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 54

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 54
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 54
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 54

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).

Mr. Harris is the owner of a very valuable ranch, which consists of 300 acres and which he purchased in 1880. This property is located four iniles from San Luis Obispo, on the road to Santa Margarita. Mr. Harris was married in 1870, and has ten children. Their home is distinguished for its hospital- ity. After a beautiful drive from the city, the visitor is welcomed by Mr. Harris and his family with that cordiality and polite at- tention always so characteristic of the Cali

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fornian. During the past six months (1890) Mr. Harris has been stricken down with dis- ease, and, though recovering slowly, is not able, at the present writing, to engage act- ively in business affairs.

W. BROWNE came to Ventura County in the fall of 1873, from his native

Ô city, Philadelphia, where he was born February 9, 1852. His father,N. B. Browne, was born in Philadelphia, in 1818; was a lawyer and a Representative in the Legislature from his district; held the office of Postmas- ter of Philadelphia under the administration of President Lincoln; was Sub-Treasurer and had charge of the Mint and Custom House; helped to organize the Trust and Safe Deposit Company of that city; was president of the company, and it might be said that he was the originator of that enterprise. The ances- tors of his family were originally English. Mr. Browne's mother, nee Mary Jane Ken- dall, was a native of Reading, Pennsylvania, and also of English descent. The subject of this sketch was the third of a family of two sons and two daughters, and his mother's death occurred when he was only four years old. Mr. Browne received his education at Sanders' Institute, Philadelphia, and at Will- iston Seminary, East Hampton, Massachn- setts. For five years he was employed in the Trust and Safe Deposit Company. Philadel- phia, beginning as errand boy and rising to the position of receiving teller.

He came to California and engaged in sheep-raising, in Ventura County, ten years, being in partnership with Levi Taylor. They had as many as 12,000 sheep at a time, divided in flocks of 2,000 each. He disposed of his sheep, and afterward purchased 5,000 acres of land and engaged in the cattle bus-

iness on the ex-Mission ranchi, ten miles east of Ventura. He sold ont in 1887, and for a year was one of the managers of the Anacapa Hotel. In 1882 he had served as Supervisor, and resigned the office to go away with his sheep. He was again elected, in 1888, to represent the town of San Buena- ventura on the County Board, which position he now holds. He is the secretary of the Republican Central Committee, of Ventura County, and is a tried and true Republican of intelligence and ability, and a leader in his party.

Mr. Browne was married, in 1878, to Miss Neotia Rice, a native of California, born in 1860. She is the daughter of Peter Rice, who traces his ancestry back to the Germans. They have four children, all born in Ventura County, viz .: Albert O., Valeria O., Nathan- iel B. and Samuel H. Mr. Browne takes a just pride in being a member of the Califor- nia National Guard, of Ventura; is Second Lieutenant of the Company.

J. McGEE, proprietor of the Pioneer Shoe Store of Lompoc, was born at Kingston, Canada West, in 1846. As his parents died when he was very young he was early apprenticed, and in 1862 began the trade of shoemaker, serving three years. In 1865 he went to the vicinity of Rochester, New York, where he worked until 1866, when he returned to Kingston. In February, 1868, he started for California, by water and the Isthmus of Panama. There were 1,300 passengers on board, and except being a little crowded they had a comfortable and rapid passage, arriving at San Francisco, March, 1868. He then went to Santa Cruz, and in the fall to Watsonville, where he began bns- iness, and remained until the spring of 1875,

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when he came to Lompoc, having many friends among the colonists. He very soon opened a shoe store and shop and has since continued the business. The first store was an old adobe at the Mission, and the first church services were held in a grove east of town. Mr. McGee keeps a full line of goods.

He was married at Kingston, in the spring of 1867, to Miss Jessie Legassick, a native of England She had given much attention to music, and was the pioneer music teacher of Lompoc, at which she is still engaged. They have three children, two sons and one daugh ter.

Mr. McGee was a member of the first Board of Directors of the town, and served two years, and was again elected in April, 1890, for four years. He is a stanch Repub- lican, and for abont ten years has been dele- gate of the party to the county conventions. He owns a nice property on L street, where is located his present residence.

