Wilhelm & Josephine Benitz
Published References
California Books & Newspapers
(Last updated: Saturday May 30, 2009)
History of California, by Hubert H. Bancroft, 1886
The "History of California" , by Hubert Howe Bancroft (San Francisco History Company, 1886) is probably the seminal book on the history, conditions, and inhabitants of early California. It lists most inhabitants of historical importance (just about everyone). The entry for William Benitz is found in vol.2, p.716 (Pioneer Register & Index)
Benitz (Wm), 1841-2, German in Sutter's employ. Arrived Oct.'42 acc. to rolls of the Soc.Cal.Pion.; but in applying for naturalization in '44 he claimed to have come in '41. iv.341. After being for a time in charge of Hock farm, in '43 he took charge of the Ross estate for Sutter, succeeding Bidwell. iv.186, 679. In '44 grantee of the Briesgau rancho in Shasta co. iv.670; in '45 he rented the Ross rancho from Sutter, and later bought part of it; bondsman for some of the Grigsby-Ide immig. iv.679,544,581. Benitz is said to have been the man who was swindled to the extent of $6,000 by the Sutter-Muldrow claim. He lived at Ross till '67; then moved to Oakland; and in '74 went to the Argentine Republic, where he had a brother. He died there in '76, at the age of 62, leaving a family.
History ofSonoma County, edited by Ernest L. Finley, 1937
The following short stories were very kindly provided to me in 1991 by Kaye Tomlin, historian and great-grandson of George W. Call.
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The stories are excerpted from: History of Sonoma County, California – Its People and Its Resources, edited by Ernest Latimer Finley, Golden Gate Bridge Edition published by The Press Democrat Publishing Co., Santa Rosa, California, 1937. The excerpts cover three topics:
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"Muldrew Litigation" and Indian Labor
Bringing the history of the lands occupied by the Russians to a conclusion, so far as the purported ownership of their purchaser is concerned, Sutter relinquished his claim to William Muldrew, George R. Moore, and Daniel W. Welty in 1859; the consideration or agreement between buyers and seller was not made public. The new owners, basing their demands on the shadow title acquired by the Russian-American Fur Company from the Indians, when all but one settler refused to pay anything for the lands, appealed to the courts.
This led to the famous "Muldrew litigation," and clouded several titles. The claim of Muldrew, Moore and Welty was finally wiped out by the United States district court. William Benitz, who refused to make further payments on his lease from Sutter after acquiring the title of Manuel Torres, paid the buyers from Sutter $6,000, evidently believing in the validity of their title, and consequently he was not a party in the suits they instituted. Thus, it appears, these large and valuable holdings, which the natives had disposed of to the Muscovites for two axes, three hoes, three pairs of breeches and a few strings of beads, next brought $30,000 from Sutter, and ultimately netted succeeding purchasers only $6,000.
Some of the settlers on these lands denounced the Muldrew claim as a blackmailing affair and severely censured Sutter for selling him and his partners the land, charging that the Sacramentan sanctioned the methods employed in trying to force payment, as might have been natural for them to think in view of the circumstances. There can be no doubt, however, that Sutter himself had been led by the Russians to regard their claim to the lands as valid, for it appears unlikely that so shrewd a business man would have paid $30,000 for only the livestock and chattels, valued by General Vallejo at $9,000. Unquestionably Sutter believed that he had become a land baron with almost provincial possessions, until the day of his disillusionment.
A county event of primary importance in 1845, causing considerable excitement and leading to official investigation, was a raid made by Sonoma rancheros or their agents upon the Indians in the Ross district, to secure laborers. The natives offered resistance and several of them were killed; about one hundred and fifty of them were captured and taken away. Some of the Indians were employed on the rancho of William Benitz; it was his complaint that led to the court inquiry. In this last instance of Indian mention under Mexican rule in the county, the chief offenders were Antonio Castro and Rafael Garcia. The court investigation which followed the deaths and kidnappings shows that civil authority was beginning to assert itself.
Many of the early institutions of Somona county are today only memories, all visible evidence of their existence having disappeared. Nevertheless, a knowledge of them is valuable to the student of history; without this information there would be missing links in the process of social or commercial evolution. At least two features of pioneer transportation come within this category.
Reference to the minutes of the Board of Supervisors shows that in November, 1857, William Benitz was licensed to operate a ferry across Russian river on his own land, about a mile above the mouth of the stream. The county collected no fee for this privilege, it being known that the profits of the venture would be insufficient to warrant such a charge. In fact, a license to operate such a ferry for six months had been granted in 1856 to R.W. Kibbe; he refused to continue the service because it did not pay, and Hugh Patton was given a license.
