From the Mariposa Gazette, June 25, 1910:
Mrs. Margaret OLCESE of Oakland is visiting relative here.91

OLCESE, Mrs. Margaret May 25, 1912 Mariposa Gazette
Mrs. Margaret Olcese, a former resident of Hornitos, died in Oakland on Saturday last week, following an illness of several weeks.

Date: Fri, 12 Feb 1999 12:05:52 EST
From: <[email protected]>
Subject: [CAMARIPO-L] Mariposa County's Indian Gulch
Orignally, Indian Gulch, one of the oldest settlements in Mariposa County, was called Santa Cruz, or Holy Cross, for the two white crosses on a hill that the first white men saw coming into the area. I suppose the crosses were for a religious purposes - have no other info..
When the first post office was established, it was necessary to change the town's name - another on the coast was called Santa Cruz. The name, Indian Gulch, was picked because of the two Indian settlements along the creek - one at each end of town. For many years, their arrowheads, mortar stones, and beads were found scattered along the banks.
Never large, 700 at the most, the village did have some good placer mining, but no famous veins. The town was composed of two streets lined with the stores, blacksmith shops, livery stables, and fandango house - with the homes on the town's outskirts. One blacksmith, Zacharias GONZALES, had a blacksmith shop in Indian Gulch, and the first underground(?) fandango hall in Hornitos. His blacksmithing attracted Joaquin Murrieta as a customer. (I wonder if his fandango hall did likewise:-)) The town's other blacksmith was Charles MERINO, a skilled wroughter and wheelwright, who made harness, bridles, spurs, and saddles.
Supposedly, Frenchman, Jean G. MOREY, built the town's first store - one of a chain, with the others on the Fresno River and at French Camp near Stockton. The MOREY & Co. store built in 1854 still stood in 1975. Morey was also a cattle partner with Jim and John CUNNINGHAM of the old WALTZ Ranch.
Among the other merchants was Adolph la MARIE who came to CA in 1851 and operated an adobe hotel across from Morey's store. He and Morey jointly owned a butcher shop and liquor store. James MORTON, the first postmaster and Chinese Counsel for Mariposa County, was killed in an 1863 quarrel. Andrew OLCESE had a store there in 1853. In 1859 he traded his Indian Gulch store for Joe CASSARETO's Hornitos store, and they exchanged living places.

From the Oct 21, 1876 issue of the Mariposa Gazette: Town Of Hornitos
On Wednesday last we paid a visit to the town of Hornitos......
....Andrew Olcese, a merchant, who has been engaged in the merchantile business for many years, has a fine store, well filled with dry goods, grooceries, hardware, harnesss, saddlery and trinkets of every emaginable sort and kind. Mr. Olcese is likewise postmaster and agent of Wells, Fargo & Co. As he is building a fine two story residence adjoining his store, which when completed will be an ornament to the town, we conclude that he is prospering in business....

OLCESE, Andrew December 9, 1893 Mariposa Gazette:
Many citizens of this county will be shocked to learn of the death of Andrew OLCESE, which occurred at his home in Oakland, on December 4th, Mr. OLCESE for many years, was one of the leading merchants of Hornitos, and his upright honorable life, and generous nature made him firm friends among all who knew him. A few years ago he removed to Oakland, but never entirely severed his interests with htis county, and always retained a feeling of affection for this home of his young manhood and middle age. He was an enterprising, progressive man, and had accumulted a large fortune by close adherence to business. His ear was ever ready to listen to the call for aid and his generous heart prompted many kindly acts to the poor, or distressed. A widow and a large family of sons and daughters, are left to mourn the loss of this loving husband and father. Mr. OLCESE was a native of Italy, and was 62 years old.

The following Directory has been transcribed from the SCHELLENS COLLECTION by W. A. Castor:

Hornitos
Pg. 156

Grand Lodge of California F&AM, proceedings 1869-70: 1869
Hornitos Lodge No. 98 5/8/1856 Charter

Officers: Alfred W CLOUGH
Samuel W. CARR (Walker)
William ADAMS
Emile OLIVIA (Emilio)
Samuel C. BATES (Claghorn)
William A. GRADE (Adolph)
Thomas WARK
Alexander McELROY
Joseph SPAGNOLA (SPAGNOLLI)
Matthew O. BARBER (Oran)
Jean MARTIN

Past Masters: Alexander McELROY, Samuel W. CARR, William IRVIN,
Robert R. GIVENS, Alfred W. CLOGH

Master Masons:
Victor AMY George LEPETICH
Benedito ARDIZZI Louis J. MARTIN
Nathaniel Ashe BAILEY Charles MERCK
James W. BLACKBURN Maurice NEWMAN
Charles Hedick Blackaway Andrew OLCESE
Seneca George BROWNFIELD Bernhard OPENHEIM (Benjamin
John Frank CASSELL Thomas R. PALMER
Bartholomeo CASTAGNETTO David Mitchell POOL
John Francis CLARK (CLARKE) Solomon SCHOENFELD
Ernest CONNEAU Lewis Orrin SHARP
James CUNNNGHAM Porter B. SMALLWOOD
Manuel De SILVA James THOMAS
William Benjamin FLOYD Fred Nissen THOMPSON
William GILL Chris THROBE
Benno W. JAUCHIUS (?) Peyton Young WELCH
Jacob Yost JONES James Riggs WHITE
David Steward KIRKPATRICK Henry WILLIAMS
James KIRKWOOD
Dropped: Victor POUPION, George N. BROWER, Thomas S. BURNETT
Withdrawn: Ernest SIMON, William H. TICHENAL
Died: W. W. JACKSON, Luther J. ROSS