OHN SPANNE, the City Marshal of Lompoc, and a leading dealer in agri. cultural implements, was born in Den- mark, in December, 1857. His father was a blacksmith, and John learned the same trade at Schleswig, after an apprenticeship of three years. He then worked two years as a jour- neyman, and in 1880 came to the United States. He first settled in Ionia, Michigan, and worked one year in the carriage factory of M. J. Shields. He then came West to Leadville, Colorado, and was employed as blacksmith by the Leadville Lumber Com- pany, remaining until January, 1883, when he came to Wilmington, Los Angeles County, in the employ of the Southern Pacific Rail- road. After about fifteen months he took a trip to San Francisco; returning south he

was engaged a few months at Los Alamos and Ballard's. He came to Lompoc in the fall of 1884, where he opened his present shop, corner of Ocean avenue and I street, purchasing the lot 50x150 feet, which he has since vastly improved. He carried on all kinds of blacksmith and repair work, and for two years has had the exclusive agency of Frank Bros., of San Francisco, who are ex- tensive dealers in agricultural implements, and light and heavy wagons. Mr. Spanne is an active, energetic man, and is now doing the leading agricultural implement business of the valley. He has also erected a feed mill, and keeps barley and feed for sale. He was elected City Marshal in the spring of 1890.

TOHN S. HENNING, a prominent con- tractor and builder of Lompoc, was born at Paris, Stark county, Ohio, in 1829. The father was a farmer, owning 112 acres. He died at the age of eighty-two years, and the mother is still living, at the age of eighty- two years; the land is still in the family. The subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools of Stark County, and at the age of nineteen years began to learn his trade, serving an apprenticeship with a Mr. Bowman at Canton, who later carried on busi- ness at South Bend, Indiana. After two years of training Mr. Henning took his first contract for a store building, which he carried through successfully; thereafter he did contract work about the county. In 1851 he started for Oregon, across the plains, wintering on the Missouri River, and arriving in Oregon Sep- tember 9, 1852. Mr. Henning came with the Hardman family, which made up a com- pany of twenty-two wagons. They had a very pleasant journey, with no deathis but three

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births. At Oregon City and Portland our subject worked at his trade until the fall of 1853, when he went to Olympia, Washington Territory, with the Government officials, who were sent there to take charge of the Terri- tory. He followed his trade up to February, 1854, when he went to Seattle, and remained until 1857, building and contracting. He bought a place and built a house near Seattle, but was burned out by the Indian outbreak in 1855. Under Governor Stephens' eall for volunteers Mr. Henning enlisted for three months, in Company H, Second Regiment, and was in a three-months engagement, main- ly ou scout duty. On January 13, 1856, he re-enlisted in Company A, First Regiment, and was in the fight at Seattle, Salmon Bay and Duwanish River, being in service about one year. He then returned to Seattle, and followed his trade until 1857, when he was again burned out by Indians. He then went into the logging business, furnishing Seattle mills.

In the fall of 1857 he came to California, and settled in Santa Clara County, where he bonght 220 acres of land and built a house. He farmed a little, and worked at his trade. Mr. Henning remained in that county until February, 1877, when he sold out and came to Lompoc. He bought 120 acres of land, north of town, built his residence, and began working at his trade, which he has since con- tinued. Prior to 1885 he erected nearly all the buildings of Lompoc. In 1885 he went. to San Diego, and worked ten months, during the boom, and twenty months at Santa Bar- bara, building the Hawley Block, and some of the finest residences of that city. He re- turned to Lompoe, which has since been the field of his labors.

Mr. Henning was married in Santa Clara, in 1860, to Miss Mary Conner, a native of Massachusetts, who died in April, 1865, leav-

ing three children. In 1868 he married Miss Mary Millikin, a native of Iowa, and they have had eight children; ten of all survive. The sons carry on the ranch, which consists of eight acres in prunes and other fruits, a fine tank house, and Mr. Henning will soon ereet a more spacious residence.

OLORES HERRERA is, in very plain English, an "old timer." He was born in New Mexico, in 1831, and came ·with his family to California in 1840. They went first to the San Gabriel mission, Los Angeles, where they lived one year. San Luis Obispo was their next home, and for twelve years they resided there. Mr. Her- rera, Sr., kept a saloon in the place, which, as ean well be imagined, was very primitive. Dolores assisted his father, and at various times was employed in ranch work near the mission. In 1853 he came to the San José Valley and settled where he is to-day, on a valuable property 400 acres in extent, through which the Salinas River winds, and also the Torro Creek. IIere Mr. Herrera is engaged in farming and fruit-raising. An interesting feature of the place to a visitor is an enormons rock that rises out of the ground near the house. Thirty feet is a moderate estimate of its height on one side, and it is so conveniently situated that it forms the rear of one of the barns. A novel sight, indeed !

