The following is a transcription of an article written by Anita Laney for the Sutter County Historical Society, Published October 1960. I have purposely left all grammar, punctuation and spelling the same as the original. I feel it conveys a certain character that adds greatly to the piece. The numbers you will find while reading through the piece are the original page numbers from S.C.H.S. Oct. '60 - Victor Robin

 

DR. WILLIAM MC MURTRY

 

        The history of Sutter county is enriched by the far-seeing men and women who settled within its confines in the 1850's and 60's and determinedly developed its rich soil into one of the finest agriculture areas in the United States. Among those who saw Sutter county's tremendous possibilities and was enchanted by the beauty of "los tres picos" that dominate its landscape was D. William McMurtry who arrived in Grass Valley, California, in October 1849.

        Pioneering to Dr. McMurtry was a business, having, himself, come from a longline of pioneers. The progenitor of the McMurtry family was Joseph McMurtry, (William's grandfather) a native of Wales, who came to the United States and settled in Philadelphia in 1734. In 1778 Joseph and his son John (William's father) along with Daniel Boone, crossed the Alleghenies into Kentucky and settled near Lexington, in Mercer county.

        It was here at Harrodsburg, Kentucky on August 15. 1802, that William was born.

        When the War of 1812 rolled around, young William aspired to be a drummer boy, plans that never materialized for it was during this period that his father John, making bullets for the U.S. government, developed Pneumonia and died. William received his early education in the Kentucky schools and went on into the field of Medicine, studying under Dr. Tomlinson, a progressive and well known physician of that day.

 

4.

        By the time he was twenty, William was practicing medicine and in a few years amassed what was then considered a fortune. William, however, loved the land and the animals, the growing crops and the wilderness, consequently, he gave up his practice and purchased a farm 10 miles from Elizabethtown, Kentucky, and there built a saw mill and a race track, besides raising fine horses. This venture did not prove successful, however, and he gave it up to resume the practice of his profession near Louisville.

        In 1830 he married Sarah Mariah Van Anglen and five children were born of this marriage: John Van Anglen, 1831 (father of Imogene McMurtry) Cynthia, 1832 (Wife of Sylvanus Sanborn); Sara Catherine 1833 (wife of Dr.T. W. Ferguson) Louis, 1838, (a judge in San Louis Obispo) and Junius, 1844.

        During the period in which he was raising a family, William contracted Malaria and his health was somewhat impaired. Further William found hard times pressing upon him, especially so since the community he served was filled with poor people who were unable to pay their bills. William was practicing medicine at Big Springs, Kentucky when the news of the gold discovery reached the Eastern world. William became very much excited over the reports of the golden country and during the early months of 1849 made preparations, when spring should allow crossing the plains, to leave for California.

        On April 20, 1849, William with his oldest son John, then 18, left Big Springs, Kentucky, traveled to St. Joseph, Missouri, by water and there purchased 4 yoke of oxen and a covered wagon and started on their long, wild, and dangerous journey.

        They followed the most popular road west, that which followed the Platte River, out to Ft. Laramie, across the Rockies to Ft. Bridger, and crossing South Pass took the left turn which brought them through the Utah territory, past the Great Salt Lake and into Nevada Territory. Here they turned north across the Humboldt River to Honey Lake in Eastern California, thence came south along the Feather River to Oroville (Oro). At Oroville, decision was made to continue to the gold regions of Nevada City and Grass Valley (Centerville) but it was October - five months taken in crossing - and early rains had set in making the road a quagmire since the oxen, worn out by their long trek, were unable to proceed in the belly-deep mud, Dr. McMurtry decided to spend the winter at Lawson's ranch south of Oroville. He and John erected a cabin about 10 miles below the mouth of Deer Creek, a dozen miles from any white settlement, but situated amidst numerous, friendly Indians.

        Dr. Mcmurtry occupied his time during the winter months by making clapboards and in the spring he built a raft on which he started for Sacramento. The turbulent stream soon wrecked the raft which disintegrated and floated away in pieces.

        Reaching Long's Bar, William and his son did some mining. The doctor's best investment, however, was in the purchase of cattle from the poor immigrants who were desperately short of funds. These cattle he purchased at $30.00 per head, held them long enough to fatten them and sold them at $90.00 per head, making a tidy profit. Pleased with the climate of California and intrigued with the tremendous potential for a happy and lucrative life, he decided to rent the restaurant and return to Kentucky for the rest of his family and make California his permanent home.

        During his sojourn in the mining country, he had visited Marysville on several occasions and had been particularly fascinated by the Buttes. In riding around them he was particularly taken by the oak studded lands stretching away from the Northernmost slopes. Here the ground was high and flood free and here he decided to homestead 160 acres if possible, as the anchor point to expand future holdings.

