George C. Yount
Encyclopedia
George Calvert Yount was a trapper in William Wolfskill's
party from New Mexico
and came to California
in 1831. He was the first Euro-American permanent settler in the Napa Valley, where he was the grantee of two Mexican land grants
. Yountville, California
is named for him.
, but grew up in Missouri
. He fought in War of 1812
and Indian wars. Yount was a farmer but in 1826, after business difficulties, left his wife and three children in Missouri, and went to Santa Fe
and became a fur trapper.
Yount eventually made his way to California, arriving in 1831 with the Wolfskill party
. He trapped sea otter on the Santa Barbara Channel Islands. He went to Sonoma
in 1834, where he was employed as a carpenter by General Vallejo
. Through the influence of Vallejo, Yount received the Rancho Caymus
land grant in 1836, and became the first permanent settler in the Napa Valley. He built a cabin, or block-house and a grist-mill. In 1843 he received the Rancho La Jota
land grant on Howell Mountain
north of Rancho Caymus, where built a saw-mill. George C. Yount received a US patent on both of these grants with a total of 16341 acres (66 km²).
A town known as Sebastopol was laid out on the property in 1855. However, a town
in nearby Sonoma County
had already laid claim to this name, and the town was renamed Yountville
in 1867 after George Yount’s death.
His estate remained mostly intact during his lifetime, and Yount died on his property in 1865 at the age of 71.
of 1843. They lived in George Yount's blockhouse on Rancho Caymus.
Elizabeth Anne Davis (1847 - 1922), the daughter of his daughter Elizabeth Ann Yount, married William Campbell Watson (1843- ) in 1864. Watson established and named Inglenook Winery
.
Georgina Frances Sullivan (1853 - 1936), the daughter of his daughter Elizabeth Ann Yount, married John P. Jones
in 1875.
William Wolfskill
William Wolfskill was a cowboy and agronomist from Los Angeles, California, who was highly influential in the development of California's agricultural industry in the 19th century.-Valencia orange:...
party from New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
and came to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1831. He was the first Euro-American permanent settler in the Napa Valley, where he was the grantee of two Mexican land grants
Ranchos of California
The Spanish, and later the Méxican government encouraged settlement of territory now known as California by the establishment of large land grants called ranchos, from which the English ranch is derived. Devoted to raising cattle and sheep, the owners of the ranchos attempted to pattern themselves...
. Yountville, California
Yountville, California
Yountville is an incorporated town in Napa County, California, United States. It is in the North Bay portion of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 2,933 at the 2010 census. Almost one third of the town's population lives on the grounds of the Veterans Home of California.The town's name...
is named for him.
Biography
George C. Yount was born in Burke County, North CarolinaBurke County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 89,148 people, 34,528 households, and 24,342 families residing in the county. The population density was 176 people per square mile . There were 37,427 housing units at an average density of 74 per square mile...
, but grew up in Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. He fought in War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
and Indian wars. Yount was a farmer but in 1826, after business difficulties, left his wife and three children in Missouri, and went to Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
and became a fur trapper.
Yount eventually made his way to California, arriving in 1831 with the Wolfskill party
William Wolfskill
William Wolfskill was a cowboy and agronomist from Los Angeles, California, who was highly influential in the development of California's agricultural industry in the 19th century.-Valencia orange:...
. He trapped sea otter on the Santa Barbara Channel Islands. He went to Sonoma
Sonoma, California
Sonoma is a historically significant city in Sonoma Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA, surrounding its historic town plaza, a remnant of the town's Mexican colonial past. It was the capital of the short-lived California Republic...
in 1834, where he was employed as a carpenter by General Vallejo
Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo
Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo was a Californian military commander, politician, and rancher. He was born a subject of Spain, performed his military duties as an officer of Mexico, and shaped the transition of California from a Mexican district to an American state...