Mr. Herrera has been married three times, and has four children now living, all of whom are prominently identified with the interests of the San José Valley.

The subject of this sketch has an excellent memory, and, coming into this eounty as he did, early in its history, he relates some very interesting observations. When he first

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came to San Luis Obispo there were just two white people in the mission and about thirty Indians. The place was very desolate, and for a time there was little, if any, progress made in the development of the town. In San José Valley wild animals were plenty. Bears, wolves and lions were around stealing his pigs every day. Native Americans were few. Mr. Herrera relates that the creek which now is of great valne to his property, was absolutely not to be seen when he first settled on his place, a fact to be accounted for only by the discovery and development of the mountain spring in 1862.

OHN SIMPSON was born in Concord, New Hampshire, September 17, 1843, son of James and Eliza (Grant) Simp- son. His father was born in Philadelphia, in 1808, his ancestors being natives of Mas- sachusetts; and his mother was born in New Hampshire, in 1812. Her parents were also natives of the Granite State, and her father was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. John Simpson was the second of a family of four children. He was educated in Lowell, Massachusetts, after which he served an ap- prenticeship in his uncle John Simpson's machine shop.

When the call for volunteers resounded through the land, in 1861, he enlisted in Company K, Fifty-seventh Regiment, Illinois Infantry, and was in the service two years and a half. He participated in all the battles of the Army of the Tennessee, under Gen- eral Grant and General Sherman, until the battle of Shiloh, where his regiment suffered heavily. Of the 520 who went into that engagement, 285 were lost. Mr. Simpson was wounded in the knee with a musket ball, and was crippled for six weeks. After he

was wounded the army was driven back, he was captured on the field and was a prisoner four months in the South, at Mobile and Cahaba, Alabama, and at Macon, Georgia. While engaged with his regiment, support- ing a battery, both the drums of his ears were so injured that he is quite deaf. After his exchange he served nearly a year on de- tailed duty, on account of his deafness. He was finally discharged for disability, and has since been in the railroad business. He learned telegraphy, and was in the employ of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, Cen- tral Pacific and Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul.

In 1877 he came to California and served as agent at Davisville, Yolo County, until 1884. In 1887 he came to Ventura and ac- cepted the position of railroad agent, which he now fills.

Mr. Simpson was married in 1878, to Miss Lillie Pierce, a native of St. Louis, and daughter of Dr. T. B. Pierce, a dentist, of San Francisco. They have three children living: Arthur B. and George, born in Davisville; and Florence D., in Ventura.

Mr. Simpson is a worthy member of the G. A. R., of Ventura, and also of the Masonic fraternity.

ILLIAM BARKER, of Lompoc, was born in Santa Clara County, Cali- fornia, in 1857. His father was a farmer, having 160 acres of land, and carry- ing on general farming. William was edn- cated at San José and Salinas, Monterey County, when, in 1868, his father moved and bought 849 acres of land and carried on farın- ing more extensively. In 1873 William learned the photographic business, but in 1874 returned to the ranch, and remained

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until the fall of 1879, when he went to Chico to engage in mining. In July, 1881, he re- turned to San José, remaining until October, 1882, when he came to Lompoc; he bought forty acres of land and engaged in the nurs- ery business. Selling out in 1885, he rented land until the spring of 1890, when he gave up the business, and on June 1, 1890, opened his present business, on H Street, consisting of fruits, cigars, nuts and candies.

He was married at San José, in 1876, to Miss Margarette E. Mellvain, a native of California. They have four children. Mr. Barker is a member of Lompoc Lodge, No. 248, I. O. O. F., and of Najoqui Parlor, No. 129, Native Sons of the Golden West.

T. TRUITT, the present Supervisor for Santa Barbara County, from the Lom- O poc District, was born in Salisbury, Worcester County, Maryland, in 1835. His father was a farmer, and in 1851 emigrated to Van Buren County, Iowa, where he bought a small farm. The subject of this sketch was educated at Mount Pleasant, Henry County, at the Iowa Wesleyan University, at which he graduated in 1861. He came to Califor- nia across the plains in 1862, driving an ox team. They came by Sublette's Cut-off and down the Humboldt River, and arrived at Sacramento in the fall, after a six months' journey. He taught school in Yolo and Solano counties abont one year, and in 1863- '64-'65 was employed by the United States Sanitary Commission, in collecting funds and supplies for the sick and disabled soldiers, working under O. C. Wheeler, of San Fran- cisco. He was then employed by Bancroft & Co. in selling books until 1886, when he went East, by Panama, and returned to his home. He taught school in Schuyler County,

