Twenty-three years ago on August 16th, 1992 our county was declared a disaster area with over 25,000 acres burned in the next few days. Many areas were evacuated including Fricot City, Sheep Ranch Cae City and part of Michel and Old Gulch Road.
Four thousand firefighters were here in our county, some from Southern California and all neighboring counties.
The fire was caused by an auto exhaust on Old Gulch Road near Mountain Ranch. They used the pasture behind the Alberts residence in Mountain Ranch for a staging area. We served cold drinks to the young firefighters who asked “Where are we?” Mountain Ranch Realty provided local maps so they could see what area they were in.
The fire moved in an easterly direction fron Old Gulch toward Fricot City, south of Sheep Ranch toward Highway 4 at Forest Meadows, Murphys and Indian Creek.
Mary Oslen’s home on Indian Creek became a victim of the Old Gulch Fire. This historical building was once the Valente Store, run by Mary’s family since the Gold Rush.
Many more homes were lost in its path toward Ebbetts Pass, including the mansion at Fricot City.
Your Mountain Ranch Fire Department was assigned to protect the homes along Cave City Road with equipment considered old and out of date today. We never lost a home. The only community in the fire path that did so.
For a few days there was mass confusion with firefighters and equipment by the hundreds, evacuating people out of harm’s way and protecting as many homes as possible, and because of their endurance today there is hardly a scar left to see.
Here is a partial list of equipment, manpower and losses from this fire:
* 521 engines, 76 bulldozers, 14 helicopters, 16 air tankers and 28 water tankers have been pressed into service.
* An estimated 15,000 people reside in the evacuated area, which stretches from Sheep Ranch to Big Trees Village.
* $9.5 million was spent to supress the fire.
* 11 minor injuries to firefighters have been reported.
* 54 structures have been destroyed, including 35 residences, 11 outbuildings, and 5 commercial buildings. Residences lost include 16 at Fricot CIty, four at Mineral Mountain, three along Ponderosa Way, two at Forest Meadows, and 15 at Northwood.
* 22 vehicles and two travel trailers have been incinerated.
Showing posts with label Calaveras County. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Calaveras County. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
When We Arrived Here Fifty Years Ago
Coming up Mtn. Ranch Road there was one yellow line down the middle of the road with no white line on each side. No guard rails or caution signs. What a pleasant drive and everyone waved at each other as you met on the road.
Just past Cave City Road Mr. Bob Burge was raising turkeys on what is now the Mayo property. The El Dorado Ranch did not have the stone entrance. Johnny Jones lived in the little house at the entrance.
The beauty shop was a small home. The cafe and landscape business was not there.
The vacant lot where Joe Thomas has his tractors on display had two houses green in color on it that some local hippies converted into a hot tub business. A family by the name of Goff lived in one.
Bob Leidecker drove the local school bus. Bob and Mary lived in the next home where their daughter Jeanie now lives. Bob Leidecker's mother lived in the little house next to the swimming pool.
The bike trail was not there.
The baseball field and park was a large walnut orchard.
The Resource Center was a school for handicap ed students.
The large lot where the Blunder Inn now stands and the gas station was an equipment yard, for Al Pargett. The firehouse was not here. We built it later to become Mtn. Ranch Fire Department.
The building where Stark Realty is now was just an old vacant shack. Later Bill Stark redid the building and opened his office.
The Community Hall had an oak tree in front, a fireplace and wood burning kitchen stove, and a large wood shed in front. The Town Hall received their water from the Domenghini system with a pipe line under the county road.
When we arrived in Mtn. Ranch on a Sunday in late June of 1965 the street was littered with paper cups, crepe paper and plates. What a mess. We could not figure out why this quaint little town we saw earlier looked so bad. Later we learned that was the weekend that Erick and Paulie got married. The only other person we saw that Sunday morning was a huge an with full beard picking up all this trash. We learned later that was Paul Morse, Paulie Senders father.
The new post office was not there. That lot was a large garden tended later by Harry Rilea, Florence Alberts father.
The home across from the Town Hall was occupied by Mr. & Mrs. Cook. Her mother lived in the home which is now the Lutheran Church.
The large adobe building known as the Dughi building was in bad shape and Slim Thomas lived in one downstairs room.
There was an outhouse and Slim got his water from the Domenghini system. The new porch and balcony were added later to look original.
The small house across the street was owned by the Cuslidge family but it was not used. Florence Alberts parents moved into it much later.
The house where the Mtn. Ranch Realty office is was occupied by Dave Zwinge and his wife Lola. That's where we lived when we came. They moved over across by the sawmill.
On the opposite corner was the post office where Virginia Butterfield was the Postmaster. That building, along with the original small post office is restored and on display with the old fire truck across from the Dughi building.
There was no Ace Hardware, lumber yard or supermarket. There was a big square two story stone building at the end of Washington Street. Across the street was the Tisher building, it is vacant today.
On Garabaldi Street was Senders Market. Gus Sender and his son Erick operated this store which was famous throughout the area for quality meat. There is a large photo of the original Senders Market hanging at the end of the meat counter.
A lean-to was added to Senders market and opened as "Opa's Smokehouse" which was a beer bar operated by Gus Sender. There was a bridge across the creek which is now covered by parking lot.
Next to Senders was the old dance hall used at this time by the Domenghini Family as a warehouse for their hardware business.
The stone building with iron doors was the General Store operated by Francis Devoto after Louie Domenghini died in 1962.
An old-fashioned store with a wood-burning stove, coffee pot and chairs with plenty of conversation. This store had gas pumps out front, also a large walk-in box and barrels with white gas and kerosene.
Clorinda Domenghini was the owner and Francis had worked for the family for many years. She lived in the old house now occupied by the Alberts. The pole barn used as a garage is gone, which she had built when she married in 1899.
Across the street was where Edith lived, the daughter-in-law of Clorinda. This house was moved across the street in 1938 when the large porches were added.
Further up Garabaldi Street there were five cabins built in the 1940's for the sawmill workers; only 2 remain today. Because of drunks living there, the street was called Wobbly Lane.
Across the field from the cabins was a stagecoach barn, a beautiful old barn which has long disappeared.
Up the hill was the cemetary which is now twice the size it was then. The iron fence and gate is a recent addition.
There was no mini-storage but the house was there. Bill Copley lived at the corner of Mtn. Ranch Road and Ave. "A". His father Howard Copley lived on Ave. "A" where the tall redwood trees are.
The old Hotel was occupied by Eldon Lane and wife Blossom, part-time. It was in rough condition and they worked on it continuously.
Of course the Joses Ranch a mile north was here and operating in full swing.
The Community Church out there on East Murray Creek was not here yet.
All in all there have been many physical changes to our town especially since all these ranches were subdivided in the 1970's and 1980's. The influx of people helped build the many businesses and changes you see today.
Can you remember what it looked like when you got here?
Phil and Florence Alberts
Just past Cave City Road Mr. Bob Burge was raising turkeys on what is now the Mayo property. The El Dorado Ranch did not have the stone entrance. Johnny Jones lived in the little house at the entrance.
The beauty shop was a small home. The cafe and landscape business was not there.
The vacant lot where Joe Thomas has his tractors on display had two houses green in color on it that some local hippies converted into a hot tub business. A family by the name of Goff lived in one.
Bob Leidecker drove the local school bus. Bob and Mary lived in the next home where their daughter Jeanie now lives. Bob Leidecker's mother lived in the little house next to the swimming pool.
The bike trail was not there.
The baseball field and park was a large walnut orchard.
The Resource Center was a school for handicap ed students.
The large lot where the Blunder Inn now stands and the gas station was an equipment yard, for Al Pargett. The firehouse was not here. We built it later to become Mtn. Ranch Fire Department.
The building where Stark Realty is now was just an old vacant shack. Later Bill Stark redid the building and opened his office.
The Community Hall had an oak tree in front, a fireplace and wood burning kitchen stove, and a large wood shed in front. The Town Hall received their water from the Domenghini system with a pipe line under the county road.
When we arrived in Mtn. Ranch on a Sunday in late June of 1965 the street was littered with paper cups, crepe paper and plates. What a mess. We could not figure out why this quaint little town we saw earlier looked so bad. Later we learned that was the weekend that Erick and Paulie got married. The only other person we saw that Sunday morning was a huge an with full beard picking up all this trash. We learned later that was Paul Morse, Paulie Senders father.
The new post office was not there. That lot was a large garden tended later by Harry Rilea, Florence Alberts father.
The home across from the Town Hall was occupied by Mr. & Mrs. Cook. Her mother lived in the home which is now the Lutheran Church.
The large adobe building known as the Dughi building was in bad shape and Slim Thomas lived in one downstairs room.
There was an outhouse and Slim got his water from the Domenghini system. The new porch and balcony were added later to look original.
The small house across the street was owned by the Cuslidge family but it was not used. Florence Alberts parents moved into it much later.
The house where the Mtn. Ranch Realty office is was occupied by Dave Zwinge and his wife Lola. That's where we lived when we came. They moved over across by the sawmill.
On the opposite corner was the post office where Virginia Butterfield was the Postmaster. That building, along with the original small post office is restored and on display with the old fire truck across from the Dughi building.
There was no Ace Hardware, lumber yard or supermarket. There was a big square two story stone building at the end of Washington Street. Across the street was the Tisher building, it is vacant today.
On Garabaldi Street was Senders Market. Gus Sender and his son Erick operated this store which was famous throughout the area for quality meat. There is a large photo of the original Senders Market hanging at the end of the meat counter.
A lean-to was added to Senders market and opened as "Opa's Smokehouse" which was a beer bar operated by Gus Sender. There was a bridge across the creek which is now covered by parking lot.
Next to Senders was the old dance hall used at this time by the Domenghini Family as a warehouse for their hardware business.
The stone building with iron doors was the General Store operated by Francis Devoto after Louie Domenghini died in 1962.
An old-fashioned store with a wood-burning stove, coffee pot and chairs with plenty of conversation. This store had gas pumps out front, also a large walk-in box and barrels with white gas and kerosene.
Clorinda Domenghini was the owner and Francis had worked for the family for many years. She lived in the old house now occupied by the Alberts. The pole barn used as a garage is gone, which she had built when she married in 1899.
Across the street was where Edith lived, the daughter-in-law of Clorinda. This house was moved across the street in 1938 when the large porches were added.
Further up Garabaldi Street there were five cabins built in the 1940's for the sawmill workers; only 2 remain today. Because of drunks living there, the street was called Wobbly Lane.
Across the field from the cabins was a stagecoach barn, a beautiful old barn which has long disappeared.
Up the hill was the cemetary which is now twice the size it was then. The iron fence and gate is a recent addition.
There was no mini-storage but the house was there. Bill Copley lived at the corner of Mtn. Ranch Road and Ave. "A". His father Howard Copley lived on Ave. "A" where the tall redwood trees are.
The old Hotel was occupied by Eldon Lane and wife Blossom, part-time. It was in rough condition and they worked on it continuously.
Of course the Joses Ranch a mile north was here and operating in full swing.
The Community Church out there on East Murray Creek was not here yet.
All in all there have been many physical changes to our town especially since all these ranches were subdivided in the 1970's and 1980's. The influx of people helped build the many businesses and changes you see today.
Can you remember what it looked like when you got here?
Phil and Florence Alberts
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Ben Thorn
When one thinks of the lawmen of the Old West, such figure as Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Wild Bill Hickok and Pat Garrett come to mind. Each of them established their reputations as peace officers long after the California Gold Rush.
The Gold Rush not only produced America's most violent frontier, it also produced some of the frontier's finest lawmen. But few western peace officers could match the skill, daring, and longevity of Ben Thorn, the iron-willed lawman of Calaveras County.
Ben Thorn served continuously as a law officer in Calaveras County from 1855 until his retirement almost half a century later, in 1903. During his long career he captured scores of dangerous outlaws including the mankiller "Longhair Sam" Brown, and in 1883 played a prominent role in the manhunt for Charles E. Boles, alias Black Bart, America's most prolific stagecoach robber. He took part in numerous hair-raising gun battles, and superstitious Mexicans and Indians came to believe that he led a charmed life and that no knife or bullet could kill him.
Benjamin Kent Thorn was born in Plattsburg, New York, on December 22 1829. In 1849 he joined the Gold Rush to California. He began mining on the Yuba River in the Northern Mines, but by 1850 he drifted south to the diggings in Calaveras County where he would spend the rest of his life.
Ned Bushyhead, constable of El Dorado Mining District in 1850's worked with Ben Thorn in law enforcement may times. He was the lead man in capture of Bill Holt, a well known outlaw in the McKinney Diggins - Cave City area. They worked together on many jobs including the hanging in old El Dorado December 1864, and the stage coach hold-up in 1892.
Ben Thorn's first law enforcement experience began in the spring of 1853, when, like hundreds of other miners in Calaveras County, he helped search for the rampaging gang of bandidos led by Joaquin Murrieta.
Ben Thorn soon became noted for reckless bravado, and on April 15, 1855, Charles A. Clarke, sheriff of Calaveras County, appointed him a deputy.
It was not long before the young Deputy Thorn tackled one of the worst bands of toughs in the gold region. Their leader was Longhair Sam Brown. San Brown fled Mariposa and soon turned up in Calaveras County at the head of a band of gamblers and hardcases. On July 8, 1855, while running a monte game in Upper Calaveritas, Longhair Sam and a comrade, Hugh "Bunty" Owens, got into a row with several gamblers.
A bystander raced to Ben Thorn's mining claim at San Antonio camp and reported the killings. Thorn, after obtaining warrants for the arrest of Brown and Owens, started after the killers with a fellow miner, Ed Hopkins. They rode all night in search and by daybreak learned that the bad men were holed up with four other members of the gang in a cabin on O'Neill Creek.
Thorn and Hopkins took the pair to a sawmill on San Antonio Creek owned by Orrin Spencer, the justice of the peace.
Within a few months after his capture of San Brown, Ben Thorn was again in the saddle after dangerous outlaws. On August 6, 1855, in the so-called Rancheria Tragedy, a gang of Hispanic bandits raided the mining camp of Rancheria in Amador County, just north of Calaveras.
There they learned that Calaveras County Sheriff Charles Clarke had caught up with the mounted bandits at Texas Bar on the Calaveras River. Clarke and his men, one of whom was undoubtedly Ben Thorn, had engaged the bandidos in a sharp gunfight and managed to shoot and capture one of them.
One of Ben Thorn's most notable exploits was his encounter with Santiago Molino, a dangerous desperado who reported to have killed six men in the mining country. Ben trailed and killed Molino.
Just a few of the many exploits of Ben Thorn, a true Western Lawman.
After the Gold Rush many forty-niners drifted on to new mining frontiers. Ben Thorn, however, stayed, married built a mansion (which is still standing) in San Andreas, raised two daughters and became a power in local politics.
He served as undersheriff for Sheriff Bob Paul from 1860 to 1864 and was sheriff of Calaveras County from 1868 to 1876, then worked as a Wells, Fargo detective, and again was county sheriff from 1880 to 1903.
During the 1880's and 1890's he was, next to his friend Tom Cunningham of Stockton, the most famous sheriff in California. When he died on November 15, 1905,, the San Francisco Call gave simple but elegant praise: "In the days when laws were loose, when the bandit, the stage robber, and the horse thief abounded, when life was cheap and men lived in the frontier stage of existence, Thorn's name was a terror to the criminal."
The Gold Rush not only produced America's most violent frontier, it also produced some of the frontier's finest lawmen. But few western peace officers could match the skill, daring, and longevity of Ben Thorn, the iron-willed lawman of Calaveras County.
