Collection: Books and Periodicals

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Title: A Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California (1891) Collection Type: Books and Periodicals Publisher: Lewis Publishing Company Published: 1891 Copyright: In the public domain or published before 1925 Source(s): Google Books # of Pages: 713 Download PDF: User Login Required Download OCR Text: User Login Required

Date Scanned: 2024-07-22 00:25:09 Item Sourced From: PDF First Created: 2025-03-17 03:11:29 Last Updated: 2025-03-17 06:30:36

Original Held At: Searls Historical Library Location: 161 Nevada City Hwy, Nevada City, CA 95959

Page: of 713  

128 HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. Bartleson’s, of which the celebrated Captain Weber was a member, but his parsimoniousness with them did not redonnd to his honor. He took but slight part in the troubles of 1846-47, but much interest in politics, desiring to see California become a part of the United States. In 1848 his house was robbed, and he tried his fortune in the mines. He was finally murdered for his money, by a party of young Californians, on the road between his ranch and Martinez, about September 24, 1856, at the age of fiftytwo years. One of the murderers was ten years later sent to prison for life. Although a man of honesty and more than ordinary ability, his persistent parsiinony kept him constantly in trouble. His ranch is still known by his name. He was the first to raise grain in the county, but Elam Brown was the first to raise it on a large scale for the market. Enormoue yields of wheat are reported for those early days,—50 to 105 bushels per acre! About two-thirds of the cultivated land in the county is now devoted to wheat. Before the advent of Dr. Marsh, in 1823, Francisco Castro and Ignacio Martinez obtained grants of land and the next year settled upon them,—the former upon the San Pablo Rancho and the latter upon the Pinole. These were the actual pioneer settlers of this county. Their nearest neighbors were the Peralta family at San Antonio and the Castros at San Lorenzo. In 1826 Jose Maria Amador settled upon the San Ramon Rancho. In 1828 Valencio occupied the Acalanes rancho (Lafayette), Felipe Briones, the rancho that bears his name, and Moraga the redwood rancho, or Lagunas Palos Colorados. Briones was afterward killed by the Indians. In 1828 came also Salvio Pacheco. THE TOWN OF MARTINEZ takes its name from Ignacio Martinez or his family. Ignacio was born in the city of Mexico in 1774, became a military man and as such came to California in 1800. In 1829 he ob. tained the rancho Pinole, Contra Costa, and in 1836 settled thereon. In 1837 he was alcalde at San Francisco. He died some time before 1852, leaving several children. The town is a pleasant place, favored as a reridence of wellto-do San Franciscans. It possesses a fruitcanning eetablishment, and near by is a good fruit and vineyard country, much wine being made in the vicinity. It has good schools and churches. The county buildings are old and no way noteworthy. Martinez was incorporated in 1885, and has gas and water. At Antioch is a distillery. Pacheco, Concord, Clayton, Walnut Creek are lively agricultural towns, with much fruit and grape growing. From Byron and Point of Timber, four miles away, are shipped more chickens and eggs than from any other point in the State. Near Byron are the Byron Hot Springs, a popular sanitarium. At Martinez are published the Morning Item, established in 1884, and the Contra Costa Gazette, a weekly, 1858. At Antioch is the Ledger (1859), weekly. At Concord the Sun (1882), a weekly. All these are lively and thriving journals. THE MEXICAN LAND GRANTS in Contra Costa County have been: Boea de la Cafiada de] Pinole, 13,316 acres, to M. M. Valencha in 1878; Caiiada del Hambre y las Bolsas, 13,354 acres, to ‘Theodora Soto in 1866; Los Medanos, 8,859 acres, toJ. D. Stevenson in 1872, and Los Meganos, 13,316 acres to Alice Marsh in 1867; Las Juntas, 13,293 acres, to the heirs of William Welch in 1870; Laguna de los Palos Colorados, 13,316 acres, to J. Morgaga and others in 1878; Monte Del Diablo, 17,921 acres, to S. Pacheco in 1859; El Pinole 17,761 acres, to M. A. M. de Richardson in 1868; San Pablo, 17,939 acres to J. Y. Castro in 1873; San Ramon, 4,451 acres to Lev Norris, in 1882; El Sobrante, 20,565 acres, to J. J. and V. Castro, in 1883. In Contra Costa and Alameda counties: San Ramon, 16,517 acres, to J. M. Amador in 1865. At the close of the Mexican war the Californians had possession of 320 square miles of land within the present limits of