Historical Clippings Book (HC-A) (49 pages)

Coast. The journey to California of John . Bidwell, who became an associate of ‘Tallman Rolfe as Natural Pioneer by Society Devoted to g Early History, Se 4 THE PUBLICATION OF THE S 5. OlbrTy . NEERS, termed “The Quarterly,” has ja liking for incidents of California 4 history prior to the Gold Discovery. SOThese narratives oftimes go far back ‘into the pastoral'days of the SpanishOF CALIFORNIA PIO-— Mexican regime, but the greater num-, ber deal with events in the 1840 de-. cade prior to the 1848-9 events which almost overnight changed the whole ‘course of eyents along the Pacific John A. Sutter; the remarkable adventures of Pearson B. Reading, for whom the town of Redding is named; the movements of Fremont, of Kear, ney, Mason and Sloat, and many other of the great figures of the pre-Am-erican days have been depicted with great fidelity, oftimes in the language . of the diaries kept by the principals” in the California drama. f San Juan Native at Helm , Oliver P. Stidger, native of North San Juan, has been for a number of, years one of the moving spirits in the Society of California pioneers, he’ retiring only recently as president of} ‘the Society. It was the father of} . My. Stidger, Judge O. P. Stidger, who; “conducted the San Juan Times during . ‘the Midas mining days of the RAGES and who at times dipped into the early . _ journalism of both Nevada City and} . Marysville. } Tells of Tallman Rolfe . The Quarterly, in one of its num. bers, devotes several pages to-.the, early life and journeys ang adventures of Tallman Rolfe, a compilation . of those letters is soon to be published t in The Union, Mr. Rolfe being among the number who came to Oregon and thence to California minus the stim‘ulus of the visions of fabulous wealth awaiting them at the end of the journey. As an introduction to the “Letters” the Quarterly’s sketch of Tallman Rolfe is republishéd herewith: TALLMAN HATHAWAY ROGLFE From a Memoriam By the Society of California Pioncers . » Tallman Hathaway Rolfe was born . in Rumford County, Maine, in 1824.) When he was ten years old his father moved with the family to Missourl and Jater to Illinois, f Tallman was of a studious disposi-. tion and although the opportunities for education in the West at that time) were unfavorable his love of books aided by a retentive memory, enabled _ him to teach himself, so that when he > was fourteen years of age he was re. garded as an authority in historical matters and was an excellent mathe-. maticlan, 4 iy'A > rved four ye = e se ployers. At eighteen years he com-— menced the study of law and continued i for two years. ‘ In 1845 when Rolfe had six months yet to become of age he determined to see the far West and he engaged to drive an ox team to Oregon for a man named Stevens, who gave the law student his keep in consideration for his services as bull-whacker. They started in March, 1845, reaching Oregon in the fall, where Rolfe located a claim on land 50 or 60 miles east from where Oregon City now stands, . Some of the party with whom he traveled across the plains went further’ westward and stopped at a small settlement, finding the families located there without a}. school for their children. The new-) comers told of their traveling companion, who could read and write, whom they warmly recommended for a. teacher. They sent for him and . . arranged that he should take charge of the school for $12 a month and board. He was privileged board around . with the parents of his scholars, The committee was compelled to tell Rolfe that he would have to take his ‘pay in wheat and as he had no use for wheat he decided not to accept. the position. They then asked if half cash and half wheat would be acceptable and to this he agreed but the cash could not be raised so he returned to his claim.fn 1847 Rolfe, with eight men, came to California overland, going to Monterey, where he found congenjal employment as 2 printer on the “Cal-ifornia Star,” There he remained until after the discovery of gold and “he got out the last copies of the Star . ‘after nearly every one else had rush. ed for the diggings. He then started . for. the mines with one companion, going from San Francisco in a whale . boat up the Sacramento and leather rivers. He went to Sutter’s Fort and acted as Salesman’ for Sam Brannan in a store during 1848-9. ‘Tn 1849 Rolfe and WWenry Cheyer took a flat boat loaded with building ,materials and goods for a store and ‘went to Yuba City and built the first . house erected there, There was an \Indian Village on the townsite and Edward Chever came down from the mines in September, 1849, and these {three men were the entire white pop. ulation at times. Rolfe was elected . Judge when the new Constitution was adopted, the first Judge of Sutter i County. . He tried mining without success and finally bought out the “Young j America,” a& newspaper published in Wevada, California, name to the and changeq its “Nevada Democrat.” Rolfe's record as 2 pioneer deserves yo pay a dollar a month towarg the remembrance, His was the true type ‘of pioneer enterprise, energy and res-. Mution, Sustained throlh life by al sturdy manhood and fraternal helpars in a printing office, mastering the business in all — . details and devoting his spare time to . the well stocked library of his em~— NEVADA, CALIFORNIA, ‘August 20th, 1856, To H. C. Rolfe, San Bernardino, California. Dear Brother: 4 : aye are again at work in the office of the Democrat