Annual publication of the Historical Society of Southern California and of the Pioneers of Los Angeles County (Volume yr.1902-1904) online

Dilatory Settlement of California Walter R. Bacon.. 152

Officers and Committees of the Society of Pioneers of Los Angeles

County, 1901-1902 159

Constitution and By-Laws of the Society of Pioneers 160

Order of Business 164

Inaugural Address of the President H. D. Barrows. . 165

The Pony Express J. M. Guinn . . 16S

Overland to California in 1850 J. M. Stewart. . 176

Early Days in Washoe Alfred James. . 186-



Biographical Sketches of Deceased Pioneers 194

Thomas E. Rowan Committee Report. . 197

George Gephard Los Angeles Daily Times.. 199

Elizabeth Langley Ensign Committee Report.. 199

William F. Grosser Committee Report. . 200

Samuel Calvert Foy (Portrait) Committee Report.. 202

Charles Erode Committee Report . . 204

Frank A. Gibson Committee Report. . 206

In Memoriam .â–  207

Roll of Members, Complete to January, 1902 208

Officers of the Historical Society, 1902-1903 214

Early Art in California W. L. Judson. . 215

Poetry of the Argonauts J. M. Guinn.. 217

Ethical Value of Social Organizations. . .Mrs. M. Burton Williamson.. 228
Medicinal and Edible Plants of So. California. . .Laura Evertsen King.. 237

Andrew A. Boyle H. D. Barrows.. 241

El Canon Perdido J. M. Guinn . . 245

Some Old Letters 251

Dr. John Marsh to Don Abel Stearns, 1837 251

Hon. Stephen C. Foster to Gen. B. Riley, 1849 252

The Palomares Family of California H. D. Barrows.. 254

Sister Scholastica Wm. H. Workman 256

Officers and Committees of the Society of Pioneers of Los Angeles

County, 1902-1903 259

Constitution and By-Laws 260

Order of Business 264

My First Procession in Los Angeles, March 16, 1847

Stephen C. Foster . . 265

Some Eccentric Characters of Early Los Angeles J. M. Guinn.. 273

Angel Pioneers Jesse Yarnell . . 282

Trip to California via Nicaragua J. M. Stewart.. 283

Wm. Wolfskin, The Pioneer H. D. Barrows.. 287

Pioneer Ads and Advertisers J. M. Guinn.. 295

Biographical Sketches of Deceased Pioneers 300

Daniel Desmond Committee Report . . 300

Jessie Benton Fremont Committee Report. . 300

Caleb E. White Committee Report. . 301

John Caleb Salisbury Committee Report.. 303

Henry Kirke White Bent Committee Report. . 304

John Charles Dotter Committee Report. . 306

Anderson Rose Committee Report. . 307

John C. Anderson A. H. Johnson. . 308

Jerry Illich Los Angeles Daily Times . . 309

In Memoriam 310

Roll of Members, Complete to January, 1903 311



/^-3



Organized Noveber 1, 1883 Incorporated February 12, I89I

PART I. VOI,. VI.



ANNUAL PUBLICATION



OF THE



Historical Society



OF



Southern California



AND OF THE



Pioneers



OF



Los Angeles County
1Q03



Geo. Ricb & Sons
1904,



511 Cthiti'-'.y ?i,nfyi LOtiMif



Organized Noveber 1, 1883 Incorporated February 12, I89I

PART I. VOL. VI.



ANNUAL PUBLICATION

OF THE • t^iiiOX

Historical Society



OF



Southern California



AND OF THE



Pioneers



OF



Los Angeles County
1Q03



LOS ANGELES, GAL.

Geo. Rice & Sons
1904



CONTENTS



HISTORICAL SOCIIiTY PAPERS.

Officers of the Historical Society, 1903- 1904 4

Portrait of Captain Benjamin Daviess Moore 4

A Flag Staff and Flag for Fort Moore . . L. A. Evening Express . . 5

Flag Raising on Site of Fort Moore L. A. Daily Times. . 6

Fort Moore J. M. Guinn. . 7

Captain Benjamin Daviess Moore M. J. Moore. . 10

History of Santa Catalina Island. .Mrs. M. Burton Williamson. . 14

Illustration — Indian Soapstone Quarry 20

Ilustration — Avalon 28

American Governors of California H. D. Barrows. . 32

Renunciation of Chona Laura Evertsen King, , 38

Two Decades of Local History J. M, Guinn. . 41

Letter of Col. J. C. Fremont to Secretary of War 48

Yuma Indian Depredations and the Glanton War, .J. M. Guinn. . 50
Yuma Depredations — Massacre of Dr, Lincoln and His Men. ... 52

Deposition of William Carr 52

Deposition of Jeremiah Hill 57

PIONEER SOCIETY PAPE^RS,

Officers of the Pioneers of Los Angeles County, 1903-1904 63

Constitution and By-Laws 64

Order of Business 68

Reports of the Secretary and Treasury 69

In the Days of '49 J. M. Guinn. . 71

An Exciting Episode of the Early '60s H, D. Barrows, . 78

Los Angeles Pioneers of 1836 Stephen C. Foster. . 80

The Myth of Gold Lake J. M, Guinn. . 82

BIOGRAPHICAI^ SKE^TCHES OE DECEASED PIONEERS.