        At the end of 1851, William, leaving John in Grass Valley, left for the East for the purpose of gathering his family together and bringing them all to California as quickly as possible. William went to San Francisco, took a boat to the Isthmus, crossed over, took another boat to New Orlean, then up the Mississippi again to the point of debarkation for Big Springs, Kentucky.

 

5.

        His brother-in-law, John Van Anglen, excited by the tales of the rich and colorful land, rushed madly about attempting to convert all his assets into cash but ran into disaster when his biggest debtor fled the country with the bulk of John's cash and 5 valuable colored workers.

        John, bemoaning his unpropitious fate, sadly said goodbye to his sister Sarah on a March day in 1852, his 3 nephews, 2 nieces and his brother-on-law William, who were departing for St. Joseph, Missouri for the 5 month trip to California - the story of which was written by William's Granddaughter Imogene McMurtry as a composition exercise in December 8 1902, for her teacher Miss Margaret Lawry, who taught the 4th grade at the Marysville Elementary then located at 7th and B Streets, Marysville (Where office of Division of Highways now stands). With the help of her Aunt Cynthia McMurtry Sanborn, who, with her sister Catherine McMurtry Ferguson, walked across the plains along side their ox team, Imogene recreated the experience as follows:

 

"CROSSING PLAINS"

 

        4th grade composition assignment at Old Marysville grammar at 7th  & B - where Division of Hiways now stands. Teacher Miss Margaret Lawry assignment was given to class. Mrs. Cynthia Sanborn, aunt of Imogene McMurtry, who gave her information was the wife of Sylvanus Sanborn of New Hampshire and came to California 1849 and later married Cynthia McMurtry and farmed in the North Butte area.

        "It was very hard to cross the plains in the early days because they did not have any cars, and had to go by wagons. They used oxen instead of horses.

My grandfather started from Louisville, Kentucky, the twenty-fourth day of March, 1849. He wanted to get gold in California. There were eleven in the party. They went to St Joseph by steamer (river boat) when they got there, they bought their wagons and outfits for traveling. then they started on the long journey across the plains, traveling about 15 miles a day. At night they camped on the wild Indian plains. They found water and grass for their oxen and wood to cook their dinner. On account of the Indians, they stationed two men every night to guard the wagons. At one O'clock they were relieved by two others. In that way they travelled a long while. The streams were a little difficult at times to cross.

        The first place they came to was Fort Kearney in Nebraska on the Platte River. A fort is a place where United States troops were stationed to keep the Indians away. They traveled on until they came to Fort Laramie in Wyoming. It was a missionary school and the Indians were Sioux. It was near the fort that the party thought that they were going to be attacked by the Indians. They had camped for the night as usual when thirty Indians came up and surrounded the camp riding on ponies.

        They were dressed in war costumes and their faces were painted. They rode around the wagons and looked in shouting and making a dreadful noise. Grandfather went to the fort and asked if the Indians were dangerous. The men at the fort said they did not think they were, that they were having a big Pow Wow, and for the people to be quiet and not annoy them in any way. So they went on getting the camp ready for the night. At last the Indians went off as they had come hooping and yelling.

        When they got to* they found a natural road. It was perfectly smooth and there were very few rocks. They went over with very little trouble.

Then they journeyed on until they came to Fort Bridger. There They had another incident with the Indians. They had been asleep a little while, when they heard the report of one of their guns. Grandfather went out and asked "what's the matter?" and the man replied "I saw something moving in the grass. I kept watching until I concluded it was and Indian, I fired and the Indian jumped up and right there ran to the hills" The party did not sleep anymore that night, but the Indians did not come back.

 

6.

        They rode on for a long time. the greatest trouble was crossing the Truckee desert in the western part of Nevada, there was nothing but sand for forty miles. In the desert they passed the hot springs. The oxen had very little water. They had only what could be carried in barrels. They were a day and a night crossing. They traveled during the night. They had then come to the Truckee River in the Eastern part of California. They camped there for several days resting. It was then the last of September and the first of October it snowed. The second they started to go over the Sierra Nevada mountains, which they found very rocky, and got over with a great deal of trouble.

        They passed Donner Lake where the Donner Party had perished. The cabin was still there and they saw the hole where they put their dead.

        The fifth of October they arrived at Nevada City where they stayed through the winter. This was an end to the trip across the plains."

 

        On this trip to California Dr. McMurtry followed the same route as before except that he decided to strike west across the Truckee Desert to the mouth of the Truckee River where it tumbled out of the hills of eastern California and starts its swing through Nevada. The closing days of the month of September were upon them and they rested a few days before going on. Snows falling on October first ended the idyl and mindful of the fate of the Donner Party, hastened their way across the Sierras to Grass Valley (Centerville).

