Sacramento County
Biographies
GEORGE McDOUGAL
George McDougal was a prominent character
in the days of the founding of Sacramento city. He was a brother of "I,
John," the second governor of California, and came here from Indiana in
1848, and, joining Fremont's battalion, was with it in
the campaign of Southern California. After his return to San Francisco, he
became prominent there, and after gold was discovered joined the rush of
prospectors and had some exciting experiences in the mines. As narrated
elsewhere, shortly after the survey of Sacramento was completed, he secured a
lease from Sutter of a portion of the river front for a ferry, at a point below
the entrance to Sutter slough. With his partner, Judge Blackburn of Santra Cruz, he opened the first store in the place,
bringing up a store ship and anchoring it near the foot of I street. When
Captain Sutter's son arrived, however, and the father transferred to him an
interest in the city, a debate soon arose between him and McDougal as to the
latter's rights under the lease, McDougal claiming that he was entitled to
several hundred feet of the front. The court decided in favor of Sutter,
McDougal became dissatisfied with the place and determined to "extinguish
the prospects" of the new city and to move to Sutterville.
He removed all his goods to that place, and departed to the east, leaving his
brother John in charge of the store. John then issued immense placards,
announcing that the firm had determined to lead in the competition, and would
therefore sell goods "at cost and freight," adding a verbal assurance
that, if necessary to obtain patronage under that combination, they would sell
the goods at first cost. The merchants at the fort combined, however, and by a
well-laid scheme forced McDougal & Co. to close up business. George
wandered from the east into Utah, New Mexico and the adjacent territories, and
reports of his death finally reached the coast. A brother in the east
administered on his estate, and all trace of George was lost for years. Finally
Captain Brown, of the ram Stonewall, was going through the Straits of Magellan,
on his way to Japan, when some Patagonian chiefs came on board. Among them was
a "hirsute, squalid, weather-tanned and very tatooed
man," who proved to be none other than "Colonel George McDougal,"
who had journeyed through Central America and various countries of South
America, and was now prospecting at a solitary station in the Straits, called
Sandy Point, having become the chief of an Indian tribe. McDougal was a giant
in size and had always been so stately and handsome that he had been called
"Lord George McDougal." Captain Brown said that after he had been
shaved, cleaned up and dressed in good clothes, McDougal was the handsomest and
most distinguished man he had ever seen. McDougal sobbed and cried when told of
his family, but refused to remain on board or go with the ship, as he had a
valuable mine which he was developing with the aid of the Indians. He promised,
however, that he would proceed further north as soon as possible and would go
home, and when Captain Brown afterwards met him in Valparaiso, he succeeded in
sending him home.
Transcribed by Sally Kaleta.
Source: Willis,
William L., History of Sacramento County,
California, Pages 835-836. Historic
Record Company,
© 2006 Sally Kaleta.