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Hornitos (little ovens) named for the many small adobe ovens which dotted the
hills, used by Mexican miners to bake their bread and other foods, is one of the best
preserved "ghost towns" along the Mother Lode, with many buildings remaining
from the 15,000 population of gold rush days, a combination of Mexican, Chinese,
Italian, French and Spanish, along with those who "came west." The name is thought
by some to be from the Spanish graves, which were made of adobe and rock mounds
on top of the ground.
Hornitos located on Burns Creek, along the western edge of Mariposa County,
was originated by the Mexicans who were expelled from Quartzburg when law and
order started to come in. Later, as the rich placers of Quartzburg became exhausted,
many of these people followed them. The Chinese came in great numbers about the
same time.
Hornitos quickly became a two class town, its plaza probably one of the
wildest spots in California, with its monte tables, fandango halls, shooting scrapes,
saloons and gold dust in abundance.
The bandit Joaquin Murietta was a frequent visitor in town and made many an
escape through a secret passageway under the old Campodonica store.
On the other hand, it had refinement in the families who established homes,
churches, ranches, businesses, Masonic, IOOF, Native Sons lodges, schools and
social clubs.
At the eighteenth session of the State Legislature the "Town of Hornitos" was
incorporated, the area one square mile, with officers elected yearly and given power
to pass ordinances for protection against fire, removal of nuisances and laying out
streets and alleys; also the power to collect one-half of the road tax money to keep up
town streets. Compensation of the trustees was $1.00 each, per year. M.O. Barber,
Jacob Kocher and Andrew Olcese formed the first board.
The first hotel in Hornitos was built of adobe in 1850-51 by Willis Goss and
John Short. In 1860 Goss had erected a large hotel to take its place, built with lumber
brought by sailing ship around the horn, on by boat to Sacramento and hauled by
oxcart to Hornitos. President Ulysses S. Grant was its most distinguished visitor.
The Masonic Lodge, one of few on the ground floor, charter granted May 8,
1856, when Quartzburg was destroyed by fire. The building, still used, was
constructed in the late fifties.
"Miss Jennie", Miss Eugenia Gagliardo, born in Stockton Sept.6, 1869, was
brought to Hornitos when she was three months old, where she has spent more than
84 years of her life. She attended school when there were just classes, no grades, and
assisted in the Gagliardo & Co. store.
Her parents, the Giuseppe Gagliardos, bought the store on moving there from
his brother Andrew and a cousin, Frank Gagliardo who had established it in the early
fifties. Miss Jennie, with her brother, John P. Gagliardo, extensive cattle raiser,
inherited the store, and operated it together during his lifetime. She has carried on
alone the past twenty years.
Mrs. Alice Virginia Glasier, 81 the past July 29th, makes her home in
Hornitos, where she was born. Her father was Tim Meagher, who kept the toll road
between Long Mary and Elkhorn and was a guide in Yosemite for many years. Her
mother, Soladad Gonzales from Tempe, Old Mexico, was among the early settlers of
Hornitos.
Mrs. Maggie Chittum, over 80, is also a native of Hornitos.
Richie Morrissey II made his home on the home ranch of his parents, Richie
Jr., now over 80, and the late Melissa Peterson. His grandfather, Pat Morrissey,
came to California from Portland, Maine in 1864, making his home in the mountains
above Mariposa.
Miss Amelia Cademartori was married to Anthony Williams of Hunter's Valley, in
the house her mother, Laura Castagnetto, came to as a bride of Giovanni
Cademartori.
Anthony's parents, William and Mary Williams, came from Cornwall, England
to Nevada and on to Hunter's Valley, where they raised their large family of 13
children, twelve boys and one girl.
Carlo and Augustine Cavagnaro came from Genoa, Italy to California via
Nicaragua in 1851. They operated a store in San Francisco until 1854, then came to
Railroad Flat for a year and on to Merced Falls and Hornitos, where he assisted in the
Gagliardo Co. store before going into business for himself.
The Cavagnaro store, with its iron doors brought from England, still stands
intact. A son Charles B. Cavagnaro, succeeded Carlo and continued to operate the
store until his death in 1936, his wife Grace, carrying on for ten years before closing
it. She has also acted as librarian since 1928, and as justice of the peace for a number
of years.
A grandson, Frank Belgrano, who has spent many summers in Hornitos, is
now manager of Transamerica.
Arthur Bauer, who makes his home at a ranch near Hornitos, across the road
from the old freighter stop of his grandparents, Egide and Regina Bauer, who came
from Germany He is a noted barbecue specialist, having prepared the meat for many
Hornitos Homecomings.
John and Moses Northrup homesteaded the Jersey Ranch (named for their
homeland, New Jersey) Near Hornitos in 1860 where they lived the rest of their lives.
Moses never married, but John married Annie Maria Simmons in 1865, with two of
their seven children still living, Kate Viola Esdew, 83, now of Cheyenne, Wyoming,
and Lillie Maybelle (Mrs. Lawrence) Allred of near Mariposa. John Northrup, while
bedfast, wrote articles for the Mariposa Gazette under the nom de plume "Orange."