Ben Thorn served continuously as a law officer in Calaveras County from 1855 until his retirement almost half a century later, in 1903. During his long career he captured scores of dangerous outlaws including the mankiller "Longhair Sam" Brown, and in 1883 played a prominent role in the manhunt for Charles E. Boles, alias Black Bart, America's most prolific stagecoach robber. He took part in numerous hair-raising gun battles, and superstitious Mexicans and Indians came to believe that he led a charmed life and that no knife or bullet could kill him.
Benjamin Kent Thorn was born in Plattsburg, New York, on December 22 1829. In 1849 he joined the Gold Rush to California. He began mining on the Yuba River in the Northern Mines, but by 1850 he drifted south to the diggings in Calaveras County where he would spend the rest of his life.
Ned Bushyhead, constable of El Dorado Mining District in 1850's worked with Ben Thorn in law enforcement may times. He was the lead man in capture of Bill Holt, a well known outlaw in the McKinney Diggins - Cave City area. They worked together on many jobs including the hanging in old El Dorado December 1864, and the stage coach hold-up in 1892.
Ben Thorn's first law enforcement experience began in the spring of 1853, when, like hundreds of other miners in Calaveras County, he helped search for the rampaging gang of bandidos led by Joaquin Murrieta.
Ben Thorn soon became noted for reckless bravado, and on April 15, 1855, Charles A. Clarke, sheriff of Calaveras County, appointed him a deputy.
It was not long before the young Deputy Thorn tackled one of the worst bands of toughs in the gold region. Their leader was Longhair Sam Brown. San Brown fled Mariposa and soon turned up in Calaveras County at the head of a band of gamblers and hardcases. On July 8, 1855, while running a monte game in Upper Calaveritas, Longhair Sam and a comrade, Hugh "Bunty" Owens, got into a row with several gamblers.
A bystander raced to Ben Thorn's mining claim at San Antonio camp and reported the killings. Thorn, after obtaining warrants for the arrest of Brown and Owens, started after the killers with a fellow miner, Ed Hopkins. They rode all night in search and by daybreak learned that the bad men were holed up with four other members of the gang in a cabin on O'Neill Creek.
Thorn and Hopkins took the pair to a sawmill on San Antonio Creek owned by Orrin Spencer, the justice of the peace.
Within a few months after his capture of San Brown, Ben Thorn was again in the saddle after dangerous outlaws. On August 6, 1855, in the so-called Rancheria Tragedy, a gang of Hispanic bandits raided the mining camp of Rancheria in Amador County, just north of Calaveras.
There they learned that Calaveras County Sheriff Charles Clarke had caught up with the mounted bandits at Texas Bar on the Calaveras River. Clarke and his men, one of whom was undoubtedly Ben Thorn, had engaged the bandidos in a sharp gunfight and managed to shoot and capture one of them.
One of Ben Thorn's most notable exploits was his encounter with Santiago Molino, a dangerous desperado who reported to have killed six men in the mining country. Ben trailed and killed Molino.
Just a few of the many exploits of Ben Thorn, a true Western Lawman.
After the Gold Rush many forty-niners drifted on to new mining frontiers. Ben Thorn, however, stayed, married built a mansion (which is still standing) in San Andreas, raised two daughters and became a power in local politics.
He served as undersheriff for Sheriff Bob Paul from 1860 to 1864 and was sheriff of Calaveras County from 1868 to 1876, then worked as a Wells, Fargo detective, and again was county sheriff from 1880 to 1903.
During the 1880's and 1890's he was, next to his friend Tom Cunningham of Stockton, the most famous sheriff in California. When he died on November 15, 1905,, the San Francisco Call gave simple but elegant praise: "In the days when laws were loose, when the bandit, the stage robber, and the horse thief abounded, when life was cheap and men lived in the frontier stage of existence, Thorn's name was a terror to the criminal."
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
The Clampers are Coming!! The Clampers are Coming!!
On June 13th the local MATUCA chapter of the E. Clampus Vitus will install an historical placque on the oldest building in Old El Dorado now known as Mountain Ranch.
The placque will read:
Domenghini Adobe
The Domenghini Adobe was built in 1856 by Mr. Pagani using adobe, field stones, and hand hewn beams. It is the oldest building in Mountain Ranch. In 1872 it was purchased by the Domenghini Family. This building was used as a saloon, pool hall and dance hall until 1901 when it was converted into a general store by brothers Attilio and Cash Domenghini and known as Domenghini Brothers General Merchandise. In 1925 it became known as the A. Domenghini and Son Store. In July 1965 the Domenghini property was purchased by the current owners, Phil D. Alberts and family,
Dedicated by:
E Clampus Vitus Matuca Chapter 1849
June 13th, 2015 (6020)
Credo Quia Absurdum
Clampology, an appendix,
Many Americans, especially those who left the ways of formal living, the frontiersmen and the 49'ers, abhorred false pretensions, or what might now be called "stuffed shirts". During the middle nineteenth century there was a steady development of organizations of fraternal orders under such names as the Sublime Knights, or the Grand Exalted Templars, etc. While these orders were organized to aid their members and often the unfortunates of their communities, still they affected elaborate uniforms, fancy dress swords and plumes and other such trappings. Their officers' titles, would by modern opinion, seem quite preposterous.
As a natural refutation of these, "spoofing" groups sprang up, usually, at least at first, informally organized. Probably the best known of these is the E. Clampus Vitus. When the first groups met is unknown. There are reports of Chapters in Bedford, Penn., in 1847, and in West Union, W. VA in 1850. Rumors of even earlier Chapters float around, but due to the tendency of all the Clamper writs to mix fact and fantasy, one never knows.
Such an order was a natural for those amusement-starved miners of the Mother Lode, and members from the States early formed ad hoc Chapters. The most current story is as follows:
A drummer would come to town and was asked, "Are you a Clamper?" As the salesman had never heard of E C.V., he was informed that all the merchants were Clampers and only bought from Clampers. After a reasonable time for the victim to check out this fact, they would relent and hold a special meeting to initiate the prospect. After initiation, some food and much liquor, the new member would be presented with the tab.
Just how many Clampers were organized is not known. There is a copy of the Initiation Manual of the Downieville Chapter in the Huntington Library, and Chapters were known to have been in existence until after 1880.
Many fables have come down of their activities. One that especially well tells of their feeling toward pretentiousness is that in the many parades in the mining towns after the elaborately uniformed Masonic orders, the various Knights and sundry Templars, a gang of red-shirted miners, giving the sign of the "well-Jackass", would march, led by their Noble Grand Humbug. Their standard-bearer would carry a tall pole supporting an ornate hoop skirt and slogan, "The Banner We Fought Under".
In our current time, a number of dedicated (if not always serious) historians decided to re-organize this Ancient and Noble Order. In the spring of 1930, Carl I. Wheat, George Ezra Dane and Leon Whitsell, the "Three Revivers", planned this revival. The first meeting was held at the Hotel Clift in "Yerba Buena" in 1931, with ten charter members. The first pilgrimage (later, called Clampouts) was to Downieville in May 1932, and there the first PBC, Ed Grabhorn, was initiated in front of the St. Charles Hotel Then came the first Annual Dinner, held at the Bohemian Club in Yerba Buena in January of 1933,
At first growth was slow, the second chapter being "Platrix, the Queen of Cow Counties." The first Clamper publication, "The Enigmatical Book of Vitus" came off in 1934.
The Articles of the Bylaws express the sublime indifference of the Order:
I. All Men are Officers
II. All Officers are of Equal Indignity
(It is rumored that the founding fathers became exhausted after giving birth to these immortal lines and repaired to a nearby tavern. They never recovered sufficiently to write an Article III, etc.)
Now, each Chapter meets twice a year in a Clampout, to initiate worthy though trembling PBC's and to dedicate a plaque at some little known -- though most worthy -- historical site. The Grand Council meets annually, the last weekend in May, at Murphy's Camp.
Satisfactory!!
And so recorded.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Devoto, One of the Early Families in Old Eldorado Camp
Benidito Devoto came to Calaveras County in the early 1860‘s. He came from Italy around the horn in a clipper ship. Two years later he sent for his wife Rosa. He traveled from San Francisco to El Dorado Camp by hitching rides on wagons heading for the gold fields.
By working hard and saving what little he did make from mining he was able to buy a small lot and adobe building in El Dorado. Later he purchased a small acreage northeast of town and put in a vineyard. He soon became one of the finest wine makers in the area. Near his vineyard he also found gold valued at $800 in one pocket. He also lost one eye in a mining accident.
There was a bakery in El Dorado as early as 1858. Mr. Devoto’s bakery is listed on the township map of 1872. We believe he bought the same bakery that was operated in the early days. It was in an adobe building behind the present candle shop.
In his later years grandfather Devoto told of Joaquin Murietta coming over Butcher Hill from Cave City to his bakery to get sacks of bread. When business was poor for Murietta he did not offer to pay. When the pickings were right he often rewarded the baker very well. Mr. Devoto never spoke of this during the time it happened. No one spoke of Murietta at that time for fear of reprisal. His gang was known throughout California as cold-blooded killers.
The Devotos lived behind the bakery in small living quarters. Later with the help of his two sons he built the existing Devoto home which stands next to the stone Dughi building which is now the Lutheran Church, the oldest wooden building in town. The sons exchanged work for lumber from Wiggins Sawmill on Jesus Maria Creek. Joe Cuneo helped with the carpentry work on this house.
Benidito Devoto was born in Italy in 1828, died in El Dorado in 1917; his wife was born in 1832, died 1923.
They had five children, one died as an infant. Louis was born 1864, died 1929; Jennie born 1872, died March 29, 1967 age 94; Joe born 1869, died 1943; Auralia born 1875, died 1951.
The children went to school at the old Fischer School north of El Dorado. Louis later became Justice of the Peace in San Andreas. He moved to San Francisco. At one time he was assistant treasurer for the city, later became head of the Board of Health and finally was elected to the assembly. When he first moved to San Francisco he worked as a guard at San Quentin and also as a bartender on the infamous Barbary Coast. He was known all his life as “Judge”. Louis married Mame Coran.
A son Francis was born in 1897 in San Francisco. A daughter born in 1902 was named Maria Rose.
Francis went to the St. Mary Catholic School in San Francisco and later went to Lincoln Public School in Oakland after the earthquake in 1906. He was living with his parents on Minna Street in San Francisco when the earthquake hit. He was nine years old. The morning of the quake Francis was awakened by his father. By the time Louis got his family together the house had moved two feet off its foundation and there were cracks in the walls large enough to walk through.
Louis was a big man, over six feet tall, he picked up his son and jumped through a hole in the wall, leaped several large cracks in the earth until they had reached safety. He returned to the house several times to get the rest of his family and some supplies.
As they wandered about the city trying to find a place away from the fires, Francis can remember seeing tongues of flames licking out of every window in the Call Newspaper building. Fires started everywhere, there was no water to fight with, the lines had broken from the quake so many buildings were blasted down by the fire fighters. Many people were hysterical and untold numbers were killed.
The Devoto family stayed two days in Golden Gate Park. It was a haven for many homeless families. They they moved out of town with family friends. When the family gathered what was left after the quake they moved to Oakland.
Francis’ uncle Joe lived in Mountain Ranch for many years. He was postmaster here in 1894. He married Louise Rodesino, sister to Johanna Rodesino, who was killed in a stage hold-up.
Later he moved to San Francisco where Louis set him up as a partner in a saloon. He also moved to Oakland after the earthquake. He bought a saloon at 7th and Broadway called the “Station Saloon”. Lew Powell, a promising young fighter, became close friends of Joe and Louis Devoto. Lew Powell spent his life in the fighting game and was considered the most colorful fighter of his day. He spent his retired years at Mountain Ranch. Joe Devoto had no children. Lew Powell’s daughter still owns the Powell Ranch off Banner Road.
Francis’ Aunt Jennie became postmaster in Mountain Ranch in 1906 after working for many years in the post office. In fact, she took care of the post office when Joe, her brother, was postmaster.
Francis moved from Oakland to Mountain Ranch in 1908 when he was eleven years old. He lived with his Aunt Jennie.
Francis went to school in Mountain Ranch. Elba Ames was one of his teachers. He used to ride the butcher’s wagon from San Andreas, operated by Jim Uland, who served the El Dorado - Cave City area selling fresh meats. Francis said he kept towns clear of flies, as they followed the meat wagon wherever he went.
He moved back to Oakland when he was 13 to work for Southern Pacific Railroad as an apprentice machinist for 15 cents an hour. Later he worked for the Telephone Co. collecting money from pay phones. He spent two years in Dunsmuir for his health but working in a billiard parlor did not seem to do much good.
He missed the first World War because he was working on the railroad. After the war he made two trips to Europe as a pump man on an oil tanker for the Tri-Mountain Oil Co.
Francis returned to Mountain Ranch in the early 1930‘s to work part time for A. Domenghini. He also worked some in the Sheep Ranch Store. Later when Atillio took sick he went to work full time for Louis Domenghini in the general store. His first marriage did not work out and he married Mabel Dale Hatch in 1946. Francis worked for the Domenghini family for over 30 years. He retired in 1965 when the Domenghini Estate was sold to Alberts Family and has since passed away.
The Domenghini General Store fixtures and old merchandise as well as old photos is now on display at the Red Barn Museum, donated by Phil and Florence Alberts.
By working hard and saving what little he did make from mining he was able to buy a small lot and adobe building in El Dorado. Later he purchased a small acreage northeast of town and put in a vineyard. He soon became one of the finest wine makers in the area. Near his vineyard he also found gold valued at $800 in one pocket. He also lost one eye in a mining accident.
There was a bakery in El Dorado as early as 1858. Mr. Devoto’s bakery is listed on the township map of 1872. We believe he bought the same bakery that was operated in the early days. It was in an adobe building behind the present candle shop.
In his later years grandfather Devoto told of Joaquin Murietta coming over Butcher Hill from Cave City to his bakery to get sacks of bread. When business was poor for Murietta he did not offer to pay. When the pickings were right he often rewarded the baker very well. Mr. Devoto never spoke of this during the time it happened. No one spoke of Murietta at that time for fear of reprisal. His gang was known throughout California as cold-blooded killers.
The Devotos lived behind the bakery in small living quarters. Later with the help of his two sons he built the existing Devoto home which stands next to the stone Dughi building which is now the Lutheran Church, the oldest wooden building in town. The sons exchanged work for lumber from Wiggins Sawmill on Jesus Maria Creek. Joe Cuneo helped with the carpentry work on this house.
Benidito Devoto was born in Italy in 1828, died in El Dorado in 1917; his wife was born in 1832, died 1923.
They had five children, one died as an infant. Louis was born 1864, died 1929; Jennie born 1872, died March 29, 1967 age 94; Joe born 1869, died 1943; Auralia born 1875, died 1951.
The children went to school at the old Fischer School north of El Dorado. Louis later became Justice of the Peace in San Andreas. He moved to San Francisco. At one time he was assistant treasurer for the city, later became head of the Board of Health and finally was elected to the assembly. When he first moved to San Francisco he worked as a guard at San Quentin and also as a bartender on the infamous Barbary Coast. He was known all his life as “Judge”. Louis married Mame Coran.
A son Francis was born in 1897 in San Francisco. A daughter born in 1902 was named Maria Rose.
Francis went to the St. Mary Catholic School in San Francisco and later went to Lincoln Public School in Oakland after the earthquake in 1906. He was living with his parents on Minna Street in San Francisco when the earthquake hit. He was nine years old. The morning of the quake Francis was awakened by his father. By the time Louis got his family together the house had moved two feet off its foundation and there were cracks in the walls large enough to walk through.
Louis was a big man, over six feet tall, he picked up his son and jumped through a hole in the wall, leaped several large cracks in the earth until they had reached safety. He returned to the house several times to get the rest of his family and some supplies.
