Chapters 13-19
Early Days at the Mission San Juan Bautista - Chapters XIII-XIX
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CHAPTER XIII
In early days the San Juan Valley section of Monterey county abounded with
game of all kinds--My first firearms--We fared sumptuously on poultry and
fruits
GAME in the San Juan Valley and surrounding districts was plentiful. There
were geese, ducks, quail by the millions, cotton-tail rabbits, and the
hills were full of deer. It was a hunter's paradise.
At about seven years of age I had learned to shoot--in fact, I became a
very fair marksman, but my age and size precluded my carrying a heavy gun.
Accordingly, I had a forked stick which I would plant on the ground and
resting the gun in the fork would take aim. In due time, my father made me
a gun for my own personal use. My father, who was a jack-of-all-trades,
had rigged up a gunsmith shop at our place, in which he would execute many
repair jobs, not only for ourselves but for the neighbors. My father got
hold of a gun-barrel which he sawed off, and setting a stock to it
suitable to my size, equipped me to my heart's delight. He also fixed a
shotgun for me the same way. This was when I was about eight or nine years
old. In a short time I became an expert shot with a rifle and an excellent
marksman with the shot-gun. Game abounded on all sides, and I kept the
larder well stocked with meat of all kinds.
We carefully conserved game, in those days. There was no wanton slaughter.
We only shot what we actually needed; that was sufficient.
Shortly after arriving in San Juan, and getting settled there, my mother
succeeded in obtaining, from the neighbors, hen, duck, turkey and guinea
hen eggs. These she set and by careful management it was not long before
she had a well
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stocked poultry yard. She never aimed to keep more than sixty or seventy
of a kind as she sold them off as quickly as the quota was reached. She
had ducks, turkeys, chickens, geese and hens. So as far as the larder was
concerned we feasted on domestic fowls.
Outside of pears, which we could get from the mission orchards, no fruit
was obtainable except dried apples, which were dried and packed in
barrels. They were a solid mass, packed in those barrels and I often
wondered what would happen if someone would throw a couple of buckets of
water in one of these containers.
Finding that a party had started a nursery in Santa Clara, my father went
up there and succeeded in buying trees sufficient for a family orchard. He
planted these trees out on two acres. The trees that my father bought were
not true to name. Some were very good however, and as soon as they bore we
had fruit. My mother was an expert cook, and made jams and preserves and
together with wild blackberries, which were plentiful throughout that
section, and which we gathered and brought home, we used to fare
sumptuously in the matter of sweets.
Looking back over those years, reflection reveals the fact that even if we
had plenty of fruit in those days we could not have preserved it as there
were no jars or crocks or cans in which to put up the preserves.
About the year 1857-'58 there came a peddler of tinware from Watsonville,
every two weeks. The peddler's coming was a boon to us as it enabled us to
secure from him the necessary receptacles wherewith to put up jellies and
preserves. He would take orders for the manufacture of tinware and then
bring back the order on the next trip. There was no galvanized or
graniteware, everything was tin. All articles were cut and soldered, even
the tea and coffee pots and milk pans.
This peddler made for my mother a colander and a two gallon can with a
screw top. This can was used in my family
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for forty years, which speaks well for the quality of the work that the
man turned out. This can, with the screw top, was used for churning
purposes--we had no churn. We would put the milk in this can and then,
after screwing the top tightly home, would agitate the can from side to
side until butter formed. It was wonderful how much butter we could obtain
in this crude manner.
This tinware peddler, let it be stated here, was named Freiermuth. He was
an uncle of P. J. Freiermuth and granduncle of Harry Freiermuth, who now
conducts the P. J. Freiermuth hardware store in Watsonville.
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CHAPTER XIV
Early day sawmills and how they were run--First mill was a crude affair
erected on Pescadero Creek--Pioneer grist mill was moved to Watsonville.
IN THE early part of 1850 a saw-mill was erected on Pescadero Creek--a
creek that empties into the Pajaro river at the junction of Santa Clara,
San Benito and Monterey counties near Chittenden. The reader must recall
that, at the time I am writing about, there was no San Benito county. All
that section was embraced in Monterey county, and the junction of the
three counties was years afterward placed on Pescadero Creek. This
sawmill, I think, was erected by Silas Twitchell, who afterwards traded
it, or sold it, to William Stingley. It was run by water-power from a
large overshot wheel and had an up-and-down saw that worked in a frame, in
guides. It was a very simple and crude affair. It had a contraption that
moved the saw up into the log and jerked it back. There were no screws at
the head-blocks; they pushed the log over by hand. There were no edgers at
that time, so, in squaring the log very thick slabs would come off. The
lumber wasn't cut in small dimensions; 2x4 or 4x4 were the smallest they
would cut. The boards would be from twelve to thirty inches wide, and the
carpenters would have to rip them to suit themselves. There was no
dressing, the only dressing was by hand. It did not saw many feet in a
day, and towards the fall the water would get so low that the mill had to
shut down. The logs had to be brought too far and the mill was finally
abandoned. Some years after being deserted a grass fire destroyed it. The
land, at the present time, is owned by the William DeHart estate.
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There was a great deal of split stuff hauled out of Pescadero Canyon.
Nearly all the posts and pickets that were used in the San Juan Valley
came out of that canyon, also the split shakes and shingles that were
used.
It was up in the Pescadero Canyon that Col. W. W. Hollister and Pete
Mankins had a scrap over some pickets. This occurred in the latter '50's.
Mankins was a big, strong muscular man, while Hollister was tall and raw-
boned. My brother saw the fight and helped to separate them. Honors were
even and both fighters carried elegant black eyes for some time after.
At the mouth of this canyon, where it empties into the Pajaro river, Bill
and Nels Williamson erected a grist-mill in which water-power was used,
but the enterprise was a failure owing to the scarcity of water. It was
afterwards torn down, moved to Watsonville and erected on the north side
of the Main Street bridge at Watsonville in Santa Cruz county. This grist-
mill was afterwards acquired by Robt. Orton, a miller, who subsequently
became sheriff of Santa Cruz county. Bill Williamson was the grandfather
of Hugh Judd, Watsonville's postmaster.
