Chapters 5-8
Early Days at the Mission San Juan Bautista - Chapters V-VIII
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CHAPTER V
The San Justo Rancho and how it came to be purchased by Flint, Bixby and
Hollister--The San Juan Lane--The Killing of Spitts and Bixby.
I THINK it was in 1854 or 1855, I am not clear about the date, that Dr.
Thos. Flint, Llewllyn Bixby, Ben Flint and W. W. Hollister bought what was
known as the San Justo Rancho. This rancho comprised over one-half of the
San Juan Valley and extended from below our place over to the Santa Ana
Valley. Its width comprised from the Bolsa (through which the S.P. R.R.
line now runs) across the top of what was afterwards known as the "Flint
Hills" to the low hill at the base of the Gabilan range and contained 35,
619 acres. Between this row of hills and the Gabilan range is located what
is known as the San Juan Canyon.
Hollister, at that time, lived on the site of what afterwards was Dr.
Flint's home. Dr. Flint lived close to Hollister on the site of what was
afterwards known as Straube's place but which site has long since been
washed away by freshet flows of the river. The San Justo Rancho, as it was
then known, and which was a great domain, was owned by the Pacheco family
after whom the Pacheco Pass is now named. Don Pacheco got this ranch as a
grant from the Mexican government. At the time that Flint, Bixby et al.,
bought the rancho there were quite a number of squatters on the land but,
most of these squatters, finding it useless to endeavor to set up any
title to their holdings, moved away peaceably. Still, however, there were
some of the squatters who held hard feelings against the new owners of the
land and nourished a grudge against them. This nourished grudge resulted
in a mysterious killing which has never been satisfactorily explained. One
of the men
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credited with being greatly incensed at having to remove, was a man by the
name of Florence Spitts.
At this point it would be well to comment on the creation of the road
between San Juan and Hollister, known ever since its creation as "The San
Juan Lane." After purchasing the San Justo Rancho, which was not fenced,
in any way, owing to the fact that people were making roads and lanes here
and there and everywhere, it became necessary to create a main
thoroughfare through this new holding. It was aimed to connect with the
New Idria road which is now but a trace of what it was in those days. The
New Idria road was on the west side of the San Benito river. Owing to some
miscalculation the lane was not placed on the township line, as first
intended. However it was surveyed and then it became necessary to fence
it. This necessity was brought about by the fact that droves of cattle
were roaming everywhere and the rancho was bought primarily by the Flint,
Bixby Co., and Hollister for the purpose of giving their respective flocks
of sheep the rich succulent grasses that grew throughout that region. It
will be remembered that Dr. Flint brought from the East, across the
plains, a large body of sheep as narrated in his diary, published in the
Pajaronian, some time ago. Mr. Hollister also brought a large band of
sheep across the plains from the east. When the fencing was undertaken
Hollister built his fence on the south side of the road placing the posts
on the outside next to the road, and palings were nailed onto these posts.
It was a rough looking fence. The north side of the road was fenced in a
very workmanlike manner by Flint & Bixby. They put up neat looking posts
and topped them with palings. Such was the condition of affairs when a
dissolution of co-partnership occurred, and the San Justo Rancho holdings
were divided. In order to understand this matter it would be well to state
that the division of the rancho ran very nearly north and south. The
boundary line between the two holdings was placed at or near the vicinity
of what is now known as the "Bonnie Brae Orchard." Mr. Hollister took the
southern portion of the rancho
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and Flint & Bixby the northern portion. There was a difference in
Hollister's favor in the division of the rancho worth $10,000 which money
was paid over to him by Flint & Bixby.
Some time after the San Justo Rancho was divided between Flint, Bixby &
Co., and Hollister, a terrible tragedy occurred on the San Juan Lane at
what was commonly known as the "Middle of the Lane."
At that point there stood a house that had been built by one of the
squatters, and around it had been also erected a number of sheep corrals,
or sheds. The Flint, Bixby Co., kept a flock of sheep there. A young
brother of Llewllyn Bixby had come from the east and Llewllyn placed him
at this house in charge of the sheep--I have forgotten this younger
brother's name. He was about 19 years of age.
Florence Spitts, who was one of the original settlers on the San Justo
Rancho, after its purchase by the Flint, Bixby Co., and Hollister, settled
east of the present city of Hollister somewhere out in the Santa Ana
Valley section where he found some government land and took it up. He
always came to San Juan for his supplies.
One day making a visit to San Juan, on leaving that town, he arrived about
sun-down at my father's place. I remember this incident well because my
father, my brother and I were milking cows in the barn yard, when he rode
in on our place. I noticed in particular that he had a churn-dasher tied
to the back of his saddle. He had seemed ill-humored and ready for a warm
argument. He stayed at our place but a short time and started homeward.
The next morning a passerby coming along the lane found the front gate
belonging to the house occupied by young Bixby torn from its fastenings
and lying in the middle of the road, presumably wrenched from its
fastenings by a lariat attached to the pommel of a saddle. In the middle
of a corral, in front of the house was found Spitts' horse shot dead. At
the rear
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of the house by the side of a door there was a barrel. Sitting, leaning
against this barrel, was the body of Spitts who had been shot through the
stomach. Spitts had not been dead long as his body was still warm; his
pistol was lying alongside of him.
