HomeMy WebLinkAboutDecember 2018 SLOWhatHistory of SLO: Pioneers’ Story
WITH JOSEPH CAROTENUTI, CITY HISTORIAN/ARCHIVIST
Parker Hardin French
To summarize, French organized an expedition of
gold seekers from New York to California advertised
and promised as an easy, 60-day trip. French had
no idea as to what the expedition would entail
as reported by different survivors of the ordeal.
Through a variety of mishaps, the men reached
Texas. Without proper equipment or supplies,
eventually some decided to proceed on their own.
Tell us, now you were in Texas but some of the
party decided to go their own way. What happened?
“Needless to add, I was quite upset that my
plans were changed by others. If that wasn’t bad
enough, they took what didn’t belong to them. I
enlisted some help and went after the scoundrels.
We met near Corralitos in Chihuahua, Mexico.
It was there I lost my right arm in a gun battle.
However, I was able to recover the stolen items.”
(Note: This was a bloody gunfight with several
men killed; French was badly wounded and left the
survivors with little after the raid. One descendant of
a survivor has recounted this in Kentucky Barracuda
– with modest assistance from this writer. Having
his arm amputated below the elbow, French left quite
an impression during the procedure as it was almost
impossible for him to be “stupefied.” Remarked
the surgeon: “I never saw fortitude like that man’s”
and his eyes that were “most remarkable, deep-
set, grey, and so small as to resemble a rat’s eye.”)
“I managed to receive some medical attention, my
destroyed arm was packed with charcoal to prevent
infection but it was too late. The arm was amputated.
Once I recovered, I went south to Durango for
more adventures. (Note: there he robbed a mail
coach, was captured and sentenced to death.
Contact: jacarotenuti@gmail.com Visit: www.joefromslo.com 12/2018
Instead, he managed to convince the authorities
he was an Indian fighter and managed to be set
free.) But it didn’t stop me. I finally made my way
to the Mexican coast and boarded a ship – a nasty
one at that – and that’s where I met John Simmler.”
And on to San Luis Obispo?
“Yes, eventually, we made it to the nearby bay at
Avila. I went south to Los Angeles but eventually
returned to San Luis County. In fact, I became
the District Attorney as I had learned quite a bit
of the lingo in Mexico, was elected to the State
Assembly and did very well. But that’s another story.”
Indeed, another story for another
day. Thank you for the interview.
With that, we’ll end the stories of a few pioneers
to our community. Since it is the end of the
year, it’s an appropriate time to end the monthly
contributions to our past…for now. Thank you all
for reading and comments. Please do not hesitate
to contact me if you have questions, requests, etc.
Next year will be the centennial of the other civic
icon – the library – and this writer will be heavily
involved in recounting its history and impact in
our community and county. Hope you’ll join us!