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 5

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 5
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 5
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 5

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).

We heard some talk about "caballos" and "carrera," and seeing the people streaming off in one direction, we followed, and came upon a level piece of ground just outside of the town, which was used as a race-course. Here the crowd soon became thick again, the ground was marked off, the judges stationed, and the horses led up to one end. Two fine-looking old gentlemen-Don Carlos and Don Domingo, so- called-held the stakes, and all was now ready. We waited some time, during which we could just see the horses, twisting aound and turning, until at length there was a shout along the lines and on they came, heads stretchel out and eyes starting, working all over, both man and beast. The steeds came by us like a couple of chain-shot, neck and neck, and now we could see nothing but their backs and their hind hoofs flying through the air. As fast as the horses passed, the crowd broke up behind them and ran to the goal. When we got there we found the horses returning on a slow walk, having run far beyond the mark, an : heard that the long bony one had come in head and shoulders before the other. The riders were light-built men, had handkerchief's tied around their heads, and were bare- armed and bare-legged. The horses were noble-looking beasts, not so sleek and combed as our Boston stable horses, but with fine limbs and spirited eyes.

THE PIONEERS AND THEIR DESCENDANTS.

At each of the California missions a com- pany of soldiers was stationed. In Santa Barbara the soldiers occupied a square called the presidio. This was about 250 yards square, surrounded by a high adobe wall, in- side of which were a church and buildings, constructed of adobe, roofed with tiles, and used for shelter by the soldiers. This church was standing until 1853, when a portion of the roof fell; the adobe walls, being thus

PRE-AMERICAN HISTORY OF

exposed to rain, soon crumbled away. A part of one of the bnttresses still stands near Santa Barbara Street, west of Cañon Perdido Street.

A portion of the Californian population of Santa Barbara are descendants of the soldiers of this garrison, who married natives; others are descendants from immigrants from old Spain and other parts of Europe, from Mex- ico, South America, and the United States.

It is generally conceded that the leading Spanish family in Santa Barbara has been that of de la Guerra, often wrongly called Noriega, from a misapprehension of the Spanish cus- tom by which the children of a family add their mother's patronymic with the prefix ."y" ("and") after their father's; this, how- ever, is a matter of compliment to the mother, and the father's remains the lawful family name. Thus the founder of this family, from its mother being a Noriega, was called de la Guerra y Noriega, while his children, whose mother was a Carrillo, wrote their name de la Guerra y Carrillo.

Don José de la Guerra y Noriega was born in 1776, at Novales, province of San- tander, Spain, of an honorable amily, whose coat of arms carries their record back to the time of the Moors. The house where he was born still stands, an imposing edifice of Novales, over a century old, with the family arms cut in stone over the two great gateways; it covers a block of land in the principal town of the province.

Young de la Guerra was sent out to a kins- man, a wealthy merchant in Mexico, but he soon sought and obtained a cadetship in the royal army, and in 1800 was appointed ensign in a company stationed at Monterey, Cali- fornia, where he joined it in 1801. In 1804 he married Doña Maria Antonio, daughter of Don Raymundo Carrillo, then commandante of the presidio of Santa Barbara; and in 1806 he was sent hither as the company's lieu-

tenant. In 1810 he was appointed Habilitado General from bothı Californias to the Vice- Royal Government in Mexico, and, proceed- ing toward the capital with his family, he was captured at San Blas by the Mexican patriots, then in revolt against the govern- ment of Spain, he escaping with his life, while the other men captured with him were assassinated. The revolution had deprived him of his office; therefore he started back to California; and, performing on the way mili- tary service which gave him a better footing with the government, he was appointed in 1811 to the command of troops stationed at San Diego, where for several years he dwelt with his family. In 1817 he was appointed captain and commandante of the troops and Santa Barbara, and here was his home there- after, with a brief interregnum, when he went to Mexico again as Habilitado General. He was continued in office as captain and com- mandante until 1828, when he was sent as deputy to the Mexican Congress; bnt, on reaching the capital, he found his seat con- tested, and his opponent triumphed. Don José now renounced politics and engaged in farming and stock-raising on a large scale, favored by the secularization of the missions. Within a few years he was owner of eight of the principal ranchos of the district, including Las Posas, Simí, Conejo, San Julian, and others. The ability, integrity, and kindness of this man made him a power among his neighbors, his advice and influence being almost without limit. He was always an arbiter in misunderstandings among his own people, as well as between these and the for- eigners who soon came into the country.

