Butte County
Biographies
GEN. JOHN BIDWELL
GEN.
JOHN BIDWELL.--The life of Gen. John Bidwell has been
so closely interwoven with the pioneer history of the state of California that
his name calls up to the old generation a past replete with incident: the
events which laid the foundation for California's present prosperity; the
hardships, the trials, the dangers and privations which accompanied every
effort of the first settlers of this then practically unknown country. To the
present generation General Bidwell is equally well
known; for time dealt gently with him as an honored landmark which connects a
courageous past with a prosperous present, and until April 4, 1900, he remained
an important factor in all that marked the progress and development of his
adopted state, and especially Butte County, where he had made his home for so
many years.
General Bidwell
was a native of Chautauqua County, N. Y., born August 5, 1819, the descendant
of a sturdy New England family. His father, Abraham Bidwell,
was a native of Connecticut and a farmer by occupation, who in manhood married
Clarissa Griggs. She was born in Massachusetts, a member of the prominent
family of that name. They immigrated to the western part of the state of New
York, where the birth of John Bidwell occurred. In
1829 his father removed to Pennsylvania, and thence to Ohio two years later. He
was there reared to young manhood and trained in the practical duties of a
farmer, and inculcated with the thrift and energy which distinguishes the
character of the New Englander. On account of limited finances he received but
scant scholastic training, the greater part being obtained in Kingville Academy, Ashtabula County, Ohio, a distance of three hundred miles from his home, which he
walked after working all summer to get means to attend, at wages of seven
dollars per month. The knowledge thus obtained formed a foundation for that
which the years of experience and application brought him. In 1839, at the age
of nineteen, Mr. Bidwell determined to seek his
fortune among the broader opportunities of the more remote West; and with no
capital but his courage and energy, he left home and located first in Iowa.
From that location he went to Missouri, whose rich lands on the frontier had
been thrown open to the settler. In Platte County, about nine miles from
Leavenworth, he secured a claim of one hundred sixty acres, shortly afterwards
going to St. Louis for supplies. While absent on the journey of four weeks his
claim was jumped, and as he was neither the head of a family nor twenty-one
years old, the other party was upheld at law when an attempt was made in the
winter of 1840 to prove up.
Just about this time Mr. Bidwell became interested in California, a returned
emigrant having described it as a land of paradise. About five hundred signed
an agreement to go to this Western land; but shortly afterward the celebrated
letter of Farnham was published, detracting from
California, and as result the greater number decided to withdraw their names.
Under great difficulties Mr. Bidwell succeeded in
reaching the place of rendezvous, from which set out finally a band of
sixty-nine men, women and children in a daring attempt to reach the unknown
land. They fortunately secured the guidance, of a missionary party which was
then on its way to the West, and in the spring of 1841 they started upon their
journey. They were the first of those courageous emigrants to attempt this
perilous journey and a settlement in the West; and they were attracted by the
prospect of homes rather than by the gold which later served as the magnet to
bring settlers from all parts of the world. Some time after parting with the
missionary party the remainder separated, all but thirty-two deciding to locate
in Oregon instead of braving the difficulties which lay in the path of their
journey to the "land of sunshine and flowers." Nothing daunted, the
remainder continued upon their way. This was two years before Fremont's survey
of the country, where there was practically nothing to serve as guides for
them. It was the fall of the year, and the air was full of smoke; consequently
they could see but a short distance ahead, and could not select their road.
Soon after leaving Salt Lake, they were compelled to manufacture pack saddles
for their mules and horses, and even for some of their oxen. During this part
of the journey, Mr. Bidwell had an interesting as
well as a dangerous and exciting experience while in search of their pack oxen,
which had strayed from camp in the darkness. With another man he was detailed
to search for them, while the balance of the party went ahead in an effort to
find water. His companion becoming discouraged, Mr. Bidwell
was left to make the search alone. After finding the oxen he rejoined the
party, which had sent two men back to meet him. Following this they had several
adventures with the Indians, besides wandering too far south into the desert,
and on changing their course found difficulties in the canyon north. They
finally found their way out along the Humboldt River. Later seven of the
company, with the captain, deserted them, leaving them to find their way as
best they could into California. Successfully crossing the Sierras, they
descended into the beautiful Sacramento Valley, reaching Marsh's Ranch, near
the foot of Mt. Diablo, November 4, 1841, whence Mr. Bidwell
proceeded to Sutter's settlement (afterwards known as Sutter's Fort), where he
arrived November 30, 1841.
