purchased by stockholders of the Colusa 
County Bank. W. C. Murdoch resigns his position as cashier in the former bank, 
and B. H. Burton is elected to that position. W. P. Harrington is elected 
president. . . During the previous fall and winter, much timber land had been 
entered in the Coast Range, and work begins on a foundation for a saw-mill near 
Alder Springs, west of Elk Creek sixteen miles. A wagon road has been completed 
to the mill site. The Sanhedrian Mill Company is organized for these purposes. . 
. Johnston Clark, of Tehama, while engaged in a game of cards at Willows, got 
into a dispute which led to blows. Clark was badly beaten, from the effects of 
which he died.
        April 15, Thomas Kern, who on December 4 killed Manuel Silva at the 
ranch of A. J. Rasor, is sentenced to twelve years imprisonment at Folsom.
        April 22, Eli Triplett, living near Orland, while filling a mould with 
Babbitt-metal, is severely burned in the face and about the eyes, caused by the 
mould exploding.
        April 30, the one hundredth anniversary of the inauguration of George 
Washington as President of the United States was celebrated at Orland. Hon. 
Laban Scearce was president of the day, and General N. P., Chipman delivered the 
oration. A reunion of pioneers was had in the afternoon and a ball in the 
evening.
        May 6, Charles W. Strope was shot and killed by Albert Gittner at the 
Haley place on the Glenn ranch. Strope was drunk, and he made an assault upon 
Gittner, getting him by the throat and was fast choking him to death, when the 
latter got a gun in one hand and shot Strope through the head. Gittner was 
arrested, examined and discharged.
        May 24, fire destroyed the large barn and contents on the Ogden place, 
near Sycamore, causing a loss of $4,200. . . The Sanhedrian Mill Company has one 
hundred men at work putting up the buildings for the saw-mill.
        June 3, George Mudd, farming near Germantown, received a harvester to be 
propelled by a traction engine, the first of the kind in the county. . . Colusa 
is experiencing a building boom. Work is progressing on the convent building, a 
brick two-story block is being constructed next to E. C. Peart's store and a 
double-front two-store brick is being built by Neil O'Donnell and J. Cheney, to 
be occupied by the former as a hotel. Aside from these a number of new 
residences are being erected. A high tank has been erected for protection from 
fire. When an alarm of fire is sounded, the pressure of the water in this tank 
is turned on, which causes a stream to be thrown over the highest building in 
the town, without the use of a fire-engine. Two fire companies are organized.
        June 10, a water system for supplying Grimes is being built, the water 
to be pumped from the river by means of a current wheel.
        June 17, the little son of A. Dougherty, living near Orland, tips over 
the wooden frame of a water-tank, which falls on him, striking him on the back 
of his head, causing his death.  An infuriated steer attacked a Chinese on H. D. 
Blodgett's place near Princeton, pinned him to a post with his horns, broke 
three ribs and crushed in the side of his head, from the effect of which he 
died.
        July 4 was celebrated at Maxwell and Elk Creek, with appropriate 
exercises. Large crowds attended both.
        July 10, contract let for the erection of a Baptist Church at Orland, to 
cost $3,160. . . The Central Irrigation District sold $125,000 worth of bonds. . 
. The school census for this year shows three thousand two hundred and 
ninety-two school-children in the county. The amount received from the State for 
school purposes, $25,420.20. The county employs eighty-eight school-teachers.
        July 25, an unknown man was found dead near the Mountain House, west of 
Williams. The coroner's inquest failed to show his identity. He had evidently 
come to his death from an overdose of morphine.
        The wheat yield of this year was the largest the county ever produced, 
being estimated at ten million bushels. Almost every warehouse in the county was 
filled. The Glenn ranch alone required three hundred hands to harvest its crop. 
The fruit crop was also large, considering the acreage. The Colusa cannery put 
up a large quantity of canned and dried fruits, including about one hundred 
thousand pounds of raisins. The yield of raisins at College City was also large. 
The county assessment of property this year showed:
                                    Number of acres assessed            
1,159,824
                                    Value of real estate.                  