His wife, Maria Antonia Carrillo, was re- garded as one of the most charitable and benevolent women of the age.

This worthy pair had seven sons and four daughters, and a brief resumé of their mar-

THE SANTA BARBARA REGION.

riages and descendants will show the impor- tant part that this family has continued to play in local history, as well as the fertility of the race.

The eldest son, José Antonio de la Guerra y Carrillo, married Concepcion Ortega. Their children were : José Antonio, José Ramon (gradnated at Georgetown, District of Columbia), Guillermo and Alejandro, sons; Dolores, Catarina, Lola, Cristina, and Juana, daughters.

Second son, Juan, was considered the ablest in the family, but died early; was educated in England, being graduated from three colleges.

Third son, Francisco, married Ascencion Sepúlveda, and by her had a son, Francisco, and a daughter, Maria Antonia. His second wife was Concepcion Sepúlveda, sister of the former wife; by her he had Juan, Osboldo, José Hercules, Pablo, and Hanibal, sons; and Anita (Mrs. F. W. Thompson), Herlinda, Rosa, and Diana, daughters.

Fonrth son, Pablo, married Josefa Moreno, and had Francisca (Mrs. T. B. Dibblee), Delfina (one of twins), Herininia, and Pau- lina, all danghters.

Fifth son, Miguel, married Trinidad Or- tega; their children were: Gaspar, Ulpiano, and Leon, sons, and Maria (Mrs. Taylor), Josefa, Olympia, Joaquina, and Paulina, daughters.

Sixth son, Joaquin, was for a time sheriff of Santa Barbara County. He never married.

Of the daughters of José de la Guerra y Noriega, Teresa, the eldest, married William E. P. Hartnell, of England, and by him had twenty-two children, as follows: Guillermo, Juan, Alvano , Nataniel, George, Franco, Ben- jamin, Teresa, Matilde, Anita, Magdalena, Amelia, and others whose names cannot be had.

The second daughter, Maria de las Angus- tias, was married to Manuel Jimeno of Mex- ico, who was subsequently secretary to several

of the governors of California, and intimately connected with land matters after seculariza- tion of the missions. Maria had Mannela, Maria Antonia, Augustias, Carolina, daugh- ters; and José Antonio, Porfirio, Santiago, Enrique, Belisario, Juan and Alfredo, chil- dren by this marriage; and by her second marriage to Dr. Ord, of the United States navy, one daughter, Rebecca Ord.

The third daughter, Ana Maria Antonia, married to Alfred Robinson, of Boston, Massachusetts, had James, Alfredo, Miguel, and another James, sons; Elena, Maria, An- tonia, and Paulina, daughters.

This lady was the bride referred to in Dana's account of Santa Barbara. Alfred Robinson came from Boston in 1829, on the ship Brooklyn, owned by Bryant, Sturgis, and others. He was for many years engaged in mercantile business, and was the first agent of the Pacific Steamboat Company in 1849. The first son, James, for whom the youngest was named, died at West Point when seven- teen years old.

The fourth and your gest daughter of Don José de la Guerra y Noriega, named Antonia Maria, married first Cesario Lataillade of . Spain, by whom she had Cesario, Jr., and Maria Antonia; contracting a second mar- riage with Gaspar Oreña of Spain, she had Anita, Serena, Rosa, Acacia, and Teresa, daughters; and Leopoldo, Dario, Orestes, and Arturo, sons. This lady, Mrs. Oreña, was considered the greatest beanty of the de la Guerra family, or even of the coast.

