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 82

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 82
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 82
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 82

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erected the brick block in which he is now doing business. This is a double building, filled with all kinds of merchandise, and Mr. Cohn is doing the principal business of the town. He now owns several buildings, and is also interested in real estate out of the town, having sixty acres of well improved land.

Mr. Cohn was married, in 1885, to Miss Minnie Cohn, also a native of Germany and of the same name, but of no relation to him. Their family consists of three children, all born at New Jerusalem, viz .: Dora, Helen and Jacob.

The subject of this sketch has been Post- master of the town for the past ten years. In political views he is Democratic.

PHRAIM B. HALL, of Scotch descent, was born in Harrison County, Virginia, (now Marion County, West Virginia), in 1822. He completed liis academical course, studied law, and practiced that pro- fession in said Marion and adjoining coun- ties from 1850 until after the commencement of the civil war in 1861.

Mr. Hall was a member of the Virginia Convention that met in Richmond in Feb- ruary, 1861, and was one of the fifty-eight members of that body who voted against the adoption of the Ordinance of Secession. On the adjournment of that convention in May, 1861, he returned home, and canvassed his own and the adjoining counties, against the ratification of said ordinance by the people, at an election ordered for that purpose; and not returning to the adjourned session of said convention in June, 1861, from his ab- sence therefrom, and his active opposition to the aggressions and operations of the Con- federate government and forces, and of the

State government co-operating therewith, he was, by ordinance, expelled from said con- vention; and subsequently, under the provi- sions of an ordinance of said convention declaring certain acts resisting the authority of the Confederate government as constitut- ing treason against the State, and providing for trial, in the absence of the accused, by process of outlawry, he and three others were tried upon a charge of treason against said Confederate State government, and con- demned to be executed whenever the civil or military authorities of said State or of the Confederate government might be able to arrest them.

He was a member of the convention that inet at Wheeling in 1861, for the re-organ- ization of the State government on a loyal basis and in co-operation with the Federal Government.

Was a member of the convention that formed and adopted the first constitution of the State of West Virginia, and was one of the committee of five, appointed by said con- vention to have charge of the election, and to make returns of the resuts of the vote upon the ratification or rejection of said constitution by the people; and, if ratified, to present the same to Congress aud the Federal authori- ties at Washington, and to secure its accept- ance and the formation and admission of the State of West Virginia.

Mr. Hall was elected Attorney General of the State of West Virginia, for the terni commencing January 1, 1865. He was elected Judge of the Circnit Conrt (ten cir- cuits, composed of the counties of Jefferson. Berkeley, Morgan, Hampshire, Hardy and Pendleton), in October, 1865, and in Decem- ber, 1865, resigned the office of Attorney General and entered upon his judicial duties. Was re-elected for a succeeding term, and after seven years' service upon the bench, he,

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in October, 1872, on account of the ill health of his wife, resigned his office of judge and removed to the State of California. That prior thereto, in March, 1870, he was by the Governor appointed one of the three com- missioners on the part of the State of West Virginia to confer with the State of Vir- ginia to adjust and settle the matter of the debt of Virginia as between the two States, which position he also resigned.

In November, 1873, he qualified as attorney in the Supreme Court of California and set- tled, and made himself a quiet and cozy home in the El Montecito Valley, some four miles from the city of Santa Barbara, where he still resides; but did not resume the practice of his profession until 1875, since when he has been engaged in the practice. He is vice-president of one, and counsel for two of the banks of said city, and in a quiet way pursnes his profession, and enjoys his home, which for beauty and comfort, and in such a locality, and with such a climate, should make any one content and happy.

Thus have inany done, who have passed through the exciting scenes of a border home during the war.

L. LAW & CO .- The representatives of the above firm are S. L. and P. E. Law, who were born in Chicago, Illinois. Their parents are natives of New York city, but moved to Chicago in 1837, being numbered among the pioneers. Their father dealt largely in real estate, and was at one time owner of Hyde Park. These enter- prising young men came to Santa Barbara in 1888, bringing with them a $12,000-stock of well-selected gents' furnishing goods, hats, etc. By marked activity and close attention to business their store ranks with the first of

the city. They make specialties of Knox's hats. of New York, and Stetson's, of Phila- delphia.

