River,® his chief stock-range, and also embracing fine
plantations.^ On the east side of this region lies the
tract of Nicolaus Altgeier,*^ and along the north bank
of Bear River, Sebastian Keyser and the family of
William Johnson have located themselves;^ oppo-
site are two Frenchmen, Theodore Sicard and Claude
Chanon. The south bank of the Yuba is occupied
by Michael C. Nye, John Smith, and George Pat-
terson.^ Facing them, along Feather River, Theo-
dore Cordua had settled in 1842, and established a
trading post, owning some 12,000 head of stocL^
Charles Roether had in 1845 located himself on Hon-
cut Creek, and near him are now Edward A. Farwell
and Thomas Fallon.*^ The lands of Samuel Neal and
David Dutton are on Butte Creek; William North-
grave's place is on Little Butte; W. Dickey, Sanders,
and Yates had in 1845 taken up the tract on Chico
Creek which John Bidwell is at this time entering
upon.** Peter Lassen, the famous Danish trapper, had
settled on Deer Creek, and erected a mill and smithy ,'^
granting a league to Daniel Sill, Sen. Moon's rancho
is held by W. C. Moon and Merritt. A. G. Toomes
occupies a tract north of the creek which bears his
"A name applied by Satter from the feather ornaments of the natives.
- ^ It was founded in 1841, and managed saccessively by Bidwell, Benitz,
S. J. Hensley, and Kanaka Jim. It had 5,000 head of cattle and 1,200 horses.
•^ Who settled on the present site of Nicolaus. North of Hock Farm, C. W. Fliigge had obtained a grant which was transferred to Consul Larkin.
'^ On the five-league rancho given to P. Gutierrez, deceased, by Sutter, who made several grants in the valley, by authority. They bought liuid and cattle and divided.
^ Smith, who came first, in 1845, sold a part of his tract to Patterson. The first two ha<l nearly 2,000 head of stock.
'^ This rancho, on the site of the present Marysville, he called New Meck- lenburg, in honor of his native Oerman state. Chas Covillaud was manager; trade relations were had with San Francisco.
^ The former on a grant claimed by Huber; the two latter on Farweira rancho.
"•Northgrave was a settler on the tract claimed by S. J. Hensley, but disallowed afterward. James W. Marshall had abandoned his holding on the same tract. The confirmed grants were Fernandez, 4 leagues; Arroyo C.*hico of Bidwell, 5 leagues; Agua Fria of Pratt, 6 leagues; Llano Seco of Parrott, 4 leagues; Bosquejo of Lassen, 5 leagues; Boga of Larkin, 5 leagues; Esquon of Neal, 5 leagues. The claims of Cambuston, Huber, Hensley, Nye, and others were rejected.
^BidwrlCs Cat. 1841-8, MS.
