History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches, Part 10

Author: Morrison, Annie L. Stringfellow, 1860-; Haydon, John H., 1837-
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1070

USA > California > San Luis Obispo County > History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches > Part 10

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( my back to the old records of from 1850 up, we find these meu holding pingpijpt office -: William J. Graves, county judge in 1852. The first board uf supervisors was composed of John Wilson, Francis Z. Branch, Joaquin Vagydo. William G. Dana, S. A. Pollard. At the first meeting, December 13, USO Di Was found disqualified, as he held the office of county treasurer, and Willinn 1 .. Beebee was appointed to take the place. Parker H. French ww aprotil district attorney with a salary of $500 per year. W. J. Graves wo- also quot to the legislature as senator and assemblyman at different times, Mussunder Murray, Walter Murray, D. F. Newsom, II. M. Osgood, [ Wwwwww. J. J. Simmler, J. M. Havens, F. E. Darke, P. W. Murphy, S U M. Man. .. W. Dana, Levi Racklife, D. C. Norcross, A. M. Hardie, Nooro B. Youwille. R. R. Harris, L. M. Warden, Nathan King, W. J. Oaks, Morar13 . Piciits ,, A. C. McLeod, all held offices of trust for the people Injury F), and in the years immediately following. The writer has written Woer- book of the fineer men and women still living, and seen a few in personell moovom -. Biol many interesting facts are gleaned.

I & Brno gros these items in a letter dated September 30, 1916. In IAX Ar Bosor setof an Old creek. A few Spanish families and one or Bol Americano codes were already living along the creek and must have Fes Jon to me title : for Mr. Kester says one of the first jobs he had Torte ghe pigloro mese a vis on some of the houses. These first settlers 9:00) & E unt wod omyl away. The Packwood family, William Munn,

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

Wash and Samuel James were living on Old creek prior to Mr. Kester's going there. There were but two orchards in the valley, one owned by Mr. Munn, but with the second influx of families many orchards were set out about the year 1870. When they came into bearing, the fruit was of the finest in flavor and size. The now famous Glenbrook orchard, owned by the late Captain Cass, is near the headwaters of Old creek, but on the coast side of the mountain range, where moisture and heat are controlled by the fogs and breezes of the ocean. School was kept in a private house and the expenses borne by the settlers until, in 1869, a small schoolhouse was built by subscriptions. Miss Annie Packwood taught in the private house and James F. Beckett was the first teacher in the little new school building. Many wild animals, bears, mountain lions, coons, wildcats, coyotes and foxes were to be reckoned with. Cattle thieves raided the country-"about as many thieves as cattle," says Mr. Kester, for the country was still suffering from the great cattle loss of the big drought. There were no fences, and plenty of hiding-places in the mountains : so the thieves generally got away with the cattle unmolested. The lions killed many young horses and fine colts. Mr. Kester lost two of his own, and one belonging to his neighbor, which he was pasturing. Mr. Kester was a trustee of Central school for twenty-five years. Twenty-two years of this time he was clerk of the board. He was supervisor from his district Irom 1890 to 1898, and deputy United States census marshal in 1900. O. K. Smith is referred to by almost every old- timer interviewed. Mr. Kester thinks Smith never collected taxes on Old creek or in the county. He thinks Dave Norcross, sheriff at the time of Smith's disappearance, collected taxes, appointing the time and place where taxes might be paid that had not been paid directly into the sheriff's office. The fact, if such it was, that Smith was not collecting taxes, was not so fully known that it saved him from being murdered or at least "disappearing." The "O. K. Smith mystery" bids fair to "bob up" anywhere, at any time, all through the succeeding pages.

G. W. Hampton

Mr. Hampton now lives with his wife and one daughter in a pleasant home on Broad street, San Luis Obispo, and has always resided in this town since coming here in 1869. He was born July 12, 1832, in Washington county, Va., and is now eighty-four years old, but quite hale and hearty, and his mind seems as alert as it ever was. Mrs. Hampton is seventy-seven. The couple were married in Napa county, October 3, 1806, her maiden name being Julia Hudson. Mr. Hampton was a carpenter by trade and worked on all the good buildings put up in the town in the early days. One of those is the building now occupied by the San Luis Implement Company, on the corner of Higuera and Chorro streets. He was tax collector in Napa county and supervisor in this county for three years. When he came to San Luis he bought eighty acres of land adjoining Charles Johnson in the Stenner creek valley ; Judge Venable owned an eighty-acre tract beyond the eighty. between Hampton and the Venable place. Ned Morris bought these eighty acres for $4,000, and sold out soon to a man named Wheeler for $15,000. This was in the late seventies, or early eighties, when the residents of the town in some way started a boom. There was another of those eruptions just about the time the Southern Pacific entered the county, when property

