Chapters 26-29
Early Days at the Mission San Juan Bautista - Chapters XXVI-XXIX
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CHAPTER XXVI
The author's marriage lasted, happily, for forty-one years--The dry year
of 1877-- Hundreds of families migrating--Poor prices for stock--The trade
dollar.
THE POET says that: "In the spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to
thoughts of love." But this was not my case.
In the fall of 1876, shortly after coming out of Pleasant Valley, I
persuaded the girl that I thought was the "ownliest one" in the world,
Elizabeth Adelia Thorne to become my wife. You remember I mentioned,
elsewhere, the little girl that I used to see and admire through the
fence, playing in the yard of her grandparents, Ben and Mary Wilcox, at
San Juan. I used to see this pretty little girl playing in the yard when I
was going to, and coming from, school, and the romance that then began, in
early days of my boyhood, culminated in her becoming my wife in 1876.
We were married in the parlor of the Western Hotel in Hollister. The hotel
was then conducted by the Rector Bros., who, after conducting, for some
time, the McMahon house in Hollister migrated to Grass Valley, where they
became noted bonifaces of northern California. We were married on the
fourth of December. My wife died, after having undergone an operation, in
the Watsonville hospital, on January 31, 1918, after forty-one years of
married life. We had four children: Edna, now Mrs. Ernest Sherwood, of
Watsonville; Cora, now Mrs. R. D. Monroe, of Monterey, and our sons were
Oscar, now living in Watsonville, and Earl, residing in Monterey.
As I have remarked before, 1877 was a dry year. To those who have never
passed through a dry year, in the southern
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part of the state, the words "dry year" mean but little. But, to those
afflicted by a shortage of feed and crops, the term "dry year" strikes
terror.
The Pajaro Valley in that year produced some crops but San Benito county
and in the southern part of the state the conditions were distressful
owing to the drought.
I was, at the time of this drought, living in the Wilcox home at the end
of The Alameda at the extension of Third street, San Juan, which led to
the Salinas road. Having ten acres which contained a good well, on part of
this tract I raised a fine vegetable garden. I was on the direct road from
the southern travel going north, and in a position where I could see all
the wagons passing, and, indeed, some days there were strings of them.
These wagons generally consisted of people migrating from the south in
search of better living conditions in the north. The wagons, usually of
the covered type, were occupied by a driver and his family. In some other
part of the state they had nailed up their home, and with hopeful
resignation started out on this journey in search of some place where a
living might be made. Most of these migratory families were folks who had
taken up claims in southern Monterey or San Luis Obispo counties, or in
counties further south. If any of these immigrants were asked where they
were going, their reply would be indefinite--they had no place picked out.
You could sell nothing. I have seen a finely matched team, well broken, go
begging for $40.
Arthur Graham, a butcher in San Juan, in partnership with the Flint-Bixby
Co., rented my father's place and erected thereon some large kettles.
Graham furnished the hogs and Flint-Bixby & Co., furnished the sheep to be
slaughtered, for hog feed. The Flint-Bixby Co., figured that by killing
the older sheep thus reducing the herds, and keeping only the young ones,
that they could pull through the dry season, and so the slaughter
commenced.
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At the outset some of these sheep slaughtered were fairly good mutton.
Some of the carcasses I bought at fifty cents a carcass. On Bird Creek was
a man who had 2,000 goats. He killed them and sold them by the quarter.
One day he delivered orders to Hollister, another day orders to San Juan,
and so on. He charged 35c for a hind quarter and considerably less for a
fore quarter. As an illustration of how hard it was to sell anything; I
bought a 350-pound hog for three cents a pound, in other words I got the
animal for $10.50.
There were also a number of families in the San Juan Valley who had
considerable hay, but not enough to feed horses through the season and
plow the ground for the coming year's crop. Some of these families
combined, rented a large tract of land above Corralitos in the vicinity of
Brown Valley and Corralitos creek, and, in this way, succeeded in pulling
their horses through the season in fairly good shape. It cannot be said
that the horses did well as the pasture was very scant, indeed, but they
managed to live.
About this time California was flooded with trade dollars, a new coin that
was minted for the Chinese trade and was intended to offset the Mexican
dollar. These dollars were put into circulation in consequence of which
gold was hoarded up, and, as the common payment in business circles was
always gold, merchants were offering as high as a dollar premium for a $20
gold piece. On one occasion I got $22 for a twenty dollar gold piece. The
stores had signs over their counters notifying the public that not over
five dollars in silver would be accepted in trade. Silver dollars were at
a big discount. This condition ran for three or four years, until,
finally, the trade dollar disappeared.
To add to our misery, now and then, when business was at a standstill, we
would have a panic. No one could borrow from the bank unless they had
fluid security. I remember on on occasion, riding over to Hollister with
Hayden Dowdy--Dowdy was the political boss for years, of San Benito
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county. He was re-elected, many terms, as assessor, and under Cleveland's
administration he retired from the assessor's office and was appointed
postmaster at Hollister. His son, Elmer Dowdy for the past twenty-six
years has been county clerk, auditor, and recorder of that county. Hayden
Dowdy, at the time that I am speaking of, owned a very fine farm in the
San Juan Valley. This farm, which is still owned by his descendants, is
considered one of the finest farms in the valley.
