A memorial and biographical history of the counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura, California Containing a history of this important section of the Pacific coast from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future; with full-page steel portraits of its most eminent men, and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also of prominent citizens of to-day, Part 14

Author: Storke, Yda Addis
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 738

USA > California > San Luis Obispo County > A memorial and biographical history of the counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura, California Containing a history of this important section of the Pacific coast from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future; with full-page steel portraits of its most eminent men, and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 14
USA > California > Santa Barbara County > A memorial and biographical history of the counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura, California Containing a history of this important section of the Pacific coast from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future; with full-page steel portraits of its most eminent men, and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 14
USA > California > Ventura County > A memorial and biographical history of the counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura, California Containing a history of this important section of the Pacific coast from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future; with full-page steel portraits of its most eminent men, and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 14

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The Lima bean is one of the staple and inost profitable products. This crop alone has averaged for some years past 800 tons an- nually, this being worth $60 per ton, de- livered at the wharf, has brought in a revenue of $48,000 per annum.

' 'Almonds and walnuts are extensively raised also, the walnut grove of Mr. Russell Heath, comprising nearly 180 acres, being the largest iu California, and producing as high as 3,000

bushels in a season. The same gentleman is a large grower of red peppers, which yield as high as $1,000 in a year. Among the other crops are common and castor beans, corn, potatoes, squashes, flax and barley.

As in most parts of Santa Barbara County, there is produced here a great variety of fruits, as apples, apricots, blackberries, figs, nectarines, olives, pears, peaches, peanuts, plums, strawberries and walnuts.

The products of this section are shipped partly by rail, and partly over the Carpente- ria wharf, the property of the Smith Brothers, built in 18-, since which time it has expe- rienced many mishaps, having been rebuilt after at least one severe storm. The wharf proper is 800 feet long, reaching water deep enough for any vessels navigating on this coast. Large and commodions warehouses, with a railway connection to the sea end, ren- der shipping over it safe and easy. Until the advent of the railway, great quantities of Inmber were imported, mostly for building and fencing.

A postoffice was established at Carpenteria in 1868, or about ten years after the original settlement here by Americans. The First Baptist Church was dedicated June 1, 1873. The town of Carpenteria is well laid out, the lots for residence purposes being of 50 feet frontage by 140 deep, and business lots 30x 140 deep. The railway traverses the settlement. The town itself is somewhat scattered, the buildings being rather widely interspersed among the fruitful orchards. Contignous to the railway station there is a tract of twenty acres, subdivided into town lots, and one block from the line is an elegant hotel, combining the Eastlake and Queen Anne styles, which cost $10,000. There are in the valley congregations of the Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian churches, and a branch of the Holiness Band, lodges of Knights

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.

of Pythias. and Good Templars. There is a capacious hall for public meetings or general assemblages, and there are three school- houses, two general merchandise stores, two saloons, a butcher shop, two blacksmith shops, etc., besides tworailway stations. Several new small towns have been projected in this valley.

LA PATERA.

This term is the general designation of the district lying to the west of Santa Barbara, and comprising all that portion of the valley between the city and the Rancho Cañada del Corral. Westward from Santa Barbara, the first grant is the Calera, or Las Positas, of 3,281 acres, made to Narciso Fabregat in 1843, and confirmed to Thomas M. Robbins and Manuela de Tines. Westward of this lies the Rancho Goleta, of 4,440 acres, and beyond that the great Dos Pueblos grant of 15,535 acres, while still farther westward is the Rancho Cañada del Corral.

Since the influx of Americans these grauts have been broken into smaller tracts, farmed in a progressive manner, and there is not in California a more productive region than the Patera. This name, by the way, means " the place of ducks," and was applied from the number of that species found upon the esteros or lagoons of this section. The greater por- tion of this region is mesa, that is to say, bench or table-land, of the greatest produc- tiveness. These mesas begin at the western extremity of La l'atera in a series of low plains or plateaus, some fifty or sixty feet above sea level, and rise to a height of 600 to 800 feet as they approach Santa Barbara. To the west- ward, a line of low hills starts from the Santa Ynez mountains, and trends toward the coast, west and southwest, completing the inclosure of the valley.

GOLETA.

Goleta (a schooner) was the name given to a rancho of 4,440 acres, granted to Daniel

Hill in 1846, by Governor Pio Pico. The soil of large portions of this and other ranchos is of the richest adobe, carrying an uncommon amount of subsoil moisture, probably from the existence of a subsoil pervious to water which allows the upward passage of the moisture from lower depths, whence it is constantly drawn by capillary attraction. This peculiarity insures this sec- tion against the failure of crops in dry years.