This ferry was on the road leading from Bodega to Fort Ross and Salt Point. Benitz also was licensed for only a half year, and to assure faithful service was required to file a bond of $1,100. The board authorized the following tolls: Man and horse, 50 cents; horse and buggy, $1.50; wagon and two horses or oxen, $1.50; wagon and four horses or oxen, $2.00; loose horses or cattle, 10 cents a head; loose hogs or sheep, 5 cents a head; foot passenger, 25 cents. What made the ferry produce inadequate returns was the requirement that it must be operated if only one pedestrian appeared or only a few hogs or sheep were to be taken across the river. The ferry was maintained by Benitz for some years, his license being renewed when necessary.
In September, 1857, the board granted a permit for construction of a draw or swing bridge across Petaluma river at the foot of Washington street to the following-named citizens of Petaluma: Thomas Hopper, S.C. Hayden, W.D. Bliss, John Ralkman, W.S. Bryant, S. Payran, O.A. Sackett, and their associates. The petition requesting this permit was drafted by Attorney Frank W. Shattuck and signed by a majority of the citizens of Petaluma, Vallejo and Sonoma townships. This old bridge was a large factor in the social and business life of these districts for many years.
Shortly after William Benitz acquired the Fort Ross property he took his rifle and set up the mountain-side to try to kill one of several "vultures or California condors" perched on the dead limb of a pine tree, in order to obtain the feathers, which he knew would be highly prized by his Indian retainers. Keeping under cover of trees and shrubbery, he managed to get fairly close to the huge birds and was seeking a position from which he might get an unobstructed view when he was startled by the breaking of a twig close at hand. What happened is best described in his own language.
"One look," asserted Benitz, "was enough to set every hair of my head on end! Not much over the length of my gun from me stood, erect on his hind feet, a grizzly bear of monster size – at the time he seemed to me ten feet high! By impulse I wheeled, brought my gun to a level, and without any attempt at taking aim, fired. The bear pitched forward upon me and we fell together – my gun flying out of my hands, and some distance away. I was frightened beyond the power of language to express. The bear and I had fallen together, but I had given myself a rolling lurch down the mountain-side, which for the moment took me out of the reach of his dreaded jaws. This advantage was not to be lost; and I kept going over and over without any regard to elegance of posture, until I had got at least 200 yards from where I fell; and when I stopped rolling it was a problem to me which I was most, dead or alive.
"I ventured upon my feet and looked cautiously around, but could see no grizzly. To borrow a miner’s expression , ‘I began prospecting around.’ I had an earnest desire to get hold of my gun, but a dislike to the neighborhood in which we had parted company. With the utmost caution I worked my way up to a position overlooking the spot where I and the grizzly together fell. To my surprise, and gratification as well, there lay the bear stretched at full length, and dead. My random shot had proved what seldom occurs to grizzly bears, a dead shot. That was the biggest scare of my life."
Editorial Jottings by the Way-side. On Wednesday of last week we left this city on a tour of business and observation combined; and as in our rambles we traversed a region out of the range of general travel, we propose giving the readers of the Argus the benefit of our "jottings by the way-side." Leaving Petaluma in the afternoon, a few hours ride brought us to Bloomfield, where we were greeted by numerous friends; and accepted the hospitality of our old friend W. B. Wood of the firm of Wood & Arther. It is hardly necessary to inform our readers that this flourishing village is located in the center of Big Valley; and that the valley and upland surrounding it is very prolific in its yield of cereals, ‘spuds’, and Republicans. A dress parade, in the evening, of a company of youthful zouaves, who marched to music extracted from a tin can, convinced us that the martial spirit of that village was thoroughly aroused, and that with such a home guard Bloomfield can bid defiance to Davis and his emissaries. At an early hour, in the morning, we were galloping down the valley in the direction of the Bodega Corners. On either side of the road, and as far as the eye could scan, was one uninterrupted continuation of grain fields, in every stage of harvesting, from the gavels that were dropping from the reapers that were clattering on every hand, up to the shock in the field or the new made stack in the barnyard. Bodega Corners is on the Smith Grant, and consists of a hotel, two stores, a Catholic church, blacksmith shops &c. After passing the Corners we were without chart or compass; having entered upon a region, by us unexplored. For several miles our course lay along Salmon Creek, the road in many places being arched over by the tangled wildwood through which it was cut; then taking a bridle trail leading over a mountain that overlooked the deep blue ocean, we followed its zigzag windings to the Mouth of Russian River. Here we performed a feat only second to that of Moses and his followers crossing the Red Sea with dry sandals: the sea swell