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 85

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 85
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 85
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 85

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the county fair of 1889. Mr. Leedham is married and has six children.

OHN V. N. YOUNG. a fariner of the Arroyo Grande Valley, was born in Ot- sego County, New York, in 1826, of which State both his parents, who are not now living, were also natives. They had a large farm, which was the family home until the spring of 1836, when they all moved to Mich- igan, at a period when there was a grand rush of emigration from the Empire to the Wol- verine State. Until 1859 Mr. Young re- mained at his father's home upon a farm. He then started West again and settled for a few years on the east side of the Sierra Ne- vada mountains, upon a farm. In 1867 he came to San Luis Obispo County, and kept a hotel at the the county-seat, where now the French Hotel is. Originally lie intended to purchase a ranch, and had no idea of keeping a hotel; but the land bargain which he thought he had made fell through; and so he tried the hotel business. A year of this was enough for him, and he bought a ranch of 1,220 acres twelve miles west of Paso Robles, where he raised live-stock for twelve years. Dis- posing of this property in 1883, he moved upon his present place, which he had pur- chased in the fall of 1878. It comprises twenty-five acres, is near the town of Arroyo Grande, and here he raises fruit and vegeta- bles. He still has a place of 160 acres rented out near Paso Robles. His present garden spot on the Arroyo Grande Creek is prettily situated. His orchard of fifteen acres there is one of the finest in the whole valley.

Mr. Young was married in 1852, to Miss Babbitt, of Elmira, New York, and of a fam- ily well known throughout that section of

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the State. They have two sons and three daughters.

ALEB SHERMAN, the leading lawyer of Santa Maria, was born in Madison County, Vermont, in 1830. His parents moved to Illinois in 1833, and to Iowa in 1839, but both died before subject became of age. His education was conducted at the common schools of Iowa, with a brief normal course. He worked at farming up to eight- een years of age, and then began reading law with Judge Darling, of Jackson County. In the spring of 1850 he started for California, across the plains, but owing to an attack of mountain fever he stopped and wintered at Salt Lake City, continuing his trip in the spring of 1851; and on the Truckee River he was stung by a scorpion, which again brought on a severe illness. With the delays the trip consumed one year; he was at death's door twice, and he lost $1,200 in horses and cattle. He landed at Marysville, and then went to the Eureka mines, remaining in that vicinity until 1855, with very fair success. In 1855 he returned to the States, by Panama, to settle the estate of his uncle. He was married in Jackson County, Iowa, in 1856, to Miss Laura Butterworth, and in the fall of the same year he returned to California, by Panama, accompanied by his wife, uncle's family and relatives. He then settled at Petaluma, and for seven years engaged in the hotel and restaurant business. In 1863 he went to the silver mines in Nevada and re- mained about three years, then took his famn- ily to Iowa, and he went to New York to sell mining securities. While going up the Hudson River by boat, he was asked what business he had followed in California, and in reply said, " Everything, from selling pea-

nuts to pleading law,"-such was the diver- sity of occupations by the early pioneers. On account of illness Mr. Sherman returned to Bellevue, Iowa, and engaged in the livery business, and later was appointed Under Sheriff, which office he held four years; then in 1874 he returned to California, and settled at Santa Barbara, when he engaged in an auction and commission business. In 1877 and 1878 he represented Santa Barbara and Ventura counties in the Legislature, and in 1879 entered the office of Judge Heacock and completed his profession, and was admit- ted to practice in 1880. In the fall he went to Oakland, and practiced abont fifteen months, then in the spring of 1882 he camne to Santa Maria, bought property, established his home and continued his profession. In January, 1883, he was appointed Assistant District Attorney under J. J. Boyce, and in January, 1886, was re-appointed under Oglesby, and in January, 1889, under W. B. Cope. He has served as Notary Public since 1884.

His first wife having died he was remar- ried in Oakland to Miss Amy Wilson. Mr. Sherman has 640 acres of valley and grazing land, which he rents, but his pretty place, surrounded by fruit, flowers and shrubbery, bear evidence of his love for nature liad he time to gratify his desires. He is a member of Santa Barbara Lodge, No. 156, and En- campment No. 52, I. O. O. F.

