The Negro trail blazers of California [microform] : a ... - Homestead

OF CALIFORNIA 33
the bear and the star. To the best of my recollection, Peter Storm was asked to paint it
but declined, and as no other person would undertake to do it, I did it. But Mr. Storm
and several others assisted in getting the material and I believe mixed the paint. Underneath
the bear and star were printed with a pen the words "California Republic" in
Roman letters. In painting the words I first outlined the letters with a pen, leaving out
the letter i and putting c where i should have been and afterward the i over the c. It
was made with ink and as we had nothing to remove the marks of the letters it is now
on the flag.' " It is the writer's delight to state that a colored man secured the paint
with which the bear was painted.
In speaking of the Bear Flag in the history of the Negro in California, the question
will occur to the reader, were there any colored people in the party Yes, there were several,
and the following is a record of them : First, the writer has found in the account of
the expedition of Brevet Captain Fremont, topographical engineer, who, in writing the
narrative of his expedition in the early spring of 1843 (page 123-4) speaks of the personnel
of the party, which was composed of Creole, Canadian, French and American. He
then gives the names of the different men in the party, and at the end of the list the following
appears: "Jacob Dodson, a free colored man of Washington, D. C, volunteered
to accompany the expedition and performed his duties manfully through the voyage."
Bancroft, in his history of California, speaks of Jacob Dodson among the twenty-five persons
selected by Captain Fremont to accompany him in the discovery of Klamath Lake,
and he was also with Fremont on his famous ride from Los Angeles to Monterey.
Through the courtesy of Miss Ward, of San Jose, the writer has learned of another
colored man who was with Captain Fremont on his trip to California, by name James Duff,
of Mariposa county, California, the lady's former home. Judging from the picture shown
the writer, he was one with only a dash of Negro blood. He recently died at the advanced
age of ninety-three years. Lieutenant Gillespy had a bodyguard or servant with him, a
colored man known as ' ' Ben. ' ' The writer 's authority for stating that these colored men
were in the Bear Flag Party is established by the following quotation from the Wefilern
Outlook of San Francisco, October 7, 1914: "Recalling memories of 'Forty-nine' John
Grider, the only survivor of the Bear Flag Party, rode in solitary state in an automobile,
a vehicle his wildest imagination never pictured in the strenuous days of California's fight
for membership into the Union. Those who read this item in the daily papers about the
Admission Day parade in Vallejo did not know that the pioneer was a colored man. From
a letter from Mr. George Van Blake, of Vallejo, we learn that Mr. Grider was treated royally
and accorded every honor pertaining to the hospitality of the city." After reading the
above the writer hastened to visit Vallejo and have a talk with the gentleman. He was
highly interesting and, although he came to California in 1841, the facts in regard to the
Bear Flag Party were as fresh in his mind as if of recent date. When questioned/ concerning
the forming of the Bear Flag Party he replied: "Yes, it was formed in Sonoma
City, but it did not amount to much, ' ' also adding that he found the paint in the loft of
an old barn nearby. This paint was used to paint the bear and star on the flag. He was
then asked if there were any other colored men in the Bear Flag Party. The writer gave
the names of the colored men with Captain Fremont already mentioned, whereupon Mr.
Grider replied that they were all present in the forming of the Bear Flag and that I
might add the names of Joe McAfee, Charles G. Gains and Billy Gaston.
While in Vallejo the writer interviewed Dr. Vallejo, the son of the late General
Marianna Vallejo. After stating her mission, the writer asked the doctor if he could tell
her anything concerning the Bear Flag Party. He replied that he was a mere lad, but
that he remembered when the men came to his father's house in the early morning hours
demanding a surrender. His father was so friendly with the Americans that he had withdrawn
from the quarrel between Generals Pico and Castro, and had retired to his home at
Sonoma as a private citizen, believing that sooner or later the Americans would take possession
of California, and feeling that it would be a good thing for all concerned. His
friendliness was so well known that when this band of Americans came to his house demanding
a surrender, he invited them in and, according to Spanish hospitality, ordered
breakfast for them, and while drinking a friendly glass of wine, they talked over the
terms of peace. As well as he could remember his father's object in talking over terms
of surrender was, that he wished to protect his own interest with the Americans, and also
keep friends with the Spaniards, since he was a wealthy man. Dr. Vallejo stated that
after the Bear Flag Party had partaken of his father's hospitality they ordered his arrest.
Some of the party insisted that he was a friend to the Americans, the leader then said
'
' Take him to Sutter 's Fort that he may not change his mind. ' ' The party then ransacked
the home of General Vallejo, and when they were leaving with a gun of his father's, an
heirloom brought from Spain, his brother, who was older than the Doctor and yet only a