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El Dorado County, California
News & Stories
LOCAL BREVITIES... |
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Mr. Mason is an old Californian
Mr. George E. Mason, of the Charleston (Ill.) Courier, favored us with a call Wednesday morning. Mr. Mason is an
old Californian, having come to this state in 1840, and did his first mining in Cedar Ravine, near this city. After
an absence of over forty years, he came back to look at the scenes of his early mining life. He finds a complete
change in the appearance of things since then, the Methodist church standing about where he first mined, and neat
residences line the banks of the once famous Cedar Ravine. The Mountain Democrat was the only familiar landmark
that had survived the ravages of time. Mr. Mason left for Sacramento on Thursday on his return to his eastern home.
[Mountain Democrat Newspaper
Transcribed by Kimberly Torp (reprinted in the Charleston Courier (Coles County, Illinois) April 6, 1893)] |
FLAMES DESTROY MOYLE HOME
The home of
Mrs. Thomas Moyle, off Pacific Street, was swept by flames
last Friday afternoon, the residence and the furnishings being almost entirely wiped out A
few articles of parlor furniture were saved by volunteer fire fighters.
The piano was dragged through the
front door and several chairs were
passed out the parlor window. Origin of the blaze, acknowledged to
have started In the kitchen, is uncertain. Upon discovering the flames,
Mrs. Moyle made a brave attempt to
extinguish them and received minor
burns in the attempt. A curious feature of the fire developed when firemen were chopping
around the frame supports to the house
to see whether there was a five below the main door. Although the fire had
been in progress for several minutes,
a small pup raced from under the
home through the opening when the
firemen cut. [ Mountain Democrat, 1/10/1930. Submitted
by El Dorado County Genealogy Trails.] |
Charles Snow Operated on at
Hospital in S. F.
Friends of Charles Snow will be glad to know that he is on the road to
recovery following a mastoid operation at Mount Zion hospital, San
Francisco. Mr. Snow is a former resident of the Newtown section of this
county. A recent letter to the editor from his brother, E. Snow, states
that despite his advanced age, Charles weathered the operation nicely.[Mountain
Democrat 1/24/1930, Front Page. Submitted by El Dorado County Genealogy
Trails.] |
Varozza, Aged Resident, Suffers
from Pleurisy
Charles Varozza, well-known pioneer of El Dorado County,
suffered an attack of pleurisy Tuesday night at the home of Mrs. Addie
Merrill. His condition was reported as being not necessarily
critical. First reports said Mr. Varozza had suffered a paralytic stroke,
but this was proved to be without foundation in fact. Mr. Varozza, who came
to this section during the late '50's or early '60's,had been in town
Tuesday morning for dental treatment, during which, because of his
condition a physician was in attendance. He passed through the treatment
in good order and the attack followed some hours later, during the
night. He is an active member of several branches of the Masonic
fraternity. [Mountain Democrat 1/24/1930, Front Page. Submitted by
El Dorado County Genealogy Trails.] |
Mrs. Phoebe Engresser Marks 81st Birthday
Mrs. Phoebe Engresser celebrated her 81st birthday recently when she was
guest of honor at a surprise party at her home in Green Valley.
Following a social time, refreshments were served. Among those who
attended from Placerville were Mrs. Phillip Frost, Mrs. Olga Zhomke and
Mr. and Mrs. H.F. Davis. Mrs. Engresser is one of the oldest subscribers
to the Mountain Democrat.
[Mountain Democrat 1/24/1930, Page 8 . Submitted by El Dorado
County Genealogy Trails.] |
HEALTH FAILING
MAN TRIES DEATH
John Allen Slashes Throat.
Wrists and Legs at
Home Friday
Despondent owing to prolonged illness,
John Allen made a futile attempt
to end his life at his home in
Camino Friday by slashing his throat,
wrists and legs with a razor.
County authorities were not called
in the case and no formal report of
the happening was made.
Although Allen's strength was failing
rapidly as the life-blood flowed from,
his veins, he was conceded a possible
chance for recovery.
Despite the seriousness of his
wounds, he was determined that the
attempt should not result in failure
and protested against summoning a physician. He was removed to Placerville
Sanatorium.
Allen is reported as having formerly
had a cheerful disposition and it is
felt that a long period of failing health
was responsible for the despondency
which prompted the act.
[Mountain Democrat, 1/31/1930, front page.
Submitted by El Dorado County Genealogy Trails.]
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COLOMA PIONEER MARKS
BIRTHDAY
Friends Honor Mrs. Johnsonon 90th Anniversary at Auburn Home
Mrs. Julia Johnson, a Coloma pioneerof 1857, celebrated her
ninetieth birthday anniversary on February 6 at the home of her
daughter, Mrs. B. F.Ashley, in Auburn. Several of Mrs. Johnson's
friends from the Coloma section went to Auburn to spend the
afternoon with her in a surprise visit, and to extend their good
wishes.