OHN LONG was born in Norfolk County, England, in 1856. He lived at home during his early life, assisting his father on the farm excepting about two years when he worked at blacksmithing. He came to the United States in 1875, direct to Cali- fornia and landed at Guadalupe July 2, 1875

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He immediately found employment with Hart Bros., but after three months he came to Santa Maria to work in the shops estab- lished by Renben Hart, where our subject continued to work until 1887, when Mr. Hart closed out that branch of the business. Mr. Long then purchased one half of Mr. Hart's building and moved it to his lot on Main street, where he is now established with a fully equipped shop 40x 60 feet. He there carries on iron and wood work in all branches of carriage building and repairing, employ- ing three blacksmiths and one wood-work- man. He was married in Santa Maria in 1883 to Miss Annie Bradley, a native of England, and the union has been blessed by two children, Charles and Sadie. . Mr. Long is a member of Hesperian Lodge, No. 64, F. & A. M.

B. DRAPER was born in Sonoma Connty, California, in 1866. In 1870 his father's family moved to Cayucos, San Luis Obispo County, and there yonng Draper spent his boyhood. At the age of ten he went to San Luis Obispo and ran a milk wagon, attending school when opportn- nity offered. In 1881 he came with his father to the ranch where they now live. This property consists of 320 acres of choice land, located between the Hnasna and Arroyo Grande valleys. Mr. Draper raises consider- able stock on this place, but also spends much of his time in outside work. He is at present foreman and manager of the Tar Spring ranch, 4,900 acres in extent, and ad- joining Huasna Valley on the west. This property was formerly in the Branch tract and has been recently purchased by Mr. R. W. Sanford, a wealthy Englishman. Many cattle and fine horses are raised on this ranch.

Mr. Draper was married in 1887 to Miss See. They have one child.

EUBEN HART .- One of the pioneers and prominent developers of Santa Maria, is the subject of this sketch, who was born in Derbyshire, England, in 1843. He was educated in England and learned the trade of carriage bnilder at the Stubbs Man- nfactoring Company at Derby city, where he remained five years. He then went to Swan- sea, Wales, and worked in a large mann- factory, after which he camne to the United States and began his American life at the Cummings Railway Contract shop in New Jersey, remaining about four years. While there he sent for his brother, also a machin- ist, and together they came to California in 1866. Our subject first worked for D. S. Mills at San José, as manager of his large manufactory of wagons and agricultural im- plements, and then went to Castorville, and with his brother established a general black- smith and machine shop under the firm of Hart Bros., which they continued up to 1872, and then moved their stock and machinery to the new town of Guadalupe, where they started the town by establishing a large blacksmith and machine shop and also built a block of business houses; also acting as sub-agents of the Guadalupe ranch. After three years, in 1875, Reuben Hart came to Santa Maria; bought property at corner of Maine and Broadway and started the town by building extensive shops for blacksmith, repair and machine purposes, also a feed mill-with steam power-and later a store and several residences, and carried on a large business in feed and barley and in general trade with the farmers. In 1879 the firm dissolved and onr subject retained the Santa

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Maria property, his brother continuing at Guadalupe. In 1879 our subject started a lumber yard, and in 1880 established the water-works, piping the town and pumping the water by steam power from a well eighty- five feet deep to an elevated tank. In 1882 and 1883 he was in partnership with M. P. Nicholson in farming 4,000 acres in wheat and running a steam thresher. In 1884 he built a one-story brick building 50 x 88 feet, corner of Main and Broadway, for store pur- poses. He continued his shop interests up to 1888, then sold business and building, which were removed, and he began erecting his present spacious and comfortable hotel, being a two-story brick 100 x 120 feet, con- taining forty-three sleeping rooms with spacions parlor, smoking, reception and bil- liard rooms and a dining room, 30 x 60 feet, with hot and cold baths; in fact, a hotel com- plete in every appointment and managed by a genial host makes a pleasant place to reside.

Mr. Hart was married at Santa Maria in 1879 to Mrs. Harriet Sharp, a native of Penn- sylvania, and with her two daughters and one by the last nnion the home circle seems com- plete and happy.

VICTOR JESSEE, surveyor and civil engineer of Santa Maria, was born in Woodland, Yolo County, California, in 1855. His father, Archer C. Jessee, was an early pioneer to California and was born in Russell County, Virginia, in 1821. He lived at home until 1842 when he was mar- ried, in Atchison Connty, Missouri, to Miss Mary Harbin, a native of Tennessee. After marriage he farmed until 1846, when he came across the plains to California with oxen, horses and mules, and was five months !

in crossing. He settled on the present site of Sacramento, and soon after arrival, in the fall of 1846, he enlisted under General Fre- mont in Fremont's Battalion, and was ap- pointed First Lieutenant of Company E, under Captain John Grigsby. They were at the battle of Salinas Plains when Captain Byrns Foster and others were killed, and at the skirmish at San Fernando. He served through the war and was discharged in April, 1847. He then returned to Sacramento and later moved to Napa Valley, where he re- sided fourteen years, trading and dealing ex- tensively in land and stock. He was the first Sheriff of Napa County and served two terms. In 1864 they moved to Lake County in same business and in 1869 came to San Luis Obispo ; then to San Bernardino in 1873, and in 1876 to Arizona, where he died August 12, 1876. The family then returned to Santa Maria in 1878. There are ten chil- dren living, seven sons and three daughters.