It was about this time that Sutter had come into possession of the
Russian property on the sea at Fort Eoss and at
Bodega. He purchased all the property that they were unable to remove when they
left the country. This Russian Colony was but a branch of the Russian Fur
Company, of which the Czar of Russia was the president, and which had a charter
from Old Spain, authorizing the company to establish a branch for the purpose
of taking furs along the coast at Fort Ross. The charter had nearly expired, so
they sold everything to Sutter, including a schooner of about twenty tons, and
forty pieces of cannon, together with some old muskets, some or perhaps most of
which were from those lost by Napoleon in the disastrous campaign to Moscow.
Mr. Bidwell's first occupation in California was at
the Bodega and Fort Ross, in conjunction with Robert T. Ridley, taking charge
of the Russian property still remaining at those points, and removing the same
as rapidly as possible to Sutter's settlement.
Upon the completion of this his
first work in California, Mr. Bidwell took a journey
on horseback, in February, 1843, to Sutter's Fort, accomplishing the trip in
four days. When about sixty miles on his journey, he made a
stop for the night. He was accompanied by an Indian, and each had his
two horses and a pack horse to carry the provisions and blankets. That night
the horses disappeared. As they were very valuable horses, Mr. Bidwell lost no time in undertaking to recover them.
Borrowing animals with which to enter on the search, they started forth in
pursuit. An adventurous week followed, one incident of which was the successful
crossing of Putah Creek. This creek is well known on
account of the extreme difficulty of crossing it even in a dry season, both
banks being exceedingly steep and the sands very soft. Mr. Bidwell's
crossing was made in the night, and it was not until afterwards that he learned
of the nature of the creek. This expedition proved a failure, however, as they
not only failed to recover their property, but lost their borrowed animals as
well. Finding it necessary to pay an exorbitant price for the lost animals, Mr.
Bidwell decided to search for them as well as his
own. The latter he found at the ranch of a man from whom he had obtained the
extra animals. Setting out in search of the other horses, he heard of a party
which had started to Oregon; and with the idea that they might have taken them,
he followed their trail. They struck the trail of the Oregon party on what is
now known as Chico Creek; and here Mr. Bidwell had
his first view of the spot later known as Rancho Chico, which was to be his
home for the remainder of his life, and where a city was to be founded which
should owe to him the greater part of its progress and development. They
overtook the party and recovered the animals, and then immediately returned
south.
The following year Mr. Bidwell enlisted in the defense of California against the insurrection
of the native chiefs, Castro and Alvarado, in the revolt of 1844-1845, acting
as aide-de-camp to General Sutter until the war ended with the expulsion of the
Mexican governor, Micheltorena. In 1846 he was
appointed magistrate of San Luis Rey district by
General Fremont. A short time before this, grants of land had been made,
consisting of great cattle ranges, whose boundaries were very indefinite. Among
these was one given to William Dickey, the Rancho del Arroyo Chico, of
twenty-two thousand acres, which General Bidwell
purchased in 1849. The cultivation and improvements of this property formed the
chief interest of General Bidwell during the years of
activity that followed. In 1852 the old log dwelling was burned and the
historic adobe was built.