One of the sons of Don José was Don Pablo de la Guerra, a member of the first constitu- tional convention of California, who, in his life-time, was severally Senator, District Judge of. the Fourth Judicial District, and Lieutenant Governor of the State. He was a courteons, intelligent, npright man. He died February 5, 1874.

PRE-AMERICAN HISTORY OF

His predecessor as District Judge was Don Joaquin Carrillo. Judge Carrillo was the first County Judge of this county, and was elected to the district bench in 1852, and served in this capacity eleven years. He neither spoke nor understood the English language; all proceedings in his court were conducted in Spanish. His mind was broad and easily grasped and mastered the most subtle and complicated cases. He based his decisions upon the principles of equity, rather than law. Don Joaquin Carrillo was a warm friend of the Americans. He died February 19, 1868, beloved and lamented.

Another of the prominent families, whose members are now counted by the hundred, was founded by Don Raymundo Carrillo, one of the first commanders of the posts of San Diego and Santa Barbara. He married Tomasa Lugo, daughter of one of the oldest soldiers stationed at Santa Barbara. They had four sons and one daughter, Maria An- tonia, already mentioned as the wife of José de la Guerra y Noriega, and mother of the de la Guerra y Carrillo family.

The first son of Raymundo Carrillo, Carlos . Antonio, married Maria, sister of Governor Castro, and by her had sons: José, who married Catarina Ortega; Pedro, who married Josefa Bandini; José Jesus, wedded to Tomasa Gutierrez; and daughters, Maria Josefa, who married William G. Dana; Encarnacion, wife of Thomas Robbins; Francisca, wedded to Alpheus Thompson; Manuela, married to John C. Jones; Maria Antonia, spouse of Lewis C. Burton; and two other daughters, who died young-in all ten children.

Anastacio, Carrillo's second son, married Concepcion Garcia. Their children were: Raymundo, who married Dolores Ortega; Francisco, dead; Luis, married to Refugio Ortega; Guillermo, whose wife was Manuela Ortega; and danghters, Micaela, dead; Man-

uela, married to Joaquin Carrillo; and Sole- dad, dead.

Domingo Carrillo, the third son, married Concepcion Pico. They had sons: Joaquin, married to his cousin, Mannela Carrillo; José Antonio, who married Felicitas Gu- tierrez; Francisco, whose wife was Dorotea Lugo; Alejandro, dead; Felipe, dead; and daughters, Maria, wife of J. M. Covarrubias; Angela, married to Ygnacio del Valle; and Maria Antonia, dead.

José Antonio Carrillo, the fourth son, married Estefana Pico. His daughter was Luis (or Lewis) Burton's second wife, mother of Ben Burton.

The Ortega family was of the sangre azul, or blue blood of Castile, Spain. Some of this family emigrated to Guadalaxara, Mex- ico, and the founder of the California branch was for a time commandante of a cavalry company at Loreto, in La Baja, or Lower California, where were born to him, Captain José Maria Ortega, and his wife, Antonia Carrillo, seven children: Ygnacio, José Ma- ria, José Vicente, Francisco and Juan; and Maria Luisa and Maria Antonia, daughters.

Ygnacio Ortega married Francisca Lopez, and had sons: Martin, married to Ynocencia Moraga; Josè Vicente, who married Maria Estefana Olivera; and Antonio Maria José Dolores, José de Jesus and Joaquin, who did not marry; also daughters, Pilar, spouse of the doughty Santiago Arguello; Soledad, wife of Luis Arguello; Maria de Jesus, mar- ried to José Ramirez; Concepcion, who mar- ried José Antonio de la Guerra; and Cata- rina, wife of José Carrillo.

José Vicente, second son of Captain Or- tega, was the founder of the Refugio Rancho, which is still possessed by the family.

