Sonoma County Biographies

The following autobiography has been furnished us by the distinguished captain and lawyer himself: The subject of this sketch is a native of the state of New York, but his childhood and early youth were principally spent in the Canadas. He was born in 1820, and consequently, at this writing, is fifty-nine years old, and was sixteen years of age at the breaking out of the Canadian rebellion. Boy as he was, being strongly imbued with the notions of a Republican form of government, he joined the patriot, or rebel side, and enlisted as a minute man, to take up arms against the British Government, and, on call, December 12, 1836, marched with Captain Dones' company, to join Duncom, at Norwich, who was raising forces to meet Sir Alan McNab, who was approaching that place with a formidable command of British soldiery. When en route to join Duncom, the company, near Otter Creek, were fired upon by the Tories from an ambush, where he received a rifle ball, which grazed the spine and lodged in his hip; which he still carries. The wound was slight, and in no degree disabled him. Without further adventure the company joined Duncom, but it was soon found that a sufficient force could not be collected to make a successful stand against the British regulars. Young Norton awoke one morning to find Duncom and the other officers, and most of the men gone, and notices posted, advising every man to seek his own safety. Norton, with a young companion, took up the line of march for home. The snow was about a foot deep on the ground, the weather was cold, and the boys were ninety miles from home, and entire strangers, not knowing friend from foe, and the enemy were emboldened by the cowardly conduct of Duncom, and hence there was but one show, and that was to take the main road for home, arms in hand, and brave it out; all that can be said here is, that there were numerous attempts to arrest, resistance made, and several shots exchanged; in fact, to that extent did the attack and resistance go, that it was reported and believed by his friends at home, that young Norton was killed, the Tories exhibiting a piece of his cap in confirmation of the assertion. He got within thirty miles of home when he was surrounded by a large force of the enemy and compelled to surrender, at Otter Creek, and was marched immediately to Simcoe Jail, where he remained, and at which place he received the name of "Davy Crockett," by which name he went during his long imprisonment. The name was suggested by the fact of the small wound caused by a bullet coming in close proximity to the skull, and the boys declared that, like Davy Crockett of old, the Tory bullets would not penetrate his hide. He remained two weeks a prisoner at Simcoe, when his friends learned that the report of his death was false, and that he was a prisoner, and that all excepting those deemed dangerous were admitted to bail. A portion of the prisoners were mere boys, and many on the account were discharged on their own recognisance who were older than "Davy," but when bail was offered for him it was refused, and he was then sent to London, where he remained a close prisoner for nine months; was indicted for high treason, but owing no allegiance to the Crown of England they could not convict, consequently, after recovering from a severe attack of typhoid fever, which prostrated him for three months, he was at last discharged, or rather given the choice to leave her Britannic Majesty's Dominion at once, or suffer death as a felon. He "left," and settled in Kane County, Illinois, where he engaged in the business of farming, milling, etc., and resided there about ten years, when the war with Mexico called on that State volunteers, and conceiving that he had some military genius, he commenced raising volunteers, but as a man named Harvey had also commenced recruiting for a company, Norton, for a time, discontinued his efforts; but it was soon discovered that Harvey had not the necessary influence to raise the company, so it was proposed to turn the skeleton company over to Norton, which was done. Norton proceeded to fill the company, and transported the same to Alton, Illinois, where they were mustered into service and marched to the seat of war, where he served with distinction. But as that part of his life has been written an published under the title of "Memoirs of the Mexican War, by Capt. L. A. Norton," it will be omitted in this brief sketch of his eventful life, but let it suffice here to say, with his command he ranged Tamaulipas, crossed the Sierra Madre Mountains, marched from Vera Cruz to the city of Mexico, and returned to New Orleans as Commissary of Gen. Patterson's staff-ship "Massachusetts," at the close of the war. In 1849 he was admitted to the bar, before the Supreme Court of Illinois, Trumball, Treat, and John Dean Caton presiding; made a flying visit to California in 1850, and finally returned and permanently settled in Placerville, El Dorado County, in 1852; he there first engaged in mining, and worked his claim, on Prospect Flat, during the hard winter of 1852-3, to gain a support for himself and three sick companions, when he was paying one dollar a pound for flour, same for bacon, potatoes, and everything in the shape of provisions, in the same ratio. In the spring, three roughs attempted to jump a portion of his claim; he submitted the matter to a miners' meeting, who decided that the claim belonged to the Captain, and