USA > California > San Luis Obispo County > History of San Luis Obispo County, California, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 95
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Another instance was of a different character. A Califor- nian murdered his wife and fled to the church for refuge, it being understood that from the portals of the sacred edifice no person could be taken by officers of the law. The church was closed but he thrust his finger in the keyhole and thought himself safe. But there were Americans among his pursuers who knew no such law, and the murderer was taken, and before Alcalde Black- burn was tried for his crime. It seems a strange court in which to try a person for a capital offense, but it was under Mexican law and by his own countrymen the pris- oner was convicted and under Mexican law he was sentenced to be shot. In such cases Governor Mason required the findings of the court to be reported to him for approval before carrying the sentence into
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execution. The prisoner was guilty of an enormous crime yet there were fears that the Governor would disapprove the sentence, therefore to make sure of justice Blackburn ordered the execution simultaneously with forwarding the report of the case to the Governor. As was expected the Governor ordered a stay of the exe- cution until he could inquire more fully into the case, but was answered that satisfaction had been given and the man was dead.
Many other anecdotes are told of the manner of meteing out justice in the Alcalde's court of Santa Cruz in 1848. Judge Blackburn was elected to represent Sacramento District in the Constitutional Convention of 1849, but being engrossed in the exciting business of that time he did not attend. Upon the organization of the county of Santa Cruz he was elected its first County Judge, and was afterwards a successful merchant in that town. He died a few years since in San Francisco while there on business, and his remains were taken to Santa Cruz by the Society of Pioneers and there buried.
D. D. Blackburn remained at his home in Springfield until 1837, when he went to Oquakee, Henderson County, Illinois, and there worked at his trade of carpen- ter, continuing in that work two years and then engaging as clerk in the store of a Mr. Phelps, where he remained three years. He then formed a partnership in the com- pany of Sweezey, Seymour & Blackburn in the business of pork-packing in the town of Oquakee, and continued in that business until the spring of 1849. The business had been successful, packing from 65,000 to 75,000 head of hogs annually and shipping them down the Missis- sippi to market. But 1849 opened a new field. His elder brother, William, had gone to California in 1844, and wrote home glowing accounts of the fair country, and all the family desired to join him in the land of promise. The discovery of gold was hardly needed to cause him to emigrate, but it was an additional incentive, and he and his brothers, James and Jacob, and brother-in-law Findley, his partner Henry Seymour and James Westerfield, pre- pared at once for the journey. A fine outfit was provided, consisting of three wagons with three yoke of oxen to each and a two years' supply of provisions. Joining a train of 120 men under Captain Mccullough, they crossed the Missouri River at Iowa Point on the 5th of May, 1849, and proceeded on their way across the plains and mountains to California, enjoying the journey as hale and hearty men can, arriving without other loss than one ox in the gold mines on Deer Creek on the 12th of August, 1849. At that time there was no sign that a white man had ever been in that neighborhood, and the Blackburns and party were the first to mine in the region since celebrated as Nevada City. The mines were very rich and they took the gold out by handfuls. Better mines were looked for and some of the party went to the South Yuba where for two weeks they made about $50.00 a day each, then tried the North Fork, and returned to Deer Creek. They mined with astonishing success until November Ist, when, Captain Findley becoming sick, they sold their teams and the remaining provisions for more than the original cost of all, and went to the Sacramento
Valley. William Blackburn was then at Sutterville, in company with John McDougal, afterwards Governor, attempting to build a rival city to Sacramento.
After spending a week or two in Sacramento and San Francisco, D. D., James, and Jacob Blackburn and Mr. Seymour went to Santa Cruz, arriving there in the latter part of November, with $3,000 each as the result of their mining and sale of outfit. Captain Findley, the brother- in-law, soon followed. D. D. Blackburn engaged in farm- ing on his brother William's land, on shares, cultivating potatoes which sold in the field at from six to twelve cents per pound, and one lot from one acre in September, 1850, brought clear $1,200. He farmed eighty acres in various products. Leased some land at $100 an acre. Continued in the business until 1857 when, in June of that year, he went to Paso Robles and in company with James H. Blackburn and Lazarus Godchaux, purchased of Petronillo Rios the Paso de Robles Rancho, of six leagues of land including the famous hot springs, paying therefor $8,000. In 1860 the firm divided the rancho, Daniel taking one league including the springs. There has since been his home, finding it a barren wilderness and making it in the course of years the pleasant village and favorite resort of the State. He sold a half interest to a Mr. McGreel, who in 1865 sold to D. W. James for $11,000, and in 1873 sold another one-fourth interest to James H. Blackburn.