Riding along San Benito street, in Hollister, that day we passed the Bank
of Hollister, whereupon Dowdy remarked, "Mylar, the country is pretty hard
up. Do you know that I could not borrow two hundred dollars from that bank
on my fine ranch."
In passing let me remark that we should hold in grateful remembrance the
memory of Woodrow Wilson who gave us the reserve banks to stop any future
panics. In looking over the record books in those days it was ascertained
that over ninety per cent of the farms in San Benito county were
mortgaged.
In 1878 there was no rain up to about the middle of January. The fall of
1878 had also been dry, and I, being afraid that another dry year was in
prospect, made up my mind to go to some region where it would rain. With
my wife and little baby, I set sail, via steamer, for Oregon. It was
raining when we got there. I had an uncle living in Astoria, at the mouth
of the Columbia river, and so we stopped with this relative. I had shipped
up there all our household goods in large boxes, sending them to my uncle.
When I unpacked the goods I was going to destroy the boxes but my uncle
told me to save them. I inquired, "Why?" He merely told me that I might
need them, and, accordingly, I put them away safely.
Soon after I procured a very good position from the government. But, it
rained! and rained! and rained! I got a sou'wester, a pair of rubbers, and
a raincoat. My wife said that
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she could not dry the wash outside and so a rack had to be put in the
kitchen for this purpose. Coming up, the voyage being stormy, my wife was
dreadfully sea-sick, and on landing on terra firma declared that never
would she go back to California until a railroad was built between the two
states. But, in five months, she told me that she had had enough of rain
to suit her for the rest of her life and that, if I was willing, she would
start with me for California again.
So the packing boxes came in handy. My uncle proved to be wise unto his
generation. I remember one day asking him if they ever had a dry day in
Astoria, and he contemplatively looked out at the mouth of the Columbia
river and answered, "Yes, we have three dry days in August every year!"
Looking back over those days I cannot remember, during my stay there, of
one single day that it did not rain sometime during the twenty-four hours.
So, buying a ticket from the steamship company, we returned to California
and it certainly did look good to me when I once more reached it. I have
never left it since.
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CHAPTER XXVII
Some of the notable characters in San Juan that the author remembers--Mark
Regan, the noted stage driver--The disappearance of Senor Sanchez--Buried
treasure.
IN 1870 Jake Beuttler (the brewer) came to San Juan and located on the
north side of Third Street. At this place he built a residence and a
brewery. Beuttler, together with his stepson Fred Beck, manufactured a
fine quality of beer. This beer was the favorite beverage in the central
part of the coast counties. He also ran a four-horse delivery wagon
through the San Joaquin Valley as far as Firebaugh's Ferry, on the San
Joaquin river, which, in those days, was a very lively settlement. There
were shearing pens at Firebaugh, in which, in shearing seasons, over 100,
000 sheep were sheared. Beuttler had three childrern: George, Albert and
Annie. Annie afterwards became the wife of the noted stage driver, Mark
Regan--"the grand old man of the whip."
Mark Regan was a noted character, and did more to keep San Juan on the map
than any other citizen that the town ever possessed. He ran the stage, for
years from Sargent station, where it connected with the railroad, to San
Juan, and Hollister. He never drank, smoked or gambled. He came originally
from Pike's Peak during the gold rush.
In his day he carried more distinguished people over his stage route than
any other driver in the state of California. Everyone knew Mark Regan, a
man of infinite jest, and one of the greatest of story-tellers. To hear
Mark describe the driving of the last spike at Promotory, Utah, connecting
the two railroads, the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific, was a
masterpiece of verbal description. Mark is authority for the statement
that it was at the driving of the last spike that George Pullman got his
idea for his Pullman sleeping cars.
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It was a privilege much sought by travelers to occupy the front seat with
Mark Regan, for, during the trip from Sargent station to Hollister he
would regale the wayfarer with stories innumerable, and point out the many
objects of interest embellishing them with tales that he had learned from
the early San Juan pioneers and Indians.
Some time after the big fire in San Juan Mr. Giacoma, an Italian, started
to erect a stone building on the west side of Third Street, between Polk
and Mariposa Streets. It was built of sandstone taken from the adjacent
hills, which stone was cut and shaped into blocks on the ground on which
the building was to be erected. It took some time to complete this
building and it was a losing proposition for Giacoma. It has been
remodeled and additions added, since then, and for many years past has
been owned by A. Taix. At one time, when San Juan was in the midst of one
of its worst depressions, this stone building, notwithstanding the fact
that it cost nearly $20,000 to erect, could have been purchased for $800.
Since then it has been a valuable piece of property.
In 1872 Thos. McMahon moved his stock of merchandise to Hollister and
located on the west side of San Benito Street, between Fourth and Fifth
Streets. The removal of this merchandise store was another black eye for
San Juan. At the same time other merchants were preparing to follow
McMahon's example.
One of the noted characters in San Juan in its early days, before my
father settled there, was Senor Sanchez, a very prominent Spaniard. There
were, and still are, many stories extant about Sanchez. He was drowned
whilst crossing the Pajaro river, near that river's junction with the San
Benito river. The Sanchez' family residence was a large two-story adobe
building located on the east side of the Pajaro river, a short distance
above where the two rivers unite.
