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 84

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 84
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 84
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 84

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1889, at the age of seventy-three years. His widow is still living, at the age of sixty-nine years. The subject of this sketch worked on the farm until the erection of the mill, and then became under-engineer, which he con- tinued until the breaking out of the war, when he enlisted, on the 28th of August, 1861, at Birmingham, Iowa, in Company H of the Third Iowa Cavalry, under Colonel John W. Noble, the present Secretary of the Interior. Subject enlisted for three years, or the war, and they were engaged west of the Mississippi River, and were veteraned at Little Rock, Arkansas, in January, 1863. Prior to 1863 they were engaged in the cap- ture of Little Rock and many small en- gagements. After re-enlistment they were connected with the Sixteenth Corps, and oper- ated east of the Mississippi. They were on Wilson's raid through Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi, and were at the taking of the Confederate arsenal at Selma, Alabama, thence on to Montgomery and to Macon, Georgia, where they heard of the armistice between Generals Grant and Lee, which closed the war They were then sent to Augusta, Georgia, where they took the surrender of General Johnston's army, then to Atlanta, where they were mustered out in 1865, and the subject returned home. He was never wounded, thongh in every battle of the regi- ment. He then attended the Memphis High School, and in 1868 was elected County As- sessor of Scotland County for four years, and at the same time began reading medicine. In the winter of 1872 and 1873, he attended the Missouri Medical College at St. Louis, and in 1874 graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Keokuk, Iowa. He then returned to Uniontown, Missouri, and followed the practice of his profession up to 1882, when he came to Lompoc. He then bought one-half interest in the drug

business and practice of Dr. H. C. Dimock, and after one year resold to Dr. Dimock, and Dr. Saunders gave his entire attention to his profession, in which he has been eminently successful, having a very extensive practice and covering a radins of twenty-five miles - necessitating very long drives. In 1883 he bonght half a block on H street and estab- lished his present comfortable home. In July, 1889, in partnership with Mr. F. W. Ellis, he started a very complete and at- tractive drug store on Ocean avenne. At the incorporation of the town in 1883, the Doctor was elected Town Treasurer, and was re-elected in April, 1890, without a dissenting vote, which was the highest acknowledgment of his popularity as a public officer. He was married at Unionton, Missouri, in 1866, to Miss Lydia E. Hall, and three sons and two daughters now grace and enliven the house- hold.

The Doctor is a member and present Master of Heperian Lodge, No. 264, F. & A. M .; a member of Lompoc Lodge, No. 248, I. O. O. F .; Knights of Pythias, and of Robert Anderson Post, No. 66, G. A. R., of which he was the first Commander.

OSE FRED BRANCH, son of the promi- nent pioneer, F. Z. Branch, a native of New York, and Mannela (Corlona) Branch, a native of California, was born March 15, 1853, on his father's splendid rancho near Arroyo Grande. During his youth he attended the public schools, finish- ing an excellent course of study in a college at San Francisco. Since that time he has devoted all his energies to farming, stock- raising and the dairy business, his ranch now consisting of 1,300 acres. Mr. Branch has erected a fine residence on his place, directly

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below the magnificent old adobe house of his father, not now occupied, but nevertheless in an excellent state of preservation. Jose Fred is the youngest of a family of ten children, five of whom are now living. He was mar- ried March 5, 1861, to Miss Herlinda Borilla, a native of California.

R. FRANK P. BURGESS was born in Pennsylvania in 1840. He received a medical education at the Jefferson Col- lege, Philadelphia, and when quite a young man was prepared for the practice of his pro- fession. He did not, however, for various reasons, carry out hisoriginal intentions, and a year later, the year 1860, found him engaged in journalism. This he abandoned shortly after the civil war broke out, and enlisted for service, taking part in a number of important engagements in that conflict. It was in the year 1866 and the year following, when Dr. Burgess was living in Nebraska and Indian Territory, among the Indians, that he dis- covered the powerful, salutary and beneficial effects of roots and herbs as a medicine for the human system. Doctor Burgess is a firm believer in this kind of medicine. For the past three years he has been engaged, with his brother, in this State, in circulating these medicines, known as Pawnee Indian reme- dies. They consist of five distinct varieties of medicines, all calculated to relieve various troubles. The Burgess Company, whose main office is in San Francisco, have a unique way of advertising their medicine. It consists of a thorough canvass of each town by the Doctor and his assistants, the assist- ants providing a variety of entertainments at their headquarters in the evening, while the Doctor presents the business proposition be- fore and after each entertainment. The Paw-

nee Indian remedies are surely growing pop- ular. Sales to the amount of $1,000 a day have been recorded; and, as Dr. Burgess is an enthusiastic worker and also very popular, his enterprise is bonnd to succeed. Doctor Burgess has been a resident of California since 1881, residing in San Diego up to the year 1887, engaged in real-estate business. At that time he organized the company alluded to.