As they wandered about the city trying to find a place away from the fires, Francis can remember seeing tongues of flames licking out of every window in the Call Newspaper building. Fires started everywhere, there was no water to fight with, the lines had broken from the quake so many buildings were blasted down by the fire fighters. Many people were hysterical and untold numbers were killed.
The Devoto family stayed two days in Golden Gate Park. It was a haven for many homeless families. They they moved out of town with family friends. When the family gathered what was left after the quake they moved to Oakland.
Francis’ uncle Joe lived in Mountain Ranch for many years. He was postmaster here in 1894. He married Louise Rodesino, sister to Johanna Rodesino, who was killed in a stage hold-up.
Later he moved to San Francisco where Louis set him up as a partner in a saloon. He also moved to Oakland after the earthquake. He bought a saloon at 7th and Broadway called the “Station Saloon”. Lew Powell, a promising young fighter, became close friends of Joe and Louis Devoto. Lew Powell spent his life in the fighting game and was considered the most colorful fighter of his day. He spent his retired years at Mountain Ranch. Joe Devoto had no children. Lew Powell’s daughter still owns the Powell Ranch off Banner Road.
Francis’ Aunt Jennie became postmaster in Mountain Ranch in 1906 after working for many years in the post office. In fact, she took care of the post office when Joe, her brother, was postmaster.
Francis moved from Oakland to Mountain Ranch in 1908 when he was eleven years old. He lived with his Aunt Jennie.
Francis went to school in Mountain Ranch. Elba Ames was one of his teachers. He used to ride the butcher’s wagon from San Andreas, operated by Jim Uland, who served the El Dorado - Cave City area selling fresh meats. Francis said he kept towns clear of flies, as they followed the meat wagon wherever he went.
He moved back to Oakland when he was 13 to work for Southern Pacific Railroad as an apprentice machinist for 15 cents an hour. Later he worked for the Telephone Co. collecting money from pay phones. He spent two years in Dunsmuir for his health but working in a billiard parlor did not seem to do much good.
He missed the first World War because he was working on the railroad. After the war he made two trips to Europe as a pump man on an oil tanker for the Tri-Mountain Oil Co.
Francis returned to Mountain Ranch in the early 1930‘s to work part time for A. Domenghini. He also worked some in the Sheep Ranch Store. Later when Atillio took sick he went to work full time for Louis Domenghini in the general store. His first marriage did not work out and he married Mabel Dale Hatch in 1946. Francis worked for the Domenghini family for over 30 years. He retired in 1965 when the Domenghini Estate was sold to Alberts Family and has since passed away.
The Domenghini General Store fixtures and old merchandise as well as old photos is now on display at the Red Barn Museum, donated by Phil and Florence Alberts.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Mail Order Brides
In the early days of the Old El Dorado supplies were not always available when they were needed. Many items were sent to the mines and the workers by mail order. Orders were placed by the local merchant, or stage driver but most often by mail order.
In 1859 the California papers estimated in all the territory west of the Missouri River there was but one woman to every 200 men. This opened the path for an enterprising new business of mail order brides.
Early in the Gold Rush these hard working men lifted their heads from their labors and felt the absence of one vital element -- women!
There were no money-back guarantees but those lonely hearts thought it was worth a role of the dice to order a bride by mail, and it did work out most of the time.
There were a number of early publications that specialized in mail order brides. The motto of the day was "Women need a man's strong arm to support her in life's struggle, and men need a woman's love".
Most communities celebrated the arrival of a new bride to their town. Miners scattered throughout the hills would all come to town to look at this new addition -- "A woman". Word would spread far and wide when a woman was to arrive.
Here in Old El Dorado the new bride was not always celebrated as in other towns. Here they said it was a friend of a relative back East. Some men were too embarrassed.
Some of the names of early Old El Dorado you will recognize but we are not going to list those brave souls who took to this much needed supply.
Despite an occasional unhappy couple mail order match, there were an unusual number of life long unions.
This was because the people were very honest in their letters of exactly what they expected. Photos and background information was a must. Also after they met both parties were to sign an agreement not to be a bad spouse or try to change the other person.
These poor souls were willing to sign away anything to complete the spousal arrangement.
The lack of women in the gold fields and not many good men back East especially after the war brought these two factions together. Records tell us that in most cases this was a life made in Heaven.
EVEN the old timers said "If you are lucky enough to live in Old El Dorado with a woman, then you are lucky enough!"
In 1859 the California papers estimated in all the territory west of the Missouri River there was but one woman to every 200 men. This opened the path for an enterprising new business of mail order brides.
Early in the Gold Rush these hard working men lifted their heads from their labors and felt the absence of one vital element -- women!
There were no money-back guarantees but those lonely hearts thought it was worth a role of the dice to order a bride by mail, and it did work out most of the time.
There were a number of early publications that specialized in mail order brides. The motto of the day was "Women need a man's strong arm to support her in life's struggle, and men need a woman's love".
Most communities celebrated the arrival of a new bride to their town. Miners scattered throughout the hills would all come to town to look at this new addition -- "A woman". Word would spread far and wide when a woman was to arrive.
Here in Old El Dorado the new bride was not always celebrated as in other towns. Here they said it was a friend of a relative back East. Some men were too embarrassed.
Some of the names of early Old El Dorado you will recognize but we are not going to list those brave souls who took to this much needed supply.
Despite an occasional unhappy couple mail order match, there were an unusual number of life long unions.
This was because the people were very honest in their letters of exactly what they expected. Photos and background information was a must. Also after they met both parties were to sign an agreement not to be a bad spouse or try to change the other person.
These poor souls were willing to sign away anything to complete the spousal arrangement.
The lack of women in the gold fields and not many good men back East especially after the war brought these two factions together. Records tell us that in most cases this was a life made in Heaven.
EVEN the old timers said "If you are lucky enough to live in Old El Dorado with a woman, then you are lucky enough!"
The Mines around Old El Dorado
The many mines in and around Old El Dorado have names as varied as those of race horses, such as:
Rose Hill: Located on ridge south of El Dorado Creek, one mile west of Mtn. Ranch. Opened in 1871, operated for 25 years with a 10 stamp mill, by the Rodesino family. Later purchased by Clyde Sherwood, former owner of El Dorado Ranch.
Hardscabble: Located on ridge above Murray Creek, one mile west of Mtn. Ranch, owned by Louis Baver. In 1930 the ore yielded up to $30 per ton.
Starlight: Located 6 miles east of San Andreas off Michel Road on what is now called Starlight Lane. Discovered in 1890 with 145 foot shaft. Concentrates averaged $162 per ton. Treated in 5 stamp mill. Owned by John R. Ross.
Old McKinney: Located 5 miles southeast of Mt. Ranch, owned by Clorinda Domenghini. Discovered in 1860. What is now called Hidden Valley.
Pilot: Located on ridge between the O'Neil and McKinney Creeks, 5 miles northwest of Murphys. 180 foot shaft with 4 stamp mill. Near Cave City.
Table Mountain: Located one mile northeast of Mtn. Ranch, owned by A. M. Raggio with 110 foot shaft.
Murray Creek: Located one mile north of Mtn. Ranch, owned by Albert Wanner. Discovered in 1890.
Fort Ritter: Located on ridge north of Murray Creek, one mile northeast of Mtn. Ranch and owned by Donald Costello. 3 foot vein strkes northwest and dips northeast. Early mine discovered in 1850. With 640 foot adit and 200 foot shaft. Ore treated with 5 stamp mill.
Hazel Emma: Located in Mexican Gulch, 1 1/2 miles northeast of Mtn. Ranch and owned by Geo W. Carr, Jr. Ore yielded $20 per ton in the 1930's with 175 foot north crosscut adit, 100 foot of drifts, and 40 feet winze.
Montana: Locate on ridge north o Salamander Gulch, 6 miles northeast of San Andreas, owner M. Gattavaro in the 1930's. 2 foot quartz vein stripes north and dips 55 east. Active in 1870 with 2 stamp mill. Northwest of Mtn. Ranch.
Shenandoah: Located on Jesus Maria Creek 5 miles northwest of Mtn. Ranch, owned by J.S. Jack 5 foot vein strikes northeast. 1600 foot adits and 500 foot shaft. Ore treated in 10 stamp mill.
Alpha and Omega: Located on ridge between Jesus Maria and Esperanza Creeks, owned by Loring Bennet and Alice Rynn. 1 1/2 foot vein strikes northwest. Ore yeild up to #34 per ton. From 1877 to 1930's, 5 stamp mill.
Rindge: There were 3 Rindge mine, one located northeast of Jesus Maria, one in Wet Gulch, and one southeast of Glencoe. All were operated in the 1920's by F. H. Rindge of Stockton, with a 10 stamp mill.
Wet Gulch: Located 2 miles southeast of the town Jesus Maria in Wet Gulch. Owned by T.P. Shufelton and worked extensively in the early days.
Dauphine: Located one mile southeast of Jesus Maria (the town). Two veins in 7 foot zone strike northeast. Discovered in 1851. 100 foot shaft, 140 foot adit and open cut. Treated with one stamp mill. One of our very early mine shafts.
And don't forget Sheep Ranch, by far the largest and best producing gold mine in this area. Discovered in 1868 and operated almost continuously until 1942. In 1875 the mine was sold to George Hearst and Company. They brought the mine up to modern standards at that time and it was most productive. One of the biggest little towns in southern mines with stores, hotels, livery, even a hospital.
You will be surprised. There is probably a mine on your property or close by. Get out your pick and metal detector and see what you can find!
Rose Hill: Located on ridge south of El Dorado Creek, one mile west of Mtn. Ranch. Opened in 1871, operated for 25 years with a 10 stamp mill, by the Rodesino family. Later purchased by Clyde Sherwood, former owner of El Dorado Ranch.
Hardscabble: Located on ridge above Murray Creek, one mile west of Mtn. Ranch, owned by Louis Baver. In 1930 the ore yielded up to $30 per ton.
Starlight: Located 6 miles east of San Andreas off Michel Road on what is now called Starlight Lane. Discovered in 1890 with 145 foot shaft. Concentrates averaged $162 per ton. Treated in 5 stamp mill. Owned by John R. Ross.
Old McKinney: Located 5 miles southeast of Mt. Ranch, owned by Clorinda Domenghini. Discovered in 1860. What is now called Hidden Valley.
Pilot: Located on ridge between the O'Neil and McKinney Creeks, 5 miles northwest of Murphys. 180 foot shaft with 4 stamp mill. Near Cave City.
Table Mountain: Located one mile northeast of Mtn. Ranch, owned by A. M. Raggio with 110 foot shaft.
Murray Creek: Located one mile north of Mtn. Ranch, owned by Albert Wanner. Discovered in 1890.
Fort Ritter: Located on ridge north of Murray Creek, one mile northeast of Mtn. Ranch and owned by Donald Costello. 3 foot vein strkes northwest and dips northeast. Early mine discovered in 1850. With 640 foot adit and 200 foot shaft. Ore treated with 5 stamp mill.
Hazel Emma: Located in Mexican Gulch, 1 1/2 miles northeast of Mtn. Ranch and owned by Geo W. Carr, Jr. Ore yielded $20 per ton in the 1930's with 175 foot north crosscut adit, 100 foot of drifts, and 40 feet winze.
Montana: Locate on ridge north o Salamander Gulch, 6 miles northeast of San Andreas, owner M. Gattavaro in the 1930's. 2 foot quartz vein stripes north and dips 55 east. Active in 1870 with 2 stamp mill. Northwest of Mtn. Ranch.
Shenandoah: Located on Jesus Maria Creek 5 miles northwest of Mtn. Ranch, owned by J.S. Jack 5 foot vein strikes northeast. 1600 foot adits and 500 foot shaft. Ore treated in 10 stamp mill.
Alpha and Omega: Located on ridge between Jesus Maria and Esperanza Creeks, owned by Loring Bennet and Alice Rynn. 1 1/2 foot vein strikes northwest. Ore yeild up to #34 per ton. From 1877 to 1930's, 5 stamp mill.
Rindge: There were 3 Rindge mine, one located northeast of Jesus Maria, one in Wet Gulch, and one southeast of Glencoe. All were operated in the 1920's by F. H. Rindge of Stockton, with a 10 stamp mill.
Wet Gulch: Located 2 miles southeast of the town Jesus Maria in Wet Gulch. Owned by T.P. Shufelton and worked extensively in the early days.
Dauphine: Located one mile southeast of Jesus Maria (the town). Two veins in 7 foot zone strike northeast. Discovered in 1851. 100 foot shaft, 140 foot adit and open cut. Treated with one stamp mill. One of our very early mine shafts.
And don't forget Sheep Ranch, by far the largest and best producing gold mine in this area. Discovered in 1868 and operated almost continuously until 1942. In 1875 the mine was sold to George Hearst and Company. They brought the mine up to modern standards at that time and it was most productive. One of the biggest little towns in southern mines with stores, hotels, livery, even a hospital.
You will be surprised. There is probably a mine on your property or close by. Get out your pick and metal detector and see what you can find!
Monday, February 16, 2015
Baseball, Then and Now
In 1845 a New Yorker named Alexander Cartwright Jr. -- not Abner Doubleday -- invented the game that became America's pastime. Then he headed West taking with him a ball and bat.
Cartwright designed the game complete, bases at 90 feet in a diamond shape, players at each position with only 9 on each team. Bat in order with 3 outs, then exchange positions.
There had been many other games involving bases and balls before 1845 (some of them were even called baseball). A crudely defined game that was known as town ball, derived from the ancient English sport of rounders, had attained some popularity in New York and New England. (The New England version, with bases arranged in a U pattern and the batter's position entirely separate, was called the Massachusetts game.)
But all of these primitive exercises were static and aimless, and impossible to codify. Only after Cartwright's revolutionary innovations did the game ignite general excitement. Alexander Cartwright had invented baseball -- in the same sense that the Wright Brothers (and not Leonardo da Vinci) had invented the airplane, and Thomas A. Edison (and not Benjamin Franklin) had invented the electric light...
In the old days I guess every small town in America had a baseball team and Calaveras County was not to be outdone. Most every small, and some larger towns, especially the mining towns, all had their baseball team. Every team was in some sort of league. The foothill teams were called semi-professionals which meant they didn't get paid but they did have fun. And the town faithfully supported their team. Some say Mountain Ranch and Sheep Ranch teams couldn't win a game without their rooters. There was always a crowd to see the local boys play and when they played a rival team the rooters whistled, cheered, and rang the old dinner bell from the Sheep Ranch Hotel until the opponents were completely rattled.
There were very well organized teams at Mountain Ranch, Whiskey Slide, Murphys, Calaveritas, Sheep Ranch, RailRoad Flat, and West Point who played teams as far away as Sonora and the Stockton Pencil Factory. The Mountain Ranch - Sheep Ranch team were known as the best ball players in the league.
As early as the 1850's there was baseball in the Motherlode. Bill Denig who ran the Pony Express in Calaveras County played on the Calaveritas Team. Joe Reem the Eldorado Blacksmith also played. Also Red Greve the local grocer. The Rodesino Family had some boys who played on the El Dorado Team. John Walker played, J.F. Bench, a local merchant, also played. The population of old El Dorado was 200 in 1863.
In the 1920's and 30's those teams continued to produce some very good ball players. During the second world war the baseball idea fell to the wayside. But in the late 1940's and 50's it took off again with famous players like Yogi Berra, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Pee Wee Reese, Stan Musial, Micky Mantle and others. In 1947 Jackie Robinson was allowed to play Major League Ball. Just so you will know about "Babe" Ruth, in 1920 he had 497 home runs, 1365 runs, 1240 walks and 795 strike outs.