J. Victor Jessee was educated in the com- mon schools and the private college of San Bernardino, and there studied civil engineer- ing, finishing in 1875. In Arizona he fol- lowed his profession in general land survey and in running irrigating canals. He re- turned to Santa Maria in 1878, and in 1880 joined the United States Land Survey, work- ing with them one year, and since then has been chiefly occupied by his profession. He subdivided the Bradley ranch for the Santa Barbara Land and Water Company, and is frequently employed by the courts in cases of complicated boundary lines throughout Santa Barbara County. He has been a witness in thirty-eight land cases and has never lost a case. He does all the county work in the northern part of the county, and has done the necessary subdividing of the Suey Rancho. Ile has all the field notes and data of the section of country about the Santa

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Maria Valley-made ont by personal expe- rience.

He was married at Santa Maria on Febru ary 16, 1888, to Miss Mary McHenry, a native of California, and they are very happy in their little one, born January 23, 1890.

EORGE MANDERSCHEID, superin- tendent of the wharf at Port Harford, was born in Germany, in 1853. At the age of ten years he was thrown as an orphan upon his own resources, and in 1872 he came to California. After spending a few months at Santa Cruz, he came to San Luis Obispo, and was for the first two years engaged in the photographing business. Afterward he worked in the quicksilver mines in Canada, and for two years had charge of a wharf at San Simeon, and also conducted a store there. He first came to Port Harford in 1877. and clerkel in the wharf office; and since 1881 he has been superintendent of this wharf, where a much larger amount of business is transacted than one would im- agine without investigation. Mr. Mander- scheid is also Postmaster at that point, and agent of the Wells-Fargo Express Company.

Ile was married in 1884, to Louisa Avila, a niece of John Avila, and has three children.

AVID LEWTY was born in England, in 1842, and at the age of thirteen years was apprenticed to John Bond, in the town of Preston, who kept a contract and general machine shop. There David learned the trade and remained seven years. He then went to Liverpool and worked in a marine shop, and then to Crewe, where in railroad

shops and mills he remained until 1869; then emigrated to the United States and direct to California. He soon found employment in San Francisco with the Ben Holliday Steam- ship Company. In 1872 he went to Salinas, and for J. E. Preston ran his engine for his steam threshing-machine, continuing the work to Santa Maria, in 1873, when they threshed all through the valley; and out of threshing season he worked at his trade in the machine shop of Hart Bros. at Guada- lupe, continuing up to 1877, when he spent one year in San Francisco, and in the fall of 1878 started his saloon at Guadalupe, selling out in 1881 to take a trip to England, and was away fourteen months. On returning to California in 1882 he opened business at Quincy, and in 1883 at San Luis Obispo, re- turning to Santa Maria in September, 18 85 He owns town property and fifty-seven and one-half acres on Santa Maria mesa. He is a member of Guadalupe Lodge, No. 237, F. & A. M.

RVILLE ROOT, station agent, [Post- master, etc., at Miles Station, on the railroad between San Luis Obispo and Port Harford, has had his present situation ever since the railroad was built to that point, and he also owns a ranch of forty-seven acres. The postoffice is named Root in his honor. He was born born in Allegany County, New York, in 1821, and when of age he settled upon a piece of land in Indi- ana which his father had bought for him, and lived there sixteen years, and while a resident there he married Miss Elizabeth Hurd, in 1843. In 1857 he moved to Kansas and was engaged there in mercantile life for a time, and in 1863 he came to Santa Cruz County, California. Here he first engaged

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extensively in the lumber trade, as he did also at Port Harford for a year. In Santa Cruz County he was Under Sheriff six years. In 1870 he came to his present place, already mentioned. His ranch near by is well located and is very productive.

His children are five in number, viz .; Ruth, now Mrs. George T. Gragg; Hazard; Eliza, now Mrs. J. A. Mercer; Mary, now the wife of J. D. Armstrong; and Orville, Jr.