RANCIS EDGAR COOK was born in Napa County, California, May 17, 1860, son of Samuel and Phoebe Cook, the former a native of Michigan and the latter of New York. His early life' was spent at his home in Napa County and at Monticello, twenty-fives miles east of Napa city. In 1872 he came with his father to San Luis Obispo County, his father renting a ranch two miles north of the city. Here the subject of this sketch employed the most of his time when not attending school. The family next moved to a ranch of 640 acres, eight miles south of San Luis Obispo, which was subsequently sold to and now owned by the Steele Broth- ers. Mr. Cook now has a fine ranch of 320 acres in the San José Valley, on which he is now engaged in farming and stock-raising. Hle is an energetic and industrious farmer, and is bound to succeed in the fertile valley where he has made his home. .

He was married February 2, 1889, to Miss Martha A. Ballard.

J. BURDICK, a leading architect of Lompoc, was born in Oswego, New York, in 1842. His father was a con- tractor and bnilder, and moved to Racine,

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Wisconsin, in 1855, where he carried on his trade. Subject learned his trade from his father, with whom he worked for twenty- eight years. He was married at Racine, in 1863, to Miss Fanny Hodeck, a native of Bohemia. They lived at Racine until Jan- ary, 1882, when they came to Santa Barbara, and he continued at his trade. He built the Pavilion at the race track, and many of the prominent residences of the city, and in all, some 200 houses, great and small. In June, 1889, he came to Lompoc and bought a lot 100 x 140 on H street, where he is now building; and he has more contract work than he can well attend to, being architect and building the houses for Sudden and William Cantley, the Town Hall and Roberts' Block; also architect for the Athletic Club and En- gine House, which will soon be erected, and has put up many smaller buildings. Mr. and Mrs. Burdick have four children -three sons and one daughter.

H. AUSTIN was born in Windham County, Connecticut, in 1830. His

0 father was a farmer and a native of Rhode Island. His parents both died in the boyhood of our subject, and he then went to Putnam, where he learned the trade of honse, carriage and sign painter, and for some years followed his trade in Providence, New Lon- don and Norwich. He married Miss Francis Reynolds, at Brooklyn, Connecticut, and then settled in Putnam, where he carried on his business in all its branches. He then moved to Killingly, Connecticut, where he secured some large contracts from manufacturing houses. In 1861 he enlisted at Killingly in Company B, Eighteenth Connecticut Regi- ment, Colonel Ely, and was stationed at Fort McHenry, near Baltimore; and there, subject

received a severe injury in his foot, which permanently incapacitated him from march- ing, and he was honorably discharged in 1862, and returned to Killingly, where he carried on his trade until 1865, when, with his family he moved to California, coming by water and the Isthmus of Panama, with Judge Peck- ham and family of San José. Mr. Austin settled at Watsonville, Santa Cruz County, where he carried on his trade until 1873, when he moved to San Luis Obispo, and after five years of business he tried the hotel life as proprietor of the old Eagle Hotel; but in one year he lost $3,000. He thent went to Guadalupe and again started a hotel, and in one year he made up his last loss, and then sold out and returned to his trade. In 1880 he came to Lompoc, and bought a house and lot on K street, where he still resides. He also opened a shop and he returned to his trade, buying out the shop of John Henry, and has had a very lucrative business. Mr. and Mrs. Anstin have but one child, Will- iam, who was born in November, 1876.

URRELL STOKES GREGORY was born in Virginia, June 14, 1825. . About the year 1838 he removed to Cobb County, Georgia, and was educated in Marietta. He read law under ex-Governor McDonald, and was admitted to practice under special enactment of the Legislature, on account of being under the lawful age. Afterward he was in partnership with Gov. ernor McDonald until starting for Califor- nia, in 1850. He first located in Santa Cruz, in the practice of law; thence he went to Monterey, from which place he was sent as a delegate to the Peace Convention, which met at Charleston, in 1860. About the year 1862 he formed a law partnership with P. K.