Orton sold this grist-mill to a man by the name of Thomas, who ran it for
some time. I worked for him while he was conducting it.
During my stay in Watsonville I was present at the opening of the big
skating rink (Folger's skating rink, afterwards the old opera house) and I
was also present at the grand opening of the old Mansion House which, in
those days, was one of the finest hotels in central California.
By the way, let me remark here that, during those days quite a number of
relatives of mine lived on the Amesti ranch in the Pajaro Valley. There
was Ike and Bob Mylar and John Hunt, all uncles of mine. Here is an
interesting incident and it is a fact. My uncles were offered the Amesti
ranch at $6 an acre; they refused to take it.
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There was a small grist-mill built, in the early '60's, on the south side
of Fourth street in San Juan, but not doing much business it soon passed
out of existence.
The Bodfish canyon saw-mill, which was erected in the latter '50's, got a
great deal of San Juan trade, as it had band saws and edgers. We used to
go over there and bring back much of the lumber that was used in and
around San Juan. Towards the last of the '60's the Bodfish mill was
conducted by Hanna & Furlong.
The mills, as run in those days, wasted much lumber. A twelve foot board,
if it had a split in the end or a rotten place in it, would be thrown
away, discarded, as they had nothing wherewith to cut the defective part
off. It was thrown out in the scrap pile. Anyone could buy this kind of
lumber cheaply. A two-horse load could be bought for a dollar and a four-
horse load for two dollars. Purchasers would go out to this refuse pile
and pick out the best pieces. Many a barn or out-house in the San Juan
Valley was built out of this discarded material.
Another mill from which San Juan got a great deal of lumber, shingles,
shakes and split stuff was a lumber mill in Brown's Valley, in the
Corralitos section. It was erected by Pruett Sinclair. Afterwards lumber
mills were erected in the Eureka Canyon section by Brown & Williamson, and
another one by Rider. White & DeHart erected a lumber mill on the White
ranch, which was located on the road leading to Mount Madonna, near the
Game Cock lumber mill. There was a shingle mill near Corralitos which was
run by my uncle, John Hunt.
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[image caption: View of the Altar, inside the Old Mission Church]
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CHAPTER XV
The doctors and lawyers in San Juan's early days were in a class by
themselves--Some, afterwards, were widely known--Early day justices of the
peace.
THE DOCTORS in San Juan, in early days, as I remember them, were: Doctor
F. A. McDougall, a Scotchman,, who received his education in Edinburgh,
Scotland. He was a fine surgeon and physician, and was one of the old-time
typical country doctors, ready to go at any time of the day or night to
treat a patient. He was always at the service of anyone suffering, and it
is doubtful if he ever got one-quarter of the money due him for his
services. He was never known to send any patient a bill.
Dr. McDougall, whilst making a trip to Los Angeles, on one of the six-
horse coaches, driven by Bob Rolls, in crossing the Gabilan range to
Salinas Valley, had his shoulder dislocated. As the coach started to
decend the hill the brake gave way, and Rolls, who was a first-class
driver, drove the team straight down the hill instead of following the
road in which case he was sure to turn over. But, at the foot of the hill
there was a deep gulley and in turning to keep out of it, the stage was
upset with the above result.
Dr. McDougall was brought back to San Juan, and, by his order, was
strapped down and two men tried to pull his shoulder in place. They did
not succeed, so he was rushed to San Francisco for treatment.
This was one case where a doctor was willing to take his own medicine.
McDougall married the widow of J. Anzar. This woman's crypt is just inside
the entrance to the old mission church. She was the mother of Juan,
Anatol, and P. E. G. Anzar.
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P. E. G. Anzar is known at the present time throughout this section as
"Lupe," and is now living at San Juan. The Anzar boys were schoolmates of
mine. "Lupe" Anzar attended Santa Clara College in 1868, and left it in
1870. At that time he established, with Pablo Vacca, a wholesale butcher
business in Los Angeles. He also ran a livery stable in that city before
returning to San Juan in 1876. He married Mrs. Wm. Breen, who was the
daughter of Angelo Zanetta, and was the widow of William Breen, the
youngest son of Patrick Breen.
Mr. Anzar's marriage occurred in January, 1877. This date I remember
distinctly as I had married about a month earlier. About a year ago the
Anzars celebrated their golden wedding anniversary, and an immense crowd
attended the celebration.
Another doctor was a man by the name of Hart, an Englishman. He, also, was
educated in Edinburgh, Scotland, about the same time as Dr. McDougall. If
I remember aright they were schoolmates. He was a fine physician, but very
eccentric. He lived with our family for quite awhile. He had a diploma,
printed on genuine sheepskin and written in latin. It was in a tin case
and having been immersed in sea water, by the accidental sinking of a
boat, I think at Australia, the sheepskin had become wrinkled. I remember
now, with some amusement, an incident concerning this diploma. Dr. Hart,
not liking its wrinkled appearance, asked my mother for a hot flatiron,
and attempted to smooth it out. The result was disastrous, as when it was
smoothed out it became so hard and thick that it would no longer fit in
the tin receptacle.
Dr. Hart slept in a room adjoining the room I occupied, and as the
partition between the two rooms was thin, I could hear everything going on
in his room. Every night he would repeat a fervent and eloquent prayer
before retiring and then, after getting up off his knees, would curse with
all the vehemence of an outraged man's nature, Mary Jane Shelland.
Evidently she was some fair damsel who had figured in an episode
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in the early life of the doctor. He never discussed the matter, so I never
learned the true inwardness of this outbreak of profanity.
