Pioneer of the Mojave: The Life and Times of Aaron G. Lane - Hardcover

D., Richard; Thompson, Kathryn L.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0938121103 ISBN 13: 9780938121107

Publisher: Desert Knolls Press, 1995

Synopsis

This well-documented history is a gold mine of information about the settlement of the California Mojave Desert in the area north of the San Bernardino Mountains. The story tells about the Mojave River way stations and homesteads that would one day become the towns of Victorville, Oro Grande, Bryman and Helendale. Aaron G. Lane was the first permanent settler on the High Desert. He operated a way station at Lane's Crossing that was at the center of activity for immigration and freighting along the Mojave Road and Salt Lake Road. He came to the desert in 1858, and it was a desolate and dangerous place. Many of the travelers who managed to reach his way station told horrifying stories of their hardships and deprivations during their grueling trek across the desert. Not long after Lane's arrival on the desert, other pioneers began settling downstream on the Mojave River. This book tells of the difficulties and dangers these early pioneers faced. It covers the development of the High Desert community up until the mid-1880s, with information on the Mormon pioneers of the area, mining, the Civil War years on the desert, Mormon horse thieves, Indians and Indian attacks, the development of the Cajon Pass Road, and early politics and education.

About this title

About the Author

The authors, who have lived in San Bernardino County all their lives, moved to the Mojave Desert in 1990. Richard has a Master's degree in history, and works as a civil engineer. Kathryn was a secretary for many years before she began operating her own book store in the 1980s.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

From Chapter 6: The year 1862 was ushered in by floods, Indian raids and further rumors of secessionist activity on the desert, rumors which continued until the end of the Civil War. In January concern had begun spreading throughout the county because of word recently received that the Army was about to withdraw from Camp Carleton in San Bernnardino. Upon hearing the news, Judge A. D. Boren wrote the recently-promoted Colonel Carleton in some alarm, as he had learned a secessionist movement was afoot in the area. Boren stated that "Mr. James Leonard was on the Mojave and reports having seen twenty-two armed secessionists and conversed with them, and reports them gentlemen in appearance and bearing, and well outfitted." After receiving several such reports, Carleton sent a dispatch to major David Fergusson, the commander of Camp Carleton, directing him to send troops in search of secessionists in the vicinity of Lane's Crossing:

"You are at liberty to send Captain Fritz with thirty good men over to Lane's on the Mojave to arrest the secssionists reported as being in that neighborhood. Let him take eight days' rations of subsistence. He can doubtless get barley and hay of Lane. Give him sealed orders, not to be opened until he gets to Lane's. In these instruct him very carefully what to do. He is not at all reticent. His men need only know they are to march. Unless you take these precautions, and send the party by night, runners will carry intelligence of your movements by trails across the mountains in advance of the party."

Whatever circumstances Aaron lane had envisioned awaiting him on the desert when he first moved there, it certainly was not his being in the midst of secret military missions and political conspirators. What he did expect, no doubt, was some trouble with the Indians, but we would get even more of that than he had bargained for.

Edition details

• Publisher: Desert Knolls Press
• Publication date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0938121103
• ISBN 13: 9780938121107
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 210