after a suspension , of four weeks, and while the fire of — ) July 19th bereft us of our entire stock . in trade, we have been able, by the . help of friends, to get on our feet and get out a paper, a Copy of which iI send you, and call your attention ‘to its improved appearance. The loss of our ‘property and inter-' ‘yuption of business constitutes but a ismall portion of our misfortune. W. /B. Pearson, our partner, with A. J. Hagan, Sam Fletcher and Jay Johnson perished in the flames. They made a vain attempt to save the building but had no intention of remaining inside. Before they were aware of the danger, an adjoining building fire and there was no. escape. smith shop on Pine street about 3:39 and was purely accidental. <A strong wind was blowing and in less than an hour all the wooden structures in the business section were destroyed. Of the twenty-eight brick buildings in the town only six withstood the flames. The courthouse recently, built at an . expénse of $50,000 was also destroyjed together with all of its records. Fire Improves Business However, ‘it is an ill wind that! profits nobody.” _ You will recall that' our streets followed the miners’ trails, ' going in all directions and curving, about almost in circles. In rebuild-; ing, the Trustees are taking steps toward improving the streets by establishing new grades, cutting new laterals and straightening certain lines. The fire has also made business for} saw mills, J. N, Turner has been . cutting on an: average-of ten thousand feet per day, working 24 hours, The numerous mills in surrounding territory have all been busy supplying the demand for lumber. Meanwhile the Supervisors have been letting a contract to Bane and . Israel for the rebuilding of the court. : house, which will now have iron doors’ and shutters and be fireproof. contract calls for $18,500. Our citizens have formed an asso-. -; . clation for fire protection, A watch of six citizens will be detailed every}; night to guard the town. bon is the captain and will give his, entire time. The others will be required to take turns on the watch and wages for the captain. Red Dog’s Partisans I have just heard that the Demo-). ! fulness, Preparedness.—AGEent—‘“Why do you want fire insurance on your husband? That won't be any help when your husband passes away.” Youna Bripe—‘It’s so much cheaper 'and you see I intend to have him cre mated.”—Pathfinder. . . ella SS Se i AY orry.—A man on trial for his life was oT eX: > , jeni pene examined by a group of alienists. Suddenly one doctor shouted at him: Quick! How many feet has a centi. ped?” os ' The man came back in a dry voice, Gosh! Is that all you got to worry about?” —Punch Bowl, took Jes The fire broke out.in Hughes’ black+ i The! J. A. Mal{ , a ee! C) “3 P 4.

Coast. The journey to California of John . Bidwell, who became an associate of ‘Tallman Rolfe as Natural Pioneer by Society Devoted to g Early History, Se 4 THE PUBLICATION OF THE S 5. OlbrTy . NEERS, termed “The Quarterly,” has ja liking for incidents of California 4 history prior to the Gold Discovery. SOThese narratives oftimes go far back ‘into the pastoral'days of the SpanishOF CALIFORNIA PIO-— Mexican regime, but the greater num-, ber deal with events in the 1840 de-. cade prior to the 1848-9 events which almost overnight changed the whole ‘course of eyents along the Pacific John A. Sutter; the remarkable adventures of Pearson B. Reading, for whom the town of Redding is named; the movements of Fremont, of Kear, ney, Mason and Sloat, and many other of the great figures of the pre-Am-erican days have been depicted with great fidelity, oftimes in the language . of the diaries kept by the principals” in the California drama. f San Juan Native at Helm , Oliver P. Stidger, native of North San Juan, has been for a number of, years one of the moving spirits in the Society of California pioneers, he’ retiring only recently as president of} ‘the Society. It was the father of} . My. Stidger, Judge O. P. Stidger, who; “conducted the San Juan Times during . ‘the Midas mining days of the RAGES and who at times dipped into the early . _ journalism of both Nevada City and} . Marysville. } Tells of Tallman Rolfe . The Quarterly, in one of its num. bers, devotes several pages to-.the, early life and journeys ang adventures of Tallman Rolfe, a compilation . of those letters is soon to be published t in The Union, Mr. Rolfe being among the number who came to Oregon and thence to California minus the stim‘ulus of the visions of fabulous wealth awaiting them at the end of the journey. As an introduction to the “Letters” the Quarterly’s sketch of Tallman Rolfe is republishéd herewith: TALLMAN HATHAWAY ROGLFE From a Memoriam By the Society of California Pioncers . » Tallman Hathaway Rolfe was born . in Rumford County, Maine, in 1824.) When he was ten years old his father moved with the family to Missourl and Jater to Illinois, f Tallman was of a studious disposi-. tion and although the opportunities for education in the West at that time) were unfavorable his love of books aided by a retentive memory, enabled _ him to teach himself, so that when he > was fourteen years of age he was re. garded as an authority in historical matters and was an excellent mathe-. maticlan, 4 iy'A > rved four ye = e se ployers. At eighteen years he com-— menced the study of law and continued i for two years. ‘ In 1845 when Rolfe had six months yet to become of age he determined to see the far West and he engaged to drive an