December 1932

Vol. XI No. 12 December 1932

THE PUBLICATION OF THE YOSEMITE EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT AND THE YOSEMITE NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION

Published Monthly Volume XI December 1932 Number

The Cemetery in Yosemite Valley By MRS. H. J. TAYLOR Note: Those with information concerning persons buried in Yosemite Valley, the location of graves, dates of birth and death, main events of their lives, etc., are invited to contribute their knowledge voluntarily. For example, the Indian Maggie Howard, locates the grave of her father about 20 feet from the present museum. invited to contribute their knowledge voluntarily. Data have been obtained on about 30 individuals buried in the cemetery, but additional information is needed to complete the records. Letters should be addressed to C. A. Harwell, park naturalist. For data in this article the writer is indebted to the following pioneers: Charles Tuttle Leidig, first white boy born in Yosemite Valley, connected continuously with the park from the time of his birth in In 1907 Mr. Sovulewski and Mr. Degnan outlined the present cemetery with Incense Cedar trees. In 1918 they placed the present fence enclosing about 39 graves. This number includes a group of seven Indian graves in the northeast part of the plat. The remains of an old well in the cemetery are still to be seen in the vacant space between the graves of Thomas Glynn and 1869 until August, 1917; Henry Albert May. Hedges of Mariposa, the first stage driver into Yosemite; John Degnan, Beginning in the southwest corner of the cemetery and continuing a continuous resident in the valley the graves in an irregular line since 1884; Gabriel Sovulewski, northward, we come first to a whose service to the park has been uninterrupted since 1906. weather-worn board marker that reads : "Harry Eddy, died October 10, 1919." He was a carpenter and worked on the Yosemite barns. He lived in a tent at the rear of Sovulewski's present home. Just to the north another board marker reads "Frank Brockerman, July 1910." No pioneer seems to have memory of him. A rugged piece of granite stands next with the inscription "William Bonney Atkinson, born in Yosemite June 25, 1898. April 15, 1902. Bill." He was the youngest of three children. His father was No one seems to know when, if ever, a plat was set aside in Yosemite for burial purposes. When Agnes, the little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. F. Leidig, died, she was buried on the present Ahwahnee Hotel site. When John C. Anderson was killed by a horse, July 1867, he was buried at the foot of the Four-Mile Trail. Both were later reinterred in the present cemetery. That some graves lie outside the limits of the present cemetery is

THE HUTCHINGS FAMILY

A huge piece of natural granite marks the graves of the pioneer James Mason Hutchings, his wife and his daughter. Florence Hutchings was the first white child born in Yosemite Valley. She was a favorite with all who knew her. The funeral was held in the Big Tree room in the Barnard Hotel. The well-known Yosemite artist, C. G. Robinson, read the Episcopal service. Time has worn the inscription beyond recognition from the next grave. C. T. Leidig said : "This is the grave of my little sister, the first white child to die in the valley. Agnes was buried on the present site of the Ahwahnee Hotel. At that time, 1869, my mother was the only white woman living in the valley. and there were only four white men. Later the body was moved to this cemetery." an employe of the State. Thomas Glynn, a Mexican War veteran, died October 28, 1881, his marker says. Mr. Degnan knew both Mr. and Mrs. Glynn. (Heart of Sierra, pp. 351.) Hutchings says: "Mrs. Glynn is an industrious woman and, being a good cook, makes out a frugal living by selling bread, pies and such things to transient customers, and by keeping two or three boarders." A marble headstone is marked : "Albert May, Ohio, died October 23, 1881, aged 51 years." Mr. Hedges says that Mr. May was a carpenter for the hotel keeper, A. G. Black. A tall shaft marks the grave of the hospitable and kindly pioneer, James C. Laguardia. He came into the valley in 1857. In 1859 he pre-empted 160 acres in Yosemite. He was the first white man to spend a winter in Yosemite in 1862-63. He had not even a cat or dog to relieve his aloneness. From this time on he lived in the valley until his death in 1875.

