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 37
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 37
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 37
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Saltmarsh Canon,-named after John Saltmarsh, promises well.
Well No. 1 was completed in January, 1888. It is 290 feet deep, and produces seventy-five barrels daily.
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No. 2 was abandoned on account of "crooked hole " and caving, at 350 feet deep.
No. 3 is finished to a depth of 400 feet. It is pro- ducing forty barrels per day.
Santa Paula Canon,-formerly called "Mupu Cañon," contains the group called the "Scott " wells, situated about five miles from the town of Santa Paula. They are from three to ten years old. There were eleven or twelve in all, some five or six only of which are now producing an aggregate of about eleven harrels per day. They range from 200 to 1,000 feet deep The oil is black.
Wheeler Canon-contains three wells, drilled in 1887-'88, which yield only about ten harrels per day in the aggregate.
Aliso Canon-promises to produce oil in paying quantities.
During 1887-'88 the Hardison & Stewart Oil Com- pany erected at Santa Paula refining works which are claimed to be the most complete of the kind in the country. The machinery and equipment in general include the latest improvements for oil refining. This company manufactures benzine, illuminating oil, gas and domestic fuel, distillates, 'wool oil, neutral oil, lubricating oils, and maltha. The crude oil yields from fifteen to twenty per cent. of illuminating oil, and from thenty to twenty-five per cent. of maltha or as- phaltum. The illuminating oil is of excellent quality, and claimed to be superior to any that has been made on the Pacific Coast. It burns with a clear and ste-dy flame, and is free from smoke or disagreeable odor. The asphaltum is used for pipe dipping, for the man- ufacture of paints and varnishes, and for coating roofs, bridges, etc. It is a beautiful glossy black, absolutely impervious to water, and particularly adapted to coat- ing iron. The lubricating oil is said to have a lower cold test than any other ever discovered in the United Stales. It does not harden until it reaches a much lower degree of cold than any other oil known, hence is adapted to locomotives and other machinery subject to cold weather.
The oil regions of California have head- quarters at Santa Paula, where there are six companies, viz .: the Hardison & Stewart Oil Company, Sespe Oil Company, Torrey Cañon Oil Company, Mission Transfer Oil Company, Ventura Oil Company, and O'Hara Brothers. The most extensive petroleum oil operations are on the Rancho ex-Mission, situated along the south side of Sulphur Mountain, begin- ning about four miles northwest of the town,
and extending westerly eight iniles. These works are owned and operated by the Hardi- son & Stewart Company, incorporated with a capital stock of $1,000,000. Lyman Stewart is president and general manager; W. L. Hardison, vice-president and treasurer; Alex. Waldie, secretary. This company has been most successful in its development, having a large production trom their many wells and tunnels. There is connected with the com- pany's offices at Santa Paula a complete tele- phone system. The region is a network of pipe lines conveying the oil to Santa Paula, Ventura and Hneneme. The next most ex- tensive oil developments in this region are located at Sespe, and are owned and operated by the Sespe Oil Company, with its office at Santa Paula. The company has a capital stock of $250,000. Thomas R. Bard is president; D. McFarland, vice-president; W. L. Hardison, treasurer and general manager; Alex. Waldie, secretary. The Torrey Canon Oil Company is opearating three iniles south of Piru Station. Its officers are: Thos. R. Bard, president: W. S. Chaffe, vice-president; I. H. Warring, secretary; W. L. Hardison, superintendent. The production of the re- gion is also very large, and is piped to Santa Panla. The wells have telephone connection with the main office. These fonr companies keep a large force of men constantly engaged in the drilling of new oil wells; and thus the production is being constantly augmented. The Mission Transfer Company has a capital stock of $500,000; T. R. Bard is president; Lyman Stewart, vice-president; W. L. Hardi- son, treasurer and general manager; I. II. Warring, secretary. This company has about 100 miles of pipe lines and forty tanks, the largest one holding 30,000 barrels. They have fifty-two oil-tank cars, and have a re- finery, where they make all the varions pro- ducts usually manufactured from petroleum,
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notably Inbricating oil, gas oil and naph- tha. Asphaltum (maltha) is also refined in large quantities, and is used extensively both on this coast and in the East for coating pipe and other iron goods, for roofing, and for paving purposes. No industry in the Golden State promises better results than its oil devel- opments; and nothing is more beneficial to Ventura County, and to Santa Paula in partic- ular, than the business of these four oil com- panies. With an abundance of cheap petro- leum for fuel no section offers better advant- ages for manufacturing purposes than Santa Paula.
