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 77

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 77
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 77
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 77

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miles distant from each other, the whole face of the country being a dense forest except little clearings around the rude log houses which protected the pioneers and their fami- lies from the winter storms, as also from the wild beasts; for in those days wolves and bears were numerous and dangerous. Deer, turkey and other game were in abund- ance, and were brought down by the rifleman when desired for food. At this time the war- whoop of the savages had scarcely died away, and civil government was in a chaotic condition.

Mr. Barber's father, when in his prime, was a powerful man, and with his oldest sons battled with the world against adverse cir- cumstances: forests were ent away, crops planted, and, with a devoted wife and mother, every effort was made to establish a com- fortable and happy home in the then far West.

It was indeed discouraging to them when, after many months of toil in securing their first crops, and, just as a severe winter had set in, to have it entirely destroyed by fire, together with a large barn: some of their animals and all their farming utensils, and their year's subsistence and the wherewith to save the family from suffering was not at their command. During the burning of the barn an older brother came near perishing iu the flames.

In 1828 sickness entered the family circle, and within fifteen months five brothers and sisters were laid in their graves. These were crushing blows to their devoted mother, and few if any at this period have the forti- tude to bear up under such trials and afflic- tions.

Mr. Barber's father died in 1848, his mother in 1849, and before the close of 1869 vine more brothers and sisters had gone to their long homes, Mr. Barber being the only sur- vivor of that once large and happy family!

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Ile can speak in the most glowing terms of the honesty, integrity and patriotism of his father; of his struggles with the Tories during the war of 1812, when the devoted amongst them prayed for the prosperity of their dear Mother England, that she might come off conqueror in the war, many of the populace at that time proposing to volunteer and go to Washington and massacre the heads of the Government! He raised a company of volunteers to go to the frontier, but was thrown from his horse on the morning he was to start and his shoulder was broken in the fall, thus disabling him for service,- from which injury he never fully recovered. May it not be said that the love of liberty and country has in a measure been handed down to the posterity of that old patriot, Thomas Barber?

Mr. Barber, the subject of this sketch received his education in the common schools (that were poorly organized and equipped at that time), except an academic term in Windham, Ohio, where he served an ap- prenticeship as cabinet-maker, commenc- ing at the age of seventeen; previous to that he had worked on his father's farmn, where malaria was prevalent, which was the prime cause of his leaving home. After acquiring such information of the business as was possible in a country shop, he en- gaged himself to a firm in Cleveland, Ohio, to perfect himself in his occupation, returning to his home late in 1851, after finishing his apprenticeship. Previous to this he resolved to strike for something more exalted and had devoted much of his spare time in the rudi- mentary studies of architecture and building.

At this time the California gold excite- ment was running high, and being of an en- terprising disposition assisted in making up a party from the neighborhood to go there, among whom were Colonel E. C. Smith,

Ebin Earl, L. V. Hopkins, Prof. J. W. Pike, Mr. Ives and some six or eight others

The party started for New York on the 11th of February, 1852, having through tickets from there to San Francisco, on what was claimed an independent line of steamers, They had passage on the steamer United States to Chagres, tbence by small boat up the river to the head of navigation, and thence on mules to Panama. Much to their disap- pointment there was no steamer to take them to their destination, and after many days' delay they finally secured passage on the ship Clarissa Andrews, afterward known as the " floating coffin," which made the voy- age in sixty-five days, arriving in San Fran- cisco May 22, 1852. One of their party, Barnus Ives, became delirious from sickness contracted in Panama, and on the seventh day out threw himself into the ocean and was drowned, all efforts to rescue him prov- ing fruitless. During the voyage sixteen of the passengers died, chiefly in consequence of bad water (imperfect evaporations from the salt sea water) and from the insufficiency and poor quality of food, from which innumer- able insects, etc., would endeavor to escape when it was broken open to be eaten! Nearly all the passengers were put on short allow- ance after the first day out from Panama. Those were times that tried men's souls; for many days death stared in the face the ill-fated passengers of that unseaworthy old vessel, it having been their choice to accept a passage on her rather than longer hazard their lives in that malarious region around Panama, where there were over nine thou- sand detained emigrants, many of them not knowing how they could escape. It was a touching sight as day after day they saw their shipmates dropped into the ocean to become food for the sharks that were seldom out of sight from the ship.