The little town or village of Goleta was laid off in 1875. As recently as 1877 it contained only a church, a school-house, post- office, store, inmber-yard and blacksmith shop. At the last general election 116 votes were cast at Goleta, which is the polling place for the precinct, whose whole popula- tion probably is about 750. There are now two churches, Methodist and Baptist, and a number of shops, business places and dwell- ings. The school now requires two teachers, has a fine reputation, and about eighty pu- pils in daily attendance. The community is strongly temperance in principles, and for many years tolerated no saloon. There is one now running, but nearly a mile distant from the village. Goleta is seven and threc- fourths miles west of the Santa Barbara postoffice. The town site consists of 250 acres, situated in the southwestern part of the old grant. The shipping is chiefly done over the Goleta wharf, about one mile sonth of the village, a commodions structure, fully equal to the requirements. This valley orig- inally contained dense forests of live-oak, of which a good many still dot the region, as also do sycamores. There still remain large supplies of wood in the little cañons and alongthe foot-hills. The varied Goleta soil presents a corresponding degree of eclectic- ism in its products. The main valley soil, with its peculiarity of moisture already

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.

noted, its remarkable depth and richness, produces, without irrigation, a surprising variety of farm and orchard products. Ap- ples, peaches, pears, prunes, lemons, figs, loquats and English walnuts rarely fail to yield abundant crops.

Almost every variety of garden vegetables grows luxuriantly. This district is especially famous for its enormous squashes, which are continually awarded the premiums at the county fairs. One prize squash weiglied over 270 pounds. Another was so large that, when it was bisected, the eighteen-year- old daughter of the farmer who grew the mammoth was placed in the cavity, and the halves were closed about her! This incident having given rise to a fable to the effect that eighteen-year-old maidens are sometimes found in Goleta squashes, it is said that a lively demand grew up among bachelor farmers for seeds of this remarkable and de- sirable variety of "garden truck!" The best lands hereabouts will produce ten or fifteen tons of squashes to the acre, twenty or thirty tons of beets, or one ton of beans. Until quite of late, farmers considered beans the most profitable of the crops, but now they find that other products yield better returns. A few have tried pampas grass culture with very satisfactory results, one crop amounting to 250,000 plumes, selling at $40 per 1,000, which realizes as high as $1,600 per acre. Dairying, too, appears to pay better than or- dinary farming. But the most promising industry seems to be the culture of the En- glish walnut, of which the natural home seems to be this valley. One six-year-old orchard brought its owner $30 per acre, while from orchards of fifteen to seventeen years old as much as $200 per acre is real- ized.

At one time several years' experiments proved that tobacco could readily be pro-

duced in the Goleta region, one farm yield- ing 60,000 pounds per annum, or 5,000 pounds to the acre. The San José vineyard is one of Goleta's notable places, containing 2,400 vines planted by the Mission Fathers nearly a century ago, and at least an equal number planted by Mr. James McCaffrey, the present owner, of late years. This vine- yard has produced an average product of 8,000 gallons of excellent wine yearly. The Santa Barbara nursery, owned by Mr. Joseph Sexton, is perhaps the chief show-place of Goleta, from the character of its stock, which includes forty acres of useful and ornamental trees, hundreds of rose-bushes, some 200 species of pinks and carnations, and many beautiful floricultural specialties. The San Antonio Dairy Farm also is a con- spicuous feature of Goleta, and a source of good revenue.

Goleta is on the former site of an Indian village, the residence of the aboriginal princess Ciacut. The antiquarian has found here grounds for delightful revels, and abont ten tons of Indian relics found in this local- ity have been shipped to the Smithsonian at Washington.

In the cliff rocks adjoining the wharf is found asphaltum in vast quantities, and of the pnrest quality. The deposit is in fissures and pockets. During the past twenty years probably 30,000 tons of asphaltuin from this place have been shipped, going mainly to San Francisco, and bringing from $12 to $20 per ton.

The Dos Pueblos Rancho was granted to Nicholas A. Den, but he dying the property passed to his widow, who was a danghter of Daniel Hill, and to her family. Through recent subdivisions this rancho is now in the ownership of the Den heirs, the estate of John Edwards, G. C. Welch, S. Rutherford, L. G. Dreyfus, the Tecolote Land and Water

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.