The prospects of this industry are now brighter than ever before. The Sespe Oil Company has now drilled thirty-one wells, varying in depth from 450 to over 1,800 feet, yielding at this time an average product of 7,000 barrels monthly. The last well, No. 29, promises to give 150 to 300 barrels per diem. Developments have just begun on the " Kentucky Oil Claim," where, in well No. 2, was struck near the surface sand-rock so full of oil that it could not be drilled over 200 feet ; after exhausting this well by pump- ing, work will be continued. The Sespe Oil Company has a lease of abont 7,000 acres of
the best oil lands on the Simi Rancho, and are beginning to drill thereon, the territory being decmed rich in oil. The production of the Hardison & Stewart Company is in- creasing very rapidly, being 8,000 to 9,000 barrels per month. Adams Cañon well, No. 13, opened Angust, 1887, has to date pro- duced 125,000 barrels, which, at the average price of fuel oil-$1.75 per barrel-has been a fortune in itself. They have in all drilled thirty-four wells, the last of which, in Adams Cañon, averages over 125 barrels per day. They have at present three sets of tools, each employing four experienced drillers, pushing developments more rapidly than ever before, and the expectation is that 20,000 barrels per month will be reached before the close of the year. No part of the development has paid better than the oil tunnels. Adams' Tunnel, No. 3, where three men were killed in April, 1890, by a gas explosion, was at that time 950 feet long; work has just been resumed, and it is expected to reach 1,000 to 2,000 feet further into the mountain, which it will drain of oil.
In 1889 work was began in the Upper Ojai Valley, and two wells are yielding average production, with a third well now in process of drilling.
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RESIDENCE OF A. SCHIAPPA PIETRA .- SAN BUENAVENTURA, VENTURA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.
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netthe's.
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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
CHIAPPA PIETRA BROS., upright and capable business men of San Buena- ventura, came here as pioneers in 1857, when there were scarcely any Americans in the whole county. They are natives of Italy. Sr. A. Schiappa Pietra was born February 2, 1832, and in 1853 came to Cali- fornia, and after spending six months in San Francisco he came to San Luis Obispo and opened a general merchandise store, which was conducted successfully for fourteen months. He then sold out and went to San Fransisco in search of a locality for business, but, fail- ing, he visited San Diego, San Bernardino and other places in Sonthern California and located in Santa Barbara, engaged in general merchandise; and while there, in 1857, he started a store in San Buenaventura, and in 1878 sold out his business there. In 1864 he bought the Santa Clara del Norte ranch of 13,900 acres and stocked it with sheep; 30,000 or 40,000 are now kept upon it. Also there are planted on the ranch trees of vari- ous kinds, including olives and oranges, and they are doing well. Formerly about 4,000 acres were devoted to barley, but this year it is the intention to plant 5,000 acres to beans.
The younger brother, Sr. Leopold Schiappa Pietra, was born February 3, 1842, and came
to California in 1866, since which time his business was united with that of his brother. He married Miss Amparo Arenas, a native of California, and they have a son and a daugli- ter, both of whom are deceased.
In 1877 the brothers built their present fine residence, and have made it a place of unnsnal beauty. The grounds are planted and decorated with artistic skill, and are ex- tremely well cared for. They are also the owners of the St. Charles Hotel at Santa Bar- bara and the Palace Hotel in San Buenaven- tura. They are zealous members of the Holy Catholic Church, and are exemplary citizens.
AIUS WEBSTER, of San Miguel, was born in Delaware County, New York, November 22, 1842, his father, John Webster, being a respectable farmer and jus- tice of the peace. Was educated mainly in the public schools; qualified himself for teaching, and taught school in the winter of 1861-'62.
In August, 1862, enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Forty-fourth Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry, and served
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until July, 1865, being discharged by reason of the close of the war.
Returning to his native county, he spent a month or two visiting relatives and friends, and packing his gripsack started for Oregon alone. There was not a soul on the Pacific coast that he had ever seen, but he was de- termined to carve a way for himself among strangers in a new and rising country. Stopping in Douglas County, Oregon, he worked for a time in a logging camp, after- ward attending an academy at Roseburg, reviewing the studies of former years and pursuing such sciences as the curriculum of the institution included.
