A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF WILLIAM B. IDE

Footnotes

Footnote #01

*During the past 12 or 15 years, (the Editor is informed), a genealogically inclined member of this Ide-family has made it a point of inquiry, by letter, of all persons bearing this name, whose address he was able to obtain: "To what part of this country do you trace the first landing of your ancestry, on your father's side?" or in terms of that import. The answers to this inquiry--numbering some dozen or so-- refer to Massachusetts or Rhode island, and the greater part to Providence or Rehoboth. And furthermore: it is pretty evident that the race has not been a very prolific one--for the same genealogical interviewer says that in the fall of 1874 he found but two persons of the name in the New York city Directory--and, in 1877, but six in the Boston Directory; and one of these whom he called on said he was "the head-man" of the other five: and this "Interviewer" infers from these statistics, and from his long and extensive acquaintance with businessmen in different parts of the country, that "all persons of this name, now living in the United States, are descendants of the two emigrants, Josiah and Daniel Ide."

Footnote #02

*The initial letter (B), in Wm. B. Ide's name, was in honor of this great-grandmother.

Footnote #03

*Mrs. HEALY now resides In Santa Cruz, Cal.

Footnote #04

*"This old man", says Mrs. HEALY, died in California, in the mines, somewhere near Orville. I heard a report that he insisted on lying out of doors, with his rifle by his side, and would not allow even a tent over his body to obscure the sky--threatening to shoot the man who should attempt to put a shelter over him. And thus he died, out of doors, more than 18 years since. I was more afraid of these two men than of the wild Indians."

Footnote #05

* The "Proceedings" of the "Bear Flag party" are here referred to.

Footnote #06

* It had escaped the recollection of the surviving members of Mr. IDE'S family until this notice of these writings in this kind letter of MR. BOGGS, was written them, that such writings were in their possession. After diligent search, since that notice came to their hands, they were found among the effects of Mrs. HEALY'S brother JAMES M., who died a few months before. We expect to find in that 'book-form' manuscript much valuable material for this work.

Footnote #07

*Mr. BOGGS, on returning the proof-slip of this article, says: "I can corroborate the story of Mrs. HEALY about the Indians. When I arrived at Sutter's Fort, in 1846, there was a small band of the Walla Walla Indians there, who came over from Oregon to demand satisfaction of the whites for killing one of their tribe, by an American named Grove Cook. I knew Cook--an old mountaineer, and brother in-law of the celebrated Bill Sublette, from St. Louis, Mo., of Trapper fame out West. Cook lost two horses, while encamped near this band of Indians. They were bold and insolent--- Were well mounted and armed--were good horsemen and expert hunters. I met one of the band on the west side of the Sacramento River, after I had crossed over with my wagons and family. I had gone ahead, as usual, to look out for good camping; and, near sun-set I espied a large badger lying in the road. Having a good rifle, I dismounted and put a ball through the neck of the animal-- killing it. Just as I was turning it over to examine the curious looking creature, a Walla Walla Indian warrior rode up and asked me to give him the badger. I did so; and he expressed real satisfaction, and galloped away on the plain, with his badger strapped behind his saddle. These animals, I afterwards learned, were hard to find, and the Indians prized them for their beautiful striped skins, and for their oil.

"I learned that Capt. Sutter protected Grove Cook from these Indians, and compromised with them in goods or other valuables. They soon returned to Oregon satisfied, and Cook was allowed to go free. He settled near San José, Cal., and at one time was interested in the Grant of land on which the celebrated New Alnoden Quick Silver mines are located.

"I knew Sublette & Cook, when a boy, at Independence, Mo.--when that place was the frontier town of 'the West'. He was of the firm of 'Sublette & Campbell', American Fur Traders on the Upper Missouri. Sublette accompanied Sir William Stuart, an English nobleman, as guide to the Rocky Mountains, in 1842 or 3."

Footnote #08

*"A Rocky Mountain Hunter's phrase, meaning to conceal or hide, in pits or caves, goods or valuables--such as the hunter or traveler cannot carry with him. Such is a cache, in hunter's parlance, on the Plains and in the Mountains,"--as a friend informs the Editor.

Footnote #18

*The book was marked.--C.K.

Footnote #09

*The modest writer of this Letter, it will be observed, invariably uses the pronoun we, instead of I, in referring to what he had said or done; and the Editor has not felt himself at liberty to change his phraseology in these cases, as it may be necessary for the reader to do, mentally, in order to a correct understanding of what he said or did.

Footnote #10

* MR. IDE was a life-long "Te-totaler" and "Temperance Advocate," of the straightest sect.--ED.

Footnote #11

* This was the morning of the EIGHTH DAY, since he had, "between the hours of 10 and 11, A. M.," left his family to arouse the emigrants to action in self-defence; but they fled to Oregon. The two days thus spent, and then four or five more days and sleepless nights, in organizing the "new Government", (his relatives believe) was a strain upon his physical powers of endurance, materially shortening his useful days.

Footnote #12

*The "insult" here alluded to happened in this manner: As Capt. Fremont, with his surveying party, on the 3d of March, 1846, was encamped at Hartwell's Rancho, he received a threatening missive from Gen. Castro, "by the hands of a Mexican officer, who was backed by 80 lancers, well armed," ordering him to "return with your party beyond the limits of this Department"--warning Fremont if he did not immediately comply, Castro would take measures to compel him to quit the country. This mandate was thus officially communicated to Fremont on the 5th of March, and on the 6th he entrenched himself, with his little band of assistants, on the summit of Hawk's Peak, 30 miles distant from Monterey. This place--2200 feet above the level of the sea--he fortified with fallen trees, &c., and stripped one of them of its limbs and foliage, and suspended on it, 40 feet from its base, the American Flag. Castro raised a force of about 200 men, and marched them off to dislodge his disobedient visitor; but he took especial care not to go within rifle range of his fortified encampment, and finally abandoned the undertaking.--[From a California newspaper.--ED.]

Footnote #13

* From a nine or ten month's visit among his relatives and friends at the East.

Footnote #19

* The book was marked. I don't know what it said originally.--C.K.

Footnote #14

* In 1878 the occupant of this Rancho wrote the Editor that it was appraised for the assessment of taxes at $50,000, --was valued at $ 70,000, and his taxes on it amounted to between 16 and 17 hundred dollars.

Footnote #15

* A few years subsequent to the date of this letter. Mr. IDE informed the Editor that he did not get "a valid title" to the second "Farm" he here refers to.

Footnote #16

* The boy mentioned in Mrs. Healy's account of the emigrating company of 1845.

Footnote #17

* A handwritten marking in the book indicates that William Haskell, Mary Eliza, Sarah Elizabeth and Ellen Julia were born in Newfane, VT.--C.K.