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Woodside, which continued many years. In 1872 he removed to the new town of Salinas, where he remained until 1882, when he camc to San Luis Obispo, although for several years previous he had maintained an office here. His law practice here grew rapidly, and in the course of time he was selected by Governor Stoneman to fill the position of Superior Judge, made vacant by the death of Judge McMurtrie, which occurred February 11, 1883. At the expiration of the term of this appointment, Judge Gregory was a candidate before the people and was elected to the Superior Judgeship, which position he held until his death, which occurred at 3:30 P. M., June 12, 1889. Judge Gregory's po- litical services to the State of California were varied and invariably in the interests of good government and order. He was twice a inember of the Senate, from the district com- posed of Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, and of the Assembly from Monterey County.

Early in the year 1888 the Judge began rapidly to fail, being troubled with a discase which rendered him practically helpless; and so he had been on his back most of the time for a year, and utterly unable to assist him- self during the four months prior to his de- mise. He was a most patient sufferer, always gentle in spite of the great pain which racked his every bone. For a long time the Judge had realized his helpless physical condition and looked forward to the end with calmness. A man of most loving and affectionate dis- position, ever true to his family and friends, he was universally popular. As a lawyer he was bright, alert and accurate, always going into court thoroughly conversant with every detail of the case in hand. Although not a flowery orator, he was clear, concise and con- vincing in argument, and was generally favor- ably regarded by jurists. As a judge he was strict, but invariably courteous and impar-

tial. A man of the strictest integrity, no man nor combination of circumstances could induce him to swerve from a position he knew to be right.

Judge Gregory was married August 20, 1876, to Miss Amelia Hartnell, whose family were early pioneers of California.

ULIAN GARCIA, one of the pioneers of San José Valley, was born in New Mexico, in June, 1831. When young Garcia was twelve years of age the family moved to San Bernardino, California, coming via Salt Lake City. Mr. and Mrs. Garcia spent the remainder of their lives in that place. After remaining with his parents in their California home for eight years, Julian started ont for himself, first going to the mines in Sonoma County and remaining there one year. He then came to San Luis Obispo County, where he was a vaquero for Mr. Pacheco and Captain Wilson for four years. In 1856 he located in the San José Valley where he has since remained. It was while attending a lot of sheep on the shares with Captain Wilson that he first came to the valley, and he was so favorably impressed with the possibilities of the place that he de- cided to make it his home. Mr. Garcia is engaged in cattle raising and has a very at- tractive place, about one mile from Pozo.

He was married in 1851, to Rosa Herrera, by whom he has had fifteen children, ten of whom are now living. Mr. Garcia has been particular in giving all of his children a good education. Montone and Bedell, the two oldest sons, have attended college at Santa Ynez, and the others are receiving every advantage possible. Mr. Garcia was the County Treasurer one term, and for the past four years has served as mail contractor.

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An unfortunate accident occurred to Mr. Garcia during his early life which deprived him of his right arm. Being one of a party near a shooting affray, a shot intended for one of the principals, struck him in the arm. The injury was a bad one and in consequence the entire arm had to be amputated. Mr. Garcia is living a quiet and retired life in his old age, surrounded by the many comforts which a refined and generous nature like his own can appreciate. Many of his sons, now all grown, reside at the old home.

OHN BALL, whose fine ranch borders the Santa Ynez River, was born in Northamptonshire, England, in 1831. His father, Daniel Ball, was a farmer, and subject lived at home until 1850, when he came to the United States and first settled at Lockport, New York, where for three years he was servant in a hotel. Then, in 1853, he went to Oswego County and farmed up to 1856, when he came to Cali- fornia, by way of Panama. He then went to the mines in Nevada County and mined three years with good success, but on account of failing health he was obliged to leave; so went to Monterey County, where he rented from 200 to 400 acres and raised grain for sixteen years. In 1876 he came to Lompoc, and bought eighty acres of land, paying $35 per acre. That land was covered with brush and timber, but is now cleared and highly improved. He carried on general farming up to 1885, but since then has been an exten- sive breeder of hogs, of the Poland-China, Essex and Berkshire breeds, keeping about 150 head and fattening for market. He is about reducing his stock, to return to the cultivation of beans and mustard, and thus change his farming. Mr. Ball was married

at Castorville, Monterey County, in 1863, to Miss Elizabeth Staley, a native of Missouri. They have but one child living, Charles Ball, who was born July 6, 1869, and he still lives at home. They lost their two daughters in 1879, with diphtheria, dying within four days of each other.