Mr. Blackburn has been mentioned in the history of the Vigilance Committee of 1858. At that period there was a call for the strong and the brave to come forward and risk their lives in overpowering the murdering banditti who made the roads a terror, and to establish a reign of law and order. Blackburn was the man for the occasion, and was made sheriff of the committee. Castro was the legally elected sheriff of the county, but he stepped aside while the Vigilance Committee was in possession of affairs, and Blackburn as its officer had full power. He made many arrests of desperadoes, and drove the infamous Jack Powers out of the State. This is all the office he has held or would accept. In politics he is a Democrat and exercises much influence in his party. In social affairs he is the genial gentleman that makes his guests at home in the well-kept hotel of the Paso de Robles Hot Springs.
Mr. Blackburn is a member of the Masonic Order and has passed through all the degrees to Royal Arch, joining Santa Cruz Chapter, No. 38, R. A. M., June 7, A. I. 2,400.
Mr. Blackburn was married in San Luis Obispo by Rev. Father Sastre, September 15, 1866, to Miss Celia Dunn, daughter of Patrick and Mary Ann Dunn, a native of Australia and of Irish descent. Mrs. Blackburn is the sister of Mrs. D. W. James, who was married at the same time and place, and is the sister of P. H. Dunn, Esq., the Postmaster at Paso Robles and business manager of the Hot Springs Hotel. Mr. and Mrs. Blackburn have had born to them ten children, nine of whom are living: James WV., Francis J., Henry H., Margaret, Daniel E., Nellie, Annie, Harriet, and Frederick. A daughter, Jennie, was killed by the upsetting of a wagon, the
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others are in the usual health of that healthy locality, bright, handsome, and vigorous.
J. H. BLACKBURN.
In the preceding sketch have been given many of the prominent incidents in the life of Mr. Blackburn's fam- ily. James Hanson Blackburn, younger brother of D. D. Blackburn, was born at Harper's Ferry, Virginia, Sep- tember 8, 1820. When but two years of age, his parents removed to Springfield, Clark County, Ohio, where his father died four years later, leaving a family of six young children dependent upon the mother to support, with such aid as the elder children could render. The strug- gle was necessarily a hard one, but such as laid the foun- dation of a future character of self-reliance, frugality, in- dustry and forethought upon a natural energy and innate principles of right. While a lad he went to live in Logan County, and there attended school. In 1837, he re- moved to Oquakee, Illinois, where his brother Daniel had gone, and there worked as a carpenter though but seven- teen years of age, and attended school during several winters, acquiring a fair education. He did not serve an apprenticeship to the carpenters trade, but being handy with tools and working with his brother, learned his trade as he worked and thus went into business in which he continued until 1849, when he joined the great caravan crossing the plains to California. His companion was his brother Daniel, with whom he continued sharing the same adventures and meeting the same successes until they en- gaged in different pursuits at Santa Cruz in November, 1849.
Three miles from Santa Cruz, on Restodara, or Black- burn's Creek, Judge Wm. Blackburn had commenced the construction of a saw-mill, and this James H. completed and engaged in the very profitable business of making lumber. At that time nearly all the lumber used in Cali- fornia was imported, some from Chile, but most from the Atlantic Coast, by ships around Cape Horn. The rush for gold was too great for people to stop to saw lumber or to do anything but dig, but the few who had the coolness of head to disregard the excitement and look to supplying the wants of the miners proved in the end the successful ones. There were abundant pine and red- wood trees in California, but saw-mills were very rare and labor was very high. There were no roads to the forests, and on the coast no wharves and very few suitable ves- sels for shipping lumber; therefore, although lumber brought fabulous prices, there were obstacles to its man- ufacture. The mill of Blackburn was very advantage- ously located, and the lumber sold readily at high prices. At the beach of Santa Cruz, in the spring of 1850, the price was $75.00 per thousand feet, and in San Fran- cisco $500 per thousand. The great prices and the abundant forests induced many others to engage in the business, and prices became reduced, but many of the millionaires of California owe their wealth to the prod- ucts of the forests.