One of the stories current, and it is related by many old-timers now, is
that the night that Sanchez lost his life he
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had been in San Jose and had received a large amount of money, the weight
of which caused his horse and himself to mire into the quicksand. Neither
the horse nor the man were ever seen again.
Facing the Sanchez' home, on the east, was a hill. It was quite a large
hill, and the rumor grew that Sanchez had buried an immense amount of gold
dust and money in that hill. In consequence of this rumor every now and
then people would repair to the hill and dig hither and thither, according
to directions that they had received from fortune tellers. Some had
divining rods to point out the buried gold, others depended upon plats and
maps that were furnished, (for a consideration), by the fortune tellers.
But, somehow or another, no money was ever found by the treasure seekers.
It is worthy of note that, so far as I know, no San Juan people ever went
to that hill to dig for the supposed buried treasure. Those who sought the
gold were from San Jose, Watsonville, San Francisco and other parts of the
state.
This reminds me of another supposed buried treasure in this section. In
the early days two men were hung in the vicinity of the "San Juan Rocks,"
near Dunbarton. The rumor spread that the two men had buried some eight or
ten thousand dollars in that neighborhood and some people are actually
searching for that treasure yet. Another place that was extensively mined
was the glass house that occupied a prominent place on the Salinas road on
the site where the Watsonville golf club is now located. Buried treasure
was supposed to be plentiful in that vicinity and many were the
expeditions that set out to resurrect treasure trove.
However, soon after Sanchez disappeared, his family, searching for some of
the treasure that they knew he possessed, found $1,300 in a barrel of
beans, in the storeroom of the dwelling, and a great many persons believe
that this amount represented all the money that Sanchez had.
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After Sanchez' death, his widow married a Dr. Sanford, who subsequently
was killed in the barroom of a Monterey hotel by parties who, it is said,
were searching for this supposed treasure of Sanchez,' and that in the
argument that ensued between these parties, and Sanford, Dr. Sanford was
killed. After Sanford's death Mrs. Sanchez-Sanford married an attorney by
the name of Geo. W. Crane. Crane lived in San Juan and died during the
smallpox epidemic in 1868.
In Watsonville, these stories of buried treasure around San Juan had been
so magnified in the re-telling that some of the yarns were almost
preposterous. Mr. Roache, a prominent citizen of Watsonville, whose body
was found in a well, at the upper end of Main Street, was supposed to have
been a victim of some of the parties searching for the Sanchez treasure.
Roache, who was known throughout this section, was supposed to have been
an amigo of Sanchez, and people thought that Sanchez had told him where he
had put the money. By "money" is meant principally gold dust, for in the
latter fifties but little of the minted currency was in circulation. The
gold miners were digging the gold out of the creeks and gulches in
northern California. The gold dust and gold nuggets were the chief media
of exchange.
San Juan, in the early '60's, boasted of a noted character in the person
of Wm. Wiggins whom a great many people styled "Doctor." Wiggins came to
California from St. Louis, Missouri, in 1840. His father at that time was
the owner of the ferry across the Mississippi river at St. Louis. A love
of adventure prompted Wiggins, a young man, in 1839, to join a party of
trappers on one of their expeditions. The meanderings of this party of
trappers finally led them to California. Wiggins became interested in, and
claimed an interest and ownership in, the New Almaden quicksilver mines,
in Santa Clara county. Litigation followed his claim, and he lost out,
which prompted him to write home to his father for more money wherewith to
press an appeal to the higher courts.
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Wiggin's father refused to send him the money but settled a trust fund on
the son, the interest of which provided him with a comfortable yearly
annuity. This enabled him to live in comfort and he subsequently settled
at the Plaza Hotel in San Juan, where he roomed and boarded for years. He
was singular in this: He ate but two meals a day--breakfast at nine
o'clock and dinner at five o'clock. He lived a gentleman's life. He was a
rather small man in size, and wore a Prince Albert coat and a white hat
which made him a distinctive person amongst the rest of San Juan's
inhabitants. He pursued a regular routine. He would make a trip to Kemp's
saloon in the forenoon and then another one in the afternoon and taking
his place at one of the deserted card tables would play, day after day,
solitaire. If asked to take a drink, unless the time was within a few
minutes of his scheduled period wherein he "liquidated" his thirst each
day, he would refuse the proffered courtesy. Two drinks a day was all he
allowed himself; one in the forenoon and one in the afternoon.
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[image caption" Jim Jacks--"China Jim"--the "Mustard King." This
benevolent Chinaman was known far and wide for his charitable deeds.
Everyone in San Benito County had a kindly smile and a friendly handclasp
for this man who was always endeavoring, in his humble and simple way, to
do good.]
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CHAPTER XXVIII
Wages were low in 1878-- Long hours were worked--Farmers not doing well--
Some old settlers--Tribute to "China Jim," whose charity was unbounded.