Juan Ortega, the fourth son, married Ra- faela Arrellanez. Their children were: Emi- dio, married to Concepcion Dominguez; and

THE SANTA BARBARA REGION.

daughters, Maria, wife of Guadalupe Her- nandez; Buenaventura, wife of Joaquin Cota; Maria Antonia, wife of Pedro Dejeme; and Maria de Jesus, who married Fernando Tico.

José Vicente, son of Ygnacio, and grand- son of Captain Ortega, married Maria Este- fana Olivera, daughter of Ygnacio Olivera, of Los Angeles. The Oliveras were of old Castilian stock, with chivalric ideas of court- esy and honor. Diego Olivera, who died a few years since, wore the old-time garb, with silk stockings, shoes with jeweled , buckles, and the sword to bear which he had hered- itary right. It bore engraved the time- honored Spanish motto-" No me saques sin razon, no me emvaines sin honor (“Draw ine not in unjust cause, sheath me not with honor dimmed"). This Diego Olivera was brother to Maria Estefana, who gave her hus- band children as follows: Two sons named Luis, who both died young; Manuel, who died somewhat later; Pedro, and one daugh- ter, Rafaela Luisa, wife of Daniel Hill.

Daniel Hill and his wife, Rafaela Luisa, had children as follows: Rosa, wife of Nich- olas A. Den; Josefa, wife of Alexander S. Taylor; Susana, wife of T. Wallace More; Maria Antonia, wife of H. O'Neill; Lucre- cia, died young; Adelaida, Helena, daugh- ters; and Vicente, Jose Maria, Juan, Tomas, Ramon, Enrique and Daniel, sons.

The Cotas were another important family, allied by intermarriage with various names which appear on the page of history. At least two women of this family are deserving of mention here, they being also grand- daughters of that Corporal Antonio Maria Lugo who came up from Los Angeles to assist in repulsing the "pirate" Bouchard, in 1818. Maria Los Angeles Cota de la Torre, daughter of Don Pablo Cota, ensign of the Santa Barbara company, and of Doña Rosa Lugo, was born at Santa Barbara in 1790.

At thirteen years of age she was married to Don José Joaquin de la Torre, cadet and commissary at Monterey, and afterwards sec. retary to Governor Sola. She died at Mon- terey in 1877, aged eighty-seven years, after seventy-four years of married life. She left three sons, three daughters, forty-three grand- children, thirty-four great-grandchildren, and several great-great-grandchildren.

Maria Ysabel Cota de Pico was born at Santa Barbara, May, 1783. At nineteen years old she married José Dolores Pico, one of three brothers who came to California with the first Mexican colony as officers in the military service of the Spanish Vice- royalty in Mexico. Her husband died in 1827, after fifty years of military service. Of this marriage were born thirteen children, who, with their cousins, the Castros, children of their father's brothers. and allies by mar- riage, were all powerful in the affairs of gov- ernment in California at the time of the American invasion. This lady was over eighty-six years old when she died. Her descendants numbered over 300, including one of the sixth generation; nearly all live in this State, and they bear the naines of the inost prominent native families, as well as of many leading American citizens intermarried with them.

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Raymundo Olivas, born in Los Angeles in 1801, came northward in 1821. He was the original grantee of the San Miguelito or Cas- itas Rancho, granted in 1840. He and his wife had twenty-one ehildren. In 1883 he had under his roof in Ventura County, he then being nearly eighty and his wife sixty years old, forty-three descendants, of whom eighteen were their sons and daughters. Moreover, a daughter living at Santa Cruz had already done somewhat toward sustain- ing the family record, in presenting the country with ten children.

PRE-AMERICAN HISTORY OF

There were other eminent families, bears ing the names of Del Valle, Arnaz, Camar- illo, etc., although the Del Valles, a notable family, now belong properly to Ventura County.