HARLES BRADLEY .- Among the successful ranchers and sheep raisers of the Santa Maria Valley, we find the subject of this sketch. He was born at South Wingfield, England, in the county of Derby, in 1839. He had little opportunity to cultivate his mind, but his hands were kept constantly busy, and at the early age of twelve years he began work in the coal mines at Oakerthorpe, and at the age of eighteen years he began contract work, in min- ing and breaking suitable for market, which lie continned until 1868, when, through the influence of his uncle, Paul Bradley, he came to California, first stopping at Salinas, where his uncle then resided; but in the fall of 1868 all stock was driven to the Santa Maria Val- ley, where his uncle had purchased land, and subject continued to work for him about four years. In 1872 Charles Bradley purchased his present home ranch of 160 acres, and added thereto by pre-emption and purchase to the amount of 2,560 acres, 1000 of which is tillable and balance grazing land. He farms about 700 acres and leases 300 acres for general farming purposes. He keeps 1,500 sheep, in which industry he has been very successful. He also has 100 hogs, and about forty head of horses and cattle. He set a small orchard, experimentally, in 1880, in a variety of fruits, all of which have done well, and his present orchard covers eight acres, apples, peaches and apricots being principal

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fruits, although he also includes all small fruits. Mr. Bradley was married at South Wingfield, England, on April 5, 1857, to Miss Elizabeth Booth. By the marriage eleven children have been born, two sons and nine daughters, all living. Mr. Bradley built his present spacious residence in 1873, at an expense of $5,000, including all modern im- provements. He is a member of Hisperian Lodge, No. 264, F. A. & M. Mr. Bradley takes no interest in political or public life, except education, and he has served as School Trustee and Clerk for over six years. His eldest son, Charles W., was educated at San Martha's Hall at San Mateo, and at Heald's Business College at San Francisco. Mr. Brad- ley gives his children the higher education, of which he was deprived.

OSTER POMEROY, the proprietor of the Grand Central Hotel, of Lompoc,' was born in Indiana, on Jannary 26 1856. His father was a merchant and later traveled for a New York house, and then on account of failing health came to California, in 1860, by the Isthmus of Panama. He then settled in Santa Clara, where he bought a ranch, and remained until 1868, when he moved to Hollister, and in 1883 again moved and settled at San Jacinto. Foster Pomeroy lived with parents to mature life; then, after a period of travel through Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico, he came to Lompoc in 1885 and was again connected with his father in ranch life until 1887, when subject bought the Lompoc Hotel, in partnership with J. C. McReynolds, continuing nntil the fall of 1888, when he bought out Reynolds and has since continued alone. In December, 1889, he leased the Grand Central Hotel, which was just completed, and where he is now located,

running the two hotels jointly. He was mar- ried at Hollister, November 1, 1877, to Miss Mary Diana Triplett, and they have two children, one son and one danghter. Mr. Pomeroy is a member of Lompoc Lodge, No. 57, Knights of Pythias.

W. SWEET was born in the city of San Luis Obispo, February 24, 1864. At this time the family were residing at Paso Robles. Very soon after the birth of young Sweet, his parents moved to the San José Valley, settling on a ranch. When seven years of age Mr. Sweet's father died, and, except when he attended school for a time, he has been thrown entirely upon his own resources, working on ranches from time to time. At present he has under his man- agement the home place, and also conducts a ranch of his own near by. Mr. Sweet is one of the few young men in the San José Val- ley who speaks English and Spanish both fluently. A greater part of the settlers ad- jacent to Pozo are Spaniards and liave few opportunities for improving their English, if, indeed, they speak English at all. Con- sequently Mr. Sweet is called upon frequently to settle disputes and takes part in interviews where the English tongue is heard.

