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We are working hard to get our newest American County Histories collection – The West – online. New this month is the History of Sonoma County California with Biographical Sketches.

This volume was written by Tom Gregory and published by the California Historic Record Company  in 1911. Gregory’s efforts focused on “The leading men and women of the County, who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present time.”

Preface

When I sought to collect material for a story of Sonoma I soon found myself reaching out into the history proper of California. Every trail leading to this county runs back into the earlier times of the state. The Spanish-American settlement of Sonoma was planned in the City of Mexico. The coming to Sonoma of the Mission San Francisco de Solano can be traced backward through San Rafael, Dolores, San Jose, Santa Clara, Carmelo and kindred institutions to the southern end of Alta California.

Sonoma began at San Diego, the first adobe laid in 1769, the last in 1823 completing the rosary of the missions. Territorial records having their opening chapters in Our City of the Angels, had their ending in Sonoma. The various governments sitting at various capitals marked Sonoma a key position on the line of the northern frontier. The legislative events occurring in Monterey were soon manifest in Sonoma.

The first statesman of the California political period was the Comandante of Sonoma. When plotting officials snarled and wrangled from San Jose to San Diego they in turn sought the adherence of Sonoma; and when these same plotters were preparing to hand this logical-territory of the Great Republic over to the tenderness and the tenaciousness of an European protectorate, the little game largely was blocked by that same Mexican military commander of Sonoma. When Fremont, advised by Benton at Washington, collected the American settlers for the first strike, they struck at Sonoma; and Commodore Sloat, U. S. N., raised the Stars and Stripes over the country only after he had heard of the Bear Flag at Sonoma.

Sonoma — Wonderland of this Wondrous State — Masterpiece of creative power, a garden-place of fruitage and bloom — true domain of Luther Burbank, birthplace of the Flag of the Golden West. There is no corner within her mountain walls that is not stamped with the golden pages of California’s living history. If this indifferent story of Sonoma were worthy, it would be dedicated to her greatest historical character him who sleeps at Lachryma Montis.

Tom Gregory
Santa Rosa, 1911.

Table of Contents

The cushion and cover for glass cologne bottle are embroidered upon yellow satin, or painted upon yellow velvet in the colors shown in our illustration, a box for gloves can be similarly ornamented, also a sachet for handkerchiefs.

The under part of cushion is lined with plain satin and trimmed all around with lace as shown in the design.

The sachet is made exactly the same, open upon one end, lined throughout. Perfume is placed between the two thicknesses so that the handkerchiefs can be laid inside, or if desired, it can have the perfumed cotton placed inside, sewed up all around and laid in a drawer to perfume it. The bottle cover is lined with satin, a cord drawing it up around the neck, the lace showing around the glass stopper.

These can be made less elaborate if desired, and form a pretty gift.

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To thee we lift our grateful song of praise,
Our Father, Saviour, tender Friend;
Thy word of promise faithful hast thou kept,
From sunny springtime’s songful seeding days
Till harvest’s rich and golden end.

We thank thee for our homes of love and light,
For treasure-houses full of store,
For country’s borders kept from pest and grief,
For peace that sings away the war-god’s blight,
And blesses all from shore to shore.

For graces higher, richer, do we kneel,
Adore; for truth that lights our way;
The Christ that lifts to fellowship with thee ;
The Spirit in whose ceaseless life we feel
The strength to toil from day to day.

We would not ask for more. We only pray
That these may all men feel and see;
That sin and wrong, that doubt and fear and pain
Through love of life and good may fall away,
And all alike be filled with thee.

–B.F.T

In 1863, a year filled with pivotal historical events — the Emancipation Proclamation, the Union victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg, and the Gettysburg Address — Abraham Lincoln issued what has become known as the first annual Thanksgiving Proclamation.

Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1863

The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and provoke their aggressions, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict; while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

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The fields are brown and bare, the gardeners are full, as our hearts should be of thoughtful kindness to others.

Some motives have been their innocent from above, like overshot waterwheel, while others are moved by the undercurrent.

The best and most precious gifts are without price income to mortals, sometimes unsought, because before unknown.

Some lives are so good and sweet and full that they impart to all about them their goodness, as do the sunshine, fragrant flowers and melodious music.

What tenderer memory can there be than that of other and bygone thanksgivings, when, as children, we surrounded the fireplace with loved parents and friends, now departed, in the year deserted old house?

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