One business endeavor that was slow to take off was creameries. First there was a shortage of skilled laborers to operate one, It was also hampered by a lack of dairy cows. This did not deter the Wemple brothers of Milford to establish the Lakeshore Creamery. A substantial amount money was invested in the buildings and machinery. One family member stated that the brothers’ father, Joseph C. Wemple (1830-1921) that subsidized it. This was a short lived operation that operated from 1903-04. As David Wemple stated about the venture was too many bosses between the brothers and no one to do the work.
Since it is an Election Day, I thought some might be interested Peter Gerig’s Application to Serve as Election Officer. Pete was first elected as a Lassen County Board of Supervisor in 1920. He ran every four years through 1944. He retired at the end of his term in 1948.
Proximity of the Pearson Massacre Site—-Larry Plaster
Pearson Massacre was conflict between the Pearson family and the Paiutes. In occurred in 1868, to the southeast of Amedee Hot Springs. You can read more about it here.
It was a mystery to me why the site appeared on old maps. In normal instances there would be a sign or marker indicating such. Recently, Dan Dragan wrote: “I graduated from Herlong High School in 1965. I remember riding my Honda Super Cub along the east side of Honey Lake toward the hot springs and the old site of Amadee. I came across an old, battered sign that, as I recall said “site of Pearson Indian Massacre.” I wonder if it is still there.” After numerous searches I can safely say that it is no longer there.
In 1985, Clara Osborne wrote to me that about an old monument on her property indicating the Pearson Massacre. Her property was located to the west of Stacy. She did grant me permission to enter her property to locate the same, but alas I never did. It just goes to show you never what surfaces.
The original Scottini House on Gold Run, built in 1889 and later owned by the Satica family.. Courtesy of Florence Stampfi
In 1864, Lyman Collins Stiles (1832-1905) arrived in the Honey Lake Valley and became a cattle rancher. Raising cattle was lucrative as there was short supply and high demand. Life was good until the devastating winter of 1873-74. Due to heavy snows, sub-zero temperatures for long periods, it was estimated that over 75% of the livestock in the region perished. Stiles was one of those ranchers who was hit hard.
In 1875, Stiles sold his ranch and moved to Susanville and changed his occupation to capitalist. While some ranchers were left destitute, Stiles had penchant of conserving his money in good times, to carry him through the not so good times. One must note, there were no banks in the region. Stiles and handful local individual stepped in to remedy this need. In turn, they would loan money to individuals and for collateral received a mortgage to real property. It would be a very lucrative move and since he had knowledge of cattle ranching turned out to be bonus.
Anna M. Stiles. Courtesy of Philip S. Hall
In 1905, Lyman Stiles passed away and his widow, Anna followed in her husband’s footsteps and carried on with the financial business. She did this for another decade , but for the most part it consisted of leasing and or selling of properties. It was the Gold Run property of 300 acres that remained in the Stiles ownership for an unusually long time. Lyman had purchased it in 1904 for $6,000, from Margaret Blaisdell, who had inherited it. Lyman, and then Anna leased at a rate of $500 per year. In one of her last transactions, on March 1, 1921, she sold the Gold Run property to Robert Satica for $12,000.
There is ashes to ashes, for this traditional Memorial Day for me it is cemetery to cemetery. Normally, I go to Diamond Crest, Janesville, Lassen and Susanville cemeteries. At that time I decorate a lot of graves, not just for my family, but for families whose descendants that have moved far away.
Cemeteries have been near and dear to me. It was a cemetery issue, that I at the tender age 13, began my historical research. A family friend, Frank Satica, told me that the World’s First Champion Cowboy was buried at a remote cemetery in Secret Valley. It should be noted when I was a growing up, and being the youngest of four siblings, I was very gullible. What Frank Satica told me, I thought it preposterous. One would think that McKissick’s title would warrant major recognition,, but that was not the case.
I was fortunate as Susanville was still a tight knit community. In the afternoons and weekends I worked part time at Party Port a sporting goods and liquor store. To make a long story short, I asked a long time customer Murray Doyle, an old time Lassen family about the McKissick tale. He said it was true, but to contact Abe Jensen, as he would know more. So I did, From that experience I discovered the town of Amedee, and opened the doors of the local history.
It has been an interesting journey to say the least. A half of a century later another cemetery issue has taken a toll on me.I would rather not go into details, but I am no longer available to any one with cemetery problems.
First, and foremost it was the discovery of gold at the base of Diamond Mountain in 1855/56 that was impetus to bring Anglo settlers into the Honey Lake Valley. This was placer mining, gold found of stream beds. However, this source of gold quickly panned out (pun intended). The other is lode mining, i.e. hard rock via tunnels.