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Fearing the loss of his health, Mr. Bar- ber decided to remain in San Francisco for a time, but the majority of his comrades pro- ceeded at once to the mines. From the time of his arrival until Angust, the same year, he worked at liis trade,-for which he still harbored a dislike,-when he proceeded to Marysville, and soon after invested in the Mammoth Joint-stock Quartz-mining Com- pany, on Jamison Creek, some 100 miles into the mountains, where, during the terrible winter of 1852-'53, the snow lay from three to ten feet deep, in which the company's pack-train of sixty-six animals all perished, and the machinery and provisions for the mill, with which they were loaded, were scat- tered through the mountains and lost. This, with the fraudulent transactions of those left in charge of the mine and mill during the months that the property was inaccessible, caused a failure of the company, and with this a total loss of the most of Mr. Barber's earnings up to this time.

While in Marysville he was taken sick with a fever, and for many days his life was de- spaired of. When convalescing, the hotel where he was stopping was burned and he came near losing his life, having his clothing and hair burned as he escaped through the flames. He finally recovered so that in De- cember he was able to return to San Fran- cisco, where he took up and followed the carpenter and joiner business and the study of architecture, except a portion of two seasons when he farmed near Oakland.

Returning early in 1856 to San Fran- cisco, he worked for wages a short time, when he commenced contracting for build- ings of all classes, which he followed quite successfully until late in 1868, being his own architect on many buildings which he erected, and also for others on which he was archi- tect and superintendent. In 1868 he suf-

ered a loss in having a large brick building, upon which he had a contract, thrown down by an earthquake. In 1856 he made the acquaintance and gained the confidence of Renben Clark, an eminent architect,-espe- cially in the constructive branch, - from whose plans the beautiful State Capitol, at Sacramento, was erected. The wise coun- sels of Mr. Clark and his lessons in archi . tecture have been a source of great profit to Mr. Barber from that time to the present, he having followed the profession constantly since 1868.

Besides the buildings in San Francisco which he planned, he was also architeet ou nearly all the principal buildings in Santa Barbara, such as the county court-house, the Santa Barbara college (now the San Marcos Hotel), the Arlington Hotel, the Presbyte- rian church, the old Methodist and Con- gregational churches, Clock building, First National and Commercial Bank buildings, Crane's Hall, theatre, Third and Fourth Ward school-houses; also those at Lompoc, Car- penteria, Santa Ynes and other places; many stores and fine dwellings, as that of Gaspar Oveña, Thomas P. Dibblee, Captain Moore, John Edwards, Captain Greenwell, Mrs. Lucy Brinkerhoff and many others; and later on, with his partner, the annex to the Arling- ton, the Hawley block, Cottage Hospital an- nex to the Clock building and the three-story stone-front building adjoining the latter. Mr. Barber is now alone in business, and is engaged on a good dwelling for Judge Can- field, the Public Library, a stone church for the Unitarian Society, and the Methodist South.

While in San Francisco, in 1855-'56, he was a member and treasurer of the Elysian Club, a social organization of 160 or more young ladies and gentlemen; and every par- ticipant will carry through life the most pleasant recollections of those happy re-

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unions. They were all that the name of the club implies. Mr. Barber was a member for several years of a cavalry company, -- the First Light Dragoons,-under Captain C. L. Taylor and Lieutenant Flanders. Soon after the breaking out of the Rebellion, when the California hundred was being mustered into service, he seriously contemplated going to the front with them, and would have done so but for his young wife and child who were dependent upon him; but he regularly paid his full proportion into the sanitary fund.

He. like many others, invested in stocks during the quartz-mining excitement, and his dearly bonght experience then may have proved beneficial later in life.

Mr. Barber was married in San Francisco, in 1859, to Miss Mary J. Wheaton. of New Orleans, Louisiana, and they have a family of five children: Sylvia S., now Mrs. H. A. Rogers; Ella F, Alice F., Samuel M. and Arthur B. They buried their little daughter Mary Ann in 1864, when but twenty months old, and their youngest child, Mary Beatrice, in 1888, aged eleven years.

