Imperial Valley press., 1912-12-12
"EILL JOHNSON, NOT MARSHALL,
DlscovERER OF GOLD IN STATE,

Los ANGELES, Dec. i2.-Notwth-
standing the claims made in Bancrofts
history that Marshall discovered the
gold in California. and that Fremont
raised the first American flag in this
state, C.. E. Cotton declares that
"Knock-kneed Bill johnson" discovered
The gold and that Capt Sam Thompson
raised the first American flag.
Cotton came to Los Angeles 65 years
ago and resides here now at 1923
Tenth avenue. He left here within a
year after his arrival and wandered
about The West, but later returned to
Los Angeles to stay. He is hale and
hearty at rs, remarkably keen Of sight
and hearing, and he tells his reminis-
cenSes with clearness and instant
memory for dates that attracts the
/ attention of all who hear him talk.
| IN !ahrng issue with the famous
historian he says: 81 was here and |
( hnoW." He speaks highly Of that in
/ lerestin@ novel 1.-TWO Years Before
the Mast" saving that it is-in the
correct.
The first flag to be raised in This
state was unfuried one year before
the treaty Of Guadalupe Hidalgo. ac-
cording to Cotton, July I. 1917. Col.
jonathan NJ. Stevenson. commanding at
Fort More, near Los Angeles. dis
patched Capt. Sam Thompson and 80
men TO find a ilagp0le 100 feet long.
That was June 90. 1917, ana Cotton
was in the party. At That time he
was l3 years cid and acting as ser
want to Gen. George Sloncman.
The detachment failed to find the
desired flagpolc ana brought two. each
30 feet in length. These they fastened
together with wooden pins ana bound
The splice with rawhdc thongs. Col
| ton says his account of The EVEN i,
indorsed by two other Los Angeles
/ pioneers, Judge John King and Mrs.
! Charles 'Forman.
'knock-kneed Bill Johnson discol-
ercd The gold in California" said Mr..
\ C"IIon. Bancroft says lhat Marshall
found il first, but + am certain that
tho honor goes "a Johnson. ! met
Johnson l3 years ago and took phou-
"rraphic record Of his claim. have
1 mai record now, ana believe thal
/ Johnson is alive yet, aud residing in
7 New Mexico. have other proof which
A can give TO support his claim"
7 Cotton is one of tnc frlE vho fought
~ ihe Mexican war. his fighting being
done While he served in the capacity Of
servant to General ~lonemau. He
crossed the plains with Sioneman and
$50 soldiers, expecting to arrive here
| N 1916. The party became lost on
The desert and wandered until some
Apache Indians provided directions
that sci them right.
1--WE We're headed loo far TO the
southward to hit California" said the
old man while he remneSced about
those far back days. 1--WE reached the
old mission al San Diego January 9.
iS41, and | was mustered out of the
service July 16 of the same year.
started for my old home in the East,
but | never saw the Missouri river
again.
al wandered through California, min
ing and driving mules, and later settled
in Utah. where | belong to the pioneer
society, the same as do here"
Though 7S years of age. the hale
old pioneer chuckled when he thought
Of the senorita who looked in his
eyes and laughed, one day in Al. and
persuaded him to smoke his first Gig
arctic. That was at old San Diego.
where fandangos were danced every
night after trading captains had dis
posed OF wares from Boston in ex-
change for hides and tallows. In those
days, Cotton says. pair Of Boston
shoes would buy the hides, hoofs and
tallOw from 10 head of stock.
He visited the old mission a few
days ago, for the first time in 65
years.
Once he refused to give $3.50 for
10 acres in the neighborhood Of Eighth
and San Pedro streets. He had the
money but preferred it to the land.
"OId John Mccullough" sai1 Col
ton, advised me to buy it because 1t
would make me well off for the rest
Of my life. He was an Irishman, and
he reminded me that | would not live
forever
Il saw two lots on Broadway sell
for $3.50 each. They were near where
the hall Of records stands now. The
following year they were sold at auc-
ton for SO cents apiece. In those
dave tbara xx,oc ooxx, trail on prood-