CLARK MARKED HIS OWN HEADSTONE

Galen Clark, beloved man of Yosemite, sleeps in the shelter of the Sequoias planted by his own hands about 1886. He chiseled his own name on the rough granite that is his headstone. His nephews, A. M. and L. L. McCoy, completed this stone in 1930, adding the dates 1814-1910. The graves of George Fisk and his wife, Carrie Fisk, are outlined with small granite stones. The grave of Mrs. Fisk has a marble headstone. Mr. Fisk died in 1920. His grave is unmarked. Mr. and Mrs. Fisk were people of fine quality whose friendship was valued. As an early and outstanding photographer George Fisk will long be remembered. The next grave is that of Hazel Caroline Myers, a little three and one-half-year-old daughter of George and Lizzie Myers. Mrs. Myers was a visitor in Yosemite in 1930. Not far from the above is the grave of Mrs. Sovulewski. She was beloved by all who knew her and was affectionately called "Our Yosemite Mother." This interment, made in 1926, is the most recent in the cemetery and is thus unmarked. East of the Hutchings monument is a board marker that 50 years has not dimmed. Effie Crippen, a girl of 15 years, died in 1881. J. M. Hutchings, the pioneer, read the Episcopal service in the Big Tree room. Among the band of young friends who sang at the grave was Florence Hutchings, who, in a few weeks was also laid to rest "in the grove of noble oaks where Tissac, goddess of the Valley, keeps constant watch." Mrs. Crippen had married Mr. Barnard, who kept the marble headstone. Mr. Fisk died in Big Tree Room Hotel Effie "was 1920. His grave is unmarked. Mr. the light and joy of this home. and Mrs. Fisk were people of fine quality whose friendship was valued. As an early and outstanding School was closed the day of her funeral, that her little friends might photographer George Fisk will long attend." Just north of Effie Crippen's grave the lot seems vacant. A small piece of rock lies there. Pioneers say it is the grave of Mrs. Cannon, who died about 1895. The next grave is that of Hazel Caroline Myers, a little three and one-half-year-old daughter of George and Lizzie Myers. Mrs. Myers was a visitor in Yosemite in 1930. Not far from the Thomas Glynn, a Mexican War

above is the grave of Mrs. Sovulewski. She was beloved by all who knew her and was affectionately called "Our Yosemite Mother." This interment, made in 1926, is the most recent in the cemetery and is thus unmarked. mark the grave of A. B. Cavagnaro. He died September 9, 1885, age 1 (probably 10) years (Heart of Sierras, pp. 351). Hutchings says : "Mr. Angelo Cavagnaro, an Italian... keeps a general merchandise store. He has on hand almost any article...

A TRAGEDY VICTIM

from a box of paper collars to a side of bacon." The next grave has a small piece of granite at the head and foot. It is unmarked and unnamed. It is said that a man named Wood lies buried there. Beyond a vacant lot is a grave that has a small granite rock at the head and foot. On the former is cut the name "George G. Anderson," nothing more. Pioneers say this is the grave of the man who was the first to ascend Half Dome. His courage, his daring, his perseverance accomplished this on October 12, 1875. A little farther to the north are two graves with small granite stones at the head and foot. The former is said to be the grave of a man named Hamilton; the second, that of a man named Whorton. There is a grave adjoining these the identity of which is thus far unknown. Returning to the south end of the cemetery we come to the grave of Sadie Schaeffer, marked by a granite shaft. She was a girl of 15; with a few friends she came from Pewaukee, Wis., to visit the Yosemite. She was drowned in the rapids of the Merced river July 7, 1901. There was no minister in the valley. They appealed to Galen Clark, who told them that his nephew, A. M. McCoy, had just arrived and that he would read the Episcopal service if they so wished. Mr. McCoy had charge of this burial. The grave of James Morgan, who died in 1901 at the age of 69 years, has a granite headstone. For many years someone sent flowers to decorate this grave. A piece of granite marks the grave of A. B. Glasscock. He was a native of Missouri. He died in June, 1897. In Hutchings' "Guide to Yosemite and Big Trees," published in 1895, there is mention of "A. B. Glasscock, proprietor of Sentinel Hotel." The next grave to the north is unnamed and unmarked. Mr. Degnan says it is the grave of the infant born to Mr. and Mrs. Coyle, whom he knew. South of the seven graves occupied by the Indians is a wooden cross. According to Mr. Degnan, it is the grave of A. W. B. Madden, a tourist, who died at the Sentinel Hotel in 1883. There are four graves not clearly located. It is said that a man named "Boston," another named "Woolcock," a "Frenchman," and a "Boy" were buried somewhere in the southeast part of the cemetery. No doubt "Boston" is the man who was toll-keeper at the Cascades for the Coulterville road. He was killed for plunder by two Indians in 1873 or 1874. Of the others we have no knowledge. We hope that data may be received from those interested to complete the records of the Yosemite Cemetery.

