Kim Turnboo
Photo courtesy of
Kim Turnboo
Photo courtesy of
Kim Turnboo
The little town of Frenchtown is just east of Shingle Springs. Once a thriving farming and mining community, there is not much left of the town except a few older buildings and the cemetery. If you listen closely though, you can hear the stories of the families who settled and raised their families here.
In 1850, David Watkins, along with 5 other men (known as the Hennepin Company) came out to California from Ohio in search of gold. They left behind their families while settling just east of Shingle Springs. Here they mined and farmed the land. In 1852 two of the men returned to Ohio and Illinois to bring back the families they had left behind. Mercy Bennett was among the family members to return to California. Born just after the close of the American Revolutionary War, her family left New Jersey when she was 17 years old and went to Ohio. Later married to John Watkins, she moved to Illinois until her son, David Watkins, returned from California to bring her out with the other family members. Her husband since passed, she then walked the distance from Illinois to California making her trip from New Jersey, Ohio, Illinois and then to California -- a trip clear across the United States. She was 67 years old when she arrived at Frenchtown California in 1853. The families homesteaded, mined and farmed the land. At one time, this area was known as having the largest vineyards in all of Northern California. Homestead records show hundreds of acres of grapes were at one time planted in this region. The Watkins families married into the Carbine, Trujillo, Neilson, Carpenter, Turnboo and other families.
Hugh Turnboo came here in the 1850's from Tennessee, returning eight times as wagon master to and from the golden state. His gun when he died is said to have several notches carved into the handle. He married Lucinda Watkins, daughter of David Watkins, and had several children in the Frenctown area. Several of his family members still reside in El Dorado County and are members of the Frenchtown Cemetery Association.
Other settlers included the Barrette family who settled in Frenchtown in the 1850's and opened a store until 1865 when the mines in the area failed. Guillaume Barrett than began farming and wine making. Guillaume Barrette at one time had 8,000 vines planted. Mr. Barrett died in 1882 and was buried in the Frenchtown Cemetery. His sons continued to farm and in 1915 Phillip Barrett donated the land on which the Frenchtown Cemetery is now located to the Frenchtown Cemetery Association. This land was originally homesteaded in 1876.
The first burial took place in 1860 for L.T. Waters.
In 1881, an epidemic of diphtheria swept through and left many dead. That same year Mercy Bennett Watkins, who traveled clear across the United States on foot, passed away at the age of 95 years. It is said that five generations attended her funeral. Today her great great great great grandchildren are among the members of the association who maintain this little cemetery on the hill.
French Town Cemetery is privately owned and is maintained by French Town Cemetery Association.
There are many unmarked graves due to the fire that burned many of the wooden tombstones. Anyone with information regarding these unmarked graves please contact Kim Turnboo (530) 644-6757 or e-mail her. Thank you.
Return to the