        Letters from home were few during the crossing of the plains, but the family back in Harrodsburg were anxious to hear from them and sent letters to them enroute, even as the emigrants themselves were able to send letters back to their loved ones.

        John Van Anglen, the unlucky brother-on-law, wrote a letter, a portion of which appears below, to his sister Sarah, newly arrived in California.

 

Harrodsburg, Kentucky

October 14, 1852

 

Dear Sister;

        "We have received three letters from you and Cynthia McMurtry since you left Harrodsburg, one was from St. Louis, one from Independence, and one from the camp, 60 miles from Laramie, dated July 17, 1852. Lewis McMurtry showed me a letter he got a day or two ago from your son John, in which he stated that he had heard that you and family were in a few days' journey of Centerville. I hope that you have all got in safe and well. Lewis stated that John's letter contained a draft directed to him. Cynthia's description of your outfit, your mode of traveling, etc., is very graphic and interesting, and I half envy your trip (although I have no doubt that you have had a fatiguing journey). Still after all your difficulties, if you are satisfied with California, it will repay you for you risk and labor.

        I suppose you have seen sublime and picturesque scenery on your route. You have viewed Indians, buffaloes, and other wild beasts. You have thought of deserts of Arabia, oasis on you route. Still after the first few days, the excitement of camping, cooking and starting in the morning somewhat subsided and maybe (I do not know, however, it might have been a more dreary travel than I imagined - you on your journey, there has been no doubt a great variety). When I was at New York, I saw the California Steamer go out crowded with passengers and the ladies fair waved their white kerchiefs to the breeze and bid adieu to friends on the shore......"

 

        There was no envelope - the outer page of the letter was left blank, folded over, with the final section tucked under the first section and sealed with wax. The unwritten section carried the address.

 

7.

        The McMurtrys stayed in Grass Valley until 1854. In November of 1852, however, Dr. McMurtry Made the first improvements on the buildings he had staked out near the north end of the Buttes, fencing the property and putting hogs on it. (It is assumed he had taken over a 160 acre tract, the size allowed for homesteading or pre-empting - but nowhere was any record found of such action). While in Grass Valley, Dr. McMurtry still continued the hotel business he had started before leaving for the East to pick up his family. Apparently Dr. McMurtry was generous to the hard-up immigrants and unlucky miners, since he made no profits in the hotel business. He gave credit fully and collected nothing. Soon he was virtually "dead broke". With his characteristic energy he moved his family to the Sutter county ranch in 1854 and began farming anew, raising chickens and hogs, having only a few hogs and 300 chickens to begin with. Feed was high - his bill for chicken feed alone for one year was $500. Eggs though, were correspondingly high, averaging the year around 75¢ per dozen; consequently, at the close of the year he found himself $1000.00 ahead.

        December 3, 1854, Sarah Mariah recorded a declaration of "sole trades" as follows "I, Sarah M. McMurtry, wife of William McMurtry of the County of Sutter, in pursuance of ---------- an act to authorize married women to transact business in their own name as sole traders, passed April 12, 1852 ....... (do declare that I am in the) the business of the dairy, raising of stock of all descriptions: to wit; cattle, horses, hogs, sheep, and poultry, and the making of hay.. I further declare that the sum invested does not exceed five thousand dollars.

 

Signed

Sarah M. McMurtry"

 

(Why Sarah declared herself a sole trader is a question to be answered at a later date, since none is forthcoming now).

        The first deeding of land recorded to the McMurtry family again involves Sarah - a patent for the year 1861 from the U.S. Government for 40 acres in Section 26 of Township 17, Range 1 North.

        From 1861-1875 the McMurtry family acquired 2,744 acres in the northwest area of Sutter county. An acreage lying northwest of the Buttes and including range land on the Buttes where 4000 head of sheep roamed. Over 2,320 acres were purchased directly from the United States government; 424 acres were purchased from individuals. The highest price paid was $100.00 per acre for 80 acres and the lowest, approximately $1.20 per acre (apparently for Butte range land). The average price per acre was approximately $39.50.

        All the properties lay in Township 17 North, Range 1 East, and are portions of section 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 33, and 34. This great ranch, dotted with great groves of white oaks and clusters of the glossy-leafed live oak was given the appropriate name of Butte Sylvania. Here the handsome home was erected that held the McMurtry family with until long after Sarah's death in 1882. The McMurtry's were well known for their generosity and philanthropy. Dr. Mercer** practiced medicine until he retired late in life. Many a night he saddled the horse and with medicine in saddlebags rode hurriedly to the bedside of a sick neighbor.

        Mrs. McMurtry who became a Methodist, practiced her religion faithfully and threw the doors open to the circuit riding ministers who administered to their flock in the Butte Circuit, one of the largest in Northern California. (The McMurtry family religion was Scotch Presbyterian).

