*** 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 73--- enough the specifications provided that it should be weather-boarded with Eastern pine, which was carried out to the letter at great cost, while redwood boards (far more durable) could have been gotten for one-third less. But in those days the redwood, like the prophet in his own country, had no honor. Santa Rosa Lodge, No. 57, first worked under a dispensation, and was char- tered May 2, 1854. Achilles Richardson was the worshipful master, John Ingram was the first senior warden, and William Noel was the first secretary; among the charter members were Lindsay Carson, James A. Campbell, David Thompson and Westly Mathews. J. H. Griggs came over from Solano soon after, and was the second worshipful master of the lodge. We have mentioned these facts because it was a little remarkable that Masonry should have taken such an early start in Santa Rosa,--the third and best house in the town being a Masonic hall. As soon as the hall was finished, the lower part was rented to E. P. Colgan for a hotel. He had been keeping a public-house at the "old adobe," and afterwards built a hotel for himself on the site of the present Santa Rosa house. This was the fourth house, and was built by John Ingram. In the spring of 1854 Hoen sold his interest in the store at the adobe to his partners, Hahman & Hartman, and put up the building where John Richards' barber-shop stands, for a store. He opened it in June, and was the first merchant in Santa Rosa, except Richardson, who was just outside the survey. Hahman & Hartman, who still kept store at the "old adobe," saw the Santa Rosa was destined to become the principal place in this section, and made preparations to move. Hoen had built on the corner they wished to occupy, and F.G. Hahman purchased of Julio Carrillo the lot on the northwest corner of Second and C streets, opposite Clark's livery stable. He immediately com- menced the erection of a building; completed and opened it on the 4th of July, 1854, with a grand ball, of which more will be said further on. Soon after the passage of the bill authorizing a vote on the question of removing the county seat, the people of Santa Rosa valley commenced a good- natured seige to secure a majority vote for the change. As the summer advanced the contest waxed warmer; the Santa Rosans projected a grand bar- becue at the proposed county seat on the Fourth of July. It was a master-stroke of policy,--the people came and saw, and were conquered by the beauty of the place and the hospitality of the people, who, on that occasion, killed the fat- ted calf, and invited to the feast the rich and poor, the lame, the halt and the blind,--in fact everybody who had, or who could influence or control, a vote. The smoke of the sacrifice of whole sheep and huge quarters of beef ascended to heaven freighted with the prayers of the Santa Rosans to dispose the hearts and ballots of the people in their favor, and, like the pious Greeks of old on similar occasions, when the smoke had ceased to ascend, and the offering was cooked to a turn, they partook of the sacrificial meat,--the incense of which had tickled their nostrils, whetting at the same time their appetites and their devotions. At least five hundred persons, from all parts of the country, were present. A. Guenry, a Baptist preacher, delivered the oration; James Prewitt read the Declaration of Independence; John Robinson, Sylvester Ballou and Joe Neville also made speeches. The barbecue was so grand a success that it made a lasting impression on *** end ***