The History of Fickle Hill

from the Notes of LaVerne Larsson

Cedar Springs School District

Copied from original first register of Cedar Springs School District (property of Mame Dillon)(This register covered 3 1/2 school years ending in mid term at the end of the century)

		Grade	Age	Parent
1.	Minnie Anderson	7	12	Peter Anderson
2.	Charles Anderson	5	12
3.	Peter Anderson	3	11
4.	Mary E. Carroll	4	13	Matt Carroll
5.	James Carroll	3	12
6.	Thomas J. Carroll	2	10
7.	John Carroll	2	9
8.	Daniel Carroll	1	7
9.	Matt Carroll	1	6
10.	Annie Carroll	1	8
11.	Agnes A. Jones	3	10	David Jones, B. Lake
12.	Lelia Leveque	1	8	Patrick Leveque
13.	Charles Leveque	1	8
14.	Winifred Leveque	1	6
15.	Maggie Waters	1	6	Wm. Waters
16.	Frank Waters	6	15	Wm. Waters, brother

(as of 7/6/1896)

According to Mame Dillon and Kate Patton, it required 16 pupils to open a new school. Their father, Matt Carroll, Sr., whose family was the largest and most remote from Arcata schools (5 miles of trail), gets the credit for getting the school started. He provided the site, across the trail from a good spring, procured desks and other furniture from a Catholic school in Arcata that had been recenetly discontinued. He encouraged his friend "Patty" Leveque to move his family from Blue Lake to Fickle Hill (in the area of the present Patton place). Being still two pupils short, Agnes A. Jones, whose family were friends of the Leveques in Blue Lake was "borrowed" for a month. She lived with the Leveques during her short-time enrollment. Frank Waters, "a great big boy" and a younger brother of Wm. Waters Sr. was also enrolled. At the end of the first month of school, these two obliging students were dropped from the enrollment, and the remaining 14 continued on throughout the entire school year.

The first building left much to be desired (Mrs. Freeman). Besides, for a long time there was no stove. The "new" schoolhouse (still standing but barely, in 1960) was built in 1903 according to Peter Anderson, when the old one became a woodshed and was still standing, circa 1916.

The long vacations were taken in the winter, from Nov. 20, 1896 till April 5, 1897 during the schools first year. School ended June 30, 1897 that year. Rain and mud and poor roads made this most practical.

The early schooling of the older Carrolls was rough. At six Mary was enrolled as a boarding pupil at the old Convent in Eureka. Visits from her folks were necessarily few-it being a two day trip to make it to Eureka and back. In the spring, the family went to visit and when Mary saw Baby Dan she broke down with homesickness and was taken home, then and there. Later she and Jim rode the 5 mi. to school in Arcata riding double on a mule, Jim driving. She was afraid of falling off. Jim, the mischievous, always threatened to make the mule run down the hill by the orchard unless Mary promised not to tell about the trouble he'd gotten into at school. Much later, she did her tattling. When there were four Carrolls big enough to go to school, they rode in a cart, two on the seat, and two on the floor. On occasion, with the road little more than a trail and with Jim still driving, the cart turned over, once hurting Annie quite severely. Considering that Jim was only twelve when Cedar Springs School was started, he learned his "horsemansip" early.

Minnie's father, Peter Anderson, got a job on Fickle hill, in 1896, making bolts for Dr. Fickle's shingle mill on Fickle hill. The family stayed in town until school was over, visiting him on week-ends. In the summer, they moved into a building at the mill, and she finished her schooling at Cedar Springs School.

Years later, when her oldest child, Rudolph Freeman, was to start school (really too young, but necessary to keep up the enrollment) he rode to and from the school on a Saint Bernard dog.