In 1853 Mr. Blackburn sold his saw-mill, and on the ist of August of that year, in company with Lazarus Godchaux, commenced the construction of the first sub-
stantial building in the town of Watsonville. This was for a store and in it he engaged in business, the firm be- ing Blackburn & Godchaux, and so well has this firm prospered and so well the partners agreed, that they con- tinue as partners to the present day. Mr. Godchaux is now also of the firm of Brandstein & Co., wholesale butchers of San Francisco. Blackburn & Godchaux con- tinued their business with success, but in 1856 an inci- dent occurred which admonished them that it was advis- able they should possess more secure property than a store of combustible goods. Their store took fire, but by prompt action the flames were extinguished without serious damage. A conflagration then meant a total loss of property, as insurance in the wooden towns of Califor- nia was not to be thought of. They concluded to buy land and went out to look over the country. In June, 1857, the brothers Blackburn visited the Paso de Robles Rancho, of whose fame they had heard. The grand scenery, the luxuriant growth of grass and the pleasant climate were attractions that could not be excelled in any part of the country, and the price suiting them, in July following they made the purchase, buying six leagues, or 26,400 acres, for $8,000. The rancho had first been oc- cupied by the missionaries of San Miguel as one of their farms and stations, and the farm or rancho-house stand- ing upon it was supposed to be contemporary with the mission, as none of the natives recollected when it was constructed. Upon the secularization of the missions, the lands were given to private individuals, usually to those of wealth and influence, or to officers and soldiers in compensation for services. The rancho of Paso de Robles was, in 1844, granted to Petronillo Rios upon his petition and he expending $300 in the preparation of the proper papers.
The rancho was purchased in July, 1857, and D. D. Blackburn moved upon it, but Blackburn & Godchaux continued in business in Watsonville until 1859, when they sold out and J. H. Blackburn removed to San Luis Obispo County. At that time the town of San Luis Obispo was but a small, mud-built, poor looking place. It was, however, at a time when a spirit of progress was awakening, and although hard times have occasionally prevailed, the progress has continued with accelerating motion.
The old adobe ranch-house at Paso de Robles was made to serve the purpose for a number of years, but in 1872 the handsome building-shown on another page- was erected. This is six miles south of the Paso Robles Hot Springs. In front of the house is a flourishing gar- den of flowers and grassy lawn, and near is a large and thrifty orchard of many varieties of fruits and vines. A wind-mill raises water for domestic purposes and for irri- gating the garden, but not the trees, which do not need it. Near by he cultivates about 500 acres in wheat, bar- ley, and oats, but the rancho is chiefly devoted to grazing sheep. Of these he has 7,000 head which yield an average of seven pounds of wool per head each year. Were the rancho, comprising 22,000 acres, fully fenced, it would support 10,000 head of sheep. There are also on it from thirty to forty head of horses and as many cows for
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the necessities of the farm. A steam saw-mill is also one of the conveniences of the rancho, used in sawing lum- ber for fences, bridges, and other purposes, the forests of oak furnishing the material. The mill is capable of cutting 6,000 feet of oak lumber a day.
Previous to the dry years of 1863-64, the principal stock upon the rancho was cattle, but in that period Blackburn & Godchaux lost 3,000 head. They were, however, so situated with abundant means that they could buy others, and in 1865 bought a great many at eight dollars a head and sheep at fifty cents, and soon recovered all their losses. Then Mr. Godchaux took up his residence in San Francisco, Mr. Blackburn still con- tinuing as his partner.
Soon after coming to the county he purchased prop- erty in the town of San Luis Obispo, one piece of which is the Cosmopolitan Hotel. The beginning of this was a small adobe on a good foundation, built by Juan Cappe for a saloon. A second story was added with a few rooms, which were profitably let, and other additions were made until the hotel is completed. Blackburn & Morriss were the first proprietors of this hotel, and so continued until 1880, when Mr. Fredericks succeeded Morriss. In April, 1883, Mr. E. B. Morriss again became the lessee. Mr. Blackburn also owns other property in the town.
He also owns a rancho of 1,300 acres six miles north of Cayucos, on which he has a dairy of 200 cows. This is conducted on shares by Mr. Shaw, who bears all ex- penses of labor and care, and divides the proceeds equally, with the addition of giving Blackburn fifteen calves an- nually and dividing the balance. Blackburn's share of the receipts in 1882 was $3,904.23, from butter, calves, hogs, and fruit.
