John Vonderlin: The Isaac Graham Emails
Email John Vonderlin: benloudman@sbcglobal.net
John Vonderlin’s original story about Isaac Graham:
1863 Daily Alta Obituary
Death or an Old Resident.— Captain Isaac Graham, an old mountaineer, trapper and Indian fighter, and one of the earliest pioneers of this State, died last evening in this city at half-past eight o’clock, aged sixty-four years. The details of this man’s life, if correctly told, would be of value to the historian, and of absorbing interest to the lovers of romantic and thrilling incident. He was born in Botetourt county, Va., from whence he removed, at an early age, to Kentucky, becoming schooled in the rough and dangerous scenes of border life in infancy for his subsequent years of activity and adventure among the savage tribes of New Mexico, the Kovky and the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Capt. Graham was one of those links which connected the present generation with the past, he having been intimate with many of the veteran explorers of the West, among whom was the renowned Daniel Boone 
at whose death he was present. He has been for over thirty years a resident of California, living for the most part in Santa Cruz county, whore he possessed valuable estates. He leaves several children and numerous friends; who will sincerely deplore his demise. Thus another of the great landmarks of the age has crumbled away. A hero and a warrior sleeps, unsung but not unwept. His friends can view his remains at the rooms of Nathaniel Gray until three o’clock P. M..to-day, when they will be conveyed to the steamer Salinas for removal to his home at Santa Cruz.
Trivia: In the 1830s Isaac Graham established one of the first American communities west of the Rocky Mountains, Roaring Camp in the Santa Cruz mountains. He was a fur trapper and nephew to Daniel Boone. He was said to have created the first highway in the west; it is now known as Graham Hill Road!
November 14, 1863, Santa Cruz Sentinel
Capt. Graham: This old resident who for thirty years has been identified with the history of this vicinity, and especially with its earlier traditions, died in San Francisco the 8th inst.[sic] His remains were brought to Santa Cruz and buried in the cemetery[Evergreen]on Tuesday.
Although only 64 years of age, at his death, his entire system both mental and physical, had been breaking up for a number of years. This early decay may be partly attributable to the vicissitudes of a frontier life full of adventure and excesses.
He was born in Boutetourt county Virginia, but removed early in life to Kentucky, then the “dark and bloody ground” where he was conversant with the explorers and heroes of the border, among them Daniel Boone at whose death he was present. He afterwards went to Texas where he married, and Mexico; subsequently he roamed for years beyond the limits of civilization, through the immense Territory bounded by the Mississippi and Gila Rivers, the Pacific and British Possessions, and figured in many thrilling incidents, with the mountainers and trappers. About thirty years ago he came to Santa Cruz where he has since lived.
Before his decay by age he was engaged as a lumberman, distiller and ranchero, and was at one time very wealthy, but through litigation and excesses, very little of his property remained to him at his death.
He had a powerful frame, a persuasive address, an unerring eye with the rifle, and that daring which is always a concomitant of strength and power.
He was of litigious spirit and in his prime had both friends and enemies, but his last years of child-like age had pacified all enmities and he left none but friends behind him.
Late 1818 – 1820
Travels to Marthysville, Missouri, where he spends time with the famous trapper, explorer, and politician Daniel Boone. Daniel Boone died on Sept. 26, 1820, with Isaac Graham and others at his bedside. His wife buried him on a hilltop overlooking the Missouri River. Years later his body was taken back to Kentucky.
Isaac Graham, a frontiersman, came from Hardin County, Kentucky, in 1833. Three years after his arrival he assisted Juan B. Alvarado in expelling Governor Guiterres with the understanding that the country should be free from Mexican domination. However, shortly after Alvarado came to power, Graham and his associates were arrested as dangerous foreigners and placed in confinement on a boat in Monterey Harbor. A few of the group were released before Dan Jose Castro sailed with the prisoners for Mexico and all were released by Mexican authorities after their arrival. It was reported Isaac Graham received $36,000 as indemnity for the outrage done to him. With this money Graham cast his eyes on the Zayante Tract. Graham, along with his friend Henry Neale, induced Joseph Majors who was a Mexican citizen, to apply for the grant. Majors was named as grantee of Zayante and the adjoining San Augustine Rancho of 4,436 acres.Majors actually procured the land for a syndicate of “foreigners” who declined to become Mexican citizens.
Zayante
Named after an Ohlone tribe, this canyon was the first settlement in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Isaac Graham, a colorful and somewhat infamous rogue, ran a huge and notorious logging and moonshine camp. Graham may be most famous for assisting the empire of Mexico to overthrow Monterey land barons in the ‘Alta California’ revolution.Graham and his ‘riflemen’ as they were known helped create one united state of California under Mexican rule in 1839. By 1850, with tremendous land grants, he was one of the county’s richest men.