Spitts had taken his belt off after being shot and loosening his clothes
tried to stop the flow of blood which covered a large portion of the
porch. In taking his belt off, he had dropped his pistol which had been
discharged--all six chambers being empty. Inside the door of the room,
which was the kitchen, with his feet toward the door lay the body of young
Bixby who had been shot through the neck underneath the jaw, killing him
instantly.
There were bullet holes through the front door of the house and also
through the rear door. The killings to this day have remained a mystery,
but investigators who looked into the matter evolved the theory that
Spitts, riding home, in ill-humor, engaged in some sort of an altercation
with young Bixby. The altercation extended to the rear of the house where
Spitts was shot, and that when Bixby opened the door to see where his
antagonist was, Spitts, ready for him, killed him instantly.
Although killings in those days were common occurrences this mysterious
affair caused great excitement.
The sale of the San Justo Rancho was consummated about 1855, but, in order
to keep the records straight, let me state here that some of these
settlers, on the rancho, or as they were known in those days, "squatters,"
did not commence to move off the rancho until about 1857-'58. Many of
these settlers moved away from the valley and were never heard from again.
I cannot recall the names of all these settlers, but as near as I remember
now, the first settler's house was on the south side of the valley, going
towards Hollister, and was originally built by a family by the name of
Francis (Bob Francis' father and mother). It was at this place that,
subsequently, I got the lambs narrated elsewhere.
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The father of Bob Francis was a shoemaker, and after he died my father
bought his shoe-making tools. Mrs. Francis died in the valley and Bob
returned to the east and was never heard from again.
A little farther along in the valley I should judge about a half mile, or
so, Andrew Abbe lived.
The next place was occupied by a man by the name of Brandon. Brandon
afterwards took charge of the toll-house on the Pacheco Pass road. He
maintained a roadside inn there.
After Brandon's death his widow married Cy Dubois, a horseman and trader
who followed the races. Mr. Dubois was well known throughout the San Juan
and Santa Clara Valleys. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Dubois resided
for a while in San Jose.
The next place was Florence Spitts', whose tragic death we have mentioned
previously. He lived at the mouth of a canyon, which was always known, and
is still known, as "Spitts' Canyon."
The next settler to Spitts was a man by the name of Pennypacker. He lived
on the land that George Moore subsequently acquired from the Hollister
subdivision.
Through the middle of the valley, about where the lane runs now, was
located the home of Benjamin Wilcox. Wilcox's home was located on the
north side of the valley.
About a stone's throw from the lane, where it is now located, was a place
occupied by William Thorne. Mr. Thorne's wife died there in 1857.
There were a few other settlers on the San Justo Rancho at the time but
they moved away and I have forgotten their names.
On the north side of the valley, near the bank of the San Benito river,
lived a family by the name of Crooks. Their place was situated about a
half mile above where Ben Flint
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afterwards lived. Mr. Crooks had married a sister of the well-known Watson
brothers, Dave, Steve, Henry and the rest of them. Crooks had a son about
my age, a schoolmate, who was named Cassius. He was named after Cassius M.
Clay, the distinguished member of Congress. After leaving the San Justo
Rancho, Crooks and his family moved to Grass Valley, otherwise known as
the Cienega. This is the valley that gives Hollister its present water
supply.
On the opposite side of the San Benito River from Crooks' place, there
lived a family by the name of Campbell. Mr. Campbell married a widow by
the name of Cullumber, who was a sister of Dr. Mathews and "Uncle Johnny"
of San Benito. "Uncle Johnny" Mathews was the Democratic assemblyman, for
many terms, for San Benito county after it was created, and was one of the
finest, squarest, and most honorable men that ever sat in the assembly
chamber at Sacramento. John, Sam, and Martha Cullumber were schoolmates of
mine at San Juan. Martha Cullumber afterwards married a man by the name of
Bickmore. The Bickmore family lived at Corralitos, in Santa Cruz county.
In passing let me remark that Martha was a splendid girl.
At the Campbell place commenced a road that ran directly over into the San
Joaquin Valley. It was used by the people of San Juan for several years.
This road skirted the low hills to a point and then struck directly to the
Pacheco adobe, on the south bank of Pacheco creek, and thence through the
Pass into the San Joaquin Valley. This was a main traveled thoroughfare in
those days.
Benjamin Wilcox, after moving off the San Justo Rancho, purchased a plot
of ten acres on the west side of the Alameda. He erected a nice house on
it. The plans for this house were drawn by George Chalmers, brother of
Alec Chalmers who built the Pajaro Valley National Bank building, and many
other notable structures in the early days of Watsonville. Chalmers, in
the construction of the house, was assisted by
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Wilcox' sons Edward and Sylvester Wilcox, who were carpenters. Joseph
Wilcox plastered the edifice and did the inside work. The house had a
cutstone foundation. As I passed this building every day going to and
coming from school, I watched the progress of its construction. Little did
I think, at that time, that it would play such an important part in my
life. It was here, soon after the Wilcox family moved into their new home,
that I saw a little girl playing around in the yard. This little girl
afterwards became my wife.
