THE JOHN ROLLIN RIDGE FAMILY PLOT
By Mike Webb
My first knowledge of John Rollin Ridge came from the biography “John Rollin Ridge, His Life & Works” by James W. Parins. This book was donated to the CNCV Cultural Center by our member Barbara Warren. I purchased the book for myself to read and learn. I was impressed by John’s personal life story, his accomplishments and his importance to the Cherokee Nation and to the California story. As I finished the book, on the very last page, before the epilog, I learned he was buried in Grass Valley, CA, which is only 40 miles north of our home in Roseville. We were anxious and excited to drive up and see if we could locate his grave site. My wife Liz, our dog Jodie and I did so on Dec. 17, 2016. To our amazement we found a large Ridge Family plot, approximately 40 ft by 10 ft, surrounded by a concrete curb. Eleven Ridge family members are buried there.
From left to right: (1) Historic Monument - oak tree sprouting to right; (2) John Rollin's wife Elizabeth; (3) The John Rollin Ridge Family Plot, Grass Valley, California
The Ridge Family Plot is located in the unendowed section of the historical Greenwood Memorial Cemetery. The Ridge Family Plot was in terrible condition, with tall overgrown weeds, soil and debris covering the grave markers. The markers were in need of cleaning, and a young oak tree was growing out of John’s personal grave. We were moved to take this information to our CNCV Council and membership to ask for help in cleaning up the site. We planned a weekend and asked for volunteers. Six volunteers came September 29, 2018: Ted Richardson, Esther Richardson, John Meylor, Liz Webb, Mike Webb, and representing the Cherokees of the Greater Bay Area, San Francisco, Mark Harrison. We leveled the soil so markers could be read, cleaned all the white marble grave markers, as well as cleaning the large monument. Catherine Gray and Dawnena Squirrel of the Cherokee Nation sent us special marble and stone cleaners with instructions to safely clean the marble. John Meylor researched and identified the father and infant son buried in the unmarked grave, only marked by a small deteriorated cedar shake remnant, uncovered during the cleanup. The father and his infant son buried in that unmarked grave are John Randolph Ridge (father) and Tom Moore Ridge (infant son); they are the son and grandson of Andrew Jackson Ridge, John Rollin Ridge’s brother who is also buried in the family plot.
There is a large monument erected by ‘The Native Sons of The Golden West’ above John’s grave. It was installed 66 years (May 16, 1933) after John died (Oct 5, 1867, age 40). Charles (C.S) Wells, who had shared proprietorship with John Rollin Ridge of the Grass Valley National newspaper, organized the installation by the Native Sons of The Golden West, headquartered in San Francisco, CA. I contacted them to find more information about the monument installation, but unfortunately the old records could not be found. After the cleanup we planned a memorial ceremony at the cemetery.
From left to right: (4) The cedar stake used to identify unmarked graves; (5) John Meylor, Esther Richardson, Liz Webb, Mark Harrison and Ted Richardson at first cleanup day 9/29/2018; (6) After first cleanup completed; (7) Ted Richardson & daughter Esther, Mark Harrison, Liz Webb and tools
RIDGE IN CALIFORNIA 1850
John Rollin Ridge (1827-1867), whose Cherokee name Cheesquat-a-law-ny or “Yellow Bird”, was usually called Rollin. John was a Cherokee novelist, poet, magazine and newspaper writer, politician, gold miner, diplomat, contributor and editor to many newspapers, including the California American of Marysville, The Marysville Express, The Marysville National Democrat, The Marysville Appeal, and The San Francisco Herald as well as the first editor Feb 3, 1857 for the “Daily Bee”. In 1856, Ridge and his cousin, Charles Watie, the brother of Stand Watie, were hired as editors of The California American Newspaper. After a year, Ridge organized a group of Sacramento business leaders to start a newspaper called The Daily Bee, later to become The Sacramento Bee, which first published on Feb. 3, 1857. He stepped down after one week, James McClatchy then took it over.
He is considered to be the first Native American Novelist and the first Californian Novelist. In 1854 he wrote and published his first novel, The Life and Adventures of Joaquin Murieta: the Celebrated California Bandit. It’s a fictionalized composite of various local true crime tales from the earliest years of California’s statehood. The novel eventually became the inspiration for Johnston McCulley’s Zorro stories. “Poems” by John Rollin Ridge was published 1868 and includes the famous and beloved poem “Mount Shasta”. A biography John Rollin Ridge: His Life & Works by James W. Parins was published in 1991. All three books are available on Amazon. John was a contemporary of Mark Twain and Bret Harte. John’s poem “The Harp of Broken Strings” was Mark Twain’s favorite of John’s poems.
(8): John Rollin Ridge biography & his novel and poems
FIRST MEMORIAL COMMEMORATION
We invited Ben Ridge Goss (a descendent of the Ridge family) from the ‘Cherokees of the Greater Bay Area’ to conduct the Commemoration Ceremony at the gravesites on October 7, 2018. We were invited to Sacramento public radio, Cap Radio, to be interviewed about the Grass Valley event and history of John Rollin Ridge in California.
