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 80

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 80
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 80
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 80

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Mr. Twitchell was married in Santa Maria, in September, 1881, to Miss Mattie Stubber- field, a native of California, and they have had two children,-Eva May and Fred Mar- tin. Mrs. Twitchell died in May, 1887, of pneumonia In 1882 Mr. Twitchell served one year as Deputy Sheriff, under R. J. Broughton, and in 1887 was Road Master, but both positions were resigned, as his private business took all his time. He is a member of Santa Maria Lodge, No. 302, I. O. O. F.

UFUS FISK, a prominent rancher of San Luis Obispo County, was born at Wilton, Ontario, Canada, January 19. 1854. He is the only child of Lovina Lapum Fisk and George F. Fisk, now deceased. Both his parents are Canadians by birth. When he was twelve years of age, in 1866.

the family removed to the Pacific Coast and settled in Santa Clara County, California, on a farm which his father had bought and im- proved. When Mr. Fisk was nineteen years old his father's death caused him to leave school and take charge of the farm, where he remained for three years. He then returned to school, completing the Latin scientific course in the University of the Pacific, where he was graduated in 1878. He designed studying for the legal profession, but, his farm de- manding his attention, he returned and con- tinued in that occupation until 1882, when he sold out.

When on a trip from San José to San Luis Obispo he passed over a fine tract of land located on the Nacimiento River, eight miles west of San Miguel. He was favorably im- pressed with the situation, the prices, and the future prospect of the country, and on his return purchased 985 acres of the land that had previously attracted his attention. He has since added to it until he now has about 2,000 acres. It is a magnificent ranch, a large portion being plow land; and he is raising hay, grain, horses and cattle. He has built a large barn and a comfortable honse for present use. Mr. Fisk and family took up their permanent abode on the ranch in the winter of 1886-'87. In November, 1890, they moved into San Miguel, where Mr. Fisk's business interests demanded his attention.

In 1879 Mr. Fisk was married to Miss Emmogene A. Barnes, a native of the Golden West, and the eldest daughter of Captain T. F. Barnes, a prominent farmer of Santa Clara County. Mrs. Fisk is a graduate of the State Normal School of San José, and a teacher by profession. They have one daugli- ter, Stella, born to them July 2, 1884, in Santa Clara County.

Mr. Fisk is a Master Mason, a member of

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the Odd Fellow's Lodge, the Farmers' Al- liance, a Master of the Grange and one of its charter members. He is also a member of the A. O. U. W .; his wife is a member of the Grange, Farmers' Alliance and Order of the Eastern Star.

They take an active part in all social and progressive movements in their community ; are people of refinement, and highly esteemed by their friends and acquaintances.

G. BENNISON, one of the business inen of Santa Paula, was born in Mem- phis, Missouri, September 1, 1858. Ilis father, Henry Bennison, was born in Eng- land, in 1826, and came to America in 1846. IIe entered the regular army of the United States, fought through the Mexican war; was then sent to Florida to fight the Indians; and also served all through the late war. Mr. Bennison's mother was nee Miss Agnes Perry, a native of Michigan. They had two chil- dren, the subject of this sketch being the first born. At twenty years of age he went to learn the blacksmith's trade in Galesburg, Illinois, in 1878. He opened a shop in Galesburg, which he conducted for several years. He sold ont and came to Santa Paula, California, in 1884, and bought his present shop on Main street, where he is doing an extensive business for the size of the town. Three men are employed in the shop besides himself, and they do blacksinithing and car- riage work. Since coming to California, Mr. Bennison has purchased forty acres of land, located about two iniles east of Santa Paula, which he has improved and ou which he has built a neat residence. With the exception of a fine orchard of a variety of fruits, the whole place is devoted to French prunes and English walnuts. The neat way in which

the property is kept shows the thrift and en- terprise of the owner.

Mr. Bennison was united in marriage, in 1885. to Miss Eda Olmstead, a native of Cali- fornia, born in 1867. They have one dangh- ter, Eda B., born in Santa Paula, December 22, 1887. Mr. Bennison is a Republican, and a worthy member of the I. O. O. F.