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

changed hands for high prices. An old adobe ruin now used as a Chinese wash house was once pointed out to the writer by a man who paid $9,000 for the "corner" and shortly sold it for $16,000. It is still adorned by the adobe and is a dumping ground apparently for old boxes. Mr. Hampton says he is the oldest living Odd Fellow, or has been a member of the local lodge longer than any one else now residing here. He joined Napa Lodge No. 18 in 1855. In 1869, when Mr. Hampton came to San Luis, there was but one dwelling south of San Luis creek. That was the old Dallidet adobe in the midst of its vineyard. Mr. Dallidet was French and married a Spanish lady. He took an active part in civic life during the early days.

P. W. Murphy

This gentleman has already been referred to as the owner of 70,000 acres of land at or near Santa Margarita. He erected a fine home for those days, and took an active part in the social and business life of the county. The Atascadero Colony is on a part of his former holdings, and the Reis estate, comprising 20,806 acres, once belonged to him. His brother James was associated with him, owning the Atascadero ranch in the early eighties and later.

Messrs. James and D. D. Blackburn

These men owned the Paso Robles rancho; they came to California in 1849, and to this county in 1857, and with Lazarus Godchaux bought the rancho of Petronillo Rios. It comprised six leagues of land, 25,993.18 acres, including the now famous Paso Robles Hot Springs, and they paid $8,000 for it. In 1860, the firm divided and D. D. Blackburn took one league, upon which were the springs. In 1860, he sold a half interest to Mr. McCreel, who resold it in 1865 to D. W. James for $11,000; and in 1873, he sold a one-fourth interest to James Blackburn. D. D. Blackburn was a member of the Viligance Committee of 1858, and acted as sheriff for that body, the regularly elected sheriff taking a back seat while the Vigilantes cleaned up the county and drove out the notorious desperadoes, or hung them up on trees or the old iron arch of the jail gate.

James Blackburn raised sheep and cattle, and invested in property in San Luis Obispo. The old Cosmopolitan Hotel, which had for a beginning a small adobe building put up for a saloon, was his property. He enlarged it until it.became a fine hotel ; Ned Morris was the manager most of the time. The home of the Blackburns was, until 1872, a big adobe house with iron- Parred doors and windows, that was built by the padres of San Miguel Mission, for the mission lands extended to an indefinite line near the present Town of Santa Margarita. This old adobe was used for store rooms and Ab ary .- ' guirters after the erection of the wooden structure that was the minh house when the rancho was divided in 1887 and sold to eager buyers : for now the Southern Pacific had reached Templeton. The old adobe stood Unst to the newer home, which was surrounded by lawns and an orchard that bore delicious fruit, especially cherries. The tiles of the old adobe were old to help roof the depot at Burlingame, and only a few yards of crum- bling wall now stand close beside the highway to mark the place where once stood one of the landmarks for close to one hundred years. James Blackburn never married, but D. D. Blackburn and D. W. James married sisters, Celia

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

and Louisa Dunn. The marriages were a double wedding on September 15, 1866, and occurred in San Luis Obispo, Rev. Father Sastre officiating.

For a few years after 1887, the Blackburn family continued to live on the ranch, but Mrs. Blackburn and the children finally went to Paso Robles, where a big modern house was built, which was their home for some years. After the death of James Blackburn, there were many lawsuits brought by some of the D. D. Blackburn children for portions of the estate, which had been willed to Mrs. D. D. Blackburn and certain of the children. As usual, the lawyers' fees ate up large portions, and this was a case where money seemed to be a curse. The Blackburn home in Paso Robles was bought, after Mrs. Blackburn went to the bay cities to reside, by Dr. J. H. Glass and used as a sanitarium until he died there a few years ago. It is now the property of Rollo Heaton and is occupied by himself and family as a resi- dence. The towns of Paso Robles and Templeton are built on the Blackburn rancho.