From left to right: (9) First Memorial Commemoration, Ben Ridge Goss, Mike Webb, Oct. 7, 2018 Gathering; (10) Oct. 7, 2018 Gathering; (11) Otsigeya participants Tonya Elliott, Keeper of the Drum; Jennifer West Trantham, Gwen Cochran & Pattie Holzapple; (12) October 7, 2018 Gathering attendees
WHITE MARBLE GRAVE STONES FOR THE UNMARKED GRAVES
October 17-21, 2019, Mary Buzzard and Myra Bush Robertson from our Sister Community, Marble City Activity Organization, made a trip to visit our Cherokees of Northern Central Valley, Sacramento community. During their time here we visited the John Rollin Ridge family plot in Grass Valley. When they saw the unmarked grave, Myra and Mary volunteered to check and see if they could find us white marble stones from Oklahoma. Because of Covid lockdowns the project was put on hold. In April 2021 Mary called me very excited with the news that she and Myra had procured the two stones for the unmarked grave from Ed Reeves of Sugar Loaf Quarries, OK. They FedEx’d them to us. We had them engraved by PSM Monuments, Citrus Heights, CA. We had them set in concrete bases and installed by Henry Anderson of Netz Monumental Works, Grass Valley (his third generation family business, owned over 100 years).
From left to right: (13) October 17, 2019 Mary Buzzard & Myra Bush Robertson arrive in Sacramento from Oklahoma; (14) October 19, 2019 CNCV Meeting, Myra & Mary make a presentation on Cherokee cooking; (15) Mary Buzzard, CNCV Spokesperson Franc Blackbird, and Myra Robertson; (16) Myra and Mary making "Possum Grape Dumplings"; (17) Mike Webb receives marble stones from Marble CIty, OK, May 4, 2021; (18) The stones arrived safely and unbroken. They came from Ed Reeves of Sugar Loaf Quarries, OK; (19) Netz Monumental Works owner Henry Anderson installs the 2 markers, Mar. 10, 2022; (20) In appreciation Mike presents a Cherokee Nation Cap & T-shirt to Henry; (21) The markers were installed 3/10/2022; engraving was done by PSM Monuments, Citrus Height, CA; (22) The cedar stake that was found buried on the unmarked graves
BBQ ON SATURDAY MAY 21, 2022
We entertained Mary and Myra for their first ever ‘California backyard BBQ’. Our local Cherokees and non Cherokee friends all fell in love with our Cherokee Nation Sisters. We had a wonderful time.
May 21, 2022 California Back Yard BBQ gathering at the Webb home in Roseville, CA
GADUGI - CHEROKEE FULL CIRCLE COMMEMORATION, MAY 22ND, 2022
Marble City Activity Organization of Marble City, Cherokee Nation & Cherokee of Northern Central Valley, Sacramento, CA, together hosted the dedication of the newly installed marble markers, completing the marking of Ridge Family Plot.
We had several special guests. Wado to Mellissa (Bevins) Gruenig for procuring Debby McClatchy, descendant of James McClatchy (Sacramento Bee), on banjo playing her version of “Amazing Grace Appalachian Style”; and Francois Blue (“Blue Fluteman”), Apache Native, who performed Flute Prayers and conducted Ceremonial Smudging using Apache white sage, soaked in sap from Dragons Blood Tree donated by our CNCV member Shirley Rowland who was unable to attend. My wife Liz provided her Great Grandmothers Abalone Sea Shell for the Smoking.
From left to right: (28) Francois Blue "Blue Fluteman", Apache, performed flute prayers and conducted sage smudging to open the event; (29) Francois Blue; (30) Francois Blue; (31) Francois Blue; (31) Debby McClatchy on banjo playing & singing Appalachian style version of "Amazing Grace"; (32) Myra and Mary enjoy the music and stories with all attendees; (33) Debby McClatchy; (34) Debby McClatchy; (35) Debby McClatchy
Francois Blue performing a flute prayer.
Debby McClatchy playing the banjo.
Wado to Ben Ridge Goss for procuring Aleta George, who did a presentation on Ina Coolbrith, California’s first Poet Laureate. Aleta wrote a biography “Ina Coolbrith, the Bitter Sweet Song of California’s First Poet Laureate” (published 2015), who’s poetry John Rollin Ridge admired. She related special stories concerning their long friendship and Ina’s premonition of John’s death.
From left to right: (49) Aleta George discusses John Rollin Ridge's role as a poet in early California state history; (50) Aleta George; (51) Aleta George
The CNCV presented our Community Sisters Mary Buzzard and Myra Bush Robertson with a shadow box, containing the cedar remnant originally used to mark the unmarked graves, to take home to the Cherokee Nation. On the day of this commemoration we discovered John Rollin Ridge’s residence in Grass Valley located on the corner of South School Street & Neal Street. John’s wife Elizabeth moved and occupied the house after John’s death. She planted a Brandywine Maple tree in his honor. The original tree fell and was removed. The two current large trees on either side of the house are saplings from the original tree.
Above: CNCV members Mike Webb, Irie (Roxy’s granddaughter), Jessica Hilderbrand, Roxy Horne & Odell Landers present the Cedar Stake Shadowbox to Mary & Myra (center)
Above: The historic Ridge home is located at S. School and Neal Streets
Near the end of the event Mike asked for a volunteer to place nickels on the head stones. Martha Blackbird came forward and Mike handed her eleven Indian Head/Buffalo Nickels to place on all the head stones. These nickels were donated by Mike’s neighbor Ron Pope; Mike and Ron share the same French and Cherokee ancestor from the 1700’s.
Above: Mike Webb handing Indian Head/Buffalo Nickels for placement on head stones to Martha Blackbird
The project of obtaining and installing the final two marble markers for the Ridge Family Plot has been a long time coming (five and a half years), and required cooperation with many individuals, Cherokees and friends of Cherokees. We salute all of you and could never have done this without your tireless and generous help. We give you all a BIG WADO!!!
There is an approximately 80 year old, very large cedar tree overlooking the Ridge Family Plot. After the ceremony we took Mary and Myra to dinner in Roseville. For their first time, for dessert they had Spumoni Ice Cream.