The more sporting gents of Calaveras County have been known to place a wager on any sporting event. Anyone who would bet on a frog jumping would certainly not hesitate to put his money on the line for his favorite baseball teams
In the 1880's Mark Bean from Sheep Ranch was the first pitcher to throw a curve ball in the Foothill League. He had batters jumping in every direction trying to get out of the way of the ball and hit it too. John Canavera, foreman of the Sheep Ranch Mine also played ball.
In the early spring when the baseball field at Sheep Ranch was covered with grain the team practiced at Rigney Flat, sometimes called Martin Flat. In Mtn. Ranch, the games were held on the Domenghini property behind the General Store.
Louis Domenghini, Paul Lewis, Clyde Cuslidge, Mr. Spiney, Charlie Valente and Warren Scott were the most faithful players. H.R. Platte, general manager of the Sheep Ranch mine donated the uniforms for the local teams. Mr. D. Fricot was a big supporter of all local sporting events.
Norbert Mudd played catcher for many years. The Umpire was Arthur Tisher who played on the team in the old days.
Before the automobile invaded the Mother Lode country the Sheep Ranch team used the big wagon to travel the many miles to neighboring towns. On the return trips from San Andreas the ball team always stopped at the Old Mountain Ranch Hotel to have supper which was served by Emma Fillippini.
Calaveras County developed a very active softball league which is still very active today.
Mtn. Ranch's first softball team was organized in 1980 after the local park and baseball field was built.
Jim Bennet, Jerry Howard and Phil Alberts put a team together that played West Point, Railroad Flat, Moke Hill, San Andreas and Valley Springs.
Through the years our local team has always been in the top three. One year we even took first place in the League.
Phil Alberts has continued to sponsor, play, coach and keep the team going. Sam Smith has been the manager and coach for many years and we are ready for the coming season. Come watch a game!
Cartwright designed the game complete, bases at 90 feet in a diamond shape, players at each position with only 9 on each team. Bat in order with 3 outs, then exchange positions.
There had been many other games involving bases and balls before 1845 (some of them were even called baseball). A crudely defined game that was known as town ball, derived from the ancient English sport of rounders, had attained some popularity in New York and New England. (The New England version, with bases arranged in a U pattern and the batter's position entirely separate, was called the Massachusetts game.)
But all of these primitive exercises were static and aimless, and impossible to codify. Only after Cartwright's revolutionary innovations did the game ignite general excitement. Alexander Cartwright had invented baseball -- in the same sense that the Wright Brothers (and not Leonardo da Vinci) had invented the airplane, and Thomas A. Edison (and not Benjamin Franklin) had invented the electric light...
In the old days I guess every small town in America had a baseball team and Calaveras County was not to be outdone. Most every small, and some larger towns, especially the mining towns, all had their baseball team. Every team was in some sort of league. The foothill teams were called semi-professionals which meant they didn't get paid but they did have fun. And the town faithfully supported their team. Some say Mountain Ranch and Sheep Ranch teams couldn't win a game without their rooters. There was always a crowd to see the local boys play and when they played a rival team the rooters whistled, cheered, and rang the old dinner bell from the Sheep Ranch Hotel until the opponents were completely rattled.
There were very well organized teams at Mountain Ranch, Whiskey Slide, Murphys, Calaveritas, Sheep Ranch, RailRoad Flat, and West Point who played teams as far away as Sonora and the Stockton Pencil Factory. The Mountain Ranch - Sheep Ranch team were known as the best ball players in the league.
As early as the 1850's there was baseball in the Motherlode. Bill Denig who ran the Pony Express in Calaveras County played on the Calaveritas Team. Joe Reem the Eldorado Blacksmith also played. Also Red Greve the local grocer. The Rodesino Family had some boys who played on the El Dorado Team. John Walker played, J.F. Bench, a local merchant, also played. The population of old El Dorado was 200 in 1863.
In the 1920's and 30's those teams continued to produce some very good ball players. During the second world war the baseball idea fell to the wayside. But in the late 1940's and 50's it took off again with famous players like Yogi Berra, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Pee Wee Reese, Stan Musial, Micky Mantle and others. In 1947 Jackie Robinson was allowed to play Major League Ball. Just so you will know about "Babe" Ruth, in 1920 he had 497 home runs, 1365 runs, 1240 walks and 795 strike outs.
The more sporting gents of Calaveras County have been known to place a wager on any sporting event. Anyone who would bet on a frog jumping would certainly not hesitate to put his money on the line for his favorite baseball teams
In the 1880's Mark Bean from Sheep Ranch was the first pitcher to throw a curve ball in the Foothill League. He had batters jumping in every direction trying to get out of the way of the ball and hit it too. John Canavera, foreman of the Sheep Ranch Mine also played ball.
In the early spring when the baseball field at Sheep Ranch was covered with grain the team practiced at Rigney Flat, sometimes called Martin Flat. In Mtn. Ranch, the games were held on the Domenghini property behind the General Store.
Louis Domenghini, Paul Lewis, Clyde Cuslidge, Mr. Spiney, Charlie Valente and Warren Scott were the most faithful players. H.R. Platte, general manager of the Sheep Ranch mine donated the uniforms for the local teams. Mr. D. Fricot was a big supporter of all local sporting events.
Norbert Mudd played catcher for many years. The Umpire was Arthur Tisher who played on the team in the old days.
Before the automobile invaded the Mother Lode country the Sheep Ranch team used the big wagon to travel the many miles to neighboring towns. On the return trips from San Andreas the ball team always stopped at the Old Mountain Ranch Hotel to have supper which was served by Emma Fillippini.
Calaveras County developed a very active softball league which is still very active today.
Mtn. Ranch's first softball team was organized in 1980 after the local park and baseball field was built.
Jim Bennet, Jerry Howard and Phil Alberts put a team together that played West Point, Railroad Flat, Moke Hill, San Andreas and Valley Springs.
Through the years our local team has always been in the top three. One year we even took first place in the League.
Phil Alberts has continued to sponsor, play, coach and keep the team going. Sam Smith has been the manager and coach for many years and we are ready for the coming season. Come watch a game!
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Friends and Neighbors We Lost This Year 2014
1. Delcolm Hypolite
2. Patricia Nunes
3. Dawn Hartwig
4. Ralph Fuente Jr.
5. Miles Metzger
6. Trenton Bumpus
7. Erma Mayo
8. Elliot “Cisco” Valderrama
9. Dale Ragain
10. Betty Lord
11. Terry Wayne Guyton
12. Roger M. Ardour
13. Jack Richmond
14. Elmer “Sonny” Smith
15. Gary Sisk
16. Margaret Dunham
17. Gary Maines
18. Vern Schath
19. Ruth Keever
20. Claudine Fowler
21. Carnation Bral
22. Sandra J. Cuen
23. Nola Johnson
2. Patricia Nunes
3. Dawn Hartwig
4. Ralph Fuente Jr.
5. Miles Metzger
6. Trenton Bumpus
7. Erma Mayo
8. Elliot “Cisco” Valderrama
9. Dale Ragain
10. Betty Lord
11. Terry Wayne Guyton
12. Roger M. Ardour
13. Jack Richmond
14. Elmer “Sonny” Smith
15. Gary Sisk
16. Margaret Dunham
17. Gary Maines
18. Vern Schath
19. Ruth Keever
20. Claudine Fowler
21. Carnation Bral
22. Sandra J. Cuen
23. Nola Johnson
Friday, November 21, 2014
Where Is It? Places lost and remaining from the Motherlode Gold Rush
Where Is It?
Some have survived but most have disappeared.
* La Chapelle Flat - That big meadow behind Scott's Junction. Lewis Emery, who built the lake at M-24, moved his house from the Rose Hill Mine to La Chapelle Flat.
* Miles - Located where Whiskey Slide Road crosses Jesus Maria Creek. Known as the Sharp Ranch for many years.
* Broderick - Somewhere near the present town of Mtn. Ranch but we have not been able to determine where.
* Cave City - At the end of Cave City Road. Cave now open to the public.
* Poverty Flat - North of town off Whiskey Slide.
* Fourth Crossing - On Highway 49 between San Andreas and Angels Camp.
* Humbug - Now called Hidden Valley.
* Whiskey Slide - North of Jesus Maria Road at the end of Whiskey Slide Road.
* Dog Town - North of Altaville.
* Chee Chee Flat - The three corners of Whiskey Slide, Ponderosa and W. Murray.
* Old Gulch - 1 mile south of Michael Road on Old Gulch Road.
* San Antone Camp - On San Antone Creek south of Fricot City Road.
* Montgomeryville - Just east of Stage Coach Monument on Mtn. Ranch Road.
* Rigney Flat - Off Sheep Ranch Road before O'Neil Creek.
* Willow Creek - 2 miles south of San Andreas.
* Upper and Lower Calaveritas - Near present area of Calaveritas. Once a very active mining area.
* Indian Creek - South of Sheep Ranch on road to Murphys. Home of Valenti Store and Clorinda Domenghini.
* Sheep Ranch - Originally called Hay Press Flat. You know where that is.
* Yaqui Camp - 3 miles southeast of San Andreas, home of Squarehead Mine.
* Cherokee Flat - Now known as Altaville.
* Gold Hill - One mile northeast of Altaville.
* Jesus Maria - a few miles east of Moke Hill on Jesus Maria Road.
* Double Springs - Below Toyon toward Valley Springs.
* Mosquito Gulch - Now known as Glencoe.
* Turnersville - Now called Campo Seco.
* El Dorado - Now known as Mountain Ranch.
* Macaroni Flat - Near Stevenot Winery on Sheep Ranch - Murphys Road.
* Railroad Flat - You know where that is.
* Rich Gulch - West of Railroad Flat, very rich mining area.
* Vallecito - Originally called "Shooter's Town" between Angels Camp and Murphys.
* Douglas Flat - West of Murphys was called "New Diggings".
Some have survived but most have disappeared.
* La Chapelle Flat - That big meadow behind Scott's Junction. Lewis Emery, who built the lake at M-24, moved his house from the Rose Hill Mine to La Chapelle Flat.
* Miles - Located where Whiskey Slide Road crosses Jesus Maria Creek. Known as the Sharp Ranch for many years.
* Broderick - Somewhere near the present town of Mtn. Ranch but we have not been able to determine where.
* Cave City - At the end of Cave City Road. Cave now open to the public.
* Poverty Flat - North of town off Whiskey Slide.
* Fourth Crossing - On Highway 49 between San Andreas and Angels Camp.
* Humbug - Now called Hidden Valley.
* Whiskey Slide - North of Jesus Maria Road at the end of Whiskey Slide Road.
* Dog Town - North of Altaville.
* Chee Chee Flat - The three corners of Whiskey Slide, Ponderosa and W. Murray.
* Old Gulch - 1 mile south of Michael Road on Old Gulch Road.
* San Antone Camp - On San Antone Creek south of Fricot City Road.
* Montgomeryville - Just east of Stage Coach Monument on Mtn. Ranch Road.
* Rigney Flat - Off Sheep Ranch Road before O'Neil Creek.
* Willow Creek - 2 miles south of San Andreas.
* Upper and Lower Calaveritas - Near present area of Calaveritas. Once a very active mining area.
* Indian Creek - South of Sheep Ranch on road to Murphys. Home of Valenti Store and Clorinda Domenghini.
* Sheep Ranch - Originally called Hay Press Flat. You know where that is.
* Yaqui Camp - 3 miles southeast of San Andreas, home of Squarehead Mine.
* Cherokee Flat - Now known as Altaville.
* Gold Hill - One mile northeast of Altaville.
* Jesus Maria - a few miles east of Moke Hill on Jesus Maria Road.
* Double Springs - Below Toyon toward Valley Springs.
* Mosquito Gulch - Now known as Glencoe.
* Turnersville - Now called Campo Seco.
* El Dorado - Now known as Mountain Ranch.
* Macaroni Flat - Near Stevenot Winery on Sheep Ranch - Murphys Road.
* Railroad Flat - You know where that is.
* Rich Gulch - West of Railroad Flat, very rich mining area.
* Vallecito - Originally called "Shooter's Town" between Angels Camp and Murphys.
* Douglas Flat - West of Murphys was called "New Diggings".
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
The Domenghini Family of Calaveras County
Luigi and Caroline Domenghini came to Calaveras County in the early 1870‘s with one son, Attilio, who was born in Switzerland in January 1868. They came by ship, the crowded old ships that caused the death of many a fearless traveler. They crossed this great country of ours by wagon train with hardships beyond the imagination of modern man.
In Calaveras County they picked the quiet and peaceful valley near Murray Creek to settle down and work the land as the good Lord had intended man to do.
Two more boys were born near Mountain Ranch, Cash in 1878 and Charles a year later, who died in infancy. Big strong boys were what every farmer looked for in his family, they were needed so a family could make a living from the land.
Luigi purchased a large piece of land in Mountain Ranch in 1872 and ran a saloon in the stone building built by Mr. Pagani in 1856. Luigi Domenghini was born in 1844 and died in 1891 at 46 years of age. His wife died in 1935 and both are buried in Mountain Ranch Cemetery.
Through the years the Domenghini family purchased more land in the Mountain Ranch area and at one time owned what is now called the M-24 Ranch and also Hidden Valley. As the years went by this land was sold piece-by-piece.
Cash Domenghini married Elba Ames in 1919. They had no children. Cash died in 1925 and is also buried in the Mountain Ranch Cemetery.
The present Domenghini Building was a saloon until 1901 when the Domenghini Brothers remodeled the interior and opened a general store ater one year in the Domenghini Building. Supplies were picked up at Valley Springs by team and wagon from the railroad. These trips took two or three days. Drummers also made the round to the mountain communities.
Attilio married Clorinda Valente from Sheep Ranch after a whirlwind courtship. They became acquainted at a dance in Mountain Ranch. They were married in Clorinda’s home by a priest from Angel’s Camp in January 1901. The wedding was delayed one month because the house Attilio was building in Mountain Ranch was not finished. Clorinda said No House, No Wedding! During this delay in the wedding plans Clorinda continued to work at their boarding house at Indian Creek to supply meals to the workers for the large electrical project going in near Angels Camp.
Their honeymoon was spent in San Jose and San Francisco. They traveled from Indian Creek, near Sheep Ranch, by a two-horse buggy to catch the train at Milton.
Clorinda still lived in the same house, next to the general store, that she moved into on her wedding day, until late 1966 She used the same bedroom set, wood cook stove, chairs and cabinets. The wallpaper was the original and the home was truly a step into the past.
Attilio Domenghini was on the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors in the early 1930‘s.
A son was born on Dec. 4th, 1901. Louis was an only child. He went to school in Mountain Ranch to the 9th grade He was an excellent student and excelled in sports. After graduation he went to Herald’s Business College in Stockton until his uncle Cash became ill. Then he returned home to help his father with the business.
Louis married Edyth Roe on Feb. 28th, 1925 at Stockton. They lived on the Roe Ranch just north of town until Oct. 1938 when they moved into Mountain Ranch. No children were born of this marriage. Louis died May 31, 1963. When he died it was felt throughout Calaveras County. He was a man without an enemy.
Domenghini General Store Building
Built in 1856 by a man named Pagani, this is the oldest building in Mountain Ranch. Constructed of stone, adobe and hand-hewn beams with a full basement, this old building has withstood time and tribulations with very little sign of stress. Material was dug from Adobe Gulch just south of town.
The 24-inch stone wall, iron shutters on the windows and doors, wooden plank floor and high ceiling make this one of the true marvels of the Mother Lode. There are glass windows inlaid in the floor about six inches square to give light to the basement. The large hooks for lowering heavy items into the basement are still visible.
It was purchased by the Domenghini family in 1872. This building was used as a saloon, pool hall and dance hall until 1901. The Domenghini brothers remodeled the interior into a general store in late 1901. It has been in continuous use ever since. The house next to the store burned down and was rebuilt in 1905. This same house was moved across the street in 1938 and is still in use today.
