El Dorado County History Historical Souvenir of El Dorado County California with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of its Prominentmen and Pioneers. Oakland 1883. Paolo Sioli, Publisher. Compiled by P. Sioli. Transcribed by Peggy Hooper, Oct 2009. This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter. All persons donating to this site retain the rights to their own work. LOCAL HISTORY. COLOMA. Old Coloma! The town with some history � no, the starting point of a history of El Dorado county, and of the total revolution in the history of the whole State, throwing her out of the lethargy and quietness of hundreds of years in a feverish excitement that kept her enchained for about twenty-five years. The discovery of gold in the race of the Coloma mill, however, did not stop with the revolutionizing of California; no, it became epidemic and infected the whole civilized world. The alarm was given out, and Coloma became the motto of the day, Coloma the longing of millions, and Coloma the endpoint of the travel of thousands, whose starting points had been most every where on this globe. And right here it may be allowed to put the question : Has California been benefited with the discovery of gold at Coloma, and all the circumstances that followed ? The discovery of gold was inavoidable, it would have been made sooner or later. But there can be no doubt that California would be better off nowadays, if the discovery had not been made before the State became more settled and thicker populated, or if the discovery would have been kept a secret as Capt. Sutter had proposed it. A slow development would have avoided the outgrowing of all those monopolies under which the State is suffering now. What did those miners of early days care for the welfare of this country ? More than nine out of each ten came here to make their pile and march home with it, according to the motto of the great French revolution : Apre's nous, le deluge, not a particle different from the Chinamen. How many millions have been drawn out of this country without leaving anything or giving anything in return. Look at all these mining towns, what flourishing and happy settlements would we see all through the mountains, if their population had not been managed under such haste and excitement. Coloma is located on the South Fork of the American river, in an altitude of goo feet above the level of the sea, on the upper end of the Coloma basin, which is surrounded by hills of from 800 to 1,000 feet higher up. When El Dorado county was organized Coloma was selected for the county-seat, there being no other place in the county at that time ; but after a few years already some rivals turned up, and from 1854, a fight for the removal of the county-seat began which lasted for three years and ended in a victory for Placerville. For the first few years after the discovery of gold all the new arrivals were bound for Coloma, and though the mines in the vicinity were rich and plenty of them, the population was growing so fast that soon many had to be turned away to look out for other diggings, thus scattering and prospecting all over the country. But a large business was done here in the support of a population that numbered into the thousands. The first business places in town were Capt. Shannon & Cady's, the New York Store, S. S. Brook's store, and John Little's emporium on the North side of the river. Warner, Sherman & Bestor, of the United States army, kept a store here during the winter of 1848-'49; Bestor being the business man of the company. The first hotel was the Winters Hotel, Messrs. Winters & Cromwell, proprietors; A. J. Bayley, now of Pilot Hill, attended bar there. Sutter's saw-mill had been finished and was put to work by Messrs. Winters, Marshall & Bayley, doing a fine business. A large two-story building had been erected for a theater in 1852. Capt. Shannon was Alcalde of the township, and John T. Little first Postmaster, a Post office having been established already in 1849; S. S. Brook became second Postmaster, but the business was growing so immensely that it afforded too much time for a store- keeper, and Mr. D. G. Waldron, now of San Francisco, was appointed Postmaster soon after President Pierce's inauguration. This then was the principal Post office in California, concerning the business ; six pony expresses were running between Coloma and the mines all around, to deliver the half-monthly arriving mail, charging one dollar a letter for the delivery. Wagon loads of letters had to be sent to the dead letter office, as most of the people leaving home made Coloma, their destination, but either had never arrived here, or turned away to other mining districts. Of other men of prominence in those early days, Ave mention : Newell & Williams, and Thomas H. Hewes, lawyers ; Col. Clendenin ; Wm. McConnell & Co. ; Geo. Duden ; Asa D. Waldron ; Dr. Gibbs; Col. Thomas Robertson ; Hon. John Conness ; Dav. E. Buel; A. A. Van Guelder; D. P. Talmadge; J. G. McCallum, now of Oakland ; A. H. Hawley ; Robert Chalmers ; S. B. Weller ; General Thomas Williams ; D. G. Waldron ; there were A. J. Bayley, now of Pilot Hill ; W. M. Donahue, now of Placerville ; Hon. J. C. Brown, A. St. Clair Denver. One of Sutter's iron howitzers is still decorating the front of Meyers' Hotel. It was here that the first plan for obtaining water by artificial means was derived, and the first ditch in El Dorado county and California was built; it was called the El Dorado Canal, and had a length of six miles. This proving a good investment for the projectors, soon others followed with the following ditches : The Hollings- worth & Go's ; the Coloma Canal ; the Shanghai Ditch ; the Williams Ditch ; the Greenhorn Ditch ; and the largest of all of them, the U. S. M. John T. Little, now of San Francisco, also owned the first ferry across the South fork from Coloma to the north side. Mr. Ed. T. Raun, in the Spring of 1850, went on to build across here the first bridge in the county, which was renewed in 1855. The high water of 1862, however, swept it away, and now a small wire rope suspension affair, for footpads only, may be found as accommodation across the river. Sutter's old saw mill, as already stated, was working at full speed from 1849 to 1852 or '53, thereafter it was not used any more and commenced to go to pieces. When David E. Buel, who was the second Sheriff and one of the first settlers of the county, in May, 1854; was leaving Coloma to go east he was presented with a magnificent gold headed cane, the wood of which was taken from the head-block of the � Sutter saw-mill." The top of the cane was ornamented with an accurate and beautiful engraving of the old mill, and immediately below the rim the names of the generous donors. A letter, dated Coloma May 28th,1854, accompanying the present was signed by the Under and Deputy-Sheriffs: E. N. Strout, J. S.; Welton, Henry Larkin, Adam Burget, H. A. Young and John Orr. Thus it seems that the pieces of the old mill, where used to transfer them into presents for memory and relics, which will be highly valued by the coming generations. In 1854, the Sunday law was passed and the undersigned business men gave notice that they would close up their stores on and after December loth, 1854 : Wm. McConnell & Co ; O. Camp & Co ; Dunn & Bell ; Kimball & Co ; Geo. Vincent & Co ; E. Waller & Co ; M. Holmes : A. G. Tryon ; Frank Beckhart ; M. Skolney; J. Morris; J. Bernhard & Co; Wm. Dormody ; Jos. W. Seeley ; A. Dombrowsky ; J Waters ; Wm. Clatworsly and T. Elkus. These were the leading business firms then. The Odd Fellows were the first to form a lodge of their order at Coloma, it was organized as "Coloma Lodge, No. 27," on August 21st, 1854, with the following first officers: J. C. Brown, N. G.; A. St. Clair Denver, V. G.; R. E. F. Moore, Secretary; Wm. Patterson, Treasurer, and Joshua Jones. Soon after the organization they built their own hall. Acacia Lodge, No. 92, F. & A. M., was organized November 1st, 1855, and received their charter from the Grand Lodge at Sacramento, dated May 8th, 1856. The first officers were: J. M. Reed, W. M. ; Thomas Robertson, S. W. ; Thomas H. Williams, J. W. ; J. L. Chapman, Treasurer ; A. A. Van Guelder, Secretary ; C. N. Noteware, S. D. ; M. Barowsky, J. D. ; H. S. Herrick, Tyler. E. Clampsus Vitus order was organized February nth, 1856, with the following first officers: E. B. Carson, N. G. H. ; Thomas M. Reed, G. R. P. ; M. R. Elstner, C. P. ; P. B. Fox, C. V. ; A. H. Hawley, G. R. T. ; John Hume, G. R. F. ; A. W. Merrill, G. R. S. ; James Sullivan, G. R. M. ; John F. Long, R. S. ; M. Barowsky, Tyler. Coloma Musical Association, Wm. H. Taylor, President. On the 14th of September, 1881, a charter was granted to the members of Coloma Lodge, No. 203, A. O. U. W. with the following first officers , Daniel Haggart, P. M. W. ; Simeon Hunt, M. W. ; Jos. H. Thomas, F. ; Morris G. Bradley, O. ; M. J. Allhoff, Receiver; Jos. Allhoff, Finance; Wm. H. Hooper, Recorder, Jos. Anderhalden, G. ; James W. Quirk, J. W. ; J. W. Chappleman, O. W. Notwithstanding the great accumulation of all classes of people from all different nations, Coloma was a very quiet and peaceful mining camp ; but very few incidents of violence are known to have taken place here. In March, 1860, James Hannum killed one Anthony Martin, on account of some difficulty arising out of a game of cribbage. He was indicted for murder in the District Court, the Jury failing to agree, and he interposed a plea of guilty for manslaughter. He was sentenced to four years in the State prison. A party of miners on Monday, March 4th, 1861, became incensed at the Chinese of this town, and created riotous proceedings ; in consequence of which thirty-six of them were arrested. W. S. Long, of Sacramento, and John Hume were employed in their defense, and N. G. Curtis, of Sacramento assisted District Attorney Sanderson in the prosecution. They were tried, and O'Donnell and fifteen others were found guilty of riot in the Court of Sessions on March 16th, and sentenced to pay a fine of $200 each and the costs. Coloma