Benjamin Wilcox' word was as good as his bond. There never lived a more
square or more honorable gentleman. He was born in New York in 1796, and
died in New York City in 1870. He died from heart prostration on a visit
to New York which he made with his wife, who was afflicted with a cancer
on the eye and for whom he sought treatment from a specialist. Mrs. Wilcox
returned and did not die until two years later.
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[image caption: The celebrated Pinnacles, discovered by Vancouver, the
explorer. Are situated on the road to the New Idria mines, in the southern
end of San Benito County. The United States' government has reserved the
Pinnacles as a park and they are conceded to be one of the wonders of the
world.]
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CHAPTER VI
The roads to and from San Juan were very rough in the early days--Many bad
characters--Summary justice meted out to criminals by Judge Lynch.
SAN JUAN was visited in the middle of the '50's by every wayfarer
travelling north or south. We were on "El Camino Real" for sure. There was
no other road up or down the coast except by the Tejon Pass, beyond
Bakersfield, and very few traveled that route. At that time there were no
houses in the San Joaquin Valley, no accommodations were to be had and it
was naturally a very hard and toilsome route. The missions seemed to have
been established a certain distance apart and as there was always someone
living around them it made it more comfortable and convenient for
travelers. From San Juan to Santa Clara Mission was about 45 miles; from
San Juan to Monterey about 40 miles; from San Juan to Soledad Mission,
also about 40 miles, and so on, down the coast, making them within a day's
journey of each other.
The peculiar fact about that road was that it was all a perfectly natural
road--that is, it was easy to travel notwithstanding the fact that from
one end to the other, it was never looked after by any road crew.
All the things I missed when out of school I saw while in school because
the road passed the school house and we missed nothing. There would be the
"carretta" or wooden cart, with wheels of solid wood six inches thick and
about five feet high with a hole in the center through which a big wooden
axle, with a tongue, was inserted. A bed was put on this and some
standards set up to carry the rawhide top which was very heavy and rough.
Under this top, on rude seats, sat the women and children. The vehicle was
drawn by two yoke
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of oxen as one yoke of oxen would have had a hard time pulling the cart
alone. Often you could hear these "carrettas" squeaking long before, and
after, you could see them, crying for lack of grease. The men generally
rode on horseback. Then there would be covered wagons going south drawn by
horses in which rode Americans looking for homes. It was no wonder that
all of California's bandits could be traced to San Juan during some part
of their career. Murietta, "Three-Fingered Jack," Vasquez, and Chavez,
were frequent visitors to the town.
Chavez, as a boy lived at San Juan. I knew him well and played marbles
with him many times. He was a hard-looking boy, almost like an Indian, not
a bad boy but rough, thick-necked, dark and heavy set.
Although Vasquez went to school at San Juan, I did not know him then. I
saw him time and again in after years. The bandits would stay, during the
day, in the upper story of the buildings along Fourth street, which was
known as the "waterfront" and come out and prowl around the streets at
night. We never said anything to them for fear of reprisals.
There were others in the town that could be called bad men, but the
American population that had settled in and around the town had a way of
handling them that made them good citizens. I found that out one morning
on my way to school.
I had to travel along what was called "The Alameda"--a street or road that
extended out in our direction and had been planted with willows on each
side, by the padres, a certain distance apart. They had grown to be large
trees during all those years. At some time in the long distant past, "The
Alameda" had been paved with brick by the padres for I had noticed here
and there remnants of the bricks protruding through the dust. One of these
trees in particular had a limb extending over the road and on this morning
as I was skipping along to school I was horrified to see the body of a man
suspended from this limb.
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It developed that this was the body of a man who, the night previous, had
killed one of the Flint-Bixby sheep-herders. The sheep-herder came into
town that night and displayed some twenty-five dollars or so. This excited
the cupidity of the man whose body I saw. He stealthily followed the sheep-
herder as the latter proceeded homeward, and killed him with a picket
which he wrenched from the nearby fence. It so happened that he killed the
sheep-herder underneath this same tree. The crime was traced to the man by
a band of the citizens, "Vigilantes," as they were styled in those days,
who administered summary justice by hanging him to the tree.
Another time I saw two bodies hanging from this same tree. I am proud to
say, looking back, that in all my life I never took part in any mob, or in
any scene of violence although nearly every mob act that I witnessed at
San Juan was to my thinking justified, and you may well believe that San
Juan in the early days was the scene of much lawlessness and crime.
Another time, proceeding to school, in the morning, I saw, near this same
tree on "The Alameda," a man's hat. I commenced looking around and peering
over a fence into a ditch, I saw the body of a murdered man in the running
water. He had been shot through the right temple and was instantly killed.
The pistol had been placed almost against the skin, for his temple was
powder-marked, and both murderer and victim must have been mounted at the
time the deed was done.
