Continuing his historical talk to the San Anselmo Rotary Club, Don Perry stated that one of his sons some twenty years ago, while hiking in the hills north of Bolinas, found a breast-plate which he brought home, where it was placed on a shelf, remaining there for some years. Mr. Wisby, the artist, noticed it one day and, after examining, offered young Perry $25.00 for it, which was accepted.

The breast-plate was a very neat piece of handwork, flared at the arm pits and around the neck. Experts, on examining it, determined that it had belonged to one of Drake's soldiers. Hence it dated back to about the year 1595. It was in a very good state of preservation. After landing at Drake's Bay, south of Point Reyes, many of Drake's men deserted and inter-married with the Indians, and as they had no use for the armor it was abandoned. Later Mr. Wisby sold this breast-plate to another party and after it had passed through a couple of hands it was sold to a corrugated iron firm for $1,000. They purchased it for advertising purposes, going to show the qualities of good iron.

Drake was the first Englishman to make the trip around the world. It took him two years and ten months to make that journey. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth. She also had his ship, the "Golden Hind," preserved, and 100 years later, when it was rotting, a chair was made from its timbers and presented to Charles II, who gave it to Oxford University.

Tom Berry of Ross purchased one of the early automobiles in the east and brought it out here. He drove it around the roads in this vicinity and it frightened the horses to such an extent that an ordinance was passed in San Rafael prohibiting the driving of such vehicles in the streets of that town, after nightfall. Berry defied the ordinance and was arrested. He appealed to the superior court where the judgment of the lower court was sustained. The case was brought up before the supreme court in a habeas corpus proceeding and that court sustained the two lower courts. Judge Angellotti wrote the opinion for that court and it is amusing to read what was said in that opinion, which appears in the California Reports back in 1915. The opinion goes on to state that the city authorities were acting within their authority in prohibiting the operation of such vehicles on the streets of San Rafael after nightfall. That it was a well known fact that these vehicles terrified horses and endangered the lives of citizens, especially women and children. Berry had to eventually pay the fine, originally imposed by the lower court. Petitions had been circulated in San Rafael prior to this event, urging the city council to prohibit the operation of automobiles on the streets at all times. Frequent accidents did occur. Horses would shiver in fright when an automobile appeared before them. Now horses never take notice of them.

With the advent of these machines the problem of permanent street improvements arose. Much opposition, owing to the cost of such pavements, arose and there were hot times as to types of pavement, at the meetings of the city boards.

Many citizens stood out for cheap pavements and low assessments. In San Anselmo the two main thoroughfares were laid at an expense of almost 50 cents per square foot. These two streets have a concrete base in addition to a Warrenite (Bithulitic) top and the wisdom of the choice is evidenced by the fact that, although the roads were built over 12 years ago, not a cent of maintenance has been expended on these roads during that period. Had cheaper types of pavement been adopted, the roads would have torn to pieces years ago from the traffic.

After San Quentin Prison was first established there were no walls around the property, but outposts were established at various points in the neighborhood. One of these outposts was placed near where Ross station property now stands. Guards stationed at these posts would capture any escaping prisoners.

The Ross family first lived in a log house situated where the Bosque [Bosqui] home was later built. The log house was destroyed by fire and later Mrs. Ross lived on the property opposite Ross station. This property after her death was sold to the town of Ross for park purposes.

In the '70's and early '80's there were no public schools in Ross Valley. The children received their earlier education from the governesses in the various families. The children gathered at these various homes, changing from time to time. A private school was later established at Ross and one of the lady teacher’s greatest troubles was getting Phil Tompkins down off the roof of the school after recess. He seemed to want to perform the functions of a hen.

As previously stated, the rights of way for the railroad running to Sausalito were only obtained in 1873-4 and the tunnel at Corte Madera was built in 1875. Prior to that time trains out of San Anselmo went through San Rafael, first to San Quentin and later to Tiburon. The coast road ran across the bay on a trestle from Waldo Point to the point half a mile east of the present roadbed; thence it ran northerly along the easterly side of the ridge and over the hill to the east of Corte Madera, until the tunnel was built. This was not far from the present highway. The locomotives all used cordwood as their fuel. Most of San Francisco's fuel came from Ross Landing as well as most of the redwood lumber.

Even as late as 'the early '90's, the only residences in the Sunnyside Tract, San Anselmo, were those of Foss & Mulverhill (two old retired sailors, who built the house where Mrs. Bowers [Bauer] now lives), Will Taylor’s place, where the Misses Daniels now live, the Crisp place, Antone Sousa’s, where the elementary school now stands, and Mrs. Worn’s home. It was about 1895 that they started to plant trees along Ross Avenue.

In the 60's a trip to Sausalito from Ross Valley was considered somewhat of a day's journey. Prior to the running of a ferry from San Quentin, crossings to San Francisco were made in a rowboat via Sausalito.

More than 20 years ago the question of consolidating the various Ross Valley towns under one municipal government was discussed but the Ross people never were sympathetic to that move. They wished to be governed by their own people.

The railroad running to Sausalito, after 1875, was a narrow gauge line. It was known as the North Pacific Coast Railroad. The other line running to Tiburon was broad gauge. It was known as the San Francisco and North Pacific Railroad—sometimes known as the Donohue road. In building the wharf at Tiburon, there were 1280 piles driven. Between Tiburon and San Rafael there were three tunnels constructed, the first being 600 feet long, the second 1850 feet, and the third 1097 feet long. This new road between these points was 9 miles long. Nowhere is the road above 54 feet higher than tide water. The fill across Greenbrae marsh kept sinking until they finally struck bottom at 50 feet.

On May 3, 1884, this road was completed. Prior to that time all shipping was done through the Ross Landing wharf at Kentfield. It was in 1861 that the first steam ferry ran to San Quentin from the city. The boat made several calls on the Contra Costa side of the bay before it arrived at San Quentin. A man named Mintern ran that ferry. The trip took three or four hours from the city. Bill Barnard ran a stage line from San Quentin to San Rafael.



Return to Early Marin by Donald E. Perry

Use of text and photos prohibited without permission from the San Anselmo Historical Society.