S. L. Law was married in Santa Barbara in May, 1889, to Miss Martha M. More, a daughter of T. Wallace More.

OSEPH SEXTON, nurseryman at Goleta, was born in Hamilton County, Ohio, nine miles from Cincinnati, March 14, 1864. His father was a farmer and after- ward a merchant at Dent, same connty; then, in 1852, he came to San Francisco on the steamer Star of the West, on the Atlantic side, and the S. S. Lewis on the Pacific side, crossing the Isthmus by the Nicaragua route. The S. S. Lewis was unseaworthy, leaking badly, and on her next trip she came near sinking off San Francisco. After arriving in San Francisco, Mr. Sexton first became a dealer in wood for eleven months. Then he went to Ione Valley, Amador County, and bought a tract of land, on which he started a nursery of all kinds of fruit trees. In 1864 he returned to San Francisco, then moved to Petaluma, Sonoma County, and bought a nursery, in company with his father, which he conducted two years; then managed the grain farm in Marin County two years, and finally, in December, 1867, he came to Santa Barbara and bought ten acres within the city limits. In the spring following he went to the Goleta (signifying schooner) ranch and purchased forty-five acres. He has since added to that tract twenty acres. Here he started the nursery business first in town and then moved to Goleta. He started with fruit trees only, and afterward added orna- mental. In 1882 he bought 208 acres, and later 105 acres at Ventura; and next, in company with his father, he purchased a

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ranch of 8,000 acres. He has about twenty- five acres in a nursery of fruit-trees; is now setting out 105 acres of blue gum (Euca. lyptus globulus) at Ventura. In 1872 the industry of raising pampas grass was origin- ated at the Santa Barbara Nursery, by plant- ing the seed-a discovery having been made with reference to selection and the mode of planting. In 1889 he shipped between 200 and 400 plumes, and since 1874 he has shipped altogether 1,388,000. At first plumes were valued at twenty cents apiece. The soft-shelled walnut also originated with Mr. Sexton, from seed purchased in San Francisco. In the nursery he has a full line of fruit and ornamental trees, the specialty being the soft-shelled walnut and ornamental palms in great variety. For these purposes he has under cultivation sixty-five acres. He has 300 varieties of evergreen roses.

Mr. Sexton was married at Goleta, in 1868, to Miss Lucy Foster, a native of Illinois, whose father, Isaac B. Foster, was a money-lender. Mr. and Mrs. Sexton have seven sons and five danghters, and all living at home.

C. TALLANT, one of the leading grocers of Santa Barbara, is the sub- ject of this sketch, who was born at Wheeling, West Virginia, in 1858. His father was a wholesale dry-goods merchant at Wheeling, and later moved to Baltimore, where he carried on business for many years. Our subject was educated at private schools, in Baltimore, and finished at the Roanoke College, Salem, Virginia. He moved to Santa Barbara with his parents in the fall of 1874. He began the grocers' business in 1877, in the store of P. M. Newall, for whom he worked five years. In 1883 he bought an

interest in the business, but after eighteen months sold again, and bought in with Mr. Sweetser, continuing under the firm of Tallant & Sweetser until March 1, 1890, when Mr. Tallant bought the entire business, and will continne alone. He carries a full line of do- inestic and imported groceries, smoked, dried and packed meats, and dried and canned fruits.

He was married at San Francisco, in 1884, to Miss Mattie Dillan, a native of New Or- leans. Her father, Edward Dillan, was an extensive manufacturer of chronometers at San Francisco. Mr. and Mrs Tallant have two children. Mr. Tallant is a member of Odd Fellows, Santa Barbara Lodge, No. 156, and of the A. O. U. W.

RED A. MOORE, at present the City Assessor of Santa Barbara, and a gen- tleman who has been largely interested in the local press, was born at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1856. His father was a prominent merchant of Pittsburg, and later at Baltimore, Maryland. They moved to Minnesota when our subject was an infant, and in 1863, after his father's decease, his mother, with himself and sister, came to San Francisco, where he began his education at the public schools, and then at Santa Clara College. In 1867 they moved to Santa Bar- bara, and he attended the mission for two years, and then took a scientific course at the Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio, returning to Santa Barbara in 1872, and attended the Santa Barbara College for three years. He spent 1876 in San Francisco, returning in 1877 and connected himself with the Weekly Index, which he continued about one year. In 1878 he started The Independent, as a semi-weekly, and in 1879 bought out The

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Advertiser and consolidated the two papers. In 1884 he sold ont his paper and engaged in fire insurance, which he has since contin- ned, representing all the leading American and English companies, and carrying the principal insurance business of the city. He was first elected City Assessor in 1884, and re- elected in 1886 and 1888. Being unmar- ried, he resides with his mother and sister. Mr. Moore is a member of the society of Odd Fellows.