OTHERS BURIED THERE

On the marble headstone of the next grave are these words : "John C. Anderson, July 1867, aged 55 years. Kicked by a horse." Early pioneers say that Anderson was first buried at the foot of the Four- Mile trail, near the home of George Fisk. Later his remains were removed to the present cemetery. An iron fence and a fine monument

Measuring Yosemite Glaciers By C. A. HARWELL Park Naturalist Co-operating with the United States Geological Survey the naturalist staff of Yosemite is to make measurement of the ice fronts of our Yosemite glaciers each October as requested by F. E. Matthes, chairman of the section of hydrology of the American Geophysical Union. We have just completed this work for 1932. Our survey this year rechecked measurements made last year on Mount Lyell, Mount McClure and Mount Dana and added measurements of Mounts Conness, Kuna and Koip glaciers. There are 12 glaciers in our region of sufficient importance to be mapped by the Geological Survey. Two of them, Lyell and McClure, are entirely within Yosemite National Park. They are the largest of the 12, and the largest in the central Sierra. The other 10 lie just on the park boundary. I hope in future years it will be possible to at least make accurate photographic records of the remaining six glaciers, two of which are on Twin Peaks, one on Matterhorn Peak and three on Saw Tooth Ridge. Due to the heavy snow fall of the past winter we expected our glacier fronts to be covered, so waited as late in the season as possible. October 1 seems good for Yosemite. October 4 our party of five, consisting of Ranger Naturalist C. C. Jenson, Ranger Frank Givens, Photographer Jeff Thomson and Assistant Photographer Jack Paterson and myself set up camp at the upper Lyell base camp for a two-day stay.

ADVANCES SHOWN

October 5 we proceeded directly to the most easterly lobe of the Lyell glacier, quickly located our base line XY of 1931 and with steel tape measured along the slope from the central point of this line to the ice front, a distance of 452 feet. Last year this distance was 460 feet, showing an apparent gain of eight feet for this lobe. Our plan of measurement is as follows : We choose the most definite fronts of the principal lobes of each glacier; establish a base line perpendicular to the direction of flow of the ice and some distance from the ice front, trying if possible to locate the end points of this line on native rock so that no future movement of the ice mass would disturb this reference line; we mark these end points with paint, then paint in some central point from which a steel tape is run along the slope to the ice front. On the Mount Lyell glacier, which is approximately two miles wide and some three-quarters of a mile long, we established six such stations for rechecking each year. Our first measurements were made in October, 1931. This glacier showed an advance this year at all of these stations. The most westerly and principal lobe showed an advance of 61.2 feet. On the McClure glacier our one measuring station of 1931 showed an advance of 52 feet due to the heavy accumulation of snow the past winter at this steep front. We set up one new station this year for this glacier. An interesting find was made while crossing the McClure glacier. I picked up a hand-hewn piece of white-bark pine some seven feet long and three inches "square" which showed evidence of being there a long time. Perhaps it was used by John Muir in 1871, when he set up stakes across this glacier and proved that the center of this glacier traveled some 24 inches in one season. On Mount Dana the five reference points of 1931 were so much covered with snow remaining from last winter that at only one of them, but perhaps the most important, could a definite recheck be made. At this front of the central lobe the distance from our marker to the ice was 121 feet, as compared with 152 feet for 1931, an advance of 31 feet. The measurements on these three mountains certainly show that the fronts of their glaciers grew during the year. In 1931 we found them at low ebb because of the succession of several dry years. They were heavily marked with crevasses and their bergschrunds were wide and deep and great ice caves were much in evidence. Then came a winter with the heaviest snowfall since 1906 and we return to find them quite different. We saw not one real crevasse in the six glaciers visited. Bergschrunds were scarcely noticeable and ice caves were snow covered. Our photographs and yearly series of measurements should show interesting results especially over a longer period of years and we are already looking forward to next October's survey trip.

