Bald Mountain Ranch (now Twain Harte Meadow) was the meeting place for Mi Wok Indians prior to the Gold Rush. The year 1850 brought Alfred and Jenita Fuller from Ohio, across the plains by covered wagon, intending to mine in Butte County. Alfred eventually became the toll road agent for the Sonora-Mono Road. His son, William, was born in 1873 and became a prominent figure in the preservation of the culture and language of the Mi Wok people. By the time of his death in 1958, there were only 30 remaining pure blood Mi Woks in the county.

Chief Fuller has been interviewed by scores of historians and is the topic of several historical brochures. He spent years documenting the language and customs of his people and his expertise is preserved in the University of California system and the Library of Congress.

Locally, Chief Fuller was recognized for his long range weather reports which were usually accurate. Chief Fuller said that his predictions were based on natural phenomena and through his own observations and not from any Indian lore handed down by his family. His son, Richard, was born here in Cedar Ridge, moved to Tuolumne in 1930 and died in 1977 . . . .the Cedar Ridge connection. Among the records of this extraordinary man’s life was an event that elicited responses nationally. In 1579 Sir Francis Drake extorted a grant of the lands of California from the Indians (Mi Wok). He then granted the land to the British Crown. In 1937, a plaque was erected in Tuolumne by E Clampus Vitas commemorating the revocation of this Grant and returning the land of the Indians to them. A newspaper account covered the event thusly:
“. . . Organization officers with great formality waited upon the longtime Chief (Fuller) and gave the United States back to him on behalf of all Indians.”  This proclamation was noted by the Senate of the State of California at Chief Fuller’s death.

Personal letters, newspaper accounts and historical reports along with commemoratives of this event are on file at the Tuolumne County Historical Society. It is from their files we have produced this wonderful portrait of William Fuller and we are grateful for their help.

Copyright 1998-2000 � Joan Lainen
Published here with permission of Joan Lainen

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