An illustrated history of Southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the peninsula of Lower California, from the earliest period of occupancy to the present time; together with glimpses of their prospects; also, full-page portraits of some of their eminent men, and biographical mention of many of their pioneers and of prominent citizens of to-day, Part 118

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1038

USA > California > Los Angeles County > An illustrated history of Southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the peninsula of Lower California, from the earliest period of occupancy to the present time; together with glimpses of their prospects; also, full-page portraits of some of their eminent men, and biographical mention of many of their pioneers and of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 118
USA > California > San Diego County > An illustrated history of Southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the peninsula of Lower California, from the earliest period of occupancy to the present time; together with glimpses of their prospects; also, full-page portraits of some of their eminent men, and biographical mention of many of their pioneers and of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 118
USA > California > Orange County > An illustrated history of Southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the peninsula of Lower California, from the earliest period of occupancy to the present time; together with glimpses of their prospects; also, full-page portraits of some of their eminent men, and biographical mention of many of their pioneers and of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 118
USA > California > San Bernardino County > An illustrated history of Southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the peninsula of Lower California, from the earliest period of occupancy to the present time; together with glimpses of their prospects; also, full-page portraits of some of their eminent men, and biographical mention of many of their pioneers and of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 118

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Matthew Keller was born in Ireland in 1811, and after living some time in Mexico he came to California in 1849 or 1850. He spent some time in the mines, but devoted himself mainly to wine-making, and was for many years a pro- ducer of grape wine and brandy on a large scale. He was a good French and Spanish scholar, and he gave to the public through the press the information which he drew from foreign sources by these means. He was a man of tireless energy np to the end of his life. On April 11, 1881, he died from heart disease, leaving one son and three danghters.

JAMES WESLEY POTTS.

James Wesley Potts is a native of Tennessee. He arrived in Los Angeles in September, 1852, having driven an ox team over the plains from Georgetown. Texas, he walking the whole way. The town was then but an adobe village of some 4,000 inhabitants, mostly Mexicans and Span- iards. Mr. Potts was first employed in hauling dirt on the streets with a hand-cart, the only vehicle then used for that purpose. Then he became a fruit-seller, first from a basket, then from a stall, and in this business he flourished. After spending a short time at the mines, he began to raise vegetables at Los Angeles, and

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

his sweet potatoes were the first raised here. From mercantile pursnits he realized some $6,000, which he lost as a result of his out- spoken expression of Union sentiments during the civil war. Recovering, however, his invest- inents in real estate were worth in 1878 $150,- 000. Meeting with reverses that year, he lost all this, and fell heavily into debt, moreover. All of his debts he has since repaid, dollar for dollar, although many of them were outlawed. Mr. Potts has been largely instrumental in for- warding various water improvements and sewer arrangements, and it may be said that scarcely a question of local public moment has come up that he has not figured more or less prominently in its solution. He is a man of great force of character, and never succumbs to discourage- ment. He has always been a strong believer in and advocate of the future of Southern Califor- nia, and of Los Angeles as a city; and in 1876, when this valley was generally regarded as fit for a stock range only, he published his opinion, and reasons therefor, that it was capable of sup- porting 1,000,000 people. Besides his shrewd business advice, Mr. Potts has been useful to the community in other ways: he has always been a prime mover in religious and moral movements. He was one of the first organizers of the church and Sunday-school in Los An- geles. He has always contributed largely by his influence, by his backing, and by his own pecuniary contributions, to the establishment and maintenance of snch institutions. His gifts of charity have been numerous, and the worthy poor were never turned empty-handed from his door. Only the old citizens of Los Angeles can realize how useful this one man has been to the church, to the schools, to good municipal government, and to local material improvement and prosperity during his long residence in Los Angeles County.

ANTONIO FRANCO CORONEL.

Don Antonio's father, Don Ygnacio F. Coronel, was many years ago a resident of the city of Mexico and an officer under General,