B. PALIN .- Among the many active business men with which Ventura County abounds, we find the subject of this sketch the peer of any of them. He is a native of Canada, of French parents, born within twenty miles of the State line of New York, east of the St. Lawrence River, January 6, 1847. He came to California in 1869, and to his present locality in 1873. At that time there was but little farming done in this part of the county, the land being used for stock purposes. Mr. Gries and Mr. Bell had engaged in agricultural pursuits to some extent, but the whole Pleas- ant Valley, now so beautiful with its well- tilled fields, was then a wild-looking place, indeed. Mr. Palin first worked for Mr. Savers about three years, and then engaged in raising sheep Three years later he sold out his sheep interests, and began farming and raising horses and cattle, continning at that business four years. He then purchased a large tract of land, which he is having farmed. He is also farming 1,700 acres of land in Pleasant Valley, having six men in his employ and using thirty work horses. Last year he harvested 11,000 sacks of barley. This year, 1890, he is planting 170 acres to beans, 120 to corn, and the rest to barley and wheat.

Mr. Palin is a lover of fine horses, and de- votes considerable attention to breeding the

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Hambletonian stock. He is the owner of the valuable horse Dew Drop, which is eight years old, and is the most valuable horse of the kind now in the county. At a horse show in Santa Barbara he received a diploma for this horse, which is framed and hanging in his best room. He is also the owner of John Thompson, a very valuable and fine three- year-old colt, of this breed. He owns the thoroughbred mare, Eva P. She is the mother of some fine grade colts.

Mr. Palin is a Republican, and takes an active part in political matters. For some time he was a member of the County Central Republican Committee from Pleasant Valley precinct. In 1889 he was a Republican dele- gate to the State Senatorial Convention, and aided in the nomination of Judge Hickeock for Senator.

E. KALTMEYER is one of the thrifty and enterprising self-made men of Ventura County. He was born in Germany, of well-to-do German parents in 1842, and received his education in his native country. A spirit of independence and a de- sire to do for himself prompted him to start for the United States, here to earn a living and ultimately to establish a home for him- self. He came in 1856, and settled at St. Louis, Missouri, where he learned the trade of a confectioner and cook, and was engaged in that business there for ten years; he then went to Tennessee, where he opened a res taurant. From there he went to the Paris World's Fair, and also visited his parents, returning to America three months later. At this time he engaged in the cotton and wool business, and met with reverses, losing all he had made. On his way to New York his ship was caught in a severe storm, and he

came so near losing his life that the other things did not seem of much importance.

In 1861 Mr. Kaltmeyer enlisted in a Mis- souri volunteer regiment, and served three months, during that time participating in the battle of Springfield, Missouri. Some time after being mustered out of service, he again located in St. Louis, Missouri, and was engaged in business there until 1866. While in that city, in 1863, he married Miss Jose- phine Young, a native of Germany. To them were born two lovely children. During the fearful cholera epidemic in St. Louis, they were all taken with the disease, and both wife and children died, he alone of the little fam- ily being left. At this time he was broken in spirit and also met with financial reverses. With what money he had left he came to California in 1868, via Panama. In San Francisco he worked at his trade, and in the fall he went to Napa County, where he heard there was choice government land in South- ern California, and that it was a fine country. He came to Ventura County in December, 1869, and settled on 160 acres of land, which, after a while, he learned was not Government land. He bought eighty acres of it at $16.50 per acre; four years later he bought the other eighty; and still two years later he purchased sixty-seven acres more that adjoined it. Nearly all this time he was unmarried and did his own cooking. After remaining sin- gle nearly ten years, he wedded Miss Pauline Ruoff, a native of Germany. This union has been blessed with five children: the first, a son, died; the other children are Matilda, Emelia, Bertha and Hulda, all born in Ven- tura County.

Mr. Kaltineyer has greatly improved and beautified his ranch; the house, a very com- fortable and attractive one, he built in 1883; and the whole property speaks in unmistak- able terms of the taste, refinement and enter-

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prise of the owner. After being broken up twice, he has, by the power of his will and close application to business, become inde- pendent and affluent. Notwithstanding his various experiences, he still looks yonng, and, no doubt, has before him a long and success- ful career. He was inexperienced in ranch life when he came to his present location, and many were the difficulties he encountered, but he overcame them all, and now ranks among the leading ranchers of his district. Politically, he is a Republican.