In 1866 he entered as a law student the office of Hon. S. F. Chadwick, who afterward became Secretary of State and Governor. Having read the usual course, he was ex- amined in the Supreme Court and admitted to the bar September, 1867. In the spring of 1868 he purchased the Roseburg Ensign, which he carried on as editor and publisher until the spring of 1870, and also attending to such law business as presented. In the po- litical campaign of that year he became the candidate of the Republican party for the office of County Judge, but was defeated with the whole ticket. It was during this period that he became acquainted with Miss Anna West, an estimable lady teacher, to whom he was married in 1870. Near the close of that year, having disposed of the newspaper, he moved to the adjoining county of Coos, set- tling at Marshfield, on Coos Bay, and en- gaged in the practice of his profession. In 1872 he was nominated and elected State Senator for the district including Douglas, Coos and Curry counties. He occupied a seat in the State Senate during the sessions of 1872 and 1874, being the youngest mem- ber of that body. From 1875 to 1877 he was associated with D. L. Watson, Esq., in
the publishing of the Coos County Record, a Republican paper, the editorial manage- ment of which devolved upon Mr. Webster. On the opening of the year 1878, with I. Hacker, he established the newspaper known as the Coast Mail, which he edited for two years, at the same time attending to a con- siderable law practice.
In 1880 he sold the paper, and for two years devoted his entire attention to the law. In the meantime pulmonary and bronchial disease developed in his family, and in the winter of 1882 he moved to Santa Cruz, California, where in the following year he resumed the practice of the law. The coast air of that beautiful place proving unfavor- able to his family he moved to Los Gatos, where he purchased an interest in the Los Gatos News, but devoted his time to the pro- fession of the law.
In February, 1886, being impressed with the central location and favorable surround- ings of San Miguel, he established at that place the Inland Messenger, afterward changed to the San Miguel Messenger, which he carried on with his law business for two years, when he sold the property to F. J. Burns, its present proprietor.
Mr. Webster's family consists of his wife and two sons, and two daughters, all nearly grown. His time is now fully and profitably occupied in his profession; he is also improv- ing a fruit farm near town, where he has about thirty acres planted in choice varieties. He is Commander of John Buford Post, No. 136, G. A. R .; Overseer of San Miguel Grange and Notary Public. Mr. Webster is looked upon by his fellow citizens as one of the most enterprising and public-spirited men of San Miguel, and takes an active part in promoting the interests of the place. He stands high in his profession and enjoys a good practice, and looks exceeding young for
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one who was for the three worst years of the war engaged in the great and saving struggle for National life, and appears as if he was good for another half century of usefulness.
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ON. H. PETERSEN is one of the leading business men of Templeton, San Luis Obispo County. California. He is a native of Hamburg, Germany, born July 5, 1840. His parents, Adolph and Augusta Peterson, were Germans who emigrated to the United States, in 1855, bringing their family of six children with them, the subject of this sketch being the second child of the family. They settled near Davenport, Iowa, on a farm of 150 acres, which they bought. They built a home on the property, and made other improvements.
Mr. Petersen had received his education in Germany and was fifteen years of age when they came to America. When he began life for himself, he had twelve dollars. He en- gaged in farming on shares, and continued it until 1868, when he moved west to Grundy County, and purchased 160 acres of prairie land, at five dollars per acre. Here he built a house and improved the property, and lived for fifteen years. At this time the railroad was built to Reinbeck, and Mr. Petersen moved into town, and opened a hardware and agricultural implement business. He built one store and purchased another, and did a prosperous business until 1886; when he sold out. He was elected a member of the Twenty-first General Assembly by the Demo- cratic party, while there, and served the term of office with credit to himself and his con- stituents. In the spring of 1886 he visited California, and traveled the State over, look- ing for a place to settle. In 1887 he came to San Luis Obispo County, and invested in 200
acres of land near Templeton and bought two village lots. In October, 1888, he brought his family to their new home. He bonght the hardware business of Mr. E. Griffith, the principal business of the place. It had been started in the spring of 1887. Mr. Petersen has since continued the busi- ness, and has inade a success of it. He deals in both hardware and agricultural imple- ments, and his trade extends out for twenty- six miles. His lands are rented and he is getting a share of the crops. He has en- gaged, to some extent, in the culture of fruit on his lands, principally French prunes.
Mr. Petersen was married in Iowa, in 1863, to Miss M. Klein, a native of Saxony, and of German parentage. They have had ten children, seven of whom are living, viz: Teresa, Ida, Antonette, Henryetta, Carl, Rudolph, and Hubert, all born in Iowa. Ter- esa and Antonetta are married, one in Kansas, and the other in San Bernardino, California. Mr. and Mrs. Petersen are Lutherans, and he is an Odd Fellow. He is still a member of the Democratic party; is a man having well defined business and political ideas; has a general information on all topics; gives his business close personal attention; and is withal a worthy citizen and desirable acquis- ition to the new town in which he has cast his lot.