In 1869, for the better health of his family, Mr. Barber sought a more genial climate and settled in Santa Barbara, then but an old Spanish-built town with less than half a dozen respectable American-built dwellings, and no public buildings except the old adobes. It now has a population of some 6,000 peo- ple, among whom are a+ refined, cultured, benevolent and patriotic a class as any city in the world can boast of.

Some thirty years ago Mr. Barber joined the Odd Fellows, and has never ceased to be a member,-first the Yerba Buena in San Francisco, then by card Santa Barbara Lodge, and was one of the charter members of Channel City Lodge, No. 232 (the name " Channel City " being proposed by Mr. Bar- ber and afterward adopted). He was for some

time a member of the Santa Barbara En- campment and holds his card. In the sub- ordinate lodges he passed through all the chairs and has been elected three times a representative to the Grand Lodge, and served one term as Deputy Grand Master of Dis- trict No. 54, and for some ten years has been a trustee of Channel City Lodge. He has been a member of the Veteran Odd Fellows Association for many years, and greatly enjoys their meetings and banquets in San Fran- cisco, where he is privileged to meet his old- time California friends. He is also a mem- ber of long standing in the orders of United Workmen and American Legion of Honor.

He served on the Board of Health in 1878-'79, and in 1880 was elected Mayor of Santa Barbara, by a surprising majority. and served a full term, giving universal sat- isfaction, during which he was ex-officio Chairman of the Board of Health.

During this time the small-pox was brought into the city, spreading through one family. The work of the board was laborious and dan- gerous. For a long time they felt that the destiny of the place-from a sanitary stand- point-was in their hands; if the disease had been allowed to spread, and the plague had swept off a portion of the population, the reputation of the city-which now stands pre-eminent as a health resort-would have received a blow from which it would have taken years to recover.

In 1882, under the administration of Presi- dents Garfield and Arthur, he received the appointment of Postmaster at Santa Barbara, and served his full term of four years. The satisfaction he gave the public in this capac- ity has been manifested in many ways.

In 1890, after having been solicited in writing by some two hundred voters, he with much hesitancy allowed his name to be used as a candidate for Mayor, and is now

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serving his second term as such, and again as chairman of the newly organized and efficient Board of Health.

Mr. Barber's habits of life have always been those of sobriety, industry and frugal- ity; his gratitude is warm and enduring for every kindness; he tenaciously adheres to his friends, come what may; is always ready to forgive any injustice or injury inflicted; is generous-some say to a fault-but never boasts of it, and the Golden Rule always seems uppermost in his mind. He has been an almost constant worker through life,- always at his post. Though fond of enjoy- ment and recreation, he never has had what he thinks he has earned.

In 1863 he paid a visit to his old home and boyhood friends in Ohio and other States. Though but eleven years had elapsed since leaving, many old neighbors and friends had gone to their long home. In 1887 he again sought rest and recreation, and, with his daughters Ella and Alice, took a trip to the old country. In going to New York they took a middle route through Kansas City, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Chattanooga, Washington, Philadelphia, etc. They took passage on the Anchor Line steamer "Fer- nessia" to Glasgow, visiting Scotland, Eng- land, Ireland, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Switzerland and France, returning by the same line, on the Devonia, to New York. When four days out from New York they encountered a terrible hurricane, which came near foundering the ship. From New York they took the more northern route for home, visiting Niagara Falls, Cleveland, Chicago, Denver, Salt Lake, etc., stopping off and visit- ing the old homestead in Ohio and the scenes of his childhood and such of his old associates as had not emigrated to other localities or had been numbered with the dead. The ravages of time during thirty-five years, to-

gether with those of the war of the Re- bellion, were too apparent, and a feeling of sadness crept over him when, at a little ban- quet at the same hospitable farm-house where forty-five years before he had stepped to merry music, there could be counted upon the ends of his fingers all that remained of the Svores who had been wont to gather there for youthful amusements. At parting he said good-bye to thiem, perhaps for the last time, and once more turned his face toward his home on the shores of the Pacific.