proferred him a committee to place him in possession. He informed them that in case he needed them he would call on them. He went down early in the morning and commenced work personally. The jumping party arrived, when the Secretary read them the decision of the miners' meeting, (for they had refused to attend this meeting). They declared that they didn't care for the decision; they would work the claim or die in it; that they were from Kentucky, by G_d, and they were able to fight their way. The Captain remarked that he was not from Kentucky, neither was he a brave man, but that they had better look out, as an invasion of his rights might make a lion of him; and so far as their boast was concerned they might die on the claim, but they would never work it. And as Doctor Morse, who was Secretary of the meeting, tells the story, the leader of the gang seized a bright new pick, and it was difficult to say whether the gleam of the polished steel or the man's eye shone the most malignantly. He rushed upon the Captain, who seized the descending pick with his right hand and literally wrenched it from the man, and threw his left arm about him, and pinned him as in a ruse. The second made a terrific blow with a long-hauled mining shovel at the Captain's head. He instantly wheeled the man that he was holding under the blow, and the blow aimed at the Captain would most assuredly have killed his friend but for the fact that the doctor, seeing the blow descending, caught the force of it upon another uplifted shovel that he interposed just in time. The party striking, seeing what he would have done, leaned deadly pale, stepped back and sank upon the grass; when the third bounded forward with an uplifted spade and said: "Release that man or I will split you to the ground." The Captain exclaimed: "You coward, you dare not strike any one," dealing him a terrible kick which willed him to his feet; when the villain in the Captain's embrace remarked that the claim was not worth fighting about, and if he would release him they would leave. The Captain informed him that he should have thought of that before he commenced, at the same time thrusting his hand into the fellow's side pocket and drawing out a revolver, from which he removed the caps, threw it up on the bank, and then released his prisoner and held them to leave or he would kick them out of the ravine. They gathered up their tools and left. In wrenching the pick from the party, the Captain sprained his right arm to such an extent as to disable him from working in the mines for many months. He accordingly went to San Francisco purchased a library and commenced his practice as attorney at law; but having loaned some money on the goods and auction store of Cogwin & Co., was compelled to take the stock to save himself, and accordingly ran the business for two years; but when he discovered that his profession was worth more to him than his stock of goods, he closed out and again entered upon his profession as an attorney, having invested his all in buildings and town property in the city of Placerville. On the 5th of July, 1856, the city of Placerville was literally wiped out by fire, and he, in common with the rest, was left comparatively "broke," having but about three thousand dollars and his library left. But with his usual energy he soon rebuilt a portion of his burned district. Anterior to this date, however, in the spring of 1855, he visited Sonoma County, and then resolved as soon as he could change his location without much loss, to settle in that county, believing that every blow struck in the mining district impoverished the country, while every blow struck in an agricultural county enriched it. According to his preconceived project, the 1st day of July, 1857, found him again in Sonoma County, seeking a place to locate. He visited the Geysers, and on his return he became favorably impressed with the then small hamlet of Healdsburg and the broad acres of Dry Creek and Russian River bottom land lying on each side of the town site, while the little town itself was embowered in and overshadowed by a luxuriant shade of native oaks, with its varied and picturesque scenery with water as pure as ever flowed from a crystal fountain, a healthful climate without sand-flies, gnats or mosquitoes, to afflict humanity, he resolved to settle in Healdsburg, and take his chances to make a living at his profession. Among the first to renew an acquaintance at this place was "old man," Forsee, with whom he had been acquainted in El Dorado County. The old man informed him that there was a fine opening for him in Sonoma County, but that he must not go in with the land-grabbers. This was all knew to the Captain, and he was led to make inquiries as to what he meant by land-grabbers, when Judge Forsee proceeded to inform him that the county was covered with spurious grants, purporting to be Mexican grants, but which were fraudulent, and that he, Forsee, had united himself with the settlers to resist the claimants of Mexican title, both legally and forcibly. That the Fitch or Sotoyome Rancho was a fraud, that the patent issued therefor was a fraud, that on two sides there were no boundaries, etc., etc. The Captain visited Santa Rosa for the purpose of learning the facts from the records, when, instead of finding the grant without boundaries, he found the entire estate defined by the most substantial lines, and that the United States patent had been on record for more than