George Huntington Peck Autobiography. . 87

Edmund C, GHdden J. M, Guinn. . 89

Samuel Meyer Committee Report. . 90

Carl Felix Heinzman Committee Report. . 90

Jean Sentous H. D, Barrows. . 92

Micajah D. Johnson Los Angeles Times. . 92

Ivar A. W^eid Committee Report. . 93

JuHus Brousseau Los Angeles Evening Express. . 95

Moritz Morris H, D, Barrows . . 96

In Memoriam 07

Roll of Members 98



Officers of the Historical Sociotg
1903

OFFICERS.

Walter R. Bacon President

A. C. Vroman First Vice-President

Mrs. M. Bxjrton Williamson Second Vice-President

Edwin Baxter Treasurer

J. M. Guinn Secretary and Curator

board of directors.

A. C Vroman, Walter R. Bacon,

H. D. Barrows, J. M. Guinn,

J. D. Moody, Edwin Baxter,

Mrs. M. Burton Williamson.

1904

OFFICERS (elect).

Walter R. Bacon President

Mrs. M. Burton Williamson First Vice-President

Dr. J. E. Cowles Second Vice President

Edwin Baxter Treasurer

J. M. Guinn Secretary and Curator

BOARD OF directors.

Walter R. Bacon, Edwin Baxter,

H. D. Barrows, A. C. Vroman,

Dr. J. E. CowLES, J. M. Guinn,

Mrs. M. Burton Williamson.




Capt. Benjamin Daviess Moore



Historical Society



-OF-



Southern C a 1 i f o r n i a

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
1903



A FLAG STAFF AND FLAG FOR FORT MOORE.

(Evening Express Sept. 3, 1903.)

Fort Moore, the first AmeiKican fort erected in So'uthern
California, is to have a memiorial, the Native Sons and Daugh-
ters of CaHfornia, the Pioneer Society, the G. A. R. and the
Historical Society having united in the project of erecting a
flag pole on the site of the famous fort, on the crest of Fort
Hill, at the head of Broadway, just over the Broadv^ay tunnel.

Yesterday the pole arrived in the city. It was procured
in Siskiyou County and was brought by water to San Pedro,
from where it was hauled by wagon, the stick being too long to
be handled by the railway company. It is a magnificent fir tree,
127 feet long, fourteen inches in diameter at the base, eight
inches at the tip, and straight as an arrow.

Recently the allied societies applied to the City Council
for permission to erect a pole over the Broadway tfunnel, and
this was granted with the understanding that the work should
be done under the supervision of Julius W. Krause, the City
Superintendent of Buildings. It is his intention to have the
pole set in cement, thus insuring its solidity, for it is expected
to remain for many years as a landmark in the city. The flag
is to be provided by Stanton Post G. A. R., the Women's Re-
lief Corps, Daughters of the American Revolution and other
patriotic organizations.



6 HISTORICAL SOCIETY 01^ SOUTHE;rN CAI^IFORNIA.

Several months' time was passed in the search for a pole
suitable for the purpose. Thanks are expressed to the E. K.
Wood Lumiber Company, which aided in securing a spar of
such superior quality, there being few like it even on this
coast. No date has been set for the flag raising, as the erection
of the pole will be a work of considerable care. It is intended
to have the formal exercises within a month, and the occasion
doubtless will be one that will long be remembered.

THE FLAG RAISING.

(From Los Angeles Times December 19, 1903.)
One hundred yards south of where the American flag was
raised in Los Angeles over fifty-six years ago, on the site of
Fort Moore, two thousand people assisted yesterday (Decem-
ber 18) in the exercises attending the raising of another flag
in commemoration of the olden days when this queen city
was in her swaddling clothes.

The flag raising was under the auspices of the Native Sons
and Daughters and was preceded by a lengthy programme
of music and speeches. Mrs. A. K. Prather, of the Native
Daughters, was chairman, and F. A. Stephenson, of the Na-
tive Sons, master of ceremlonies. The programme, which be-
gan at 2 o'clock, was as follows: Music, Seventh Regiment
Band; depositing "sacred earth" from famous American bat-
tlefields, Mrs. Sade L. Rios; music, band; speech, "Conquest
of Los Angeles," Grant Loraine of Los Angeles High School;
speech, "The Pioneers," by Mendle Silberberg of Commercal
High School; music, band; address, "Buildng of Fort Moore,"
by J. M. Guinn, of the Historical Society and Pioneers; music,
band; address, John G Mott, of the Native Sons; music, band;
presentation of flag, by Rev. Will A. Knighten, of Stanton
Post G. A. R. ; unfurling the flag, Mrs. A. S. C. Forbes, chair-
man of Flag Committee, and Mrs. A. K, Prather, chairman
of Flag Pole Committee; music, "Star Spangled Banner," by
the band ; national salute by detail of Co. F, Seventh Regiment,
N. G. C

The exercises were held on a platform surrounding the base
of the big flag pole, planted as everyone knows on the hill
crowning the southern or city end of the Broadway tunnel.
The big flag was presented by the Women's Relief Corps,
Stanton Post, G. A. R., Daughters of American Revolution and
naval organizations, and was unfurled from a pole 115 feet in



A B'lvAGSTAI^F AND Pl,AG FOR FORT MOORF. 7

height above the ground and buried fifteen feet in the ground.