This business was known as Domenghini Brothers General Merchandise until Cash Domenghini’s death in 1925. Then Louis Domenghini, son of Attilio and Clorinda Domenghini, came home from business college to help his dad with the store operation. It became known as A. Domenghini and Son from that day on. With Attilio’s death in 1952 his son Louis continued to operate the general store under that name.
After Louis died in 1963 his widow continued the business under the faithful management of Francis Devoto who had worked for the Domenghinis for some thirty-odd years.
The business, buildings and Domenghini property was then sold in July 1965 to Phil O. Alberts and family. They have donated all of the old store fixtures and some merchandise that has survived all these years and now is on display at the Red Barn Museum.
The round glass candy case, McCaskeg charge account register, old scales, coffee grinder, tobacco cutter, old photos and so much more. Stop by and see this and all the other displays at the Museum.
Clorinda’s Family History
Genoa, Italy, is the place of departure for Mrs. Clorinda Domenghini’s mother in 1862. Janie Cuneo, Clorinda’s mother, was born in Plan De Cunei Turri, Italy, a suburb of Genoa. In her younger years she set off from Genoa to America in search of her two brothers. The brothers were mining around the San Antone Camp. After Janie had reached her destination, she set up housekeeping for the boys. A year after she arrived, in 1863, she married Angelo Canavera. After they were married they moved to Esmeralda and there they established a store. Then Janie gave birth to two boys, John and Henry. A few years after they had been married, Angelo died as the results of an accident. After her first husband’s death she married Steve Valente. At this time they moved to Indian Creek. This was a little mining community about three miles from Sheep Ranch and approximately five miles from Murphys road. After moving to Indian Creek Mr. Valente built a little store. It was not too long before the mines closed down and when they did the Valentes lived on their ranch. During the cold winters to follow the Valentes kept boarders that would occasionally work in the mines. Clorinda’s sister Mary lived in this house her whole life; it was burned down in the Old Gulch Fire.
Clorinda’s Youth
When the mines opened again the Valentes kept the boarding house to hep support the new addition to the family. This addition came in 1879 which was Clorinda.
There was not much going on in Clorinda’s life until she started school. She just had the usual chores boys and girls had at that time. Clorinda and her two half-brothers, John and Henry Canavera, and sister Mary would attend school in Sheep Ranch. At this time Sheep Ranch had quite a few people. The school at which they attended had two rooms. There were over a hundred students that went to this two room school. Clorinda, John and Henry would walk three miles on nothing but a cow trail. On their way to school they had to cross San Antone Creek on a log bridge. They never had to worry about the bus being late or if it was going to run. They just hoped that the bridge would not wash out. The bridge did wash out a few times. When it did this would cause them to miss school for several weeks before it would be repaired. They would come home from school by walking or hitch a ride on wagons driven by wood choppers or vegetable men, leaving from Sheep Ranch Mine. One person that they rode with had his wagon pulled by an oxen team.
There were other incidents that would happen to Clorinda and her brothers also. Several times, a wood chopper, who would cut wood for the mine, would stop them on the trail and ask them to get a few items in town for them. These items were tobacco and matches. When school let out Clorinda would take the items she got for the men and leave them on a certain stump that had a dime or some reward left for this little task. She attended school up to the fifth grade. Then her mother became ill and she was needed at home so had to quit school. From this time on she stayed at home and worked on the ranch at Indian Creek.
On January 10, 1950, Clorinda and Attilio celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. And two short years later Attilio died on January 17th, 1952, just before his 84th birthday. After Louis’ father died he took over the store. And after 11 more years the Domenghini family suffered another death in the family. This time it happened to Louis. He died May 31, After Louis’ death Clorinda passed away a few years later in San Andreas. The last of the gracious ladies of Mountain Ranch.
In Calaveras County they picked the quiet and peaceful valley near Murray Creek to settle down and work the land as the good Lord had intended man to do.
Two more boys were born near Mountain Ranch, Cash in 1878 and Charles a year later, who died in infancy. Big strong boys were what every farmer looked for in his family, they were needed so a family could make a living from the land.
Luigi purchased a large piece of land in Mountain Ranch in 1872 and ran a saloon in the stone building built by Mr. Pagani in 1856. Luigi Domenghini was born in 1844 and died in 1891 at 46 years of age. His wife died in 1935 and both are buried in Mountain Ranch Cemetery.
Through the years the Domenghini family purchased more land in the Mountain Ranch area and at one time owned what is now called the M-24 Ranch and also Hidden Valley. As the years went by this land was sold piece-by-piece.
Cash Domenghini married Elba Ames in 1919. They had no children. Cash died in 1925 and is also buried in the Mountain Ranch Cemetery.
The present Domenghini Building was a saloon until 1901 when the Domenghini Brothers remodeled the interior and opened a general store ater one year in the Domenghini Building. Supplies were picked up at Valley Springs by team and wagon from the railroad. These trips took two or three days. Drummers also made the round to the mountain communities.
Attilio married Clorinda Valente from Sheep Ranch after a whirlwind courtship. They became acquainted at a dance in Mountain Ranch. They were married in Clorinda’s home by a priest from Angel’s Camp in January 1901. The wedding was delayed one month because the house Attilio was building in Mountain Ranch was not finished. Clorinda said No House, No Wedding! During this delay in the wedding plans Clorinda continued to work at their boarding house at Indian Creek to supply meals to the workers for the large electrical project going in near Angels Camp.
Their honeymoon was spent in San Jose and San Francisco. They traveled from Indian Creek, near Sheep Ranch, by a two-horse buggy to catch the train at Milton.
Clorinda still lived in the same house, next to the general store, that she moved into on her wedding day, until late 1966 She used the same bedroom set, wood cook stove, chairs and cabinets. The wallpaper was the original and the home was truly a step into the past.
Attilio Domenghini was on the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors in the early 1930‘s.
A son was born on Dec. 4th, 1901. Louis was an only child. He went to school in Mountain Ranch to the 9th grade He was an excellent student and excelled in sports. After graduation he went to Herald’s Business College in Stockton until his uncle Cash became ill. Then he returned home to help his father with the business.
Louis married Edyth Roe on Feb. 28th, 1925 at Stockton. They lived on the Roe Ranch just north of town until Oct. 1938 when they moved into Mountain Ranch. No children were born of this marriage. Louis died May 31, 1963. When he died it was felt throughout Calaveras County. He was a man without an enemy.
Domenghini General Store Building
Built in 1856 by a man named Pagani, this is the oldest building in Mountain Ranch. Constructed of stone, adobe and hand-hewn beams with a full basement, this old building has withstood time and tribulations with very little sign of stress. Material was dug from Adobe Gulch just south of town.
The 24-inch stone wall, iron shutters on the windows and doors, wooden plank floor and high ceiling make this one of the true marvels of the Mother Lode. There are glass windows inlaid in the floor about six inches square to give light to the basement. The large hooks for lowering heavy items into the basement are still visible.
It was purchased by the Domenghini family in 1872. This building was used as a saloon, pool hall and dance hall until 1901. The Domenghini brothers remodeled the interior into a general store in late 1901. It has been in continuous use ever since. The house next to the store burned down and was rebuilt in 1905. This same house was moved across the street in 1938 and is still in use today.
This business was known as Domenghini Brothers General Merchandise until Cash Domenghini’s death in 1925. Then Louis Domenghini, son of Attilio and Clorinda Domenghini, came home from business college to help his dad with the store operation. It became known as A. Domenghini and Son from that day on. With Attilio’s death in 1952 his son Louis continued to operate the general store under that name.
After Louis died in 1963 his widow continued the business under the faithful management of Francis Devoto who had worked for the Domenghinis for some thirty-odd years.
The business, buildings and Domenghini property was then sold in July 1965 to Phil O. Alberts and family. They have donated all of the old store fixtures and some merchandise that has survived all these years and now is on display at the Red Barn Museum.
The round glass candy case, McCaskeg charge account register, old scales, coffee grinder, tobacco cutter, old photos and so much more. Stop by and see this and all the other displays at the Museum.
Clorinda’s Family History
Genoa, Italy, is the place of departure for Mrs. Clorinda Domenghini’s mother in 1862. Janie Cuneo, Clorinda’s mother, was born in Plan De Cunei Turri, Italy, a suburb of Genoa. In her younger years she set off from Genoa to America in search of her two brothers. The brothers were mining around the San Antone Camp. After Janie had reached her destination, she set up housekeeping for the boys. A year after she arrived, in 1863, she married Angelo Canavera. After they were married they moved to Esmeralda and there they established a store. Then Janie gave birth to two boys, John and Henry. A few years after they had been married, Angelo died as the results of an accident. After her first husband’s death she married Steve Valente. At this time they moved to Indian Creek. This was a little mining community about three miles from Sheep Ranch and approximately five miles from Murphys road. After moving to Indian Creek Mr. Valente built a little store. It was not too long before the mines closed down and when they did the Valentes lived on their ranch. During the cold winters to follow the Valentes kept boarders that would occasionally work in the mines. Clorinda’s sister Mary lived in this house her whole life; it was burned down in the Old Gulch Fire.
Clorinda’s Youth
When the mines opened again the Valentes kept the boarding house to hep support the new addition to the family. This addition came in 1879 which was Clorinda.
There was not much going on in Clorinda’s life until she started school. She just had the usual chores boys and girls had at that time. Clorinda and her two half-brothers, John and Henry Canavera, and sister Mary would attend school in Sheep Ranch. At this time Sheep Ranch had quite a few people. The school at which they attended had two rooms. There were over a hundred students that went to this two room school. Clorinda, John and Henry would walk three miles on nothing but a cow trail. On their way to school they had to cross San Antone Creek on a log bridge. They never had to worry about the bus being late or if it was going to run. They just hoped that the bridge would not wash out. The bridge did wash out a few times. When it did this would cause them to miss school for several weeks before it would be repaired. They would come home from school by walking or hitch a ride on wagons driven by wood choppers or vegetable men, leaving from Sheep Ranch Mine. One person that they rode with had his wagon pulled by an oxen team.
There were other incidents that would happen to Clorinda and her brothers also. Several times, a wood chopper, who would cut wood for the mine, would stop them on the trail and ask them to get a few items in town for them. These items were tobacco and matches. When school let out Clorinda would take the items she got for the men and leave them on a certain stump that had a dime or some reward left for this little task. She attended school up to the fifth grade. Then her mother became ill and she was needed at home so had to quit school. From this time on she stayed at home and worked on the ranch at Indian Creek.
On January 10, 1950, Clorinda and Attilio celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. And two short years later Attilio died on January 17th, 1952, just before his 84th birthday. After Louis’ father died he took over the store. And after 11 more years the Domenghini family suffered another death in the family. This time it happened to Louis. He died May 31, After Louis’ death Clorinda passed away a few years later in San Andreas. The last of the gracious ladies of Mountain Ranch.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Calaveras Prospect Excerpts, 1899
The year 1899 was a busy and prosperous year in and around old El Dorado. Here are a few of the local happenings!
When and where you will find the County Assessor:
All persons who have purchased real estate within the past year are requested to appear:
Fourth Crossing: March 8
Calaveritas: March 9
San Antone: March 10
El Dorado: March 11
Jesus Maria: March 22
RailRoad Flat: May 8
Sheep Ranch: March 13
Sat. March 4th, 1899
The Ritter Mine. Recent Developments Very Encouraging to the Management.
Hard to Estimate the Average Value of the Ore -- Some Will Go Away Up In the Thousands.
The Ritter Mine, situated on Murray Creek Ridge, about two miles north of El Dorado, is proving itself, from recent developments, to be a very valuable property. It is an old location covered by a U.S. patent, and was prospected to a considerable extent in the early fifties but abandoned. It was taken hold of several times during the seventies and eighties by different parties but no encouraging developments were made and it was as often relinquished until recently when it was taken in hand by E.C. Rigney.
March 25th, 1899
EL DORADO MINES.
What is Being Done in That District.
A Favorable Clean-up at the Rose Hill-- Flattering Results at the Alpine and Extension Mines
The latest clean-up at the Rose Hill quartz mine near El Dorado proved very satisfactory. In view of the encouragement thus given and the favorable outlook for the future, Lewis Emery, the sole owner of the property, has ordered new steam machinery for use on the mill The heavy rains have assured a bountiful supply of water for other power. The management has spent something over $60,000 in repairing a large reservoir and in constructing an extensive ditch and laying pipe at different points in order to bring water to the mine. This work was completed last January. The water from this ditch will not only be used for power but also for sluicing and hydraulicking, as Emery & Co. own quite a large tract of placer land in connection with the Rose Hill property, upon which they will commence operations in the near future, Mr. Emery is erecting a large building on the El Dorado road about 1 1/2 miles from El Dorado.
May 13th, 1899
Ordinance NO. 92
Granting to the Sheep Ranch Mercantile Company,
a corporation, the right of way, privilege and franchise to
construct, maintain and operate a telephone and telegraph
line between the towns of Sheep Ranch and San Andreas,
in the County of Calaveras
July 15th, 1899
A Suicide at Murphys.
Frederick Peterson Ends His Life with Giant Powder.
He Placed a Stick of the Explosive In His Mouth
and Fires It -- Complete Decapitation the Result.
An old man named Frederick Peterson, protege of Rev. M.J. Luark, the resident minister at Murphys. He formerly lived at Chee Chee Flat where for a long time he eked out a scanty existence in mining.
July 15th 1899
El Dorado and Sheep Ranch.
The Progress of Mining in Those Districts.
The Live Oak Mine to be Sold--The Maine Mine Sold--Other Properties Showing up Well
The Live Oak mine, about one mile north of El Dorado on Sheep Ranch road, is abourt to pass into the hands of parties from San Francisco. It is at present owned by Tiscornia & Company who have done a good deal of development work therein. The purchase price is$10,000, $4,000 of which is about to be paid down before work commences. The ledge from the top down averages about two and one-half feet in width and prospects from a few dollars to $150 to the ton in fine gold. There is a large pile of pay ore on the dump and plenty more in sight in the mine. This mine is opened by a tunnel 300 feet long and also by a shaft forty feet deep.
The Ritter mine which is being developed by Lewis Emery of the Rose Hill mine is looking all right. Some very rich bunches of ore have been struck, although the ledge on an average prospects well. The results from recent tests in the Rose Hill mill were better than they have been before. For reasons known only to the management, work was suspended for a while.
Emery & Company have been working the Rose Hill gravel mine by the hydraulic process. It is reported that some nuggets of gold can be seen in the sluice boxes, which would indicate good results from the next clean-up.
Sept. 9th, 1899
Sheriff Thorn, accompanied by his wife, left for San Francisco last Wednesday. Mr. Thorn since recovering from his recent sickness is now suffering with ear trouble so he has gone to the city to consult a specialist.
Lewis Emery who lives at La Chapelle Flat near El Dorado is moving his dwelling house from he Rose Hill mine to a more convenient locality near the road. The fish with which he stocked his reservoir near his home recently are doing well.
Oct. 28th, 1899 Baling Out The Water.
That Work at the Sheep Ranch Mine Advancing Rapidly.
Without any Mishap the Water Will be Out by the End of Next Month -- Other Notes.
The work of unwatering the Sheep Ranch mine is in progress and at present the shaft is freed of water as far down as the eight hundred foot level. In this level there are a great many drifts holding an immense quantity of water which will of course make progress very slowly. Between levels rapid headway is made and the water has been lowered as much as twenty-one feet in a single day. Baling has been done with two huge buckets holding 589 gallons each, but this week one of these buckets was replaced by a larger one, holding 720 gallons.
November 18th, 1899
MINING NEAR EL DORADO.
Emery Making Preparations for Hydraulicking.