LONZO CRABB, Constable of the city of Santa Barbara, and a native son, was born Jannary 23, 1859. He was edn- cated at the public schools, and for five years was connected with Sherman & Eland, corner State and Ortega streets. He was elected Constable in the fall of 1888, qualifying the first Monday in Jannary, 1889: term of office, two years. He has also served as Deputy Sheriff, under R. J. Broughton.

Mr. Crabb was married at Santa Barbara, July 2, 1883, to Miss Isabelle Maris, daughter of Captain W. S. Maris, whose biography elsewhere appears. They have qeen blessed with one child. Mr. Crabb is a member of the " Native Sons of the Golden West."

F. MEYER was born in the northern part of Germany, in 1850. His father was a seafaring man, and for fourteen years he was on one vessel as mate and ship's carpenter. Our subject was in the general merchandise business in Bremen for five years, and in the fall of 1869 came to New York, where he was engaged in business until 1873, when he returned to Germany for a visit.

On returning to the United States, in 1874, he went to San Francisco, where he was vari- ously employed until 1883, when he came to Santa Barbara and permanently established himself. In 1887 he erected a fine two-story brick building at 822 State street, where he resides and conducts a billiard-room, bowl- ing-alley and saloon, keeping a fine variety of wines and liquors.

He was married in San Francisco, in 1887, to Miss Lonise Meyer, and they have four children. Mr. Meyer is a charter member of the lodge of A. O. U. W. at San Francisco.

F. McPHAIL, a gentleman largely in- terested in various enterprises in and

O abont Santa Barbara, was born on Prince Edward's Island, at Charlottetown, in 1858, his parents being natives of the island, and his father a farmner and cabinet-maker. In 1866 his parents moved to Lake City, Minnesota, where our subject attended school until fourteen years of age, when he was employed as money-order clerk at the post- office, remaining two years, and in 1874 coming to Santa Barbara to join his father, who came out in 1872. They then started a furniture business under the firm name of McPhail & Son. In 1880 our subject bought out the Champion livery stable, which he has since continued, keeping about twenty horses and suitable carriages. He was one of the incorporators of the Santa Barbara Transter Company, which was incorporated December 14, 1886, and is now (1890) its president and manager. He was one of the incorporators of the Santa Barbara Hack and Carriage Company, July. 1888, and is still president of the company. For ten years he was man- ager and had charge of the street-car line, and has been connected with many of the

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city improvements. He was elected a mem- ber of the City Council from the second ward in 1884, and re elected in 1886.

Mr. McPhail was married at Santa Bar- bara, in 1880, to Miss Helen Stevens, a native of California. They have two children, Eula and George. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias.

LONZO L. GORDON was born in Caspar, Mendocino County, California, June 22, 1865, and was reared and educated there. His parents are of Scotch ancestry. His father, Alexander. Gordon. was born in Montreal, Canada, and his mother, nee Christine Martin, is also a native of Canada. They have five children, of whom Alonzo is the third. Mr. and Mrs. Gordon came to California and settled in Mendocino County, in 1863, and there Mr. Gordon bonght a ranch of 1,000 acres and engaged in cattle-raising and butchering. They still own and reside on that ranch. In 1885 they purchased a fine ranch of 1,000 acres of level land, located eight miles east of Hueneme, ir Ventura County.

Alonzo Gordon has been reared on a ranch, and is thoroughly informed in all matters per- taining to ranch life. He gives strict atten- tion to business, and is an enterprising young man; is manager of this ranch, and has five men in his employ. Since its purchase, many improvements have been made on this property, a house and suitable out-buildings having been erected. Mr. Gordon is exten- sively engaged in stock-raising, and also raises some barley, corn and hay. They have some fine Holstein cattle; and their horses, of which they keep about fifty, are mostly the Black Lewis stock crossed with the

Clydesdale. They have a Black Lewis horse that is considered a very fine animal.