Badly scared I ran into town and reported my find. Citizens went out,
recovered the body, and held an inquest, but so far as I know the mystery
was never solved--who the murdered man was and who killed him. Connor
Hickey, who lived up in the San Juan Canyon, going home late the night
before had seen two Mexicans. These Mexicans were arrested but as nothing
could be proved against them they were released.
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CHAPTER VII
The Streets in San Juan in its Early Days, and those who lived on the
principal thoroughfares--Some of the Pioneer Merchants.
AT THIS point I desire to take up the layout of the streets of San Juan
Bautista as they were in my boyhood days.
First Street is the street on which the present high school is located;
Second Street is the street which leads up to the plaza; Third Street was
and still is the principal street of San Juan; Fourth Street was commonly
known as the "Waterfront."
In other words the traveler coming from San Jose came along First Street
to the outskirts of the town where he debouched in on Second Street which
led up to the plaza; or, if he did not intend going to the Plaza Hotel, or
the old Mission, he turned still farther west and struck the main
thoroughfare, Third Street.
Now on this main thoroughfare were located in the early days (1856) the
following stores and residences:
Going from my home to school the first big place on the left was a large
adobe structure occupied by the Castro family. The place was noted for the
beautiful flowers that grew in the front yard. I remember that I often
asked the women of that household for some of the flowers which they
generously bestowed upon me. On the opposite side of the street from the
Castro residence was a small house occupied by a French woman named Madame
Azul. Adjoining the Madame's holdings was the residence of Samuel Breen,
brother of Patrick Breen, Sr.
One the left again, on the corner of Franklin and Third Streets was a
square adobe used as a dwelling at that time and since then for many other
purposes. Next to this adobe came
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a vacant lot, then another adobe in the shape of an "L" which extended
along Third Street to a certain point, and then down Washington Street. It
was a saloon at that date, and although used for many other purposes since
my boyhood days, it is still standing.
The saloon was conducted by one John Forney. I remember one incident that
occurred when Forney got married. A marriage in those days was a notable
event and consequently the boys determined to give Forney a good sendoff.
There was an old cannon lying on the ground in the plaza that was used for
Fourth of July celebrations and other festive occasions. The boys took
this old muzzle-loader down about midnight and placed it on the porch of
Forney's saloon. At a given signal they touched the cannon off and it blew
every pane of glass in the house to smithereens!
A seven-days' wonder in San Juan, just then, was--what did the boys load
that cannon with?
Forney was game. He invited the boys in and treated them to champagne and
then some more. The celebration was long-remembered for many of the
participants in that "blow-out," did not sober up from it for two weeks
after.
It was in this saloon that Gregorio Sanchez killed John Hopper in self-
defense. The quarrel between the two men culminated in Hopper's attacking
Sanchez with a pick-handle and Gregorio "acted quick."
Years after the saloon was the scene of a very funny incident. I have
mentioned elsewhere, in this narrative Ex-Sheriff Frank Ross. The incident
I am about to relate occurred a long time after Forney's wedding, when the
saloon was run by Mr. Filoucheau, who was the agent for the vineyard
products of Theophile Vache. It will be remembered by some of the readers
of these memoirs, that for years, possibly twenty years if not longer, one
of the noted landmarks in San Benito county was the Palmtag vineyard,
located on the Bird Creek road, nine miles from San Juan. This vineyard
was originally set out in
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the early days, when Monterey county covered that entire section now known
as San Benito county. Vache was a Frenchman who had learned vine growing
and wine making in his native land, and he set out a beautiful vineyard,
from which he manufactured claret, port, white wine and the best brand of
brandy that ever crossed one's lips. Filoucheau, who conducted a saloon in
San Juan, was his agent and Vache would send down from his vineyard, in a
carretta, two or three barrels of his products, and leaving them with
Filoucheau for disposal, the Mexican driver would return on that toilsome
journey, there being hardly a vestige of a road through the canyon, to the
vineyard, late at night, and, without a mishap. I have often seen him
doing this, and marvelled much at his dexterity, or good luck, which ever
it was. Vache ultimately sold this vineyard to a Hollister banker, the
late Wm. Palmtag, who, in turn, after bringing the vineyard up to a high
state of development sold it to an eastern capitalist, John H. Dickinson.
Dickinson improved the place greatly, and finally sold it to other
parties.
In Filoucheau's saloon there was an instrument of torture used at that
time for scraping the tacks out of the soles of boots. It was called the
"float," and was a sort of rasp, that, when the tacks protruded through
the soles of the boots, enabled one to insert into the boot and rasp the
points of the protruding tacks off.
This "float" was kept on the counter. Frank Ross who was farming in the
lower end of the valley, at the time, strayed into the saloon, one day,
and met some five or six other congenial spirits. Hospitality was on tap
and liquor flowed freely. Finally, out of a heated argument between Frank
and the bunch, a concerted attack was made on Ross by the gang. Frank, who
was about as fearless a man as ever stood in shoe leather, disdaining to
pull his gun which he always carried, reached for the "float" and with it
laid out two of his attackers. Whereupon the remainder of the bunch fled.