He was a clever doctor, but his practice suffered greatly from the fact
that people were afraid of him, as often he would be found walking along
the road and cursing Mary Jane Shelland. He was a great walker. He would
think nothing of walking from San Juan to San Francisco, where he went on
periodical sprees. From these trips he would return in a somewhat
dilapidated condition and relate, with great gusto, the encounter he had
had with some police officer in which, of course, he came off second best,
and got locked up in the calaboose.
Joe C. Gilman, now a resident of Watsonville, who in the early days, drove
the stage between Watsonville and Gilroy over what was then known as the
old San Jose route, which ran over the mountains via Mount Madonna relates
that on one of his trips, he met Dr. Hart, who was stepping out in lively
fashion, for San Francisco. Joe, knowing Dr. Hart, pulled up his team and
queried, "Don't you want a ride?"
Hart looked at him and said: "No. I'm in a hurry and want to get to San
Francisco quick!"
It took Joe sometime to recover from that sally, as he considered himself
a right smart, pert, fast-driving jehu.
Another doctor in the San Juan Valley was the late Doctor Thos. Flint, but
he seldom practiced medicine. The only time that I ever remember Doctor
Flint to respond to a call was on one occasion when a driver for Col.
Hollister met with an accident in "The Lane." He was attempting to fix
some furniture that had gotten loose on his wagon-load, and in so doing
one of the pieces tumbled down and struck a horse. The startled team ran
away. In the runaway the man was run over, one of the wheels passing over
his chest. Doctor Flint responded to this call and treated the man.*
(* The Pajaronian editor was proud, during his sojourn in Hollister, to
call Doctor Flint his friend. The doctor often stepped into the "Free
Lance" office when we were conducting that paper, and occasionally related
to us some of his experiences as a physician. He was one of the most
unassuming and entertaining men we have ever met.)
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A little later came Doctor Simmons. He had a son and daughter who attended
school with me. The son's name was Elmer and the daughter's name was
Clara. Doctor Simmons afterwards moved to Watsonville where Clara married
John Brown, and the son, after graduating from the Pajaronian office, as a
printer, went to San Francisco, and in time became the head man (manager)
of the great oil and paint firm of the Whittier, Fuller Co. He has since
retired from active business pursuits. Dr. Simmons was not only a first-
class doctor but a pharmacist of no mean ability. He opened a drug store
in Watsonville and conducted it there for years.
During the never-to-be-forgotten smallpox epidemic of 1868, which assumed
a deadly form in this section, extending from Santa Cruz to Watsonville,
San Jose and other places, there was in San Juan a doctor Westfall. He
afterwards moved to Monterey. I believe this doctor is dead now.
There was another physician there, a Dr. Johnson, of Gilroy, and then came
Dr. C. G. Cargill. Between Doctor Johnson's time and the advent of Doctor
Cargill a number of other physicians had located in San Juan whose names
and careers I have forgotten. They would come and go, and it was very hard
to keep track of them.
The lawyers that figured in San Juan's early history were W. E. Lovett, a
brother-in-law of Llewellyn Bixby. While he
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had but little law practice in San Juan, he figured prominently in the
star route scandals that were being investigated in Washington, D.C., in
the middle '60's.
Another lawyer there was a Mr. Blair, who had but little practice, and
finally went away.
George W. Crane was another practicing attorney. Crane was a highly
educated man, and a southerner from Virginia. He had been a partner with
Attorney Peckham in Santa Cruz. Peckham afterwards moved to San Jose.
Judge Crane--he was always styled "Judge"--married the widow of Dr.
Sanford. Previous to her marriage to Sanford she was the wife of Sanchez,
one of the most noted characters in the San Juan Valley, in the early
days. The Sanchez family was a large one, many of its descendants are
living today in Hollister and other places in San Benito county. When the
widow Sanchez married Judge Crane she was already the mother of five
children. Four of the children were by Sanchez. She bore one child to Dr.
Sanford.
One of the Sanchez girls married Dan Wilson, another married T. J.
McKnight and the third married Jas. H. Roache. This last girl was a twin
sister of Gregorio Sanchez.
Gregorio Sanchez married Margaret Breen, daughter of Samuel Breen. The
fifth child, whose name was Fidella Sanford, married Jas. Breen, a brother
of Mrs. Greg Sanchez.
Whenever any case of importance transpired, outside legal talent was
imported. I remember amongst the imported legal talent Woodside and
Gregory; also a lawyer by the name of Webb, these resided at Monterey;
sometimes Julius Lee, from Watsonville, would come over.
Constables were so numerous, that is, they changed so often, that I failed
to keep track of them. It must be remembered that in those days there were
no salaries attached to the office, the only remuneration being the fees
they received from serving papers which fees were anything but munificent.
No one
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wanted the constable's job unless they had another job on the side, for in
addition to its being illy-paid, there was, to a certain extent,
considerable danger attached to the office. A constable never knew when he
would be called upon to face a "bad man" and arrest him.
Regarding the Justices of the Peace, I remember the following: George
Chalmers, John Birmingham, John Whitney (who was also postmaster for many
years), and Joe Heritage.
John Gaster, one of the first justices of the peace, of San Juan, died in
San Juan in 1868, during the smallpox epidemic.
The first constable I remember was James Miller and the last one, the
present incumbent "CC" Zanetta.
The supervisors received $5.00 per day, when in session, and a mileage of
15 a mile one way. Their sessions generally occupied about three days
every month. There was no money in this job, either, for the supervisors
had to pay their way to Monterey, at that time the county seat, and also
their board and lodging whilst engaged in their work as supervisors. It
must be remembered that in those days all that region was embraced in
Monterey County. Accordingly, in view of the poor pay attached to official
jobs it may well be judged that there was very little money paid out to
secure elections. Votes were not bought in those days.
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CHAPTER XVI
The pony express riders of early days--Civil war clouds gathering--San
Juan was dubbed a "Copperhead" town Troops sent to mission town to quell
trouble.