afterward Emperor, Yturbide. In 1834 he came with his family to California. His chil- dren were: Josefa, who married Matias Sabichi; Antonio F., the subject of this sketch; Macaela; Soledad, who married José M. Yndart; Rosa; Manuel F., still living; Maria Antonio, who married Alex. Godey, and Ygnacio, Jr. All are deceased except the two brothers, Antonio and Mannel. Mr. Coronel, the father, was an educated man and gave his children a good education. He established the first school in Los Angeles under the Lancastrian system. He died in 1862. Antonio was born October 21, 1817, in the city of Mexico, and came with his father to California in 1834. In 1838 he was appointed Assistant Secretary of Tribunals of the city of Los Angeles. In 1843 he was made Judge of First Instance (Peace). In 1844 General Micheltorena appointed him Captain and Inspector of the Southern Missions. In 1845 he was made commissioner to treat for peace between Micheltorena and liis opposers, Juan Baptista Alvarado and José Castro, com- manders of the revolutionary forces. In 1846, in consequence of the American invasion, he was called into actual service as Captain. After the battle of October 8, 1846, at the San Pedro or Dominguez Rancho, he was given charge of the American flag captured there, for him to carry as a trophy to Mexico, but on account of meeting Kearny, the American General, at the Colorado river, he was forced to abandon all hope of personally taking the flag, and he sent it secretly with Felipe Castillo. Subsequently he was named Aid-de-Camp of the Command- ing General, and took part in the battles of the of the 8th and 9th at Bartolo pass and the Mesa. In 1847 and 1848 he was a mem- ber of the body of magistrates having in charge the regulation of irrigation. He was county assessor in 1850 and 1851, and in 1853 was elected mayor of the city. He was a me:n- ber of the city council with the exception of two years, from 1854 till 1866, when he was elected State Treasurer for four years. Mr. Coronel has also been a supervisor, a member

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

of the State Horticultural Society, and presi- dent of the Spanish-American Benevolent Society. Both he and Mrs. Coronel are active members of the Historical Society of Southern California, and both take a keen interest in local historical matters. They have probably one of the most complete private collections of Spanish, Mexican, and Indian curios in Cali- fornia. When the notorious claim of Liman tonr came before the United States conrts, in 1857, Mr. Coronel was sent in private to the city of Mexico to examine the archives there, and gather testimony, etc., which his know]- edge of the Spanish language and acquaintance with public men in that capital enabled him to do very efficiently. He found abundant evi- dence to prove that Limantour's alleged title was forged and that his claims were utterly fraudulent. His lahors were facilitated by President Comonfort and other high officials. He obtained much valuable evidence proving that it was forged and fraudulent. This evi- dence was laid before the United States Court, and the claim was rejected finally, and thus the titles to thousands of homes in San Fran- cisco were cleared of the cloud that, like a pall, hung over them. Only those who were cog- nizant at the time of the excitement that was stirred up throughout California by this case can appreciate how intense the excitement was. Limantour maintained his colossal pretensions with the utinost vigor and by the most un- scrupulous means. He brought witnesses from Mexico to swear to the genuineness of his grant, though it was afterward clearly proved to have been forged. Mr. Coronel's services in helping to lay bare this great frand were of the utmost importance. Mrs. Helen Hunt Jackson has borne warın testimony in the Cen- tury magazine and elsewhere of both Mr. and Mrs. Coronel, in behalf of the defenseless Mis- sion Indians of Sonthern California. Mr.

Coronel furnished Mrs. Jackson the materials of her story of " Ramona," and visited with her the various places where she located her story, and aided her in acquiring knowledge of the

customs and traditions of the people, whereby she could give it in the proper coloring. When Mrs. Jackson first thought of writing " Ra- mona," she wished to take Mr. Coronel's place as a typical Mexican home; but as Mrs. Del Valle's house was more suited to that purpose, it was decided-with the consent of Mrs. Del Valle-that Cannitos become the home of Ramona, only the plot is laid many, many years before the Del Valle family lived there. While the work was going through the press, she had the proofs sent to him for correction of episoder in which he took part. He also gave her the materials of another and more dramatic story, based on real life here in South- ern California, the beautiful heroine of which " Nacha," was well known by some of the best of the old Spanish families. If Mrs. Jackson had lived, she was to have worked them up as a companion story of " Ramona." He also gave her the data of her account of Father Junipero, the founder of the California Missions. And he took the lead in getting up the celebration or solemnization of the centennial of the death of that eminent prelate. In 1873 Mr. Coronel married Doña Mariana Williamson. In 1887 Mr. and Mrs. Coronel visited the city of Mexico, and expected to have taken an extended East- ern trip; but as Don Antonio was taken seri- ously ill in Mexico, the latter portion of their tour was reluctantly given up. Since their return to Los Angeles he has entirely recovered his health. They have lately built themselves a modern, commodions and beautiful home. For many years Mr. Coronel, a+ a politician, was influential in the party to which he be- longed; but latterly he has withdrawn from active participation in political affairs. He is liberal in his ideas. He judges people by their personal qualities rather than by their nation- ality or by their political or religious creed.

THE COLORED PEOPLE.