Since he has lived in Santa Barbara he has fostered and encouraged every legitimate enterprise to the extent of his ability; has expended some money in prospecting for ininerals, oils, etc., and at this time is inter- ested in two companies that are putting down wells in oil regions. He was for a term of years a partner in a firm that dealt heavily in lumber and other building mate- rials. For many years he owned a small farm near town which he had properly cul- tivated, and planted out with the choicest variety of fruits, vines, etc., and on which he had carried on for him an apiary, and was treasurer of the Apiarists' Association of the county during its existence. He has done much work gratuitously ou different churches, as he is doing at the present time; but his race is well nigh run, and when his career is ended he can say with satisfaction to himself that he has made the best use of the time allotted to him under the circum- stances, and goes hence with a clear con- science and good will toward all mankind.

LIVER C. CARLE was born in Trum- bull County, Ohio, August 29, 1838. His father, Joshna Carle, was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, in 1800; passed his

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life as a farmer, and died in Illinois, in 1884. His ancestors were Germans. Mr. Carle's mother, Margaret (Oliver) Carle, was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, and was of Scotch descent. Of the thirteen children born to them, Oliver C. was the seventh. He at- tended school at Hopedale and finished his education at the State Normal School.

His young manhood was reached at a time when his country was in great danger and engaged in the most sanguinary struggle of its history. In August, 1862, he enlisted in the One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Ohio Volunteers, and did his duty with bravery all through the conflict. He was in the bat- tle at Winchester, Frederick, and other places, and his division was sent to New York to quell the riots at that place. Ile participated in the battles of the Army of the Potomac, and at the battle of the Wilderness was cap- tured and taken to Andersonville, where he remained from May until September. At that time they were being moved by train to Florence, when Mr. Carle and three others escaped. They spent days and weeks in the woods, traveling by night and hiding by day. They were at times defended by Union men and made many escapes, and only one of their men was recaptured. In the dark one night they were halted by seven men, with guns, and they themselves were only armed with clubs. They represented that they were Confederates going to the command, and pro- duced a pass which Mr. Carle had written. When they were trying to light a match two or three of them were knocked down at once, and the escaped prisoners broke away in the dark, followed by shots, and made good their escape. They reached the Union lines at Knoxville, Tennessee, January 12, 1865. In the charge on Petersburg, Mr. Carle was wounded in the foot, and was at the hospital in Washington when President Lincoln was

killed. Mr. Carle saw his full share of the horrors and sufferings of the war.

When peace was declared, the subject of this sketch was mustered out of the service, and engaged in agricultural pursuits, happy in knowing that the old flag waved over a united country. He bought a large farm in the vicinity of Kansas City, on which he re- mained abont seven years, a greater part of the time engaged in farming, and for a while conducted a dairy. A portion of that ranch is now included in the limits of Kansas City, and his son, Edwin T. Carle, resides on the portion which they still retain.

When Mr. Carle came to Ventura, Cali- fornia, he purchased 120 acres of land, where he has a most delightful home and where he now resides. The rare taste displayed in the arrangement of the grounds and the perfect neatness which pervade the whole premises, make it one of those attractive homes for which California is noted far and wide. Its cost was $26,000. Mr. Carle has also in- vested in other real estate in different parts of Southern California. On his home ranch he has many fruit trees of different kinds: among them are 500 walnut and 500 apricot trees.

April 14, 1860, he was married to Miss Jennie Taylor, who was born in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1840. This union was blessed with two children: Edwin T .. born March 20, 1861, in McLean County, Illinois; and Ethi- bert D., born May 20, 1866, now at home on the farm. Mrs. Carle was stricken with con- sumption aud after a protracted illness, in which all efforts to save her life proved futile, died Jannary 26, 1867. After living single four years, Mr. Carle was again mar- ried, January 12, 1871, to Miss Adelaide M. Maitland, a native of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. She is the daughter of Will- iam Maitland, of Lawrence County. They

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have had one child, which they lost. Mrs. Carle is a member of the Methodist Church. Mr. Carle's parents were members of the Disciples'. While at New Castle, Pennsyl- vania, he united with the I. O. O. F. His political views are in harmony with Repub- lican principles.