IN 1860 the mail came from San Francisco. It took 26 days for mail from
New York City, through the isthmus, to reach San Francisco. Then the Pony
Express was started--I think in April, 1860. It started from San francisco
at this end and St. Joseph, Missouri, on the other side. The trip was made
across the continent in ten days. That time was afterwards considerably
shortened but I remember how highly elated the people were at the prospect
of getting their mail in ten days instead of waiting for the twenty-six
days.
The Pony Express riders rode day and night, changing riders and horses at
certain stations. We would often hear of these brave, fearless, men being
massacred by Indians.
In 1861, a memorable year and one that I will always remember, dissension
over the slavery question broke out between the Northern and Southern
states. A joint resolution had been passed by the State Legislature, in
response from a request from the President, to put down the foes of the
central government. So in all towns and cities military organizations were
raised. San Juan, however, did not organize any military company. It was
often dubbed a "Copperhead Town." The people who had settled in San Juan
were mostly southerners and western people, and their sympathies were with
the South.
These southern sympathizers were men and women who, facing great
hardships, had crossed the continent to leave as an heritage to their
children the grand and glorious state of California--the most wonderful
state in the Union.
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The Democrats were in the majority in San Juan. At all times both parties,
Republican and Democrats, in that section had lived together peaceably and
amicably. They were neighbors, friends, and in many cases, partners in
business. So, accordingly, everything ran along peaceably and smoothly in
the San Juan Valley until 1864 when the government hired the National
Hotel (at that time vacant) to be used as a barracks. It was called Camp
Lowe, after Frederick Lowe who was governor of this state at that time.
Three companies, two of infantry and one of cavalry under the command of
Major J. C. Cremony, came to San Juan and the town took on a military
aspect.
You can imagine how excited we boys were at this invasion, and the
interest we took in seeing the soldiers parade and go through their
maneuvers. The principal reason for sending the troops to San Juan was to
look into the activities of two men who claimed to be confederate
soldiers, but who, in reality, were nothing else but "freebooters" of the
meanest type.
These two men roamed around San Juan, Panoche, San Benito, Paicines, Tres
Pinos, and the New Idria Mines. They boasted of murders they had
committed, but their chief pastime was to slit the ears of anyone whom
they disliked. They continued to rob and plunder and the civil authorities
could do nothing with them. Finally, complaint reaching the Federal
authorities, troops were sent to San Juan to take charge of the situation.
The advent of these soldiers was "duck soup" to the San Juanites. Old man
Kemp kept a saloon on the opposite corner from the National Hotel and ran
a big, steep poker game. The soldiers seeking amusement would engage in
poker at Kemp's saloon, and the $13.00 a month that the Government was
paying them soon disappeared. The officers had their own poker games and
they were also stripped of their salaries by the male members of San
Juan's elite society. Consequently, the invasion by the troops was not as
bad as was at firstanticipated.
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The entire contingent were royal good fellows, although the town calaboose
was constantly crowded with drunken soldiers. The officers were gentlemen
and everyone liked them.
While the troops were there I remember that three of San Juan's citizens
made some remarks that were considered somewhat treasonable. These three
men were promptly arrested and imprisoned in a guard-house (an old adobe
that had been obtained for such a purpose). However, the incarceration of
these men did not last long for the guards placed over them fell asleep
and the prisoners escaped. It was significant that the guards made no
report of the escape until the men had had ample time to get "o'er the
hills, and far away." And they were never caught. We were always of the
opinion that filthy lucre had crossed the palms of those guards.
The officers made a big splurge about recapturing these fugitives and
orders were issued to search every home in San Juan, but after the
soldiers searched two or three houses they quit.
It was while searching for these three men that had escaped that a squad
of the soldiers, away up in the mountains, under the command of Lieut.
Rafferty, came upon the two rascals whose depredations had originally
brought the troops to San Juan. After a running fight of several miles the
two fugitives escaped in the wilderness.
Major Cremony left soon after the above events transpired and went to
Arizona to fight the Apaches. The alleged confederate soldiers and robbers
were subsequently captured by Capt. McIlroy and a squad of United States
soldiers at Los Angeles. Capt. McIlroy was, in after years, the owner of
the hotel at Emmett, on the road to the New Idria Mines which place he
sold to Tom Ingels, brother of the late Mrs. M. B. Tuttle of Watsonville.
Eventually the soldiers went away, and peace once more reigned over the
San Juan Valley.
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Sometime in the '60's a large number of settlers came into the San Juan
Valley and settled at its lower end. By the lower end I mean that part of
the valley extending from the old mission towards Chittenden Pass. Amongst
these new settlers whom I remember were James T. Collins, W. Prescott,
father of ex-Supervisor W. S. Prescott; John Salthouse who was the uncle
of the treasurer of San Benito County, the late Jack Welch, (Salthouse
left Welch 80 acres in the San Juan Valley adjoining the Prescott
property) "Josh" Bean; the Lynch family, whose children, Bill, Susie, and
Nancy, attended the same school I did; Frank and John Jordan, whose two
children, Amanda and John, also went to school with me; Frank Ross,
afterwards sheriff of San Benito County; the Craw and Moore families; the
Canfield family; Dr. Matthews; John Rupe, who settled there in Monterey
County in 1853, in what was afterwards known as the San Felipe section. He
came over into the San Juan Valley and married Dr. Matthew's daughter Dr.
Matthew lived a short distance west of the present Dowdy farm on the San
Juan and Sargent road.
In this lower part of the San Juan Valley which was too far for the
children to go to school in San Juan, the settlers organized a district
and built their own school. A Miss Burns, who taught the school, boarded
with the Odom family who lived in this district close to the school. At
twelve o'clock one night Jim Collins, returning from a lodge meeting
perceived this dwelling on fire. It was entirely destroyed and all the
members of the family, including the teacher, were burned to death. The
unfortunate victims, Mrs. Odom, her three children and Miss Burns, the
teacher, were all buried in the same grave. Mr. Odom was away from home,
at the time, on business. The origin of the fire was always a mystery.