Company, the Hollister estate, Elwood Cooper, C. A. Storke, J. W. Swett, Mrs. S. Tyler, W. W. Stow, and W. N. Roberts, the last two under title through Daniel Hill, of the Goleta, to whom N. A. Den sold during his lifetime. About two-thirds of the original rancho is arable land. Mr. G. C. Welch sold to Mr. J. H. Williams some 700 acres of the old Den place, including the home rancho- house, where he has founded the seaside town of Naples.

Six miles beyond Goleta is the famous Rancho Elwood, owned by Elwood Cooper. Ground was broken here in 1870, and by 1878 Mr. Cooper had planted 200 vines, 400 assorted fruit trees, including apple, peach, plum, cherry, etc., 200 fig, 3,500 olive, 4,000 English walnut, 12,500 almond, and 25,000 eucalyptus. This tree, it may be said, was introduced into Sonthern California by Mr. Cooper, whose rancho is bordered by splendid rows thereof, comprising about fifty varieties, whose growth is almost marvelons. It is estimated that they aggregate 1,000,000 trees. Mr. Cooper's acreage was formerly 2,000, now reduced to about 1,700. This place is a veritable botanical garden, contain- ing over 1,000 species of trees and plants from all over the world, from the various climates of the temperate and the tropical zones. For, although slight frosts fall here in winter, they are not sufficient to injure the most delicate plants. While this soil is excellently adapted for citrus-fruit growing, only enough for family use is raised of these varieties. An interest which has been pro- moted lately is the raising of Japanese per- simmons, a fruit which grows finely here, and which, as it contains more sugar than most fruits, is when properly cured a very palatable and wholesome article. The prin- cipal market for this product is Chicago, as also for nuts. Of the 12,500 almond trees

already mentioned, only about one-half now remain, covering 200 or 300 acres; and while the yield per tree is not great, the aggregate is a good many tons of almonds per year, and as these nuts bring a high price, even a small crop pays better than grain-growing.

Of walnut trees, which must be planted on the best soil, there are abont 3,000, which are very prolific. Of walnuts and almonds together, some twelve or fourteen car-loads are raised annually. Of olive trees there are about 8,000 in various stages of bearing, which will yield, when all come into bearing fully, 50,000 bottles of oil. The yield from the crop now on the trees is estimated at 25,000 bottles. This is a crop which pro- duces in alternate years, requiring rest for the trees between crops. Mr. Cooper's oil is considered among the best made in this State or in Europe, and it is sold all over the United States. To the perfecting of this branch Mr. Cooper has given most careful study of foreign methods, and the results of much exercise of inventive genius on his own part, many of his appliances being of his own de- vising. Mr. Cooper's profits are greater be- cause the location of his orchards and his careful methods of cultivation do away with the need for irrigation. The soil here is a sandy loam, adobe, clayey, and deep cañon soil or alluvial detritus. It may be said further that here is perhaps the largest and most varied collection of flowers and orna- mental shrubs and plants to be found any- where on the Pacific coast, outside of public parks or ornamental grounds. As indicating the fecundity of yield, it may be said that from one Sicily lemon tree here no less than 5, 000lemons were picked in one season.

THE FAMOUS HOLLISTER PLACE

includes about 3,200 acres of the old Dos Pueblos grant, lying about twelve miles west

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.

of Santa Barbara, about five-sixths of it being rich, arable land, adapted for most agricult- ural pursuits. The tract extends one and one- half miles along the highway, and has a depth of over three miles back to the mountains. Through it run three streams of living water, ample for irrigation. The soil is mostly made up of detritus from the mountain range, and it is of exceeding fertility. This prop- erty is approached by a broad highway from Santa Barbara. Colonel William Wells Hol- lister bought this property in 1869-'70 from the executors of the Den estate, and forth- with instituted notable improvements, upon which was expended a great sum of money, although probably very much less than the rumored sum of $400,000. The business center of the property was located at "the Lower House," where the laborers were lodged and boarded, and the dairy was situated. Two miles distant from this, through an ave- nue lined with lemon trees, was situated "Glen Annie," the family residence, so named in honor of Mrs. Hollister, being sit- uated at the head of a beautiful little canon, traversed by the Tecolotito (Little Owl) Creek. The native timber on this estate is princi- pally live-oak, with smaller quantities of syc- amore and willows, and the beautiful Cali- fornia laurel. The forage is burr-clover, red and white clover, and alfileria. The planted trees are eucalyptus, pepper, many varieties of acacia, palms, walnuts, etc. Fruit culture ou this estate was carried to an ad- vanced degree. Irrigation was practiced only with the citrus fruit trees, the water being piped some eight miles through the adjacent mountain streams. Under Colonel Hollis- ter's wise administration, this estate was maintained in model condition, but since his death, his heirs have permitted it to run down, owing to continued litigation, which menaced its possession; and in effect, after

fourteen years or more of litigation, a re- cent decision has adjudged the ownership of this property to the Den heirs, owing to an informality in the probate sale.