THE YEAR 1878 was a quiet but a good year as far as the farmers were
concerned. However, there were thousands of idle men in the state. Wages
were low. Farmers got all the help they wanted at $1.00 and $1.50 a day,
with board, but the laborer had to furnish his own blankets and could
sleep any place he liked. The working hours were from daylight until dark.
The men driving teams had to look after their team and wagon on Sundays.
That is, all necessary repairs were made on the wagon, and the horses had
to be in prime condition for another week's work. This condition of
affairs remained as long as the farmers raised grain. It would appear that
from these conditions that the farmers should ere long become wealthy, but
such was not the case. They were not doing any too well. Owing to the
short seasons that came, and the fluctuation of prices, the average price
of wheat, per cental, in 1864, and for twenty years thereafter, was around
$1.60, and barley was a great deal lower than that. I remember one year
when there was a good crop of barley raised in the San Juan section. One
farmer had 15,000 sacks (100 pounds to the sack) of ripe, plump barley.
This barley usually brought a good price for brewing purposes, but, this
season, all that farmer was offered for his crop was fifty cents a cental,
and out of this he had to subtract the price of sacks and threshing which
was twenty cents; out of the remaining thirty cents he had to subtract the
cost of putting in the crop and storing it and hauling it to market. The
number of failures, especially amongst those who farmed land on shares,
was notable. They were going broke on all sides. So it can be seen from
the foregoing, that it was not all skittles and beer for the farmers.
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I want to mention here, one of the most generous and best liked men, by
all children and families in need; his name was "Jim Jacks," or "China
Jim," the "Mustard King."
Before the Flint-Bixby Co., began to lease their ground to the farmers
there were immense crops of wild mustard growing on parts of it and when
the renters began farming it there was a great deal of mustard which would
always be found growing in the grain. This mustard, when the grain was
being threshed, would be taken out by the cleaner that was running in
conjunction with the separator. The farmers would throw the mustard seed
away. "China Jim" began to gather this up. The farmer was glad to be rid
of this seed and they gave it to him. He procured a number of large
canvasses and with hand sieves, when the wind was blowing, he cleaned up
the seed. He always got standing mustard where it had choked everything
else out. This standing mustard he got cut by Chinese, with sickles, after
which he would flail the seed out on a canvas.
"Jim" lived at what was always called "The Middle of the Lane," that is on
the long straight lane, between San Juan and Hollister. He was employed by
the Flint-Bixby Co., to poison squirrels and lived in a small house, and
at times cooked for a few men that the company had employed there in the
summer. He continued to collect mustard seed. He always drove a little one-
horse cart, and in the front, at his feet, he carried a good-sized box in
which he had candy in little bags, oranges and sweet cookies in small
cartons. These he gave to the children on his trips to Hollister or San
Juan. On the last day of school he would purchase a ten-pound bucket of
the finest candy, and when asked what he was going to do with it, his
reply was, "It is for the schoolmarm." I have known of him hiring a four-
horse team and driver to take him to Hollister at which town he bought
enough flour for a load, had it driven back to San Juan and distributed
among the laboring men's families. On another occasion he bought three-
hundred sacks of potatoes all of which he gave away. He also kept a few
hens, the eggs he would take to the store and sell, receiving
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a credit slip for the sale. These slips he would give to families whom he
thought needed something out of the store. No one ever knew how much money
he had, unless it was his banker. I heard him say that he gave away all
the interest on his money. When I was with a threshing outfit I would
spread a sheet behind the cleaner for him. Every year, a day or two before
Thanksgiving, he would drive up the avenue and give my wife several
packages of mincemeat, raisins, candies, and nuts. To the children he
would give fifty cents or a dollar each, and before he left he would get
close to me and slip a dollar in my pocket and whisper, "You get a cup of
beer." He did not associate with the Chinese, except when he had them
hired. After he got old he returned to China where he died.
There are but few of the early settlers that were residing at San Juan,
when my parents moved there, now living. I will endeavor to give a brief
sketch of the few that still remain.
William Bingham, who resides on the old homestead in the San Juan Canyon,
and who has enlarged his holdings by purchases, is one of the remaining
settlers. He has a very fine orchard growing in the canyon. Mr. Bingham is
a painter by trade, but dropped that calling for farming. He now has an
orchard of which he may well be proud.
Joseph and Adi Wilcox, son and daughter of Sylvester and Sarah Wilcox, are
the remaining members of a large family that settled on the San Justo
ranch in the early '50's. They were residing in the valley when my parents
came to San Juan. After the grant was sold to the Flint-Bixby-Hollister
Co., the Wilcox family moved onto "The Alameda," outside of San Juan.
"Vess," as he was familiarly called, was a hard-working industrious, man,
always busy at some task or another. He was a carpenter, and followed that
trade, conducting, on the side, a small dairy. Mr. Wilcox was a man that
you seldom saw in town, unless he had business to attend to there. Joseph
and Adi are following the same mode of life. They have a nice home
surrounded by a beautiful garden of trees and shrubs.
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Neither of them have ever married. It is hard to tell who is the boss of
that household, everything surrounding their home goes so quietly and
smoothly.
The estate of the late John Breen, the adobe and a portion of the land, is
still occupied by Mr. Breen's heirs. The Patrick and Edward J. Breen,
estates are also in the possession of their heirs.
