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 73

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 73
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 73
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 73

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Mr. and Mrs. Cheal have a family of four daughters and three sons. All, with one ex- ception, are residents of Southern California. Mr. Harry A. Cheal, the eldest, is a thor- onghly educated man, a professional chemist and a drug merchant of Tacoma, Washington. Fred J., the second son, is a prosperons rancher and stockman of Lompoc. A dangh- ter. Alice, is conducting classes in music, French and drawing at Lompoc.

The Miss Cheals, Lilian, Beatrice and Ger- trude, have now opened a similar school to the above at Seattle, Washington, and Mr.

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and Mrs. Cheal, with their youngest son, Maurice, expect to join them at Christinas. A large number of pupils have been secured, and more are likely to attend next term, which commences early in January, 1891.

ON. McD. R. VENEBLE, a leading lawyer and banker of San Luis Obispo, was born in Prince Edward County, Vir- ginia, September 8, 1836, the son of Richard and Magdelene (McCampbell) Veneble; the former was a planter of his native county, and the latter was of Scotch-Irish parentage, and a native of Lexington, Rockbridge Coun- ty, Virginia. His grandfather, Richard N. Veneble, was a prominent lawyer of Prince Edward County, and his great-uncle, A. H. Veneblė, was a United States Senator from the old Dominion State. His father died in the prime of manhood, leaving a family of five children. Judge Veneble, the fourth child, was educated at Hampden Sidney Col- lege, Virginia, and read law at the University of Virginia in the class of 1859. In 1861 he joined the Confederate Army, and fought under General Robert E. Lee in the Richmond Howitzers. His battery tired the first volley at the battle of Bethel, the opening engage- ment of the memorable conflict. He re- mained in the Army of Northern Virginia until after the battle of Chancellorsville, and was then appointed First Lieutenant in the Engineers Corps, and was stationed at Shreve port, Lonisiana, where he remained until the close of the war. Mr. Veneble received a painful wound at the battle of Antietam in his left Jeg, from a cannon ball, which tore away the flesh, and also a slight scalp wonnd at the same battle. In this engagement he was acting as Lieutenant of Branch's Battery, and was in command of the center section of the

battery, there being right and left sections, and it was at this time that he received his wounds.

After the close of the war, having served four years and one month, Judge Veneble settled at Farmville, Virginia, where he com- inenced the practice of law, remaining until 1868. On account of failing health he re- moved to California, locating at San José, where he remained only one year, and then remcved to San Luis Obispo. His knowledge of law and his excellent social and business qualities made him many friends in this county. He was chosen County Judge of his connty in 1872. serving to and including the year 1880. Ile was also elected on the Dem- ocratic ticket to the Legislature of California in 1887. and has also served one term in the city council of San Luis Obispo. In 1872 Judge Veneble represented California at the National Democratic Convention at Balti- more, Maryland.

He was married in 1872 in Montgomery County, Maryland, to Miss Alice Watkins, a daughter of G. M. Watkins, of that State. The Judge is an absolute conservative busi- ness man and financier; is a heavy stock- holder and the president of the Commercial Bank of San Luis Obispo.

OLONEL W. A. HAYNE, one of the pioneer settlers and developers of the " Montecito Valley," whose pleasing residence commands a beautiful view of val- ley and ocean, was born at Charleston, South Carolina, in 1821. He is a son of Hon. Rob- ert Y. Hayne, an eminent statesman of South Carolina, who also served as Speaker of the Sonth Carolina Legislature, was elected a member of Congress and, later, United States Senator (which office he resigned, in favor of

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Mr. Calhoun), and was then elected Governor of South Carolina. In 1832 when President Jackson issued his proclamation against nul- lification, Governor Hayne issued a counter- proclamation, in favor of " State Rights." Robert Y. Hayne was in the United States Senate, opposed to Daniel Webster, in that great debate on " Foote's resolution," re- garding public lands, which drifted into "States' Rights " and eventually resulted in the civil war.

