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Page: of 12
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1849 SETTLEMENT in Boston Ravine as shown in the “Mill Street in Grass Valley.
Northern Mines. Boston Ravine was located on the end of
CHAPTER VII
BEGINNINGS OF THE GOLD CAPITAL
The accouchement of the city of Grass Valley, long considered the Gold Capital of California, was not marked by a
sensational strike or gold rush. Conversely, its. birth was
somewhat pastoral in setting, even bucolic. Oxen astray from
the Emigrant trail, a few miles to the eastward, are accredited
with prompting the first settlement and also bestowing its
name. Since the writers of the first two decades of its existence
are in substantial accord as to the beginning incidents, recourse is had to their finds and language:
William S, Byrne, writing in 1867, said:
“We have it on undisputed authority that some immigrants
== who crossed the plains in 1849, located in the fall of that year
on Badger Hill, about one-half mile east of the present townsite. The company consisted of a Dr. Saunders, a Captain
Brandon and two sons, Alexander and Greenbury. The parties
hill, in
one of the Brandons died of scurvy
and was buried on tte hill where now stands the Grass Valley
cemetery. .John Little, John Barry and the Fowler brothers
1849 on Badger Hill, near the Brandon
“Boston Ravine was named by a Boston company, which mined
very successfully in this portion of town in 1849, leaving in
December, 1850."
Harry L, Wells, in his sketch of Grass Valley (1880), wrote:
“The first actual settlers within the limits of the city
appear to have been a party of five emigrants who crossed the
plains in 1849 and built a cabin on Badger Hill, near the east
line of the -corporation, some time in the month of August.
The party consisted of Benjamin Taylor, Dr. Saunders, Capwhich they remained for someZenas H. Denman arrived August 12. John Little, John Barry,
and the Fowler Brothers also built a cabin in the same vicinity.
Boston Ravine, the point that early became of importance, and
was the chief settlement in this vicinity for two years, was
settled by a Boston company. Rev. H. Cummings was president
of this company, which arrived on the 23rd of September, 1849."
Rt will be noted that Byrne and Wells agree in fixing Badger
Hill (a: low elevation’ on the north side of the East Bennett
street road extension, now designated only as a mining loc:tion) as a site of the original settlement, although they differ
somewhat in the matter of names and minor details. Byrne
ignores the tradition of straying cattle, while Wells accepts
the version that emigrants from Greenhorn Creek camps, sighting the green valley while trailing their stock, decided to incate.
But there exists another and earlier version, that of Hugh
B. Thompson, written in 1861 (only twelve years removed from.
thé scene). It reads as follows:
“A portion of the emigration which came over the plains
at or near the junction of Steep Hollow Creek and Bear River,
for food, and were found living luxuriantly on good
By Edr
or simultaneous arrivals.
But Ben Taylor alon
drivers remained to en
create family relationshi
figure. (Further details r
The actual founding
Valley, as distinguished
mile distant from Main :
aggressive town for a .
the records. For exam;
brothers opened close t
marque store located i
Creek? The first direct
in Grass Valley is this:
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