Missouri, and in 1870 was elected County Clerk for a term of four years. He was then elected Superintendent of Schools for Schuy- ler County for two years. He was then cashier for the C. H. Howell Bank at Glen- wood, Missouri, until the summer of 1877, when he came to Lompoc, arriving in August; he had land purchased for him before his arrival. He has since added to his first pur- chase 350 acres, about seventy-five of which is tillable, the balance being grazing land. He then built his present residence, known as the Mountain Home, doing most of the work himself; it was set in the midst of brush and timber, which has since been cleared away and improved, making a shiel- tered and comfortable home. He has about fifteen acres in deciduous fruits, apples being the main crop, which is doing especially well; also raises beans and English mustard. Mr. Truitt was elected Supervisor from the Fourth District, in the fall of 1883, and was re-elected in 1887, which proves him to be an efficient and acceptable officer. He was married in Schuyler County, Missouri, in 1868, to Miss Mary A. Saunders, a native of Iowa; they have four children, three daugh- ters and one son. Mr. Truitt is a member of Lompoc Lodge, No. 262, F. & A. M., and of the Methodist Church of Lompoc.

R. TUTT, proprietor of the hand- some and spacious hardware store of Lompoc, was born in South Bend, In- diana, in 1864. He was educated at the Notre Dame College, at South Bend, but left college in 1879 and went to Chicago to learn the tinning and plumbing trade with Craigon Bros. & Co. He was employed by this firm for eighteen months, but worked in the city until 1884, when he came to Cali-

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fornia, first to San Francisco, where he worked at his trade, and then to Ukiah, Mendocino County, where he worked for a while. At the end of this time he started in business, continuing until 1886, when he was burned out, and having no insurance, lost everything. Mr. Tutt then came to San Luis Obispo, and after a short time again started a shop, which he continued until 1888, when he sold out and went to Tulare City and bought property, but the climate being too hot he did not settle there, and he came to Lompoc in the fall of 1888. He at once located by buying city property and erecting his spacious store building, 25 x 140, which serves as a ware-room and shop, where he carries a full line of hardware, paints, oils and agricultural implements. Mr. Tutt is also connected with A. L. Hanck and Wm. Cantley in the lumber firm of E. R. Tutt & Co., which was established in 1889. They have a steam saw-mill, and also suitable machinery for jointing and moulding.

Mr. Tutt was married in San Luis Obispo, in 1887, to Miss Emma Adams, a native of Oregon, and daughter of Judge Adams, of San Luis. Mr. Tutt is now erecting a hand- some residence on H street. He is a mem- ber of Park Lodge, No. 40, K. of P., at San Luis Obispo.

M ARIANO LAZCANO, a brother of Bernardo Lazcano, was born in Mex- ico in 1825. Receiving a good edu- cation when a boy, he was placed in a store at the age of eleven years, and remained be- hind the counter thirteen years. In 1849, at the age of twenty-four, Mr. Lazcano came to California, and : fter spending six months in the mines came to San Luis Obispo, which place he reached in September of that year.

Mariano preceded his brother by a few months, and, upon his arrival, they jointly engaged in business, conducting for nine years a general merchandise store. Their place of business was opposite the Mission building, in the French Hotel which they built. Theirs was the second store in the place: in fact there were only two altogether then, Pollard & Beebee having the other. Mr. Lazcano came to San José Valley in 1858. He first en- gaged in cattle-raising, building a home across the creek which runs through the valley. In 1864 was the disastrous dry year, and he lost so many cattle that he became greatly discouraged, and turned his attention to the raising of sheep. All went well until 1877, which proved to be a terrible year for them. However, Mr. Lazcano has been very ener- getic and industrious, and has prospered. It was in 1864 that the brothers came into pos- session of the fine property (1,440 acres), which they owned up to a recent date, when they sold a small tract.

Mr. Lazcano was married in 1855 to Ser- bula Ybarra. They are the parents of two sons and one daughter. Their splendid adobe residence was built in 1858. It was partial- ly destroyed by fire in 1862, but the walls, two to three teet in thickness, were left un- harmed, and the entire structure has been restored. Beautifully situated, the house and grounds are an attractive feature of the valley. In front of the house and extending above the entire front yard, is a fine grape-vine, afford- ing excellent shade from the sun during the hot summer months, and in season bearing good fruit. This vine is exactly twenty-one years old, the age of Miss Mariana Lazcano, their only daughter. On entering this home the visitor is quickly impressed by the court- esy, cordiality and genuine hospitality for which Mr. Lazcano and his family are distin- guished. The home is comfortably and sub-

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stantially furnished. A piece of furniture rarely seen in the country in California, and of which there are none of finer quality in the city of San Luis Obispo, is the upright piano which occupies a conspicuous place in their parlor. Miss Lazcano is both an ac- complished singer and pianist.

