The Record-courier. [volume] (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1904-current, 1923-06-22
EARLY SETTLERS
OF ALPINE co.
AIf Chartz Writes About those
Pioneers Who Farmed in
Diamond Valley

Writing In the Carson Appeal, Ali
Chartz, has the following to say re-
lative to Valleys In Alpine county:
Diamond Valley. in Alpine county
ia one OF the little gems lying under
the apeces of the Sierras on the east
ern slopes. Indian Creek runs
through the valley from It's western
most point to the eastern end and on
through Dutch Valley and Long Val
ley to the East Fork of the Carson
river. In the sixties this stream dried
M much later in the season than at
present. The timber used to retain
the SHOWS. The first settlers In the
Valley we're Jack Bradley and Pete
yollem, predecessors OF Snowshoe
Thompson. settling at the lower end
of the Valley. in about 1858. The
rest OF the Valley was soon taken up
Bony Clogston and - Stevens
taking up the place still referred 70
as the clogston place at the upper
end OF the Valley. This place also
got water from a creek called Scott
creek. Dudley came next, and
then followed Bob Trimmer. John f.
John, who now resides in Carson and
John Ellis. - Wade settled in
Wade Valley in 1860. This is lit
tie spot Immediately north OF Dia-
mond Valley. W. w. Harvey settled
In 1863 In a little valley Immediately
south OF Diamond Valley, and Joel
Harvey had few acres In a sort OF
bowl In the neighborhood. Snowshoe
Thompson succeeded Bradley and
Vollem. who seem to have abandoned
their location. Vollem going to Wade
Valley and settling in the place left
by Wade. John Hawkins the
father of Theodore and Dan
Hawkins OF Genoa. located on Scott
creek. on the road going to Wood
fords to Markleeyille. In probably
1858. and first settled with his fam
lily near what is now Bowers Man
sion In 1868, Snowshoe Thompson
engaged John Hawkins to survey a
ditch now known as the Snowshoe
Thompson ditch No. ] taking water
from a point above Woodfords on the
West Fork of the Carson river TO his
ranch at the lower end of Diamond
Valley, and some water reached the
ranch In the fall of the year. How
ever, as usual, the ranchers above
took most OF the water. and the next
year Thompson had another ditch
taken out OF the river. and from this
he managed to get enough for his
ranch. The next ditch taken out was
by Walsh, father OF Ed. J.
Walsh. the Nevada boy. aud man
named Gallinor, TO irrigate a small
ranch lying below Dutch Valley.
Johns. Dudley and Ellis also took
out a ditch for their lands, and Pete
Vollem connected with this ditch on
the Ellis ranch. and he conducted the
water to his place in Wade Valley
by separate branch. Benjamin
Barber and Ben Palmer. colored men,
got an interest In the second Snow
shoe Thompson ditch by helping to
dig IL, and the conducted water to
Dutch Valley, the entire OF which was
In their ownership. Every one OF
these farmers cultivated vegetable
patches. and had some fruit trees,
and raised sufficient grain for their
own use, and the rest of their hold
lngs was kept up for hay and pasture.
Their principal revenue was In the
raising OF livestock and fattening
them for market They also sold
some hay. They all had good resi-
ient houses and fine barns, and down
TO the last 12 or 10 years appeared
10 be prosperous people. They
a school at the upper end
of the Valley. the teacher living at
Woodfords.
Now. the entire of Diamond Valley.
with the possible exception OF the
clogston place. is used by the Heise
Cattle company as a cattle range.
rhe buildings are uninhabitated, un-
ised and going the usual way, and
'oads also. Dutch Valley, however,
s kept up, Ralph Springmeyer being
low the owner and occupant OF the
Valley.