Ghirardelli's, leading chocolate manufacturers of the world, at one time had a
store in Hornitos. The ruins still stand.
April 30, 1896, Gazette:
Hornitos Then and Now.
The second Annual Ball of the Hornitos Brass Band is to be held at the Odd
Fellows Hall. The old Hotel is still doing a good business.
The livery stable, formerly owned by Black and White, which has passed
through several hands, is now owned by McHenry Morrison and son, William, who
have improved it greatly.
The ancient mercantile stands of Merck and Campodonico are unchanged, the
widows of the deceased husbands continue the business. The Gagliardo and Co.,
Olcese and Cavagnro stores still operate.
The ha1f-dozen first-c1ass saloons of former days, when Gi1. Negas, John
Combs, S.G. Brownfield, Charlie Merck and others were in vogue, are reduced down
to about one, that of R.W. Barcrofts, and the Merck saloons are the only ones now in
business.
One of the finest celebrations ever held in the county was at Hornitos April
26th, 1862, with large representations from every lodge and town in the county, as
well as Snelling, with a procession a half-mile long.
William Adams came from his native England and established a blacksmith
shop in Hornitos, becoming a U.S. citizen in 1873. He served as master of the
Hornitos Masonic Lodge for thirty years. His grandson, Charles, carries on.—Carla
Adams
Thomas Givens, owner of the Texas Ranch or "Texas Tent" a mile east of
Hornitos, was father of E1eazer T. Givens of Kentucky, who worked in the mines
first at Coarsegold, Agua Fria, Whitlock and then came to Hornitos. He was half
scalped when hunting grizzly bear in 185O. He assisted in forming the original
Mariposa County.
George Reeb settled in Hornitos in 1853, built a butcher shop in '54 with a
slaughter house and smoke house, raising his own meat. He ran a butcher wagon to
Indian Gulch and the mines, and another business in Mt. Bullion. His bologna and
sausage were so well known people ordered from all parts of the San Joaquin Valley,
and he also supplied the old Palace Hotel. His son, George M. Reeb, now living at
the Odd Fellows Home in Saratoga, drove stage coach, and carried on the business
after George's death. The Reeb family have been continuous subscribers to the
Mariposa Gazette since its organization. The butcher shop is now the Plaza Cafe.
Emma Kocher, 90, a daughter of Katherine, who operated a dry goods store
and millinery shop in Hornitos, lives in a modest rest home. Jacob Kocher operated a
tin shop until 1870, when he moved operations to Merced.
Mule Skinner George Heckman hauled two tons of ice a week from Merced for the
butcher shop, and freighter supplies. The load started with 24 mules and horses, one
to three wagons, dropping them off as the load lightened with deliveries. Three
freighting teams came through Hornitos regularly. Fred Peregoy, driver and
owner, living in Merced is now past 80. John Branson, Vick Trabucco, John Collins,
86, now living in Merced, who still loves to tell of the old times, all owned and drove
their freighters.
Elizabeth Reeb Thurber, 80, lives in Oakland; Kate Morrison, 84, in North
Hollywood, and Lena Stanley 70, in San Miguel.
Will Arthur ran a blacksmith shop about 1850. He was well patronized by the
kids of the community, for his jack-stones, cut out of the ends of horseshoes that
were too long.
David Turner came to La Grange in early days, his son, William Turner,
settling in Hornitos to ranch. He later became county sheriff. Two of the sons, Will
and Al, took their turn as sheriff. Two daughters, Rose and Bell, taught in Mariposa
school. Al also drove stage to Wawona. Will later ranched at the old home place.
Charlie Brown made and repaired saddles. Sam Bates had a store and the post
office. Sam Carr, justice of the peace, Rosenthals, Quigleys, Pete Saiz, William A
Grace, Dick Thomas and John Branson, freighters, were just a few of the many other
early residents.
"The Bridge" in Hornitos, operated by the Henry Kowitz family, has a
collection of many historic objects from old Hornitos days.
HORNITOS
Almost in the center of the Quartzburg Mining District is the town of Hornitos. The
meaning of the name "Hornitos" is little ovens, given to the place by the early
Mexican miners because of the many made ovens made of rock and mud by a
company of German miners. Hornitos is the only incorporated town in the county. It
owns its own lands and has a city government. Many thousands of dollars have been
taken out of the city blocks and streets in the shape of pockets and placers. It is
surrounded on all sides by rolling hills, sparsely covered with oaks. There is some
fine farming and orchard land in this vicinity.
THE HORNITOS GOLD MINING COMPANY
About half way up the south side of Bear Mountain, immediately above the
celebrated Mt. Gaines mine, at an elevation of 1500 feet, is a group of six mining
claims that are being developed and worked by a corporation known as the Hornitos
Gold Mining Company. The offices of this company are at 302 Landershim Block,
Los Angeles, California. The personnel of this organization are mining men whose
experience in the mining world has taught them that the place to look for paying gold
mines is in a locality whose past and present history shows it to be a rich mining belt.