$18,569,555
                                    Value of improvements                    
897,235
                                    Value of town lots                           
380,200
                                    Value of improvements on 
                                                          town lots              
    772,865
                                    Value of personal property          
2,472,187
                                    Money in the county                       
183,655
                                    Solvent credits                              
  388,310
                                    Total value-of assessments       $23,664,007
 
        The Colusa Milling Company is incorporated with a capital stock of 
$40,000, and purchases the Sunset Mills of W. E. Browning & Co. The officers of 
the company are: W. P. Harrington, president; Colonel Hagar, vice-president; E. 
C. Barrall, secretary; J. C. Bedell, superintendent. . . The new steamer 
Jacinto, one hundred and fifty feet in length, and well built, makes her first 
trip up the river. She is named for the town on the Glenn ranch.
        August 12, a fire started on Albert Troxel's ranch six miles west of 
Willows, destroying four stacks of grain and several hundred acres of wheat, 
belonging to Messrs. William Murdock, A. Troxel, Purket and Kline. The loss 
amounted to $13,000, and the fire was caused by a lighted cigarette being thrown 
down in the grain.
        August 23, a camp-meeting is being held three miles east of Princeton, 
by the Methodist Church South. . . . The Colusa Daily Gazette made its 
appearance, with E. I. Fuller, editor.
        August 24, William Quint, living east of Willows, was driving a 
fractious horse, which shied, throwing him out and then tramping on him, which 
caused his death. . . . The Willows Agricultural Association gave a four days' 
program of racing, which was largely attended.
        August 27, the little son of Charles H. Smyth was accidentally shot 
through the shoulder with a rifle, causing his death.
        An unusual number of fires occurred at this time. The machine sheds and 
bunk-house on the O'Hair ranch, near Orland, and two large stacks of hay on J. 
B. Morrissey's place, north of the same town, C. D. Bigelow's blacksmith shop at 
St. John and H. S. McBain's residence, southwest of Orland, a threshing machine 
near Germantown, owned by F. M. Leforgee, and a grain fire on the places of 
Milton French and E. M. Houx, west of Willows, and also one in Willows, doing 
damage to Klemmer's and Connelly's stores; total loss, $18,000. . . Manuel 
Azevado, who lives southeast of Orland, and has a twelve-acre vineyard, took the 
first prize for fine grapes at the district fair held at Chico.
        September 1, the fiftieth anniversary of the marriage of L. H. 
Helphinstine and wife was celebrated at their residence near Princeton. A large 
number of friends and relatives of the couple, happy in their old age, were 
present.
        This year Colusa County again made an exhibit of her products at the 
State fair, and took the second premium of $400. The exhibit was made by the 
Horticultural Society, managed by W. H. Jones. . . But once in the history of 
Colusa County did the "lone highwayman" ever rob a stage. The stage running 
between Sites and Bartlett Springs was stopped by a masked man, near Leesville, 
who took the express box, but did not disturb the passengers, some of whom had 
considerable money on their persons. The box contained no money. The robber 
escaped.
        September 7, the Methodist Church South at Sites dedicated, Rev. M. B. 
Sharbrough, the presiding elder, officiating. . . New machinery being put in by 
the Manzanita Gold Mining Company at Sulphur Creek, and are working twenty men. 
P. Rathbun is opening his quicksilver mine in the same locality. . . Judge 
Bridgford's herd of Durham cattle took the first premium at the State fair, and 
Peter Peterson's, of Sites, the second premium.
        September 8, Sarah Ann McDaniel, wife of Elisha McDaniel, a resident of 
Colusa County thirty-six years, died at her home five miles south of Butte City.
        September 13, Mollie Kennedy drank two ounces of carbolic acid at 
Willows, from the effects of which she died two days later.
        September 17, fire destroyed the barn of Jerry Moynihan, northeast of 
Maxwell six miles, causing a loss of $1,500.
        September 20, Paul E. Miller and Robert McMartin were sparring in a 
saloon at Maxwell, when the former picked up an old pistol which he believed to 
be empty, and pointed it at McMartin, playfully saying, "I will shoot you," and 
pulled the trigger. Unknown to Miller, someone had loaded the weapon, and when 
he pulled the trigger, it was discharged, the ball entering McMartin's right 
breast, which caused his death two days later. Before his death, he made an 
anti-mortem statement exonerating Miller from any intention of shooting him. 
Miller was arrested, tried and acquitted.
        September 28, the editors of the county met at Maxwell and effected a 
permanent organization. J. H. Rogers was elected president and J. G. Overshiner 
secretary. . . The following tax rate on the hundred dollars for the year was 
fixed by the Board of Supervisors:―
 
Common Fund                        $0.240
School Fund                               .138
Road Fund                                 .300
State tax rate                              .722
Total tax rate on the $100       $1.400
 
        November 2, the Manzanita mine, at Sulphur Creek, preparing for 
extensive work by putting in their mill two Huntington crushers. . . Indian 
George arrested for assault with intent to murder Indian Jack at Grimes.
        November 5, the Teachers' Institute convened at Willows in the Baptist 
Church. Superintendent Wilson presided, with J. Scott Ryder as secretary and 
Miss Mollie Bowling assistant. Among those in attendance interested in 
educational matters from abroad were State Superintendent Hoitt and Professor 
Pierce, of the State Normal School at Chico.
        November 7, a fire at Germantown destroyed the Germantown Brewery, the 
saloon and dwelling of John Beeck and the saddle shop and undertaking-rooms of 
David Schwenk. . . Death of Stephen H. Allen, in the fifty-seventh year of his 
age. Deceased was a pioneer in the county, having located, late in the year 
1852, at Monroeville. He afterwards removed to Red Bluff, but returned to the 
county in 1868 to engage in mercantile and agricultural pursuits at Colusa. . . 
The Colusa Canning, Packing and Drying Company shipped forty thousand five 
hundred and sixty-six pounds of raisins, prunes and canned fruits. . . Thomas 
Killebrew subdivides a tract of land southeast of Willows, and the blocks met 
with ready sale.
        November 9, the San Francisco Bridge Company commences the construction 
of the Central Canal. W. S. Green broke ground for the enterprise by dragging a 
plow in the right of way. . . Alexander Montgomery contributes $25,000 to the 
Society of California Pioneers, to be applied to the relief and assistance of 
worthy pioneers in their old age. . . A. A. Thayer, of Grimes, appointed deputy 
revenue collector for third revenue district.
        December 6, the Willows Agricultural Association chose the following 
officers: President, F. G. Crawford; Vice-President, J. R. Troxel; Secretary, W. 
V. Freeman. . . Mrs. L. B. Robe appointed postmistress at Maxwell, vice E. E. 
Scott removed . . F. C. Anderton stocks his farm on Stony Creek, west of Orland, 
with blooded horses of the Electioneer breed, and Berkshire hogs.
        At this time floods throughout the county were doing frightful damages. 
The estimate of the acres flooded on the east side of the river in the county, 
was forty thousand. On the west side the hill water drowned out a large body of 
land. Nearly all of district No. 108, containing seventy thousand acres, was 
flooded. The river at Butte City was at one time six inches higher than was ever 
before known. The draw of the Chico bridge, which was washed away, lodged on a 
tow-head just below Jacinto. The Swift Point warehouse, on the Walsh ranch, was 
partially washed away.
        December 9, Jesse Kingsbury, a pioneer of the county, found dead in his 
bed near Butte City.
        December 20, death of Rev. James Kelsey, at Dallas, Oregon. He was a 
pioneer preacher of Colusa County, having been at one time a presiding elder of 
the Methodist Church.
        December 25, while W. P. Hanson, who was deaf, was standing on the 
railroad track at Willows a train ran against him, cutting off one of his legs 
and causing other injuries, from the effects of which he died four days later.
        December 29, James Turman, residing near Princeton, while out hunting, 
in company of Alfred Harbeson, was accidentally shot and killed while stepping 
in front of Harbeson's gun, while the latter was extracting a cartridge.