EROY ARNOLD is a pioneer of Cali- fornia, having come to this coast in 1852, when a boy ten years of age. He was born in De Kalb County, Illinois, January 22, 1842. His father, Cullar Arnold, is a native of Ohio, born in 1818, and now resides in Orange, Orange County, California. The Arnolds were among the early settlers of America. Mr. Arnold's mother, Emily (Hough) Arnold, was born in the State of Illinois. For a number of generations her ancestors were residents of the United States. Leroy Arnold is one of a family of nine chil- dren, six sons and two danghters now being residents of California, and one child having died in infancy. His father, on coming to California with his family, settled in Marys- ville, and opened two stores of miners' sup- plies, one at Nelson Creek and the other at Goodyear's Bar. He was there for three years, and then moved to Martinez, Contra Costa County, where he farmed two years. After this he kept hotel in Sierra County. In 1857 they went to Lassen County, en- gaged in farming and stock-raising, and re- mained there until 1868, when they came to Ventura County and located on 320 acres of land, where the Arnold brothers now reside.

After finding that it was not Government land they bought the property, and later added 900 acres more. It is a splendid tract oť land, three miles east of Hueneme. The brothers have bought and sold among them- selves, and Leroy Arnold now owns 160 acres of it. He has improved this by building, tree-planting, etc. He has an artesian well, withi seven and a half inch pipe, in which the water rises sixteen feet above the level of the ground. He has remodeled the house, bnilt the barns, and, under his judicious manage- ment, the place presents an attractive ap- pearance.

Mr. Arnold was married September 19, 1876, to Miss Carrie F. Hill, a native of In- diana, and daughter of William Hill. They have had seven children, all natives of the Golden State, and all living, viz .: Effie F. is the wife of A. D. Smith, and resides in San Buenaventura; Mary L. married S. G. Shep- pard, and resides at Hueneme, and the fol- lowing are at home with their parents, --- Martha E., Oliver B., Royston C., Alton E. and Ida L. Mr. Arnold is a Master Mason and a member of the A. O. U. W. In poli- tics, he is a Republican, having cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln.

CONNELLY is another one of the prominent ranchers of the Santa Clara Valley, who has risen by his own fru- gality and industry to an enviable position as a citizen and land-owner. He is one of a number of gentlemen of Irish birth who left their native land to enjoy the liberty of citi- zenship in the United States. Several of them have settled in the same neighborhood, and when they came here they found the country a waste; by their industry they have made it a paradise, dotted all over with the

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fine homes of a thrifty people. The well tilled fields of this valley, the neat farm houses with their fruit and shade trees and flowers, all go to make up a picture beautiful to behold.

Mr. Connelly was born in County Mona- ghan, Ireland, March 10, 1844, and came to America in 1866, at the age of twenty-two years. He first worked for wages in New York and New Jersey. In 1869 he came to California. After working some time in Contra Costa County and also in Sonoma County, and not liking the country, he came to Ventura County and was pleased with the prospect here. He was employed by Mr. Leonard and Mr. Hill, and later he rented 200 acres of land and bought a small house. After working along in this way until 1876, he purchased his present ranch of 264 acres of Thomas R. Bard. By building and other improvements he has made a valuable prop- erty of this.

Mr. Connelly was married in 1878, to Miss Eliza Cline, a native of County Longford, Ireland. They have had nine children, six of whom are living, all born at their present home, viz .: John L., Ann C., Mary, Joseph A., Frances and James N. The whole family are members of the Catholic Church. In his politics Mr. Connelly is a Democrat. He has been Roadmaster of his district for the last five years.

POLLEY is a pioneer of the State of California, and hailed from Waltham, Massachusetts, where he was born De- cember 22, 1822. His father, Elnathan Pol- ley, was a native of the same place. Their ancestors were Welslı people, and were among the earliest settlers of New England. His mother, Marian (Brigham) Polley, was a

native of Massachusetts, of English descent. They have the genealogy of the family back to the old barony of Bludgehouse, England. Mr. Polley had eight brothers and sisters. Five of them are still living, three older than himself. He was reared and educated in Massachusetts, and learned the machinist's trade, which he followed in the East. In 1851 he came to California. He engaged in milling in Sacramento in 1852, and has the honor of grinding and putting up the first sack of merchantable flour put up in that shape in the State. After four years in the mill, he engaged in contracting and building, and also did some farming. In 1876 he came to Ventura County, and be- came a rancher and thresher. In 1884 he purchased his present home property, erected buildings, planted trees and otherwise im- proved it, and is now engaged in raising bar- ley and fine horses.