five years. He returned to Healdsburg and opened an office, and soon found that all legal proceedings at this place amounted to a grand "comedy of errors," - deeds, embracing both sales of real and personal property, one half of them without a seal, many without acknowledgments, etc. The first case was, The People of the State of California vs. Charles P. McPherson, for an assault with a deadly weapon. The Captain was employed on the defense, and one James Reynolds (now dead) was prosecutor. The Justice, instead of sitting as a committing magistrate, took jurisdiction of the case to try it. The Captain didn't demur to the jurisdiction of the court. The evidence disclosed the fact that this client had, in the town of Geyserville, struck the complaining witness with a small stick, about one inch in diameter; but, unfortunately, there was a large sized splitting-chisel at one end of it, used for splitting iron in a blacksmith shop. The captain, however, convinced the jury that it was not among the deadly weapons described in the statute, and his man was acquitted on that charge, but, under the advice of counsel, McPherson pleaded guilty to an assault and battery, - receipts of first month's practice, thirty dollars. About this time a gentleman stepped into the office and introduced himself as Egbert Judson, of San Francisco, and said: "I am part-owner and agent of the new Sotoyome Rancho. The ranch is covered with redwood timber, and is only valuable for the timber, and I am being robbed by more than a hundred trespassers, who are cutting down and carrying away my timber in lumber, pickets, shakes, rails, and for other uses. The entire valley has been fenced, and is being fenced from my land. I started up here to see if I could do anything to save it. I stated my object to Colonel S. H. Fitch on the boat coming up, and told him that I was going to see if I could employ some attorney in Santa Rosa who would try and save my property. He replied that the man I wanted was in Healdsburg, that he knew you well, having served through the Mexican War with you, and if you undertook it you would accomplish it or die dying. He at the same time remarked that they were a desperate set of men, and that he expected they would kill any one who would attempt to stop them trespassing." The Captain told him that his encouragements were truly refreshing, but notwithstanding, for a reasonable consideration he would undertake it. After having fixed on a compensation, the captain said: "go back to San Francisco you are afraid of these men, and within two weeks you will find your worst fears realized, or I will be in possession of your land." Judson returned to San Francisco, and now I shall quote the captain's own language in describing his adventures in the settlement of the squatter troubles. He says: "When Judson left, I was in somewhat of a quandary how to commence my task, I was fully alive to the magnitude of the undertaking; I was aware that about a month before my arrival in Healdsburg a mob had taken and destroyed the field notes of Surveyor General Tracy, gave him four hours to leave or hang, and that a like mob had chased Dr. L. C. Frisbie, he only escaping by being mounted on a fleet horse, and from the known character of some with whom I had to deal, could scarcely hope to come out of the contest alive. First I thought I had better commence in the District Court and call to my aid the Sheriff's posse comitatus, and again I feared that that course would induce them to think that I was personally afraid of them, but a notice from the trespassers two days after my appointment, decided my course of action. The notice which I received informed me that if I dared to show myself in the redwoods, they would hang me to the first tree they came to. Accordingly, the next day I loaded myself down with iron and steel, got a horse, and started for the redwoods alone, having previously learned that their leader was a six-foot-and-a-half Irishman, in fact a perfect giant, by the name of McCabe, who would sally forth from his mountain hiding-place, come to Healdsburg, get half drunk, whip out the town, and return to the redwoods where he had his family. On my approach to the redwoods I enquired for McCabe's shanty; on reaching it, I found him seated on his shaving-horse making shingles. I dismounted, hitched my horse, and advanced toward him and said: "Is your name McCabe?" He replied in the affirmative. I added: 'Fighting McCabe?' 'They call me so sometimes.' I said: 'Well, Sir; I am that detested Judson's agent that you propose to hang to the nearest limb and have come to surrender myself in execution; my name is Norton.' He dallied a few moments with his drawing knife and then said: 'Suppose we carry our threat into execution.' I made answer that there was no doubt that they had force enough in the woods to do it, but there would be some of them that would not be worth hanging by the time it was done. He said: 'Well, Norton, what do you propose to do with us?' I replied: 'Mack, I intend to put every devil of you out of the woods, unless you carry your threat into execution.' He was silent for a minute, then said: 'Well, you look and act as if you meant all you say.' I answered: 'I mean every word of it.' 'Well,' said he, 'In case I leave, how long will you give a fellow to get off with his stealings?' I said: 'How long do you want, Mack?' He replied: 'A week or ten days.' I asked: 'Is two weeks sufficient?' He replied: 'It is.' 