Some theorized that they were murdered, and the house set on fire; others
that the tragedy was the result of an accident. Miss Burns was a great
reader and often read far into the night. It was thought that possibly she
fell asleep and the candle by which she was reading turned over and set
fire to the house.
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CHAPTER XVII
Road to Salinas Valley--Manuel Larios' fiesta days--Indian women did the
washing in primitive style--The late John Breen.
THE PRESENT San Juan cemeteries are located on the old "El Camino Real".
This road in the early days was the overland route to the southern portion
of the state. The stages, or conveyances, after passing the cemeteries
turned into the canyon and ascended the steep grade up the Gabilan
mountains--so steep that invariably, if the stage was crowded, the men had
to walk up the hill. Women were treated chivalrously in those days and
were not requested to leave the stage at all. At the foot of the descent,
on the other side of the Gabilan range, the road traversed a canyon,
emerging at what was known as Hebbron's Lake, passed through Natividad,
and struck out for Soledad and San Luis Obispo.
On this road there were several old settlers whom I shall mention:
On the left of the road after passing the cemetery, situated on a plateau,
was the home of Manuel Larios. It was a two-story adobe house with a large
room for dancing purposes on the lower floor. It would be well to remark,
right here, that all the adobe haciendas of the early days had similar
dancing rooms on the lower floor, in fact, in those days, these haciendas
were places at which friends and neighbors often gathered to have a good
time. Don Larios always gave a fiesta on the 16th of September, which was
the day of Mexican independence. He would announce a bull fight but the
bull fight did not amount to much. The fiesta was the thing.
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The Spaniards (we called them "Spaniards") were common figures in the
early days. They were constantly coming and going and made up a large
portion of the population. They all had good horses and at their fiestas I
have seen them do all kinds of stunts.
At this fiesta a big fire would be started, a beef killed and barbecued,
and the meat hung up in some convenient place. All hands would repair to
the meat, cutting off as much as they wanted to eat, and, with bread, have
a meal at their pleasure. It is worthy of remark that at these festive
gatherings it was rarely that any of the guests would be seen drunk.
The music, comprising violins and guitars, was placed in a big room in the
house and one could dance until he was exhausted. Everything connected
with the fiesta was free, and all, whether invited or not, were made
welcome--that is, if they behaved themselves.
Larios was one of the old Dons. He was a fine Castilian gentleman, a man
of many virtues, respected and beloved by all who knew him.
Continuing on this road a little further past Larios' place was a
residence occupied by a man named Benjamin Holliwell. In 1868 this
residence was empty having been deserted by its owner and during the great
smallpox epidemic was used as a pesthouse until, subsequently, another
pesthouse was built on the bank of the San Benito river near the site
where Ben Flint, Jr., afterwards built his home.
At the foot of the hill on this road there was located another home
occupied by a family by the name of Stramner, who were early settlers in
that section. The two daughters, named respectively Sinai and Lucy,
attended school with me, in San Juan.
It will be remembered that there were three grades going over the
mountain; the old grade that I have just spoken about; then, afterwards,
there was another grade that went over
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Raggio's Canyon and the third grade that was taken over by the state and
made the present grade.
At the foot of the second grade you came first to the home of Bob Mylar,
my uncle. Afterwards this home was occupied by James Smith who later was
elected sheriff of Monterey County; Smith, subsequently, moved away.
After Smith's removal old man Raggio took over the place.
A short distance west of the Raggio place was the home of a man by the
name of Daley. Daley had four sons whose names were Hugh, Charlie, Henry
and James. They all attended school during my school days. The Daley
family were the poorest folks I ever knew. Yet, strange to relate, these
four boys, equipped poorly by education to encounter the vicissitudes of
life, took sheep on shares and eventually became very wealthy. They moved
over into the San Joaquin Valley, living in the vicinity of Hanford.
Returning to my father's place, on the other side of San Juan, at the
junction of the road where it turned and ran on to Hollister, in one
direction, and up to the Flint ranch, or, as it was called, the Flint Home
in the other direction, there was located, in early days, a number of
Indian huts. From this settlement the place was always designated as
"Indian Corners."
The women did laundry work. They washed clothes on a smooth board two feet
wide and three feet long with one end of the board in the creek that ran
down past my father's place from the San Juan Canyon, and the other end of
the board was slightly raised. They would get down on their knees and rub
and scrape these clothes until they were clean, using nothing but cold
water. At first they used the "amole" or "soap root" which they dug out of
the ground up in the hills, but as this began to be scarce they used soap.
After getting the clothes clean they would spread them on the grass to
dry. I never saw cleaner or whiter clothes than garments
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washed by these Indian women. On Saturday afternoons they would be seen
going into San Juan with big bundles of clean clothes balanced on top of
their heads, which they were delivering to their patrons in the village.
The Indian men did odd jobs.
There was another location in the lower end of the valley, which also
contained a number of these Indian families. With this latter aggregation
there lived an old Indian who claimed to be over one hundred years of age,
and who made a pilgrim-age to San Juan every day riding a jackass.
Suspended from the saddle were two rawhide bags, each of which held about
one-half bushel. He would ride along slowly stopping at every house that
he came to, and it became a custom for the residents, when they saw the
old fellow stop in front of their homes, to come out and give him
something, bread, meat, or whatever they could afford. The consequence was
that although the old Indian never solicited charity, and rarely uttered a
word, he would return home in the evening loaded down with provender. This
old man was a striking figure. His age made his skin look like yellow
parchment and he had no teeth. His venerable appearance always inspired
respect. He claimed to be one of the Indians who had worked on the old
Mission when it was being constructed.
Some of these men were large, strong, and of fine physique. They were
excellent workers in the harvest. I only remember them as Indians,
(although I knew them well personally) by the names of "Frank," "Pete,"
"John," etc.
However, I remember that one of them was shot dead on Third Street, in San
Juan, by Ambrosio Rosas, who defended his action by declaring that he was
in fear of losing his life at the hands of the Indian. Rosas was
acquitted.