A not unpicturesque element in the history of this county has been supplied by the presence of the colored people. They have figured fromn

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

the beginning. Two of the founders of the eity-Mesa and Quintero-were negroes. Thomas Fisher, a negro, was captured from Bonchard's privateers, in 1818. There were, no doubt, others in pre-American days. Under the Mexican constitution slavery was positively forbidden, and California came into the Union with free soil. Between the time of American occupation and the admission of the State, slavery was practiced to a slight degree. Thus, early in 1850, Dr. T. Earl and Colonel Thorn brought to Los Angeles from the Sonthern States a number of slaves, whom they purposed to work in the inines. On their arrival, two of these asserted their freedom, upon which one was beaten and the other shot at, but they both ran away. One J. H. Purdy was at the time acting as a police officer and marshal, and in dis charge of his duty, he made complaint against

the parties who assaulted the negroes. The

result was that he was given forty-eight hour g in which to leave the town, and lie was obliged to go, the authorities being powerless to protect him. The remainder of the slaves were finally taken up to the mines, but the white miners stampeded them; they all ran away, and their owners were out even the cost of bringing them here. Says Warner's " Historical Sketch:" " In the spring of 1850, probably three or four colored persons were in the city. In 1875 they numbered about 175 souls, many of whom hold good property, acquired by their industry. They are farmers, mechanics, or some one or other useful occupation, and remarkable for good habits. They count some seventy-five voters. Robert Owen, familiarly called by Americans, ' Uncle Bob,' came from Texas in December, 1853, with 'Aunt Winnie,' his wife, two daughters, and son, Charley Owen. They sur- vive him. He was a shrewd inan of business, energetic and honorable in his dealings; made money by Government contracts and general trade. He died, well esteemed by white and colored, August 18, 1865, aged fifty-nine years. Of the Society of Mexican Veterans are five colored men: George Diggs, George Smitlı, 48

Lewis G. Green, Panl Rushmore, and Peter Byns. The last named was born in Henrico County, Virginia, in 1810, and served with Colonel Jack Hayes, General Z. Taylor, and Captain John Long. He was at the battle of Monterey. Rushmore was born in 1829, in Georgia; he served on Taylor's line. He drove the teamn of Colonel John Ward and James Donglass through from Chihuahua to Los Angeles. Smith and Diggs, the first born in New York, the second in the District of Column- bia, both served in the ship Columbus, Commno- dore Biddle and Captain Selfridge. Green was born in North Carolina, in 1827; was a seaman on the Portsmouth, Captain John B. Montgomery; and in the navy nine years and eight months, on the store-ship Erie, the Cyane, Constitution, Pennsylvania, and Vermont." Green died abont 1865, having been for several years janitor of the court-house.

PHYSICAL FEATURES.

TOPOGRAPHY.

The topography of Los Angeles County might be likened to a terraced mountain, upon which are three grand benches or planes, slightly inclined, the foot of the lower being washed by the ocean. From the northern boundary rises the Sierra Nevada, which, less high here than farther north, yet attains an ele- vation of 7,000 feet. The first grand terrace is Antelope valley, which has a general eleva- tion of 2,000 feet, and which is about fifty mniles long east and west, by some thirty miles wide north and south. This valley was undoubtedly at one time an inland lake, whose waters held in solution the borax and soda that are depos- ited in considerable quantity on its soil. Por- tions of it have a dense growth of yncca and cactus. The western part is very fertile. The valley is shut in from the Mohave desert on the east by the Lovejoy Buttes, a low line of hills. On the south is the Sierra Madre, a high range of mountains which traverse the county east and west, some 6,000 feet high. This range is called by many local names, as San

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

Fernando, San Gabriel, or San Bernardino. Their geological formation and general config- uration show them to be of the same range, though less high, as the Sierra Nevada. " Old Baldy," one of their peaks, partly in Los An- geles Connty, is abont 9,000 feet high, and has snow on its summit during the rainy season. Sonth of the Sierra Madre is the second of the great terraces, with an elevation of 500 to 1,000 feet. The vicinity of the mountains and the elevation above the range of ocean fogs, give this a particularly fine climate. Three spurs of hills from the mountains enclose and divide it into three grand valleys. On the west are the Santa Susana hills; on the east the Puente hills; while the San Rafael spur cuts it in two, leaving the San Fernando valley on the west and the San Gabriel valley on the east. On the south- ern range of this grand middle terrace is a range of hills, quite low, east of Los Angeles city, but attaining a respectable eminence in the west, where they are known as the Santa Monica mountains, which constitute the southern bor- der of the San Fernando valley. The lowest terrace, which runs down to the sea, is also divided into valleys. The northern one is known as the Santa Monica valley, and it is triangular, the base lying abont ten miles along the ocean front, while the apex is about fifteen miles east, among the Los Angeles hills. North- ward is the San Fernando valley, while on the sonth between it and the Los Angeles valley is at first a low divide which culminates in the Palos Verdes hills of the San Pedro peninsula. The Los Angeles valley is a plain about forty miles long and twenty miles wide, extending into Orange County. Santa Catalina Island, thirty-five to forty miles southwest of Los Angeles, is twenty-three miles long, and two to four wide, and it is almost in two sections, a depression only thirty feet high connecting them. The general altitude is 3,000 feet. Nice little harbors are found around the island, and upon it are wells of good water, mineral springs, beautiful valleys, etc. Wild goats are still found here, and fish abound along the shore,