'Will you leave at that time?' 'I will.' I then said: 'That is enough between gentlemen.' Mack left according to agreement. I then went out into the woods where the axes were cracking on every side, some chopping, some splitting rails, others sawing bolts; in fact, it was a busy place. When I approached them I asked them what they thought they were doing there, if they did not know they were trespassers. They wanted to know who I was and what business I had there. I answered: 'I am the agent of Egbert Judson, the owner of this land and timber, and I forbid you to cut another stick and intend to make you pay for the trespass already committed. They commenced to gather around me, using the most insulting language; one of them, pointing to a large limb on a spreading oak, said: 'We will give you just two minutes to get out of this, and, unless you are gone by that time, we will string you up to that limb.' I drew a revolver and cocked it, and told them to keep their distance, that I would kill the first one that attempted to advance and asked them to give me their names as I intended to prosecute them, each and every devil. They gave me a laughable list which I will not attempt to copy here. After informing them that they were a set of cowardly scoundrels, and not a gentleman in the crowd, I left them and returned to Healdsburg. Johnson Ireland was the Justice of the Peace, and a firm, positive, honest man, and being satisfied that I could trust him, I brought about a hundred suits, using all the aliases I could think of, placed the papers in the hands of an officer, with instructions to serve all he could find in the woods, except my Irish giant, with directions to obtain their real names if possible. The actions were for trespass upon personal property, for taking and carrying away posts, rails, pickets, etc. I think the officer got service on sixty-two persons. The cases were set for hearing at twelve o'clock noon. The parties did not arrive in time, and I took a default against the crowd, and at two o'clock in the afternoon of the same day I was seated in my office (which was on the second floor over a store on West Street) conversing with a friend, when I heard some one hallooing on the street. I walked to the balcony, and saw that the street was crowded with men. Their spokesman called out, "Well, old fellow, there is a man up in the redwoods who wants to compromise with you." I inquired his friend's name. He replied: "Damn you, if you want my friend's name find it out the way you found ours." I said it is very unhandsome in you not give your friend's name, but as the business of the day is over with me, I will attend to it, but I think you are mistaken in your man. It is not Norton you are hunting; it is Surveyor-General Tracy, or Dr. Frisbie; but as you will not give your friend's name, I will accompany you to see your friend. I will go with one of you, two of you, or three of you, or I will go with your crowd; or I will be fairer still, I will agree to come down there and whale any one of you so blind that your wife will not know you when you get home again. I know your kind better than you know yourselves. Instead of rushing for me, as my friend had anticipated, they commenced gathering in knots, and at the end of an hour there was not one of them on the street. Thus ended the first and last attempt to mob me. My next adventure was in removing squatters from the east side of Russian River. Judson had sent a man by the name of A. J. Soules with a flock of sheep on his own land, on the Sotoyome Rancho, to pasture. The squatters (numbering sixteen families) went and removed Soules and the sheep from the grant, admonishing him that it would not be safe to return. Judgment was obtained in the Federal Court at San Francisco in ejectment against those men, but no one had dared to attempt to enforce it. Having been successful in driving the trespassers from the redwoods, Judson came to the conclusion that, perhaps, I might gain possession of his other land. After consultation, I directed him to send me a deputy from the United States Marshal's office, with the writs of ejectment, which he did. We went over to the field of our new labors, about five o'clock in the evening, having previously sent them notice of my intention to remove them in case they refused to enter into a lease, and recognize our title. We found them all at the house where we proposed to commence, all armed with knives or pistols. Over an hour was consumed in trying to get the party to sign a lease, but to no purpose. The evening was chilly, and I could not think of throwing a woman and small children out at that time of the evening. Accordingly, I told them that I would be there at eight o'clock the following morning to put them out. At the appointed hour we were on hand, and found them all there. I again tendered the lease, which was refused. I cocked my revolver, took my position in the gateway, and directed the Marshal to throw the goods out of the house, which he proceeded to do. They made a demonstration as though they intended to make a rush. I warned them to keep back. The Marshal got all out but the woman. He came to the door and said, "I cannot get this woman out." I told him to take my revolver and keep the men back, and I would attend to her. I walked in, found her seated in the middle of the floor, and said: "Madame, it becomes my unpleasant duty to remove you," at the same time stepping quickly to