The subject of this sketch is a member of the I. O. G. T. Politically he is a Repub- lican.

- M. EDDY, one of the progressive young men of the Santa Ynez, was born in Lnzerne County, Pennsyl- vania, in 1862. They lived at Beach Haven, and his father was engaged in running a canal boat on the Pennsylvania Canal. The family came to California, arriving at Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, January 6, 1877, where the father carried on general farming. In 1886, in connection with his son, the sub- ject of this sketch, he purchased a ranch of 320 acres at Santa Rita, the son owning a one-half interest. In 1888 W. M. Eddy came to Santa Ynez and leased the spacious livery stable of John F. Miller and bought his stock of horses and light and heavy wagons. Thus equipped he was ready to meet the requirements of a critical public, and since that time has been successful in his business undertaking. The ranch is also in a prosperous condition, and is being car- ried on in the interest of stock-raising, both horses and cattle.

OHN CAWELTI is the son of German parents, and was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, January 3, 1829. He received his early education in his native country, and at the age of nineteen years, in 1848, came to America. His first work in this country was in a brick yard in New York, where he was employed for three months. He then went to Milwaukee and learned the butcher

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business, working for $5 per month. He was taken sick there, and from that place went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was en- gaged in butchering from 1849 to 1856. In the latter year he went to Iowa, purchased 160 acres of land and engaged in farming, continuing to reside there for three years and a half. In 1864 he came to California, rented lands in Sonoma County and farmed there until 1863, then he came to Santa Barbara County (now Ventura County). Like many others, he thought he was on Government land and for a time he fought title, but when he found he could not hold the land, he rented the property, and in 1875 made about $5,000 on abont 1,000 acres of rented land, raising wheat, barley and hogs. In 1877 there came a dry season and he lost nearly all he had before made. The property on which Mr. Cawelti is now located was owned by the Catholic Church. They sold to the ex-mis- sion, and when the land was put on the mar- ket he bought 1,000 acres, at $16.25 per acre; or $16,250 for the property, paying one-third down, and going in debt $11,000. Since purchasing he has made many improvements on the place, has cleared part of the land, built two barns, at a cost of $1,000, and a nice dwelling, at a cost of $3,000: also two other smaller houses, and has built nine miles of fence. He has bought 640 acres of hill land for pasture, at a cost of $2,000; and now owns 150 head of cattle and eighty liead of horses, and is out of debt, having paid up in six years. His horses are part Belgium stock, and he is now introducing Seavern blood into the cattle.

Mr. Cawelti was married, in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1852, to Mrs. Sipp, widow of Mr. Jud Sipp, by whom she had one child, Fred- erica Louisa. Mrs. Cawelti was born in Bavaria, Germany, and when a little child was brought to America by her parents.

Their union has been blessed with nine chil- dren, three born in Ohio, four in Iowa, and two in California, viz .: David, John Henry, Catharine, Jacob, John George, Mary E., Dora and Andrew E., all living near him ex- cept David, who is in San Bernardino County.

The subject of this sketch is one of the many illustrations how the hardy and in- dustrions sons of Germany succeed when they come to this country. By his own intelligent industry and judicious manage- ment, he has risen from a day laborer in a brick-yard to one of the reliable and wealthy citizens of Ventura County, California. Mr. Cawelti was reared a Presbyterian and still holds to that creed. Politically, he is a Democrat; has been elected to the office of school trustee, but is not, in any sense, a politician or office-seeker. He is a quiet and unobtrusive man, and deserved the success which has attended his labors. Long may be live to enjoy the home so nobly and hon- estly earned!

APTAIN W. E. GREENWELL, a dis- tinguished member of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, was born in 1824, in St. Mary's County, Maryland, of English ancestry. His father, William Greenwell, served in the war of 1812, com- manding a regiment which he himself had organized against the British; was severely wounded and was a sufferer on that account until his death.

