Senor John Coppinger, Mexican landowner?

Around 1837, Coppinger arrived in the Woodside area and joined Englishman James Weeks in cutting lumber. A saw pit was the method used in those days before sawmills. A pit was made about 16 by 24 feet and 8 feet deep. Logs were rolled over the top of the pit. One man went down into the pit and one stayed on top. By using a long saw between them, they would cut the timber. Two good woodmen might be able to cut 100 feet of beams in a day. At that time, a dozen or so American or European drifters populated the Redwood forests. Some, like Coppinger, were former sailors who had abruptly given up life on the sea. They would cut lumber or shingles to make a living for a while and frequently move on.

Coppinger apparently didn't hang out with the local drifters much. He preferred to take his leisure in Monterey drinking with old friends, possibly including Alvarado. In 1839, Coppinger married Marie Luisa Soto from the Santa Clara area. This enhanced his eligibility for gaining land. In marrying her he also became a Mexican citizen. The requisite Catholic religion would not have been a problem for Irishman Coppinger.

Coppinger's friendship and loyalty to Alvarado was rewarded with a land grant in 1840. Most of the other ranchos on the Peninsula were on relatively flat land, as this was cattle country. Coppinger's land was mostly in the hills, unsuitable for running cattle. It rose from Cañada Road to Skyline Boulevard, sandwiched between the Rancho Feliz and Rancho Corte Madera. Coppinger built a house at the junction of Woodside Road and Kings Mountain Road. Around here the settlement of Woodside grew, as his place became a center of activity. Liquor stills started to appear in the woods under his watchful eye. In 1841, Mexican troops swept Coppinger's woods seeking foreigners living there without proper authorization from the government. They evicted 10 Europeans, but found no Americans.

The Mexican-American War came in 1846 and with it the beginning of American settlers in the area. Coppinger started selling off sections of his property, but by 1847 he had died. When the gold rush brought throngs of people to California, most of the old crowd in Woodside was gone. Coppinger's house stood for many years. It became known as the Coppinger-Greer place, as his widow married John Greer in 1851. It lasted until the 1906 earthquake knocked it down.

Rediscovering the Peninsula appears in the Monday edition of the Daily Journal. For more information on this or related topics, visit the San Mateo County History Museum, 777 Hamilton St., Redwood City.