D. W. James

This man's connection with the county history is so interwoven with that of the Blackburns that little need be separately written. He built a good home in Paso Robles in 1871, which still stands amid its trees close to the Paso Robles Hotel grounds. The Blackburns were natives of Virginia, but James was a Kentuckian. He served all through the war with Mexico, and in 1849 crossed the plains, mining at Hangtown, Weber and other camps until the spring of 1850, when he began buying cattle, steers, at twenty dollars each in Santa Clara county, driving them to the mines at Hangtown and selling them on the hoof at sixty cents per pound, or one dollar a pound if he killed and retailed them. Talk about the "high cost of living"! Later he bought cattle as far south as Los Angeles, at one time driving fifteen hundred head from there to the mines. In 1860, with John D. Thompson, he bought 10,000 acres of government land on the La Panza and stocked it with 2,500 head of cattle. His neighbors were Robert G. Flint at the San Juan ranch, Briggs on the Comatti, and Slaven at French camp, a sort of trappers' camp, some say, also a resort for cattle thieves, over on the eastern border of the county. At the time of the great drought he had 5,000 head of cattle which he drove to Tulare and Buena Vista lakes, saving them all. James stopped at Paso Robles springs on a cattle-buying trip in 1851, and it was he who first made the place a resort. The James family were prominent in the new town of Paso Robles, which came into existence along with the toot of the railroad whistle in 1886-87. The Blackburn brothers, D. W. James and all their "neighbors" of those very early days have gone over the "Great Divide," but they lived up to the times and had the courage of strong men. All were kind and open-hearted.

John H. Hollister

The Hollister family has been prominent in ranching interests in several counties of the state. Hollister in San Benito county is named for the family. In 1866 John H. Hollister, then ten years of age, came with his parents to this county, and in time went to ranching on the large property owned by his father near Morro. A big adobe still stands on the old Hollister ranch, "Morro Castle." April 12, 1880, he married Miss Flora M. Stocking of

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

Morro. In 1879, he was elected supervisor, being at the time only twenty- three years old; but he is said to have been the man for the place just the same. In 1882, he was elected to the assembly on the Republican ticket. He was sent to the legislature to get measures passed protecting the dairymen from competing with oleomargarine and other manufactured stuff being placed on the market as butter. He succeeded in having the anti-oleomargarine law passed ; also laws to exterminate fruit pests and combat diseases of fruit trees. He lived on El Chorro ranch, and owned a ranch south of town for some years. Later, the family residence was in town. In 1906, Mr. Hollister war- elected assessor, and again in 1910. He died on November 7, 1913, a man with many friends. Ile was a member of the Masons, Knights of Pythias, Elks and Woodmen. His funeral was one of the largest ever held in the Monty. He is buried in the Odd Fellows cemetery of San Luis Obispo. His sein. V. M. Hollister, finished out his father's term as assessor and was ap- pored deputy assessor, which office the young man fills with the very best re-tilts to the county.

Charles H. Johnson

Coming to this county first as deputy collector of customs in 1852, Mr. Johnson canie here to reside permanently in 1856, purchasing land on Stenner Greek just west of town on the Morro road. He had visited China, India, Wir islands of the Pacific, and was on his way with a cargo of goods for the Orient when, learning of the discovery of gold, he turned about and entered the port of San Francisco. The goods were sold at a big profit and Mr. Johnson went into the mercantile business. Ile was a heavy loser in each of three big fires that swept that town, one on May 4, 1850, another June 14, 1850, and the third May 3, 1851. No insurance was collected and Mr. Johnson was financially "broke." He was appointed inspector of customs at Mon- terey and later at Port San Luis. He retained that office until 1860, when he gave it up to take his seat in the legislature as assemblyman. In 1859, when the town government of San Luis Obispo was organized, Mr. Johnson was elected president of the board of trustees, and up to the time of his. death was prominent in all business and social life. He acquired valuable property, but will go down in history as a man whose literary ability con- tributed many valuable lectures, and articles for publication, on the history of the county. From his writings many interesting facts have been gleaned Trulli- volume. C. H. Johnson was a member of the Vigilance Committee al 1858. Hle died on April 8, 1915.

Myron Angel

Who, man was a fluent speaker and writer, having been educated at War Paint. With his brother, Eugene, he came to California in the forty- jong rush, made and lost in the mines, and finally turned his talents to estab- Deling newspapers, in which he was successful. He once said: "I mine Tro i mom. but write for a living." He prepared many reports on mining cod warm er veral histories. The only previous history of this county, pub- fiche in 1823 by an Oakland firm, was prepared by Myron Angel, and is a fu bom's for the period it covers.

