10/15/2024
On this date 178 years ag in Yuba County history (October 18, 1846), “there arrived at Bear River a company of emigrants, several members of which were to play important parts in the settlement and development of Yuba and Sutter Counties. Of these, Claude Chana, late of Wheatland, was one of the leading spirits. Born in the department of Rouen, France, in 1811, he came to New Orleans, arriving on March 7, 1839, where he worked as a cooper. He was one of the first settlers of the town of St. Joseph, Mo., where he settled in 1841. While there, he heard from an old trapper who had been through the Sacramento Valley, of the wonderful climate of California and of the flourishing settlement of John A. Sutter. In 1846 he sold his property in St. Joseph to this trapper and joined a train that was crossing the plains. This train consisted of 500 wagons and over 1000 men. They crossed the Missouri River on May 10, 1846. The train contained emigrants for Oregon, Utah, California and other destinations. The emigrants organized into companies, according to the place of their destination, Mr. Chana being in what was called the California Company, and this party led the train. In 1846 Charles Covillaud, who was a member of the same company, and Michael Nye, a member of General Bidwell's party, entered the employ of Cordua; Chana, who had brought his cooper tools, went to work for Sutter, at the fort, making water tanks, barrels, churns, pails, etc., for settlers throughout the whole valley.”
(History of Yuba and Sutter Counties by Peter J. Delay)