Will Raise the Water Dam Fourteen Feet --
Six Thousand Feet of 30-inch Pipe to be Laid.
Extensive preparations are being made for work on a large scale on the mining properties near El Dorado, of which Lewis Emery is the principle owner. The dam, which is situated about two and a half miles above El Dorado, will be raised fourteen feet, which will insure the storage of an immense body of water. This dam is fed from ditches taking water from Jesus Maria creek, the Little Mokelumne and other streams in the mountains.
A tunnel for a tail-race is being dug from Murray Creek toward La Chapelle Flat. This will be about 1400 feet in length.
Accident at North America.
A. Cuslidge of El Dorado met with a bad accident at North America last Tuesday. He was engaged with other workmen in hoisting hay with a derrick when the boom fell, striking him on the head and right arm, making an ugly cut on the former and breaking the latter in two places. He was taken to his home where his injuries were attended to by a surgeon.
Nov. 25th, 1899
The News From Jesus Maria.
Frank Towle as a Temperance Lecturer.
The Institute at the Hill--A Heavy Thunder Storm--A Couple Accidents--Local Notes.
Jesus Maria, November 20th. F.Z. Towle of the Banner mill delivered an able lecture on temperance at the Negro Gulch school house. The audience was a very large and appreciative one. Nearly every man, woman and child of the whole community attended in a body. He spoke with an eloquence and enthusiasm that carried conviction to every listener's heart.
One of Our Soldier Boys Returns Home.
Edward Zwinge Arrives From a Sojourn in the North.
Edward C. Zwinge, who enlisted on the 24th of June, 1898, in Battery A, Third Artillery, U.S.A., is at home, having received his honorable discharge on the 4th of last June, and arrived here Thursday last. Mr. Zwinge enlisted at San Francisco with the expectation of being sent to the Philippines, but in this respect he was disappointed, for instead of going to the Orient his company was ordered to Rapid City, Alaska, where he remained up until the time of his discharge. Mr. Zwinge, who has a fine physique, makes a good appearance in the habiliments of Uncle Sam's boys, and he does not appear to have suffered in the least from his sojourn in the frozen north. He was forty-seven days in making the journey from his post, during which he had to travel 1000 miles in a row-boat. Ed is an exemplary young man and to say that his many friends here were pleased to greet him once more, expresses it mildly.
The Petticoat and Poorman.
Developments In a Couple of Properties at RailRoad Flat.
At the Petticoat mine near RailRoad Flat a station has been cut at the 550 foot level, sinking for the 650 mark is in progress and drifting is being carried on in the 550 foot level. Everything looks very favorable.
At the Poorman mine near the same place the work of sinking from the 250 to 350 level has just been completed and a level is being run north to tap the pay chute, which is 500 feet from the shaft.
Dec. 9th, 1899
A Runaway At San Antone.
The Extreme Darkness at Wally Hill was the Cause.
On Friday evening Frank Cuneo of San Antone and another resident of the same place whose name we did not learn, had a rather unpleasant shake-up on what is known a the Wally Hill grade, near above place. They were returning from San Andreas in a one-horse cart, and when they reached the grade, the night was so dark that it was impossible to see the road, so they gave the horse free line, permitting him to pick his own way. The animal was evidently over-cautious, for he favored the inner side of the road to the extent that he ran one wheel upon the bank and upset the cart, spilling the occupants down the steep hillside.
Dec. 30th, 1899
He Drops While Playing the Violin on the Music Stand.
Earl Gilman of El Dorado, a musician while playing for the dance here on Christmas night, was suddenly taken sick about 1:30 o'clock and was carried into the hotel in a semi-unconscious condition.
A Pioneer of '52 Laid To Rest.
Daniel Bagley Succumbs to Death In His Seventy-Seventh Year.
As the golden sun sank to rest on last Friday evening, with the departing day fed the gentle spirit of a good man, at the County Hospital. For many long years Daniel Bagley hads been a patient sufferer from disease which seemed to culminate within the last three or four months in the fatal affliction of cancer of the stomach. Most of us who knew him when he lived in Mountain Ranch can remember his well known attributes of honesty and sobriety and always found him a friend true to his obligation in every respect.
Daniel Bagley was born June 21, 1822 in County Cork, Ireland. He came across the plains to California and arrived at Hangtown August 15, 1852. He came to Mountain Ranch in 1861 where he was engaged in work at Holmes' store and afterwards followed mining about Cave City.
When and where you will find the County Assessor:
All persons who have purchased real estate within the past year are requested to appear:
Fourth Crossing: March 8
Calaveritas: March 9
San Antone: March 10
El Dorado: March 11
Jesus Maria: March 22
RailRoad Flat: May 8
Sheep Ranch: March 13
Sat. March 4th, 1899
The Ritter Mine. Recent Developments Very Encouraging to the Management.
Hard to Estimate the Average Value of the Ore -- Some Will Go Away Up In the Thousands.
The Ritter Mine, situated on Murray Creek Ridge, about two miles north of El Dorado, is proving itself, from recent developments, to be a very valuable property. It is an old location covered by a U.S. patent, and was prospected to a considerable extent in the early fifties but abandoned. It was taken hold of several times during the seventies and eighties by different parties but no encouraging developments were made and it was as often relinquished until recently when it was taken in hand by E.C. Rigney.
March 25th, 1899
EL DORADO MINES.
What is Being Done in That District.
A Favorable Clean-up at the Rose Hill-- Flattering Results at the Alpine and Extension Mines
The latest clean-up at the Rose Hill quartz mine near El Dorado proved very satisfactory. In view of the encouragement thus given and the favorable outlook for the future, Lewis Emery, the sole owner of the property, has ordered new steam machinery for use on the mill The heavy rains have assured a bountiful supply of water for other power. The management has spent something over $60,000 in repairing a large reservoir and in constructing an extensive ditch and laying pipe at different points in order to bring water to the mine. This work was completed last January. The water from this ditch will not only be used for power but also for sluicing and hydraulicking, as Emery & Co. own quite a large tract of placer land in connection with the Rose Hill property, upon which they will commence operations in the near future, Mr. Emery is erecting a large building on the El Dorado road about 1 1/2 miles from El Dorado.
May 13th, 1899
Ordinance NO. 92
Granting to the Sheep Ranch Mercantile Company,
a corporation, the right of way, privilege and franchise to
construct, maintain and operate a telephone and telegraph
line between the towns of Sheep Ranch and San Andreas,
in the County of Calaveras
July 15th, 1899
A Suicide at Murphys.
Frederick Peterson Ends His Life with Giant Powder.
He Placed a Stick of the Explosive In His Mouth
and Fires It -- Complete Decapitation the Result.
An old man named Frederick Peterson, protege of Rev. M.J. Luark, the resident minister at Murphys. He formerly lived at Chee Chee Flat where for a long time he eked out a scanty existence in mining.
July 15th 1899
El Dorado and Sheep Ranch.
The Progress of Mining in Those Districts.
The Live Oak Mine to be Sold--The Maine Mine Sold--Other Properties Showing up Well
The Live Oak mine, about one mile north of El Dorado on Sheep Ranch road, is abourt to pass into the hands of parties from San Francisco. It is at present owned by Tiscornia & Company who have done a good deal of development work therein. The purchase price is$10,000, $4,000 of which is about to be paid down before work commences. The ledge from the top down averages about two and one-half feet in width and prospects from a few dollars to $150 to the ton in fine gold. There is a large pile of pay ore on the dump and plenty more in sight in the mine. This mine is opened by a tunnel 300 feet long and also by a shaft forty feet deep.
The Ritter mine which is being developed by Lewis Emery of the Rose Hill mine is looking all right. Some very rich bunches of ore have been struck, although the ledge on an average prospects well. The results from recent tests in the Rose Hill mill were better than they have been before. For reasons known only to the management, work was suspended for a while.
Emery & Company have been working the Rose Hill gravel mine by the hydraulic process. It is reported that some nuggets of gold can be seen in the sluice boxes, which would indicate good results from the next clean-up.
Sept. 9th, 1899
Sheriff Thorn, accompanied by his wife, left for San Francisco last Wednesday. Mr. Thorn since recovering from his recent sickness is now suffering with ear trouble so he has gone to the city to consult a specialist.
Lewis Emery who lives at La Chapelle Flat near El Dorado is moving his dwelling house from he Rose Hill mine to a more convenient locality near the road. The fish with which he stocked his reservoir near his home recently are doing well.
Oct. 28th, 1899 Baling Out The Water.
That Work at the Sheep Ranch Mine Advancing Rapidly.
Without any Mishap the Water Will be Out by the End of Next Month -- Other Notes.
The work of unwatering the Sheep Ranch mine is in progress and at present the shaft is freed of water as far down as the eight hundred foot level. In this level there are a great many drifts holding an immense quantity of water which will of course make progress very slowly. Between levels rapid headway is made and the water has been lowered as much as twenty-one feet in a single day. Baling has been done with two huge buckets holding 589 gallons each, but this week one of these buckets was replaced by a larger one, holding 720 gallons.
November 18th, 1899
MINING NEAR EL DORADO.
Emery Making Preparations for Hydraulicking.
Will Raise the Water Dam Fourteen Feet --
Six Thousand Feet of 30-inch Pipe to be Laid.
Extensive preparations are being made for work on a large scale on the mining properties near El Dorado, of which Lewis Emery is the principle owner. The dam, which is situated about two and a half miles above El Dorado, will be raised fourteen feet, which will insure the storage of an immense body of water. This dam is fed from ditches taking water from Jesus Maria creek, the Little Mokelumne and other streams in the mountains.
A tunnel for a tail-race is being dug from Murray Creek toward La Chapelle Flat. This will be about 1400 feet in length.
Accident at North America.
A. Cuslidge of El Dorado met with a bad accident at North America last Tuesday. He was engaged with other workmen in hoisting hay with a derrick when the boom fell, striking him on the head and right arm, making an ugly cut on the former and breaking the latter in two places. He was taken to his home where his injuries were attended to by a surgeon.
Nov. 25th, 1899
The News From Jesus Maria.
Frank Towle as a Temperance Lecturer.
The Institute at the Hill--A Heavy Thunder Storm--A Couple Accidents--Local Notes.
Jesus Maria, November 20th. F.Z. Towle of the Banner mill delivered an able lecture on temperance at the Negro Gulch school house. The audience was a very large and appreciative one. Nearly every man, woman and child of the whole community attended in a body. He spoke with an eloquence and enthusiasm that carried conviction to every listener's heart.
One of Our Soldier Boys Returns Home.
Edward Zwinge Arrives From a Sojourn in the North.
Edward C. Zwinge, who enlisted on the 24th of June, 1898, in Battery A, Third Artillery, U.S.A., is at home, having received his honorable discharge on the 4th of last June, and arrived here Thursday last. Mr. Zwinge enlisted at San Francisco with the expectation of being sent to the Philippines, but in this respect he was disappointed, for instead of going to the Orient his company was ordered to Rapid City, Alaska, where he remained up until the time of his discharge. Mr. Zwinge, who has a fine physique, makes a good appearance in the habiliments of Uncle Sam's boys, and he does not appear to have suffered in the least from his sojourn in the frozen north. He was forty-seven days in making the journey from his post, during which he had to travel 1000 miles in a row-boat. Ed is an exemplary young man and to say that his many friends here were pleased to greet him once more, expresses it mildly.
The Petticoat and Poorman.
Developments In a Couple of Properties at RailRoad Flat.
At the Petticoat mine near RailRoad Flat a station has been cut at the 550 foot level, sinking for the 650 mark is in progress and drifting is being carried on in the 550 foot level. Everything looks very favorable.
At the Poorman mine near the same place the work of sinking from the 250 to 350 level has just been completed and a level is being run north to tap the pay chute, which is 500 feet from the shaft.
Dec. 9th, 1899
A Runaway At San Antone.
The Extreme Darkness at Wally Hill was the Cause.
On Friday evening Frank Cuneo of San Antone and another resident of the same place whose name we did not learn, had a rather unpleasant shake-up on what is known a the Wally Hill grade, near above place. They were returning from San Andreas in a one-horse cart, and when they reached the grade, the night was so dark that it was impossible to see the road, so they gave the horse free line, permitting him to pick his own way. The animal was evidently over-cautious, for he favored the inner side of the road to the extent that he ran one wheel upon the bank and upset the cart, spilling the occupants down the steep hillside.
Dec. 30th, 1899
He Drops While Playing the Violin on the Music Stand.
Earl Gilman of El Dorado, a musician while playing for the dance here on Christmas night, was suddenly taken sick about 1:30 o'clock and was carried into the hotel in a semi-unconscious condition.
A Pioneer of '52 Laid To Rest.
Daniel Bagley Succumbs to Death In His Seventy-Seventh Year.
As the golden sun sank to rest on last Friday evening, with the departing day fed the gentle spirit of a good man, at the County Hospital. For many long years Daniel Bagley hads been a patient sufferer from disease which seemed to culminate within the last three or four months in the fatal affliction of cancer of the stomach. Most of us who knew him when he lived in Mountain Ranch can remember his well known attributes of honesty and sobriety and always found him a friend true to his obligation in every respect.
Daniel Bagley was born June 21, 1822 in County Cork, Ireland. He came across the plains to California and arrived at Hangtown August 15, 1852. He came to Mountain Ranch in 1861 where he was engaged in work at Holmes' store and afterwards followed mining about Cave City.
Friday, August 15, 2014
The Ballad of Johanna Rodesino, by Tim & Kate Laddish of Sheep Ranch
Last Feb. we wrote an article about this stage hold-up.
We thought this would be a great ending to that story.
Reprinted today by special permission of Tim Laddish, from The Ghost...
The Ballad of Johanna Rodesino
You can yell and stamp and fire your guns
To celebrate this plaque
To celebrate this plaque
But when you're done and had your fun
I'd like to take you back
I heard the blast; I saw the flare
Of the shotgun's wicked play --
And if I'm asked, I'll tell you fair
See, I was there that day.
'Twas the thirtieth of April back
In eighteen ninety-two;
We were ratt-l-ing along by stage,
The dust was flying through.
I chatted with Johanna
And with our chaperone,
We three had gone to San Andreas;
Only two would reach dear home.
Johanna and I were girls together
We'd shared a desk at school
From pigtails to longer skirts
We'd lived the Golden Rule
Sewing patchwork by the Summer's creek
Watching Winter's creek in flood
Together since we were little girls,
We were sisters in all but blood.
Now 15 we'd caught the eyes
of local older boys,
Like Sheep Ranch's Babe Raggio,
Seventeen, with strength and poise.
Our stage came round that curve right there,
Babe was driving us that day;
Mike Tovey rode as shotgun, he'd
Protect the miners' pay.
Then two blasts were shot by someone else;
No warning did he give.
Babe slumped and groaned and looked as if
He had not long to live.
Mike tied Babe on, then took the reins,
To find both help and hope;
The gunman made no move to rob;
He vanished up that slope.
I looked about and saw, I thought,
Johanna slumped in faint;
But when I bent to comfort her,
I saw the dark red seeping taint.
I looked about and saw, I thought,
Johanna slumped in faint;
But when I bent to comfort her,
I saw the dark red seeping taint.
"Oh robber", I cried, "you can take my purse,
"Take my gold and freely spend,
"But villain, you've done so much worse,
"You've robbed me of my friend."
Your plaque says I was a girl "unhurt,"
But I am here to say
My heart still bleeds for what it lost
When Johanna died that day.
My heart still bleeds for what it lost
When Johanna died that day.
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Little League Season
Our season has ended with a great job by both teams and their coaches.
Mike Sabelberg, E. Naski and Brian Fuller had a busy season getting all their rookies ready for baseball. Everyone had a great year and learned a lot about the game.