The subject of this sketch is busily en- gaged in the management of his ranch, and expects to spend the residue of his life in this charming valley, of which he has now been a resident for over thirty years. A man closely identified with the early history of San Luis Obispo, prominent and alert in all matters affecting the locality where he now lives, this brief sketch forms a very important chapter in the history of San Luis Obispo County.

LONZO LAZCANO, son of Mariano Lazcano, was born in San Luis Obispo, May 28, 1860. At the age of twelve years he came with his father to Pozo in the San José Valley. For four years he was em- ployed as a clerk in the general merchandise store of Peter Agnellini, an Italian. During that period he gained a thorough knowledge of business life and habits. In 1884 Mr. Agnellini died, and Lazcano & Mancilla suc- ceeeded to the business. Mention of Mr. Mancilla's life appears elsewhere in this work. In 1888 the firm dissolved, Mr. Laz- cano continuing alone at the old stand. He does a general merchandise business and keeps a fine assortment of every thing needed in an ordinary life-time. He has also been Postmaster there since November 15, 1888.

Mr. Lazcano was married April 30, 1886, to Helen Herrera, daughter of Dolores Her- rera, one of the pioneers of the valley. A

sketch of his life will be found on another page of this work.

A fact worthy of publication and of very wide circulation is, that in an experience of ten years in the retailing of liquor at the bar and tobacco business (an important de- partinent of every general store), Mr. Laz- cano has never smoked nor drank any intoxicating liquor, neither has he gambled. This is a record of which any one in these times may well be proud.

A. SAUNDERS, proprietor of a liv- ery stable in Lompoc, was born in Birmingham, Van Buren County, Iowa, in 1850. His father was a cabinet- maker, and moved to Scotland County, Mis- souri, in 1858. W. A. Saunders began work in early life with his father and remained at home until twenty-one years of age, when he began farming on his own account, and in 1874 came to California. He passed two years in the redwoods of Santa Cruz County, and returned home in March, 1876, with the intention of remaining, not enjoying the cli- mate of Missouri. He passed two months at home, and then returned to California, bringing his father with him. His father soon returned to Missouri and brought out his family to Lompoc, where he died in No- vember, 1889, at the age of seventy-three years. The subject of this sketch came to Lompoc in the fall of 1876, and worked abont one year. He then rented a stock ranch of 1,000 acres at La Honda, and began raising cattle, keeping about 300 head. He sold out in 1879 and returned to the Lompoc Valley, purchasing forty acres and renting 300 acres adjoining, where he farined until 1885. He started the livery business at the

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·· Fashion Stables," under the firm name of Saunders & Calhoon. They bought 75 x 140 feet on Ocean avenne, and erected their large stable. In the fall of 1887 Calhoon sold his interest to James Rennie, and the firm of Saunders & Rennie has since continued. They keep twenty head of horses, and light and heavy wagons suitable for the trade.

Mr. Saunders was married at Lompoc, in 1885, to Miss Ellen Ruffner, a native of Santa Cruz County; two children have blessed this union. Mr. Saunders is a mem- ber of the Knights of Pythias.

ERNARDO LAZCANO was born in Mexico in 1820. At the age of twenty- six he came to California, and direct to the city of San Luis Obispo. With his brother Mariano, who had preceded him to this State, he built the small French Hotel opposite the mission building, the third house erected in the town, and conducted a store in it, under the firm name of Lazcano Brothers. For eight years they continued in business here, and there were no more familiar figures about town than the Lazcano brothers. In 1858 the subject of this sketch settled in the San José Valley, and was one of the first arrivals in this rich and fertile spot. He at once turned his attention to stock-raising. Every thing in this valley was then in a wild and uncultivated state. Bears, deer and wolves were plentiful and also very bold. Mr. Lazcano relates that many a time did these animals visit the kitchen of his house, if, indeed, on the way they were unable to capture any beeves. Bear were very plentiful and also exceedingly troublesome in those times to the cattle- raiser. Mr. Lazcano and one of his ranchmen found fourteen wolves in a gang one day.

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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