. Through the influence of Vallejo, Yount received the Rancho Caymus
Rancho Caymus
Rancho Caymus was a Mexican land grant in present day Napa County, California given in 1836 by acting Governor Nicolás Gutiérrez to George C. Yount. Caymus was the name of a subgroup of Mishewal-Wappo Indians. The rancho included present day Yountville, Oakville and Rutherford all within the...
land grant in 1836, and became the first permanent settler in the Napa Valley. He built a cabin, or block-house and a grist-mill. In 1843 he received the Rancho La Jota
Rancho La Jota
Rancho La Jota was a Mexican land grant in present day Napa County, California given in 1843 by Governor Manuel Micheltorena to George C. Yount. La Jota literally means “the letter J” in Spanish, but the meaning of the name has been a cause of speculation....
land grant on Howell Mountain
Howell Mountain AVA
The Howell Mountain AVA is an American Viticultural Area located within Napa Valley AVA. Howell Mountain is located in the Vaca Mountains on the northeast side of Napa Valley around the town of Angwin, and overlooks the town of St. Helena, California....
north of Rancho Caymus, where built a saw-mill. George C. Yount received a US patent on both of these grants with a total of 16341 acres (66 km²).
A town known as Sebastopol was laid out on the property in 1855. However, a town
Sebastopol, California
Sebastopol is a city in Sonoma County, California, United States, approximately north of San Francisco. The population was 7,379 at the 2010 census, but its businesses also serve surrounding rural portions of Sonoma County, totaling about 50,000 people...
in nearby Sonoma County
Sonoma County, California
Sonoma County, located on the northern coast of the U.S. state of California, is the largest and northernmost of the nine San Francisco Bay Area counties. Its population at the 2010 census was 483,878. Its largest city and county seat is Santa Rosa....
had already laid claim to this name, and the town was renamed Yountville
Yountville, California
Yountville is an incorporated town in Napa County, California, United States. It is in the North Bay portion of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 2,933 at the 2010 census. Almost one third of the town's population lives on the grounds of the Veterans Home of California.The town's name...
in 1867 after George Yount’s death.
His estate remained mostly intact during his lifetime, and Yount died on his property in 1865 at the age of 71.
Family
George C. Yount and Eliza Cambridge Wilds had three children: Robert Wilds Yount (1819 - 1850), Frances Yount (1821 - ), and Elizabeth Ann Yount (1826 - 1853), and nine grandchildren.Children
George C. Yount had left his family in Missouri in 1826. His two daughters, Frances Yount with her husband William Bartlett Vines and her sister Elizabeth Ann Yount came west with the Walker-Chiles PartyCalifornia Trail
The California Trail was an emigrant trail of about across the western half of the North American continent from Missouri River towns to what is now the state of California...
of 1843. They lived in George Yount's blockhouse on Rancho Caymus.
Grandchildren
Elizabeth Yount (1847 - ), the daughter of his son Robert Wilds Yount, married Thomas Lewis Rutherford (-1892) in 1864. George Yount gave the couple 1040 acres (4 km²) in the northern part of Rancho Caymus. Thomas Rutherford established himself as a grower and producer of high-quality wines during the late 1800s, and Rutherford, California is named for him.Elizabeth Anne Davis (1847 - 1922), the daughter of his daughter Elizabeth Ann Yount, married William Campbell Watson (1843- ) in 1864. Watson established and named Inglenook Winery
Inglenook Winery
The Inglenook Winery produced estate bottled wines in Rutherford, California in the Napa Valley. The winery was founded in 1879 by a Finnish Sea Captain Gustave Niebaum. Niebaum died in 1908 and the winery was shut down during Prohibition...
.
Georgina Frances Sullivan (1853 - 1936), the daughter of his daughter Elizabeth Ann Yount, married John P. Jones
John P. Jones
John Percival Jones was an American politician who served for 30 years as a Republican United States Senator from Nevada. He made a fortune in silver mining and was a co-founder of the town of Santa Monica, California....
in 1875.