EORGE C. SMITH was born in Butler County, Ohio, in 1849. His father was an extensive farmer and stock-raiser, who moved to Douglas County, Illinois, in 1863, and on 700 acres of land carried on general farming and stock-raising, keeping 1,800 sheep, besides cattle and mules. In 1869 they moved to Mississippi and raised 140 acres of cotton, but labor being high and weeds abundant they grew bnt one crop, and in 1870 returned to Ohio, where our subject bought ninety-five acres of land and grew wheat. After two years he went to Cincin- nati, and in December, 1874, started for California, settling at Gracioso, where his father had preceded him and taken up 320 acres of land. Our subject farmed two years, then during the following five years made two trips to Ohio, returning to California in 1881 and settling permanently in the Santa Maria Valley. In June, 1882, he was en- gaged by Schwartz & Beebee as manager of their lumber yard, and he continued in that position until February, 1890. He has also been interested in land speculations and fine horses. In 1886 he bought land near town, and still owns 160 fine buiding lots. He formerly owned the noted stallion Ben Wade, and has raised some fine trotting horses. Mr. Smith was married at Dix Creek, in Butler 39

County, Ohio, on March 24, 1869, to Miss Mary C. Curryer, of Scotch-English descent. They have had two children, and been deeply afflicted with the loss of both.

HARLES W. MERRITT was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1842. His father was an extensive dry-goods and clothing merchant of New York city, after living in Galveston, Texas, where he was in- terested in real estate. Coming to California in 1856 he settled at San Francisco and was connected with the grain and commission business. In 1856 and 1857 he was editor of the Daily Post, which later was merged with the Pathfinder.

Our subject came to California with his father and was educated in the public schools. He began business in 1866 as superintendent of the Huasna Rancho owned by Isaac J. Sparks, who came to California before 1840, and to whom the ranch of 25,000 acres was granted. After four years as superintendent, in 1870 he began the stock business in San Luis Obispo County, renting land up to 1882, when, in partnership with George Phoenix, they bonght the Casamalia Rancho of 5,600 acres. He keeps 500 dairy cows and about 300 stock cattle. He has three dairies, all leased with stock. In 1887, with John Murray, Jr., they bought 160 acres near town and began breeding fast horses, keep- ing about twenty mares-graded and standard bred. They own the stallion " Electro," standard bred, by "Electioneer" from the " Palo Alto" ranch of ex-Governor Stanford; also "Saxton," standard bred, raised in New York. They have a mile track on the ranch for training purposes and Mr. Merritt also owns improved town property.

He was married in San Luis Obispo County

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in 1869, to Miss Dorothy Phoenix, and they have six children. Mr. Merritt has served two terms as Supervisor and declined re- nomination. He is a member of the A. O. U. W.

LFRED WALKER, a prominent citi- zen of San Luis Obispo, was born in Somerset County, Maine, June 22, 1835, of sturdy New England parents. His father is still living, at the age of eighty-nine years; he is a descendant of a Plymouth Rock pioneer. His mother, also living, is a relative of ex-President Cleveland, her maiden name also having been Cleveland. Mr. Walker, our subject, gradnated with honor at the Anson Academy. Soon afterward he went to Boston and learned the trades of engineer- ing and carpentering. In 1859 he came to the Golden State and entered the sheep rear- ing business in Monterey County, in com- pany with F. A. Goodrich. Together they owned the San Joaquin Ranch, comprising two leagues of land. In 1864, the disastrous dry year, the firm lost 10,000 head of sheep! Soon afterward they sold their raneh, at a good profit. In 1865 Mr. Walker went to Santa Cruz and operated a saw-mill until 1871. For many years after and before this date he was engaged as a contractor and builder in the construction of large buildings in the counties of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles; also in laying street pavements, etc. He built the Bloch- man store, the county jail and court-honse in the city of San Luis Obispo, and laid the pavement of many prominent streets in Los Angeles with bituminous rock, the latter con- tract involving an expenditure of $360,000. In 1886, in company with Dr. Nichols, he purchased the property known as the Oil

Wells, Judge Frederick Adamns soon after- ward taking an interest. During the past two years this property passed into his own hands, and he now owns it, together with a ranch of 300 acres adjoining. On this place, now called Sycamore Springs, Mr. Walker condnets a popular hotel, and, being on the direct road to the ocean from San Luis Obispo city, it is well patronized. On the grounds are also valuable sulphur springs, connected with a sanitarium. January 9, 1889, the bituminous rock mine was discov- ered, and for a time Mr. Walker was inter- ested in that; but shortly afterward he sold out his interest to other stockholders.

lle was married in 1885, to Mrs. Clack- mer, a sister of Frederick Adams, and has one child,-Blaine Walker,-named after the distinguished statesman, James G. Blaine, an old and intimate friend of Mr. Walker's father.