From Visitors' Record 1896-1897

July 23 Mrs. William Waters Fickle Hill
July 23 Miss Grace Mager Mad River
July 27 Miss Maud Haskell Arcata
July 27 Mr. W. Waters Fickle Hill
July 30 Mr. Carroll (Trustee) Fickle Hill 1 1/2 hr.
Aug. 8 Miss M. Richards Arcata
Aug. 8 Miss McConehaga Arcata
Aug. 14 Mrs. Henyan Fickle Hill
Aug. 17 Mrs. K. Whelan Mad River
Sept. 16 J.B. Brown Co, Supt. 1/2 hr.
Oct. 15 Mrs. Huff Arcata
Nov. 19 Mrs. Phillips Boynton Prairie
Mrs. Carroll Fickle Hill
May 5 Mrs. Carroll Fickle Hill
May 31 Mrs. Carroll Fickle Hill
May 31 Mrs. Anderson Fickle Hill
Mrs. Leveque Fickle Hill
Mr. Carroll (Trustee) Fickle Hill 1 1/2 hrs.
June 14 Miss Anderson Arcata
June 18 Miss Anderson Arcata
June 25 Miss M. Sheehan Stockton

Second Year--Aug. 2, 1897
Gertrude Dalton, Teacher

		Grade
1.	Minnie Anderson	8
2.	Charlie Anderson	6
3.	Peter Anderson	4
4.	Mary Carroll	6
5.	James Carroll	4
6.	Dan Carroll	2
7.	Matt Carroll	2
8.	Joe Carroll	3
9.	John Carroll	3
10.	Annie Carroll	2
11.	Peter Carroll	15
12.	Lelia Leveque	5
13.	Charlie Leveque	2
14.	Winifred Leveque	2
15.	Maggie Waters	2

(missing data)the second month bringing the second year's enrollment back to 16 for the entire year.
Winter vacation from Dec. 17, 1897-April 4, 1890. School closed June 24, 1898. Days taught 151.

Partial List from Visitor's Record 1897-98

Oct. 29 Mr. P. Leveque (Trustee) Cedar Springs
Dec. 17 Mr. M. Carroll (Trustee) Cedar Springs
May 12 J.B. Brown Co. Supt. 1/2
May 20 Mr. T. Dunn Freshwater
June 8 Julia Dutton Eureka
June 9 Tessie Dodge Arcata
June 21 Mr. Burns San Francisco
Third Year-Aug. 1, 1898
Gertrude Dutton, teacher

		Grade
1.	Minnie Anderson	9
2.	Mary Carroll	7
3.	Lelia Leveque	6
4.	Peter Anderson	5
5.	Maggie Waters	3
6.	Charlie Leveque	3
7.	Dan Carroll	3
8.	Annie Carroll	3
9.	Matt Carroll	3
10.	Peter Carroll	2
11.	Winnie Leveque	2
12.	Willie Waters	1
13.	John Carroll	4
14.	Joe Carroll	4
15.	James Carroll	5

Charlie Anderson re-enrolled Oct. 31, 1898 boosting enrollment to 16 again but the following week the 3 Leveques transferred out.

Visitor's Record 1898-9 (complete)

Aug 24 '98 J.B. Brown, Co. Sup. Schools 1/2 hr.
Sept 28 Mrs. H. Wright Arcata
Sept 28 Mrs. Cameron Eureka
Oct. 21 Mrs. S. Silkwood Eureka
Nov. 8 Mrs. M. Carroll Cedar Springs
Feb. 17 '99 Mr. W. Waters (Trustee) Cedar Springs
April 19 Miss Irene Anderson Arcata
May 19 Mrs. W. Waters Arcata
June 1 Bessie Dalton Eureka
June 2 Mr. P. Anderson (Trustee) Cedar Springs
June 2 Mr. W.J. Waters (Trustee) Cedar Springs
June 2 Mrs. Wm. Waters Cedar Springs
June 2 Mrs. M. Carroll Cedar Springs
June 2 Mr. M. Carroll (Trustee) Cdar Springs
Fourth Year Aug. 7, 1899-Dec. 22, 1899 (end of book)
Alice M. Quinn, Teacher (also at Waters?)

		Grade
1.	Mary Carroll	8
2.	Euphemia DeZordo
3.	Peter Anderson	6
4.	Matt Carroll	4
5.	Dan Carroll	4
6.	Annie Carroll	4
7.	Maggie Waters	4
8.	Peter Carroll	3
9.	Willie Waters	2
10.	John DeZordo

Entered in Oct.

12.	Joseph Carroll	5
13.	John Carroll	5
14.	James Carroll	6

Samuel T. Black, Supt. Of Public Instruction Registers were inteded for use during two years, but this Cedar Springs register covered 3 1/2 school yearrs.