as well as many natural curiosities. The island is eighteen miles from shore, and is the prop- erty of an English syndicate, that as yet has devoted it only to the purpose of a popular summer resort.

Several different sections are denominated as valleys, having separate names. The Pomona valley is that portion of the San Bernardino valley lying within the eastern bonndary of Los Angeles County. The Cahuenga valley is that part of the Santa Monica valley lying immedi- ately sheltered by the hills of the Cahuenga pass. The Los Angeles river rises about twelve miles east of northwest of the city, and flows easterly thither, turning thence to the south. The remaining waters, after supplying the irrigating ditches, sink inside the city limits. In time of high water the stream flows farther, joining the old San Gabriel river seven miles from the ocean. Its ancient course to the sea was via the Cienega and La Ballona. The San Gabriel river has two principal sources in the Sierra Madre, the north fork and the south fork. The former rises in township 2 north, range 12 west, and flows easterly through three town- ships into range 9 west, where it forins a junc- tion with the other branch, flowing sonth through three townships from its source in township 3 north, range 9 west; thence its main channel is south to the ocean. Draining a great mountain area, its stream is longer and larger, and also more constant, than the Los Angeles river. Numerous other streams exist in the county, which, though quite small and appar- ently insignificant, are nevertheless contributors to the worth of the land.

The coast line of Los Angeles County ex- hibits two large indentations, geographically described as bays, and designated on the map as those of Santa Monica and San Pedro. The latter has for years ranked as the leading port of California, outside of San Francisco, and with the completion of the harbor improve- ments, contemplated and now in progress, its possibilities will be greatly anginented. The inner bay of San Pedro, better known as Wil-

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

mington slough, with an area of between 1,100 and 1,200 acres, had a narrow entrance at La Goleta, between the mainland and Rattlesnake island. From this island to Dead Man's island, about one and one-fourth miles, the bay of Sau Pedro had but little depth, except in a narrow channel near to and north of Dead Man's island. Timms' point, one-half mile from Dead Man's island, was the nearest mainland.

AGRICULTURE.

In this county are many varieties of soil, some of which are not duplicated in any other portion of the United States. In the low lands the soil is, as a rule, a rich alluvium, supposed to be the deposits of streams during ages long past. The lightness or heaviness of this al- luvial soil depends on the preponderance of sand or clay. In some places the " moist land " contains a good deal of alkali. Such land is generally considered unfit for cultivation. Prac- tical tests have, however, demonstrated that much of what is called alkali land is really susceptible of cultivation, and will, if properly handled, produce prolific crops of vegetables, cereals and deciduous fruits. It can be reclaimed by drainage. Apples and pears that took the first premium at the New Orleans Exposition were raised on strong alkali soil near Long Beach, and the yield per acre of such fruits was very large. Many valleys far- ther above the sea level contain similar kinds of alluvium, and also in some localities a darker svil known as adobe, which is composed largely of decomposed vegetable matter. This is the heaviest soil of all, and in wet weather the mud it makes is so tenacious as to produce a powerful strain on the boots and morals of pedestrians naturally averse to indulgence in profanity. In thesummer it becomes baked to an almost rocky hardness, and cracks open, some so wide as to be suggestive of earthquakes. Many dwellings and a few mission buildings still remain, made of sun-dried bricks from this soil, relics of an earlier and a cruder civilization. For these the svil was mixed with straw, molded in blocks,

