Plumas County, CA History

Transcribed by Sally Kaleta Jul 2009

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Illustrated History of PLUMAS, LASSEN & SIERRA Counties
with CALIFORNIA from 1513 to 1850, Farriss & Smith , 1882, San Francisco.


PLUMAS TOWNSHIP

ELIZABETHTOWN or BETSYBURG 
  
    
         A few miles from Quincy, on the road to Indian valley, is the old  
mining town of Elizabethtown, the first place of importance in Plumas township. 
In 1852 Alexander and Frank Tate discovered gold in what is known as Tate 
ravine. Soon afterwards, Lewis Stark, Peter Day, and George Ferrier, who had 
just come in with their families through Beckwourth pass, went to work just 
above the Tate brothers, but met with no success for a few days. One morning 
they went prospecting up Elizabeth ravine, and by noon had panned out an ounce. 
After dinner they used a rocker, and secured several ounces. In a few days they 
dug a small ditch from the creek near by, and did well, finding one piece of 
twenty-eight ounces. Miners began to come in and prospect around, soon finding 
good diggings opposite Elizabethtown. Stark built houses for his family at the 
mouth of the ravine, and shanties were put up by the miners, until there was 
quite a village collected. The only young lady in town was Miss Elizabeth Stark 
(now Mrs. W. A. Blakesley of Quincy), and the chivalrous miners bestowed her 
name upon the young town. Later, especially after a rivalry sprang up with 
Quincy, the place was as well known by the name of Bettysburg as by its proper 
appellation. 
        Not many remained during the winter of 1852-53, having in common with 
the miners in other places, deserted the mountains. Provisions sold at one 
dollar per pound, and were scarce; so much so, that early in the spring, Stark 
and two others made their way to Sacramento valley, and with great difficulty 
drove up several beef-cattle through the mountains to save their families from 
the danger of starvation. In the spring of 1853 a crowd of miners came to 
Elizabethtown, and it became one of the largest camps in the county. Stark 
opened a hotel, and another was built by John Cornelison. James A. Blood built a 
fire-proof stone structure, in which Blood & Shannon (Thomas B.) kept a store. 
The first store had been opened by Joseph Taylor, Fred Robinson, and William 
Kinsey, and bore over its portal the sign "Joe, Fred and Jacky," the last being 
the familiar title of Kinsey. Ross & Gloyd (D. J.) soon after erected a hotel 
building, in which was a large dance hall. In 1854 a Masonic hall was built by a 
lodge of that order that had been initiated there. A division of Sons of 
Temperance was also organized in the town. Elizabethtown became so metro-politan 
in 1854 that the postal department established an office there, with Lewis Stark 
as postmaster. W. A. Blakesley was deputy, and it was in his house that the 
office was kept. No mail contract was let, and Jonas D. Ritchie carried the mail 
from Rabbit creek (La Porte), twenty-five cents being charged on each letter to 
pay the expenses of the service. This was a great saving, as the expressman 
demanded one dollar for the same service. 
         Quite a town had now sprung up at Quincy, which had been chosen as the 
county seat, notwithstanding Elizabethtown was the larger place, and made 
strenuous exertions to secure the prize. Hacks were run between the two rival 
towns, and were well patronized. In January, 1855, the post-office was removed 
to Quincy, much to the disgust of the people of the rival metropolis, and Squire 
Stark moved his family to the new seat of his official duties. This was quite a 
blow to the town, and in the latter part of 1855 the place began to decline. 
Frazer river called away a great many in 1858, and Elizabethtown soon passed 
from existence. Two or three families are still living there, and Corbin & 
Manson have a mining claim which is being worked by drifting. 
        Among the rich mining claims that were worked in 1853 and 1854 were the 
Wahoo, by Joseph Kelly & Co.; Fowler, by Fowler & Co.; Varner, by Varner & Co.; 
Plumas, by L. F. Cate & Co,; O'Neill, by Captain O'Neill; Gloyd, by D. J. Gloyd; 
Betsy Gulch, by Stark & Co.