Captain Greenwell, the subject of this sketch, graduated at Georgetown (District of Columbia) College; studied law in the office of the distinguished jurist Brent, of Wash- ington, District of Columbia, and when about twenty-two years of age entered the coast

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survey, receiving his appointment from Pro- fessor Dallas Bache, Superintendent, who had been his intimate friend and from whom he received the recognition and appreciation his talents and fidelity merited. He first served with Captain F. U. Gerdes, United States Coast Survey, in Mobile Bay, on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, until 1854. The next year he was transferred to the coast of Cali- fornia to take charge of a coast survey party, under General Ord, and kept this position until 1861. The war of the Rebellion then breaking out, he went East and was stationed at Washington during the exciting period of the Secession Congress, and was a witness of the momentous struggle. It was thought that he, being a Southerner, would cast his lot with the Southern cause, but he remained true to the Union, saying that he owed noth- ing to the territory of the South, but much to the Government.

In 1863 he returned to California and con- tinned in the coast survey until he resigned, a few years before his death.

The records of the Coast Survey, which alone chronicle the ardnous, faithful and skill- ful work of this admirable corps, show the talented handiwork of Captain Greenwell in all branches of field-work along the Atlantic coast from Maine to Florida, and particu- larly along the coast of California and the islands outlying the southern portion.

He made his permanent home in Santa Barbara, where he died August 27, 1886, leaving to mourn his loss a wife and three sons. He was a distinguished man and effi- cient officer; was well known and highly re- spected throughout the State of California, and was claimed by the people of the State as one of her sons. He believed in the great future of California and invested there his little patrimony, and was enabled to leave his family in independant circumstances. His

life was devoted to the service of the Govern- ment, and doubtless he sacrificed a portion of his life, which should have been a long one, to regard his fine physique and iron constitu- tion, in such service. Working in the mias- matic bayous of Louisiana, and landing where there were no wharves, through the surf on the coast, told in after life, and he was some fifteen years ago prostrated by a severe and almost fatal illness which left him a sufferer until his death. One who was the intimate friend of Mr. Greenwell for years, and who understood his true character and appreciated his superior traits, writes of him as follows: "Mr. Greenwell was not of the ordinary class of humanity. His strong, pronounced individuality separated him from it and marked him a figure independent of his asso- ciates. There was not a tame thing about his nature, and, of course, the term was ap- plied to him which the world fits upon those who wander from or soar above the beaten road of life-eccentric. This eccentricity caused him indeed to differ in many ways from a number of his fellows. He loved honor, truth, virtue, justice, and above all gentility, which he considered the aggregate of the noble graces. He hated and denounced charlatanism, and especially when displayed in serions matters affecting the honor, credit and standing before the world of the Govern- ment and its branches of service, he abhorred and openly expressed his contempt for petty acts of selfishness and his disgust for vulgar- ity and grossness. Nothing could induce him to intrigue for his own preferment or advantage, but with a child-like pleasure he would use his high standing and personal influence to promote others, especially the young men in the service whom he believed to be worthy, competent and energetic; and it is safe to say, his unselfish acts on this be- half were not always rewarded with grati-

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tude, and the latter part of his life had in it some bitterness, instilled from repudiated kindness, unrecognized generosity and mis- placed friendliness.

" The contributor of these few lines in trib- ute to the memory of a dear friend can say of this officer and gentleman, that there never was a more unselfishly loyal man, trne to his God, true to his country, true to his family and trne to his friends, and with such self- sacrifice. He hated blaspheiny. While a student of the problems of science and his. tory, and one of the best readers of nature, he was in perfect accord with its spirit. The animals loved him. He could train and con- troi them with ease. He treated them with gentleness and tenderness, having been known to leave his bed at night to nurse a sick horse or dog. He could not tolerate the shallow sophists of the day who would make of nature the weapon of a feeble intellect to an- nihilate God and prostitute man; but saw in all the footprints of an omnipotent and all- glorious Creator.

"Though a Southerner by birth, his allegi- ance to the Union was firm and fixed. He loved the flag, and at one time rebuked and discharged an aid who spoke of it disrespect- fully. He was a warm partisan of his country, and eulogizer and defender of its institutions, in comparison with those of other nations.

"The same loyalty leavened his friendship. The mentor, connselor and corrector in pri- vate, he was in public the stanch advocate, supporter and detender of his friend. His friendship was well worth having, being of the valuable sort. Rich in counsel and in practical aids, his judgment seemed to the writer alinost infallible in the ordinary affairs of life; and when he submitted to it he never erred. He acted in life as he played chess, never ambuscading for a piece, laying his

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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