having cast up a barrier of sand across the mouth of the River, forming a bridge upon which we crossed, without our steed dipping his feet in water. He evidently regarded it as a dangerous undertaking, for every time the surf, after receding as if to gather strength would come rolling up hissing and seething, narrowing the space down to fifteen or twenty feet between the deep river on the one hand and the briny deep on the other; he would attempt to take the back track, apparently having lost all confidence in either our prudence or judgment. Across the River, our course lay along the coast; and as Fort Ross was twelve miles distant, without a human habitation intervening, we whiled away the hours by noting the ever varying landscape or watching the surf as it broke in a long line of white spray against the rock bound coast; or anon the eye would be relieved by the appearance of a coaster, with full spread canvass, gliding over the billows with the grace of a sea gull. Passing over a spur of the mountain clothed with a heavy forest of redwood and fir, we entered an opening from whence we looked down upon Fort Ross, on the level plain below. Before proceeding further, it may not be out of place to inform our readers that Fort Ross was founded some forty years ago by Russians; who settled at that point for the purpose of capturing sea otter; which pursuit they followed for perhaps twenty years. Aside from the Fort buildings, enclosed by a high and substantial palisade wall one hundred yards square, there was, at one period, some sixty dwellings; but they have crumbled and passed away. After they left this coast, the property changed hands several times; but was purchased by the present proprietor, Mr. Bennettz, eighteen years ago and he has been in occupation ever since. As we descended the slope toward the Fort we felt as if approaching a spot entitled to a prominent place in the antiquities of our State. The Greek church of Russian architecture that forms one corner of the quadrangle; the two-story octagonal sentry houses of solid hewn timber, forming the diagonal corners of the palisade, and with loop-holes for cannon and small arms; and the massive gates which protect the front entrance; conjured up to our mind conjectures of the scenes of which it was the theatre, long, long years ago. Having a letter of introduction to Mr. Bennettz, we dismounted and the ponderous gate yielded to our pressure and swung back creaking upon its rusty hinges. All the appointments inside, were in keeping with those without; strength and durability predominating over the ornamental. The substantial dwelling; the out-houses ranged around the square; the well in the centre; the four huge mastiffs of the St. Bernard and Newfoundland breed that fondled around us as we approached the dwelling; completed a picture that came nearer our conception of the surroundings of some of the old Feudal Barons than anything we ever experienced before. We presented our letter to Mr. Bennettz, who is a very intelligent German, and he at once extended to us the hospitality of his mansion. Mr. Bennettz lives in a world by himself; having a domain that extends from the mouth of Russian River, eighteen miles up the coast, and untenanted except by his vaqueros, who are stationed at various points to take care of his stock. His isolated position deprives his children of the advantages of a public school; but to atone for this he has employed a private teacher; competent to impart instruction in both the English and German languages. |
Refreshed by our nights [sic] sojourn at Fort Ross, we continued on our journey up the Coast. The first place worthy of note above the Fort is Timber Cove. Here, our late fellow townsman Mr. Kalkman, is located, and in company with Mr. Snaple, owns a mill which is turning out about 25,000 feet of lumber every twenty-four hours. Two schooners were taking in cargoes of lumber for the San Francisco market. The proprietors have constructed a substantial railway extending from the mill, half a mile up a canon [sic], down which they bring saw logs on a car. Four miles above Timber Cove we passed Salt Point. Duncan’s mill used to be located at this place; but has been removed to a point two miles distant from the mouth of Russian River; in consequence of which this Point has lost considerable of its importance; as is manifest from its group of tenantless houses; but its quarry of excellent stone, considerable of which is being shipped to the Navy Yard at Mare Island; may give new vigor to the place. Four miles beyond Salt Point we passed Fisk’s Mill. This mill cuts about eight thousand feet of lumber daily. Its supply of timber is inexhaustable; and we hope it’s proprietors may reap the rich reward which their enterprise merits. By noon we had reached a distance of twenty miles above Fort Ross; and we stopped for refreshments at the Ranch House of Bealer, the claimant of the Gualale Grant. Here is a stretch of plain extending up and down the coast for ten miles, that is unsurpossad [sic] in beauty of location or fertility of soil, any where between Point Reyes and Points Arenas. The plain varies from one quarter to two miles in breadth; and with just sufficient incline from the foot hills to the beach to afford a splendid sea view. The mountains bordering it are covered with a perfect wilderness of forest, of incalculable value.Ten miles more had to be traversed up the coast before