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OHN QUARNSTROM is one of the business men of San Luis Obispo County. He was born in Sweden, of Swedish parents, January 26, 1851; and came to the United States March 28, 1884. Previous to his arrival in America, he was a merchant and contractor in his native country. His first business enterprise in the United States was in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he
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carried on cabinet-making, and also did a real- estate business. In 1887 he came to Temple- ton, California, bought out a store, conducted it two years, and then joined the corporation comprising the Bank of Templeton, and the general merchandise firm of J. Quarnstrom & Co., and also the general merchandise firm at Paso Robles of the Nelson Quarnstrom Company. He has also become interested in lands and is engaging in fruit culture. He has build a block in Templeton, and erected one of the finest residences in the town, where he resides with his family.
Mr. Quarnstrom was married to Miss S. C. Erksen, a native of Sweden, and their union has been blessed with two children, Annie C. and Ernest L. Both he and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church. Mr. Quarn- strom is a member of the I. O. O. F., and in his political views he is independent. He and his family are worthy people, a credit and an important acquisition to the com- munity in which they reside.
B. BALLARD is one of the prominent ranchers of Huer-Huero, two and a half miles sonthwest of Cre-ton, San Luis Obispo County, California. He is the owner of a beautiful estate of 640 acres. The house and farm buildings, which he planned and erected, stand on an eminence somewhat back from the highway, and present a home-like and picturesque appearance. The undulating hills, dotted over with ma- jestic white oaks, form a fine back and fore ground to the picture.
Mr. Ballard is a native of England, born September 23, 1860. He received a liberal education in England, and in March, 1880, came to America in search of health and for- tune. He went first to Iowa, and from there to
Minnesota, where he purchased 640 acres of land which he still owns. In 1883 he came to San Luis Obispo County, California. Cressey, Adams & Ambrose purchased the property and placed it in the hands of C. H. Phillips for subdivision and sale. As soon as it was subdivided Mr. Ballard was one of the first buyers. He is now engaged in diversified farming, raising hay, grain, horses and mules.
Mr. Ballard had the asthma very bad, and has found the climate on his ranch very salu- tary and is now quite free from the disease.
In January, 1889, Mr. Ballard was united in marriage with Miss G. Hayes, a native of Maryland, and daughter of Dr. W. W. Hayes who is the pioneer physician of San Luis Obispo.
Mr. Ballard's ancestors for five generations have been in the English navy, and up to his father, Captain J. B. Ballard, they have all risen to the position of Admiral. His younger brother, Casper, has now entered the navy with the intention of keeping up the family line in that department. His grand- father, Admiral V. V. Ballard, had the honor of being the captor of the Island of Guada- loupe and Cape Town, South Africa. Mr. Ballard's mother, Charlotte (Hale) Ballard, was the danghter of a land-holder in Hamp- shire, England.
Mr. and Mrs. Ballard are members of the Episcopal Church. They are highly enter- taining and courteous people.
C. JAMISON, a rancher of Santa Ynez, was born in Redwood, Santa P Clara County, December 25, 1860. His father, T. B. Jamison, is a native of Maryland, and came across the plains to California in 1854, and again in 1859, with his family, settling in Santa Clara County. In
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1865 he was a pioneer to Salinas City, Monterey County, and built the first house. In 1872 he moved to Guadalupe, being among the first to enter that valley. W. C. Jamison lived at home during the several changes of the family, and in 1882 they again broke up; at the opening of the Santa Ynez Valley, went there and established themselves. He rents about 680 acres of land from the Santa Y nez Improvement Company, which he eulti- vates to wheat and barley, principally grain. This year (1890), the hay crop being short, he is cutting everything for hay; will cut about 275 tons and 150 acres for grain. He uses all heavy machinery, and presses hay in the field.
Mr. Jamison was married at Santa Ynez, December 18, 1889, to Miss Alice B. Mills, a native of California.