Another Indian I remember was killed by Benino Soto, who also claimed self-
defense and was likewise acquitted.
Another one of those Indians, a big fellow whom I knew by the name of
Frank, disputed the right-of-way with a
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Southern Pacific train near Pescadero crek; and was killed. The verdict
was exactly the same as the two foregoing cases. The engine was acquitted.
These Indians are today about extinct. Is it not strange that where these
simple people come into contact with our socalled civilization they
gradually disappear?
To the east of town and just outside the town's limits, stood, and is
still standing, the residence of John Breen. The house stands back from
the road leading from San Juan to Hollister, about a quarter of a mile.
John Breen was born in Canada. In 1852 he married Miss Leigh Margaret
Smith. Mr. Breen was the son of Patrick Breen, the head of the Breens, of
the Donner party. John Breen was a supervisor of Monterey County, and
after San Benito County was created was supervisor from the San Juan
precinct for years, occupying, from time to time, the position of chairman
of the board.
A more honest and incorruptible man than John Breen never lived in San
Benito County. He was a very unassuming man, spoke but little, and when he
did speak he talked directly to the point. He did not decide without due
deliberation and once his mind was made up nothing could move him. San
Benito County owes much to John Breen, for due to his careful manipulation
of its finances, coupled with a desire to advance its progress, it owes
much of its present prosperity.
John Breen's farm and my father's farm joined, and a finer neighbor we
never knew. When the proposition to run the road from San Juan to the lane
was broached, Breen, who had had dealings with my father before, and found
them very satisfactory, came forward and told my father that he would
give, free, all the property necessary for the road, and for my father not
to bother with it at all. This action demonstrated the friendship of the
man and his kindly consideration of other people. The giving of the land
would have materially cut down my father's place but Breen insisted on
giving the land from his place.
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Many of those reading my memoirs will remember the place called "Breen's
Grove." It used to be the custom to hold the Fourth of July celebrations
first in San Juan, and then in Hollister. At San Juan these celebrations
were always held in "Breen's Grove." This land was originally my father's
but by an amicable arrangement Breen bought the twenty acres from him upon
which the grove was located.
I may say here in passing that many good times were had in that old grove,
for a picnic at San Juan attracted the countryside, and everyone who
attended a picnic at that grove had lots of fun.
Do any of my readers remember the Jim Roache place? It was situated on the
road that connected with the Lane leading to Hollister. It was a double
house, two stories high, and was built by Marselle and John Bixby. This
place was located on what was supposed to be government land. It was land
that Colonel Hollister advised my father to take up. Whether the Bixbys
preempted the land I cannot say. It was afterwards taken over in the San
Justo grant. I stayed there many nights as the Bixby men were away a great
portion of the time with their sheep and John's wife was frightened at
staying alone. The Bixbys did not live in this house very long. They
afterwards went to southern California where, by lucky investments, in
real estate they became immensely wealthy.
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CHAPTER XVIII.
San Juan from 1860 to 1870-- The starting of the Overland Stage Line from
San Francisco to Los Angeles--A perilous trip in bad weather.
I HAVE already related, as far back as I can remember, certain incidents
in connection with my stay in San Juan from 1855-60. I have carefully gone
over the streets and endeavored to convey a picture of San Juan as it
existed in those days, nothing the various buildings, streets, and the
people who resided there.
I now take up San Juan from 1860 to 1870.
In the early 60's there passed through San Juan, coming and going, hosts
of would-be settlers. Some were from the mines in the north, others from
southern California. These people were looking for places whereon to
settle. Some had already settled in other parts of the state, but becoming
dissatisfied with their location had abandoned their claims or sold them
and started out to find a more acceptable home-site. In addition to these
people there were many strangers crossing the plains and coming into
California.
As San Juan was one of the most important stopping places on El Camino
Real, it steadily grew larger and larger.
It was in the year 1861, if I remember aright, that Flint, Bixby & Co.,
established their line of Overland Stages, running from San Francisco to
Los Angeles. This line was under the superintendency of William Buckley,
who managed the same for many years.
The advent of the Overland Stages added a new impetus to San Juan. The
Overland Company needed horses, and feed, and gave employment to hundreds
of men, adding greatly to the town's revenue. Accordingly, San Juan being
one of the stopping places on the route, it went ahead at an amazing rate.
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San Juan was made the stage company's headquarters, as it was the first
stopping place of the stage. The stage arrived there today and would start
on its return to San Francisco tomorrow morning.
The stages would arrive about five-thirty in the afternoon, and the
passengers would dine in San Juan, whilst their baggage was being
transferred to another six-horse coach, which, after the meal, would start
south.
I have often, when a boy, saw those stages start south, in the winter
time, when it was dark and stormy. The stage was only dimly lighted having
but two lights--a lamp on either side of the driver's seat. Underneath the
driver's seat was carried the express box and the U.S. mail, this was
covered with a leather apron which the driver would pull up in wet weather
to his chin, as would any other passenger that was occupying the seat
beside him. This would shed off the rain along the somewhat perilous trip.
There was nothing else to protect the driver from the wind and rain save a
rubber coat, but he started out bravely for an all-night's drive.
There were no springs underneath the bodies of the coaches, they were
thoroughbrace, that is, the body of the coach rested on several
thicknesses of leather which served to ward off, from the passengers, many
a jolt. But, Lord, how those coaches would rock to and fro as they bowled
along the primitive roads; and yet, they were easy to ride in!
The "boot" in the rear of the coach which held the trunks, valises, etc.,
was covered by a heavy leather apron which was strapped solidly over them.
Two of these coaches, "The Great Eastern," and "The Great Western," would
carry sixteen passengers, four to a seat, inside; two passengers could
ride, with the driver, and three on a seat on top of the stage, behind the
driver, and three on a seat over the baggage "boot" behind, but these
three had to ride backwards. There was a little iron rail that ran around
the
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top of the coach, and many a time when there were more passengers that the
coach could carry inside, passengers would sit on the top of the coach and
allow their legs to dangle over the side.
