Bugbey, The Last Sacramento '49er

Benjamin Norton Bugbey, 1827 – 1914, illustration from the cover of the music for Bugbey’s Champagne Galop.

From all accounts, Benjamin Norton Bugbey was the last ‘49er living in Sacramento when he died in 1914. While this bit of trivia about B. N. Bugbey is interesting, it doesn’t compare to the life he led in Sacramento County and his impact on politics and agriculture early in California’s statehood.

I became familiar with B. N. Bugbey while researching a book about the original land owners along the north and south forks of the American River that is now covered by Folsom Lake. Bugbey’s El Dorado County vineyard and homes are noted on a 1866 Government Land Office survey map. The remnants of Bugbey’s second home are still visible from the trail between Mormon Island and Brown’s Ravine. Searching For The Bugbey Houses is blog post I did about the research.

But the more I learned about B. N. Bugbey, the more I realized he should have his own book written about him. Below is a time line of Bugbey’s life – subject to change – as I uncover new information. Also included below are some of the images that I have acquired from my research. Some will make it in the book, most will not. Regardless, they are valuable pieces of information about Bugbey’s life in Sacramento County.

1868 map that indicates the B.N. Bugbee (sic) wine cellar and vineyard in El Dorado County by Brown's Ravine. The photo is the approximate location as shown on the map and captures the remnants of a building, 19th century construction, which was most likely part of Bugbey's operation in the 1860s. — 1868 map that indicates the B.N. Bugbee (sic) wine cellar and vineyard in El Dorado County by Brown’s Ravine. The photo is the approximate location as shown on the map and captures the remnants of a building, 19th century construction, which was most likely part of Bugbey’s operation in the 1860s.

I most recently was able to view B. N. Bugbey’s testimony from the 1881 People v Gold Run Ditch debris trial in Sacramento County. It sheds additional light on his early years in the Folsom area. Thank you to the California State Archives for finding the 9 rolls of microfilm that capture over 10,000 pages of hand written transcripts of attorney and witness statements.

A truly lasting legacy of Bugbey are the two pieces of music he commissioned to promote his sparkling wines or champagne. I was able to get the sheet music for both the Bugbey Champagne Waltz and Bugbey Champagne Galop. Both pieces were composed by a local Sacramento musician Hugo Yanke. I had a pianist perform and record these music from the 1870s. At the bottom of the page are links to the recorded music. Enjoy traveling back in time to what Sacramentans were listening to in 1871.

Benjamin Norton Bugbey, Sacramento’s Champagne King, now available in paperback and Kindle edition. Shipped from Amazon. You can read my blog post about the book here B. N. Bugbey Book.

Natoma Vineyard, Champagne, Wine, Brandy, Kevin Knauss — Biography of ’49er Gold Rush pioneer B. N. Bugbey who made his home in Folsom and Sacramento, California, by Kevin Knauss

Podcast of Book Summary

Listen to free chapter audio chapter podcasts

Bugbey Book Podcast Audio Book — Chapter podcasts of Benjamin Norton Bugbey, Sacramento’s Champagne King, written and spoken by Kevin Knauss

B. N. Bugbey Audio Book Podcasts

Shipped From Granite Bay, Subject To Inventory

Presentation on the life of B. N. Bugbey based on Kevin Knauss PowerPoint presentation of “Benjamin Norton Bugbey, Sacramento’s Champagne King”.

Benjamin Norton (B.N.) Bugbey

1827 Birth: September 3, 1827, Stafford Connecticut

1849 Arrives In California June 11th with James McClatchy

1849 American River Mining

1850 Mercantile Business, American River

1852 Returns from Connecticut with wife Mary Jane Wells

1852 Monte Christo Hotel Manager

1853 Furniture Business, 5th & K, Sacramento

1854 Salisbury Station engaged in farming

1856 Builds First Frame House in Folsom

1856 – 1861 Elected Constable of Folsom

1861 Acquires land along South Fork American River, Salmon Falls Township

1861 – 1863 Sheriff of Sacramento County, Tax Collector

1861 Sheriff Bugbey hangs Louis Kahl for murder

1863 Purchased land from Samuel Hardesty along Brown’s Ravine that would become Natoma Vineyards. Purchase land from McEwen and Buckner new Shingle Springs that would become Duroc Ranch vineyard.