we turned our face homeward; and Cris. Stingle, of the Ranch House, volunteered to act as our guide and companion. We were soon dashing pellmell over the plain up the coast; Chris. in the meantime entertaining us by relating hunting adventures and pointing out spots where he had killed elk, bear or other game of lesser consequence. Five miles brought us to the crossing of the Gualale River, where we entered Mendocino county. Here the mountains closed in upon the beach, and timber stood so close upon the brink that if uprooted it would fall in the surf below. Up to this point we had found the roads and trails reasonable good; but those five miles from the Gualale to Fish Rock, were the concentrated essence of breakneck roads. Deep gorge after gorge lay athwart our way; and in many places a false step would have precipitated both horse and rider down to certain destruction. Before reaching this point, we had been so indiscreet as to inform our companion that we had had considerable equestrian experience; and as he took the lead and did not dismount; a sense of honor prompted us to remain in the saddle, even at the risk of our neck. At Fish Rock there is a mill in process of erection; in which will be placed the machinery formerly used in the Perkins mill, Bodega. This is a good location; there being an inexhaustible supply of good timber; and a secure harbor for vessels to lay while receiving cargoes of lumber. We returned to the Ranch House that night; and as tired as we were, we did ample justice to the bachelor fare of Chris. and his two companions. In the morning we were in saddle bright and early, and accompanied by our companion of the previous day, who accompanied us several miles on our return; started on our way down the coast. We had rode about two miles, when the practiced eye of Chris. spyed [sic] a grey fox between us and the beach. It allowed us to approach within forty paces; when a shot from our revolver warned it to seek safety in the chapparel on the foot-hills, half a mile distant. The chase across the level plain, was spirited and exciting; our horses seeming to enjoy the sport, strained every nerve to overhaul his foxship; and succeeded several times in doing so, and attempted to jump upon him, but with the cunning, characteristic of his tribe, by tacking and doubling, he finally outgeneralled us and reached cover. So ended our fox chase. A few miles further on we parted with our companion and continued on our course down the coast alone. At night-fall we were again welcomed to the hospitality of the Fort Ross mansion. The next day being the Sabbath, the rest for which it was set apart, was needed by both ourself and our jaded horse; but as circumstances rendered our immediate return necessary; we bid our host and his excellent lady good-by at eight o’clock in the morning, and at eight in the evening arrived in this City, having rode forty-five miles; mostly over a very mountainous country.At some future time, when we have more space, we shall recur to this subject, and allude more fully to the resources of that portion of our County lying up the coast, and the wants and requirements of the inhabitants of that region. "Scrub." |
Fort Ross from the south (P. Benitz, Dec.2001)
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March 12, 1862 Republican Committees
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July 21, 1876 Argentine Republic We received a call yesterday from Wm. Churchman, who, with his father’s family left this county for South America in 1869. Mr. Churchman, who is a native of Sonoma Township, and is twenty-six years of age, came back on a visit some months ago, and purposes returning to his adopted country next Spring. His father, John Churchman, died at his home in the State of Entre Rios, about three years ago. Mr. Churchman speaks hopefully of the prospects of the Argentine Republic, and thinks that in time it will become a wealthy and populous country. It is rich in agricultural and other resources, and when the people become thoroughly infused with a spirit of enterprise, such as prevails in the United States, the nation will take on new life and the waste places will be made to blossom as the rose. The most enterprising people in the country are foreigners, of whom the English are most numerous. The Americans are, however, the favorites with the natives, and in proportion to their numbers are doing more than others to develop the country. Manufacturing is carried on to a very limited extent, machinery, agricultural implements, clothing, etc., being nearly all imported. The largest amount of foreign trade is carried on with England, our country being second. William Benitz [bolded for web], formerly of Oakland, in this State, is one of the prominent stockraisers of Entre Rios. |
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Sonoma County Democrat, 21 November, 1863:2 The Storm on the Coast.-- A friend reports to us that the recent storm caused considerable damage to the shipping and lumber mills along the coast in this county. At Fisherman's Bay, Salt Point Township, the schooner Martin Elizabeth, was obliged to put to sea with half a cargo to avoid being dashed to pieces by the breakers. One lighter at Timber Cove was wrecked.Mill Destroyed.-- On the night of the 9th inst. the saw mill of William Bennett, at Timber Cove, in this county, was destroyed by fire. Some fifteen thousand feet of lumber and three thousand red wood posts were destroyed with the mill. The mill it is supposed was set on fire. Loss, $4,000.[bold added for web]
