Gold was discovered there in 1853. According to a State of California website, by 1856, the weekly gold production in Iowa Hill was estimated at one hundred thousand dollars. By 1880, the area produced twenty million dollars in gold.
While today, its population is said to be around 50 people, that wasn't the case back in its heyday. Back then, there were enough folks in Iowa Hill to support a post office, stores, breweries, saloons, a fraternal lodge, a church, a school, and it had its own baseball team. Sadly, its luck ran bad when the town was destroyed by a fire in 1857 and another fire in 1862. Of course, as most folks will do each time their community burns down, they rebuilt it. At least, that was the case until their last big fire hit the area in 1922. It's said that fire virtually wiped out most of the rest of the town.
Here's an interesting news story out of Iowa Hill reported by the Empire County Argus on July 1, 1854:
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Here's another interesting news story out of Iowa Hill reported by the San Joaquin Republican on December 25, 1854:
Affray at Iowa Hill — We were informed last evening that an affray occurred at the above place, yesterday morning, between a man named Thomas Montgomery and a notorious gambler called "Long Johnson." Montgomery was severely wounded with a knife. Johnson was arrested, and will probably be committed to jail for the deed.
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Here's one follow-up report of the lynching from the Sacramento Daily Union published on December 27, 1854:
The Lynching Affair at Iowa Hill.
Iowa Hill, Dec. 23, 1854. — Gentlemen: At the request of Mr. Wm. M. Johnson, who was executed today by the hands of an assembled mob, I will make a fair and unprejudiced statement of facts — when his friends and foes will have an opportunity of judging of the guilt or innocence of the deceased.
On the night of the 21st of December, there was a ball given by the Hook and Ladder Company of Iowa Hill. Between the hours of one and a half past two o'clock a.m., a scuffle took place between the deceased and Mr. Thomas Montgomery, which was quieted by the interference of friends of the parties.
The parties met again, between the hours of four and six o'clock a. m., and it appears from the evidence given before the jury, during the trial, that the deceased asked Montgomery if he thought that he (Johnson) had struck him with a slung shot, upon which Montgomery replied, no— some fewwords, which could not be understood by the crowd, followed, whereupon Johnson knocked Montgomery down.
The deceased requested Montgomery to go and get a pistol and make himself equal to his adversary. Montgomery procured a pistol, and in a short time, the parties met for the last time, nearly in front of the Queen City Hotel, upon which Montgomery commenced an attack upon Johnson, with a revolver— after firing twice at the deceased, Johnson retreated into the bar room of the Queen City Hotel, and upon being pursued by Montgomery who was in the act of falling, as he followed him into the house, turned and stabbed him severely, four or live times.
Johnson was arrested by the citizens present and retained in custody of the Hook and Ladder Company until within a few moments of his execution today. On the afternoon of the same day, the Iowa Hill Hook and Ladder Company called a meeting to dispose of the deceased, and selected 32 citizens and of that number 12 officiated as jurors, and after a most careful investigation of the testimony, they returned a verdict this morning, 23rd inst., of an assault and battery with intent to kill.
It was then left to the I what disposition should be made of the prisoner, they put it to vote and the majority were in favor of hanging him immediately. The rope was procured, and it once took him to the tree where the execution was performed, after allowing him a short correspondence with his friends.
The friends of Mr. Montgomery seem to think that his chances for recovery are better today than on yesterday. I send you the above statement in compliance with the wish of Mr. Johnson, expressed at the gallows; the notes enclosed are the evidence taken by Mr. Johnson during his trial heard by the citizen jury.
The dying sentiments of Mr. Johnson were expressed in a very cool and quiet manner, he protested in strong terms against mob law, and all he desired was a fair trial by law, before a jury of his countrymen and abide by the consequence. The deceased is a native of New York City, about 24 years old — has parents in New York, and has lived in California for years. Yours, respectfully, J. M. Jack.
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A Dreadful Tragedy.
On Friday morning, the 22d inst., a man by the name of Johnson, commonly known as "Long Johnson" stabbed another person by the name of Montgomery at Iowa Hill and was hung the next day by a mob, although his victim was yet alive.
We gather the following particulars from the Auburn Whig Extra. We are not informed of the cause of the quarrel, and only that it occurred on the morning after the Fireman's Ball, and that Johnson knocked Montgomery down, and that the latter subsequently procured a pistol, which, upon the two again meeting, he fired at the former. The pistol hung fire, and Johnson avoided the shot by dodging, and immediately drawing a knife, he stabbed and cut Montgomery in a terrible manner in several places.
