Timeline of John Sutter

1803: Johann Augustus Sutter is born in Kandern, Duchy of Baden, Switzerland.

1826: Marries Annette Dubeld; Johann A. Sutter, Jr. is born.

1834: Arrives in America.

John A. Sutter The Gold Rush dashed his dream of an agriculture-based empire.

1838: Leaves Missouri for Fort Vancouver in Oregon; once there, Sutter decides to go to California. This desire begins an odyssey that takes Sutter to the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) for five months, then to Russian Alaska and finally Yerba Buena (San Francisco) after entry papers are obtained in Monterey.

1839: Sutter sets out in August to explore the Sacramento River, settling on the banks of the American River. Sutter applies for Mexican citizenship and a land grant.

1840: Sutter's application for citizenship is granted.

1841: Sutter's land grant of 11 leagues (47,827 acres) for New Helvetia (New Switzerland) is granted. Construction of the main house begins and then expanded to include two bastions and a walled-in courtyard. Sutter purchases Fort Ross and its contents from the Russians and moves them to his fort.

1843: The fort nears completion, but is never fully completed.

1844: Sutter is appointed to the rank of captain in the California militia and is awarded an additional 22 leagues (96,800-acre Sobrante grant) of land.

1846: Sutter supports Americans fighting for independence in California, but control and command of the fort are taken from him.

1847: Sutter finances and supplies five rescue attempts of the Donner party. The party is given refuge at the fort after rescuers lead survivors out of the mountains.

March: Suttter regains control of his fort.
August: Sutter forms a partnership to build a sawmill on land leased in Coloma.

1848: Gold is discovered by the sawmill and John Jr. arrives from Switzerland to help his father with failing finances.

1849: Sutter sells the fort for $7,000 and retires to his estate south of Marysville.

1850: Sutter's wife and remaining children join him. Sutter's property throughout the Sacramento Valley is overrun by squatters.

1865: The Sutters move to Washington, D.C., to petition Congress for compensation of property damage and loss due to lack of protection by the U.S. government when it acquired California.

1880: Congress adjourns without voting on legislation to compensate Sutter $50,000 for his losses. Sutter dies of heart failure two days later.

Sources: California Department of Parks and Recreation, "Dogtown Territorial Quarterly"