As to inquirer, in regards to the Union Mine, George McDow, Jr. wrote Mining-Diamond Mountain that was published in April 1965, Bulletin No. 13 of the Lassen County Historical Society. In 1939/40 this mine was featured in the California Division Mines Bulletin. Unfortunately, for the latter, while I possess a copy of the same, I am unable to provide specific details of that publication due to chaos of my recent move.
It has been relayed to me, that Diamond Mountain present challenges with hard rock mines, since the mountain is a fault block. One can hit a rich vein of gold, then it suddenly disappears. The question is did fault move the vein up or down?
140 N. Roop Street, Susanville, circa 1911. Courtesy of Dick & Helen Harrison.
The construction of houses on the west side of 100 block of North Roop Street did not begin until a half century after the town’s founder, Isaac Roop located at Susanvile. One of the problems that hampered this, was the block had not been subdivided into lots. In the early 1900s that change occurred.
On November 26, 1903, the Lassen Advocate reported: “Carpenters have begun work on the Bunnell residence on Roop Street. From the appearance of the ground plan the building will be decidedly attractive one.” The owner, Abel Bunnell (1844-1916), was well known through region and was a on and off resident of Big Meadows, now Lake Almanor. It should be noted that in 1907, his brother L.W. Bunnell had the house built kitty-corner from them.
Abel’s home was passed down to his daughter and son-in-law, Georgia and Bert Jensen. At about noon, on Saturday, June 21, 1928, the Jensen’s nearly lost their house to fire. Bert, and his two sons, Jud and Abe, were away working at the family ranch, a few miles east of town. Fortunately, neighbors and onlookers began hauling out the furniture while waiting for the fire department to arrive. It was estimated the fire caused $5,000 worth of damage.
It should be noted that Bert & Georgia divorced. Georgia kept her family home, and converted it to three apartments. She resided there for nearly fifty years.
P.S. In honor of the late Noreen Frieling, a delightful nurse practioneer, whose birthday is today, I share the comedy errors of my recent medical treatment. First,I was transported to Banner Lassen for knee injury. Banner Lassen had me transported to Reno at Renown for a MRI for my head. Renown then treated me for a hand injury and then Renown was to transport me Hearthstone, but driver got lost and tried to drop me off at the wrong facility. A thirty minute drive turned about to be a ninety-minute joy ride! I have not a bill for that excursion.
A catch of Eagle Lake bass in one of many Gallatin’s boats-Wyn Wachhorst
I do not have a fishing report for the Eagle Lake opening of Memorial Day weekend. However, as promised I do have two Gallatin photographs to share which feature bass that had a short history in the waters of that lake
Between 1879 to 1956 there were officially twelve different exotic (non-native) species of fish planted in Eagle Lake. Yet, that figure could be higher since local anglers were known to have experimented with their own plantings.
Of all the varieties of species planted in the lake, only one truly flourished—the largemouth (black) bass. In 1901 the Lassen County Fish and Game Protective Association planted 147 bass in the lake that it had received from the California Fish & Game Commission. The following year additional bass were planted in the lake. To allow the bass to prosper the State Game Commission prohibited fishing of the bass for a period of four years.
A second display of the bass catch-Wyn Wachhorst
The bass thrived in Eagle Lake and for the next twenty years provided anglers with excellent fishing producing bass weighing in excess of ten pounds. On occasions the Fish & Game Commission found the bass in such abundance that they were transplanted to other waters in Northeastern California.
By the mid 1920s the lake level receded considerably in part of the Bly Tunnel and a drought. The marshy shoreline regions of the lake had disappeared and that is where the bass thrived. In addition, the lake’s water quality had changed increasing its alkali content, thus wiping out the bass population.
Awhile back in the comment section was the reference of the Secret Valley Shoe Tree and in 1994 how unknown parties cut it down in act of vandalism. A new reader, and a some what new resident wanted to know more. One can read about it here. If anyone has a photograph of that tree, please do share.
As this is Memorial Day, I thought I share with you about the history of Lassen Cemetery. Before my fall from grace in April and subsequent upheaval that followed, I had been sorting through documents of the proceeding papers of the Lassen County Board of Supervisors of the 1910s. There were stack of documents that I intended use for future posts, but alas I have not located that box, so far.
Several of those documents pertain to what we now know as the Lassen Cemetery. However, the original proposal was for a new cemetery and hospital adjoining Richmond Road. Instead that property would become the future home Roosevelt Elementary School. Then there was a lengthy letter from Lassen County Supervisor L.R. Cady about the urgent need of a new cemetery, as the existing Susanville Cemetery no longer have plots available. In a mad scramble work started on cemetery on Chestnut Street. In February 1919, Isaac Coulthurst became the first person buried there. Not only was he among first settlers of the Honey Lake Valley, in 1857 he married Mary Jane Duval, the first couple to do so. He was a very colorful character in the annals of local history. The truth be known, I had begun work on a Lassen Cemetery tour, his grave would be the first stop.