1870- John Chas. WELCH, Roland ELLIS, Morison McHENRY
V. AMY, C. H. BLACKAWAY, E. CONNEAU,
P.B. SMALLWOOD, C. THROBE, M. De SILVA, L. J. MARTIN

The following Directory has been transcribed from the SCHELLENS COLLECTION by W. A. Castor:

Hornitos
Pg. 158
1878 Business Directory
William ADAMS, blksmith and notary public
Robert ARTHUR, blksmith
R. W. BARCROFT liquors
A. CAMPODONICO, genl mdse
S. N. CARR justice of the peace
Carlo, CAVAGNARO genl mdse
GAGLIARDO & Co, genl mdse
Mrs. A. KOCHER, dry goods
Henry LESSMAN, brewery
S. A. McELROY justice of the peace
Charles MERCK, liquors and bakery
Andrew OLCESE, genl mdse, postmaster, and agt Well Fargo
George REEB, meat market
G. B. SEMARILE genl mdse
E. H. TRESCOTT physician
George TURNER, wagon maker
William TURNER livery stable
WEBER & RODGERS genl mdse
WEBBER & SAYRES bookmakers

Hornitos
Pg. 160
1880-81 Business Directory
"Is a small place 22 miles from Merced. Pop. 400."
William ADAMS, blksmith notary public
Robert ARTHUR, blksmith
R. W. BARCROFT, liquors
A. CAMPODONICO, genl mdse
S. W. CARR JoP
GAGLIARDO & CO, genl mdse
Mrs A. KOCHER, dry goods
Henry MESSMAN brewery
Alex McELROY JoP
Charles MERCK liquors and bakery
Andrew OLCESE, genl mdse, postmaster, agt Wells Fargo
George REEB, meat market
G. B. SEMARILE, genl mdse
E. H. TRESCOTT, physician
George TURNER, wagon maker
W. T. TURNER, livery and constable
WEBBER & RODGERS genl mdse
WEBBER & SAYRES bootmakers

The following Directory has been transcribed from the SCHELLENS COLLECTION by W. A. Castor:
Hornitos
Pg. 161
1886-7 Business Directory
"A post and express town, reached be SP Co‘s Visalia Division to Merced,
thence be stage 22 miles. Freight goes to Merced, which is also the nearest
banking town. Pop. 175"
William ADAMS, notary public
R. ARTHUR, blksmith
R. W. BANCROFT, saloon
Mrs J. CAMPODONICO, genl mdse
Mrs. C. CAVAGNARO, genl mdse
G. GAGLIARDO & CO, genl mdse
Mrs A. KOCHER, dry goods
Mrs. E. LESSMAN, brewer
Mrs. E. MERCK, baker and saloon
A. OLCESE, also OLCESE & GARIBALDI, Merced,
and OLCESE & MONTERVERDE, La Grand, genl mdse
George TURNER, wagon maker
Henry WILLIAMS hotel

Hornitos
PG. 162
Polk 1890 Business Directory
"Dating as a settlement from 1852, is located in Mariposa county 20 miles
west of Mariposa, the county seat, and 23 northeast of Merced, the nearest
shipping and banking point. In the vicinity are 3 quartz mills, a Catholic
church, and a population of 400. Shipments: gold, grain and live stock. Daily
mail stages to Merced and Mariposa, $2.00 to either. Exp WF. Mail daily.
Samuel W. CARR, postmaster. "
William ADAMS, blksmith
Robert ARTHUR, blksmith
R. W. BARCROFT, saloon
Jake BASSETT, wagon maker and constable
Joseph BAUER, barber and carpenter
Michael BAUER, livery
C. O. BROWN, harness maker
BUFFUM & STOCKTON, stock raisers
Mrs. CAMPADONICO, genl store
Olive E. CARR, asst PM
Samuel W. CAR, JoP and PM
Charles CAVAGNARO, genl store
Mrs. Emily DAGNAULT, propr Hornitos Hotel
Enterprise Gold Mining Co
GAGLIARDO, & genl store
Mrs KOCHER, dry goods
Elizabeth L. LESSMAN, brewery
Ned MARCOT, machinist
Mrs. MIRCK, saloon
Andrew OLCESE, genl store, agt Wells Fargo
George REEB, meat market
George TURNER, wagon maker
Gregory WALZ, shoemaker

Hornitos
Pg. 163
1915 Bradstreet Business Directory
"Stage from Merced Falls, 7 miles. Pop 160. Postoffice. Telegr and expr at
Merced Falls. Banking at Merced 23 miles"
ARTHUR Bros. blksmiths
Michael BAUER, livery
Charles B. CAVAGNARO, genl store
GAGLIARDO & Co., genl store
Pat GARRATE, saloon
R. MUELLER Sr., hotel
SANCHEZ Bros., saloon