Jas. Stanley, who had a harness shop on the west side of Third street,
between Mokelumne and Polk streets, was an Irishman. He was famous for
work in his line and put up some of the most durable harness that could be
procured in this state.
At his home, on the northwest corner of Tuolumne and Third streets, he
erected a barn, and, buying two or three of the largest steers he could
find, would feed them and fatten them solely for the purpose of showing
the San Juanites how the Irish people in the "Auld Dart" handled cattle.
The steers were fed everything that would fatten them. They were curried
and brushed and blanketed. No thoroughbred race horse received better
care. He would sell these animals for Christmas beef to butchers in San
Francisco. Some of these steers would weigh nearly a ton. It is impossible
to conceive that these fattened steers ever paid Stanley for the care that
he bestowed upon them. It was an obsession upon the part of Stanley, who
desired to show folks that when it came to raising cattle no one could
surpass the Irish farmer.
Henry Beger carried on a boot and shoe store on the southwest corner of
Mokelumne and Third streets.
Julius Brietbarth, who bought the southeast corner of Mariposa and Third
streets, and conducted a boot and shoe business there, was known for the
fine stock of goods that he carried in his line. Julius and his family
lived in a part of this building. He was considered one of the best shoe
and boot makers in this section of the state. It must be remembered that
in the early days bootmaking was done by hand. As boots
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were generally worn, an artisan superior in this line usually gained wide
recognition. Julius was a very jovial man when away from the shop which
gave rise to the rumor that sometimes things were not pleasant at home. On
one occasion, he took a shot at himself, but his suicidal attempt failed.
After accumulating quite a competence, he died, leaving all he possessed
to his wife.
A noted character in his day, in San Juan, was John Anderson, commonly
known as "The Tinsmith." Anderson conducted a tinware store in the
building formerly occupied by McMahon's merchandise store, on the
southeast corner of Polk and Third street. Like all early artisans,
Anderson was not only a good tinsmith but he carried an excellent stock of
goods as well. He married a young woman who had formerly been in the
employ of the Flint-Bixby Company as a cook. It was rumored, from time to
time, that he made life unpleasant for his wife. After her death he
married Mrs. Julius Brietbarth and moved his tinware store to the
Brietbarth building previously mentioned. A rumor became prevalent that
all was not harmonious between Anderson and his second wife, owing to the
fact that he admitted that he had to sleep in the tank-house connected
with the residence. However, their married life did not last long. Mrs.
Anderson, the second, in due time, passed away and, having no heirs, all
her property, which amounted to considerable, passed to John Anderson.
John held on to his means tighter than the bark on a tree but, eventually,
the Grim Reaper came along and carried John away. Not knowing what to do
with the property at his death, he bequeathed it all to the I.O.O.F. lodge
of San Juan, of which he was a member.
So goes the weaving and spinning and cutting of the threads of life!
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CHAPTER XXIX
Flint-Bixby Co.'s sheep enterprise in early days--Some of the Business
houses between 1870 and 1880-- In later years many changes in San Juan
took place.
WHEN the Flint-Bixby Co., drove across the plains their band of sheep it
numbered upwards of four thousand head. Afterwards they sent east, to
Vermont, and had shipped to them a French Merino buck which, at one time,
when sheared, yielded forty-two pounds of wool. The rapidity with which
the Flint-Bixby Co.'s herd multiplied may be imagined from the fact that
it took from fifteen to twenty men to herd and look after the sheep. The
company was the first to introduce into California the Spanish Merino
sheep, which also were brought from Vermont. The climate, combined with
the abundance of feed, caused the flocks to multiply rapidly. The company
made it a point to hire none but Americans to shear their sheep, and it
was not long ere it took sixteen shearers from fifty to sixty days to
shear the flocks. The shearer would average close to one hundred sheared
sheep a day, and the pay was six and a quarter cents for each sheep. In
addition to this stipend the shearers received their board and lodging.
They were always comfortably lodged, in a large bunk-house, which
contained an enormous fireplace.
At times scab was prevalent amongst the sheep, and this disease was cured
by driving the sheep into a long narrow vat, filled with boiled tobacco
juice. The long trough, containing this juice, was constructed in such a
fashion that the sheep had to swim through it from one end to the other,
thus completely covering and soaking their fleeces with the tobacco juice.
From the trough the sheep made their way up into a large pen
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which contained a slanting floor. This slant conducted the tobacco juice
that ran off the sheeps' bodies back into the trough. The yearlings would
be shorn in the fall.
The fame of their herd spread throughout the state, and they had a
splendid trade in selling bucks to other flock owners who desired to
improve the quality of their herds.
The Flint-Bixby Company were interested in various enterprises amongst
which might be mentioned the Coast Line Stage Company, The Serra Benito
Quicksilver Company, and the California Beet Sugar Company.
Of the Flint family the following sons of Dr. Flint survive: Thomas Flint,
Jr., who resides in Hollister and Richard Flint, who runs a dairy on the
bank of the San Benito river, on the site of the old crossing, where the
travelers in early days took the road leading to the San Joaquin Valley,
via the Pacheco Pass. Benjamin Flint, now deceased, at the time of his
death, owned a place on the south bank of the San Benito river on the west
side of the grant. He was a son of Benjamin Flint, Sr.
