Enter a name, company, place or keywords to search across this item. Then click "Search" (or hit Enter).
Collection: Books and Periodicals
A Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California (1891) (713 pages)
Go to the Archive Home
Go to Thumbnail View of this Item
Go to Single Page View of this Item
Download the Page Image
Copy the Page Text to the Clipboard
Don't highlight the search terms on the Image
Show the Page Image
Show the Image Page Text
Reset View and Center Image
Zoom Out
Zoom In
Rotate Left
Rotate Right
Toggle Full Page View
Flip Image Horizontally
More Information About this Image
Get a Citation for Page or Image - Copy to the Clipboard
Go to the Previous Page (or Left Arrow key)
Go to the Next Page (or Right Arrow key)
Page: of 713
196 HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFURNIA.
recovered from the devastation of the floods of
1862. For some years he led the quiet life of a
farmer there, but afterward was a continual
haunter of Congress at Washington, where he
sought to obtain redress from the General Government for the barefaced robberies that had
been practiced upon him. In 1873 he removed
to Litiz, Pennsylvania, and on the 18th day of
June, 1880, died at Washington, District of
Columbia.
Sutter was a generous man. His manners
were polished, and the impression he made on
every one was favorable. In figure he was of
mediam height, rather stout but well made.
His head was round, features regular, with
smiling and agreeable expression, while his
complexion was healthy and roseate. He wore
his hair cut close, and his moustache trimmed
short a la militaire. He dressed very neatly
in frock coat, pantaluons and cape of blue.
Such was the man to whom California owes
so much, and upon whom she bestowed so
little.
Captain Juhn C. Fremont, the “ Pathfinder,”
arrived in this country in March, 1844, and in
his narrative thus describes the situation of
Sutter and his fort:
« Captain Sutter immigrated to this country
from the western part of Missouri, in 1838-39,
and formed the first settlement in the valley, on
& large grant of land which he obtained from
the Mexican Government. He had at first some
trouble with the Indians; but by the occasional
exercise of well-timed authority, he has succeeded in converting them into a peaceful and
industrious people. The ditches around his extensive wheat fields; the making of the sundried bricks of which his fort is constructed;
the plowing, harrowing and other agricultural
operations, are entirely the work of these Indians, for which they receive a very moderate
compensation—principally in shirts, blankets
and other articles uf clothing. In the same
manner, on application to the chief of the village, he readily obtains as many boys and girls
as he has any use for. There were at this time
a namber of girls at the fort, in training for a
future woolen factory; but they were now all
busily engaged in constantly watering the gardens. Mr. Sutter was about making arrangements to irrigate his lands by means of the
American River. He had this year sown, and
altogether by Indian labor, 300 bushels of
wheat.
“A few years since, the neighboring Russian
establishment of Ross, being about to withdraw
from the country, sold to him a large number
of stock, with agricultural and other stores,
with a number of pieces of artillery and other
munitions of war; for these, a regular yearly
payment is made in grain.
“ The fort is a quadrangular adobe structure,
mounting twelve pieces of artillery (two of them
brass), and capable of admitting a garrison of
1,000 men; this at present consists of forty
Indians, in uniform: one of whom is always
found on duty at the gate. As might be expected, the pieces are not in very good order.
The whites in the employ of Captain Sutter,
American, French and German, number thirty
men. The inner wall is formed into buildings
comprising the common quarters, with blacksmith and other work-shops, the dwellinghouses with a large distillery house, and other
buildings occupying more the center of the
area.
“It is built upon a pond-like stream, at times
a running creek, communicating with the
American River, which enters the Sacramento
about two miles below. The latter is here a
noble river, about 300 yards broad, deep and
tranquil, with several fathoms of water in the
channel, and its banks continuously timbered.
There were two vessels belonging to Captain
Sutter at anchor near the landing—one a large
two-masted lighter, and the other a schooner,
which was shortly to proceed on a voyage to
Fort Vancouver for a cargo of goods.”
Nothing now remains of the fort excepting
the main two-story building, which is still unprotected against the ravages of the elements
and the vandalisin of reckless boys. The south-