and dried in the sun. Buildings thus construct- ed will stand a century if unrazed. This soil is excellent for grainsand cereals of various kinds, although not adapted for general fruit-raising. Some of the finest crops of wheat, barley and oats are grown on just such land. On the mesa or uplands is still another kind of soil. It con- sists largely of detritus or sediment washed down from the mountains, mixed with vegetable accumulations. This is good soil for fruit- growing, but not adapted for cereals. It mnay readily be supposed that with such a variety of soil and climate Los Angeles County's products are of many varieties. Almost everything which man could wish for in the way of food products is raised here more or less abundantly, according to the attention given to their enltiva- tion. In moist land seventy-five and even 100 Unshels of corn may be raised to the acre. The table-land, which has water twelve to thirty feet below the surface, is just the thing for citrus fruits. There are to-day in the county more than 800,000 bearing orange trees; 2,000,000 grape-vines, and 20,000 English walnut trees. To plant orange and lemon trees, and cultivate them for about five years, costs about $200 an acre. Land costs, say, $150. After the fifth year, land can produce $350 per acre. Of alfalfa six or eight crops a year can be raised, averaging one and a half to two tons per acre at each cutting. The farmer can also raise two crops of potatoes a year, worth $200 an acre. Also peas and cabbages in the winter, and cucumbers on the same ground in sminmer. These are a but few of the many facts that could be given on this subject. The constant ripening of fruits and maturing of vegetables in this county, as shown by the wares in the city market, astonishes per- sons unfamiliar with the peculiar nature of the soil and climate. Fruits and vegetables are ma- turing every month in the year. Green peas are in the market nearly all the year, and so are new potatoes, cabbages, carrots, salsify, aspara- gus, cauliflower, turnips, onions, beets and rad- ishes. Cucumbers, squashies, pumpkins and melons are in from June to December, so that

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

every month of the year is productive of " the fatness of the land " for the benefit of the dwell- ers therein. Of citrus fruits Sonthern California is the natural home, both soil and climate being admirably adapted to the culture of oranges, lemons, limes, etc. Some of the finest and largest of these fruits are produced in Los An- · geles County. The localities mnost favorable for them are the smaller valleys of the " foot-hills " region, sheltered from the trade winds, and ex- posed to intense heat, with a very dry atmos- phere during a large portion of the year. The erop requires thorough irrigation and a great deal of care and labor, but with all this outlay it is very profitable. The orange industry of the country is immense, as is also that of grape- raising and raisin-making, and both are steadily increasing in magnitude. The grape crop is next in importance to the orange crop. There are in the county over 16, 000 acres planted to grapes, the fruit comprising every variety pro- duced in Southern California.

Of the 103 proprietors of town farms in Los Angeles in 1848, eight were foreigners: Abel Stearns, Louis Bouchet, Louis Vignes, Juan Domingo, Miguel M. Pryor, William Wolfskill, Lonis Lemoreau, Joseph Snooks, -- an Englislı- man, a German, three French, three " Yankees," -- so has the city ever been cosmopolitan. Un- der the sound policy adopted at the beginning for the disposition of pueblo lands, the natural course of business, and family changes, the pro- prietorship of real property is much altered. Many citizens of Spanish origin retain good agricultural tracts. Within the patent of the city are 17,752 acres. The increase of culture of trees, fruit and ornamental, is remarkable. In 1847 there were set ont probably 200 yonng walnut trees. The almond was unknown. San Fernando and San Gabriel had a few olives. Long before 1840 the Californians had had the fig, apricot, peach, pear and quince. Plums were introduced by O. W. Childs. In 1855 were first planted by William Wolfskill seeds of the sweet almond, which were brought from the Mediterranean by H. F. Teschemaker of San

Francisco. In 1850 there was one pepper tree, lofty and wide-branching over the adobe house of an old lady living near the hills, a short dis- tance north of the plaza; its seed had come from a tree in the court of the Mission of San Luis Rey. On the last day of January, 1851, John Temple planted a row of these trees, which have been cnt down by the vandal utilitarian, in front of his Main street store. Now the city is everywhere adorned with this beautiful tree. All the oranges in 1850 were from the Mission orchard of San Gabriel and the gardens of Louis Vignes and William Wolfskill. On June 7, 1851, Mr. Vignes offered for sale his "desirable property, El Aliso," so called from the superb sycamore tree, ages old, that shaded his cellars. He said. "There are two orange gardens that yield from 5,000 to 6,000 oranges in the sea- son." It is credibly stated that he was the first to plant the orange in this city, bringing young trees from San Gabriel, in 1834. He had 400 peach trees, beside apricots, pears, apples, figs, and walnuts; and he added in his description: "The vineyard, with 40,000 vines, 32,000 now bear- ing grapes, will yield 1,000 barrels of wine per annum, the quality of which is well known to be superior." This pioncer planter, a native of France, had come to Los Angeles by way of the Sandwich Islands in 1831. One man after an- other planted oranges, until, in January, 1876, there were 36,700 bearing orange trees, and 6,900 bearing lime and lemon trees. The ship- ment of this fruit grew rapidly into a regular business.

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Author: Lewis Publishing Company Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : The Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1038

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1038