ox team to Oregon for a man named Stevens, who gave the law student his keep in consideration for his services as bull-whacker. They started in March, 1845, reaching Oregon in the fall, where Rolfe located a claim on land 50 or 60 miles east from where Oregon City now stands, . Some of the party with whom he traveled across the plains went further’ westward and stopped at a small settlement, finding the families located there without a}. school for their children. The new-) comers told of their traveling companion, who could read and write, whom they warmly recommended for a. teacher. They sent for him and . . arranged that he should take charge of the school for $12 a month and board. He was privileged board around . with the parents of his scholars, The committee was compelled to tell Rolfe that he would have to take his ‘pay in wheat and as he had no use for wheat he decided not to accept. the position. They then asked if half cash and half wheat would be acceptable and to this he agreed but the cash could not be raised so he returned to his claim.fn 1847 Rolfe, with eight men, came to California overland, going to Monterey, where he found congenjal employment as 2 printer on the “Cal-ifornia Star,” There he remained until after the discovery of gold and “he got out the last copies of the Star . ‘after nearly every one else had rush. ed for the diggings. He then started . for. the mines with one companion, going from San Francisco in a whale . boat up the Sacramento and leather rivers. He went to Sutter’s Fort and acted as Salesman’ for Sam Brannan

in a store during 1848-9. ‘Tn 1849 Rolfe and WWenry Cheyer took a flat boat loaded with building ,materials and goods for a store and ‘went to Yuba City and built the first . house erected there, There was an \Indian Village on the townsite and Edward Chever came down from the mines in September, 1849, and these {three men were the entire white pop. ulation at times. Rolfe was elected . Judge when the new Constitution was adopted, the first Judge of Sutter i County. . He tried mining without success and finally bought out the “Young j America,” a& newspaper published in Wevada, California, name to the and changeq its “Nevada Democrat.” Rolfe's record as 2 pioneer deserves yo pay a dollar a month towarg the remembrance, His was the true type ‘of pioneer enterprise, energy and res-. Mution, Sustained throlh life by al sturdy manhood and fraternal helpars in a printing office, mastering the business in all — . details and devoting his spare time to . the well stocked library of his em~— NEVADA, CALIFORNIA, ‘August 20th, 1856, To H. C. Rolfe, San Bernardino, California. Dear Brother: 4 : aye are again at work in the office of the Democrat after a suspension , of four weeks, and while the fire of — ) July 19th bereft us of our entire stock . in trade, we have been able, by the . help of friends, to get on our feet and get out a paper, a Copy of which iI send you, and call your attention ‘to its improved appearance. The loss of our ‘property and inter-' ‘yuption of business constitutes but a ismall portion of our misfortune. W. /B. Pearson, our partner, with A. J. Hagan, Sam Fletcher and Jay Johnson perished in the flames. They made a vain attempt to save the building but had no intention of remaining inside. Before they were aware of the danger, an adjoining building fire and there was no. escape. smith shop on Pine street about 3:39 and was purely accidental. <A strong wind was blowing and in less than an hour all the wooden structures in the business section were destroyed. Of the twenty-eight brick buildings in the town only six withstood the flames. The courthouse recently, built at an . expénse of $50,000 was also destroyjed together with all of its records. Fire Improves Business However, ‘it is an ill wind that! profits nobody.” _ You will recall that' our streets followed the miners’ trails, ' going in all directions and curving, about almost in circles. In rebuild-; ing, the Trustees are taking steps toward improving the streets by establishing new grades, cutting new laterals and straightening certain lines. The fire has also made business for} saw mills, J. N, Turner has been . cutting on an: average-of ten thousand feet per day, working 24 hours, The numerous mills in surrounding territory have all been busy supplying the demand for lumber. Meanwhile the Supervisors have been letting a contract to Bane and . Israel for the rebuilding of the court. : house, which will now have iron doors’ and shutters and be fireproof. contract calls for $18,500. Our citizens have formed an asso-. -; . clation for fire protection, A watch of six citizens will be detailed every}; night to guard the town. bon is the captain and will give his, entire time. The others will be required to take turns on the watch and wages for the captain. Red Dog’s Partisans I have just heard that the Demo-). ! fulness, Preparedness.—AGEent—‘“Why do you want fire insurance on your husband? That won't be any help when your husband passes away.” Youna Bripe—‘It’s so much cheaper 'and you see I intend to have him cre mated.”—Pathfinder. . . ella SS Se i AY orry.—A man on trial for his life was oT eX: > , jeni pene examined by a group of alienists. Suddenly one doctor shouted at him: Quick! How many feet has a centi. ped?” os ' The man came back in a dry voice, Gosh! Is that all you got to worry about?” —Punch Bowl, took Jes The fire broke out.in Hughes’ black+ i The! J. A. Mal{ , a ee! C) “3 P 4.