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Elaine Anderson to John Vonderlin
Hi John
I was looking at your article concerning Issac Graham. I am a direct descendant of Issac’s first wife Elizabeth Jones, the one that he married in Tenn., had two sons (I have photo’s) and two daughters.
In your article you have him marrying someone in Texas who was this person? I know only that he was married twice and neglected to get a divorce from my great, great, great grandmother (Elizabeth J. Jones-Graham-Jewell.
Do you have a copy of this record in Texas?
Elaine M. Anderson
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John Vonderlin to Elaine Anderson
Hi Elaine,
Thanks for writing. I always like new mysteries to research. Most of Graham’s fame is related to Santa Cruz county, the county south of the Coastside (San Mateo County) that I concentrate on. I had sent that posting to June solely as background material about him and she liked it so much she posted it. I was working on trying to identify a small squiggle on an old Coast Survey map and his name came up as an early nearby landowner/leasee. That was not my original stuff. The Santa Cruz History Society is well-organized and I bet they would love to hear from you. The Santa Cruz newspaper archive has 16 articles relating to him, but they are not online. I’m caregiving my 88 year old, blind, dementia-afflicted Mother, so I don’t get out very often these days. Let me look around a bit and if I can’t find anything, I’ll gather contact info and send it to you.
I think your great….grandmother might have been lucky to be rid of him, based on the story I read of his famous marital difficulties.
Another thought…Jesse, his son killed somebody and fled to Texas for a few years. I’m not sure where, but perhaps Historical Societies there might know.
I’ll be back soon. John Vonderlin. P.S. After a little research I’ve found a few answers. I’ll attach some ScreenShots of what I found. There is a town in Texas mentioned and names you can follow up. An Old West Re-enactor Website called Shadows of the Past.inc has a long biography by Michael Kinsella I’ve included a S.S. from.
Round Rock, Texas might be relevant
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Elaine Anderson to John Vonderlin
Hello John
Yes I agree I think Elizabeth was better off with out him, she married a second time but that husband was found shot in a field, never remarried but four years later had a son (Hassel Joesph Jewell) father is unknown. Hassel didn’t even know his father. My great, great uncle Jesse went back to San Marcos Texas and it looks like he served in the Texas Rangers along side his half brother Hassel Jewell (this is my great, great grandfather). During the war Jesse and Hassel came out to Fresno area. Hassel died young in 1886, he caught a bad cold and is buried in Academy Cemetary. Jesse was caught and sent to Santa Cruz for the murder of his Dads wifes brother. Jesse won the case, went back to Fresno. According to family lore he may have moved to Washington to be near family, I believe he was ill. I will contact the Santa Cruz History Society.
I’m sorry about your mother. My mother (77) passed away in February of this year and I inheridited some photos and all her genology. And a bunch of family mysteries.
I do know Jesse Graham was close to Hassels’ children, he tried to help them when his brother passed away, instead the children were place in a Catholic orphanage in San Francisco, by Hassel wife family. Hassels wife passed away a year after Hassel. I also trying to locate the orphanage.
Elaine M. Anderson
[Image below: Elizabeth Jones-Graham-Jewell's three sons.]
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John Vonderlin to Elaine Anderson
Hi Elaine,
Thanks for the info and kind words. I’m sorry to hear of your Mom’s passing. It’s always tough to lose a parent, even when they have led a long and good life.
I’ve attached four ScreenShots of the Highlighted Text of four newspaper articles from the California Digital Newspaper Archive about Jesse.
You can read the actual articles at that site. I’ll keep my eyes open for other relevant stuff. Have you tried the Texas Rangers as an angle of research. Lots of people in Texas love that piece of history. Good luck in your research. Enjoy. John
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Elaine Anderson to John Vonderlin
Do you have a email address for Santa Clara Historical Society? I noticed you said you were doing some research on an area of land owned by Issac Graham. Is there any way I can find out about the land Jesse Graham had in Fresno area? What is the best website to go to? I was wondering if he was the one who bought Hassel jewells parcel when he passed away?
Just before my mom passed away, I was given all of her genology research 40 years of information. My mom was not use to computers so she did everything the old fashion way, she just amazed me. My parents did alot of traveling and I’m in shock on what they found and have in the way of photos and documents. My sister wasn’t interested and everything was tossed in a bunch of boxes. I’m slowly sorting everything. And placing the information on Ancestry.com.
Anyway I am enclosing a photo of Jesse Graham and his brothers. The one in the middle is my great, great grandfather Hassel Jewell. He’s my mystery person we don’t know who his dad was Elizabeth never bothered marrying him and the family just says he’s part Mexican. The family never talked about it. I just know he was close to his brother and hope that there family’s/decindents if I find them will be able to enlighten me.
I will contact the Texas Rangers and see what I can find.
Elaine M. Anderson
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