Among the pioneers not of Spanish or Mexican blood were the following:

Joseph Chapman, of Massachusetts, cap- tured from Bonchard's privateer in 1818; settled for a time in Los Angeles County with the Lugos; married Guadalupe Ortega, of Santa Barbara; he built and lived in the adobe honse still standing in the rear of the Episcopal church; died in 1848, leaving many descendants.

Captain James W. Burke, a native of Ire- land, arrived here from Lima in 1820, and settled permanently in 1828.

William E. P. Hartnell, an Englishman, came here in 1822. He was a notable linguist; was Government translator at Monterey, and translated the statutes into Spanish. He married Teresa de la Guerra, daughter of Don José, and they had twenty-two children, of whom a number are still living in this connty and San Luis. He died in 1854.

Captain Thomas Robbins, a native of Nan- tncket, came here in 1827. He owned the Rancho Las Positas y Calera, adjoining Santa Barbara. Died in 1857.

Captain William G. Dana came from Bos- ton in 1827. He lived mostly at his rancho, Nipomo, in San Luis County, where he died in 1857, and where are still living a number of the twenty-two children borne him by his wife, Maria Josefa Carrillo.

Alfred Robinson came hither from Boston in 1829, on the ship Brooklyn. He married Ana Maria Antonia de la Guerra; was the first agent of the Pacific Steamship Com- pany in 1849, and was for many years a leading merchant. He is a gentleman of intelligence and refinement, and generally

esteemed. He still lives in San Francisco. He is the author of a work, "Life in Cali- fornia," published in 1846, and now quite rare.

Robert Elwell, of Boston, arrived in 1825. He was favorably known by all the old citi- zens. He had a pithy way of expression. One of his sayings was the following: " In politics, I am a Whig; in religion, a Uni- tarian. I am also a Freemason, and if these won't take a man to Heaven, I don't know what will." He died in 1853.

Daniel A. Hill, of Billerica, Massachusetts, came from the Sandwich Islands to Monterey in 1823, and settled in Santa Barbara the following year. He was the original grantee of La Goleta Rancho, where he died in 1865. He left a large family, who, with their descendants, still reside in Santa Barbara County.

James Buck, of Boston, Massachusetts, arrived from the Sandwich Islands in 1829. His descandants still have a home here.

Captain Alpheus B. Thompson, of Bruns- wick, Maine, arrived here from Honolulu in 1834. As merchant and ship-master he did business here many years. Three of his children, C. A. Thompson, A. B. Thompson and Mrs. E. Van Valkenburg are now residents of this vicinity. A. B. Thompson was for twelve years the County Clerk of Santa Bar- bara County. Captain Thompson died at Los Angeles in the year 1870.

Angustin Jansen, of Belgium, arrived here from Mexico in August, 1834. He has been County Assessor of this county, and a mem- ber of the common council of Santa Barbara city.

Julian Foxen arrived in 1828 from En- gland. He was a man of notable character. He died on his rancho, the Tinaquaic, in February, 1874, leaving many descendants.

Lewis F. Burton, of Henry County, Ten-

THE SANTA BARBARA REGION.

nessee, came here in 1831, and engaged in otter-hunting, and later he conducted a mercantile business in Santa Barbara for more than thirty years. He was nearly killed by robbers, in the early days, near the site of the present Port Harford, but was nursed back to health by the ladies of the Carrillo family, one of whoin he married later on. He died in 1880.

Captain John Wilson, of Scotland, who came hither via Peru in 1830, was long a merchant here. He died in 1860 at San Luis Obispo.

Francis Ziba Branch, of New York, came here from New Mexico in 1833. He engaged in mercantile pursnits; died in 1874 at San Luis Obispo.

Isaac J. Sparks, of Maine, came overland in 1832. He was a merchant, and the first postmaster appointed; he built the first brick house in Santa Barbara, erected in 1854, which now forms a part of the old Park Hotel.

James Scott, of Scotland, came here in 1830 with Captain Wilson, and was his partner in business. He died in 1851.