Native of Baden
Owing to an accident, Mrs. Johnson must use a crutch in getting
about, but manages very well; and 'though her sight is failing, she
is busy with a crib quilt for a tiny great-grand niece. Born in
Baden, Germany, February,6, 1840, Julia Au came to America 1853,
living in Michigan until 1857 when she began the journey to
California by way of Panama on the S. S. Central America. The
scheduled time for the trip was 48 days, but the unseaworthy state
of the craft usually extended the time to 60 days and on this
particular voyage, typhoid fever further tested endurance.
400 Perish
Re-named "George flaw," for some reason
ill luck remained and on the return trip, the vessel foundered off
Cape Hatteras and some 400 people, going "back east" with their
precious gold dust, were all lost. The young Julia Au landed in
Coloma early in April, 1857, when Coloma had just lost out as the
county seat. Stages made connections with Placerville, Auburn,
Sacramento and Georgetown; and Coloma, then and for some years, was
a trading center for many surrounding mining camps. With a
population of about 2,000 thet own had 10 hotels, 2 restaurants, at
heater, an armory and military company, hook and ladder company,
express office, newspaper and a large number of saloons.7
Water Ditches
Many buildings were substantially built of brick and every place of
business had a gold scales, the gold used as exchange for the goods
handled there-in. Gambling flourished and the fasted race horses in
the country furnished Sunday sport. At this time, Mrs. Johnson
remembers, seven water ditches were in operation and fruit and
grape-growing began
in earnest in '57. Fruit brought fancy prices, the first peaches,
grownin 1854, sold at $1 each.Marshall Good "Boss"In 1865, Julia Au
married C. J.Johnson, who at that time was working in the carpentry
business with James W. Marshall, the discoverer of gold. Knowing the
latter and his associates well, Mrs. Johnson relates with a twinkle
in her eye, that Mr. Marshall had great executive ability, could
select faithful and willing workers plan the job and then sit back
and read, sure the work would be done. In addition to Mr. Marshall,
other notables of those days remembered by Mrs. Johnson are District
Judge JohnM. Howell, Attorney Thomas H. Williams, Judge Silas W.
Sanderson and Dr. Cruz. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson soon homesteaded a
claim in Coloma which grewInto the pleasant ranch home of the
present. Mr. Johnson and two of the children passed away many years
ago and Mrs. Johnson's immediate family includes three sons, George,
Robert and Albert, of Coloma, and one daughter, Mrs. Ashley, at
whose home in Auburn she is now visiting.[ Mountain Democrat, 2-21-1930.
Submitted by El Dorado County Genealogy Trails.] |
Jackass Rabbit $1.50 on Old Hangtown Menu
RED BLUFF, June 25--"Whole jackass rabbitt," roasted, sold for $1.50
at restaurants in the gold rush days of Hangtown, El Dorado County,
according to a bill of fare found by Frank Covington, Red Bluff
confectioner. At the El Dorado Cafe of Hangtown (now Placerville),
the menu contained the following: Payable in advance. Gold scales
on the end of the bar. Sauer kraut, $1; fried bacon, $1; low-grade
hash, 75c; 18-carat hash, $1; wild beef, prime cut, $1.50; beef up
along, $1; a la mode (plan), $1; beef with one potato (fair size),
$1.25; beef, tame from Arkansas, $1.50; bean soup, $1; oxtail
(short), $1.50; grizzly bear roast, $1; two potatoes, peeled, 75c.
[Roseville Tribune and Register, Wednesday, 6-26-1929. Submitted
by Kathie Marynik] |
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Mormon Island Landmark is Destroyed by Flames
Another landmark of this region became a thing of the past when the
Mormon Island Store, known as the "old Schone place" was burned to
the ground Wednesday morning, says the last issue of The Folsom
Telegraph. The adjacent cottage also was burned.
[Mountain Democrat, 2/7/1930, page 5.
Submitted by El Dorado County Genealogy
Trails.]
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Mrs. August Lehman Has Birthday Party at Home
Mrs. August Lehman of Cool, El Dorado County ,an old-time resident
of Placer and El Dorado counties, recently celebrated her 86th
birthday at the family residence. After settling in Spanish Dry
Diggin's in 1874, Mrs. Lehman successively lived at Grizzly Bear
House, on the Forest Hill Divide, Ophir, and later at Cool, where
three of her sons now operate the August Lehman Ranch. Mrs. Lehman
has eight children. They are: Walter and August of Sacramento;
William, Henry, Joseph and George of Cool; John of Oakland, and Kate
of Dunsmun. Her husband, the late August Lehman, died m 1924.
[Mountain Democrat, 2/7/1930, page 5.
Submitted by El Dorado County Genealogy
Trails.]
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