        The year has been one of quiet advancement. Colusa made a rapid stride; 
aside from the buildings mentioned, a two-story brick town hall and a brick 
building on the corner where Steiner & Mogk were located, were erected. Willows 
did much toward building up the block destroyed by the large fire, with 
permanent brick buildings, aside from numerous residences. Business buildings 
and residences were erected in Orland, Elk Creek, Germantown, Maxwell, Williams 
and Arbuckle, while on Grand Island and about College City some score of fine 
farm residences were built. Contracts were let on the Central Canal and work 
begun, and some four miles of canal built by the Stony Creek Irrigation Company, 
west of Orland. The year has been a prosperous one for both the farmer and 
fruit-grower, which produced general prosperity. Considerable land in the county 
has changed hands, and horticulture received more attention from farmers.
 
1890.
 
        January 1, Joseph Casey shoots and inflicts a fatal wound on Daniel 
Matheson, in Gould's Saloon, at Williams. The trouble originated in a game of 
cards. Matheson lived nearly four days after being shot. . . The following 
persons were elected officers of the Presbyterian Church at Colusa: 
Superintendent, J. F. Wilkins; Assistant Superintendent, C. M. Ballantine; 
George A. Ware, Secretary and Treasurer; Miss Lillie Pryor, Organist.
        January 3, Tuscan Lodge, F. and A. M., at Williams, installed its 
officers for the ensuing year.
        January 10, Odd Fellows' banquet at Arbuckle. . . The apportionment of 
the county school fund was made, and the same amounted to $32,115. . . The 
Stovall-Wilcoxson Company was organized at Williams, with a paid-up capital 
stock of $1,000,000. The incorporators and directors of the company  are J. C. 
and W. P. Stovall and Jefferson, C. E. and G. H. Wilcoxson. The objects of the 
incorporation are for the conducting of manufacturing, constructing, mining, 
mercantile, mechanical, agricultural, horticultural, banking and commercial 
business. Installation, at Colusa, of officers of Colusa Parlor No. 69, of 
Native Sons, with the following officers: L. L. Hicok, P. P.; Tennant 
Harrington, P.; B. H. Mitchell, First V. P.; I. N. Scoggins, Second V. P.; G. A. 
Williams, Third V. P.; J. R. Shelton, F. S.; H. H. Smith, M.; George Hart, I. 
S.; O. J. Kilgore, O. S. The ceremonies concluded with a ball.
        January 16, death of Mrs. Sallie Greeley, nee McGinley, at Vermillion, 
Mont. She was the first white girl born in the town of Colusa. . . Athletic 
clubs organized at Willows and Orland.
        January 30, Ex-Sheriff D. H. Arnold, of Colusa County, shoots and kills 
S. W. Garness, in San Francisco. The tragedy grew out of the fact that Garness 
had sent anonymous letters vilifying prominent individuals in Colusa, including 
Mrs. Arnold. Arnold was arrested and held to answer the charge of murder in the 
first degree. He was acquitted and returned to Colusa, to be welcomed at the 
railroad station by a vast concourse of his friends.
        February 9, John Healy, of West Butte, started for Colusa in a boat and 
was drowned.
        February 15, J. Barnes, a druggist of Butte City, was thrown out of a 
buggy in the streets of that village, and received such injuries that he died a 
few hours afterwards. . . Machinery for a large ditcher to excavate on Central 
canal, arrives at Orland.
        February 22, Washington's birthday celebrated at Colusa by the 
presentation of a flag to float over the school-house. The flag was procured by 
private subscription. Escorted by the Colusa Guard, the pupils marched to the 
school-house, where the flag was hoisted by Colonel R. A. Gray, and saluted with 
a volley by the company. At College City, flag-raising on the college was also a 
feature of the day's celebration.
        March 1, the Willows Athletic Club, accompanied by Silvey's Cornet Band 
and Apperson's Orchestra, gave an entertainment at Colusa. . . The following 
deputy assessors were appointed: Leesville, W. H. Perdue; Butte City, J. C. 