her back, bending over, and putting my hands beneath her so as to carry her out. She sprang to her feet, exclaiming, "I guess I can go myself." After the woman had surrendered the citadel, the man (whose name, I believe, was Weber) remarked, that if it was not too late he would sign the lease. I replied that it was never too late for me to ameliorate the condition of my fellow-man, handed him the lease, which he signed. We went from house to house, all signing leases - thus Judson was restored to his land on the old Sotoyome Rancho. The Russian River and Dry Creek Valleys at this time were nearly all in the hands of the squatters, which territory was covered with Mexican grants, as follows: Sotoyome or Fitch grant, eight leagues; New Sotoyome, three leagues; the Tzabaco grant, containing something over four leagues. The titles were all confirmed, and patents issued and on record. Notwithstanding all this, the squatters in possession had their secret leagues all over the county, and forcibly resisted all efforts to dispossess them, and the law seemed to be entirely a dead letter; actions in ejectment were prosecuted to judgment; writs of restriction were issued and placed in the hands of officers, resistance made by an armed force, the military was called out, a requisition for the militia on one side, and Captain Forsee mustering two thousand squatters on the other side. Parties would be evicted one day, and the next morning would find them in possession of the same premises they had been ejected from the day before. Two thousand men had met and confronted each other in bloodless combat; both parties marched and counter-marched until the force was played out. Norton, by express command of the Sheriff, was excluded from these wars; they finally left the affair where they commenced. Though the fairest domain on which the sun ever shone, yet people shunned us as we had no title, or undisputed possession. Things were in this condition when Dr. L. C. Frisbie, from Vallejo, employed me to look after his interests in the Sotoyome Rancho. I took his business in hand, and succeeded in making some sales, and getting along pretty smoothly for a few months, but it became necessary to bring several suits in ejectment, which I prosecuted to judgment. One of them was against Riland Arbuckle on a portion of the Sotoyome Rancho, and as he was a boastful, blowing fellow, I thought I would go for him first. The Sheriff dispossessed the party, and levied upon a quantity of barley that was sacked, which we removed to the house for safety. The squatters said they would not resist the officer, but that Arbuckle should be placed in possession again before morning, and that old Norton had better leave with the Sheriff if he knew what was good for him. I, however, thought differently. My client was not there, and I had determined to try strength of nerve with them, and had secured the services of seven young men to aid me. We were all supplied with double-barreled shot-guns and plenty of ammunition. The Sheriff had retired, and about a dozen of the squatters lingered for a time. I had gone out to reconnoiter the premises, when they commenced talking very rough to the boys, telling them that they had better leave as every one of them would be killed before morning, etc. The boys were telling them that they were not there to fight but merely to hold possession under the law. In the early part of the conversation I had slipped up behind a large oak tree where I could hear every word that passed, and at this juncture I sprang from my concealment and exclaimed, "You are a bombastic set of cowards; you have dared me to hold these premises; now go home and rally your forces for your night attack; you will find old Norton at his post." My boys all bustled up and told them to go or they would boot them, and finally bluffed the fellows from the ground, but on riding off they called back that we would see them before morning. We then made breast works of the sacks of barley in the house, with loop holes through the thin sliding, and before it was quite dark I placed patrols up and down the road with instructions to retreat to our fortifications and notify us, but if the enemy advanced too fast they were to fire a revolver as a signal and make good their retreat. About eleven o'clock I heard the discharge of a revolver, and the two outposts came rushing in and said there was a large company of horsemen rapidly approaching. I formed the command outside of the house under a large laurel tree where it was quite dark. I ordered them to drop down upon their faces on the ground. On came the horsemen, from eighty to one hundred strong. When they got opposite to us and about four rods distant, I ordered "Ready!" All the locks clicked audibly. I said, "Reserve your fire till they attempt to cross the fence." The horsemen wavered for a moment, then with a right-about-face made equally as good time in getting away as they did in coming. I was satisfied that we had not seen the last of them. In consequence of this impression I kept a vigilant watch, and about two o'clock A.M. one of my sentinels came running in and said there was a large crowd creeping along the fence. I ordered my force to keep perfectly quiet. I took my old rifle that I had in camp, and skulked along the fence to within about a hundred yards of the foremost of the opposing party, when I slipped out and fired a shot about ten feet over their heads. At this there was