The firms with which he is connected are Blackburn & Godchaux in the Paso de Robles Rancho, Cosmopol- itan Hotel, and in butchering in San Francisco, etc .; Blackburn Bros. & James, in the Hot Springs Hotel, and Blackburn & Shaw in the dairy. With this multifa- rious business and an abundant income, together with a happy disposition and pleasant manner, he enjoys life and is fond of society. With his stalwart form, lithe step, cheerful looks and dark hair, he shows no evidence of the sixty-three years of life passed that is told by his record. Mr. Blackburn is a member of the Masonic Order, having joined in Santa Cruz in 1854, and is now a member of King David's Lodge, No. 209, and of the Royal Arch. In politics he is Democratic, is active and influential in his party, and is public spirited, generous, and progressive.
D. W. JAMES.
Three California pioneers of 1849 comprise the well_ known firm of Blackburn Brothers & James, the propri- etors of the Paso de Robles Hot Springs. The advent- ures of the pioneers constitute a story of as thrilling in- terest as the most dramatically conceived romance, par- taking of hardships and dangers, exposures and pleasures; the brightest hopes and the severest disappointments; brilliant successes and disastrous reverses; of friendships unexcelled; of tragedies the most sanguinary, and the
joys and conflicts of every passion. The most of the great army of 1849 have passed away, and to the younger citizens the tales of the past are regarded as largely par- taking of fables, but to those of the time the remembran- ces of them are most vivid and interesting. Drury Woodson James is one of the pioneers of that period, and as far as seeking adventure was before that time, having been a volunteer of the army of invasion of Mex- ico in 1846, and a soldier through that gallantly fought war. Mr. James was born on the Whippoorwill River, in Logan County, Kentucky, November 14, 1826. His parents were Jackson James and Polly Poor, both natives of Virginia, in which State they were married prior to their removal to Kentucky. Martin James, the grand- father of D. W., was a soldier of the Revolution, as was also his grandfather Poor, both fighting through the con- test for independence. Mr. James was left an orphan when an infant, his mother dying when he was but three months old, and his father but a year later. The eldest sister took charge of the child and the family. There were three daughters and four sons; his eldest sister, Mary, was married to John Mimms; Elizabeth, the wife of Tellman West; and Nancy, the wife of George Hite. His brothers were William, Robert, and Thomas M.
His home was with John Mimms in Logan County, Kentucky, until he was eighteen years of age, working on the farm and attending school. After eighteen he went into the world to make his own way to fortune, and engaged with his elder brother, William, in the mercan- tile business in Oldham County, Kentucky, on the Ohio River. He was thus engaged when the war with Mexico began in 1846, and volunteers were called for. James joined the Louisville Legion, ten companies in all, under the command of Colonel Ormsby. The Legion went to New Orleans and there embarked for Brazos Island, and joined General Taylor's Army in the march to Monterey. With the army he took part in the battle of Monterey, the Legion being selected by General Taylor to accom- pany and protect Ramsey's Mortar Battery, which did effective work in driving the Mexican soldiers from their citadel and the Bishop's Palace, their strongholds. So effective was the fire of the battery that the Mexicans made a sortie to destroy it, but were repulsed by the Texan Rangers. During the night after the first day's battle, the Legion was ordered to relieve the Mississippi Regiment in front of the Molino Fort, which was done and held until late the next day, when they entered the city and fought their way to the plaza. A flag of truce was displayed and the battle ended with the surrender of the city, forts, and army. The Legion had not been much exposed, and although doing some hard fighting and marching, lost no men.
Early in 1847 the army marched forward toward the interior, and on the 22d and 23d of February fought the great battle of Buena Vista, the American forces num- bering but about 4,000 men, while the Mexican Army, commanded by Santa Ana, numbered 22,000. The Legion, however, did not have the honor of being in the midst of that terrible fight, being detailed as a guard to Monterey. But the apparently overwhelming army of
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Santa Ana coming to meet Taylor, they were ordered forward by forced marches, and in the exertions to be on the field in time, James crippled himself by the bursting of one of the veins of his legs, a mishap that affects him to the present. The battle of Buena Vista was won, and the Legion returned to Monterey. So confident had the people of the city been that the Americans would be crushed that all had left the city, fearing, if found there by Santa Ana, they would be charged with showing a friendly feeling to the gringoes. During the war, the Legion was chiefly employed in garrisoning Monterey, but partook in some heavy skirmishes, and lost a num- ber of men. The officers were all gentlemen and very kind, and the recollections of the war are very pleasant. When the war was over, Mr. James returned to West- port, Oldham County, Kentucky, and resumed business with his brother William, which he continued until the spring of 1849, at which time he was attacked by the gold fever, which nothing but a journey to California could cure.
