Bidwell, John, 1819-1900

Bidwell was a noted early Calif. pioneer, landowner, and statesman. He helped form the Western Immigration Society in 1840, which led to the formation of the Bidwell-Bartleson wagon train, the first emigrant train to Calif. He travelled through Utah in 1841, then forged the Calif. immigrant trail. In 1846 he wrote the Bear Flag platform. In 1848, he began buying his ranch, Rancho de Arroyo Chico, also known as Rancho Chico.

John Bidwell was born in Chautauqua County, New York, on August 5, 1819. He arrived in California in 1841 and was hired by John Sutter to supervise his Russian possessions and property in Bodega Bay and Fort Ross. He became a part of the Bear Flag revolt and served as a major in the U.S. Army during the Mexican War. Bidwell had discovered gold at Bidwell Bar (on the Feather River) in 1848 and became a miner long enough to purchase the Rancho Chico in 1849. He was active in Democratic Party politics until 1861 but was elected to Congress on the Union ticket. He declined nomination for governor of California in 1867, became an unsuccessful candidate for the Independent Party in 1875 and in 1890 (for the Prohibition Party). In 1892, he was nominated for President by the Prohibition Party and received over 270,000 votes. From: Biography/History, Finding Aid - John Bidwell Papers, MS 2, Special Collections, Meriam Library, California State University, Chico.

John Bidwell came to California in 1841. He owned a large ranch near Chico, California, and was a California congressman from 1865-1867.

Bidwell was a Calif. pioneer, landowner, and politician.

John Bidwell, born Chautauqua, N.Y., August 5, 1819. California Pioneer, 1841, with Bartleson-Bidwell party. Employed at Sutter's Fort. Purchased Rancho del Arroyo Chico (now city of Chico) in 1849. Agriculturalist, philanthropist. Delegate to California Constitutional Convention, 1849. State Senator 1849-1850. California Representative to Congress, 1865-1867. Candidate for President, 1892. Died in Chico, April 4, 1900.

Pioneer landowner in northern California (1841), Bidwell held 22,000 acres near Chico. Was member U.S. House of Representatives (1865-1867). Ran unsuccessfully three times for Governor of California and once, on Prohibitionist ticket, for President of United States (1892).

Pioneer, farmer, soldier, statesman, politician, prohibitionist, philanthropist, and founder of Chico, Calif.

California pioneer.

Pioneer, farmer, soldier, statesman, politician, prohibitionist and philanthropist; known for leading one of the first emigrant parties, the Bartleson-Bidwell Party, along the California Trail; and for founding Chico, California.

John Bidwell came to California in 1841 and participated in the U.S. campaign against Mexico in 1846. He owned a large ranch near Chico and was involved in California politics. He was a congressman from California (1865-1867) and ran unsuccessfully for governor of the state and president.

John Bidwell, born Chautauqua, N.Y., August 5, 1819. California pioneer, 1841, with Bartleson-Bidwell party. Employed at Sutter's Fort. Purchased Rancho del Arroyo Chico (now city of Chico) in 1849. Agriculturalist, philanthropist. Delegate to California Constitutional Convention, 1849; state Senator, 1849-1850. California Representative to Congress, 1865-1867; candidate for President, 1892. Died in Chico, April 4, 1900.

Biography

John Bidwell was born in Chautauqua County, New York, on August 5, 1819. His father was Abraham Bidwell from Connecticut and his mother, Clarissa Griggs, was from Massachusetts. He later moved, as a child, to Pennsylvania and Ohio with his parents. At age 17, he attended Kingsville Academy and shortly afterwards became it's Principal. In the spring of 1839 he walked and rode to Cincinnati, went down the Ohio River to the Mississippi, then to St. Louis and into the Territory of Iowa. By June of that year, he had reached Missouri with the idea of becoming a farmer. While there, and after having his land claim "jumped," he talked to a Frenchman named Roubidoux, a trapper who had been in California. Bidwell decided to join with sixty-nine others at Sapling Grove (now in Kansas) in May of 1841, determined to cross to a mythical California. The group was joined by Father De Smet and began its journey, first to the Platte River and Fort Laramie, then north to the Great Salt Lake (September). Some ventured on to Oregon with De Smet. Bidwell and others stayed with the California plan. After reaching the Humboldt River, they followed its shoreline to the Walker River at the base of the eastern Sierras. They crossed here, meeting the headwaters of the Stanislaus River, came down that gorge into the San Joaquin and eventually to the Marsh ranch near Mt. Diablo.

John Sutter hired Bidwell and sent him to Bodega Bay and Fort Ross to supervise the movement of equipment purchased by Sutter from the members of the departing Russian colony. When Bidwell returned to Sacramento he joined with Peter Lassen pursuing horse theives north into Thomes Creek (near what was to become Red Bluff). It was on this first rip he got a first look at the Sacramento Valley. He was allotted two land grants by the Mexican government, one in Solano County, the other in Colusa.

Because of his interest in the political process of the American takeover of Mexican California he became a part of the Bear Flag revolt and served as a major under Charles Fremont in the Mexican War. Bidwell had discovered gold at Bidwell Bar (on the Feather River) in 1848 and became a miner long enough to purchase the Rancho Chico from William Dickey in 1849. Here he built his first home (a large adobe) and here he lived except for a brief session as a congressman from 1865-1867.

He was active in Democratic Party politics until 1861 but was elected to Congress on the Union ticket. He declined nomination for governor of California in 1867, became an unsuccessful candidate for the Independent Party in 1875 and in 1890 (for the Prohibition Party). In 1892, he was nominated for President by the Prohibition Party and received over 270,000 votes. Concurrently, Bidwell ran his nearly 23,000 acre ranch, showing considerable knowledge and interest in agriculture and horticulture, especially in his 1800 acres of commercial fruit orchard, and another 400 varieties of experimental growing. Wheat and other grains were his mainstay and later in the century won honors at state, national, and international fairs. Bidwell married Annie Ellicott Kennedy in April of 1868 and brought her to his newly finished Mansion in Chico. She and Bidwell were politically and religiously active among the white population of Chico. Annie was held in esteem by some of the Native American population. This latter group had been protected by Bidwell both during and after the dreadful "roundups" that occurred in the early years of the 1860's.

John Bidwell died on his ranch of a heart attack on April 4, 1900.

Biography

John Bidwell was born in Chautauqua, N.Y., August 5, 1819. He came to California in 1841 with the Bartleson-Bidwell party. He was employed at Sutter's Fort in Sacramento and purchased Rancho del Arroyo Chico (now the city of Chico) in1849. An agriculturalist and philanthropist, he was a delegate to the California Constitutional Convention in 1849. He served as State Senator from 1849 to1850 and as California Representative to Congress in 1865/1867. He was a candidate for President in 1892. He died in Chico, April 4, 1900.

Biography

John Bidwell was born in Chautauqua, N.Y., August 5, 1819. He came to California in 1841 with the Bartleson-Bidwell party. He was employed at Sutter's Fort in Sacramento and purchased Rancho del Arroyo Chico (now the city of Chico) in1849. An agriculturalist and philanthropist, he was a delegate to the California Constitutional Convention in 1849. He served as State Senator from 1849 to1850 and as California Representative to Congress in 1865/1867. He was a candidate for President in 1892. He died in Chico, April 4, 1900.