Grisby Family

Laclede to Napa Valley

Terrell Grigsby Pioneer Wine Merchant In January 2003 I visited Napa Valley, California to attend my daughter's wrestling tournament. While there I visited the Rugusci Winery that was originally the Occidental Winery built and owned by Terrell L. Grigsby who married Cynthia Faires. I'm descendant of Cynthia's sister Mary Faires who married Thomas Honssinger. Cynthia and Mary are both daughter of Robert Faires who was a Judge in Laclede County when the county formed in 1849. Reflected below is the some information I knew prior to the trip, however, most of this information was new to me. Terrell and Cynthia Faires Grigsby History About 1833 Terrell Grigsby moved to Pulaski County, Missouri which later became Laclede County. That is where he met Cynthia Faires daughter of Robert Faires. They married 1838. In 1852 Terrell and Cynthia moved to Napa County, California. Terrell's brother Captain John Grigsby migrated to Napa in 1845 as part of what became known as the Grigsby-Ide party. It is though by some that Terrell was part of this party and that he later went back to Missouri to get his family. John Grigsby and maybe Terrell was part of the Bear Flag Revolt in Sonoma, California. Terrell and John's brothers Franklin, Jesses, John Melchisadeck (Mels) and Achlles also migrated to Napa about 1852. Their father Samuel H. Grigsby and his brother George also migrated there. Terrell learned how to make wine at the Vine Cliff Winery. The Vine Cliff Winery is three miles north of Yountville on the Silverado Trail. I visited the Vine Cliff Winery in January 2003 and spoke with the current winery owner who had documentation showing that Terrell leased the Vine Cliff Winery from 1876 to 1878. The Vine Cliff Winery site reflects the history of the winery, however, it does not reflect that Terrell leased the winery prior to Fry's purchasing it. The ghost winery book below has a picture reflecting what the winery looked like while Terrell leased it. It was originally a four story building and it's cellars built as tunnels into the cliff. Now only the underground stone cellar that was under the building exist (see picture below). A new winery currently in operation that stands right next to the cellar.
Vine Cliff Winery Stone Cellar	Vine Cliff Winery
January 2003 (click on picture to enlarge) Under ground stone structure where they stored the wine	January 2003 Sign at Winery Entrance
While Terrell was leasing the Vine Cliff Winery he had his own winery build a few miles south of the Vine Cliff Winery on the Silverado Trail. He had the winery built by Chinese laborers which some unknown locals did not approve of and they burnt down the winery. He rebuilt the winery and named it the Occidental Winery. By 1880 he was producing 55,000 gallons of wine. Later the Chancellor Bank took over the whole operation when Terrell attempted to build a narrow-gauge railroad to Pope Valley failed. The winery was not in use again until 1998 when it purchased and started operating again as the Regusi Winery. The picture on the front cover of the book below is the Occidental Winery built by Terrill Grigsby. I purchased this book while visiting Napa. You can also purchase it at Amazon.com by click on the link below. Ghost Wineries of Napa Valley
Occidental/Regusi Winery January 2003
View of the Occidental Winery in the distance	Close up of the Occidental Winery
Inside the Occidental Winery	Close up of the Occidental Winery showing T. L. Grigsby carved in the stone.
I also learned while visiting Napa that the Beringer Winery was modeled after the Vine Cliff and Occidental Wineries. The Vine Cliff and Occidental Wineries were the first to gravitational system for producing wine. Old Napa Valley While I was in Napa I also purchased the book Old Napa Valley: The History to 1900 This book refers to the Terrill Grigsby's and his brothers several times. This book is also very interesting. It has great stories including the rescue of the Donner Party. It talks about the parties that left Independence, Missouri in groups. Some of the groups were: the Grigsby-Ide party headed by John Grigsby and William Ide, the Donner Party headed by Jacob Donner, the Boggs party headed by Lilburn Boggs who had been the governor of Missouri, and the Smith Company headed by Jedediah Smith. Grigsby Cemetery Markers I tried to find Terrell and Cynthia's grave sites while I was there, however, I had no luck. I did find Terrell's father, uncle and a brother's grave site though. So I took pictures to share with others. I still do not know where though Terrrell and Cynthia are buried. Yountville Cemetery, Napa County, California
Samuel H. Grigsby Terrell's father	George Grigsby Samuel's brother
Achilles Grigsby Terrell's brother	Achilles Grigsby's grave site amongst other Grigsbys.
Grigsby Orbits I visited the Sharpsteen Museum and spoke to a Mr. Brestenstein who sent me the following information: Alphonso D. Grigsby, an early day pioneer of Napa Co. and brother of the late Robert F. Grigsby died in Ashland, Oregon Aug 1923. (This is from his orbit and he states there was more info published) Robert Faires Grigsby died on Jan 26, 1923. Robert's wife was Harriet Frances Buckman. They married in 1868. They had 4 children. There was Enid Williams (Grigsby). She was Robert F's grand daughter. Enid was very much involved in the Sharpsteen Museum from the very start. Her son Arthur (Kim) still lives on the Palasades Mine property 2 1/2 miles north of Calistoga in Kings Canyon. R. F. Grigsby, The Man (The following has been excerpted from E. H. Boudreau's introduction to R. F. Grigsby's 'Sierra Madre Journal 1864' Pleasant Hill Press, Sebastopol, Calif., 1976) Robert Faires Grigsby (in later life he always signed his name as R. F. Grigsby) was one of the rugged and self sufficient men who prospected and mined in the American West and in Mexico during the last half of the 19th Century. Born in La Clead County, Missouri, on February 22 1839, he came overland with his parents to California in 1852, where the family settled in the town of Napa. His father was Terrill L. Grigsby, and his mother's maiden name was Cynthia Faires. In the spring of 1859, young Grigsby took a ship from San Francisco to go back East for a measure of higher education and to conduct some business for his father. It was at this time that he began his habit of recording his experiences, thoughts, and expenses in a notebook with the declaration: I, Robert Grigsby, do leave my home in Napa Co. California and start for the State of Tennessee. I am 20 years old and expect to be gone until I am 22. And I intend to keep a journal of my trip and the incidents thereof. By the time he had reached the West Indies (he went by way of Panama), he had decided that someday he would put his journal in print, and some of this fellow passengers offered to buy copies when it should become available. R. F. Grisby Passes (Orbit) Firday January 26, 1923 R. F. Grigsby died at 1 o'clock yesterday morning at Burke's Sanitarium where he had been for several years months under the care of Dr. Burke. Death was due to chronic rheumatism. Mr. Grigsby was born in Missouri and had he lived until February 22nd he would have been 83 years old. He came across the plains in 1852 with his parents when a boy of 12 years. He rode horse back all the way. It took six months to make the trip and on their arrival the family settled a short distance this side of Napa. There he grew to manhood, and was married in 1868 to Miss Harriet F. Buckman. Four children were born to them, two of whom survive. They are F. G. Rellett of Berkeley and R. A. Grigsby of Burkes Sanitarium together with Mrs. Grisgby. The deceased spent about thirty years of his life in mines in Mexico. Nearly twenty years at one time, and eleven at another. For many years he operated the silver mine about three miles from Calistoga, and owned the property at the time of his death.