has not only a place in history, but also in the hearts of all romantic visitors. There is no ham- let in the Sierras more serene and poetic ; the air is perfectly etherial, during the day mellow and golden, during the night silver and purple. Then the moon rises over the hills, arraying orchards and piney summits and quiet cottages with veils of silken radiance. Here may be heard yet the rattle of the rocker, and perhaps close by the roar of the hydraulic pipe may fill the trum of your ear. Here is still the old- time log cabin, where pork and beans with additional flap-jacks were luxuries, alongside the elegant cottage, embowered in roses, surrounded by almond and peach groves. Much gold has been taken out of this valley, but the time where miners occupied this ground, and mining events and interests constituted the topic of the day, ??y far back. Vineyards and orchards line the hillsides as high up as water for irrigation can reach, and the sunny grape draws its sparkling juice from among soil sprinkled with virgin gold. And, though, the Coloma basin has lost a great richness in shape of gold, it has copiously made up in permanent improvements. The fruit grown in this vicinity and on this soil is unsurpassable in juice and flavor ; and has made a name for itself. Upon the decline of the mines many persons engaged in planting fruit trees ; among the first to plant on the north side were E. Woodruff and A. A. Van Guelder. The latter was the first engaged in general fruit growing ; he was followed by Henry Mahler, Jonas Wilder, Henry Pierce, Ed- ward D. Lohry, J- H. Williams, H. Hawley, Joseph Allhoff, J. G. Vanderheyden, Jno. Crocker and Mrs. Robertson. The Coloma basin is about 3 1/2 miles in length by about a mile in width. The number of vines of all varieties bearing in the valley is about 350,000 and of choice fruit trees within this space about 30,000, located as follows : On the north side, 50,000 vines and 5,000 trees ; Coloma proper, 180,000 vines and 10,000 trees; below Coloma, 120,000 vines and 15,000 trees. The California Pioneer some time ago had the following reminiscence of a short stay at Coloma in the fall of 1849, from the pen of old "Mac," which may have a space here : " Coloma, then called " the mill," was quite a prosperous mining center, habitations or dwellings were all constructed of rough logs, of backwood pattern, except Captain Shannon's mansion, the New York Store, the Winters' Hotel, and perhaps one or two other unimportant buildings. The old Sutter saw-mill, of course, stood out as a marked monument of the place and the chief point of attraction for strangers. It was then running to its utmost capacity; the stately pines were being cut from the valley and hillsides to supply the great demand for lumber, giving the hamlet the appearance of a western lumber camp. Boards, not of the first quality, sold readily for $400 per 1,000 feet. Winters, Marshall & Bayley were the owners. Close by the mill were a few log huts, and just below, a log building occupied by S. S. Brooks for a store, and directly across the road was a two-story clap-boarded mansion of Captain Shannon, occupied by Shannon & Cady, as a store and house of entertainment. The Captain was the head man of the town, and in addition to his military title held that of Alcalde, or Judge of the First Instance, by virtue of an appointment from the Military Governor. In addition to a retail trade, he entertained strangers and way-farers with a generous hospitality, and administered to rogues and vagabonds even and exact justice. In front of his house stood a stately native pine, straight as an arrow, which on the Fourth of July he employed one of his old soldiers (Sucre) to trim and surmount with the American flag, at a cost of $600, to commemorate the great holiday. This pine stood there for years as a mark of the Captain's munificence and patriotism. A few rods below the Captain's house was the rude "shelling " of Patrick and Bridget Doody. They had come to the country with Col. Stevenson, and looked to the Captain for protection. Patrick was indebted to Brooks to a small amount, who, like most creditors, wanted his money; and caused an attachment to be levied on the Doody hut. Patrick being absent in the mines, leaving his other half to look after domestic affairs and town laundry; the Captain not at home, Bridget in her dilemma did not know what to do, sent for the writer. He answered the call and proceeded to her domicil. He advised the distressed woman that she need have no apprehension ; that her real estate was not worth selling, except for firewood, and Brooks had no need of that, and that she might snap her finger at the cruel creditor, when, suddenly she went down on her knees in the middle of the room, which was floored with the native soil, and with a knife commenced digging, to the great surprise of her spectator. Out she drew two large bottles filled with the finest gold, worth not less than $2,000, which she had saved or filched from Patrick. In her anger she apprehended the attachment