P. MORENO, a resident of San Luis Obispo city ever since 1856, was born in Monterey, this State, June 25, 1845, and has been engaged in agriculture most of the later years of his life. At one time he was foreman of the ranch of S. Blochman for a period of seven years. He now keeps a restaurant on the main road between San Luis Obispo and Port Harford, having a good run of patronage. He was married June 17, 1880, and has a family of three children.

EORGE O. TAYLOR, a gardener and orchardist in the Arroyo Grande, was born in New Hampshire, in 1846. The family of which he was a member moved to California in 1853, settling in Yuba County

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for three years. The father was engaged in mining and lumbering in Nevada City, Ne- vada County, and that place was the family home for a time. In 1862 George was sent to school in Santa Clara County, and for eighteen months he attended the University of the Pacific in that county. In 1864 he went to sea, being gone four years and visit- ing South America, Europe, the Mediterra- nean Sea, and other parts of the world,- mainly for experience and information. Re- turning, he went into the stone business with his father; shortly he began farming in Kern County, and in 1876 he settled in the Arroyo Grande, where he now lives. He has twenty acres on the Monte, where he is engaged in raising beans and fruit. His orchard is suc- cessful beyond all anticipation, some of his trees being revelations in their way.

He was married in 1872, to Miss Nettie B. Jones, and has three children.

- S. JONES has been a resident of San Luis Obispo County for twenty- five years, coming to the Arroyo Grande as a rancher with the Stcele Bros. He had previously made the acquaintance of George Steele, who had been studying law with his father. He was married in 1868 to Eduarda M. Branch, a daughter of Francis Z. Branch, and has nine children. They are residing on a part of the large Branch tract, which was deeded to Mrs. Jones by her father, May 26, 1871; it is located just below the old Branch residence. She was born in 1850, in the old adobe house, than which there is no finer specimen of adobe architect- ure now to be found. Many are the people who have been entertained in this Branch home. Having an excellent memory, Mrs. Jones relates many interesting items in con-

nection with her father's estate, which are printed elsewhere in our sketch of that dis- tinguished pioneer.

F. FIELD was born in Madison, Con- necticut, in 1829, and in 1843 moved with parents to New Haven, where subject was educated. At the age of twenty- one years he went to Newton and ·learned the carpenter trade under A. W. Gory. He then followed his trade about Connecticut up to 1858, when he emigrated to Glencoe, Min- nesota, then a new town, just being estab- lished. In 1862 he went to Fort Snelling to enlist, but was rejected on account of rheu- matic troubles; but, thrilled with patriotism, he then returned to Connecticut and enlisted at Meriden, in Company A, Fifteenth Con- nectient Regiment, under Colonel. Dexter R. Wright, who later resigned and was succeeded by Colonel Charles L. Upham. The regi- ment was then sent to the department of the Potomac, and their first engagement was at Fredericksburg. They were then stationed at Newbern, North Carolina, for about one year, doing provost duty. They then started to meet Sherman in his march through Georgia, but in an engagement at Kingston, North Carolina, the entire regiment were taken prisoners. They were then marched to Rich- mond, a fifteen-days march, with little to eat, being allowed only one pint of meal each day, and that ground with the cob. They were then placed in Libby prison, but paroled after three days and the war being so nearly closed, they did no more active service, but were mustered out at Newbern, in 1865, and sent back to New York on an old disabled schooner. Mr. Field then returned home. ITis father had died during his absence, and the family removed to Wallingford, Con-

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necticut, and there he remained and worked at his trade until he came to California, in 1871. He then settled at Anaheim and farmed one year, then came to San Luis Obispo County, and became manager of the Suey Rancho. He built the present ranch house and out-buildings, and remained eleven years. In 1878, following the dry year, the valley was first farmed, thus affording the settlers an opportunity to work, and also to get a supply of seed, for future purposes, as they were nearly starved out. This was the commencement of grain-raising in the valley. After the death of Mr. Newhall, subject came to Santa Maria and purchased town property and built his present residence, and, through improving his place, set out experi- mentally a few orange-trees, which have done well. He also worked at his trade as opportun- ity offered.

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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