*** Source: Thompson, Robert A., Historical and descriptive sketch of Sonoma County, California. Philadelphia: L.H. Everts & Co., 1877, 122 pgs. Notice: This data is donated to the Public Domain by TAG, 2004, and may be copied freely by anyone to anywhere. *** ---page 18--- On the 9th of September of that year, the State was admitted into the Union, and the second legislature met at San Jose, January 6, 1851,--Martin E. Cook, representing the eleventh senatorial district, composed of the counties of Sonoma, Solano, Napa, Marin, Colusa, Yolo and Trinity-–in fine, all the territory west of the Sacramento river. John S. Bradford and A. Stearns represented, in the lower house, the counties of Napa, Sonoma, Marin, and Solano. A report of the census agent to the legislature that year gave the population of the county of Sonoma at five hundred and sixty- one souls. The State government this session was fully organized, and the machinery of the county governments was set to work. On the first Wednesday in September, 1851, there was a county election, and the local government vested in a court of sessions, presided over by the county judge, and two associates chosen from the justices of the peace. A complete list of the county judges, associates and supervisors will be found elsewhere. The court of sessions assumed control of the affairs of the county, and divided it into townships, naming Analy township after a sister of the Hon. Jasper O’Farrell, a pioneer and large land-owner in that district. In November, 1851, the Hon. C. P. Wilkins succeeded H. A. Green as county judge. Israel Brockman was sheriff, and the late Dr. John Hendley was county clerk and recorder. A few people had gathered about the present site of the town of Petaluma, which was becoming a shipping point for Bodega and Green Valley produce. James McReynolds built that year for James Hudspeth a potato warehouse, which was the first building erected there. There were a number of hunters for the San Francisco market in the valley, and the place was mainly known for the abundance and excellence of its game. In 1852 Sonoma county may be said to have first felt the impulse of the coming Anglo-Saxon. A number of persons were then in Petaluma. Kent, Smith & Coe had a store about opposite the site of the American hotel; the late Tom Baylis had a sloop plying between that point and the city, and also built a warehouse and hotel. At Sonoma, the county-seat, the year was signal- ized by the appearance of the Sonoma Bulletin, the first paper published in this county, or north of the Sacramento river. It was ably conducted by A. J. Cox, and we can truly say that it was a creditable start for the county in the field of journalism. On Monday, July 5, the first board of supervisors met, and took charge of the affairs of the county-–the members were D. O. Shattuck, who was selected chairman; William A. Hereford, of Santa Rosa dis- trict; Leonard P. Hanson, and James Singley. The Santa Rosa ranch, fifteen thousand seven hundred and fifty-eight acres, was assessed at one dollar per acre. The Fitch grant was assessed at the same rate, and so were the O’Farrell and Mark West grants. T. B. Valentine, who claimed the site of Petaluma, was assessed on six thousand six hundred and sixty-six dollars. At the Presidential election that fall, Pierce received four hundred and seventy-five votes, and Scott two hundred and sixty-seven, a majority of two hundred and eight. E. W. McKinstrey was elected district judge; J. M. Hudspeth, senator; H. P. Ewing and James W. McKamy, assemblymen. The steamer Georgiana, Captain Hoenshield, ran three times a week between *** end ***