Allen Sender, Will Glover and Ole Gardina took their team to the sectionals in Tracy for a real baseball education, Great Year!!
We want to also thank those special people who donated to the Little League because this year the Park Committee and the Community Club told us there were no funds available this year like there has been for the past 30 years.
Special mention to Allen Sender and Phil Alberts for large donations to help buy the batting cage and other equipment.
We also want to thank:
Chuck and Linda Turner,
Bob Croft of Pumpco,
San Andreas Print Shop,
MRYA Resource Center,
and all those other volunteers for a great year.
Mike Sabelberg, E. Naski and Brian Fuller had a busy season getting all their rookies ready for baseball. Everyone had a great year and learned a lot about the game.
Allen Sender, Will Glover and Ole Gardina took their team to the sectionals in Tracy for a real baseball education, Great Year!!
We want to also thank those special people who donated to the Little League because this year the Park Committee and the Community Club told us there were no funds available this year like there has been for the past 30 years.
Special mention to Allen Sender and Phil Alberts for large donations to help buy the batting cage and other equipment.
We also want to thank:
Chuck and Linda Turner,
Bob Croft of Pumpco,
San Andreas Print Shop,
MRYA Resource Center,
and all those other volunteers for a great year.
Monday, July 14, 2014
Outlaws of El Dorado
The most famous dirty deed of note locally was the attempted stage hold-up and murder on Mountain Ranch Road in April of 1892 where 15 year old Johanna Rodesino was killed. She is buried in Mountain Ranch. No treasure was taken and the bandit was never apprehended.
In Dec. of 1864 a Chinaman stabbed a storekeeper in Cave City and he was brought to El Dorado after his capture. The storekeeper died so the good people of El Dorado hung the Chinaman. It is believed the huge oak tree across from the Blunder Inn is that tree.
In 1883 that iron-willed lawman of Calaveras County played a prominent role in the manhunt for Charles E. Boles, alias Black Bart. Ben Thorn’s first law job was in the spring of 1853 when he helped search for Joaquin Murrieta. Joaquin spent time in old El Dorado getting supplies, especially from the bakery operated by Julin Paterey which was located behind the present candle shop.
Ben was involved in the capture of long hair Sam Brown in 1855 which started in Upper Calaveritas and ended on O’Neil Creek.
Ben Thorn died on Nov. 15th, 1905 and was a law officer in Calaveras County for 50 years. His home still stands in San Andreas today.
In 1851 at Whiskey Slide, just north of Mountain Ranch, a miner was found murdered in his cabin one morning. The whole place had been ransacked. Fifteen years later another miner came and built a new cabin on the hill. He heard from a dying companion that the murdered man had hidden his treasures under the floor of the cabin.
The man who built the second cabin finally found the gold over $10,000 worth... but then became obsessed by the idea that the gold was haunted. At last, in terror he reburied it, shortly after telling his story he went mad and was confined in the Stockton Asylum, where he died. No one has ever reported finding this hidden treasure. Another tale of the Gold Rush days that lies buried forever.
The San Andreas Independent of Dec. 4, 1858, tells of a desperate fight at El Dorado in which two Americans were killed. Two Mexicans escaped but the third was captured. He was later freed for want of sufficient testimony. The Mexicans did not live in El Dorado. Because of early racial problems with the Mexicans in San Andreas, very few were ever known to live and work near El Dorado or Mountain Ranch.
As early as 1849 Ned Bushyhead, born in the Cherokee Nation, was the constable of El Dorado Mining District. Before 1849 El Dorado Camp was a gathering place for individuals looking to get away from the law. These were just rough and tumble gentlemen who did not want to tow the line when it came to community betterment ideas.
There were many law abiding citizens in El Dorado so as a complete community we were pretty safe. The Zwinge family was involved in law enforcement for a couple generations.
So if you are lucky enough to live in Mountain Ranch, then you are lucky enough.
In Dec. of 1864 a Chinaman stabbed a storekeeper in Cave City and he was brought to El Dorado after his capture. The storekeeper died so the good people of El Dorado hung the Chinaman. It is believed the huge oak tree across from the Blunder Inn is that tree.
In 1883 that iron-willed lawman of Calaveras County played a prominent role in the manhunt for Charles E. Boles, alias Black Bart. Ben Thorn’s first law job was in the spring of 1853 when he helped search for Joaquin Murrieta. Joaquin spent time in old El Dorado getting supplies, especially from the bakery operated by Julin Paterey which was located behind the present candle shop.
Ben was involved in the capture of long hair Sam Brown in 1855 which started in Upper Calaveritas and ended on O’Neil Creek.
Ben Thorn died on Nov. 15th, 1905 and was a law officer in Calaveras County for 50 years. His home still stands in San Andreas today.
In 1851 at Whiskey Slide, just north of Mountain Ranch, a miner was found murdered in his cabin one morning. The whole place had been ransacked. Fifteen years later another miner came and built a new cabin on the hill. He heard from a dying companion that the murdered man had hidden his treasures under the floor of the cabin.
The man who built the second cabin finally found the gold over $10,000 worth... but then became obsessed by the idea that the gold was haunted. At last, in terror he reburied it, shortly after telling his story he went mad and was confined in the Stockton Asylum, where he died. No one has ever reported finding this hidden treasure. Another tale of the Gold Rush days that lies buried forever.
The San Andreas Independent of Dec. 4, 1858, tells of a desperate fight at El Dorado in which two Americans were killed. Two Mexicans escaped but the third was captured. He was later freed for want of sufficient testimony. The Mexicans did not live in El Dorado. Because of early racial problems with the Mexicans in San Andreas, very few were ever known to live and work near El Dorado or Mountain Ranch.
As early as 1849 Ned Bushyhead, born in the Cherokee Nation, was the constable of El Dorado Mining District. Before 1849 El Dorado Camp was a gathering place for individuals looking to get away from the law. These were just rough and tumble gentlemen who did not want to tow the line when it came to community betterment ideas.
There were many law abiding citizens in El Dorado so as a complete community we were pretty safe. The Zwinge family was involved in law enforcement for a couple generations.
So if you are lucky enough to live in Mountain Ranch, then you are lucky enough.
Our Mens Team
To keep the Mountain Ranch Mens Softball Team in good shape for the coming season we called Sonora to see if we could play in their spring season. We thought this would be just the thing to get our team all tuned up.
Sonora said, “Sure, come over”, and they would teach the hillbilly Mountain Ranch how to play softball. So Sam Smith the manager and coach took Alberts’ Hitmen to Sonora.
So Alberts’ Hitmen, the Mountain Ranch slow pitch softball team, travels 46 miles to Sonora, CA, to play in Standard Parks Spring Rec League every Thursday night. The Hitmen started out this league undefeated until they faced “Make a Mends” who gave Hitmen their first loss, winning by one run, making Hitmen 5-1. The Hitmen went on to face “Maynard’s” the next Thursday getting beat by 8 runs which gave them their first real upset. This gave both teams a 7-2 record going into playoffs. When the record is the same going into playoffs it is down to counting runs to decide seeding. Maynard’s came out with 7 more runs, making then the 1st seed team and Hitmen 2nd seed.
June 12th marked the day for the playoffs for this Spring League and Championship game to follow. 1st seed to play 4th seed, and 2nd seed to play 3rd. Hitmen were to face SVP at 6:30 to be the first playoff game of the night. SVP was forced to forfeit because Standard Park rule is each team has 10 min. after original game to take the field, so lack of players by set time caused a forfeit. Therefore, the Hitmen moved on to the championship slot with an 8-2 record.
Maynard’s and Hitmen started this championship game battling from the very first inning trading leads throughout the first half of this game. Each team is allotted 7 home runs per game, and both teams hit 4 of the 7, until the Hitmen cam out banging in the 5th inning, blowing out 15 runs, going through their line-up twice, giving them the biggest lead of the game. The Hitmen are able to hold down Maynard’s, maintaining an 8 run lead to win the championship and making this game 2 hours long. This was an intense game filled with skill, dedication and competition from both teams. With a high scoring game like this you can tell winning the championship
didn’t come very easily for the Hitmen.
Sonora said, “Sure, come over”, and they would teach the hillbilly Mountain Ranch how to play softball. So Sam Smith the manager and coach took Alberts’ Hitmen to Sonora.
So Alberts’ Hitmen, the Mountain Ranch slow pitch softball team, travels 46 miles to Sonora, CA, to play in Standard Parks Spring Rec League every Thursday night. The Hitmen started out this league undefeated until they faced “Make a Mends” who gave Hitmen their first loss, winning by one run, making Hitmen 5-1. The Hitmen went on to face “Maynard’s” the next Thursday getting beat by 8 runs which gave them their first real upset. This gave both teams a 7-2 record going into playoffs. When the record is the same going into playoffs it is down to counting runs to decide seeding. Maynard’s came out with 7 more runs, making then the 1st seed team and Hitmen 2nd seed.
June 12th marked the day for the playoffs for this Spring League and Championship game to follow. 1st seed to play 4th seed, and 2nd seed to play 3rd. Hitmen were to face SVP at 6:30 to be the first playoff game of the night. SVP was forced to forfeit because Standard Park rule is each team has 10 min. after original game to take the field, so lack of players by set time caused a forfeit. Therefore, the Hitmen moved on to the championship slot with an 8-2 record.
Maynard’s and Hitmen started this championship game battling from the very first inning trading leads throughout the first half of this game. Each team is allotted 7 home runs per game, and both teams hit 4 of the 7, until the Hitmen cam out banging in the 5th inning, blowing out 15 runs, going through their line-up twice, giving them the biggest lead of the game. The Hitmen are able to hold down Maynard’s, maintaining an 8 run lead to win the championship and making this game 2 hours long. This was an intense game filled with skill, dedication and competition from both teams. With a high scoring game like this you can tell winning the championship
didn’t come very easily for the Hitmen.
Our Churches
Mounain Ranch is one of the few towns in the Motherlode that did not build a church but at one time there was a Temperance Hall. It stood between the present Senders Market and the Mountain Ranch Dance Hall. It was made of adobe and stone. It was built about 1860 and after the roof caved in, the building was torn down in the early 1920‘s.
Paul Lewis said that when he left Mountain Ranch to join the army in 1917 there was a Temperance Hall located next to the dance hall and when he returned from the war in 1920 that building
was a saloon.
It had a large mulberry tree and a 20 foot hitching rail in front that was removed at the same time. The picket fence has long ago vanished also. At one time in the early days, Mountain Ranch was known throughout the county for its picket fences. Most every house and lot in town was bordered by these unusual fences. You can still see some of these old fences today around the old Mountain Ranch hotel, at the Domenghini house and in old photos of town.
Ira Sanford, a relative of Mrs. Francis Devoto, held Devotional services in the schoolhouse in 1915. This was the beginning of the Mountain Ranch Community Sunday School.
Later a lay-minister, a Mr. Wilely, would help hold services. During the 1920‘s Mrs. Babcook, Mrs. Devoto (then Mrs. George Hatch) and her sister, Mrs. Joe Josephsen held Sunday School classes.
When Mrs. William Kidwell came to Mountain Ranch, she at once took an active part in the work. Mrs. Carl Howard, a long-time supporter of the Sunday School was then Superintendent.
The Gipsons moved to San Andreas, the Wolfes to Rail Road Flat, so Mrs. Kidwell and Mrs. Howard, though feeling very inadequate at times, carried on.
Later Mrs. Viola Lindsay and Mrs. Bradford joined in and these four ladies continue to give their time to our children.
The benches came from the old Catholic Church in San Andreas. The piano and hymn books were from a Stockton Church.
Not many things in this world are for certain, but always there is Sunday School... in Mountain Ranch on Sunday morning, and still is today.
A Brief History of Mountain Ranch Community Church
In 1948, a Reverend Jackson started what became known as MRCC (Mountain Ranch Community Church). Mrs. Howard related that Rev. Jackson had the folks build a small building near the intersection of Mountain Ranch Road and Sheep Ranch Road. The building was completed and services were held there for a short time. Then, as Mrs. Howard related the story, folks showed up for church one Sunday morning and the building and the Reverend were nowhere to be found. Even with the shock of the leadership disappearing and the loss of the small building, the faithful nucleus moved into the Mountain Ranch School House. Sunday School was regularly held and taught by Thelma Howard and Thelma Thompson. Both of these women were instrumental in establishing the church where it is today.
The School House was sold in 1955 and the ladies moved the Sunday school to the small house across from Sender’s Market known as the Tisher Building. In 1967, the group enlisted the leadership of Wes Andahl. Services for the members of MRCC were held at various facilities within the community. The Town Hall was utilized at times, especially for special holidays and events, as well as other local facilities. But the little building across from Sender’s was to be their prime location until Easter Sunday, 1981, when they held services for the first time in the new facilities on the corner of Whiskey Slide and East Murray Creek Road. The site of two acres of land that was donated by Ralph and Mary Norris, and re-zoned so the building could begin.
The Mountain Ranch Community Church building was dedicated November 21, 1982. It is the first building in Mountain Ranch built specifically for worship services. It was completed by volunteer labor and money raising projects. Mrs. Elda McLaughlin of Mountain Ranch was appointed chairperson of the building fundraising projects, and was assisted by many church members and local residents.
Mr. and Mrs. Norris planned and directed a steak dinner fundraiser on January 14, 1977. Mr. and Mrs. Mayo generously offered their Ranch Kitchen Restaurant for the dinner. Many others gave of their time, talents and treasures to make the dinner a success. Local news reported over 250 people attended the dinner. As preliminary work began on the church building site a spaghetti fundraising dinner was planned on April 7, 1977. Entertainment included a popular Modesto quartet called the Gradual Spread. Many other fundraising events and individual sponsors helped in raising the funds necessary to complete the building debt free.
Pastor Andahl was pastor of the church for 18 years. During that time the church grew and even opened a private school for a brief period of time. Pastor George Arnold assumed the leadership of the small flock until his retirement in the early 1990‘s. For several years the church had an interim pastor, Barry Carrol, until they interviewed and voted on their new permanent pastor, Al Hass and his wife, Ann. Pastor Al has served with the membership for 18 years now. During this time the church attendance grew and the congregation went from one service on Sundays to two services. Discussions regarding a new facility or expanding the present facility led the congregation to start a new church in San Andreas, Cornerstone Community Church of the Sierras pastored by Len Nicholson and his wife Karen. They are presently in a facility on Main Street in San Andreas and growing. Part of the plan was to relieve our crowded facility by having as many members join the new church as wanted. Thus, the members in Mountain Ranch were able to go back to one service on Sunday and start filling the church sanctuary again with new families. In all of that process a new school was established as part of the church’s mission statement and purpose. Kingsway Learning Center is now finishing up it’s fifth year in operation. Through the efforts of the congregation, the support of the community, and God’s blessings, many lives continue to be touched.
From the foundation’s early years to the present day, the learning curve has been at times gentle and other times very steep. Mountain Ranch Community Church remains a place open to all in the community. It remains a place of hope where all of the community can come for assistance, to be encouraged, to find people struggling with life just like they are.
Brief History of the Mountain Ranch Lutheran Church
This structure, which houses the Mountain Ranch Lutheran Church, is known to be the oldest “wooden” building in Mountain Ranch.
Soon after locating near Mountain Ranch in 1965, Bernie Carroll, a native of Cambridge, Mass., spotted a “half house” in the heart of downtown Mountain Ranch. It reminded him of the “Flounder” houses he had known as a boy.
In Phil Albert’s “A History of Mountain Ranch” (1967) the half house is plainly evident on the stoop of the Mountain Ranch Community Club. This building is described as the old Devoto Building located on the corner of Washington St. and Blacksmith St. Benidito Devoto came to Calaveras County in the 1860‘s from Italy around the horn in a clipper ship. With the help of his sons Joe and Cuneo, the residence/post office was built which became son Joe Devoto’s home. Joe also became postmaster in 1894. The sons exchanged work for lumber from Wiggins Sawmill on Jesus Maria Creek.
