SUTTER, JOHN AUGUSTUS (1803-188o), American pioneer, was born of Swiss parents at Kandern in the Grand Duchy of Baden on Feb. 15, 1803. He came to America in 1834 and purchased land in Missouri, but in 1838 went overland to California by way of the Oregon trail. Here he was given a grant of 49,00o ac. of land on the Sacramento river by the Mexican governor on condition that he would fortify and develop it into a strong Mexican outpost. Sutter became a citizen of Mexico and was appointed "Commissioner of Justice and Representative of the Government on the Frontier of the Rio del Sacramento." He built not only a strong fort and other buildings but a mill, tannery, distillery, blanket factory, blacksmith and other shops, for which he hired skilled workers. He imported Hawaiians and hired Indians to cultivate the land. He traded with the Indians for furs and purchased a schopner and other boats which plied on the Sacramento. More land was acquired and he rapidly became wealthy. His settlement, "New Helvetia," became a rendezvous for adventurers, sailors, trappers and hunters and for an increasing number of Americans. His growing strength and independence and, above all, his hospitality to the Americans, made him the object of increasing hostility on the part of the Mexican authori ties. In 1846 when the Bear Flag revolt took place and Fremont (q.v.) arrived with American troops, Sutter at first maintained an
appearance of fidelity to the Mexican Government. However, he made but little objection when Fremont took control of his fort and made use of his property. After California was acquired by the United States and settlement became more rapid Sutter felt the need of a new mill. It was while digging the mill race that the famous discovery of gold in California (1848) was made. Sutter tried to keep the strike a secret, but in vain, and his property was soon overrun by gold seekers from whom he could not pro tect himself. What was worse, the U.S. Supreme Court found the title to 98,000 ac. of his land invalid. Much of what was left him was used to reimburse those to whom he had granted sub titles which he was forced to make good. Soon he was bankrupt. From 1871 to the year of his death he petitioned Congress an nually for some reimbursement for his services. He died at Washington, D.C., on June 18, 188o, the evening after Congress had again adjourned without recognition of his claims.
See B. Cendrars, Sutter's Gold (1926) ; T. J. Schoonover, Life and Times of General J. A. Sutter (1907) ; "John A. Sutter" in Society of California Pioneers' Quarterly, vol. v., pp. 39-53, 85-502 (1928).