another general stampede, and we were again in peaceable possession of the Arbuckle place. I continued to eject the squatters from Frisbie's tracts with greater or less resistance until I had reduced the whole to possession. It now seemed to be the general opinion that I was the only on who could successfully cope with squatters, and John N. Bailhache as one of the Fitch heirs, or rather tenant by courtesy, having married Miss Josephine Fitch, had a large tract of land covered by squatters, and having made many futile attempts to expel them, they had become so well organized and so confident of their ability to forcibly hold the premises, that they actually paraded the streets of Healdsburg, both men and women, with music and banners waving, and seemed to think that if they could only get rid of Bailhache they would be secure in their homes. In consequence of which idea, they made a raid on him and forced him to secrete himself in the Raney Hotel. Seeing his danger, I marched out with a cocked revolver in each hand, and met the mob and persuaded them that I was the man they wanted, and not Bailhache; but they came to the conclusion that they did not want either of us and retired. Still holding forcible possession of his lands, Mr. Bailhache about this time discovered that he had business at Fort Yuma. He moved his family to Santa Rosa and departed. A few months after this I received a letter of attorney from Mr. Bailhache at Fort Yuma, giving me full authority to enter upon any and all his lands in Sonoma County, and expel squatters, etc. I commenced operations under this power, but not until after I had convinced the sheriff who was then acting, that it was not much of an office anyhow, and he had agreed to turn the office over to his under sheriff in case he could furnish the necessary bonds which I believe were about thirty thousand dollars, and by that arrangement I agreed to furnish ten thousand, in consideration of which I was to have the privilege of selecting my own deputy for Healdsburg. This was carried out, and I chose J. D. Bins, and adopted a new system of warfare. I put in teams and went to work hauling off the fencing from the farms on the west side of Dry Creek, thus rendering the land useless to them. This drove them to desperation. The teams had been hauling all day, and at evening when the teams were coming in with the last load for the day, as they were approaching Dry Creek, my team being in the rear with five or six men upon the wagon, my brother among the number, two shots from rifles were discharged in rapid succession, and a bullet from one of them struck a Mr. Ferguson just above the knee, and running down the leg shattered the bones in a terrible manner - in fact it was a death shot. My brother drove him to town as fast as possible, but he never rallied from the nervous shock, and died the next day. Until this murderous attack I had not been thoroughly aroused, but after the death and burial of young Ferguson I took a posse of ten men, all thoroughly armed, and went with them in person, threw out a few outposts to prevent any further shooting from the brush, and threw out the goods from their houses and burned them to the ground. In this way I went from house to house until I had burned down all of the dwellings on the Bailhache premises occupied by squatters. They followed us up en masse, and at length one of them said, "I would like to know who sets these buildings on fire; I would make them smart legally." I replied, "what, you appeal to the law who have so long trampled law and justice beneath your feet! You shall be gratified!" I said, "Jim Brown, fire that house;" he did so, the house was soon in flames. I said, "now take your legal remedy." Brown (a brother of Mayor Brown of Santa Rosa) was indicted, but a nol. pros. was entered into the case, as the house was mine, I having authorized the act there being no property of others in it nor no living being under the statute, the act was legal. Some of the houses were good two-story buildings, but I treated them as I would have done a lot of rats' nests; under the circumstances there was no alternative. After reducing the dwellings to heaps of smouldering ruins the squatters continued to hang around like the French soldiers around a burning Moscow until the elements drove them away to the hills, where some of them put up temporary adobes on the adjacent government land. In our attempt to keep the raiders from the different places, we had only been successful in gaining possession of a small portion, and in order to perpetuate my possession, I commenced repairing the fences, and on two or three occasions in the night they fired them. But I was ever on the alert, and discovered the fire in time to prevent much damage. My next effort was to find some one who would dare to take possession of some one of the places. At last I found a man by the name of Peacock, a powerful, resolute fellow, who proposed to purchase a piece of the land which a man by the name of Clark had been claiming, and whose house had been burned down. He contracted and entered into possession and guarded a fine lot of hay, a volunteer crop growing on the place. The hay had matured and he cut and cocked it, but in the intermediate time, contrary to my counsel, had made great friends with and confidants of the previous squatters, who had been evicted, and to whom, among other things, he told them that he was going to see my brother, to get his team to