George Nidever, of Arkansas, came over- land in 1834, reaching Santa Barbara in 1835 He was a mighty hunter. He it was who rescued " the lost woman " from San Nicolas.

Captain John F. Smith, native of France, came in 1833 via the Sandwich Islands, built

the first wooden dwelling in Santa Barbara, still standing near the gas-house. He died in 1866.

Nicholas A. Den, of Waterford, Ireland, arrived in 1839. He was the grantee of the Rancho Dos Pueblos. He married a daughter of Daniel A. Hill. He died in 1862, leaving ten children.

John C. Jones, of Boston, came hither in 1835 from Honolulu, where he had been United States Consul. He married Mannela Carrillo, whose wedding portion was one-half of Santa Rosa Island, which he, with A. B. Thompson, a brother-in-law, stocked with horses, sheep and cattle. He removed witlı his family to Boston, and died about 1850.

Albert Packard, a New Englander, arrived via Mazatlan about 1845, and lived here for many years, being well-known as a prominent lawyer and a wealthy orchardist. He still lives.

Henry J. Dally, of New York, reached Monterey in 1843, and removed to San Luis Obispo in 1848, and to Santa Barbara in 1853. He was an otter-hunter.

Wm. A. Streeter, a New Yorker, came here via Peru in 1843. A wheelwright by trade, he officiated as a dentist and a physician, and was and is skillful at almost every kind of practical mechanics. He still lives, en- gaged in various and versatile sorts of handi- craft.

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.

IN GENERAL. BOUNDARY.

After the signing of the treaty of peace between the United States and Mexico, Feb- ruary 2, 1848, the establishment of the new government was pushed forward as speedily as practicable. One month after the adoption of the Constitution, the first Legislature met at San José, which was made the capital.

The act subdividing the State into coun- ties, and appointing the county-seats therein, approved February 18, 1850, contained pass- ages as follows:

"Section 1. The following sliall be the boundaries and seats of justice of the several counties of the State of California until other- wise determined by law.

"Section 2 created San Diego County.

" Section 3 created Los Angeles County.

" Section 4. COUNTY OF SANTA BARBARA. Beginning on the sea coast, at the mouth of the creek called Santa Maria, and running up the middle of said creek to its source; thence due northeast to the summit of the Coast Range, the farm of Santa Maria fall- ing within Santa Barbara County; thence following the summit of the Coast Range to the northwest corner of Los Angeles County; thien along the northwest boundary of said county to the ocean and three English miles therein; and thence in a northwesterly direc- tion, parallel with the coast, to a point due

west of the mouth of Santa Maria Creek; thence due east to the mouthi of said creek, which was the place of beginning, including the islands of Santa Barbara, San Nicolas, San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, and all others in the same vicinity. The seat of justice shall be at Santa Barbara.

" Section 5. COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO. Beginning three English miles west of the coast, at a point dne west of the source of the Nacimiento River, and running due east to the source of said river; thence down the middle of said river to its confluence with Monterey River; thence up or down, as the case may be, the middle of Monterey River to the parallel of thirty-six degrees north latitude; thence due east following said par- allel to the summit of the Coast Range; thence following the summit of said range in a southeasterly direction to the northeast corner of Santa Barbara County; thence fol- lowing the northern boundary of Santa Bar- bara County to the ocean, and three English miles therein ; and thence in a north westerly direction parallel with the coast, to the place of beginning. The seat of justice shall be at San Luis Obispo."

A subsequent act, defining the boundaries between Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties was passed May 13, 1854. The northern line of Santa Barbara County was declared to be from where the eastern line

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.

intersected the southern line of Township 10 north, San Bernardino base; thence west, on "said township line to the Santa Maria River, thence down said river and down the creek which divides that part of Guadalupe Rancho known as La Larga from that known as Oso Flaco, to a point in the Pacific ocean opposite the month of said creek.

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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