His adventures in the army and marches through Mex- ico had given him the taste for more, and he joined a company for the overland trip to the newly-discovered gold mines. The company was a promiscuous one, made up at Old Fort Kearny, where many people had gathered, and was composed of men from Ohio, Ken- tucky, and Missouri. Mr. James left the Missouri River, April 1, 1849, traveled up the Platte and through the South Pass, thence via the Humboldt and Carson Rivers, reaching the gold mines at Hangtown in August, having had a pleasant and safe journey. Accompanying him in the train were John Minter, now of San Diego, and who had been with Fremont in 1846, John Boggs, of Colusa County, John Crigler, of Napa, Benjamin Young, John Young, Reuben Basket, and others. ,
He mined on Weber and Hangtown Creeks, and at the latter place, now Placerville, El Dorado County, passed the winter. In the spring of 1850 engaged in buying and driving cattle, buying first in Santa Clara County at $20.00 a head, and selling them in the mines at sixty cents a pound on foot, and beef at $1.00 a pound in the Hangtown market. After 1851 he extended the trips for cattle as far as Los Angeles, purchasing there at the rate of $15.00 to $20.00 a head, and selling at an aver- age of about $40.00 per head. He usually started from Los Angeles in March, and later in the season would return and buy a drove in San Luis Obispo, Monterey, and Santa Clara Counties, sometimes making three droves a year, numbering from 500 to 700 head, and at one time drove from Los Angeles 1,500 head. This business he continued until 1860, when, with John D. Thompson, he purchased 10,000 acres of Government land at La Panza at $1.25 an acre, and stocked it with 2,500 head of cattle. In the dry season of 1863-64 he had on the ranch 5,000 head, which he drove to Tulare and Buena Vista Lakes, and thus saved them all. At that time his neighbors were Robert G. Flint, at San Juan Capistrano, Briggs, on the Comate, and Slaven, at the French camp on the Navajo. Briggs and Slaven were trappers, the former having a Navajo squaw for a
wife, and a Navajo Indian being with Slaven, hence the name of Navajo to the creek.
James remained at La Panza until 1869, when he pur- chased one-half interest in the Paso de Robles Hot Springs and the one league of land embracing it, where he has since resided as hotel-keeper, stock-raiser, farmer, and capitalist. He has an interest in and is a director of the Bank of San Luis Obispo, is half owner of the Eagle Steam Flouring-mill of San Luis Obispo, and owns other property in the city. His first visit to the Hot Springs was when en route to the South after cattle in 1851. He camped at the springs, and was astonished to find the water hot and sulphurous, and was therefore compelled to go to the river for water for drinking and cooking purposes. He afterwards often bathed in the warm pools, and found them very delightful and refresh- ing after his long drives with cattle.
In 1871 he built the fine residence he now occupies, and which is shown in the foreground of the picture of the Paso de Robles Hot Springs.
Mr. James was married in San Luis Obispo by Rev. Father Sastre, September 15, 1866, to Miss Louisa Dunn, daughter of Patrick Dunn, who was born in Sacramento, California, her parents being of Irish descent, and coming to this country from Australia. Mr. Dunn has been frequently mentioned in this history as County Superintendent of Schools, and in other capacities. To Mr. and Mrs. James have been born seven children: Mamie, William, Nellie, Lena, Carrie, Charles, and Edward. Carrie and Charles are twins, born on the 22d of February, 1872.
Politically Mr. James is a Democrat, and served the county ten years as Supervisor, and four years as School Trustee, holding the latter position at present, and thinks the school at Paso Robles, under the efficient charge of Miss Annie Osborne, one of the best in the county. In 1855 he joined the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Michigan Bar, in Sacramento County, and is now a member of the San Luis Obispo Lodge, and is also Entered Apprentice as Mason.
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