Story of Lafayette "Punch" Choisser

Lafayette "Punch" Choisser was 15 years old when he and his brother departed Illinois in 1849 in a California-bound wagon train. the diminutive five-foot tall miner eventually found his way to Bear Valley. In October 1857, Lafayette Choisser was involved in the murder of barman Joseph Biegler. He left camp and was some time later arrested. In February 1858, Choiser was found guilty at the District Court in Mariposa and sentence to confinement in state prison for twenty years. Choisser did not serve the full term as he was freed sometime in the early 1860s. On July 30, 1865, Lafayette Choisser married Julia Georgette Aldridge in Saline Illinois. The Choissers returned to Bear Valley around 1970 and lived in a house Lafayette built at the north end of town. Around the mid 1870s, Lafayette became the constable for Bear Valley and a Deputy Sheriff for Mariposa.

In 1878 (some sources place the date as January 15 while other say May), Lafayette Choisser was waiting at the rear window at the Mariposa Court House for Indian Willie Rose who had just been found guilty of murdering Jonas Thompson (there was some doubt about the Indian's guilt as the evidence was slight and circumstantial). Choisser had an extra horse to spirit the prisoner away as the vigilante Coachilla Rangers wanted to hang Willie Rose straightaway. Choisser and his prisoner who soon spotted and the chase was on. The leader of the Rangers, a man by the name of Laird, began his pursuit well before the others and at times was close enough to shoot his pistols, but to no effect. The route ran through Princeton (Mt. Bullion) and down the toll road. Choisser and Willie changed horses at Hornitos and a friendly liveryman delayed the Ranger leader for a time. Eventually, Choisser and Willie made the 45 mile ride to Merced (where Willie was safely locked up in jail) in four hours, a then record time. Choisser the next day, Choisser and Willie took a train to San Francisco where Willie was turned over to authorities from San Quentin prison.

Sadly, Lafayette Choisser was found murdered on November 18, 1884 on the trail leading to Coulterville from Benton Mills (Bagby). The assassination took place about a half mile from Benton Mills. Two blows to the head were administered, one to the left temple which broke the skull or frontal bone leaving a cut about one and a half inches in length. The other to the back of the head, cutting through the scalp and causing a fracture to the skull bone.

John B Trabucco Home

Built circa 1894 by John B. Trabucco, son of Louis & Eleanor Trabucco. John was the postmster and Wells Fargo agent for a time and operated out of the Bon Ton Saloon/ Hotel. He also operated the Exchange Hotel in Princeton (now Mount Bullion) from 1901-1910. John Trabucco's house was next door to the home of Lafayette Choisser (the remains of which are gone).

Eleanor Trabucco's Store

Louis Trabucco emigrated from Italy in 1847, joined a wagon train bound for California in 1850, eventually arrived in Bear Valley in 1852, and opened his first store in that town in 1856. After being successful in his mining and business ventures in Mariposa County, Louis returned to Italy in 1858 and married Elana Lambruschini in 1860. Returning to Bear Valley, the Trabuccos opened stores in Bear Valley, Benton Mills (Bagby), Mount Ophir, and Princeton (Mount Bullion). After their original store was burnt down in 1869 (a fire started by one of their young children), the Trabuccos moved to the north end of Bear Valley and purchased the old Franklin Building (Jacobs' store), which may have burnt down in the same fire, and rebuilt their home and store. It burned down again in 1897 and was rebuilt by L.B. Chenowith in that same year. Eleanor continued running the store until 1912.

Bear Valley Jail

Built on a slight rise in 1872, the Bear Valley Jail was built of schist rock set firmly in mortar. The 20 ft X 20 ft jail was 10 feet high and equipped with a heavy iron ring embedded in its center, to which the leg irons of prisoners could be attached to limit their movement within.

Bear Valley Schoolhouse

The 50 ft x 30 ft schoolhouse was built with a bell tower by L.B. Chenowith in 1897. The school closed in 1913, but was re-opened in 1929. The school's belfry was removed when it was remodeled during the 1930s (and the bell stolen). The schoolhouse was closed for good in 1952. It is now a private residence.

Oso Oddfellows Lodge

The two-storied building with two foot thick plastered walls is believed to have been constructed by Giuseppe Quierolo around 1858. Garibaldi Restaurant & Hotel was located in this building in the early 1860s and it housed the post office in 1868. In 1862, the building was taken over by Oso Oddfellows Lodge #110. The building was damaged in the 1888 fire, but repaired soon after. The Lodge used the upper floor for meetings while renting the lower floor to fund its works. In 1950, the Oso Lodge was combined with the Mariposa Lodge. Starting in 1954, the building housed the Oso Museum for a number of years.

Simpson & Trabucco Store

Also known as the Castle Building, the original store was built of schist and mud with 18 inch walls around 1858/59. The store was damaged in the 1899 fire and rebuilt by L. B. Chenowith in 1899/1900. In 1899, the ground floor was a meat market and the upstairs used for lodging. Judging by the gas sign, the Simpson & Trabucco Store was pumping gas in the late 1970s.

Pendola Store doorway ruins

The original store was built circa 1855. It was acquired by Nicolas Pendola, a native of Italy and shoemaker by trade, about 1862. Pendola, like so many others, left his home and journeyed to the gold mines of California to seek his fortune. He labored in the mines, accumulating enough money that he was able to open a general merchandise store and make a thriving business.

Unknown Building

This stone (or adobe) looking building lies behind a house (Lindsay Place, built in 1895 by L. B. Chenowith) next to the Pendola Store doorway ruins. Nothing is known about this building, but it looks similar to a powder house in Coulterville.

Cavagnaro Store

This building was constructed of schist and clay in 1857. From 1857 through the 1860s, this building was the dry goods store of B. Oppenheim. The store was also used as a Post Office in the 1860s. The store was sold to Quierolo and Castagnetto in 1868. Dominico Castagnetto ran the store for many years. The store was sold around 1900 to Cavagnaro, who used it for storage.

Bon Ton Cafe

This is the site of Ames & McCarty's Oak Tree Saloon (1867), Anti-Coolie Hotel (1868), and Peard's Saloon (1876-1888). John Trabucco purchased the building in 1888, just three days before it burnt down in the fire that destroyed most of Bear Valley. The present structure was built (or moved to this location) after the 1888 conflagration. The north wall of the building has a window which faced the Cavagnaro storehouse just two feet away. On December 1888, Bert McFadden's "New Saloon" ("Bon Ton") opened. Harold & Ellen Trabucco ran the Bon Ton Boarding House from 1932 to 1942. The Bon Ton became a restaurant in 1960. The foundation of the storehouse to the rear of the restaurant was built in the 1860s.

The Company Store

Initialy built of wood circa 1857, this building was the Las Mariposas Grant office and store (also known as Fremont offices and store). The building was burnt down in 1862 and rebuilt with rock and mud. In the 1870s, the building was home to J. W. Wilcox, Las Mariposas Grant Manager, who was also the State Assemblyman from 1863-1865, 1871-1873, and 1875-1877. The building later became the residence of the Mariposa Commercial & Mining Co. foreman in 1887, but it burned down again in 1888 along with a major portion of town.

Bear Valley Cemeteries

The Public and I.O.O.F. cemeteries are located in the same general area east of town.