Colonel W. A. Hayne is a graduate of the South Carolina College. He studied law and was admitted to practice; was afterward elected to the South Carolina Legislature, and voted for the convention which passed the " ordinance of secession." He served through the war of the Confederate States; was assigned special duty at Charleston, where he was stationed much of the time; and at the close of the war, having lost a large estate, he emigrated, with a family of small children, to California, arriving at San Fran- cisco in July, 1867. Having there a brother, Dr. A. P. Hayne, and cousin, E. J. Pringle, a prominent attorney, under their advice, he visited different localities, and, finding Santa Barbara possessing the most desirable quali- ties, bought a tract of 200 acres of land, in the Montecito Valley, at the rate of $20 per acre. The valley then was wild and un- settled, the ground being covered with sage brush and chiapparal. There were no im- provements in the neighborhood, and not a fruit tree had been planted. The Colonel began clearing and developing, bringing 1,000 orange trees from Los Angeles, and thus be- gun the industry, which has since proved so successful, making the valley one of the most beautiful of Southern California, and in- creasing the price of land from $20 to $250 per acre. His son, William Alston Hayne, Jr., is deeply interested in the development

of the olive, having extensive nurseries at Montecito, and planting extensive groves in the Santa Ynes Valley. Arthur P. Hayne, another son, is in the " Montpelier Insti- tute," in the south of France, studying viti- culture and perfecting himself in wine mann- facture, that he may be better able to de- velop the great wine interest of California. His eldest son, Robert Y. Hayne, is an emi- neut lawyer of San Francisco, and has been elected Superior Judge, and is now a member of the "Supreme Court Commission," ap- pointed by the Legislature to aid in Supreme Court decisions. Colonel Hayne has. two other sons who are lawyers, and one who is also interested in the Santa Ynez olive ranch.

Colonel Hayne was married in Philadel- phia, Pennsylvania, in 1847, to a daughter of Edward Stiles, a gentleman of English descent, who early settled in Pennsylvania. The Colonel is a modest, retiring gentleman, justly proud of his ancestors, and of the suc- cess of his own family.

W. STEELE, a prominent dairyman and stock-raiser in San Luis Obispo, was born in Delhi, Delaware County, New York, March 4, 1830, the son of Na- thaniel Steele, who was a farmer by vocation and also in pioneer times the owner of a stage line. He moved to Lorain County, Ohio, about 1836, and finally came with his wife to California, whither his children had preceded him. He died in 1861, at Point Reyes, where his son, I. C., had located; and his wife died the preceding year, at Peta- luma.

The eldest daughter living, Mrs. E. Moore, now eighty-five years of age, lives in Delhi, Delaware County, New York. The eldest

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son, Osman N., was killed in his performance of duty as under Sheriff of that county, Au- gust 5, 1845, by men disguised as Indians for the purpose of resisting the collection of land rents. The eldest daughter died in Bos- ton, Massachusetts, in 1886. The second son, J. B. Steele, a member of Congress from Ulster County, New York, was thrown from his carriage and killed in 1867. The third son, Major General F. Steele, United States Ariny, died January 12, 1868, in San Mateo County, this State. . The fourth son, I. C., has resided at Pescadero, San Mateo County, since 1862. The fifth son, Judge George Steele, is a resident of San Luis Obispo. The seventh son died in 1854, of cholera, at the Straits of Sault Ste. Marie, between the great lakes.

E. W., the subject of this brief outline, is the sixth son and eighth child in a family of nine. Except those mentioned the family lived and died in the State of New York. He came to California in 1856, first locating in San Mateo County, but since 1866 he has been a resident of San Luis Obispo County, engaged in dairying and stock-raising. He also has heavy inter- ests in San Luis Obispo; is a stockholder in the Central Milling Company, and has ex tensive stock and agricultural lands in the Santa Ynes Valley. He has been Super- visor two terms, being President of the Board one terin; was a member of the firm of Steele Bros., first at Point Reyes until 1863, when, their leases expiring, they moved their cattle and dairy business to San Luis Obispo County. Most of their stock is Hol- stein and Jersey. At one time, just before and during the war period, they had 3,000 milch cows. It was they who presented to the National Sanitary Commission during the war the mammoth cheese, weighing 3,- 856 pounds. Half of this was sold by the

commission at San Francisco for $3,000, and the remainder was sent to the soldiers of the Army of the Potomac. For its mann- facture special machinery was of course de- vised, the bands and hoop alone costing $500. It was all of good quality.

In this county Mr. Steele has now about 5,500 acres of land, in Arroyo Grande Val- ley, mostly grazing and agricultural. He has adopted the modern improved methods in all the departments of the business; has a silo for alfalfa.

