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  

/ HISTORY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. of the territury embraced within its limits. Subsequently, when it was thought that he could not hold all the land applied for, he endeavored to obtain a sobrante (surplus) grant for his children. Theodore Cordua obtained from Captain Sutter in the fall of 1852 a lease for nineteen years of the tract of land upon which Marysville is now located and erected at what is now the foot of D street an adobe dwelling-house, a store house or trading room, culinary department and out-houses. The spot was named New Mecklenburg by Captain Sutter, in honor of the place of nativity of Cordua. It soon became known, however, as Cordua’s ranch. Like Sutter, Cordua atilized the Indians in his vicinity. December 30, 1844, Cordua obtained from the Mexican government a grant of land bounded on the north by the Feather River and Honcnt creek, on the east by the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, on the south by the Yuba River and by the tract of land previously leased from Captain Sutter, and on the west by some other land and the Feather River, embracing about seven square leagues. Cordua’s house was located on the trail leading from the upper to the lower portion of the Sacramento Valley; and as the country became more densely settled travel on this road became more extensive until finally, in 1846, Cordna conceived the idea of establishing a trading post at his adobe structure. In the summer of 1847, when William G. Murphy arrived at the ranch, Cordua had in his employ fifteen or twenty {ndians and white men, among whom was Charles Covillaud, who acted as mechanic and overseer. At that time Cordua had also about 10,000 or 12,000 cattle and 500 wild mares. As to Theodore Chicard, or Sicard, see page 260. The Mexican land grants in Yuba County were: Honcut, 31,080 acres, patented to Charles Covillaud and others in 1863; Johnson Rancho, 22,197 acres, to William Johnson in 1857. In Yuba, Sutter and Sacramento counties: New Ifelvetia, 48,839 acres, to John A. Sutter in 1866. 283 About the tenth of February, 1850, J. H. Jewett and Ilorace Beach arrived at Yuba City with a train of packed mules from Sacramento.. Within a week they became fully convinced that the town across the river was to be the fortunate one, and they crossed over to it in a canoe, swimming the mules; the result ultimately showed the wisdom of their decision. During the first part of January the second steamer, the Lawrence, arrived, commanded by Captain E. C. M. Chadwick, and she was quickly followed by others, when business became brisk. January 15, Stephen J. Field, now of the United States Supreme Court, but then a young lawyer, arrived from New York and invested largely in lots, finding his legal knowlege of great use. Directly there were two candidates in the field fcr the office of first alealde, Mr. Field and Dr. Dobson. The principal objection to Mr. Field was that he had been in the place but three days, while Dr. Dobson had been there about a week, but Mr. Field was elected by a majority of nine votes. J. B. Wadleigh was elected second alcalde. T. M. Twitchell, ~who was elected sheriff, declined to serve, and Judge Field appointed Robert Buchanan. An ayuntamiento was also selected, but they had scarcely any duties to perform, leaving what little they had in the hands of Judge Field. In the midst of the hilarity on the evening after election, the subject of naming the town was brought up. Yubaville was thought too similar to Yuba City; Yubafield, Norwich, Sicardora, Sireumdora and other names were proposed, but no unanimity was reached until Rev. Mr. Wadsworth arose and in a neat little speach proposed Marysville, in honor of the beautiful wife of Mr. Covillaud; indeed, she was the only lady in the place. A good local government being organized here, a peaceable condition of the community was insured, and thus Marysville was safe from many of the disgraceful scenes characterizing most other initial towns. The original Yuba County, organized pursuant to act of February 18, 1850, embraced the