Mr. Polley was married in 1843 to Miss Charlotte Ann Kellom, a native of New Hampshire, born at Hillsborough, September 6, 1824. To them were born nine children, four of whom are now living: Martha K., married J. Y. Saviers, and resides in Texas; Charles H., born in 1859, married Miss Ren Cunningham, and has two children. He is his father's business partner, the firm being Polley & Son. George F. was born in 1861, and is now a resident of Ventura County. Porter L. was born in 1865; is married and resides in Colorado. Their sons were all born in California.

Mr. Polley resided in Sacramento during the exciting times of the Vigilant Commit- tee, and aided in the organization of the Re- publican party there; ran on the ticket for a member of the State Assembly, and stumped his district for John C. Fremont, the " Path- finder." They were both stoned and clubbed. He lived in Mendocino during the war, and

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it was about as much as a man's life was worth to announce himself a Republican. At a meeting held in Sacramento city, the Re- publican speaker, Henry Bates, was rotten- egged. Mr. Polley saw a chief justice throw- ing eggs, and a county judge paraded in front of the stand with gun in hand, swear- ing that he would shoot the first Republican that would open his month. There were at one time three tickets in the field, and nine candidates met at one place. They agreed to hold a discussion, each one to have fifteen minutes' time. Among other things they were to express their opinions on the action of the Vigilant Committee. Mr. Polley said: " I will say one thing, and no man can gain- say it. Every man that the committee hung was a Democrat, and every man they ban- ished from the State was one, and I hope none of them will ever return." Those were exciting times in California, and people of the present can scarcely think it possible that such a state of affairs could have existed. Mr. Polley is a Master Mason. Notwith- standing the fact that he has seen and been through the early turbulent times of the State, having lived here thirty-nine years, he is still quite a yonng-looking man.

ONLON BROTHERS are prominent ranchers of Hueneme, and natives of California. Their father, Peter Don- lon, came to Ventura County in 1870, with his wife and their two little sons. He pur- chased 400 acres of land, which has since be- come valuable property. It was at that time a wilderness, and the little board house, still standing not far from their more modern home, speaks plainly of pioneer times and days of small things. Peter Donlon was born in County Longford, Ireland, in 1846,

both his parents being natives of Ireland. He was an industrious and respected citizen, and by his honest toil he had provided him- self and his family with a comfortable home, surrounded by fruit trees and fields of waving grain, in one of the most fertile valleys of the State. Here, when he was so favorably sit- uated to enjoy life, a fatal accident occurred, in 1888, that terminated his useful life. He was engaged in cutting trees, and a ladder was thrown against his head by a falling tree, which resulted in his death a few hours afterward. This sad accident was a severe trial to his family, and a shock to the com- munity in which he had resided so long. He left a family of five children, three sons and two daughters, as follows: James T., born in Alameda County, July 29, 1868; Charles, also born in Alameda County, August 30, 1869; Joseph, born at the home ranch in 1871; and both the sisters, Mary and Ida, also born at the home place.

Since their father's death the farm is being conducted by the sous, under the firm name of Donlon Brothers, and the sisters inanage the housekeeping. The crop raised on this ranch is principally barley, but they also do general farming and raise horses, cattle and hogs. They are agents for 600 acres of land besides their own ranch, and 350 acres of it they are farming.

The family are all members of the Catholic. Church. The two oldest sons belong to the Yonng Men's Institute, and the youngest is a member of the order of Native Sons of the Golden West.

D. BLACKBURN, a pioneer who ar- rived in this State Angst 12, 1849,

o is the founder, in partnership with his brother-in-law, Hou. D. W. James, of the

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beautiful young city of El Paso de Robles (the pass of oaks), now one of the most attrac- tive and beautiful young cities of San Luis Obispo County. This firm are also the pro- jectors and builders of the great sulphur hot springs bath-house, for which the town is now so justly celebrated as a famous health resort. They also gave to the city the nice park which adds so much to the beauty of the place, and are now engaged in the com- pletion of their brick hotel, comprising two stories and a basement, 285 x 300 feet, and 130 rooms, furnished with all the latest im- provements. This institution is a magnifi- cent ornament to the beautiful city, and is a grand monument of credit to their enterprise and success as builders. With such men at the helm, the future of the town is assured.