Frank looked around the room and then addressed his fallen foes with,
"Damn you! Why don't the rest of you come on?"
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This incident was the laugh of San Juan for a long time.
In proceeding along Third Street, on the right-hand side, we first came to
a blacksmith and wheelwright shop on the corner of Franklin and Third
Streets, conducted by Jasper Twitchell. That building was an anomaly in
San Juan as it was a wooden house standing amidst so many adobe edifices.
The next building in the same block, on the corner of Washington and Third
Streets, was a gunsmith store conducted by a Frenchman named Durin. It was
a two-story building and Durin was always profitably employed, as he was
the only man in town who had a lathe, at that time, and turned out a great
deal of lathe work. Durin's place was a rallying point for all the
Frenchmen wherein they gathered to celebrate the Fall of the Bastile. I
admit that, after I had gained my majority, I used to take delight in
attending these affairs. Frenchmen, when celebrating, are proverbially
hospitable and I used to enjoy their singing and good fellowship.
On the southeast corner of Washington and Third Streets, proceeding
towards the north, was a vacant lot. This vacant lot was backed by the
Castro residence (occupied by the Breen family), on Second Street.
Then came a livery stable. My earliest recollection of this livery stable
was that it was conducted by a Jew named Wise. This livery stable
eventually became the property of Comfort & Zanetta, who annexed it to,
and made it a part of, the Plaza Hotel, when the hotel was conducted by
that firm.
Proceeding back to the west side of Third Street: Across Washington
Street--that is, on the corner of Washington and Third Streets, was an old
two-story adobe building owned by Adolphe Vache, brother of Theophile
Vache. It was occupied at different times by various merchants. At one
time Vache conducted a bakery in it. So many different people occupied it
that I cannot recall their names. Upstairs was a small hall that they used
for dances, and shows. In fact, this upper story
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was the first theatre that San Juan had. It was called "Tuccoletta Hall,"
and was the scene of many "wild" parties.
Next to this building was an adobe in which was conducted a horseshoeing
business. This was run by Edward Breen, a son of Samuel Breen. Samuel
Breen was a brother to Patrick Breen. Edward Breen was a happy-go-lucky
chap who was forever playing tricks on luckless wights.
The building next to Breen's shop was a long, narrow, adobe structure,
occupied by a Frenchman, who conducted therein a jewelry store. This man's
name, if I remember aright, was Chatlaine. To gain admittance to this
building you had to descend two steps. I remember the place very well for,
in my school days, whether going or coming, I always stopped in front of
that shop and looked at an old-time chronometer in the display window.
This chronometer had a pendulum about six inches in diameter and it moved
so slowly that, actually, I would watch it for quite a length of time
expecting it to stop--but it never stopped. It ran right along until the
old Frenchman died. The late Dr. Cargill got that clock, and blamed if it
ever ran again, although it was a fine piece of workmanship and up to the
time the old man died had maintained splendid time.
Next to this old Frenchman's place was the Sebastopol Hotel; a square
building two stories high, conducted by Angelo Zanetta, who had moved to
San Juan from Monterey.
In the bar-room of this hotel there was a six-pocket billiard table that
had been brought around the horn in a sailing vessel, in 1855.
In this hotel was born, Ernest Zanetta, known throughout the west as "CC"
Zanetta; now, and for years past, the constable of San Juan township.
Ernest Zanetta married Clara Abbe, daughter of Andrew Abbe, the well-known
pioneer of San Juan and one of the original settlers on the San Justo
Rancho.
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Around the billiard table, in the above mentioned hotel, transpired much
more than billiard matches. It was around this table that Andrew Barker
fought Frank DeBard. DeBard came out of the fracus with a cut that
extended from the tip of his ear to the point of his chin, an inch lower
and his throat would have been cut. It made a hideous, nasty-looking scar,
that he carried through life. Afterwards, in the bar-room of this
building, Joseph Wilcox was shot and killed by Greg Sanchez who fired at
Wilcox through the door. Sanchez, after expending a large sum of money,
was released, owing to the fact that the quarrel began in a drunken brawl
and it was fifty-fifty as to who was the aggressor; also that Wilcox, who
lived several days after being wounded, expressed an earnest desire that
in case of his death Sanchez would not be prosecuted.
Next to the Sebastopol Hotel, located on the corner of Mariposa and Third
Streets, was another adobe building occupied by Pratolongo, a Frenchman.
He conducted therein a general merchandise store. This store was
afterwards conducted by another Frenchman named Dolleguy.
All the stores kept a barrel of liquor on tap in the rear of the premises
for the accommodation of their patrons. The liquor was sold by the gallon
and quart, but alongside the barrel there was always to be found a glass.
Their patrons, whether invited or not, to do so, could go to the rear of
the premises and get a drink.
Across Mariposa Street, from Pratolongo's store on the northeast corner of
Third and Mariposa Streets, was the store of Daniel Harris. It was a large
building principally adobe. Mr. Harris dealt in general merchandise and
had a large trade. Adjoining Harris' store on the west side of Third
Street was a long two-story building, and, if I remember aright, it had
two steps leading down to the first floor which contained a saloon with a
billiard table, also there was a restaurant in the rear of the first
floor. The upper story contained a hall that
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was used for dancing. I remember this hall distinctly as it was there that
I took my first lesson in dancing, at a cascaroni ball.
