The record-union., 1898-11-14
THE PIONEERS OF PIONEERS
A THANKSGIVING REUNION IN
CAPAY VALLEY.
Men Who Settled There in the
Forties to Dine Together and
Spin Their Yarns.
Cwoodland Mail, November 12th.)

(Woodland Mail, November 12th.)
The few old settlers Of pretty Capay
Valley, who are left, have decided to
make Thanksgiving Day this year, one
OF unusual Importance and festivities.
/ They have planned to call together all
| Of the old settlers who are left, that
they may once more sit down together
to royal old Thanksgiving dinner, and
eat, drink and spin yarns to their
hearts content For this purpose in
vitations have been extended to all,
with the request that each bring bas-
ket we'll filed with good things The
dinner will take place in Changers
Hall, and it is expected that the whole
community will unite.
William r. Roulette and wife, who
was the first white woman that ever
lived in Capay Valley, the Scotts and
Todds erected a cabin in Capay Valley
uron the property since owned by Hon.
j. M. Rhodes, situated about six miles
up the creek from Langville, in 1S43,
They remained there until the following
year when Sonoma was taken by the
Bear Flag party. Their business while
in this section was hunting, and If they
entertained signs Of becoming settlers
there were no indications of such in
tentions made apparent by them.
On the Sd day of May, 1916, Governor
Pho Pico granted to the three Ber-
ryessas-Santiag Nemecia and Fran
cisco-nine square leagues of land on
Jesus Maria" River, or Cache Creek,
that included all of Capay Valley and
reached far out into the plains along
the creek as far as the west line cf
Gordons Grant.
1t was called the Canada de Capay"
grant, or grant of Capay Canyon. This
is the first title known to have existed
of Capay Valley
| 1t was during the year 1S47 that the
first house was built in Capay Valley,
by a party who intended to make the
section his future home. The structure
was of logs and erected about one mile
up the valley from the present site of
Langville and was the property Of
Francis, popularity known as Paddy
Clark He did not know that a grant of
the land he was on had been given to
the Berryessas and that eventually he
would be obliged to abandon his home,
but such was the case. He left Yolo
County in 1852, and shortly afterward
| disappeared altogether. His fate is
| still a mystery
John Gordon, now a resident of Rum
sey, who is a son of William Gordon,
owner of the Gordon Grant, tells an IN
| terestfng story about how the valley
got it's name. When he was boy on
his fathers place the Indians and Span
iards were wont to congregate there
for their pow-wows, and generally they
had a good time. On one of these oc-
casions William Gordon gave them cof-
fee to drink and it was the first time
they had ever tasted "eafe," as they
called it, For a long time after that
they called the place Cafe" and ac-
cording to the tradition, which Is some
what unreliable, the title eventually be-
came changed to Capay.
| Old John Lange, as he is now known,
who still lives in the valley was among
the first permanent settlers Of Capay
Valley The town Of Langville, which
was named after him, has since given
way to the settlement of Capay, now a
town. Rumsey was founded at the head
Of the valley, and later the town of
Guinda sprang into existence. The
modern history of the valley is, per
haps, better known to the public than
it is to the writer, suffice it to say that
a prettier, more industrious, or pro-
ductive locality is hard to find now.
and only within the past few months
an enterprise has been inaugurated to
connect the remotest corners of the val
ley by the most modern means Of COM
munfcation with the world electricity.
Many of these who settled in Capay
Valley in the early days, commonly
known as old settlers. have passed
away within the past few years; in fact
there are only few Of them left. 1t is
for the purpose Of getting these few to-
! gether around the festive board on
Thanksgiving Day that this reunion
will be given What an occasion 1t will
be. The many things for which they
can return thanks to the Almighty Civ
| err of all things After the years Of
toll, after the privations and hardships
suffered by those whose heads are bent
| with age and toll, whose locks have
been turned to silver by the hands of
| time, that we their children might live
in quiet, peace and plenty.
These thoughts will fill the breasts of
the younger ones and those few of the
pioneers who have lived end watched
the valley develop, who have guided
their children's footsteps along the
raths of infancy, through youth and
into maturity, will be thankful that
they have succeeded so well; that their
lives have been well spent, and alto
gether, young and old, will mingle on
this occasion, will unite in one volun1i-
nous song of praise, will together par
take of those good things furnished by
an all wise provider, and will be mer-
ry and happy in these thoughts, to-
gether with "reminiscences of the bye
gone days of Capay Valley
The following are some of the first
settlers of the valley: j. w. Aldrich,
John Lange. Peter Laurner, Doc Dun
can. John Foster. John Nixon, j. 2.
Goodenow, Joel Woods. r. Q. Arm
strong. the Taber brothers, Samuel