The history of the Mountain Ranch Lutheran Church began when three Lutheran families purchased properties southwest of Mountain Ranch. Later on, Faith Lutheran Church in Murphys shared their pastor for early Sunday a.m. services. These services were first held in the basement of the Bendix home, then for a very brief time they met in the old Tisher house. After another move to the Mountain Ranch Community Club, the Church moved again to Phil and Florence Albert’s new wareroom, which became our “church room” for many years.
We used what was available... like Florence’s mother’s picnic table for an altar and heavy cardboard boxes that were crafted into a lectern. Wooden folding chairs and old hymnals were provided by Faith Lutheran Church in Murphys. A bread basket was used for offerings. And last but not least, the Conn organ was loaned to the church by the Bendix Family. And so it was, Mountain Ranch Lutheran Church.
In 1984, several pieces of church furniture made by a local cabinetmaker appeared. A light-oak altar replaced the picnic table and an oak pulpit replaced the portable lectern. A cabinet for hanging paraments and vestments from Rev. Gary Bendix’s congregation in Idaho. An oak baptismal font was a gift from the Carroll family.
Later on and until we moved into the remodeled and restored Devoto residence, an assortment of gifts crafted from Oregon myrtle-wood were given to the Church in memory of Florence’s mother, Alice Rilea who passed away in 1986. The hymn board was hand made by Bill Foster and the altar Bible is a gift from the Idaho congregation of Rev. Gary Bendix in memory of his father. The keyboard that we now enjoy was a gift from Lloyd and Lillian Bechtel of Stockton, associate members.
Above the altar is a stained glass window created by Florence Albert’s daughter, Marlene. The stained glass window in the back of the nave was crafted and contributed by a former member, after he moved to Arizona.
Erich Youhiem was interim pastor for 2 years. It was January of 1998 when George Massingill accepted the call to serve as our minister. After alterations the old Devoto building lent itself remarkably well to our needs and soon became our chapel for worship services.
Max Bendix departed from this life in January 1998. His wife Olga followed soon after. We cannot forget that they were the founders of our congregation. After Olga’s demise, the property was deeded over to Mountain Ranch Lutheran Church. we pray that the cluster of white crosses depicting the Holy Trinity, installed by Art Bjorge, Leroy Dodge and John Grizzel, will serve as a call for many to come and worship.
Rev. Douglas Merritt was installed in November 2001. We assure the community that the old half-house - Mountain Ranch’s own Flounder - has been well taken care of and with your help will be preserved as a historical and architectural curiosity for years to come. It stands in the heart of Mountain Ranch and reaches out to all.
These histories of our churches was written together by Pastor Al Hass, Evelyn Carrol and Phil Alberts.
Paul Lewis said that when he left Mountain Ranch to join the army in 1917 there was a Temperance Hall located next to the dance hall and when he returned from the war in 1920 that building
was a saloon.
It had a large mulberry tree and a 20 foot hitching rail in front that was removed at the same time. The picket fence has long ago vanished also. At one time in the early days, Mountain Ranch was known throughout the county for its picket fences. Most every house and lot in town was bordered by these unusual fences. You can still see some of these old fences today around the old Mountain Ranch hotel, at the Domenghini house and in old photos of town.
Ira Sanford, a relative of Mrs. Francis Devoto, held Devotional services in the schoolhouse in 1915. This was the beginning of the Mountain Ranch Community Sunday School.
Later a lay-minister, a Mr. Wilely, would help hold services. During the 1920‘s Mrs. Babcook, Mrs. Devoto (then Mrs. George Hatch) and her sister, Mrs. Joe Josephsen held Sunday School classes.
When Mrs. William Kidwell came to Mountain Ranch, she at once took an active part in the work. Mrs. Carl Howard, a long-time supporter of the Sunday School was then Superintendent.
The Gipsons moved to San Andreas, the Wolfes to Rail Road Flat, so Mrs. Kidwell and Mrs. Howard, though feeling very inadequate at times, carried on.
Later Mrs. Viola Lindsay and Mrs. Bradford joined in and these four ladies continue to give their time to our children.
The benches came from the old Catholic Church in San Andreas. The piano and hymn books were from a Stockton Church.
Not many things in this world are for certain, but always there is Sunday School... in Mountain Ranch on Sunday morning, and still is today.
A Brief History of Mountain Ranch Community Church
In 1948, a Reverend Jackson started what became known as MRCC (Mountain Ranch Community Church). Mrs. Howard related that Rev. Jackson had the folks build a small building near the intersection of Mountain Ranch Road and Sheep Ranch Road. The building was completed and services were held there for a short time. Then, as Mrs. Howard related the story, folks showed up for church one Sunday morning and the building and the Reverend were nowhere to be found. Even with the shock of the leadership disappearing and the loss of the small building, the faithful nucleus moved into the Mountain Ranch School House. Sunday School was regularly held and taught by Thelma Howard and Thelma Thompson. Both of these women were instrumental in establishing the church where it is today.
The School House was sold in 1955 and the ladies moved the Sunday school to the small house across from Sender’s Market known as the Tisher Building. In 1967, the group enlisted the leadership of Wes Andahl. Services for the members of MRCC were held at various facilities within the community. The Town Hall was utilized at times, especially for special holidays and events, as well as other local facilities. But the little building across from Sender’s was to be their prime location until Easter Sunday, 1981, when they held services for the first time in the new facilities on the corner of Whiskey Slide and East Murray Creek Road. The site of two acres of land that was donated by Ralph and Mary Norris, and re-zoned so the building could begin.
The Mountain Ranch Community Church building was dedicated November 21, 1982. It is the first building in Mountain Ranch built specifically for worship services. It was completed by volunteer labor and money raising projects. Mrs. Elda McLaughlin of Mountain Ranch was appointed chairperson of the building fundraising projects, and was assisted by many church members and local residents.
Mr. and Mrs. Norris planned and directed a steak dinner fundraiser on January 14, 1977. Mr. and Mrs. Mayo generously offered their Ranch Kitchen Restaurant for the dinner. Many others gave of their time, talents and treasures to make the dinner a success. Local news reported over 250 people attended the dinner. As preliminary work began on the church building site a spaghetti fundraising dinner was planned on April 7, 1977. Entertainment included a popular Modesto quartet called the Gradual Spread. Many other fundraising events and individual sponsors helped in raising the funds necessary to complete the building debt free.
Pastor Andahl was pastor of the church for 18 years. During that time the church grew and even opened a private school for a brief period of time. Pastor George Arnold assumed the leadership of the small flock until his retirement in the early 1990‘s. For several years the church had an interim pastor, Barry Carrol, until they interviewed and voted on their new permanent pastor, Al Hass and his wife, Ann. Pastor Al has served with the membership for 18 years now. During this time the church attendance grew and the congregation went from one service on Sundays to two services. Discussions regarding a new facility or expanding the present facility led the congregation to start a new church in San Andreas, Cornerstone Community Church of the Sierras pastored by Len Nicholson and his wife Karen. They are presently in a facility on Main Street in San Andreas and growing. Part of the plan was to relieve our crowded facility by having as many members join the new church as wanted. Thus, the members in Mountain Ranch were able to go back to one service on Sunday and start filling the church sanctuary again with new families. In all of that process a new school was established as part of the church’s mission statement and purpose. Kingsway Learning Center is now finishing up it’s fifth year in operation. Through the efforts of the congregation, the support of the community, and God’s blessings, many lives continue to be touched.
From the foundation’s early years to the present day, the learning curve has been at times gentle and other times very steep. Mountain Ranch Community Church remains a place open to all in the community. It remains a place of hope where all of the community can come for assistance, to be encouraged, to find people struggling with life just like they are.
Brief History of the Mountain Ranch Lutheran Church
This structure, which houses the Mountain Ranch Lutheran Church, is known to be the oldest “wooden” building in Mountain Ranch.
Soon after locating near Mountain Ranch in 1965, Bernie Carroll, a native of Cambridge, Mass., spotted a “half house” in the heart of downtown Mountain Ranch. It reminded him of the “Flounder” houses he had known as a boy.
In Phil Albert’s “A History of Mountain Ranch” (1967) the half house is plainly evident on the stoop of the Mountain Ranch Community Club. This building is described as the old Devoto Building located on the corner of Washington St. and Blacksmith St. Benidito Devoto came to Calaveras County in the 1860‘s from Italy around the horn in a clipper ship. With the help of his sons Joe and Cuneo, the residence/post office was built which became son Joe Devoto’s home. Joe also became postmaster in 1894. The sons exchanged work for lumber from Wiggins Sawmill on Jesus Maria Creek.
The history of the Mountain Ranch Lutheran Church began when three Lutheran families purchased properties southwest of Mountain Ranch. Later on, Faith Lutheran Church in Murphys shared their pastor for early Sunday a.m. services. These services were first held in the basement of the Bendix home, then for a very brief time they met in the old Tisher house. After another move to the Mountain Ranch Community Club, the Church moved again to Phil and Florence Albert’s new wareroom, which became our “church room” for many years.
We used what was available... like Florence’s mother’s picnic table for an altar and heavy cardboard boxes that were crafted into a lectern. Wooden folding chairs and old hymnals were provided by Faith Lutheran Church in Murphys. A bread basket was used for offerings. And last but not least, the Conn organ was loaned to the church by the Bendix Family. And so it was, Mountain Ranch Lutheran Church.
In 1984, several pieces of church furniture made by a local cabinetmaker appeared. A light-oak altar replaced the picnic table and an oak pulpit replaced the portable lectern. A cabinet for hanging paraments and vestments from Rev. Gary Bendix’s congregation in Idaho. An oak baptismal font was a gift from the Carroll family.
Later on and until we moved into the remodeled and restored Devoto residence, an assortment of gifts crafted from Oregon myrtle-wood were given to the Church in memory of Florence’s mother, Alice Rilea who passed away in 1986. The hymn board was hand made by Bill Foster and the altar Bible is a gift from the Idaho congregation of Rev. Gary Bendix in memory of his father. The keyboard that we now enjoy was a gift from Lloyd and Lillian Bechtel of Stockton, associate members.
Above the altar is a stained glass window created by Florence Albert’s daughter, Marlene. The stained glass window in the back of the nave was crafted and contributed by a former member, after he moved to Arizona.
Erich Youhiem was interim pastor for 2 years. It was January of 1998 when George Massingill accepted the call to serve as our minister. After alterations the old Devoto building lent itself remarkably well to our needs and soon became our chapel for worship services.
Max Bendix departed from this life in January 1998. His wife Olga followed soon after. We cannot forget that they were the founders of our congregation. After Olga’s demise, the property was deeded over to Mountain Ranch Lutheran Church. we pray that the cluster of white crosses depicting the Holy Trinity, installed by Art Bjorge, Leroy Dodge and John Grizzel, will serve as a call for many to come and worship.
Rev. Douglas Merritt was installed in November 2001. We assure the community that the old half-house - Mountain Ranch’s own Flounder - has been well taken care of and with your help will be preserved as a historical and architectural curiosity for years to come. It stands in the heart of Mountain Ranch and reaches out to all.
These histories of our churches was written together by Pastor Al Hass, Evelyn Carrol and Phil Alberts.
Two For One
Last week's Little League major game here in Mountain Ranch coached by Mike Sabelberg was a special game, even though we did not win. Pauline, the coach’s wife had all the team members present a birthday cake to Cameron Sabelberg. And because he was born on his great grandfather’s birthday, both teams gathered after the game and sang Happy Birthday to Cameron and Phil Alberts led by 3 Dog Dan, Little League’s only public address announcer in Calaveras County.
Hot dogs and cake were served to all. A special day at our park, even the spectators joined in on the festivities.
Have you been to the park lately? It is in very good shape. Why not come help us keep it in shape?
Mountain Ranch LOGO and MOTTO
A few years ago our local long-time resident Ted Fenner had the brainstorm of finding a Mountain Ranch logo. Where he got that idea, we never knew. Not knowing where to go or to whom to consult, but after talking to nearly everyone he ran into including local real estate agents and our increasing crop of resident artists, a contest was born and our own Cate Culver won by presenting this as our local logo.
It was perfect but not very well shown throughout the community. Now we want to make it available to everyone. This is your logo, use it.
We also have a motto for Mountain Ranch:
Abraham Lincoln said, “I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives.”
Jerry Yates said, “You are one lucky S.O.B. to live in Mountain Ranch!”
Mark Twain said, “To live is to be lucky.”
Phil said, and we are not quite sure where he got it, “If you are lucky enough to live in Mountain Ranch, you are lucky enough!”
Now when someone complains about Mountain Ranch, you can quote our motto.
So remember, if you are lucky enough to live in Mountain Ranch, you are lucky enough!
The Great Oak Tree Murder
It was not a dark and stormy night, it was a bright blue sky day. As the appointed time grew near, the witnesses to this horrible event started to gather.
The doers of this dirty deed appeared out of nowhere as they surrounded the intended victim. The crowd slowly sunk back across the street waiting for the first silent scream.
Small pieces fell to earth little by little with little respect for its life long contributions to the comm’‘’unity. As the larger parcels begin to fall the instigators of this unfortunate event slowly moved to the back of the crowd that had gathered to witness this dastardly deed as if they were not sure the correct decision had been made.
As the last chunk hit the ground you could feel the sadness in the air. The despair of the moment was like a cloud over the small crowd that by now was standing silent.
No longer will little children frolic within the shade of this Mother Oak, little girls will no longer set up their tea for the dolls, little boys will never climb among its protecting branches, old ladies will never rock and knit under its protecting branches.
The event of this day will go down in history as one of the saddest days the Ghost from Dirty Gulch has ever witnessed.
Old men will never again lean against its comforting trunk and tell tales of the days of yore. That frustrated mother Elvira bird must look for a new home to raise her young and that lively gray squirrel Melvin who had so much fun running up and down must now move on to unfamiliar territory.
The jury of that twenty seven who voted guilty completely ignored the petition signed by 126 concerned citizens
The investigation into this tragic event will continue until all facts are presented to the citizens of the village.
One of the beauties of Mountain Ranch is gone now, but the rich memories of what was remains. We have had our moment in time, and while some may go on forever, others must be content to be memories of the past.
So it is with this small and unforgettable memory.
The doers of this dirty deed appeared out of nowhere as they surrounded the intended victim. The crowd slowly sunk back across the street waiting for the first silent scream.
Small pieces fell to earth little by little with little respect for its life long contributions to the comm’‘’unity. As the larger parcels begin to fall the instigators of this unfortunate event slowly moved to the back of the crowd that had gathered to witness this dastardly deed as if they were not sure the correct decision had been made.
As the last chunk hit the ground you could feel the sadness in the air. The despair of the moment was like a cloud over the small crowd that by now was standing silent.
No longer will little children frolic within the shade of this Mother Oak, little girls will no longer set up their tea for the dolls, little boys will never climb among its protecting branches, old ladies will never rock and knit under its protecting branches.
The event of this day will go down in history as one of the saddest days the Ghost from Dirty Gulch has ever witnessed.
Old men will never again lean against its comforting trunk and tell tales of the days of yore. That frustrated mother Elvira bird must look for a new home to raise her young and that lively gray squirrel Melvin who had so much fun running up and down must now move on to unfamiliar territory.
The jury of that twenty seven who voted guilty completely ignored the petition signed by 126 concerned citizens
The investigation into this tragic event will continue until all facts are presented to the citizens of the village.
One of the beauties of Mountain Ranch is gone now, but the rich memories of what was remains. We have had our moment in time, and while some may go on forever, others must be content to be memories of the past.
So it is with this small and unforgettable memory.
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