It seems that after the affray resulting in the mortally wounding of Montgomery, Johnson fled, but was pursued, overtaken, and placed in the hands of Deputy Sheriff Sinclair, in whose custody he remained until about 10 o'clock in the evening.
At this time, a large crowd of people had assembled and a call was made for a jury, whereupon thirty-two men were selected by vote, and out of this number, twelve persons were chosen to try the prisoner. The jury thus empannelled, retired to the Queen City Hall, where they remained until about sunrise yesterday morning, when they brought in a verdict of "guilty."
Upon rendition of the verdict, the crowd proceeded to choose officers for the occasion, and about noon the prisoner was taken a short distance from town, to a convenient tree, (having been informed of the fate that awaited him,) whereupon a rope was produced, and also a couple kegs –– one placed upon the top of the other –– for the prisoner to stand upon, and after the cord was adjusted to his neck, an opportunity was given for whatever remarks he might desire to make.
Our informant was too far distant to distinctly hear all that was said, but states that at this time Johnson called for writing material, but his hands being confined, a gentleman present noted form him the remarks which he made for the purpose. The prisoner then stated that some person present owed him $20, which he wished paid to someone to whom he (prisoner) was indebted. He also wished a ring to be taken from his finger and sent to his mother and sister, but his hand was found to be so much swollen from being bound as to render it impossible to remove it.
Several remarks were made by him to different persons present about this time, which our informant was unable to hear. — The prisoner then requested that the rope should be properly fixed, and that he be permitted to climb to the limb of the tree and jump off.
This being denied him, he asked permission to give the word himself, which was granted, whereupon he was placed upon the kegs, and the rope being tightened, he distinctly counted one, two, three, and jumped, thus partially becoming his own executioner.
During the whole of the proceedings, he appeared perfectly cool and entirely indifferent to his fate. There were about two thousand people present, but no rowdyism or drunkenness was manifested during the entire day.
This Johnson once before in ’51, we think, came near meeting the same fate at Coloma, that by reason of his entreaties, was released, upon condition that he should leave the place immediately, which he did.
According to our latest information. Montgomery was still alive, but no hopes were entertained of his recovery, the knife with which he was stabbed having penetrated the lungs. We understand that he was a clerk of the last Legislature of this State.
We look upon the above instance of mob law as one of the greatest outrages on law, order, and justice ever committed in any civilized community. Rife as California has heretofore been with its barbarous enforcements of these infamous outrages, we cannot call to mind an instance in the annals of our history, so revolting to all feelings of humanity and justice.
Here has been a private quarrel in which one party seems it have been about as much to blame the the other — and one of them falls in the rencounter, before the physicians could have had time to form a correct opinion as to even the probable effect of the injury received, those admirable citizens, these worthy protectors of public rights, and rectifiers of private wrongs — snatch the poor wretch from guardianship of the constituted authorities — hurry him through a mock trial — rush with him to the nearest tree, and there with a brutality that chills the blood to think of, they terminate the existence of a fellow creature, without a thought of the weight of moral responsibility that rests upon themselves –– thus closes the scene. By papers received since writing the above, we see that Montgomery is likely to recover.
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The following report is from the Sacramento Daily Union also from December 30, 1854.
Lynching. — A case of brutal murder by a drunken mob occurred at Iowa Hill on the 24th ult. A man named Montgomery endeavored to shoot one Johnson, who had knocked him down on the occasion of a previous difficulty, but was prevented by the pistol hanging fired. Johnson then drew his knife and cut Montgomery severely, for which a mob tried, condemned, and hanged him after the manner of so many fiends. Montgomery was still living when Johnson was executed.
While the news report mentioned that Montgomery would recover, that didn't seem to matter to his friends who lynched Johnson. Then again, that was the way justice worked in the Old West when tried by a mob.
Lynching. — A case of brutal murder by a drunken mob occurred at Iowa Hill on the 24th ult. A man named Montgomery endeavored to shoot one Johnson, who had knocked him down on the occasion of a previous difficulty, but was prevented by the pistol hanging fired. Johnson then drew his knife and cut Montgomery severely, for which a mob tried, condemned, and hanged him after the manner of so many fiends. Montgomery was still living when Johnson was executed.
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While the news report mentioned that Montgomery would recover, that didn't seem to matter to his friends who lynched Johnson. Then again, that was the way justice worked in the Old West when tried by a mob.
Tom Correa
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