Wood Ducks in Yosemite By M. E. BEATTY Assistant Park Naturalist A new addition to the checklist of birds in Yosemite National Park was made on October 26, when Charles Michael reported seeing three male wood ducks (Aix sponsa) near the new Stoneman Bridge at Camp Curry. Two days later C. C. Presnall and the writer were fortunate to see the same three ducks a little further upstream. As far as is known, this is the first record for this species in the park; in fact, they are quite rare throughout the State. The wood duck, once common in California, was considered on the verge of extinction in 1913. At that time absolute protection was given them by federal enactment, but it is still a question whether this will restore the species. The wood duck of America is considered one of the most exquisitely beautiful of living creatures. Among the ducks themselves only one species, the mandarin (Aix galericulata) of China, approaches it in elegance. The male wood duck is unmistakable; no other duck has the combination of glossy green and violet crest and the striking pattern of black and white on the cheeks together with the gay colorations of breast, back and bill. The wood duck nests in hollow trees during April or May. Eggs number from 8 to 15 in a nest which is lined with twigs, grasses and down. We can only hope that these three transients like Yosemite so well that they will return with mates during nesting season and establish their homes in the region

Belding's Long Sleep By C. A. Harwell, Park Naturalist The length of the hibernation period of the Belding ground squirrel (Citellus beldingi) for Yosemite has never been definitely determined. Evidence gathered in Tuolumne Meadows the last two years proves it must certainly be more than half the year. On our glacier survey trip of 1931 none of these interesting little "picket-pins" was in evidence in their region of greatest abundance, the Tuolumne Meadows section, on October 1. In fact, Ranger Henry Skelton, stationed there, said the last one had disappeared underground on September 15. They must have known it was to be a long, heavy winter. They could not possibly have come out until late May or during June, because the snow survey of May 1, 1932, showed there was five feet of snow everywhere in the park at the 7000-foot level, and of course more above that level. This would indicate a hibernation period of eight months for this squirrel for last winter at Tuolumne Meadows, at 8600 feet elevation. This year we found no Belding squirrels in that section October 3, and were told by Ranger Frank Givens, in charge of the Tuolumne Meadows station, that the last one was seen by him October 1. We remained in that region of the park eight days during early October and returned for a three-day stay November 9. The weather was perfect both trips. Bright, sunny days made hiking in shirt sleeves to glaciers and mountain tops perfectly comfortable. Chickarees and chipmunks seemed just as active everywhere as in midsummer. Golden-mantled ground squirrels also seemed very active. November 12 we returned to the valley and at Tuolumne Meadows, Porcupine Flat and Aspen valley this squirrel was observed foraging. No marmots were seen either trip. Though more records are needed to say definitely just what the hibernation period of the Belding ground squirrel is, these observations certainly show that this small squirrel, first collected by and named for Lyman Belding, an early-day naturalist of Stockton, must hold the Rip Van Winkle record among California ground squirrels.

SEASONAL OBSERVATIONS

By M. E. Beatty Assistant Park Naturalist

SNAKES OUT LATE

A mountain garden snake (Thamnophis ordinoides elegans) was found near the top of Nevada Fall, November 3, by R. F. Griswold. The snake was in quite an active condition. This is the latest fall date so far recorded for snakes in the Yosemite region. Ranger Sam King reported a rattlesnake killed in the western section of the park October 30.

AZALEAS BLOOM TWICE

A Western azalea was observed in second bloom at Valley View on November 12. The blossoms were quite small but they had all the spicy fragrance so typical of azaleas. This seems to occur each fall among our transplanted shrubs of this species.

DEER STRATEGY

The grace and agility of deer was well exemplified by the actions of a doe I recently observed rising up right on her two hind legs to reach the branches of a Western choke cherry some six or seven feet above the ground. She continued this means of securing the tender tips until she had stripped all the twigs and leaves within reach. The snow has come and the leaves have fallen so that the meadows were all in brownish colors.

BEARS

Our nightly bear show was discontinued November 7 due to lack of bears as well as visitors. The

BLUEBIRDS RETURN

A flock of Western bluebirds was observed flying over the oaks in Yosemite Valley on November 13. This marks the return of this species of winter visitants to our region. They come in each winter to feast on mistletoe berries, so abundant on the oaks of the Transition Zone.

WHITE-TAILED RABBIT

November 7 Ranger Sam King observed a white-tailed rabbit near the Tuolumne Meadows Ranger Station. It was very conspicuous as its coat was almost pure white in readiness for winter foraging while at this date no snow had fallen. lights are turned on nightly at the feeding platform for those wishing to see the bears but they are becoming fewer and fewer as hibernation period is at hand.

SPECIAL XMAS OFFER

Yosemite Nature Notes and membership in Yosemite Natural History Association, 2 years for $3.00 or A new one year subscription and your own renewal for $3.00. A fine gift for any lover of the Out-o-Doors. Special membership certificates acknowledging donor sent on gift subscriptions. Order thru C. A. Harwell, Park Naturalist.

Digitized by Yosemite Online Library Dan Anderson