Herewith are some of the business houses that were in San Juan between
1870 and 1880.
The brick building, now occupied by the Abbe Company, has sheltered many
tenants. After the big fire in San Juan, that destroyed so much property
on Third street, Dan Harris moved into this building, which the fire had
not touched. In it he conducted a merchandise store. Eventually Dan turned
over the business to his brother, Sam Harris. Sam, after conducting this
business for a year or so, sold out to another partner and went to Santa
Clara.
William Prescott, son of one of the earliest settlers in the San Juan
Valley, still lives on the home place and is one of the most highly
respected men in the valley. The elder Prescott was the first settler in
the San Juan Valley that bored for and obtained artesian water. He also
enjoyed the distinction of being the first farmer in the valley to set out
an orchard. After
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his parents' death, William Prescott succeeded to the farm and has
continued it ever since. He was, for a number of years, elected supervisor
from the San Juan district. During his tenure of office he laid out and
graded the San Benito county portion of the Chittenden road, which is one
of the finest scenic roads leading into Watsonville. This route is far
superior to any other. By laying out this Chittenden Pass road Mr.
Prescott succeeded in eliminating the more torturous road by "The Rocks."
Notwithstanding that his family is all grown up, "Bill" Prescott still
sticks to the farm as rugged and hardy as ever.
One of the earliest settlers in the San Juan Valley was John Salthouse,
who was farming there during the '50's. His nephew, the late John Welch,
succeeded to the ownership of his farm, John Welch engaged in the butcher
business, first in San Juan then in Hollister and eventually was elected
county treasurer of San Benito county, which position he filled for years,
until death removed him from the scene of his labors. Some of the Welch
heirs still retain the Salthouse property.
Haydon Dowdy's heirs still retain possession of what was always known as
the "Dowdy farm." His son, Frank Dowdy, now manages it. Haydon Dowdy, in
his day, was the most conspicuous figure in San Benito county's politics.
A strong and ardent Democrat, he was conceded to be, for years, the
political boss of that county. A fine, honest and upright man was Haydon
Dowdy. Mrs. Dowdy, still alive, resides in Hollister. The McKee family's
farm, in San Juan Valley, is still managed by the heirs. Mrs. J. B. McKee
unable to do her housework boards and lodges in Hollister.
The Andrew Abbe home on First street, San Juan, is still in the possession
of the heirs.
One of the outstanding citizens of San Juan has always been P. E. G.
Anzar, familiarly known to everyone in this section of the county as
"Lupe" Anzar. Mr. Anzar was born in 1851, in the lower story of the Plaza
Hotel building. In
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his youth he attended the San Juan schools; later on going to Santa Clara
College, which he attended until the year 1871 when he went to Los Angeles
and engaged in business there until 1876. On his return from Los Angeles
he married Mary Breen, widow of the late William Breen, with whom I
attended school, in San Juan, in the early days. Mrs. Anzar was born in
the Plaza Hotel building, also. She was the daughter of Angelo Zanetta.
When a girl she attended the sisters' convent at San Juan.
To Mr. and Mrs. Anzar have been born twelve children. This estimable
couple celebrated their golden wedding about two years ago. They are two
of the most respected residents in San Benito county. They are hale and
hearty and enjoy the friendship of numerous friends and the loving
kindness of their children; and, hand in hand, they are journeying through
life.
Fernando Zanetta was born at Monterey in 1855, and soon after his birth
his parents moved to San Juan. Mr. Zanetta is still alive and enjoys life
by sitting, on sunshiny days, on a bench alongside the Plaza livery
stable, conducted by his brother "C. C." Zanetta. If you want the history
of San Juan told by a man thoroughly conversant with the history of that
oldtime town, wake up Fernando, sit down beside him and enjoy hearing
stories of the past. He is equal to Mark Regan when started. He can tell
you about the bull fights, the early overland stages, the early mission
fathers and the various tragedies connected with San Juan. He will regale
you with many reminiscences that pour volubly from his lips. One of the
interesting incidents that he will relate is that he formerly drove the
stage between Hollister and San Juan, and that one of the notable events
connected with his career as a stage-driver was the day that he had the
honor of taking Ike Mylar and his blushing bride over to Hollister on the
day they were married.
One of the old residents of the valley was R. G. Norton, who lived a half
mile from the east end of the lane. Mr. Norton died some years ago but his
heirs still occupy the place.
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One of the old-timers well and favorably known throughout San Benito
county until his death was William Burnett. Mr. Burnett was, at one time,
sheriff of San Benito county and has ever since been credited as the only
sheriff that ever came out of office with any money. Jere Croxon, present
sheriff of the county, is married to one of Mr. Burnett's daughters.
Burnett was a former stage driver and in early days ran an independent
stage line between Monterey and San Juan. In after years he ran a stage
from San Juan to New Idria. It was Burnett's stage that passed a half hour
earlier than usual going towards New Idria on the day that Vasquez raided
Paicines, and killed three men. Burnett's farm is the first farm north of
the Middle of the Lane.
From 1872 to 1880, San Juan began to recover from the many misfortunes
that had overtaken her, the principal one being the smallpox epidemic.