Oldham; Williams, W. P. Marshal; College City, W. H. Cain; Willows, Orland and 
Germantown, Wm. M. Durham; Elk Creek, W. H. Sale. . . The bridge at N. Simpson's 
place across Stony Creek partially washed away, causing a loss of about $4,000.
        March 11, contracts were let for constructing eighteen miles of Central 
canal, from four miles northwest of Willows to the southwest. Turton & Knox and 
W. D. Baker were the contractors.
        March 13, a double funeral of two brothers, Stephen F. and Frank G. 
Calmes, occurred at Colusa. They were sons of Waller Calmes.
        March 15, John Calder appointed postmaster at Willows, to succeed J. E. 
Putman, whose term had expired.
        March 16, death, at Colusa, of John L. Wilson, superintendent of county 
schools. (See biography elsewhere.)
        March 20, H. S. Stockpole committed suicide at Willows by shooting 
himself twice in the left breast.
        March 30, Joseph Casey, in jail awaiting trial for the murder of Dan 
Matheson at Williams, attempts suicide by plunging the sharpened edge of an iron 
spoon into his neck. He made an ugly gash, but the wound was sewed up, and he 
was placed under strict surveillance.
        March 31, the Sacramento Valley District of Christian ministers convened 
at College City, and a meeting of much interest had.
        April 1, the four-year-old daughter of Mr. Rinkey, of Arbuckle, ate a 
quantity of wild poppy bloom and died.
        April 2, the following officers of Colusa Irrigation District were 
elected: Directors, John Boggs, Charles Glenn, G. S. Hemstreet, E. W. Jones, E. 
G. Morton; Assessor, J. H. Pope; Collector, S. R. Murdock; Treasurer, J. Grover.
        April 4, the Arbuckle Autocrat, published by J. S. Taylor, issued its 
first number.
        April 8, Paul E. Miller, charged with manslaughter in having killed 
Robert McMartin at Maxwell, on September 20, 1889, was acquitted.  At a meeting 
of the State Board of Education, life diplomas were issued to the following 
Colusa County teachers: Mrs. Annie Stinchfield, Miss Sallie E. Adams, Howard 
Ford and J. R. Shelton. Miss Jessie Heaton and Miss Carrie Totten were granted 
educational diplomas. . . Meetings for the purpose of organizing granges were 
held in various parts of the county.
        April 18, the capital stock of the Bank of Willows authorized to be 
increased from $200,000 to $500,000.
        April 19, at the meeting of the Grand Army of the Republic, of Northern 
California, at Red Bluff, M. O'Hair, of Orland, was elected president of the 
organization, and Willows was selected as the place of meeting in April, 1891.
        April 24, Lee Wakefield, a pioneer of the county, died at his ranch near 
Williams.
        April 26, at the Democratic primaries held, the following ticket was 
chosen: For Assembly, H. P. Eakle; Superior Judge, E. A. Bridgford; District 
Attorney, Edwin Swinford ; Sheriff, J. B. Stanton; Assessor, W. A. Durham; 
Clerk, J. L. Seawell; Auditor, Samuel Houchins; Treasurer, F. M. Putman; School 
Superintendent, Mrs. H. L. Wilson; Coroner, C. H. Gibbons; Surveyor, J. R. 
Price; Supervisors, First District, P. Hannum; Fifth District, Vincent C. Cleek; 
delegates to the State convention, C. L. N. Vaughan, J. C. Frazier, P. F. Dolan, 
T. J. Hart, L. G. Manor, C. C. Felts, K. E. Kelley, P. O'Brien, J. E. Mitchell, 
and M. H. Lathrop; Central Committee, A. H. Rose, J. P. Vaughan, Oscar Robinson, 
W. F. Miller, J. C. Stoval, J. McDermott, J. A. Hill, W. H. Kelley, A. Evans and 
E. Robinson.
        April 22, at the commencement exercises of Pierce Christian College, 
degrees were conferred on the following graduates: Miss Anna Terrill, B. S. et 
L.; W. B. Smith, B. S.; S. A. Wylie, B. S.; J. W. Kearth, C. E.; F. E. Manor, B. 