        On Butte Sylvania, many acres were devoted to wheat raising and in the pioneer days the method of harvesting was quite primitive.

At first Indians with flails did the threshing, later to be replaced by the great harvesters which cut, threshed, and separated the grain and poured the golden kernels into sacks.

        In 1868- Dr. McMurtry donated land to be used for a school site and here was erected a one-room school house which served the Butte Sylvania District from 1868 to 1874 when it was absorbed into a new school district known as North Butte (still functioning today with a new school building dedicated in 1956.

 

8.

        Dr. McMurtry married Cynthia Van Anglen, sister of Sarah. They moved to Oakland where he died on March 6, 1892. The remains were brought to Live Oak and the funeral took place at North Butte. The obituary notice concluded: "Reverend A. P. Few officiated A very large funeral cortege followed the remains to the last resting place in the North Butte cemetery. The following gentlemen were pall bearers: A. H. Lamme, J. H. Meyers, R. K. Stevenson, J. J. Bruce, E.M. Bragg and C. Williams".

 

        There passed another pioneer of Sutter county, who, as a dedicated member of his community and as a leader of his time, has left enriched the legacy of our county and our state.

        Paul Bunyan might will have had such a man in mind when he penned "So he passed over and all the trumpets sounded for him on the other side."

*********

*The location being referred to here seems to have been inadvertently omitted.

**I believe this to be a misprint. It should probably read; "Dr. McMurtry"

Transcribed from; SUTTER BUTTES, Land of Histum Yani, Sutter County - California, By Louise Butts Hendrex: - Victor Robin

 

From Page 95:

        Dr. William McMurtry owned "Butte Sylvania" near the Pennington community. His story is a typical tale of the old west.

        A group of Boston men on September 23, 1849 came to Nevada County and built four cabins on the south side of the ravine. Rev. H. Cummings headed the mining group whose diggings at the ravine was to yield nearly $4 Million. By 1850, Jules Rossiere had opened a store for the other settlers in the new community known as Boston Ravine. For two years, Boston Ravine was a thriving spot for miners and settlers, rivaling nearby Grass Valley.

A hotel and restaurant was opened by McMurtry who was from Kentucky. The establishment was known as the "Gold Hill Exchange". William McMurtry was the son of Joseph who came from Wales in 1743 and settled in Philadelphia. One of his descendants is said to have gone to Kentucky with Daniel Boone in 1778 where he was captured by Indians and held prisoner for a time. Joseph McMurtry's son John, Was a settler in Mercer County, Kentucky where William McMurtry was born.

        Dr. William McMurtry began the practice of medicine at the age of 20 years, amassed a small fortune before he purchased a farm near Elizabeth, Kentucky, gave up medicine, built a sawmill and race track and raised thoroughbred horses. After his business proved unsuccessful, McMurtry returned to Louisville and his medical practice. He married Sarah Marie Van Anglen in 1830. Five children were born to the couple. McMurtry with his 18 year old son, John, purchased four oxen and came to California in 1894 to seek his fortune with others in the goldfields.

        The McMurtrys arrived at Lawson's ranch south of Oroville in Butte County. Heavy rains fell that season so McMurtry and his son built a small cabin some ten miles below the mouth of Deer Creek and made clapboards. McMurtry worked in a restaurant and mined at Lone Bar in 1850. He was able to purchase some steers which had been driven across the plains. These he sold at considerable profit after fattening them up. With this surplus, McMurtry opened the "Gild Hill Exchange" at Boston Ravine and in the spring of 1851 he returned to Kentucky for his family, renting out his business.

        McMurtry bought land near Pennington on his return to California and made considerable improvements on the place. In 1852, it is recorded that McMurtry, with others, developed an iron harrow to break up the ground. This was a great improvement on the primitive farm implements then in use. McMurtry continued his hotel business but offered credit too freely until 1854 when he turned his energies to the farm to raise chickens and hogs. Chicken feed for one year totaled $550 but eggs sold for $.75 a dozen so McMurtry netted $1000 the first year.

        Returning to his medical practice at this time, McMurtry also entered into sheep raising. Some 2700 acres of land was acquired in the northwest area of Sutter County. The ranch was named "Butte Sylvania" and was covered with great white oaks and live oak trees. Some of the acreage was rented out with much of the land devoted to wheat raising.

        Wheat harvesting until the 1880's was done by Indians with flails consisting of a free swinging stick (swiple or swingle) tied to the end of another stick. By 1892 combines were used to sack the grain.

        In 1868 Dr. McMurtry donated land for the one-room school for the Butte Sylvania District, later the North Butte District. After the death of his wife. McMurtry married his sister-in-law, Cynthia Van Anglen, and moved to Oakland. He died on March 6, 1892 and was buried with ceremonies at the North Butte Cemetery.