Where are these men from? Mr. Black- burn was born at Harper's Ferry, Jefferson County, Virginia, April 8, 1816, a section of the Union noted for the birth and rearing of many of the sturdiest :nen of the nation. In 1822 Mr. Blackburn removed with his par- ents to Springfield, Ohio, where he grew up and learned the carpenter's trade, which has since been of much value to him. After fol- lowing it six years, he became a clerk in a store and warehouse for Phelps & Summers, in (qnawka, Henderson County, Illinois. He afterward formed a partnership, the firm being Swezey, Seymour & Blackburn, pork- packers in that place, and they carried on the business successfully until the spring of 1849, packing from 65,000 to 75,000 head of hogs annually and shipping them down the Mis- ›issippi River to market.

Now a new era arrived in the life of Mr. Blackburn. His brother, William, who had come to California in 1844, was writing glow- ing accounts of his new home in this delight- ful country; and the gold excitement of 1849 gave an irresistible impetus which carried

our subject, with his brothers James and Jacob, his brother-in-law, Findley, and his partner Henry Seymour and James Wester- field, forth to the Golden West. Electing Mr. Findley Captain, and Mr. Blackburn Lieutenant, and taking three wagons and three yoke of oxen to each wagon and two years' supply of provisions, they joined a com- pany of 120 men, crossed the Missouri River at lowa Point, May 5, 1849, and crossed the plains and mountains to the " promised land " without accident or loss, arriving at Deer Creek August 12. They were the first to do mining in what is now Nevada City. Mr. Blackburn followed mining nine days on the South Yuba, and then went to Santa Cruz and engaged in farming on his brother's land, on shares. He put in twenty-eight acres of potatoes and cleared for the crop abont $16,000. The yield was abundant and they sold at six to twelve cents a pound. Mr. Blackman has paid $1 a pound in California for the seed. He also had about eighty acres of barley, oats and wheat, and he continned in grain farming until 1857. In June of that year he came to Paso Robles, in company with his brother James, and purchased 22,000 acres of land known as the Paso Robles Rancho of Petronillo Rios, - which included the hot sulphur springs-at a cost of $8,000. They engaged in stock raising on this ranch, having as many as 10,000 head of live-stock at one time. The dry season of 1864 caught them with about 3,000 head of cattle, nearly all of which were lost. Had it not been for the hogs they had on the ranch, they would have been broken.

In 1860 the firm divided their interests in the ranch, Mr. Blackburn taking the league of land which included the springs. He sold a half interest to Mr. McGreel, who in 1865 sold his interest to D. W. James, for $11,000; and in 1873 James H. Blackburn bought a

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fourth interest in the property. Mr. Black- burn and his friend James kept " bach " until 1866, when two bright young ladies, the Misses Dunn, natives of Australia, be- came aware of their " hopeless" condition, and after the usual amount of urgent persuasion consented to share their lot with them on the beautiful Paso Robles Rancho. The couples were married at San Luis Obispo by Father Francis Mora, now Bishop at Los Angeles, and a warm friend of all the parties in the affair. Mr. Blackburn, our subject, chose Celia Dunn, a daughter of Patrick Dunn, a California " 49er," and of their ten children, nine are living, viz .: James W., Francis J., Henry H., Margaret, Daniel, Nellie, Annie, Harriet and Frederick. Jennie was killed by the accidental upsetting of the wagon.

P. FAULKNER is a prominent land- owner and horticulturist of San Luis Obispo County. His ranch is in the Ranchita Valley, three and a half miles east of San Miguel. He is a native of Guilford, Connecticut, born May 4, 1853. He was born in the house where his father, William Faulkner, and his grandfather, Charles Faulk- ner, were born. Faulkner Island took its name from this family. His mother, Mary Griswold (Stowe) Faulkner, was a native of New Haven, Connecticut; her father, Pittman Stowe, was born in Guilford, Connecticut, and their ancestors had been among the very earliest of America. Mr. Faulkner, our sub- ject, was the only child by his father's second marriage, and was educated at Yale College, and completed his studies in pharmacy and chemistry at Philadelphia. His father was a pioneer of California, and in the year 1849 was one of the publishers of the Pacific News. HIe was an accomplished writer and business

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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