reached this hidden treasure. Mac advised her to pay the debt, and restore the gold to the old bank where it had lain so long safely until she and Pat had made up their minds to return to their home in New York. Near the old ferry was the establishment of John Gratee and Captain Johnson; a little further up the New York store of Dunnel & Nichols, and Winters' new hotel. Then came the residence of Peter Weimer and family; Peter had been in the employ of Marshall when the gold was discovered in the mill race. He insisted always that Marshall did not believe the glittering lumps were genuine, until his wife had boiled them in the wash boiler, and they came out as bright as a new dollar. " At the extreme limit of the hamlet was a log hut occupied by Captain Cheever and Robert Gordon ; Case had a store hard by. Across the river J. T. Little had his immense mercantile establishment; Foster and Hildebrand had small stores there also. " Gordon was a man of fine literary taste, and was once on the editorial corps of the Alta California; Cheever had been a merchant at Manilla; Captain Shannon was the impersonation of fun and his countenance ever wore a smile. Syke Baldwin, the Captain's tender-man, formerly one of his company, in spite of long years of dissipation, was full of humor, and had a pleasant word for all who patronized his bar. For those that were acquainted there at the time, we recall to memory the face of the honest- hearted Winters; the quiet, unpretending Marshall; the tall, dark-eyed Weimer; the brusque Dr. Read ; the dry Stubbleben ; the rough Gratee ; the babbling Brooks ; the noisy Miller, and little Jack More. "One day in December, '49, a crowd came trooping down the street to Captain Shannon's mansion, having in custody a vagabond sailor, charged with having stolen from a miner $600 in dust contained in a purse, demanding the exercise of the judicial authority of the Captain as Alcalde. The latter without ceremony opened his court, selected a jury of six reputable men, appointed prosecution attorney, etc.; the prisoner was given a full opportunity to establish his innocence. The case, after the charge of the Alcalde, was given to the jury. After due deliberation, through their foreman, the jury rendered a verdict as follows ; 1. We find the prisoner guilty of the charge. 2. In consideration of the poverty of the complainant, if the prisoner will make restitution of the property and depart the " diggings," he may be discharged. 3. If he does not accept the offer, then and there he shall receive 25 lashes, well laid on, be imprisoned with ball and chain for a space of 10 days, and then, if he restores the money and departs, be discharged. 4. At the expiration of the imprisonment he shall receive 25 lashes and leave the diggings. "The prisoner declined to return the money and suffered the full penalty; after which he vamosed to parts unknown." The late Ogden Squires, of Placerville, had in his possession, and submitted to our inspection, a Day Book, kept at Sinter's mill, Coloma, Messrs. Winters, Bayley & Marshall, proprietors, from January 3d to April 22d, 1850. Among other survivors who are charged with lumber on this book we find the names of William Rogers, first Sheriff of El Dorado county; now of Ruby Valley, Nev.; J. W. Marshall, the discoverer of gold, now residing at Kelsey; Kimball, then of the firm of Pauley & Kimball, now of Aurora, Nev.; F. Beckhardt, now at San Francisco ; Edw. T. Raun, now of the architect-firm Kennitzer & Raun, San Francisco; Storrs & Storer, the one now in Virginia City, the other of Truckee ; Charles E. Picket, now of San Francisco ; John T. Little, now real estate broker of San Francisco ; S. S. Brooks, of San Francisco : and A. J. Bayley, of Bayley's ranch, Pilot Hill. The first entry for January 3d is a charge against J. Bailess & Co., to 70 feel lath, $35 00. Further down we find Robt. Cadwalader charged with one scantling 10 2/3 feet, $4 30; then comes J. A. Perry for 225 feet of scantling at 40 cents, $90 00; Mr. Perry is charged again on January 9th with $88 00 for 160 feet of plank and 60 feet of scantling. On the 10th of January Winters & Bayley commenced purchasing lumber for the hotel at Pilot Hill, 16 feet for $6 40. On the 5th of February, Quay, Gardner & Moore are charged $1,787 96, for 4,077 feet of dimension lumber, 135 feet of rough boards and 256 feet of sheating. On the 18th of April the following are set down among the cash receipts : 3 1/2 feet of lumber, $1 00; 2 slabs, $1 00; 5 slabs, $5 00; 4 broken slabs, $2 00. On the 20th of April, Alfred Finney pays $15 00 for 14 slabs. On the same day Jacob Stubbleben takes a rough lot (630 feet) of building lumber at reduced rates, only $189 00; on the same day Walter Buckland is credited with one month's work in the mill, from March 21st to April 19th, inclusive, with $300 00. The same day we find this entry: J. S. Fisk, to 4 pieces, 2x4, 16 feet long, 42 2/3 feet, at 30 cents, $12 80; memorandum, dentist over the river, payable in six weeks; reference, Osterhaut and Allen.