I forget the name of the first man that ran this place, but later on it
was conducted by Luis Raggio, Sr. It was in the saloon in this building
that one night Bart Taylor was shot in the shoulder by Pablo German. That
day there had been a horse race at San Juan, the principal contenders
being Cal Ross and the German brothers, Pablo, Chino and Felipe.
Cal Ross was the brother of Annie Ross who afterwards became the wife of
the late Hy Woods of Watsonville. There was bad blood between Cal Ross and
the German brothers over the outcome of the race as Ross' horse had beat
Germans' racer. The shooting was extremely dramatic and highly
sensational. I can vouch for this as I was in the saloon at the time the
shots were fired.
All hands were crowded around the billiard table on which a rondo game was
being conducted. Everyone in the place except myself, a mere stripling,
was in a hilarious mood as a great deal of liquor had been consumed over
the outcome of the horse race. Cal Ross, anticipating trouble with the
Germans yet not wishing to bring on an encounter, had laid his pistol belt
aside and tying his six-shooter to a string on his left side under his
coat, was acting as gamekeeper. Suddenly one of the German boys clasped
Cal around the waist pinning his hands to his sides and a shot was fired,
at him, but missing him struck Taylor.
The Germans evidently thought that Cal was unarmed but when the man
holding Cal felt the pistol he gave the alarm and they fled. As soon as
Cal got loose he drew his revolver and commenced firing. The Germans
returned the fire and although the place was decidedly crowded everyone
miraculously escaped except old man Raggio who was burned along the neck
by one of the bullets, leaving a red mark. Raggio, thinking himself shot,
dropped to the floor, behind the counter, and
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came up, instantly, with two six-shooters, one in each hand, with which he
contributed to the gaiety of the occasion.
There was an old Chinese gong in the room with which they were accustomed
to summon guests to meals and one of the bullets striking this gong,
considerable confusion ensued.
It was certainly a night to be remembered!
In passing let me state that old man Raggio, afterwards ran the principal
butcher shop in San Juan, and also one in Hollister, some time later. He
was one of San Benito county's supervisors for a period, and an honorable
and courteous gentleman. He was one of California's oldest pioneers,
coming to this state from Mexico when but a boy, and he worked long and
laboriously in Mexico before coming to San Juan.
I forget the year in which the following incident occurred but I remember
that at one time a Mexican, who had come to Raggio's saloon drunk, ran
amuck.
The Mexican, crazy drunk, wanted to shoot somebody and with a pistol in
hand emerged from the saloon announcing his determination. Everyone in
sight disappeared. He proceeded along the street to the corner of Third
Street. There, coming around the corner he met a Mexican, Manuel Butron,
who used to have epileptic fits. The drunk-crazed Mexican fired point-
blank at Manuel, shooting him squarely through the center of the breast. A
crowd of citizens gathered and took the shooter into custody. Manuel laid
on the ground, and with every breath he took the blood spurted in the air,
coupled with the escaping air from his lungs.
'Twas a pitiful sight! Everyone present said, "Adios, Manuel!" and in
their minds as there being no hope of Manuel's recovering, they concluded
to finish up the business speedily, Accordingly, they announced that they
would take the Mexican down to the willow tree on "The Alameda" and hang
him.
In accordance with the request of the Mexican who, to a certain extent,
had come to his senses, and wanted a priest, the
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mob sent up to the mission and brought a priest down. After the priest had
interviewed the man, the crowd took him down to "The Alameda" and hanged
him.
But here is a strange quip of fortune--Manuel Butron not only recovered
from the wound but never had any fits after that. The man who was hanged
should really have received compensation for his surgical operation
instead having to "shuffle off his mortal coil." The hanging of that man,
after Manuel got well, rested heavily on the consciences of some of the
men that so promptly executed summary justice on the poor devil.
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CHAPTER VIII
The various dwellings on San Juan streets in 1855-1870, and who occupied
them--John Bigley, one of the mission's early teamsters and a man highly
respected.
THE PLACE next to Raggio's dwelling was a small adobe occupied by Mrs.
Jesus Bernal, who kept therein a little restaurant and accommodated a few
lodgers. The rest of the property along the street for a quarter of a
block contained a number of small buildings which were owned by Felipe
Gardella.
I remember Felipe Gardella well. He was the first man I saw in San Juan on
that memorable trip that my parents took from Calaveras County as far as
the Salinas River. Reaching San Juan we halted for a short time and I,
peering out of the covered wagon, saw Gardella seated by the roadside with
a little drum of coffee which he was parching over a small fire. The
coffee inside of his drum was slowly revolved by a handle which Gardella
turned. He had a little store where he sold knicknacks, notions, tobaccos,
etc. Hanging inside of the door of his store was a green parrot, a bird
that greatly attracted my curiosity. I also remember that green parrot
well in after years, for he and I became the best of friends, and when he
saw me passing the store, either going or coming, he would whistle and
call, "Here, Ikey! Here, Ikey!"