Mr. Steele was first married at Chatta- nooga, Tennessee, to Miss Julia Stanley, who died abont eighteen months afterward; and in 1876, at Los Angeles, Mr. Steele was again married, this time to Miss Emily E. Smith, and by this marriage there is one son, named Edgar J., and born August 26, 1879.

NTONIO G. GUTIERREZ, drnggist at Santa Barbara, was born in that city March 18, 1860. The biography of his father, Dr. B. Gutierrez, appears elsewhere . in this book. In educational pursuits An- tonio first attended the Santa Barbara Mission, then the Santa Ynez College, at Los Alamos (now Los Olivos), and the Pacific schools of Santa Barbara. In 1878 he went to work with his father in the drug business, and re- mained with him until February 1, 1881. He then went to work in San Francisco, and took two courses of lectures in the California College of Pharmacy during 1881 and 1882, and also was employed in the chemical labora- atory of Messrs. Redington & Co., manufact- uring chemists and wholesale druggists, in San Francisco. On March 15, 1883, he sailed for Chili, South America, on steamer City of Rio de Janeiro, arriving at Panama April 3, and the 11th of the same month at 5:30 P. M.

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he sailed for Callao, Pern, on steamer Bolivia, arriving at Callao April 19, at 4:30 P. M., and on the 21st of the same month he sailed again for his final destination, Valparaiso, Chili, on steamer Mendoza, at 6 P. M., arriving at Val- paraiso April 30, 1883, at 6:15 A. M. He was gone six years, spending the time mainly at Valparaiso and Santiago, the capital of Chili, in the wholesale and retail drug business.

Mr. A. G. Gutierrez was married at Val- paraiso, Chili, November 29, 1883, to Miss Carmela Ibañez. They have five children, four of whom survive.

On December, 15, 1888, he sailed for Santa Barbara, California, with all his family, on the steamer "Corona," and arrived at San Francisco Jannary 4, 1889, and Santa Bar- bara January 12, and immediately entered the drug business with his father.

Mr. Gutierrez is a member of the Cali- fornia Pharmacentical Society of San Fran- cisco, and of the American Pharmaceutical Association, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

A KRILL, M. D., San Luis Obispo, has been a resident of this place since 1887, one of the leading physicians. He was born in Weston, Wond County, Ohio, May 7, 1855; completed his literary educa- tion at Oberlin College, and his medical at the Homeopathic Medical College at Cleve- land. graduating in the class of 1882. He first practiced his profession for a brief period at Burton, Ohio, and then came directly West to California, locating at San Luis Obispo, where his success has a practitioner is a well- known fact. When he came here he was the only homeopathic physician in the county. He is a genial gentleman and an enterprising and popular citizen. He was married in 1884, at Burton, Ohio, to Miss Hattie A.,

daughter of Edward C. Rice, a capitalist of that place.

- HARLES L. HALL, the present man- ager of the "Miramar" ranch, which contains 550 acres and is located in the foothills overlooking the Carpenteria Valley, was born and educated in France, completing his education at the agricultural college in the south of France. This college is very thorough in its instructions and rigid in ex- aminations. He there passed two years and a half, and in 1885 caine direct to California, to take charge of the ranch which was pnr- chased by his father in 1878. His father, C. O. Hall, is a native of New England and went to France in 1860. Being a dentist of great prominence, he now operates in Paris during the summer and in Nice during the winter months. Mr. Hall purchased his ranch through his brother, H. H. Hall, of Santa Barbara, with a view of cultivatng flowers for the oil they contain. This business was conceived after a long experience in the south of France, where the industry is extensively carried on. The climate of the Carpenteria Valley being similar to that of southern France, Mr. Hall thought the flowers could be produced to advantage here. It, however, proved nnprofitable, owing to expensive labor and the great destructiveness of gophers and ground squirrels; so, on the arrival of his son, Charles L., the entire plan was changed and the ranch is now being devoted to fruit. They have 3,000 olive trees planted, and an- ticipate increasing the number to 40,000. Three hundred of the Nostral olives were imported from the South of France. They are also largely interested in the production of loquats, which mature in the early spring, and which are considered very profitable. In

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addition to the fruits already mentioned, they have 1,500 Sicily lemons, 150 Mandarin oranges, and a large number of apple trees. Altogether this is a ranch scientifically con- ducted and must necessarily bring profitable results. Mr. Hall also cultivates many rare and novel plants here, for ornamentation rather than profit.