1863 First table grapes havested at Bugbey’s Natoma Vineyard, Chinese labor is employed

1863 First raisins produced at Natoma Vineyard

1863 Bugbey wins State Fair premiums for wine and grapes

1863 Sheriff Bugbey hangs George Symonds for murder

1863 James McClatchy wins Sheriff nomination over Bugbey

1864 Bugbey’s Duroc Vineyard, Shingle Springs, also producing raisins

1864 Begins selling grape vine cuttings to other growers

1864 Bugbey accused of being disloyal to the Union

1866 State Fair premiums for Natoma Vineyard red and white wines

1867 Appointed U.S. Assessor, but Bugbey nomination quickly withdrawn by President Johnson

1867 One of the judges for a Mechanics’ Institute essay contest

1867 Natoma Vineyard struck by fire, Bugbey offers reward for arrest of arsonist

1867 Bugbey caught up in voter registration fraud scandal

1867 Bugbey exhibits his chapagne in France at Paris Exhibition

1868 Nominated Agricultural Statistical Reporter by U.S. Ag Commission John Bidwell

1868 Officially switches party affiliation to Republican

1868 Wins State Fair premiums for wine, brandy, and raisins

1868 Chief Marshal of Folsom men to elect Ulysses S. Grant President

1869 Winery expansion includes large imported oak barrels and pipes for production

1869 Mary Jane Bugbey, wife of B.N. Bugbey, killed in riding accident, Mormon Island

1869 Elected Vice President of the Fruit Growers Association

1869 Fire consumes Bugbey’s home at the Natoma Vineyard in El Dorado County

1870 Marries Martinette “Nettie” McGlashan.

1870 Bugbey Champagne Waltz and Gallop music published, arranged by Hugo Yanke

1870 Marketing trip to East Coast to promote his wine, brandy, and champagne

1870 Natoma Water & Mining Co. found liable for damages to Natoma Vineyard

1871 New invention Johnston brandy still demonstrated at the Natoma Vineyard

1871 Folsom fire at Smith, Campbell & Jolly basement destroys Bugbey liquor inventory

1871 Bugbey becomes Chairman of the Sacramento County Republican Party

1872 Elected Vice President of new California Vine Grower’s and Wine and Brandy Mfg. Asso.

1872 Receives more State Fair premiums for wine, brandy, and champagne

1873 Bugbey wins first court battle against Natoma Water & Mining Co.

1874 Begins protracted legal fight over debts to Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Co.

1875 Forced to sell 10 lots in Folsom to pay creditors

1876 Nettie Bugbey receives her teaching credential, becomes Folsom school house principal

1876 Advertises the sale of thousands of eucalyptus and lime trees

1877 Files for voluntary bankrupty

1877 Bugbey arrested for public drunkeness and attempted murder of a Granite Township Constable

1877 Gospel-Temperence Union meeting in San Francisco, Bugbey pledges sobriety forever

1878 B.N. Bugbey Night Watchman at San Francisco Mint

1878 United States Supreme Court affirms Bugbey’s title to the Natoma Vineyard property

1878 New carriage axel invented by Rev. W.A. Wible and represented by B.N. Bugbey

1879 Nettie Bugbey granted divorce decree from B.N. Bugbey

1879 Appointed Deputy Sheriff by old friend Sheriff M. Drew

1879 State Fair special premium for patent axle for wagons and carriages

1879 Marries Julia Florinda Wible, daughter of Rev. Wible.

1881 Bugbey works almond orchard outside of Folsom

1881 Terra Cotta Butter Cooler exhibited by Bugbey at the State Fair.

1881 Bugbey testifies as an expert witness in Sacramento v Gold Run Ditch Company debris lawsuit

1882 Fire completely destroys Bugbey’s Folsom home prompting him to move to Sacramento

1882 Patching and Darning Tool, Bugbey solicits sales people in local newspapers

1883 Terra Cotta lined Refrigerator rail car patented by Bugbey

1884 Bugbey starts selling real estate, homes, farms, advertising money to loan, and insurance

1885 Bugbey arrested for disturbing the peace, but not for public drunkenness

1886 Appointed United States Commissioner, was he celebrating his appointment?

1886 Bugbey hears the complaints and issues arrest warrants against Nicolaus farmers for driving out Chinese labor

1886 Commissioner Bugbey holds Chinese couple on the complaint of slavery charges

1886 General Carey, defense attorney for Chinese couple, punches Commission Bugbey at court hearing

1886 Commissioner Bugbey assists in sending enslaved Chinese women to San Francisco

1887 Bugbey becomes the Under Sheriff for Sheriff Drew

1887 1,000 acre farm in Kirkville, Sutter County brought into production by Bugbey

1888 Bugbey’s official residence is 2228 N Street Sacramento, California

1888 Bugbey organizes a local Republican Club in his Fourth Ward of the City

1888 The Little Nellie Gold Mine is purchased by Bugbey in Shasta County for $20,000

1888 State Fair overwhelmed with elaborate display of produce from Bugbey’s Kirkville Farm

1891 Becomes the Under Sheriff for Sheriff Stanley

1892 Bugbey declares he is an independent candidate for Sacramento County Sheriff

1893 Appointed Deputy Constable for the City of Sacramento

1894 Bugbey runs as Independent for County Sheriff

1894 Publishes his manifesto calling for radical land reform, woman’s suffrage, nationalizing railroads and telegraph system

1898 Becomes a Silver Republican, attends convention in Los Angeles

1898 Files for county Tax Collector position which is recognized as Sheriff-Tax Collector

1898 Sacramento County claims Bugbey can’t run for just Tax Collector, Bugbey prevails in court

1898 Bugbey elected Tax Collector, must fight Sheriff and Supervisors to perform his duties

1899 Hiram Johnson represents Sheriff and loses to Bugbey’s argument he is legally the Tax Collector

1899 Takes long trip to Alaska with old friend, former Sheriff Moses Drew

1906 Bugbey profiled in local newspaper as last man to wear a shawl in Sacramento during the winter

1906 To care for his ailing wife, Bugbey starts selling his properties

1911 Women win the right to vote in California

1912 Bugbey falls at his home, but recovers

1914 B.N. Bugbey dies on November 19, Sacramento.

Bugbey had arranged to have the remains of his first wife Mary Jane, and upon the death of his third wife Julia, buried next to him in the Historic Sacramento Cemetery.