C.; H. C. Stovall, B. C
        May 10, the remains of two Chinese, named Chung and Toy, were found at 
the wood-camp of the Finnell place, near the Chico ferry landing. The body of 
Chung lay across a doorway with his throat cut, nearly severing his head from 
his body. The body of Tay lay on a cot, his throat cut and his skull split open. 
These men had been wood-choppers, and their death attributed to an associate, 
named Ah Won.
        May 14, The Stony Creek Improvement Company organized, with Wm. Teris, 
Will E. Fisher, Henry C. Stillwell, George H. Roe and Joseph Wagner as 
directors. The property acquired by this company consists of one thousand four 
hundred acres of land, which includes the town site of Smithville, the mill, and 
a three-story hotel. The new town laid out by this company is called Stony Ford, 
and to this place the mill at Smithville has been removed. The capital stock of 
the company is $150,000, all of which is owned by the directors.
        May 27, sentence was passed upon Joseph Casey for the murder of Dan 
Matheson, January 1 last, at Williams. Casey withdrew his plea of not guilty and 
pleaded guilty. Judge Jones, of Trinity County, sat with Judge Bridgford to 
ascertain the degree of the crime. Casey was sentenced to imprisonment for life.
        June 7, the Democratic County Central Committee met at Willows. P. R. 
Garnett was chosen chairman, and Oscar Robinson, secretary. Hon. John Boggs was 
appointed delegate at large to the State convention.
        June 14, the Orland Grange was organized and the following officers 
elected: Hans H. Rehse, Master; G. D. Mecum, Overseer; L. Scearce, Lecturer; J. 
G. Miller, Steward; Chris Jasper, Assistant Steward; Mrs. F. Kaehler, Chaplain; 
H. W. Steuben, Treasurer; Miss Louisa Bender, Secretary; J. W. Hartford, 
Gatekeeper; Mrs. H. W. Steuben, Ceres; Mrs. C. Jasper, Pomona; Mrs. J. Smith, 
Flora ; Miss Annie McEnerney, Lady Assistant Stewart.
        June 20, the first number of the Willows Review, weekly, is issued; J. 
A. Apperson, editor and proprietor.
        June 24, the severest hail-storm ever witnessed in the Sacramento Valley 
occurred at Colusa on the afternoon of this day. The hail-stones were in some 
places piled up a foot deep, some of them being over an inch in diameter. The 
storm passed over Sites, and Maxwell was just in its south line, though no great 
damage was inflicted in the latter place. The damage was confined to a narrow 
strip in and around Colusa, and extending west to the foot-hills, where fully 
two-thirds of the wheat crop were ruined. The damage to the fruit and grain 
crops and vegetables was estimated at $25,000.
        June 30, the residence of Joe Davis, at Sycamore, totally consumed by 
fire.
        July 4.�The celebration of this day at Willows was perhaps the largest 
and best conducted that ever took place in the county. It was gotten up under 
the auspices of the Native Sons of the Golden West. W. D. Davis was president of 
the day, and Professor J. H. Simmons, of San Francisco, the orator. Athletes 
from the Olympic Club of San Francisco gave a performance in the afternoon, and 
a ball in the evening concluded the festivities.
        July 7, opening of the public library in the New City Hall building at 
Colusa, Judge Bridgford delivering the address.
        July 11, the following officers of Willows Parlor No. 125 of Native Sons 
were installed by W. V. Freeman, D. D.; President, J. M. Silvey; Past President, 
W. D. Davis; First V., T. F. Farrell; Second V., Eugene Marshall; Third V., C. 
H. Somers; Recording Secretary, W. V. Freeman; Financial Secretary, L. J. 
Klemmer; Treasurer, W. L. Wilson; Trustees, V. V. Apperson, J. F. Sersanous, C. 
D. Howell, O. S. H. Keeran; I. G., John Connors; Marshal, W. H. White.
        July 16, stables on the Glenn ranch were burned, consuming forty-three 
head of fine stock horses and mules. . . The assessment roll of the county for 
1890 foots up $23,674,715, an increase of $10,708 over 1889. .. . The body of W. 