A feature of the occasion was the presence on the platform
of a son of Capt. Moore (M. J. Moore of Carpinteria),
after whom the fort was named, and a daughter of Gen. Fre-
mont, the pathfinder.

Another noteworthy circumstance was the presence of a
spectator — Willam Beddome — one of the soldiers who helped
build Fort Moore, who lived in it with 400 other soldiers for
five months, and who' witnessed that other flag raising July
4, 1847. He is a hale, hearty veteran, 74 years old, and has
many interesting stories to tell of those old days when the pop-
ulation of Los Angeles was about fifteen hundred. He has
Hved in this vicinity for twenty years and now conducts a
ranch at Garvanza. He is the only known person alive here
today who helped build Fort Moore.

FORT MOORE.

BY J. M. GUINN.

Los Angeles was surrendered to Commodore Stockton and
General Kearny, January 10, 1847. General Flores' army,
which had been defeated by the American troops in the battle
of Paso de Bartolo, January 8th, and in the battle of La Mesa,
January 9th, were still in the neighborhood of the city. Com-
modore Stockton decided to erect fortifications not only to
resist an attack should one be made by Flores, but also in the
event of another revolution, (as Lieutenant Emory puts it) "to
enable a small garrison to hold out till aid might come from
San Diego, San Francisco or Monterey, places which are des-
tined to become centers of American settlement."

On the nth. Lieutenant Emory, of General Kearny's staf¥,
was detailed "to< select a site and place a fort capable of con-
taining one hundred men." On the 12th, the plan of the fort
was marked out and ground broken. Work was continued
on it up to the 17th by the marines and soldiers.

In the meantime General Andres Pico, in command of the
Mexican troops, surrendered to Colonel Fremont at Cahuenga,
and the war was over. Work on the fort ceased. Commodore
Stockton and General Kearny having quarreled, Kearny left
for San Diego, Stockton and his sailors rejoined their ships
at San Pedio, and Lieutenant Emory was sent East via Panama
with dispatches. Fremont's battalion, numbering about five
hundred men, was left in command of the city.



8 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA,

On the 20th of April, 1847, reports supposed to be rehable
reached Los Angeles stating that the Mexican Congress had
appropriated $600,000 for the conquest of California, and that
a force of 1500 men under command of General Bustamente
was advancing by way of Lower CaHfornia against Los An-
geles. On the 23rd day of April, work was begun on a second
fort planned by Lieutenant J. W. Davidson of the First Reg-
iment U. S. Dragoons. Its location was identical with Lieu-
tenant Emory's fort, but it was twice the size of that earth-
work. The work on it was done by the Mormon Battalion.
This battalion was recruited from the Mormons in the spring
of 1846, who were encamped at Council Bluffs, la., prepara-
tory to their migration to Salt Lake. The battalion came to
California under the command of Colonel Cooke, arriving at
Los Angeles March 16, 1847. Its route was by way of Santa
Fe, Tucson, Yuma and Warner's Ranch to San Luis Rey, and
from there to Los Angeles. The battalion numbered 500 men
at starting, but a number gave out on the march and were
sent back.

On the 4th of July, 1847, the fort having been completed,
the Stars and Stripes were raised to the top of the flag pole,
which was 150 feet high. The timber for the flag staff had
been brought down from the San Bernardino mountains and
consisted of two pine tree trunks, one about eighty and the
other seventy feet long. These were spliced together and
fashioned into a beautiful pole by the carpenters of the bat-
talion. It was raisd in the rear of the fort about where is
now the southeast corner of North Broadway and Fort Moore
Place.

Col. J. D. Stevenson of the Seventh Regiment, New York
Volunteers, who had succeeded Colonel Cooke in the command
of the Southern Military District, issued an ofScial order for
the celebration of the 4th of July and the dedication of the fort.

"At sunrise a Federal salute will be fired from the field
work on the hill which commands this town, and for the first
time from this point the American standard will be displayed."

The troops, numbering about 700, were formed in a hollow
sqiaare at the fort and the Declaration of Independence was
read in English by Capt. Stuart Taylor and in Spanish by
Stephen C. Foster. To Lieutenant Davidson, who had planned
the fort and superintended the work on it, was given the honor
of raising the flag to the top of the flag pole.



A FivAGSTAF'If AND FLAG FOR FORT MOOREj. 9

Colonel Stephenson in dedicating the field work paid this
high tribute to Capt. Benjamin D. Moore, after whom the
fort was named :

"It is the custom of our country to confer on its fortifica-
tions the name of some distinguished individual who has ren-
dered important services to his country, either in the councils
of the nation or on the battlefield. The Commandant has
ttfhierefore deter