bale his hay the next day, and that he should be absent that night. I strongly opposed it, but he assured me that everything would be safe, but did not convince me. I was on the watch, and about two o'clock A.M., I discovered a bright light arise from the neighborhood of Peacock's hay. I rushed around, awakened Bailhache, Ransom, Powell, and two or three others, and started for the scene of the fire. We succeeded in saving about one-third of his hay. On Peacock's return it was impossible to convince him that the Prouses had any hand in this, or that they knew anything of it. He continued his former relations with the Prouses for about one month after this time, he having gone to board with them. One day at dinner a dispute arose at table, and the two Prouse brothers set upon him; one of them, armed with something that the evidence afterwards disclosed as being somewhat like a butcher's cleaver. They cut and hacked Peacock up in a terrible manner, to that extent that for a long time his life was despaired of; for which offense I sent Daniel Prouse to the penitentiary and we continued to hold possession; the land being desirable farming land, and others seeing that our possession could be held, commenced purchasing, and thus Bailhache was restored to his possession, which put an end to the squatter difficulty on the Sotoyome Rancho. About this time I was requested to take charge of the Tzabaco Rancho, by John B. Frisbie, and W. H. Patterson of San Francisco, sending the request by James Clark, then Sheriff of Sonoma County, who held writs of ejectment against all the settlers on the Russian River side of the grant. I had been acting for them for more than two years as their agent, selling and leasing the Dry Creek portion. I had been up Dry Creek , serving some notices on parties who had not paid up, and was returning, mounted on a little gentle mare, and while jogging along, right opposite the widow Bell's old place, where there was an old watering trough and spring, at a large redwood stump, surrounded by a dense growth of redwood sprouts, when a shot was fired. I felt a concussion, and at the same instant my mare made a jump sideways, nearly throwing me from my saddle. I recovered myself and dismounted. I saw the brush wiggle and shake, and made for the point. The party took to his heels, running through the thick brush and up a very steep hill, and I only got a sight of his back. He wore a bluish-gray coat and a low black hat, and was rather a short man, and that was all I could tell of my would-be assassin. I was unarmed and had no way of stopping him. On examination I discovered that the bullet had passed through both sides of my vest, having entered the right side of my vest, high in the breast, and passing trough my outer shirt, in front of my breast, and passing out of the left side of the vest. This was at a time when strangers thought us a set of desperadoes here, and there was but little said about it, as I did not wish to add to our reputation in that line. When I came in I showed it to Bailhache, D. F. Spurr, and, may be, two or three more. I still have the vest, and if this reaches the eye of the perpetrator of the deed he may congratulate himself on the fact that I could not recognize him. And now to the squatters on the Russian River side of the grant, hostile almost to a man. When the Sheriff informed me that he was under my instructions I told him to go home, and if I needed him I would let him know. I then went to Frisbie and Patterson, saying that in case I entered upon the hazard of attempting to manage the squatters to send me an unconditional power to survey, segregate and sell all the lands upon such terms and time as I should deem proper, being accountable to no one for my actions in its disposition. They immediately sent me the asked for power, which was communicated to the settlers in a very exaggerated manner, they being led to believe that I would eject them from their homes without an opportunity of purchasing at any price. Whereupon their secret organization met, I having two trusty friends in that organization, who hastened to me, and communicated to me so much of the proceedings as in their judgment was necessary to preserve my life. I was told by them that it was determined in counsel that my death was essential in order to defeat the measures about to be carried into effect; and by resolution by them adopted, it was resolved, that if I ever showed myself upon the Tzabaco Rancho I was to be killed like a snake by whoever discovered me; and in addition to this, they balloted to see whose duty it was to be my special executioner to hunt me out and kill me. Those men begged of me, under the circumstances, not to come on to the grant. I fully comprehended the fact, that these men were in a state of desperation, as we held one judgment over them in the sum of then thousand dollars, for use and occupation of the premises, and another judgment of the thousand dollars, obtained on injunction bond, making a total of twenty thousand dollars; together with writs of ejectment against every one of them. After due reflection, I resolved to "beard the lion in his den," and to fight the devil with fire, and when I was all ready, I hitched my pony to the buggy, and started for the Tzabaco Rancho. After placing a quart bottle of old Bourbon under the buggy seat, and arming myself in case of trouble, I drove to the ranch, which is about six miles from Healdsburg, following