Business commenced to start up in the old town. Ike Oderkirk established a
fine blacksmith shop on the corner of Second and Tuolumne streets. He had
five men employed and they were all kept busy.
Samuel Waldenburg, who had married Hulda, daughter of E. A. Reynolds,
started a general merchandise store located on the west side of Second
street, between Tuolumne and Jefferson streets. After leaving San Juan,
Waldenburg conducted the hotel at Firebaugh's ferry, on the San Joaquin
river. This he conducted with success for many years.
James Collins and John Silk ran a saloon located close to Waldenburg's
store.
On the northwest corner of Jefferson and Secon streets, Morris Sullivan
built and conducted a general merchandise store.
On the southwest corner of Jefferson and Second streets George Pullen
built and conducted a livery stable. Pullen, at that time, was proprietor
of the National Hotel.
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The blacksmith and carriage shop, on the southwest corner of San Jose and
Second streets, was conducted by E. W. Bowman and sons; Clarence, a
blacksmith; William, a wheel-wright and Walter, a painter. They also
employed a smithy and helper to shoe horses. They branched out in the
manufacture of wagons and buggies and also manufactured what was known,
and popular, for years, among the farmers, as the "Bowman Gang Plow."
E. W. Bowman bought an outside lot on Fourth street and planted it to
trees and cultivated this orchard until he retired from business. He
finally sold a portion of this tract on which is located, at the present
time, the San Juan water works. Clarence Bowman, after disposing of his
business in San Juan, located near Corralitos, in Santa Cruz county, with
his two brothers, William and Walter. All three engaged in the nursery
business at that place, and their venture proved to be a very successful
one. William Bowman has been in Sacramento for years. Clarence, after
buying a farm in Pleasant Valley and raising a fine orchard, sold or
traded it and moved away. His present residence is unknown to me. Walter
is still at, or near, Corralitos. Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Bowman are deceased.
In July, 1870, Peter Breen, son of Patrick Breen, Sr., who was one of the
Donner Party, was drowned in the Pajaro river, at the junction of that
stream with the San Benito river, whilst swimming with some companions. He
rode his horse into the deep water and it was thought the horse must have
struck him in some manner. His body did not come to the surface. It was
recovered by a diver. He was unmarried.
Between 1870 and 1880, at different times, the merchants of San Juan were
as follows: Morris Sullivan, Joseph Bowie, F. A. Bacher, M. Gardella, B.
Samit and M. Filloucheau.
William Cortney moved his store from Hollister into the building vacated
by Joseph Bowie, on the northwest corner of Third and Washington streets.
I well remember that store. I
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entered it, one day, for a purchase, and was waited on by Lizzie Cortney,
the daughter of William Cortney. The girl had her jaws tied up and
declared the affliction was mumps. Thinking that I had had all the
diseases that a person was heir to I did not give it another thought. But,
in a few days, I was laid up in bed with the mumps. I lived in a home, on
the opposite side of the street, that had been occupied by William
Prescott, he having lived there for a short time. In the bedroom I
occupied some one had written with a pencil, "This is hell!" It seems the
writer of the assertion had been confined there with the same disease.
William Cortney later, sold his business in San Juan and located in
Watsonville, on the east side of Main street, in a building that is now
known as the "Kimona Shop." At that time he conducted it as a hotel.
Chas. Fowler, Jr., the son of Chas. Fowler who owned a farm in the
Springfield district and ran a threshing machine for years, married Lizzie
Cortney. Chas. Fowler, Jr., was the brother of Mrs. Jack Shea, of Brennan
street, Watsonville.
The proprietor of the Plaza Hotel was A. Camours and the Plaza livery
stable was conducted by A. Zanetta.
Dr. C. G. Cargill, who opened a well appointed drug store in connection
with his practice, was appointed postmaster and was agent for Wells Fargo
& Company's Express. Later, when the telephone came in vogue, he also had
this office in connection with his other enterprises.
The San Antonio Rancho had been partitioned and sold. Joseph Machado had
bought the southeast lot of twelve hundred acres on which he had a dairy.
The highway from San Juan to Salinas now runs through his tract.
Adjoining, on the west, was McAbee with another large acreage. On the west
from this was a lot bought by T. McMahon. Of two of these lots one was
sold to Phillip Dougherty, who was afterwards killed in the town of
Hollister by
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being thrown from a wagon. Tom Conner bought the other lot. These lots lie
one on each side of the "Rocks Road," between San Juan and Watsonville.
Dan Wilson also owned land on both sides of the Watsonville road. This
land extended to the road from San Juan to Sargent station. The line
bounds the cemetery, on the west.
North from Wilson's place is the J. B. McKee farm; north of McKee's place
John Mulligan resided. The E. J. Breen and Patrick Breen lands were farmed
by renters, as was also a part of the San Justo Rancho.
Many people traded in San Juan, and, on Sunday, you would see them
attending the churches, Protestant, and the old mission church.
The sisters of the convent could be seen marching their children, about
fifty or sixty in number, to church. You could meet men from all around
the country. Everyone was getting along nicely and appeared satisfied.
Times continued this way for some time and then the town began to slump.