T. Napier, who was drowned on the 12th inst., found in the river five miles 
below Grimes, where it had lodged on some brush.
        July 19, an enthusiastic meeting of citizens was held at Elk Creek, to 
discuss the subject of the extension of the railroad from Fruto to that place. 
Messrs. Williams, Stillwell and Hochheimer were appointed a committee to lay the 
petition of the people before the railroad officials.
        July 23, death, at Sycamore Slough, of Mrs. Maria Burtis, who settled in 
that vicinity in 1857.
        July 26, G. W. Gay purchases a half interest in the Williams Farmer, of 
S. H. Callen.
        July 31, a fire at St. John destroyed the school-house of that place.
        August 2, John Donnelly, an aged man, was found dead in the National 
Hotel at Colusa. He died from natural causes. . . The Republican County 
Convention met at Colusa, and nominated the following candidates: Assembly, J. 
C. Campbell; Treasurer, E. W. Jones; Sheriff, Wm. Ash; Auditor, Robert Hughes; 
Assessor, C. C. Hicok; Coroner, Dr. F. X. Trembley; District Attorney, W. G. 
Dyas; Superintendent of Schools, Mrs. C. E. Stewart; Surveyor, H. A. Hicks; 
Clerk, C. G. Stinson; Supervisors, First District, C. P. Wilson; Fifth District, 
David Markham.
        August 12, Company B of Colusa Guard elected the following officers: 
Captain, J. R. Shelton; First Lieutenant, Ross McAmis; Second Lieutenant, W. K. 
De Jarnatt. . . Four days of racing were held at Willows, by the Willows 
Agricultural Association.
        August 13, David C. Pearson, convicted of murder in the second degree in 
March, 1888, and sentenced to twenty-five years' imprisonment, was pardoned by 
the Governor. Eleven of the jurors who tried him and a host of the citizens of 
the county signed his petition.
        August 16, Edward T. Papst, in company with several others, left Orland 
to shoot doves on Stony Creek. He left his companions to go into a thicket, 
carrying his gun. Not returning as expected, they sought for him, but failed to 
find him. They returned to town expecting that perhaps he was there before them. 
This not being the case, search was made for him on the hunting-ground where he 
was last seen, when his dead body was found. A rifle-ball had passed through his 
body. The coroner's jury rendered a verdict of accidental death.
        September 3, in the apportionment of State school funds Colusa County 
received $32,115.
        September 11, an explosion of giant powder in the blacksmith shop of the 
Elgin mine, a few miles above Blanck's Sulphur Creek Springs, resulted in the 
death of Alex. Davis, and in seriously wounding William Tremper.
        September 13, Freddy, the five-year-old son of W. H. Papst, of Orland, 
was caught under a heavy frame used to hold iron, the frame striking on his 
back, from which death resulted.
        September 22, at the joint convention to nominate a Democratic candidate 
for the State Senate, to represent Colusa and Tehama Counties, Henry C. Wilson 
was the unanimous choice of the convention. . . The Republican joint convention 
met at Willows and nominated General Charles Calwalader for State Senator. . . 
The exhibit of county products at the State fair is awarded the second premium, 
of $450.
        October 1, Charles Bell, a colored man, convicted of an assault with 
intent to kill his wife, at Colusa, sentenced to San Quentin for ten years. 
"Doc" Stewart received the same sentence for attempting to outrage a little girl 
at Orland. 
        October 2, Henry Youle, a young Englishman in the employ of Colonel 
Moulton, thrown from his horse and injured internally by the horse tramping on 
him. He died ten days later. . . J. H. Rogers sells the Orland News to Dodson & 
Dawson, who change its politics from Independent to Democratic.
        October 20, a man named Patrick Donovan fell from a barge, twelve miles 
below Eddy's Landing, and was drowned.
        November 4, the entire Democratic county ticket was elected with 
majorities ranging from twenty-three to eleven hundred and eighty-two, excepting 
the Democratic nominee for Treasurer, who was defeated by E. W. Jones 
(Republican), by twenty-seven majority.
 
SOURCE:  "Colusa County", Justus H. Rogers, Orland, CA, 1891