That they have made no mistake in selecting such a locality, their recent mill tests of
ore taken from the old Barfield mine certify. Almost within a stones-throw is the .old
Mt. Gaines mine, one of the first in the State to be worked by arrastras, in 1850. The
Mt. Gaines was also the first mine in the State to be worked by electric power,
installed by George Crocker, son of the late Charles Crocker, the Railroad Magnate.
This mine produced over a million dollars at a depth of 700 feet. It was recently
purchased by the Hornitos Company, and soon will be one of the producing mines of
the county.
The elevation of the Hornitos Gold Mining Company's group on Bear Valley
Mountain affords a fine prospect of the surrounding country. Two miles away you
see the Washington, the deepest mine in the county, being 1600 feet in depth. It has a
record of about two million dollars and there are thousands of tons of rich ore
blocked out between the 1000 and 1600-foot levels. There are No.9, No.8, White,
Pool, Enterprise, Quartz Mountain-a ledge 600 feet in width-and many more whose
past records are part of the golden history of California; all within a few miles to the
south and west. To the north and east lies the justly celebrated Mariposa Grant, the
whistles from whose mines mark the hours of the day for the workmen of the
Hornitos Company. The famed Mother Lode is just across the turn of the hill to the
east. The Mexican, Pine Tree and Josephine mines, from which Colonel Fremont
took so much money, are in the immediate vicinity.
The Barfield mine, one of the incorporated claims of the company, has a
record that needs no consanguinity with noted mines to 'give it a reputation. Its
record was as rich as any mine in the community while it was being worked. Like all
mines of the State, after its golf went into the ground beyond the depths of
prospectors, it was abandoned. Occasionally some one would relocate it and "gouge
out a grub stake," and then leave it for easier or imagined easier diggings. It needed
but the hand of capital to resurrect its buried wealth. This is only one of the rich
group that holds out its jeweled fingers to the people of the land of sunshine and
oranges with rich promise.
CAVAGNARO'S STORE
Charles B. Cavagnaro is one of the county's most popular merchants. He is a native
of the county of Mariposa and takes a deep interest in its welfare. He is a prominent
member of the order of Native Sons of the Golden West, holding the position of
District Deputy Grand President. Besides his general merchandise business, of which
he makes mining supplies a specialty, Mr. Cavagnaro is interested in mining. He
owns some very promising mining properties in his district.
GAGLIARDO' S STORE
One of the finest appointed mercantile houses doing a general merchandising
business in the county is the Gagliardo store, of Hornitos. These people need no
introduction, as they have been identified with the county for many years. The
business is conducted under the firm name of Gagliardo & Son.
GEORGE REEB
The oldest established butcher shop in the county is that of George Reeb, in the town
of Hornitos. Mr. Reeb has been butchering in the county for a half century and while
his meat market has been burned out several times, not a day Bas passed in all that
time that his customers have had to do without meat. Today Mr. Reeb is one of the
most actively-alive business men in the county. He has fine markets in the towns of
Mt. Bullion and Hornitos and supplies more people in also interested in mining
and is a strong advocate of the mines of the Hornitos belt.
HORNITOS LIVERY STABLE
There is but one livery stable in Hornitos, and that is owned by M. Bauer. He is one
of the foremost citizens of the town and his livery stable is up-to-date in every
particular. Saddle horses and buggy teams are kept for hire and transient stock is
given the best of attention. In connection with his livery business he has one of the
best feed yards in the county.
ARTHUR BROTHERS
The blacksmiths of Hornitos are two brothers, James H. and Charles R. Arthur.
Their, father, the late Robert Arthur, was a blacksmith for many years in the old town
and was one of the county's representative citizens. His sons carry on the business at
the same old stand. They have a fine trade, as they rightly should, both being sober
and industrious men and splendid mechanics. They are natives of Mariposa County.
GHIRARDELLI FIRM HAD HORNITOS STORE IN 1856
Domingo Ghirardelli, having operated grocery stores in Stockton and San Francisco,
began manufacturing in San Francisco in 1852. At a later date he operated branch
stores, general merchandise stores and branches at Hornitos, Bear Valley, Associated
with Quierolo and Depauli; at Sonora with Giladina; Melones and other branches
where a branch would operate while, the diggings were going will and then close
down and move away.
The Hornitos store was opened about 1856 or 1857 in a building leased from
Bartholomew Pitt. At a later date this was purchased by Domingo Ghirardelli and at
that time he signed a mortgage for $4,000.00, interest at 1½ per cent per month. This
store was operated until 1871 when it was closed out.
In 1929 D. Ghirardelli Company of San Francisco, purchased the old ruins
from Willow Lodge I.O.O.F. of Mariposa and put a bronze plaque on the wall
D. Ghirardelli Company of San Francisco, owned and operated by descendants of the
original Domingo Ghirardelli, has only the best wishes for the people of Mariposa
County.
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