First one would move away and then another.
The farmers on the San Antonio Rancho all moved away. The merchants left,
the blacksmith shop proprietors and other tradesmen did likewise. The
convent sisters took their little orphans and departed for Los Angeles.
Some of the waifs were sent to the Santa Cruz Orphans' school, others were
taken to the southern city. In the old mission yard, where you were wont
to hear the merry prattle of children at play, could be seen cattle
grazing. Petty thieves had ransacked the dormitories and rooms of the
building where the orphan children had been maintained and had robbed the
rooms of their furnishings and all paraphernalia that could be carried
away. The two-story brick building that was used for a school room and
dormitory, as well, the bricks and other material, were sold. Instead of
the usual crowd that, formerly would be seen, on Sundays, coming along the
corridor from the masses in the old mission, there were but a few left.
The Protestant church, in
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the town, found it extremely difficult to secure a minister that could
stay there on the living afforded. San Juan began to look almost like a
ghost town on the Mother Lode.
This condition of affairs went on for a number of years, when, one day a
stranger appeared in the town. He announced that he was looking for a
place where cement material could be procured, and stated that he had been
told to investigate the San Juan canyon. The business men, that were left,
had a confab with him, and seemed pleased with the assurances given them.
Ere long this stranger commenced to acquire the right-of-way for a
railroad from Chittenden to the San Juan canyon, in which he also bought a
plant site, and right-of-way for about two miles up the canyon. He brought
a force of men to the mission town to work laying tracks, grading, and
constructing bridges and culverts for the railroad. He also brought a
large number of men to work in the San Juan canyon grading for the San
Juan cement plant.
There was a large eating house built near the cement site and then
business prospects to San Juan began to loom up again. People from all
parts of the country began to come into the town looking for possible
locations and other means of livelihood. Before long all the hitherto
deserted buildings in the town were rented and carpenters commenced
erecting new structures. All sorts of business enterprises, came to San
Juan, restaurants, plumbing establishments, and a great many saloons.
One enterprising individual built a saloon on the right-of-way leading
into the San Juan canyon. At this place he could supply the wayfarers
coming and going with liquor refreshments. Real estate men commenced to
take cognizance of the new state of affairs and property that hitherto
went begging now commenced to change hands.
Mark Regan, the veteran jehu reaped a rich harvest as his stage plied
between Sargent station and the old mission town; (or, as Mark always
described it, "the mother of all the missions,") loaded with passengers.
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Soon work on the cement plant commenced, and a large force of men were
engaged in pouring cement and laying the foundations.
Geo. Tremaine, who owned a fine orchard in San Juan canyon, divided his
holdings up into lots, many of which were sold.
One day the cement plant's train of cars came into the old mission town
and San Juan had a railroad at last. The first freight agent appointed on
the new railroad was Mark Regan. He was freight agent, conductor and
brakeman and on all the passes that he issued he signed himself
superintendent of the San Juan-Portland Cement Co.'s Railroad. He had a
bus at the little station and his driver would take you to any part of the
town.
Soon after the railroad was completed, from Chittenden to the cement plant
site, the machinery for the plant began to arrive. The place became a
beehive of industry. Some of the pieces of machinery used in the plant
were so long that they were stretched on top of from two to three flat
cars. Some of the machinery weighed tons, in fact, all the machinery for
the plant was very heavy. This machinery and steel to be used in the plant
kept constantly arriving and when stretched out on the ground covered
fully two or three acres of the plant's holdings.
Then something happened! The men were laid off. They hung around for a
while. Surely this big enterprise could not stop now. Over half a million
dollars were invested in the enterprise. But, everything connected with it
stopped. The men who had thus far managed the project went away, and
everything connected with the undertaking was left in a state of
confusion.
The machinery was left on the ground to rust, so was the locomotive,
standing idly by, and thus it remained until
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some of the creditors came to San Juan and shipped a large portion of the
machinery and other paraphernalia away. San Juan was left to sink into the
slough of despondency, again.
After a while--some time after--a new company was formed who took over the
holdings of the former promoters and shipped in there the necessary
machinery and commenced work without any preliminary fussing or blowing.
While this cement industry has helped San Juan, in a way, it has not been
what the people had been led to expect as regards the great benefit which
they would derive from it.
Poor old San Juan Bautista! You have seen many happy and many despondent
days. You have been knocked down and dragged out, kicked, and cuffed, and
almost took the count; but, still you are in the ring. San Juan has had
many handicaps. She never could expand on account of the large landownings
in her immediate vicinity. Imagine the result had Col. Hollister retained
the west half of the San Juan Valley in place of the east half.
Concluding these memoirs, I feel that I have not done justice to the
memory of those early pioneers, or their descendants, of Old San Juan
Bautista.
They stand out clearly in my mind as the best there is in humanity.
True friendship is a rare gem; I found it in that old mission town.
Looking backward, the ever-changing kaleidoscope of life, brings
recollections of some very pleasant memories, as well as some sad ones.
It is hard to realize the great changes that have taken place in the old
home town; for San Juan Bautista will always be "home town" to me.
FAREWELL
Early Days at the Mission San Juan Bautista - End of Chapters XXVI-XXIX