Edward Bale
Edward Turner Bale was born in 1810 and died young in 1849. He is best known for building the Bale Grist Mill near the town of St. Helena. He married Maria Ignacia Soberanes in 1839. Maria was the niece of Mariano and Salvador Vallejo.
Bale feuded with Salvador after he allegedly caught him embracing Maria. The two men dueled and Salvador won. He then whipped Bale as punishment for his allegation. Bale retaliated by traveling to Sonoma and shooting at Salvador Vallejo as he walked down the street with Cayetano Juarez. Bale hit Juarez, but not Vallejo.
A group of Wintu caught Bale fleeing the scene and he was handed over to Jose de los Santos Berryessa. Bale was found guilty but his sentence was overturned by Governor Micheltorena because he was British. The governor did not want to upset Hudson’s Bay Company.