I once made a trip on one of these stages from San Jose to San Juan when
there were twenty-nine passengers aboard the stage.
The company generally had two or three drivers stopping at the Plaza
Hotel, and when the occasion arose they would relieve a congested stage by
putting a small one out in charge of one of these drivers. It can be
imagined that at this time, the Plaza Hotel was doing a thriving business.
The bar-room was crowded night and day. Some of the passengers would lay
over there to rest, and to take in all the points of interest in that
vicinity.
In those days, travelers--men and women alike--wore long linen dusters,
tightly buttoned up, even closely drawn around the neck in order to keep
off the dust which at times was almost smothering.
When the passengers on the Overland Stages arrived at the Plaza Hotel they
generally rushed to the wash room, although, in many instances, the male
passengers would stop long enough at the bar to first wash out their
throats.
About this time Frank Fulgium bought the National Hotel from Gaster, the
man who originally erected the structure, and opened it up as a hostelry.
Fulgium was also interested in a freight business that conveyed
merchandise between Alviso and the New Idria Mines. It will be remembered
that Harris, who conducted a merchandisestore had a contract for
furnishing purchases and goods to the mines.
E. A. Reynolds a leading sheep and stockman in San Juan, about this time,
bought the block bounded by Second and Third, Tuolumne and Jefferson
Streets, formerly owned by Clark.
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Geo. Russell, his son-in-law, built a residence on Second Street on the
property. E. A. Reynolds was, at one time, a supervisor of Monterey county
from the San Juan district.
Property on all sides was changing hands and San Juan was commencing to
boom.
All the stages owned by the company were driven out of San Juan with
matched teams. Superintendent Buckley was a great stickler for uniformity
and these four or six-horse teams were always either white, sorrel, bay,
or roan teams.
Each driver furnished and owned his own whip. These whips served as marks
of distinction. They were of the finest quality, silver-tipped, and the
majority of them had a silver band for each year that its owner had been a
driver. Some of these drivers graduated from the old Overland Stage
Company, and they were veritable sons of Jehu, mentioned in biblical lore.
The Stage Company had its own horse-shoer with headquarters at San Juan.
This horse-shoer, Jimmy McInerny, was one of the best horse-shoers that I
have ever seen. It was his duty to go along the stage line as far south as
San Luis Obispo and look after the shoes on the horses at the various
stations after which he would return to San Juan. How true this is I don't
know, but it was one of the legends of San Juan that Jimmy McInerny was
known to have shod sixteen horses in a day--and if that is true, Jimmy did
a day's work!
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CHAPTER XIX
The hotels of San Juan in its early days--The opening date of the Plaza
Hotel was a big event--Sports on the Plaza--Spanish costumes in early days.
IN JUNE 24, 1856, the Plaza Hotel was opened by Angelo Zanetta, whom we
have referred to, elsewhere, as having run the Sebastopol Hotel, on Third
Street.
The Plaza Hotel was originally the home of the Anzar family, and in it P.
E. G. Anzar was born. Upon the death of his parents the property was left
to him. Zanetta purchased the property from Anzar's guardian--he being
under age, at the time. When Zanetta purchased this building it was
occupied by a merchandise firm conducted by Jas. McMahon and a man named
Griffin.
After tearing off the top and remodeling the first story, the second story
was added to it, this story being built of lumber. There was a veranda the
entire length of the building, in front. This veranda, on festival days,
was always occupied by interested spectators of the bull and bear fights
and other games. Generally these fights occurred on June 24th, of each
year, that date being St. John's Day.
The opening of the Plaza Hotel was a gala affair, the place was crowded,
as Angelo Zanetta was well and favorably known not only in Monterey, from
which place he had come to San Juan, but also in the San Juan Valley.
From the ranchos, far and near, came the Dons with their families. To me,
a boy of eight years, it was a great sight. A band was engaged and played
on the veranda of the hotel for the delectation of the populace. The
veranda was crowded with senoritas and women of other nationalities, all
in gay attire.
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After attending mass in the morning at the old mission, which fronts on
the plaza, the fun would commence.
The gay cabelleros, gaudily attired and riding finely comparisoned horses,
would display their horsemanship in many ways. Backing up some distance
they would ride on the plaza at full speed and pick up money,
handkerchiefs, and even, as related before, pluck a chicken's head from
its body--the chicken being buried in the ground with only its head above
the surface.
[image caption: The old Plaza Hotel]
In order to make the celebration as noisy and as impressive as possible
the old cannon, to which I have alluded before, was raised from the ground
and placed on the back part of a wagon, the two wheels of which had been
fixed up for the occasion. The idea in doing this was to load it with more
ease. This cannon was fired at regular intervals all day and away into the
night, and of course this bombardment was a great attraction for us
youngsters.
Here and there could be seen, on these occasions, a Don attired in a
serape (a serape was a finely made blanket with a hole in the center
through which the head of the wearer was thrust). Some of these cloaks
(serapes) were very valuable. They were made of the finest materials, and
had silk worked into them as well as being ornamented in various ways.
They were rated highly and commanded a big price.
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The Mexicans were given to wearing broad-brimmed hats, most of which came
from Chile and Mexico.
The bulls were kept in a pen connected with the main corral, and the bear
that was to mix things with the bull, was generally kept away some
distance from the plaza in a building selected for that purpose. The bear
was in a cage which was kept on the carreta, and when the time arrived for
the combat to begin the carreta was drawn into the corral, the bear safely
tied to a stake in the ground, and the cage and carreta taken away.