In the early '70's, all along that west side of Third Street was burned
down in a disastrous fire. The fire stopped this side of the building now
occupied by Lavagnino's store.
The brick building the Abbe Company now occupy was built by Gardella
before the fire and occupied by Dan Harris, after the fire, until he moved
from San Juan. The building that we have previously referred to in this
narrative as having
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been occupied by Mr. Filoucheau was subsequently taken over by the Bowie
brothers who bought Filoucheau's stock and opened up a business there.
Afterwards they moved to the brick building erected by Gardella and took
over Sam Harris' stock contained therein.
After Gardella's death, Mrs. Gardella sold the brick building to the Abbe
family, the Bowies built a building across the street, moved their stock
over there and conducted a general merchandise business therein until they
died.
Retracing our steps across the east side of Third Street, we find at the
corner of Mariposa Street and Third Street, a building occupied by Leon
Bullier, a barber. I will say right here that in speaking of many of these
buildings such as Bullier's, they were not adobe buildings. They were a
sort of stucco affair, i.e., uprights were run up, say two stories high,
and mud blocks were inserted between them. Then there was an outside and
inside coating for all this mud and the same was whitewashed and when
nicely fixed up was very inviting, having all the characteristics and
appearance of an adobe building.
Bullier's place was afterwards occupied by Breitbarth's Shoe Store.
Next to the Bullier building was a saloon, run at different times, by
various Mexicans. At one time one of the members of the Roza family ran
it. Next door there was a bakery, conducted by a Frenchman; then a small
building which was occupied by old man Bowie.
The Bowie family were Scotch-Canadians, coming from Canada. This building
occupied by old man Bowie was built for him by my father and John Miller,
of Monterey. The prevailing wage in those days was $2.00 and $2.50 per
day, of ten hours. It was a frame structure and the business that Mr.
Bowie engaged in was a bakery. At the time that old man Bowie was
conducting this store, the rest of his family, his sons and daughters, had
not yet arrived at San Juan. Quite
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a while after the old couple settled there, the sons and daughters joined
their parents.
Joe Bowie, one of the sons, was an expert accountant and for a time worked
at his calling at San Jose and in the New Almaden quicksilver mines where
he was also a Deputy Sheriff of Santa Clara County.
There were four daughters in the Bowie family. The eldest of the quartette
was a very finely educated woman who not only taught French and music but
also taught school at San Juan for a long time. I went to school to her,
and we used to call her, "Aunt Eliza." Another daughter married "Jim"
Sargent; the third married Wesley Smith and the other daughter married a
man by the name of Hall. One of the Wesley Smith's daughters married Dr.
Thos. Flint's son, Richard.
Adjoining the Bowie Bakery there was a vacant lot, after which came a
building conducted as a bowling alley by James Miller. Next to this
bowling alley was a building in which a butcher shop was conducted by Bill
Byrd.
Bill Byrd afterwards moved to the Pajaro Valley and conducted a saloon on
the "Lovering Corner" long before Second Street was put through from
Rodriguez Street to Main Street. At the time that Bill conducted that
saloon in Watsonville there was only a small alley that allowed ingress
and egress between Main and Rodriguez Streets. Bill Byrd had a brother
named James Byrd who also lived in the Pajaro Valley.
These were all the buildings at that time (1856) on that block, to the
corner of Polk Street in San Juan.
In the next block on the corner of Third and Polk Streets there was a
building occupied by James McMahon's General Merchandise Store. McMahon's
building was erected after we settled in San Juan. Previous to its
erection, McMahon had been conducting a business in partnership with a man
by the name of Griffin, if I remember correctly, somewhere on Second
Street.
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After the partnership was dissolved, McMahon engaged my father and Miller
to build not only the above store for him but a residence for his family
on Second and Polk Streets. These buildings were erected in 1857.
On the corner of Third Street and Mokelumne Street, there was a residence
occupied by the Bowie family.
Across Mokelumne Street, from Mokelumne Street to San Jose Street, was a
block on Third Street occupied by the Fred Kemp residence. Before the Kemp
family bought that place it was occupied by the Hollenbeck family. This
building was erected in the early days of San Juan.
In 1856 the next block was vacant, but afterwards a livery stable was
built on it by T. J. McKnight. He also built a residence on it, which
residence is now occupied by Mark Regan. McKnight sold the property to
Clarence Bowman who, in turn, sold it to Mark Regan.
Crossing San Jose Street we come to the block on Third Street, between San
Jose and Tuolumne Streets. The first house on this block was that occupied
by Tom Clark whose wife was one of the Donner party. Clark subsequently
sold the place to a man by the name of Reynolds, who was in the sheep
business.
The first house that I remember being on Third Street, between Tuolumne
and Monterey Streets, was that of Dr. Simmons.