THE WESTERN PORTION OF SANTA BARBARA.

For convenience and for geographical and social reasons, this district will be regarded as comprising the following ranchos, wholly or in part: Lompoc and Mission Vieja de la Purisima, Punta de la Concepcion, the west half of Nuestra Señora del Refugio, San Julian, Cañada de Salsipuedes, Santa Rosa, Santa Rita, Mission de la Pur- isima, and the southern half of Jesus Maria. It has a coast of thirty-seven miles, extend- ing from La Gaviota Pass or Landing west- ward to Point Concepcion, and thence south- ward to Point Pnrisima. At Point Concep- cion, the Santa Barbara Mountains, which protect the Santa Barbara Valley against the cold winds from the north, terminate ab- ruptly in the Pacific; and the west coast valleys to the northward of this point are exposed to the full force of the trade winds, which, particularly at night, supply inch moisture for the crops of summer. The climate here is accordingly cool and bracing, stimulating the system to labor, and promot- ing healthful sleep. The interior valleys are less subject to winds and fog, and they are warmer in the day, and cooler at night.

Until within the last twelve or fourteen years, the only use made of all this section was for the raising of live-stock, and the only population consisted of the few herd- ers and vaqueros necessary to look after the stock. The number of acres of arable land in this district is estimated at 35,000, in a total of 223,487.45. The chief pro- ducts are wheat, barley, beaus, corn, pota-

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toes, mustard, flax, honey, butter, cheese, wool, hogs, cattle, horses, and sheep. In 1881, this district supported 817 horses, 3,253 cattle, and 95,703 sheep. The annual production of wool is about 650,000 pounds. The soil is rich and productive, but re- quires early seeding and deep and thorough cultivation. Fruit culture is successful in the valleys which are sheltered from the strong and continual trade-winds of the Pacific.

LOMPOC.

The Lompoc Colony Lands embrace all the territory of the Lompoc and Mission Vieja de la Purisima ranchos; the title is by United States patent. These lands bor- der for seven miles on the Pacific Ocean, and extend back from the coast about twelve miles. The original Lompoc rancho, con- taining 38,335.78 acres of land, was granted by the Mexican Government to José Anto- nio Carrillo, April 15, 1837, and the Mission Vieja to Joaquin and José Antonio Carrillo, November 26, 1845, this containing 4,440 acres. Carrillo sold the Lompoc to the More Brothers, they to Hollisters, Dibblees and Cooper, who sold to a joint stock com- pany 46,499.04 acres, of which abont 24,000 acres are plain land The main valley con- tains 16,000 acres. The Santa Ynez River runs westerly through these ranchos, and for some twelve miles forms their northern boundary.

The name Lompoc is from the Indian for lagoon or little lake, probably at first two words-Lum Poc. This was modified by the Spanish to Lompoco, whence the present name. The history of Lompoc colony proper begins only as far back as 1874, when a company of California farmers and business men organized a joint-stock com- pany, under the auspices of the California Immigrant Union of San Francisco, and

bought fromn Hollister & Dibblee the Lom- poc and Mission Vieja ranchos, giving $500,000, payable in ten annual installments. The capital stock was divided into 100 shares of $5,000 each. In the deed was placed a clause of an iron-clad nature. providing against the manufacture or sale, upon the lands to be acquired in the colony, of any intoxicating beverages. The lands were now surveyed, and divided into tracts of five, ten, twenty, forty and eighty acres. For a town- site was reserved a tract one mile square, nine miles from the coast, and near the cen- ter of the valley. The water supply was sufficient for a population of 25,000.

On November 9 were held the sales of lots, amounting to more than $700,000 for city and farm tracts, leaving unsold about 35,000 acres, for which the company were offered $370,000 by the former owners. Building and farm operations were immediately begun, and within two months eighty families were occupying their new homes. A new county road was now built, connecting Lompoc with La Graciosa. Lompoc put forward a claim to be made the county-seat of a proposed new county, to be formed from a portion each of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara.

By 1875 the town was flourishing. It supported a newspaper-the Record, started April 10-a physician, a justice of the peace, and a notary public. There was a Sunday school of 100 members. Communication with the outside world was had by means of a tri-weekly stage. About this time it trau- spired that one Green, a druggist, was retail- ing liquor contrary to the terms of the land sales, and some 200 of the most reputable men and women assembled, and, first search- ing but vainly, for liquor in the other business houses, they proceeded to Green's drug store, and prepared to destroy his stock of liquors. Green resisted, and threatened violence, but

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submitted when it was intimated that the besieging party might proceed to a lynching settlement. The matrons then broke up the barrels, casks, etc., spilling the liquor, and then withdrew to their homes. This affair caused a great sensation, of more than local discussion.