DOLPH F. HORSTMAN, one of the prominent business men of Templeton, is a stockholder and the cashier of the Templeton Bank, and a member of two gen- eral merchandise firms at Templeton and Paso Robles, namely, Quarnstrom & Co. and the Nelson Quarnstrom Company, both doing an extensive mercantile business. He is also interested in ranch property and horticulture. Mr. Horstman is a native of Davenport, Iowa, born in July, 1865. His parents, William and Amelia Horstman, were both natives of Germany, and came to the United States in 1861, settling in Iowa on a farm. They were poor people and honest and indus- trious, and worked by the day and month. After a time they purchased eighty acres of land, which increased in aeres and value, until in the course of years they had several thousand acres of valuable land. IIis father and family came to California in September,
1887, and is now retired from active busi- ness, and resides in a pleasant home in Tem- pleton, where he expects to spend the evening of life, amusing himself in the eultivation of fruit and the ornamentation of his grounds.
Mr. Adolph F. Horstman, our subject, was educated at Vinton, Iowa, in the Tillford Academy. He engaged in the grain business, as book-keeper for his father for four years. When he was nineteen years of age his father started him in the merchandise business, in Sutherland, O'Brien County, lowa. He con- tinned the business successfully until 1887, when he sold out and eame to Templeton, where he established the bank, and engaged in banking business, to which he now gives his personal attention.
Mr. Horstman was married in 1887, to Miss Hatty Sibert, of Reinbeck, Iowa, daughter of Dr. J. G. Sibert, of that State. Mr. Horstman is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and also of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He has taken an active part in polities, when he resided in Sutherland, Iowa, and was elected Recorder of that town by the Democratic party, of which he is a member.
B. SMITH, a prominent eitizen and Justice of the Peace of Creston, is a native of Southern Ohio, born near Sandusky, July 9, 1841. His father, William Smith, was a native of Connecticut, and a soldier in the war of 1812. He was in the Ninth United States Infantry, and at the battle of Saekett's Harbor. Mr. Smith has the pocket-book his father earried in that war, and many other interesting relics. His father married Luey Turner, a native of New York, and daughter of Mr. Samuel Turner, who was a soldier of the Revolution. Mr. Smith's
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grandfather, Eri Smith, was also a soldier of the Revolution; so that, as far as patriotism is concerned, he can claim as good ancestry as the best. His parents had eleven children, four of whom are now living. He was the yonngest except one. He lived in Ohio un- til thirteen years of age, when, in 1854, the family removed to Illinois. His youth was spent working on the farm in summer and at- tending the district school in winter, finishing his education at the Lombard University, Galesburg, Illinois. He then carried on farm- ing and also tanght school in the winter for eleven years. In Illinois he bought forty acres of land, which he improved by building, etc., and which he sold before removing to South- ern Nebraska. In that State he purchased a farm of 320 acres, which he also improved, building a house on each quarter section, and on this property he resided ten years. At this time, 1885, a throat trouble cansed him to sell out, leave his Nebraska home, and come to California with a hope of obtaining relief from his disease; and he has been greatly benefited. He owns 306 acres of land, located 260 rods northeast of the village of Creston. Mr. Smith has built on the crest of the hill and will soon have a very attractive home. He has planted a large va- riety of fruit trees, comprising the following: prunes, apricots, pears, peaches, plnms, figs, apples, almonds, nectarines and also grape vines. Wheat is his principal crop, and in 1889 he raised 1,665 bushels on 105 acres.
Mr. Smith was united in marriage, in 1863, with Miss Emma Stone, a native of West Virginia, and daughter of Mr. Anson Stone, a native of Virginia, and a soldier of the war of 1812. This union was blessed with nine children, five of whom are living, all natives of Illinois, viz .: Bertha D., Clark S., Fred H., Paul L., and Lillie M. After eighteen years of wedded life, Mrs. Smith died. Her
loss was greatly felt by her many friends and her bereaved family. A beautiful character was hers; a devoted wife, a loving and in- dulgent mother, and a true Christian. She had long been a consistent member of the Methodist church. In 1882 Mr. Smith was again married to Miss Lizy Nesmith, a na- tive of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, daughter of Mr. Thomas Nesinith. She is a member of the Methodist church. While in Illinois, Mr. Smith was elected by the Republican party, Justice of the Peace, for the years 1870 to 1874. Ile was also elected on the Board of Supervisors in that State. While in Ne- braska, he was selected by his party to fill the office of Justice, in 1875. He cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln, and has since adhered to the Republican party. In 1889 his fellow-citizens elected him Justice of the Peace, which office he now holds. Mr. Smith is a careful, painstaking, conscientious officer, and as such is respected by all. He is a member of the Grange, and is strictly a tem- perance man.
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