Man Behind Cuyama Valley Indian Massacre (12 pages)

.GE 40 THECALIFORNIANS VOLUME12/N 0. 3 fell Eagle to stay in hell. I don’t need another slaughter like we up at Saganui Valley.” [here were no white men with dogs,” Takac said. Jo white men with dogs, just stupid red men to send others over fs and into swift rivers. A slaughter.” We need you, José Jesus. The People are eating dirt. They want lie.” They got no reason to live. Why not eat dirt and die?” The ghost dance will give the People some inspiration to live. them dance and sing and smile and join one with the other. ve got to help them through these hard times.” Not me. I’m finished. All the old spirits are finished.” The People must survive, José Jesus. You've got to help the ople survive.” Nope. Get some other fool. I’m leaving this place.” And I did. I got my little sack of mementos and left Chief Takac’s lage up in the hills. A month or so later I heard the details of his ost dance. Ghost Dance. Ha! busy-bodies. Ghost dance. Ha! 4 fiasco. A drunken brawl. There was no Eagle. No dead people myself a regular route woman and a cup of with secrets to tell. Just a bunch of drunks flopping around in the dust. Another slaughter. I went over to the white man’s town of Porterville. I made myself alittle lodge up on a hill away from any trouble. The whites didn’t care about any old digger-man, and pretty much left me alone. Some of the children yelled names at me and tripped me up with a stick between my legs, but that’s the way of all children. . got ~ like an old beagle dog — bread from this bean soup from another. The days passed. The years passed. The only bother I had was from a few snoops. They kept coming around with questions about the old days. Questions, always questions. But . always insulted them and they went away. They drove away in their two-wheeled carts and their buckboards and on their fat geldings. Busybodies. No-good, damn ‘cause these days if it appears in print ree times, it is taken as absolute fact. I ype this is not true. Rudecinda (“Cindy”) Lo Buglio Janesville is not true at The Californians, which is hy we've begun indexing letters and errata in ar annual indexes. Author Debra Ginsburg ‘ports that several months ago she met Victor epulveda of Orange City (great-great grandm of Don Jose) , and forwarded a copy of your tter to him as it appears that ‘you two may ossibly be long-lost cousins. —Jean S. Year Michael and Jean Sherrell: recently finished my first issue of your horoughly fascinating magazine. . read it over-to-cover, which is a first. Usually 1 vill receive a periodical, browse through he articles that interest me, and leave it on he coffee table mostly unread for a month sr two until it gets thrown away. This is the jitst magazine I’ve read where . found each and every article educational, informative and entertaining. The writing is crisp, clear and easy to follow. And the photographs and illustrations are outstanding. A wonderful publication! I have always been interested in California history. More specifically, 1 would like to find out more information on the history of western Contra Costa County (I was born in Richmond and raised in Pinole), from exploration to the early settlement and evolution of today’s cities. If you could provide me with some leads on where to go for research on this topic, I would be most grateful. . would like to develop an article on the region that I could possibly submit to you for publication. Also, if this letter makes it into your “Letters” column, I would like to ask your many readers for any information they might have. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Again, thank you very much for producing such a completely enjoyable publication. As an ardent enthusiast of California history, I anxiously await your next issue. Keep up the great work! Dean Brightman 8146-B Northlake Dr. Dublin, CA 94568 You might want to begin with your area’s museums, libraries and historical societies, then check the California State Library's California History Collection ( Sacramento) and the Bancroft Library at UC-Berkeley. Sometimes newspapers have their older editions on microfilm. Local genealogists can be helpful, as well as the Society of Pioneers (San Francisco) and teachers of history. We're publishing your address so that readers with more specific suggestions can contact you directly. —Jean S. Dear Editor: I want to thank you for the article about John Rollin Ridge (“The Sweet Sad Song of Yellow Bird, California’s Confederate Cherokee,” Vol. 8 #4). I only knew of his killing someone and that he was a poet. I know all about John Ridge, his father (who was my great, great, great grandfather) and Major Ridge (who was John Ridge’s father) — even back to Oconostota, War Chief, who captured Fort Loudin — (he was Major Ridge’s father). I also know of Stand Watie’s life. My great, great grandmother was Florinda Ridge, sister of John Rollin Ridge. My mother and grandfather taught me my heritage ever since I was about nine years of age, when we had to give a report in the classroom on our heritage. On my father’s side, we are related to the Starrs, who were also Cherokee, and Beloved Woman, Nancy Ward (Ghi-ga-u) and the Adaits. The picture of [Yellow Bird's} daughter looked exactly like my mother in her teens and my mother’s youngest brother favored John Rollin Ridge in some ways. Barbara J. George Gardena Editor, Yes, I did enjoy the first copy of The Californians that I received — and it was a bonus pleasure to find the names of my great-grandparents mentioned within its pages. Mary Vinson Lemon Grove Dear Californians Magazine, You are packed full of excellent articles. I was especially impressed with Carrie Williams’ “Diary” and the Alcatraz story; the Tall Strangers, the Russian priest and Kit Carson articles, etc. Oh yes, and I do read all the letters to the Editor — I like the-one from Carol Roeder, teacher near King City. 1 wish more schools used this fine magazine. Wish I'd had it when I taught Calif. history at Elk Grove Sr. High. Sylvia H. Younger Santa Rosa Dear Editor: In your last issue (Vol. 11, No.2) as soon as I saw the trays of apricots drying I dug into [Joe Osterman’s] story “Under Old Saddleback: A Vanishing Valley and Its People.” It’s because . am writing the history of a local fruit ranch, to tell about dry yards and the drying of apricots, peaches, grapes prunes and walnuts in the SUN. No one knows anything about sun drying , ued 5