Odds and Ends

Excerpts from Rules & Regulations

Sec. 20 Trustees are required to employ a suitable person (This regulation is lined out, apparently by LaVerne Larsson. JF. 1995)

Sec. 19. The following supplies shall be provided by the District Clerk----on the written requisition of the teacher, viz.: clocks, brooms, dusting brushes, wash basins, water buckets, tin cups, dustpans, matches, ink, ink bottles, pens, penholders, pencils, crayon chalk, writing and drawing paper, hand-bells, coal buckets or wood boxes, shovels, pokers, soap (in italics), towels, thermometers, door mats and scrapers.

Instructions to Teachers.

6. Teachers should at all times exhibit proper animation themselves manifesting a lively interest in the subject taught; avoid all heavy plodding movements, all formal routine in teaching, lest the pupil be dull and drowsy and imbibe the notion that he (As written. JF) studies only to recite.

Sec. 9 Teachers shall give vigilant attention to the ventilation and temperature of their school rooms.

Rules for Pupils

3. All pupils who have fallen behind their grade, by absence or irregularity of attendance, by indolence or inattention, shall be placed in the grade below, at the discretion of the teacher.

5. Any scholar who shall be absent one week without giving notice to the teacher, shall lose all claim to his particular desk for the remainder of the term, and shall not be considered a member of the school.

Visitor's Record

(appears to be a compilation with corrections. JF)

1896
July 23 Mrs. Wm. Waters Fickle Hill
" Miss Grace Mager Mad River
July 27 Miss Maud Haskell Arcata
" Mr. Wm. Waters Eureka
" " Fickle Hill
July 30 Mr. Carroll (Trustee) " 1 1/2 hrs.
Aug. 8 Miss M. Richards Arcata
" Miss McConehaga "
Aug 14 Mrs. Henyan Fickle Hill
Aug 17 Miss K Whelan Mad River
Sept. 16 J.B. Brown, C. Sup. 1/2 hr.
Oct. 15 Mrs. Huff (Hough?) Arcata
Nov. 19 Mr. Philips Boynton Prairie
Mrs. Carroll Fickle Hill

1897
May 5 Mrs. Carroll "
Mrs. Anderson "
Mrs. Leveque "
Mr. Carroll (Trustee) " 1/2 hr.
June 14 Miss Anderson Arcata
June 18 " "
June 25 Miss M. Sheehan Stockton

1897
Aug. 27 Mrs. Wm Waters Fickle Hill
Oct. 29 Mr. P. Leveque (Trustee) Cedar Springs
" Mrs. P. Leveque (1 1/2 hrs.) Cedar Springs
Dec. 10 Mrs. Wm. Waters Cedar Springs
" Mr. Wm. Waters (1 1/4 hrs.) "
Dec. 17 Mr. M. Carroll (Trustee) 1 hr. Cedar Springs
" Mrs. M. Carroll "
" Mrs. P. Anderson Cedar Springs
May 12, 1898 J.B. Brown, Co. Sup. Schools 1/2 hr.
May 20 '98 Mr. T. Dunn Freshwater
June 8, 1898 Julia Dalton Eureka
June 9, '98 Jessie Dodge Arcata
June 21, 1898 Mr. Burns San Francisco

Visitor's Record (continued)

1898-9
Aug. 24-98 J.B. Brown Co. Sup. Schools 1/2 hr.
Sept. 28 Mrs. H. Wright Arcata
" Mrs. Cameron Eureka
Oct. 21 Mrs. S. Silkwood Eureka
Nov. 8 Mrs. M. Carroll Cedar Spring
Febr 17, 1899 Mr. W. Waters (Trustee) Cedar Spring
April 19 Miss Irene Anderson Arcata
May 19 Mrs. W. Waters Arcata
June 1 Bessie Dalton Eureka
June 2 Mr. P. Anderson (Trustee) Cedar Springs
" Mr. W.J. Waters (Trustee) Cedar Springs
" Mrs. Wm. Waters Cedar Springs
" Mrs. M. Carroll Cedar Springs
" Mr. M. Carroll (Trustee) Cedar Springs

1899-1900
Oct. 4 J.B. Brown Co. Sup. Schools 3/4 hr.
Oct 23, 99 Mr. P. Quinn Table Bluff
" Mrs. P. Quinn Table Bluff
Nov. 14, 99 Mrs. P. Anderson Cedar Springs
" Minnie Anderson Cedar Springs
Nov. 29 Mr. P. Andrson (Trustee 1 1/2 hrs.) "
" Miss Minnie Anderson "
" Mr. Wm. Waters (Trustee) Cedar Springs
" Mr. M. Carroll (Trustee) Cedar Springs
Dec. 22, 99 Mr. P. Anderson (Trustee) "
" Miss M. Anderson "
" Mr. W. Waters (Trustee) "
" Tom Waters Eureka
" Mrs. W.J Waters Cedar Springs
" Mr. M. Carroll "
" Mrs. M. Carroll "

Place Names on Fickle Hill Rd.

