Michael Marlow's ownership of the Hess Store property 1869 - 1897
Michael Masseth was at Bidwell’s Bar in 1856, and Michale's wife, Caroline, and Ignatius and his wife Barbara, came in 1859. Michael mined in the Bidwell area and Ignatius had a mining claim at Granite Basin in Plumas County. Mining at Granite Basin was blocked by snow in the winter so both Ignatius and Michael lived in Bidwell part of the year. Matthew Masseth, when researching the family history of his Great-Great Uncles, located and shared with me an 1866 journal maintained by Ignatius. It provides insight to the workings of the mining community at Bidwell’s Bar and links to the post ownership of the Hess property. Ignatius who was a frequent customer at the Bendle Store, visited and had business dealings with Issac R. Ketchum, William Foreman, William Totman and other prominent individuals in the community.
Prior to the Masseth’s brother’s wives living at Bidwell’s Bar, the brothers, when single or when wives were not present, lived with friends and coworkers. Two of their group were Ignatius brother-in-law, John Ehrhart, and Michael Marlow. Michael Marlow, a bachelor, had a saloon in the town of Bidwell and later lived in a house next to the saloon with his sister, Mrs. Crain, and her three children. When Marlow moved to Bidwell’s Bar in not known. The name of his saloon has not been determined. In 1869, when Ignatius was killed in a snow slide at his mining claim, it became public record he had willed his estate to Michael Marlow. Based on a remembrance of him by John H. Martin, a Bidwell’s Bar resident between 1877-1882, Marlow must have been an interesting character.
“He dressed up in a long- tailed broadcloth coat to go to church in Oroville. One Sunday his sister saw him coming home, carrying his new shoes in his hand. When she exclaimed about it, he maintained his dignity by demanding, “Didn’t me Savior walk barefooted?”
Did he walk all the way to Oroville and back? While the story is amusing, it’s also important to remember it would have required a three-mile uphill climb of seven hundred feet from Bidwell’s Bar to cross over Kelley Ridge, then descending four miles to Oroville. In the summer it would be a walk along dusty wagon tracks and the winter a sloppy mess. There would be ample walking time to reflect on the mornings service on the way back to Bidwell’s Bar. Also, an interesting character reflection is the fact he was a saloon owner who thought it important to attend church.
In 1868, Michael Marlow purchased the Doctor Wilson property, which was formally owned by George Hess. He apparently had a plan for the property because the following year he succeeded in purchasing the one-half store interest in the Hess store building that I. R. Ketchum had purchased at the estate sale. Marlow also contacted John Larcombe Jr., who had retained his interest when he and Hess dissolved their partnership in 1856. Revealing a future event out of order, spoils a future surprise, but still seems the right time. The best description of the Hess property consolidation by Marlow in 1869, is the probate distribution of Michael Marlow’s assets in 1897, to James Totman.
About 1 acre of land upon which is situated a large brick building at Bidwell’s Bar Butte Co. Cal and being situated in Butte Co. Cal and being a portion of the W1/2 of NE1/4 of NW ¼ Sec.32, T20N, R5E Commencing at a stake 160 feet E of the NE corner of the NW ¼ of the NW ¼ of Sec 32 aforesaid running distance E 212 feet to a stake & willow tree, thence S 180 feet thence W 62 feet thence southerly 82 feet to a stake about 11 feet from the Bendle Store building, thence W 50 feet to a stake at the corner of Blacksmith Shop, thence northwesterly 48 feet to a stake, thence North of W 61 feet to a stake, thence in a northeasterly direction 181 feet to the place of beginning, together with the improvements therein and thereunto belonging or in anywise appertaining.
Done in open Court, the 23 day of June 1897. John C. Clancy, Judge
At the time Marlow went to the effort and expense to purchase the prior Hess property, the Bidwell’s Bar area had been reduced to basically an area along the road to somewhere else! It is probable the only remaining buildings in the area were the Tollhouse, associated with the suspension bridge; the Bendle Store; the vacant Doctor Wilson stone structure Marlow now owned; the cabins of the dozen or so residents who refused to leave the area; and, a scattering of other miner’s shacks. Once again, it’s necessary to jump several years forward to find information that may help understand Marlow’s reasons for acquiring the property when others were leaving the area. The Wells & Chambers, History of Butte County 1882, on page 246, states the following: The Planters’ Hotel built at this time (1871) was owned and run, as at present, by Philip Grein*, who moved from Bidwell’s Bar for the purpose.
* It is easy to understand how this name could be incorrectly read in old records. However, there seems to be sufficient unrelated references to support it’s the same individual irrespective of the name spelling of Grein as Green in several references.
Philip Green (Grein) worked with Ignatius at Granite Basin. Green (Grien) was born in Germany in 1831, emigrating to Erie County New York in 1850. Matthew Masseth located tax records for 1871, indicating a Philip Grein Sr. (Green) was the occupant of one of Marlow’s buildings. Philip Green (Grien) is listed in the 1870 federal census of Butte County as a Hotel Keeper.
The unanswerable question now becomes which building did Grein utilize as the hotel? A more accurate description of the facility operated by Grein may be a boarding house. The Fitzgerald, National and Shade Hotels at Bidwell operated as boarding houses when it was the county seat. Previously this researcher located a 1906 photo of the former Hess Store which was identified as a hotel building at Bidwell’s Bar. Initially, this researcher discounted that identification, but in light of this new information, it may have been correct referencing when it was operated as a hotel by Grein. My assumption at this point is the hotel operated by Grein was in the old Hess store building. No photos or other information had been located about the status of the Doctor Wilson building. Due to the decline in out-of-area visitors and the limited population at Bidwell’s Bar in the years 1868-1871, it is difficult to visualize sufficient clients to sustain the business. This undoubtedly influenced Grein’s relocation to Biggs. Use of the Marlow buildings from 1871 to 1897, when Michael Marlow died is unknown.
Marlow willed his estate to James Totman. Marlow, who was a friend of Alexander Totman, would have watched James Totman grow-up. James Totman was born in 1859 at Bidwell’s Bar. His father, Alexander Totman was a mariner who left the sea in 1852, and was engaged in mining in other areas before moving to Bidwell's Bar. In 1857, he establishing a forty-acre ranch one-quarter mile south of the town. He and his wife Katherine raised five children, James was the oldest of two sons and three daughters. Alexander died in 1895, and his son James took over the operation of the ranch. James sold the ranch to the Hutchinson Lumber Company in 1922, and moved to Oroville. The lumber company also bought the John Bendle property in preparation for the construction of a logging railroad that passed through these properties in route to Moretown (Feather Falls) located east of Bidwell’s Bar.