.GE 40 THECALIFORNIANS VOLUME12/N 0. 3 fell Eagle to stay in hell. I don’t need another slaughter like we up at Saganui Valley.” [here were no white men with dogs,” Takac said. Jo white men with dogs, just stupid red men to send others over fs and into swift rivers. A slaughter.” We need you, José Jesus. The People are eating dirt. They want lie.” They got no reason to live. Why not eat dirt and die?” The ghost dance will give the People some inspiration to live. them dance and sing and smile and join one with the other. ve got to help them through these hard times.” Not me. I’m finished. All the old spirits are finished.” The People must survive, José Jesus. You've got to help the ople survive.” Nope. Get some other fool. I’m leaving this place.” And I did. I got my little sack of mementos and left Chief Takac’s lage up in the hills. A month or so later I heard the details of his ost dance. Ghost Dance. Ha! busy-bodies. Ghost dance. Ha! 4 fiasco. A drunken brawl. There was no Eagle. No dead people myself a regular route woman and a cup of with secrets to tell. Just a bunch of drunks flopping around in the dust. Another slaughter. I went over to the white man’s town of Porterville. I made myself alittle lodge up on a hill away from any trouble. The whites didn’t care about any old digger-man, and pretty much left me alone. Some of the children yelled names at me and tripped me up with a stick between my legs, but that’s the way of all children. . got ~ like an old beagle dog — bread from this bean soup from another. The days passed. The years passed. The only bother I had was from a few snoops. They kept coming around with questions about the old days. Questions, always questions. But . always insulted them and they went away. They drove away in their two-wheeled carts and their buckboards and on their fat geldings. Busybodies. No-good, damn ‘cause these days if it appears in print ree times, it is taken as absolute fact. I ype this is not true. Rudecinda (“Cindy”) Lo Buglio Janesville is not true at The Californians, which is hy we've begun indexing letters and errata in ar annual indexes. Author Debra Ginsburg ‘ports that several months ago she met Victor epulveda of Orange City (great-great grandm of Don Jose) , and forwarded a copy of your tter to him as it appears that ‘you two may ossibly be long-lost cousins. —Jean S. Year Michael and Jean Sherrell: recently finished my first issue of your horoughly fascinating magazine. . read it over-to-cover, which is a first. Usually 1 vill receive a periodical, browse through he articles that interest me, and leave it on he coffee table mostly unread for a month sr two until it gets thrown away. This is the jitst magazine I’ve read where . found each and every article educational, informative and entertaining. The writing is crisp, clear and easy to follow. And the photographs and illustrations are outstanding. A wonderful publication! I have always been interested in California history. More specifically, 1 would like to find out more information on the history of western Contra Costa County (I was born in Richmond and raised in Pinole), from exploration to the early settlement and evolution of today’s cities. If you could provide me with some leads on where to go for research on this topic, I would be most grateful. . would like to develop an

article on the region that I could possibly submit to you for publication. Also, if this letter makes it into your “Letters” column, I would like to ask your many readers for any information they might have. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Again, thank you very much for producing such a completely enjoyable publication. As an ardent enthusiast of California history, I anxiously await your next issue. Keep up the great work! Dean Brightman 8146-B Northlake Dr. Dublin, CA 94568 You might want to begin with your area’s museums, libraries and historical societies, then check the California State Library's California History Collection ( Sacramento) and the Bancroft Library at UC-Berkeley. Sometimes newspapers have their older editions on microfilm. Local genealogists can be helpful, as well as the Society of Pioneers (San Francisco) and teachers of history. We're publishing your address so that readers with more specific suggestions can contact you directly. —Jean S. Dear Editor: I want to thank you for the article about John Rollin Ridge (“The Sweet Sad Song of Yellow Bird, California’s Confederate Cherokee,” Vol. 8 #4). I only knew of his killing someone and that he was a poet. I know all about John Ridge, his father (who was my great, great, great grandfather) and Major Ridge (who was John Ridge’s father) — even back to Oconostota, War Chief, who captured Fort Loudin — (he was Major Ridge’s father). I also know of Stand Watie’s life. My great, great grandmother was Florinda Ridge, sister of John Rollin Ridge. My mother and grandfather taught me my heritage ever since I was about nine years of age, when we had to give a report in the classroom on our heritage. On my father’s side, we are related to the Starrs, who were also Cherokee, and Beloved Woman, Nancy Ward (Ghi-ga-u) and the Adaits. The picture of [Yellow Bird's} daughter looked exactly like my mother in her teens and my mother’s youngest brother favored John Rollin Ridge in some ways. Barbara J. George Gardena Editor, Yes, I did enjoy the first copy of The Californians that I received — and it was a bonus pleasure to find the names of my great-grandparents mentioned within its pages. Mary Vinson Lemon Grove Dear Californians Magazine, You are packed full of excellent articles. I was especially impressed with Carrie Williams’ “Diary” and the Alcatraz story; the Tall Strangers, the Russian priest and Kit Carson articles, etc. Oh yes, and I do read all the letters to the Editor — I like the-one from Carol Roeder, teacher near King City. 1 wish more schools used this fine magazine. Wish I'd had it when I taught Calif. history at Elk Grove Sr. High. Sylvia H. Younger Santa Rosa Dear Editor: In your last issue (Vol. 11, No.2) as soon as I saw the trays of apricots drying I dug into [Joe Osterman’s] story “Under Old Saddleback: A Vanishing Valley and Its People.” It’s because . am writing the history of a local fruit ranch, to tell about dry yards and the drying of apricots, peaches, grapes prunes and walnuts in the SUN. No one knows anything about sun drying , ued 5