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Sonoma County Democrat, 25 June, 1864:2 A Terrible Accident.-- Thos. Shone, Alexander Matheson and C. Tempel, engaged at the Fort Ross Coal Mining Company's mine, in Salt Point township, came very nearly losing their lives on Wednesday, 15th. inst., by premature discharge of a blast. Mr. Tempel informs us that the gentlemen named above with himself were in the mine about 5 o'clock preparing for a blast. The drill had been made and the powder deposited, overlaid with paper, when they commenced tamping, preparatory to the blast. Mr. Matheson was guiding the tamping rod, while Mr. Shone used the sledge, and Mr. Tempel occupied a seat in a car close by. The friction of the rod ignited the powder and the discharge took place while the parties were engaged in the work. Mr. Shone was so severely injured about the eyes that it is feared he will lose his sight, while Mr. Matheson's hand and arm were terribly burned and mutilated. The tamping rod passed within an inch of Mr. Tempel's head and he was struck upon the arm by some flying particles of stone. Mr. Tempel recovered from the shock in a few minutes and soon called in the assistance of some persons residing in the vicinity, and the wounded men were as well provided for as circumstances would admit until medical assistance could be obtained. Of course the suffering of Mr. Shone and Matheson was beyond description. A messenger was dispatched after Dr. Peggett of Bodega, but he did not arrive until the afternoon of the following day, when he rendered every assistance possible to relieve their sufferings. No bones of either party seem to have been broken; and as strange as it may seem, Mr. Tempel escaped without any serious injury at all. Messrs. Shone and Matheson are now at Petaluma, under the treatment of Dr. Voller, and are mending slowly. [bold added for web] |
The following newspaper cutting was found amongst Josephine's photos, now in the care of her great-grandson John C. Benitz. The reporter seems quite impressed with Mrs. Benitz, but sadly does not include all her anecdotes. As with all recollections made 50 years later the details can be off.
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AFTER MANY YEARS ---------- Visit Here of the Former Owner of Fort Ross ---------- Arrived in Santa Rosa Thursday -- One of the First White Women in California ---------- “Mrs. William Benitz, South America.” The inscription of this name was found by a Press Democrat reporter on the register at the Grand Hotel Thursday afternoon and on inquiry located the owner of the name, who accorded the reporter a very pleasant interview in the parlors of the hotel. Mrs. Benitz is a wonderful woman. She may have passed the three score and ten years limit, but she is as full of vigor as a much younger woman, and very graciously talked of bygone days in California.
She was one the first white women
to land in California. With her Laughingly Mrs. Benitz remarked that when she and the other white women arrived in California the natives would not believe that they were white, and as proof positive she says they rolled up their sleeves and exposed their arms to withdraw the skepticism of the doubting Thomases in the crowd. She says all the foreigners in the state, upon their arrival in 1845 – and there were very few of them – came to see their party. Before entering the country they had to obtain permission of the Mexican government to do so. In 1845 Mrs. Benitz’s husband purchased the land of Fort Ross, Captain Sutter having sold the improvements to the Russians. Mr. Benitz was sole owner of Fort Ross until the time of his departure from there in 1867, when he sold his property to Mr. Dickinson and Mrs. Fairbanks. After leaving Fort Ross Mr. and Mrs. Benitz removed to Oakland. They lived there some time prior to going to the Argentine Republic, where she – her husband having passed away over twenty years ago – has made her home. In the republic she has three sons, all prominent and wealthy land-owners, a married daughter, and seventeen grandchildren. Their home is near Buenos Ayres. She says times are prosperous in South America at the present time. Last Sunday week the distinguished woman and two of her granddaughters arrived in San Francisco from the Argentine Republic. She told the reporter Thursday that she would probably remain in California eight or nine months before returning to South America, where she expects to end her days. Mrs. Benitz has not been to Sonoma county to visit the familiar haunts of early days for a quarter century. On Thursday evening she left for Fort Ross and will probably remain at Timber Cove, near there, for four or five months. She had legal business here on Thursday, having come to see about a piece of land in the county which has reverted back to her upon the death of a brother. It would be impossible to find a more interesting conversationalist than Mrs. Benitz. One could listen for hours to the story of early days in the Golden West which she can tell so well. In Santa Rosa there are several old-timers who remember the Benitz’s occupancy of Fort Ross. Everyone hopes Mrs. Benitz will enjoy her visit at beautiful Timber Cove and that her long and useful life may be spared for many years to come. ---------- |