EORGE W. FAULKNER is the son of George Faulkner, who was born in Eng- land in 1806, came to Ohio in 1838, and settled on a farm in Richland County, where he still lives and where, August 16, 1846, his son, George W., was born. Mr. Faulkner's mother was nee Julia A. Green, a native of Franklin County, Ohio. Her father, William Greeu, was a pioneer of Ohio, and built the third house in the township in which he lived. The subject of this sketch was the fourth of a family of six children, was reared and educated in Ohio, and was engaged in agricultural pursuits on the farm on which he was born until coming to Ventura County, California, 'in 1879. He purchased seventy- three acres of land near New Jernsalem, and three years later came to his present location, near Santa Paula. Here he bought a farm of 150 acres, on which he has made many im- provements, planting trees and building a large barn. He has not yet built his new house, but has selected a beautiful building site and already has the grounds planted with shrubbery and trees. Mr. Faulkner has eighteen acres of apricots and a general as- sortment of prunes, apples, pears and citrus fruits, and has twenty-eight acres of hearing walnut trees. This place presents a fine ap- pearance with its flowers, fruit-trees, ponder- ous barn, and well kept stock grazing in the green pastures. Mr. Faulkner is carrying on general farming, but the crop of which he

makes a specialty is Lima beans, raising as high as a ton to the acre, the price being no w four and a half cents per pound. He employs two farm hands all the time and often more.

Mr. Faulkner was united in marriage to Miss Roda S. Seymour, a graduate of Baldwin University, class of '72. She is a native of Ohio, and a daughter of Rev. S. D. Seymour, of the North Ohio Conference, Methodist. Epis- copal Church, now a resident of Texas Mr. and Mrs. Faulkner are the parents of two daughters and one son: Alpha and Stella, born in New Jerusalem, and George Sey- mour, in Santa Paula. Mr. Faulkner is forty years older than his little son, and his father is forty years his senior. He showed the writer something unique in the way of a picture, the three portraits, father, son and grandson, being arranged on one card.

Mr. and Mrs. Fantkner are members of the Methodist Church. Politically he is a Pro- hibitionist.

ACOB MAULHARDT. In a work of this character it is fitti ig that the nune of Jacob Manlhardt should find a place, and that mention should be made of his life and successful career as a rancher of Ventura County. He was born in Prussia, of German parents, June 30, 1841, and came to California July 7, 1867. He had received his education and had learned the carpenter's trade. in his native land; and after coming to this State he engaged in sheep-raising in Contra Costa County, on the shares. In 1869 he went to Tulare County, and there devoted his time to farming. In June, 1870, he located in Santa Clara Valley, Ventura County, and here por- chased 410 acres of choice farming land at $10 per acre. This property he still retains, and has since added to it seventy-five acres,

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at a cost of $50 per acre, and later bought 312 acres of choice farming land at a cost of $7,100. He has erected a large barn and fine residence, which can be seen for miles around in every direction-a place of beauty and a credit to the country. He is conducting his farming operations on a large scale, his prin- cipal erop being grain. He also raises fruit for family use, and for his friends. The total value of his property now is about $100,000.

Mr. Maulhardt was married in 1865, to Miss Dorothy Kohlar, who is also a native of Germany, and whose parents were German farmers. They have five children: Henry, the oldest, born in Enrope; Emma, a native of Contra Costa County, California; Louisa, born in Tulare County; and Adolph and Mary, born at their present home in Ventura County.

Mr. Manlhardt is a Democrat and takes an active part in political matters, having at- tended the county conventions of his party, as a delegate, sinee 1876. He and his family are members of the Catholic Church.

D. AXTELL, Superintendent of the County Hospital, was born in Pike, Wyoming County, New York, in 1835. His father was one of the pioneers of that county in 1828. The subject of this sketch was educated and lived in his native county, engaged in farming, hotel-keeping, and other enterprises, up to the opening of the war. He enlisted at Pike, August 25, 1861, in Com- pany F, Fifth New York Cavalry, under Colonel O. De Forest, there being 1,100 men in the regiment. They were first sent to Staten Island to drill in sword exercise. Leaving there in November, 1861, they went to Baltimore, and there being mounted they went forward to Annapolis and joined Gen-

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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