An important feature of this ranch is the dairy. They have a cross of Jersey, Durham and Holstein cattle, and manufacture an Italian cheese, having an expert to manage the dairy. They also have a high grade of horses for farm purposes.

- ILLIAM BENN was born at Mary- port, Cumberland County, England, in August, 1812. He learned the trade of carpenter and joiner, and in 1836 came to America, first settling at Mobile, Alabama, where he worked at his trade. In 1837 he was on the river steamboat Ophelia, on the Black Warrior River, when she sunk. Only one life was lost. Mr. Benn followed his trade at Mobile and New Orleans until 1839, when he returned to England and France, making one trip as ship's carpenter. On his return he was overseer and carpenter of a sugar plantation, near New Orleans, for one year. He again returned to England, and was engaged by the Cunard Steamship Company, as ship's carpenter on board the Britannia, making four trips to Boston. He then worked for the Liverpool Dock Trustees for five years.

On the 17th of March, 1842, Mr. Benn was married at Cumberland, England, to Miss Ann Fischer. In 1847 he brought his family to New Orleans, and soon afterward started for Council Bluffs. They were wrecked on the Missouri River, on the

steamboat Dacota, about seventy miles from Council Bluffs, and that distance was trav- eled by wagons. After remaining in Coun- cil Bluffs about three years, they traveled by ox teams to Salt Lake City, and three years later, in 1855, they moved still farther west, coming by ox teams and arriving in San Bernardino December 5 of that year. In the following February they came to Montecito. Here Mr. Benn purchased 100 acres of land at $1 per acre, carried on some farming and also worked at his trade. In 1873 he sold out and came to Carpenteria, buying four acres of land in the foot-hills and establishing for himself and family a comfortable liome, overlooking the valley and getting full bene- fit of the breezes from the Pacific. Mrs. Benn died in September, 1885, at the ad- vanced age of seventy-three years. Since then Mr. Benn has lived alone, his five living children having gathered to themselves individual responsibilities. Though seventy- eight years of age, Mr. Benn is in the full enjoyment of every faculty, and, surrounded by his books, animals, dogs and flowers, seems to be closing a peaceful contented life.

JON. MILTON WASON, a '49er, and one of the best known citizens of Sati- coy, was born in Hudson, New Hamp- shire, January 17, 1817. Three generations of the family were born, reared and died in that State. Judge Wason, father of Hon. Milton Wason, was born November 2, 1785. He was a prominent inan in his native State, having served several terms in the State Legislature, and having held the office of Justice nearly all his life. Judge Wason's great-grandfather, James Wason, with his wife, Hannah, emigrated from the county of Antrim, Ireland, about the year 1740, and

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settled on a tract of land on which generation after generation of the family were raised. Judge Wason's mother, Mary Colburn, was a native of the same place, she and her husband having been born within a mile of each other; she was of English ancestry.

Judge Wason, our subject, was the third child in a family of twelve; two children died in infancy, three sons and seven daughters grew to maturity, and five of the family are now living. He was educated at Dartmouth College, and took a law course at Harvard College, and also read law with Philips & Robbins, a prominent Boston law firm, and with Bradford Sumner. He was admitted to the bar in 1847, and practiced there two years. In 1849 he came around the Horn to California, where he mined for four years, with fair success. In Solano County he set- tled on what he supposed was Government land, where he lived and made improvements for six years, but finding it was not Govern- ment land he left it. He bought another place and lived upon it for eight years, when he sold it and came to Ventura County, April 10, 1868, and bought 275 acres of valuable land, which he has since sold at a large advance, with the exception of 100 acres, which he has saved for a home place, and on which he has built a large and com- modious residence. On this property he has a complete variety of fruit, mostly for home use, and the ranch is devoted to corn, barley and beans.

Judge Wason was married October 26, 1852, to Miss Maria A. Borgnis, a native of the city of London, England. She was born February 1, 1820. They have two sons and two daughters, viz .: Maria A., now the wife of Mr. Riall G. Sparks, and residing at Santa Paula; Mary Eliza, residing with her parents; Charles Thomas, who married Ella B. Wason, of San Francisco, their fathers being consins;

they reside at Ventura; and George M., who married Agnes Jones, of Elizabeth, Pennsyl- vania, and resides with his father. All the children were born in Solano County, Cali- fornia. Judge Wason has been a Republican since 1861, and has three times been elected to the California State Assembly. When the county was organized he was appointed County Judge, and afterward elected to the office. He held the office of Deputy Reve nue Collector for four years, and has often been elected a member of the Board of School Trustees. He has taken a deep inter est in California and the county of Ventura. In his official capacity he has exhibited both ability and strict adherance to what he be- lieved to be right.