From the time when he took up his
residence in Butte County, General Bidwell took an
active part in its development and upbuilding, and
proved a potent factor in all that tended towards the general welfare. Not
alone prominent in Butte County, he became a factor in the formation of the
commonwealth of California, being chosen in 1849 a member of the first
constitutional convention of California at Sacramento; and from that time on he
occupied a place of importance in the history of the state. Owing to his
absence in the mountains at the time of his appointment to this convention, he
failed to receive notice in time to attend. In the same year he was elected to
the state senate of the first California legislature. In 1850 Governor Burnett
appointed General Bidwell and Judge Schoolcraft to
convey a block of native gold-bearing quartz to Washington as California's
contribution to the Washington monument. Continuing a power in the governmental
life of California, he was chosen a delegate to the Democratic National
Convention at Charleston, in 1860; and loyal to his country in its time of
need, three years later, he accepted the appointment of Governor Stanford to
command the Fifth Brigade, California Militia, serving until the close of the
war. In 1864 he was elected to the Thirty-ninth Congress; and two years later
he could have had the renomination, but he had
decided not to be a candidate and so declined. In 1875 he was nominated for
governor of California on the non-partisan state ticket, and in 1886 he was a
delegate to the anti-Chinese convention held in Sacramento. Besides these
public honors he was the recipient of many others equally as great. In regard
to General Bidwell's political convictions, we quote
from his own utterance: "My politics are intensely Republican; I am a
Prohibitionist, a native American, and anti-Chinese in the sense of wholesome
restriction of all foreign emigration, and anti-monopolist in the truest sense
of the term." His loyalty to his country in its time of need, his
patriotism, and his strict integrity, all marked him as a citizen of the
highest type, and one upon whom the honor of the country might safely rest.
General Bidwell's
relation to Chico is that of its founder and the stanch supporter of its growth and progress.
In 1860 he laid out the town, where he had been a successful farmer for a dozen
years, and where, for ten years more, no railroads came to bring him
remuneration for his efforts to build up a city in the midst of the wilderness.
His courage, ambition and stirring enterprise called others, and his
undertaking was eminently successful; the city grew and business enterprises
multiplied. The first academy was built upon the Woodman block, a valuable
piece of property donated for the purpose by General Bidwell.
It was also through his efforts that the city secured the State Normal School.
He was in Europe at the time, and on receiving a cablegram asking for land upon
which to place the building, sent back the message that they were welcome to
any piece of land on his ranch, with the exception of his dooryard. The
property donated for the purpose was valued at fifteen thousand dollars. He
also gave to the city the lot upon which the city hall stands, forestalling the
intentions of the city to purchase a site; and in addition to this land he gave
valuable building sites to the different churches of Chico--the Presbyterian,
the Methodist, South, the African Methodist, and the Roman Catholic--each of
them receiving as much land as they asked for, often supplemented by liberal
cash donations. He was always a constant supporter of the Free Reading Room,
and gave liberally for its establishment, it being for some time in one of his
own buildings. He took the greatest interest in beautifying the city. One of
the most attractive drives, over a mile in length, and so arranged that there
are two driveways, two bicycle courses, and a road for heavy teaming, is the
result of the General's plans and efforts. His own mansion and grounds, with
the numerous driveways shaded by tall trees, planted many years ago in the
pioneer days of the state, are an evidence of the taste and ability which
always distinguished his efforts. He was largely instrumental in opening to the
public the famous Humboldt Road, which extends over the summit of the Sierras
from Chico to Prattville, being sixty-four miles in length. To the building of
this road the General gave liberally of his time and money, interesting others
and securing donations which brought about the successful consummation of the
project. No enterprise, in fact, was complete without his cooperation, and it
can truly be said that he never withheld his support from any movement
calculated to advance the general welfare of the community which knew him and
honored him for many years.
When he passed on to the reward
awaiting him beyond the portals of death, General Bidwell
left behind him a record of a life well spent, an example worth of emulation,
and an influence which will outlast the passage of time and make for the
betterment of all who come within its radius, either through the memory of a
personal contact in the past, or through the eloquent language of the works
that stand as monuments to the ability, honor and manhood that characterized
his entire career. On the morning of April 4, 1900, General Bidwell
went to the woods with a couple of his men to do some work. While so occupied,
it became necessary to fell a tree, as a result of which operation he was
suddenly seized with heart failure. Assistance was summoned and he was conveyed
to his home, where he died at 2:30 that afternoon. On April 11, all that was
mortal of John Bidwell was committed to the grave.
Transcribed by Sande Beach.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 418-426, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2006 Sande Beach.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies