Page:History of California (Bancroft) volume 6.djvu/34



River,® his  chief  stock-range,  and  also  embracing  fine plantations.^ On  the  east  side  of  this  region  lies  the tract of  Nicolaus  Altgeier,*^  and  along  the  north  bank of Bear  River,  Sebastian  Keyser  and  the  family  of William  Johnson  have  located  themselves;^  oppo- site are two  Frenchmen,  Theodore  Sicard  and  Claude Chanon. The south  bank  of  the  Yuba  is  occupied by Michael  C.  Nye,  John  Smith,  and  George  Pat- terson.^ Facing them,  along  Feather  River,  Theo- dore Cordua had  settled  in  1842,  and  established  a trading  post,  owning  some  12,000  head  of  stocL^ Charles Roether  had  in  1845  located  himself  on  Hon- cut Creek,  and  near  him  are  now  Edward  A.  Farwell and Thomas  Fallon.*^  The  lands  of  Samuel  Neal  and David Dutton  are  on  Butte  Creek;  William  North- grave's place  is  on  Little  Butte;  W.  Dickey,  Sanders, and Yates  had  in  1845  taken  up  the  tract  on  Chico Creek which  John  Bidwell  is  at  this  time  entering upon.** Peter  Lassen,  the  famous  Danish  trapper,  had settled on  Deer  Creek,  and  erected  a  mill  and  smithy ,'^ granting a  league  to  Daniel  Sill,  Sen.  Moon's  rancho is held  by  W.  C.  Moon  and  Merritt. A. G.  Toomes occupies a  tract  north  of  the  creek  which  bears  his

"A name  applied  by  Satter  from  the  feather  ornaments  of  the  natives.

S. J.  Hensley,  and  Kanaka  Jim. It had  5,000  head  of  cattle  and  1,200  horses.
 * ^ It  was  founded  in  1841,  and  managed  saccessively  by  Bidwell,  Benitz,

•^ Who  settled  on  the  present  site  of  Nicolaus. North of  Hock  Farm,  C. W.  Fliigge  had  obtained  a  grant  which  was  transferred  to  Consul  Larkin.

'^ On  the  five-league  rancho  given  to  P.  Gutierrez,  deceased,  by  Sutter,  who made several  grants  in  the  valley,  by  authority. They bought  liuid  and  cattle and divided.

^ Smith,  who  came  first,  in  1845,  sold  a  part  of  his  tract  to  Patterson. The first  two  ha<l  nearly  2,000  head  of  stock.

'^ This  rancho,  on  the  site  of  the  present  Marysville,  he  called  New  Meck- lenburg, in honor  of  his  native  Oerman  state. Chas Covillaud  was  manager; trade relations  were  had  with  San  Francisco.

^ The  former  on  a  grant  claimed  by  Huber;  the  two  latter  on  Farweira rancho.

"•Northgrave was  a  settler  on  the  tract  claimed  by  S.  J.  Hensley,  but disallowed  afterward.  James  W.  Marshall  had  abandoned  his  holding  on  the same  tract.  The  confirmed  grants  were  Fernandez,  4  leagues;  Arroyo  C.*hico of  Bidwell,  5  leagues;  Agua  Fria  of  Pratt,  6  leagues;  Llano  Seco  of  Parrott, 4  leagues;  Bosquejo  of  Lassen,  5  leagues;  Boga  of  Larkin,  5  leagues;  Esquon of  Neal,  5  leagues.  The  claims  of  Cambuston,  Huber,  Hensley,  Nye,  and others  were  rejected.

^BidwrlCs Cat. 1841-8, MS.