Ten Horse Hill struck out from that turn down hill toward Mad River. Skid road so steep it took ten horses to pull bolt loads back up.

Indian Frank's cabin was down at the foot of Ten Horse Hill. "Very nice old fellow" with no income. People gave him things!

Matt Carroll homesteaded in 1893-started bolt camp on place, while family lived in town. Later Mrs. Carroll & family moved up, she to cook for workers, and remained.

Pattens have original Land Grant issued to William N. Boynton, Oct. 15, 1875, hand signed by Pres. Ulysses S. Grant, Recorded March 24, 1879 Book 5 of Patents p. 25, J.M. McKenna, Recorder.

Cabin we know is Joe Herger's cabin.

Dad nursed him (Indian Frank. JF) through the 1918 flu epidimic, brought him soup for strength and kept his cabin full of wood so he could keep fires going and roast out the fever. Dad had logged and perhaps worked with Frank. Whatever, he was a good friend and when Dad was in camp, Frank slept in the barn to protect Mom and the kids, after a tramp had moved in one ight and frightened Mom.

Pop and Ed Nelson seeded the swamp lands between Sunny Brae and the Bay. It had just bee acquired by Harpst & Spring. It was the extremely cold winter when the white owls made their unusual appearance in Humboldt. Ed said he kept stepping through ice into holes hidden by the ice. About 1888 or 1890 1889

Averell had a cabin on Averell's Hill, to the left of the trail and approximately where Smither's cabin was (the old Christianson Camp).

Mudgett also had a cabin on his property beyhond Lou Poe's former house. The Hill beyond which was propably (JF) Mudgett's hill.

Sunday. Mar. 6, 1966

Note: Jim says another Carroll (probably Hughie) had bought the 20 acres in partnership with Bill Waters, but a disagreement arose and it was decided to split the acreage. But on one 40 the carrolls had cleared two acres so instead of splitting the piece diagonally, it went like this:

Thereby, there are 2 corners set instead of one and Carroll got 22 acres and Water's 18.

Henry Spear drove their stuff up when they first moved. The father made beds of cedar and pine boughs for beds the first night. The mother went off a way, sat under a tree and cried and cried. Next day Bill Waters and Spear built a cabin. (Rud. Says it was located about where the old barn stood.)

When Maggie was six, the family moved back from Scotia, built another cabin (1896?) and started school at Cedar Springs the same year.

Residents on the hill at that time were Pete Anderson, Alex Phillips, (the Wyatt place?) Carrols, Patty Leveque (across from Alex Phillips') Tupper Phillips at Boynton Prairie (Maggie remembered the Boyes' being present at a shindig at Boynton, and somebody having made a wash tub full of root beer. De Zordos lived between schoolhouse & Leveques (making wood) Road to Boynton good enough for surrey traffic before 1900 when Waters' left.

Mrs. Waters, maiden name Mary Jane Dunn, whose mother lifed on G. St. Arcata. Her mother bought Mary Jane a piano from Baird's Opera Co. First St., in Eureka, when that company went broke. Supposed to be the first or second piano to come to Humboldt Co. Piano brought to Fickle Hill was shlter during wind storms for Maggie and Will who were bedded down beneath keyboard. Piano buid in Leipsig.

Bobcats a pest, stealing chickens. Once Maggie witnessing a theft started chasing the bobcat which turned around defiantly & scared Maggie home.

Hard times about 1892. Warmed up bones for breakfast once, and mother crying and not eating. Father gave Maggie & Willie an orange apiece for Christmas, Maggie gobblling hers dodwn immediately, Willie saving his for awhile then eating it all himself without sharing as Maggie expected.