ESSE CASTEEL, a rancher of Arroyo Grande Valley, was born in Knox Connty, Ohio, November 11, 1834, of parents who were also natives of the same State. In 1848 the family moved to Mis- souri, and on his father's farm Jesse learned abont all that was to be learned of farming. After residing there fourteen years he en- gaged himself in the live-stock business in

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Texas, but not to a very great extent. Then he was in Missouri ten years. Colorado was his next home, for three years, and in 1868 he reached California. Arroyo Grande Val- ley has since been his home. The first two years he resided two and a half miles above Arroyo Grande on the creek; later he had his farmn at the foot of the valley, where he lived until 1888, when he came to his present property in the town, consisting of two acres of very choice land. He owns 73 acres a mile from town and 640 acres near the Huasna Valley. On the latter he is raising stock, and on his other land in the valley he is rais- ing fruit and vegetables, with splendid suc- cess. He points with pride to a pumpkin which weighs 207 pounds, and beets and car- rots of incredible size, which have been raised upon his ground. He is a zealous believer in the great wealth and resources of that famous valley, and he is " there to stay. "

He was married in February, 1856, to Miss Hingley, and they have eleven children.

WARD, the leading harness-maker of Santa Maria, was born in Santa Rosa, · California, in 1850. His father, Abra- ham Ward, moved to Petaluma in 1853 and bought a ranch of 2,000 acres, 300 being till- able. He there carried on general farming and the dairy business, keeping 150 cows and also abont fifty horses. Subject was edu- cated in Oakland at the Breighton Univer sity, from which he graduated in 1872. He then began book-keeping at Petaluma for one year; then went to the harness shop of W. Davis, where he learned the trade of saddler and harness-maker, remaining about two years. He then worked at his trade, and other occupations, until 1877, when he went to Washington Territory, where he

opened a harnesss hop and continued ten years in the business. In 1887 he sold ont and returned home for a few months; then opened a shop at Nipomo, but in 1889 moved his stock to Santa Maria and bought out the harness shop of Cumis & Smith, which he has since continned. He keeps a fine stock of saddles and harness, all his own mann- facture, and a full stock of robes, horse cloth- ing and stable supplies, with sufficient hands to perform all orders with neatness and dis- patch. Mr. Ward was married in Petaluma, in 1875, to Miss Lucina Lusk, and five children have been added to the union. He was a charter member and has served two terms as President of Nipomo Parlor, No. 123, of the Native Sons of the Golden West.

- ALENTINE MANCILLA was born in Mexico in 1829. At the age of twenty years he went to San Francisco, Cali- fornia; remained there, however, but a short time, as he also did at Monterey. where he next journeyed. The gold mines then at- tracted his attention and he searched for nuggets for three years and more. Sacra- mento was his next stopping place, and in 1855 he moved to San Luis Obispo. Mr. Mancilla has been engaged in mercantile life ever since he came to this county. In the city of San Luis Opispo he was one of the pioneer merchants. For thirty years, barring a period of six years when he was in Bakers- field, he has kept a general merchandise store in that city, and has watched with great in- terest the growth of the place. When first he settled there he relates that, besides the mission building, there were only ten or twelve houses in the whole settlement. In 1884 Mr. Mancilla moved to the town of Pozo, in the San José Valley, where he now

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resides and conducts a general merchandise store.

He was married in 1869 to Mary A. Ortega. A gentleman of fine bearing, Mr. Mancilla has been universally popular wherever he has made his home.

DWARD LEEDHAM, of the Arroyo Grande Valley, was born in Birming- ham, England, in 1828, and for many years before coming to America he practiced mechanical engineering. After arriving in this country he operated quartz-mills at Halifax four years, and then was for some time the engineer of a large flouring-mill at Boston. In 1875 he caine to California, and for three years was the principal lighthouse- keeper at Pigeon Point,-a novel experience for him. In 1878 he bought a ranch in Santa Cruz County, and began farming, but he says with disastrous results. He came to the Arroyo Grande in November, 1879, with just. $500, and soon lost it in the sand hills. He fell back upon his old profession as engi- neer, and operated as such in a mill at San Luis Obispo; and in 1881 was able to buy his present property. His first purchase was only sixteen acres, but he now has 116 acres. He makes a specialty of fruit, flowers and bulbs. He is an excellent authority in all horticultural and agricultural matters. He was commissioner for the Mechanics' Insti- tute Fair in 1877 and 1878 for San Luis Obispo County, held in San Francisco. He is also president of the Arroyo Grande Valley Agricultural Society. He has been success- ful in a marked degree with his exhibits at the fairs, carrying off many of the valuable premiums at each competition. He and J. V. N. Young secured most of the premiums at

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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