The block between Monterey and Church streets and Second and Third Streets
was owned by John Birmingham, a veteran of the Mexican war and afterwards
justice of the peace. Mr. Birmingham was a first-class carpenter. On this
tract of land he afterwards built a two-story house. Birmingham had a son
by the name of Alec who met with an untimely death owing to an accidental
pistol shot, whilst he and "CC" Zanetta were returning from a business
trip to Hollister.
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On North Street, between Second and Third Streets, was a piece of land
that was, at this time, owned and occupied by a Mexican. This Mexican
afterwards sold this piece of land to Chas. Sherwood, my son-in-law's
father.
The Sherwood family occupied the place for years and still own the
property. Mr. and Mrs. Sherwood died within one day of each other, and
were buried on the same day.
Ernie, or as he is familiarly known in Watsonville, "Shorty" Sherwood (my
son-in-law) has been for years a trusted employee of the Chas. Ford
Company. He is a popular member of the Elks, the Eagles, and Native Sons.
Retracing our steps to the west side of Third Street and in taking up the
homes along that thoroughfare from the Bowie residence, we first come to
an old, very old, frame structure that from time to time had different
occupants, Americans, Mexicans and other nationalities.
On the same side, across Mokelumne Street on the next block between
Mokelumne and Polk Streets, was the residence of Daniel Harris, a
merchant.
In the same block, further on, was the residence of Refugio Cheverria, a
vaquero widely known throughout that section; and as square and honest a
man as ever lived. In after years he worked for a long time for the Flint,
Bixby Co.
In the next block there was another small dwelling that was occupied by
Bob Rowls, one of the overland stage drivers.
Adjoining the Rowls home, on Third Street, was a residence occupied by
Madame Pilar, an old Spanish mid-wife.
The next house on that same block was occupied by Jas. Stanley, a harness
maker.
In the next block, between Monterey and Tuolumne Streets, and Third and
Fourth Streets, there was only one house. This house was occupied by Caleb
Brummett, father of
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Harwell Brummett, the newspaper editor, who, on the court-house steps, at
Hollister, years afterwards, was killed by Carlton, a rival editor.
I do not remember who lived on the next block, but it was subsequently
purchased by Fielding Hodges who still lives there.
The next block, further on, only contained one residence. It was occupied
by the Hodges family, that is, Fielding Hodges' parents. It was afterward
occupied by Frank Black and family early settlers of San Juan.
Taking in Fourth Street, at the corner of Monterey and Fourth streets the
Chalmer's place was located. The Chalmer's holding was a large piece of
land known as lot 8 on the official map. George Chalmer's residence was
built some distance from Fourth Street, well onto the hill, This structure
was burned down but was rebuilt.
Adjoining the Chalmer's place, on the west side of Fourth Street, was the
Hall place.
Next to the Hall place, on the same side of Fourth Street, came the Bowman
place.
Adjacent to the Bowman place came the old adobe residence of Borondo, and
then there were several other adobe buildings, some of which were said to
be occupied at various times, in the upper stories, by bandits, both
Mexican and American, who, hid therein, slept by day, and prowled around
during the night.
The blocks fronting on the east side of Fourth Street were vacant.
Coming into town from the north, the first thoroughfare the traveler
traversed was First Street. First Street is the street that the present
school is on. It extended from away out to the limits of the city, on what
might be called the highway, and ran from the north towards the north end
of the old mission building, where it stopped.
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The traveler, coming to San Juan, from the north, as we have said before,
came in on First Street, as far as Monterey Street, and generally, turned
to the right and took either Second or Third Street for further progress.
Coming from the north on the right-hand side of the road the first
residence thereon was John Bigley's family home. Bigley was an early
settler in San Juan and married one of the Smith girls. The Smith family
came to California in 1849. Bigley followed teaming, with a four-horse
team, between Alviso and San Juan. In those days of long extended credit,
Bigley was known as a rather peculiar man, inasmuch as he never ran a
bill--paid cash for what he wanted and demanded cash in return for his
labors.
This matter of extended credit was a time-honored custom in the early days
and this same custom proved the undoing of the early Californians. They
would run a bill, then a note or a mortgage on their land was given, after
which came the inevitable result, their landed possessions were taken from
them.
"Jack" Bigley, as he was familiarly known, had another peculiar
characteristic--he never had a seat on his wagon. He either rode on the
footboard or walked alongside his team. Generally he stood up and drove.
Many a time have I seen "Jack" Bigley come in from Alviso in the depth of
winter, bare-footed, with his pants rolled up to his knees.
Crossing over from Bigley's place to the left of First Street the first
home was that of Andrew (Andy) Abbe. Mr. Abbe, after he left his home on
the San Justo grant, moved north of town on a ten acre tract or more and
set out the first orchard that the San Juan Valley boasted of. He also, at
the same time built a home on this piece of land. His family, a large one,
was born and raised in this home. Andy Abbe was a pleasant, jovial man,
always meeting everyone with a smile and a laugh and was always ready to
exchange repartee with you. He was a busy man; when not teaming he was
engaged in working on the county roads. He served as road supervisor of
that district for years.
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[image caption: Door leading from Robe Room to Sacristy, San Juan Mission]