Youngest child Evelyn born when Maggie was 10. At school, children saw the Dr. And old Mrs. Ashworth drive by. All except Maggie figured they were going to Waters', Maggie completely surprised to find new red baby at home, and Mrs. Ashworth, who would stay awhile, in answer to Maggie's questioning, said "It came from that shoebox there."

Patty (or Paddy) Leveque was father of charlie, Winnie and Lelan. Patty, a brother to Joe Leveque in Arcata.

Once, teacher Alice Quinn kept Hap Waters (Willie) in to write his spelling words a hundred times each on acc't of misbehavior. Hap blurted out "Go bathe your head in a bathtub, Quinn," for which he was soundly punished at home. Maggie's comment "Where in theworld would he have picked up things like that way out in the woods, and all?"

Maggie thought Mrs. Carrol "very austire" and took the high road (old gov't trail) in passing her house.

The "house" was built about 1895. The mother named the place "Cedar Springs." She loved flowers, planted fuchsias and all manner of flowers.

Bill Waters dug a well near the house on the opposite side from the spring. Maggie remembered dropping snowballs down on him in the well even when told not to, thinking he wouldn't climb all the way up to do anything about it. She was wrong, suffered the consequences.

Mary Dunn first white girl born in Hoopa, her father being a teacher on Hoopa Reservation. Maggie told by her father that she was the first all-white girl born in Scotia.

All teachers listed in first part of this book boarded and roomed with Waters. May Hallaran wore six starched petticoats which were a mighty chore for Mrs. Waters who also laundered for the teachers.

Maggie went to Pioneer School in Eureka after leaving Fickle Hill. Was befriended & helped by Eleanor Christie Engelhart.

Notes from Indian Wars of the Northwest-Bledsoe (1885)

(At this point, LaVerne took extensive Humboldt County related notes from the above reference book which is available from the library at Humboldt State Library in Arcata. JF)

Topics: Judge Haynes speech before the Pioneer Society
List of Pioneeers which includes those before 1857, and their places of nativity, date of arrival in California and arrival in Humboldt County.
events of 1864
winter of '64-65
Appendix: Chinese in Eureka events of 1864
1862
1863
pioneers
Indian Wars
Pack trains to Trinity
Humboldt City
attack on Olmstead Camp
Mrs. Geo. Boyes
Trinidad called Warnerville
Murder of Paul Boynton
Forts Anderson, Baker and Lyon
Angel's Ranch
Trinity Trail
Big Bar
Humboldt Home Guards, Capt. Underwood
General Kibbe's visit
Battle of Thief Camp
War with the Win-toons
Yager Creek and Van Duzen areas

Clement Chartin
January 2, 1827--January 29, 1898

Clement Chartin, the Founder of Blue Lake, is buried in Blue Lake Cemetery. This I discovered while trying to find out why so many French names were on the tombstones there. The plot where he is buried is enclosed with an iron grille type fence and a locked gate. It is on a gently sloping hill, facing to the east.

Mr. Chartin was born in France on January 2, 1827, and came to this country in 1867. He was accompanied by his wife and his wife's sister, Clemence Deschartes. They are also buried in this plot. He first spent a year in Washington D.C., and then a year in Colorado. After that he came to San Francisco where he spent two years. In August, 1871, he came to Humboldt and located where Blue Lake now stands. After Mr. Chartin acquired the Blue Lake property, he erected a hotel which was a favorite place of resort and became a virtual home to tourists, ect. Many of his countrymen and others stayed there. He was noted for his hospitality and was genial, kindhearted and cheery. In his death and preparation for last rites something heretofore unknown in the annals of Humboldt County occurred, something that speaks more than the marble monument can for the love and esteem of his fellow townsmen. The citizens of Blue Lake took over the funeral service, and the service was long remembered by those attending. There was a large attendance at his funeral; many journeyed even from Arcata and many from Eureka who wished to attend, but time did not permit. All places of business were closed. The services were at the Catholic Church.

Among relatives surviving was A. Perigot, Publisher and Editor of the Blue Lake Advocate. Mr. Chartin was his great uncle.

This notebook was compiled by LaVerne Larsson of Arcata, California, and shared by her family after her death.

Electronic version: Joyce Farruggia, Blackberry Bramble Network

© Joyce Farruggia and the Blackberry Bramble Network.
Share freely for non-profit purposes. Do not publish for profit.
Last Updated 12-23-95

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