One of the great fiestas in the old town was St. John's day, June 24th,
each year. St. John was the patron saint of the village. For this event
great preparations were made and a big celebration arranged for. It was
the annual event to which every youngster in the village looked forward
to. The third and last day was always marked by the bull-fighting. The
climax of the program was a grand bull-and-bear fight. In those days the
Vaqueros would arrange to go over to the Quien Sabe Rancho, now owned by
the D. E. Laveaga family (who by the way, it is said, got that wonderfully
rich domain in exchange for a billiard table), and there the Vaqueros
would capture a grizzly bear for the celebration. The grizzlies in those
days used to come down onto the plains to feed, and the San Juan boys
would take over a carreta, the clumsily constructed, two-wheeled vehicles
used in those days. They would lasso the bear and securely tie him and
would bring him back in the carreta to San Juan, where he would be
confined until wanted on the day of the celebration. A large enclosure
would be constructed on the plaza inside of which bull fighting would be
indulged in. The bull fights in those days were not marked by the
brutality seen at the bull fights in Spain. The mission padres would not
permit any brutality. The sport was largely in the shape of feats of
horsemanship pitted against the onrushes of the bull and the agility of
the matadores to get out of the way of the enraged animal's onslaught.
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On the day of the bear fight the bear would be attached to a pole in the
center of the enclosure. He would have a run of about twenty feet around
the pole to which he was attached by a strong riata. The bull was
similarly tethered by one foot. Invariably, the bear would be killed
inasmuch as he would stand on his hind feet to receive the oncoming bull
who would, with so fair a target before him, generally rip the bear open
after a few thrusts. The bull usually escaped with a few scratches,
although I have seen some of the bulls so badly mangled that they had to
be killed. I have seen as many as 5000 people attend one of these fiestas.
They came from all directions, far and near. Where they slept or how they
got food to eat, I do not know and I often wondered if Providence sent
ravens to feed them.
When a boy I was sitting on a fence watching the proceedings at one of
these festivals, and witnessed a premature explosion of the cannon which
tore off Lon Woodworth's arm, below the elbow. Lon Woodworth was a son-in-
law of Joshua Twitchell.
In order to load the cannon, which was greatly heated, from being fired so
often, a man would place his thumb over the vent to keep it from
prematurely exploding. At the time of this accident a man by the name of
Hopper was engaged in stopping up the vent. Hooper had evidently been
"indulging" rather freely and as Woodworth rammed home the charge the
cannon exploded, with the result above stated.
After the grand celebration of the opening of the Plaza Hotel, on June 24,
1856 we had a hotel that we considered second to none. Zanetta became
noted throughout the entire state for his cuisine. The Plaza Hotel became
the headquarters for traders in sheep, horses, cattle and hogs. They were
a free spending lot, those men, and San Juan did well by their trade.
The purchases made by these buyers were for the San Francisco and San Jose
markets. The cattle were driven overland to their ultimate destination.
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The fame of the hotel, under Zanetta, spread. It was noteworthy that
drummers would come to San Juan, make their reservations there, and then
hiring a horse and buggy would interview their customers in Santa Cruz,
Watsonville, Salinas and other points, always managing to return to San
Juan by night fall. Some of these drummers would make the Plaza Hotel
their headquarters for several days. This was due, mainly to the fine
table set by Zanetta, the excellent wines and liquors that he kept, and
the air of hospitality that pervaded the entire establishment.
Years afterwards a laughable incident occurred at the Plaza Hotel. The
entrance, into the hotel, one afternoon, of a scared steer that not only
drove all the lounging inmates out but when roped to be led out the side
door, was found standing up at the bar. This gave rise to the story that
the steer, which had broken away from a herd that was being driven through
the plaza, had came in for a drink and Tony Taix, who was running the
hotel at that time, treated the animal so royally that he was decidedly
groggy when finally led away.
Soon after the hotel was opened by Zanetta, John Comfort bought a half
interest in it with him.
Shortly after going into partnership Zanetta and Comfort built, facing the
plaza opposite the Plaza Hotel, a two-story frame building the upper story
of which was used as a dance hall. For years following, the Plaza dance
hall of San Juan was rated as having the finest dancing floor in that
section of California.
Adjoining this dance hall was a large stable that had been used by the
Overland Stage Company. This stable was acquired by Zanetta and Comfort.
Prior to this Zanetta and Comfort had conducted a stable back of the
hotel. This stable fronted on Third Street and was directly opposite the
old Sebastopol Hotel.
East of the Plaza Hotel in the same block, was the long two-story adobe
that formerly was the home and headquarters
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of General Castro, and afterwards the home of the Breen family. This
building also had a veranda that faced on the plaza. The Breen family,
that came across the plains in the Donner party, occupied this large
building. The only Breen that was not a member of the Donner party was Wm.
Breen. He was born in San Juan.
After the death of Patrick Breen and his wife, the children one by one
went away and finally the old building was deserted. This building is
still owned by the Breen family.
After the Breen family went away the building was placed in charge of Mrs.
O'Flynn, one of the finest Irish women that I ever knew. It was during
Mrs. O'Flynn's incumbency of the Breen home as caretaker that Helen Hunt
Jackson, authoress of "Ramona," came to San Juan and laid the foundation
of that famous novel around San Juan. After Ramona's authoress left San
Juan I learned, with great regret, that she had made some unkind remarks
about Mrs. O'Flynn. This I resented deeply for I had known Mrs. O'Flynn
from the time she had arrived in San Juan, a widow with four small
children. She was a good Catholic, a fine woman of irreproachable
character, and she worked her hands to the bone for her children, whom she
raised in splendid style. They were always neatly dressed and clean and
she gave them the best education she could afford. They grew up fine
members of society and moved away. I lost track of them after their
removal.
I have never had, since that time, any use whatsoever for the authoress of
"Ramona." I always thought that Mrs. O'Flynn was a woman deserving of the
highest commendation. She supported her children and brought them up by
her hard work at the wash tub. She took in washing early and late, day
after day, following that occupation with only one object in view--the
health and happiness of her children.
Early Days at the Mission San Juan Bautista - End of Chapters XIII-XIX