Click Here to Print This Story!   Click Here to get a PDF Copy of this Story!   

Sunday, May 10, 1998

Celebrations held all over county in 1868

Kristin Delaplane

Fourth of July was celebrated in the various Solano County townships.
In Vallejo and Benicia there were processions of military and civic societies followed by fireworks in the evening. In Rio vista there was a boat race with a ball in the evening. In the Suisun Valley, there was a barbecue at Alford’s Ranch.

Suisun City

Frank A. Regner moved his shaving and hairdressing saloon over T.H. White & Co.‘s establishment.

Wolf Cerkel, who operated the San Francisco store, moved to Wright’s building, which was next store to Reeves & Co. and across from the Roberts Hotel.

The Roberts Hotel was once more in the hands of its founder T.B. Roberts.

Postmaster Losh, who also operated a stationery store, along with Sam G. Palmer moved their business in the building that had been occupied by Erhman & Bachman. Palmer had a new stock of cigars and tobacco, nuts and confectionery at his variety store and news depot on Main Street.

Wells Fargo & Co. placed an express box on Cutler’s Woodland stage to accommodate those along the route having business with that company.

An officer from Sacramento, accompanied by two Chinese men, reached Suisun and arrested a Chinese woman, who was charged with larceny to the tune of $300.

Justice Bower put Ah Wun to jail on a charge of grand larceny for robbing Ar Voo of $100 at Cache Slough.

A large number of ladies from Suisun assembled at the residence of Dr. Norman’s wife, who had been ailing and was also suffering from eye deterioration. The ladies put their sewing skills to work to catch the lady up on her sewing.

There were 350 ewes for sale on Copeland’s Ranch in Potrero Hills.

A minor earthquake reported in the Suisun area in November.

Fairfield


The freight receipts on a given day for the CPRR came to $142. This was said to be about the daily average.

Somebody shot a rifle through Mr. Mott’s window. Mott had a small child on his lap. Both were slightly injured. Mott’s brother-in-law, Lewis Wilson, was arrested for the shooting.

A church festival raised money for repairs to the brick church. The fair, held at the Union Hall, netted $259.85. The reverend had strict instructions not to spend over $100 in repairs. The rest was to be considered a bonus.

The repairs consisted of a new roof, new wood ceiling and a new paint job inside and out. A parsonage was being built to the rear of the church. At Christmas, trees were set up at the Fairfield church and in several private homes.

Suisun Valley

The Pacific Railroad had a fixed schedule: The express left Vallejo at 5 p.m. and returned from Davisville at 6:30 a.m. The passenger train left Vallejo 6:45 a.m. and left Davisville to return at 4 p.m.

One evening there was an accident. When the evening train from Vallejo reached McCreary’s, a stick of wood fell on the track. A portion of the train derailed when the train hit the wood.

McCreary’s Ranch was particularly profitable. His field produced a rare species in 1868; 133 stalks had all grown from a single root.

Bridgeport/Cordelia

The railroad was completed from Suisun to Bridgeport and the Cordellia Store was for sale.

A party was planned to dedicate Thomas Tickle’s new hall.

The first episcopal service was held in the new chapel in Bridgeport. Rev. Dr. Breck officiated.

Rockville

The shoe shop in Rockville was burglarized of $500 to $600 in coin.

A body was discovered in C.A. Alford’s field. The man’s throat had been cut.

At the time he was drunk.

It was concluded that he cut his own throat, tossed the knife and managed to walk a ways before he collapsed and died.

Vacaville

Attorney John Huckins worked out of his home, a ranch in Pleasants Valley.

The Suisun City wagon makers, Wright & Henry, custom built a wagon for M.R. Miller that had a capacity for 7 tons (i.e. 144 boxes of fruit).

J.B. Brower painted it especially for Miller.

Just after taking possession of this prize fruit wagon, Miller had an accident. He was driving the wagon drawn by six horses and carrying a load of 6,500 lbs. of grapes. On crossing a gully, the bridge gave way.

The wagon was completely wrecked and the horses badly injured. Miller escaped injury by jumping from the wagon before it went down the gully.

Silveyville

Silveyville’s founder, E.S. Silvey, fell from the balcony of his hotel and received injuries. He seemed to rally, but he died from his injuries in a few weeks time. He was 49 years old.

Dr. Spring located in Silveyville was a dentist. He occasionally came to Suisun City to see patients.

Sim Overlin of Silveyville was gave a ball at the Washington Hall.

There was a knife fight between Frank Swan and Dan Reed. Reed was arrested. Apparently, Reed had been boarding at Swan’s home, when Swan became jealous over some matter.

Two burglars entered the Blum & Bros. store by prying the front doors off their hinges. Three people were sleeping in the rear of the store, but did not wake.

The thieves helped themselves to clothing and what money was in the till. They then headed for Justice Merryfield’s stables, took two horses and rode as far as Bennett’s Ranch on the road to Vacaville.

There they threw the saddles over the fence turned the horses loose to graze.

Traveling on foot, they made their way to Wesley Hill’s place (Manual Vaca’s adobe), where they stopped to don their newly acquired clothing. All trace of the thieves ended there.

Batavia, a new town, was established on the railroad track at Duke’s crossing, three miles from Dickson’s (Dixon) Station.

William Driesbach, who had been postmaster of the Solano post office in the Solano House, rented the former residence of Jerome Davis in Yolo County, just across the creek. He was petitioning to have the post office moved to Davisville.

Maine Prairie

Deck & Co. were dealers in dry goods and groceries, lumber, shoes and hats and they bought and shipped grain. Harvest season was on and large 10-mule teams were making their appearance at the wharf loaded with grain and lumber.

The steamer Solano was chartered for a picnic excursion. She steamed down Cache Slough “between the continuous wall of green trees on either side with their overhanging branches reaching to the water.’‘

There was music and dancing on board. A canvass awning provided shelter. The steamer touched in at Rio Vista to pick up more passengers and then headed for the Iron House on Old River. A picnic was laid out under the shade of a giant sycamore.

Miss Mary Boyle was set to open her house to boarders when it burned to the ground. The loss was estimated at $1,000.

Mr. and Mrs. George Bird, Thomas Bird and some others were arrested on charges of malicious mischief and assault and battery.

A squatter’s squabble erupted and Thomas McMillan shot and killed James Welch.

Bird’s Landing/Denverton

Denverton’s Mrs. P. Arnold showed off an egg 7 1/2 inches in circumference and 6 1/2 inches long that had been laid by one of her hens.

A man by the name of Tourche was killed by farmer Henry Cook near Abell’s Ranch, three miles from Denverton.

Cook told the authorities he was repairing a fence when Tourche came up, said some pleasantries and then took out a revolver and fired at him. It misfired, giving Cook the opportunity to raise his gun.

Tourche, 33 years old, was a blacksmith in the area. He had a good reputation as a quiet and peaceful citizen. He had formerly resided in Rockville.