the Geyserville road, and adjoining the Sotoyome Rancho on the west. I drove up opposite to the house of one Captain Vessor then living close to the line, and saw the old captain in his yard hewing out a plow-beam. I stopped my horse, and called out, "Captain Vessor, will you step this way?" He dropped his ax, and came to the road; when about five or six feet from the buggy he raised his spectacles, and recognizing me instantly became as black as a thunder-cloud. I jumped out of the buggy, and confronting him, said: "I am informed that you men have, in solemn conclave determined to shoot and scalp me if I ever came on this grant, and as shooting is a game that two may play at, I will commence now," at the same time running my hand under the buggy seat. The old captain threw up both hands, commenced running backwards, exclaiming, "Don't, don't." "I'll be hanged, if I don't!" at the same time bringing the whisky bottle to bear upon him. A pleasurable sensation, after the most abject fear, wrought another change in the captain, when he laughingly exclaimed: "Oh, God! you might have shot me with that long ago." I then gave the old man a shot in the neck, and bade him get into the buggy, but I frankly told him that I was through joking and meant business; that for the present he was my prisoner, and must go with me. He very reluctantly complied, and I drove to Geyserville, only holding him hostage to insure my own safety. At this place I met Dr. Ely, whom I had good reason to believe was the brains and managing man of the squatters, he being a man of intellect, and a fair-minded, reasonable man upon all subjects excepting the one. I dismissed Vessor, "shot" Ely, and took him in the buggy, and continued my journey through the Tzabaco Rancho. I informed the Doctor that I came up to sell their lands, and that I proposed to give every man a reasonable chance of paying for the farm I sold him. I was aware that the lands had been held too high, that the owners were honest in their convictions of the value of the land, but were mistaken, an 1 for that reason I had refused to take the agency until they gave me carte blanche to dispose of them according to my own judgment. "But," he said, with apparent surprise, "you do not propose to sell me my place?" "Why not?" I replied: "I have always heard that you said you would not sell my place, but had selected it for yourself." "That," said I, "is just as true as many other things you have heard about me. I am a Western man, and am anxious to see every man have his home, and will sell to you just the same as to the rest." "But," said he, "if disposed to purchase, how can we? We are bankrupts; with the twenty thousand dollars judgments hanging over us we can do nothing." I told him that it was not necessary to tell me that you are a set of ruined and desperate men. I know it. It is not necessary for you to say, in case I attempt to execute the writs of ejectment that I hold against you, that these fair domains will be left blackened ruins, and that the inhabitants will retire to their mountain fastnesses and wage war against human nature at large, for I already know it, and in my present action have given due heed to all, and yet am going to sell every man of you your farms, and as fast as you purchase I shall wipe the judgment out against the purchaser, and again place you in the position of freemen." The doctor frankly admitted that if that was my intention, then I had been greatly misrepresented to them. I told him that having unlimited power, I intended to be a benefactor and not an oppressor of the people. The doctor frankly admitted that if that was my intention, then I had been greatly misrepresented to them. I told him that having unlimited power, I intended to be a benefactor and not an oppressor of the people. The doctor took me at my word, rode through the settlement with me, and advised the settlers to purchase their homes, which seemed to them unusual advice. I notified them that, on the following Thursday I would be at Captain Vessor's for the purpose of going with them over every man's place, and fix a price upon it per acre. I was there at the time appointed, and met the entire settlement, and went over every place, fixing my price upon the land as I passed over and to my surprise and satisfaction every one of them thought that I had put a fair price upon his neighbor's land, but had got his a little too high; the result was that every man purchased his farm within the ensuing six weeks, paying one-fourth down and getting three years to pay the balance, at one per cent per month interest. And what was still more satisfactory, by the enlargement of time of payment, all succeeded in paying for their farms, and thus ended the squatter war that had been kept up for over seven years in the northern portion of this county. But before dismissing the subject I must say, in justification of these men, that the most of them, in my judgment, were honest in their convictions that the claimants either had no title to the lands, or if they had a title it was fraudulent, and that many of them to-day are among our most respected and prominent citizens. Our old feuds are now looked upon as a feverish and disturbing dream, or treated as a subject of mirth, and as for myself, the most of the men who once wanted to see my throat cut are among my warmest friends. I will here append a set of resolutions, expressing their feelings toward me after our fight was over: -