The first marriage in Lompoc was that of Jesse I. Hobson and Miss Lyndia Spencer, July 25, 1875.

During this year Father McNally agitated the question of building a Roman Catholic Church at Lompoc; and so successful were his efforts that Protestants and Catholics alike gave liberally, especially the old ran- chos. Thus the church was soon built; it was christened "La Purisima," and in its tower was placed one of the bells from the old neighboring mission of La Purisima.

The first school in Lompoc was opened on May 3 by Rev. J. W. Webb, who was Grand Secretary of the order of Good Templars in Southern California. The census of this year found 225 children in Lompoc school dis- trict. On October 16 the town voted an ap- propriation of $3,000 to the school-house fund. On the first anniversary of its found- ing, the colony contained 200 families, and good church and school facilities, although the school-house, whose fund was raised by the sale of bonds, was not built until 1876.

In June, 1876, Lompoc was visited by the severest storm ever known in that section. The Lompoc Record stated that the waves ran twenty feet above the wharf. At Point Sal a $20,000 vessel was driveu ashore and totally wrecked. The Lompoc wharf at Point Purisima, thirteen miles up the coast from Lompoc, was completed this year. (In the sninmer of 1884 this wharf was extended sixty feet, the rest of it was repaired, and a new warehouse, 50 x 100 feet, was built.)

Not one name of a property owner in this |

district was in the delinquent tax list this year.

The events of 1878 were: the building of a $600 bridge across the Santa Ynez at Loin- poc, completed February 4; and a revival of the question of county division. Although nothing came of it, there was much discus- sion over this subject, as the section found it very detrimental to do business with so dis- tant a center as Santa Barbara. By this time certain unfavorable conditions had produced a state of depression in the affairs of this section. To assist in tiding over the juncture, the original owners volunteered to remit cer- tain portions of the moneys still due them from the purchasers; Colonel Hollister, hold- ing five-twelfths, and Albert Dibblee and Thomas Dibblee each holding two-twelfths of the company's indebtedness, remitted all of the accrued interest for three years and two and one-half monthis, from the time of purchase, October 15, 1874, to date, Jannary 1, 1878; also Mrs. Sherman, P. Stow, and Mr. and Mrs. Jack, each holding one-half of the indebtedness, remitted one year's interest, the whole rebate amounting to $130,000, lifting a heavy burden from the colonists.

In 1880 Lompoc contained 200 inhabitants. There were Methodist, Roman Catholic, Christian, Cumberland Presbyterian, and South Methodist church organizations, the three first named owning church structures. There was a good school-house, a public hall 30 x 60 feet, a public library, three hotels, a Good Templars' library, a fifty-horse-power steam flouring-mill, and about thirty business establishments. There were societies of Odd Fellows, Good Templars, Kuights of Pythias, and Patrons of Husbandry, also a literary and musical society and a uniformed brass band; two justices of the peace, two constables, two doctors, one lawyer and one notary public, a daily mail, and express and telegraph offices.

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The population of the colony lands was now 1,400. The territory was divided into six school districts, each having an ample school building. Moreover, a public park of five acres had been set apart for the general use.

Regarding the entire acreage this year planted as 100, the percentage of the various principal crops was as follows: wheat, .36; barley, .36; mustard, .10; beans, .7; corn, .6; hay, 4 .; flax, § ; potatoes, .¿.

In 1881 the liquor question once more came to the surface, producing the usual effect of strong waters-uneasiness and dis- order. In April there was an explosion in the Lompoc Hotel, caused by the loading with gun-powder of wood to be consumed in the store. This had once before happened while the hotel was under the management of a man who sold liquors, but who, after the explosion, closed ont his business and left the town. Against the traffic the local paper inveighed most bitterly, like all the citizens, and public meetings were hield, numerously attended and full of enthusiasm. At last, toward mid- night on May 20, a large bomb was thrown into George Walker's saloon, it being known that no one was in the building at the time. So large was the bomb, and so violent the conenssion, that Mr. Walker discontinud the business in Lompoc; the sides were thrown out, the second floor and the roof crushed in, and in fact the building was quite demolished.

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Author: Storke, Yda Addis Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 738

Author: Storke, Yda Addis
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, The Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 738