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In the early 1850s, there was a short-lived effort to start a town called Eliza, named in honor of John Sutter's daughter Anna Eliza, on the east bank of the Feather River at Eliza Bend.1
The History of Yuba County, California (Chapter XXV: Linda Township) by Thompson & West, 1879, described Eliza this way:
| In the fall of 1849, a large company from Maine, called the Kennebec Company, purchased of John A. Sutter, a large tract of land occupied by Jack Smith, and called Memal ranch. It was west of Linda, and extended one mile on the river and three miles back. In January, 1850, the town of Eliza was laid out on Feather river, three miles below Marysville, and in the southwest corner of the Memal ranch. The advantage claimed for this point, was that boats could land without any inconvenience from the obstructions in the river, which rendered the stream above dangerous for navigation. Several boats had grounded between Eliza and Marysville, which had created quite an alarm. The Kennebec Company, Captain Sutter, and Dr. McCullough were the proprietors of the town. When the owners of Marysville ascertained that the Kennebec Company were to locate on land, they offered them one-fourth interest in the city of Marysville, but their agent, Dr. McCullough, becoming alarmed at the prospects of Marysville, invested in the town of Eliza. Hon. Phil. W. Keyser came to Eliza in February and was elected Alcalde. In April, lots were advertised for sale at auction in Sacramento. A correspondent writing to the Placer Times, of Sacramento, under date of April 24, 1850, says: - - "Found the barque 'Cunningham' and two other vessels discharging their cargoes at Eliza; also notices of the public meeting there on the 24th, to organize a town government. This place is rapidly increasing." The town at this time contained eight or ten houses, including three stores, two or three saloons, a post-office, and some dwelling houses, also some temporary tents. A large number of lots were sold, the transfers of which are recorded in the book kept by Alcalde Keyser, and now on file at the Court House in Marysville. In June it became apparent that no town could be built up there, as Marysville had assumed such proportions as to overshadow her near rivals, and the people abandoned the ill-fated Eliza. There is nothing left to mark the spot, and the sand has taken complete possession.Two members of the Kennebec Company, John Seaward and A.W. Cutts, now reside in Marysville. |
Links
Footnotes
1. California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State by David L. Durham. Word Dancer Press, 1998