R. GEORGE BURRITT NICHOLS, of San Luis Obispo city, was born in Augusta, Georgia, November 28, 1840. Hi- parents were both from Bridgeport, Con- necticut, and at the time of the civil war his father was a very wealthy man, having been in the saddlery business in Newark, New Jersey, a member of the firm of Smith & Wright, the firm later becoming Nichols, Sherman & Co. At the time of the Re- bellion, however, he lost most of his fortune. At the age of twelve years George was taken to Burlington, New Jersey, and placed in the Burlington College at that place, one of the best educational institutions in the country, then conducted by the Right Rev. Bishop Doane. After pursuing his studies there for a time, he went to sea, and was before the inast for several years. In 1858 he was in Europe, and traveled much with Robert Ballentine, a gentleman of intelligence and versed in the sciences. After his travel the Doctor commenced the study of medicine,

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entering the far-famed Bellevue College, New York city, then in charge of Prof. James R. Wood, where he remained three years, grad- nating June 22, 1871. During his study at the college, Dr. Nichols was for a time am- bulance surgeon at the Bellevue Hospital, and from that office was transferred to the Park Hospital, the first sun-stroke hospital in New York, where he also received the ap- pointment of house surgeon, a position of honor and requiring much knowledge and skill. In 1872 he came to California, and was engaged in the practice of his profession in Santa Barbara County for four years, and at the end of that time came to San Luis Obispo city, where he has since continued to reside. The Doctor makes a specialty of surgery in his practice, in which department he is eminently successful. His patronage throughout the county is large, and he is frequently called in consultation from distant points, in complicated and obscure cases. He is a man of many gifts, versatile in speech, universally popular throughout the county and wherever he has lived, and is at the present time a conspicuous figure in San Luis Obispo.

Dr. Nichols, with Alf. Walker, was the original discoverer of gas in the county at the oil wells, and at the same time owned that property; he has since disposed of it to other parties. He is now largely interested in the bituminous rock enterprise, the mines of which, located near the Corral de Piedra, he discovered in company with Alfred Walker. The Doctor is one of the largest stockholders in the company, and takes an active part in the management of its affairs. He has held various offices of importance since he came to California, politically and otherwise. He has been a member of the City Council of San Luis Obispo, and was the last Mayor the city really had. Through

his efforts in that office many of the city de- partments have been divided and re-arranged, greatly assisting the method of the city's business. The Doctor was the County Coro- ner during 1888-'90, and while in Santa Barbara County was County Physician of the Third Township for a term of three years. In fraternal orders he is Warder in the Knight Templars, and King of San Luis Obispo Chapter of Royal Arch Masons; also Vice-Grand in the Odd Fellows lodge.

Dr. Nichols was married in 1873 to Miss Emma Leland, and they have two sons. His residence, located near the Mission, is a handsome structure, surrounded by an at- tractive lawn and flowers.

S. REED, the efficient Postmaster of Carpenteria, was born in Ontario County, New York, in June, 1839. He was reared on his father's farm, and re- mained there until twenty-one years of age, when in 1865 he went to Kent County, Michigan, where he again engaged in farm- ing. Two years later he sold out and re- turned to Ontario County, where for a time he sold stump-pullers; but, not meeting with success, he returned to Hastings, Michigan, and bought an interest in a general mer- chandise store, carrying on the business under the name of Fuller & Reed. One year later he sold out and went into the livery business. Soon after this he left for Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he was en- gaged as book-keeper for nine months. He next returned to his old home and was enì- ployed in a warehouse, and also bought grain. In addition to this he purchased ties for the New York, Lake Erie & Western Railroad.

In December, 1884, Mr. Reed came to

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Santa Barbara, and in the January following he located in Carpenteria, bought a small house and lot, and rented and worked land. In September, 1888, he rented H. J. Laugh- lin's hotel, but after a nine-months trial he found the patronage was insufficient to make the business profitable. He then bought a half block and erected his present residence, and also engaged in cultivating prunes, nec- tarines and peaches, in a small way. Mr. Reed was appointed Postmaster in the spring of 1889; was also appointed Deputy Sheriff about the same time, by R. J. Broughton, of Santa Barbara, then acting as Sheriff.

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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