January 12, 1883, Mr. Angel purchased an interest in the San Luis Obispo Tribune, writing many fine articles for publication. He took much

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS 79

interest in educational matters, and it was largely through his efforts that the State Polytechnic School was established here. He spent two entire winters in Washington presenting the claims of this county for an appro- priation for a breakwater at Port Harford, and paid his own expenses for the entire time, save for one hundred dollars which the citizens sent him during the second winter. A little money now and then was useless, for no firm would go to the expense of buying machinery to get out the rock from Morro Rock, and boats to convey it to the breakwater, on such uncer- tainties ; so Mr. Angel thought out the plan of getting a bill through Congress for a "continuous appropriation," which meant a certain sum year after year. so that a reliable firm could be secured to take the contract. Caminetti and Perkins were in Congress then from California. Of course the thing would have to be got through them. Caminetti applauded the idea and con- sented to work for it, but he said Oakland harbor had to get aid first, and then he would push it for our harbor ; so with that Mr. Angel had to be content. Our harbor got the second "continuous appropriation" and the breakwater was built. This year, however, Congress refused to make an appropriation for the harbor, and why? Because, Congress says, it will no longer make appropriations for a harbor that is of use only to a private corporation, the Pacific Coast Railway. Mr. Angel's scrap-books containing articles from his pen have been asked for by the state library and are now there. Mr. Angel died in June, 1911, but his name will live on in the history of this county and state.

Henry M. Osgood

A native of New York state, Henry M. Osgood was born September 21. 1828. At the age of eighteen he joined Stevenson's regiment of volunteers, designed for service and settlement in California, arriving in the state during the spring of 1847. After the war between the Californians and the Ameri- cans, in which Fremont played such a prominent part, Henry M. Osgood entered the service of the state as an express rider, or mail carrier, and made trips through this section. In 1850, he settled in the county on the Arroyo Grande, later moving to San Luis Obispo, where he kept a jewelry store. He was elected assemblyman in 1857, was justice of the peace and associate judge, held many other offices, and was a member of the Vigilance Committee of 1858. He was a popular man and a member of the first tem- perance societies established in the county. He died in December, 1882, and the I. O. G. T. lodge passed resolutions of respect signed by C. H. Woods, H. P. Flood and D. M. Meredith, which shows where these three gentlemen stood on the "booze" question.

C. H. Phillips

A native of Ohio, born in Medina county, July 5, 1837, C. II. Phillips came to California and taught school in Napa county. He studied law, was deputy county clerk of Napa county, and chief deputy collector of internal revenue of the fifth district for five years. Later, he was chief deputy for the second district, and when that was consolidated with the first, he remained chief, handling about $5,000,000 annually, without bonds. In 1871 he came to this county and, with H. M. Warden, F. W. Steele, George Steele. P. II. Murphy, J. P. Andrews, Hugh Isom, D. W. James, M. Gilbert, John Harford,

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

W. L. Beebee, James H. Goodman and I. G. Wickersham, organized the Bank of San Luis Obispo-the first bank in the county. H. M. Warden was president and Mr. Phillips cashier. In August, 1875, came the great panic, and the Bank of California, the financial dictator of the coast, failed. The news was telegraphed to Mr. Phillips, but he posted a notice that his bank would meet all obligations, met the anxious callers with perfect calm, and so saved a run on the bank which would have spelled ruin. The Phillips residence was in the northern part of the town, set in large grounds. On the evening of April 1, 1878, Mr. Phillips answered a ring at the door. A suspicious character asked him to come outside. Mr. Phillips started to close the door, when the villain struck at his breast with a long knife. After a struggle he released himself and managed to slam the door shut. One of his little girls followed him into the hall and witnessed the affair. A bright light was burning in the hall, and Mr. Phillips and his daughter were able to describe two of the gang who were just outside the door. Four were arrested and convicted of robbery, as that was their business-two Mexicans, one Swiss and a Frenchman. In 1878, Mr. Phillips retired from the bank and entered the real estate business with P. H. Dallidet, Jr. In 1878 he purchased the Morro y Cayucos rancho of 8,100 acres, laid out the town of Cayucos and sold off the tract in smaller ranches. In 1882, he sold a large amount of land for the Steele brothers. In September of that year he bought the Corbett tract of 1,900 acres for $8,000, and in ninety days sold it for $16,000. Later he sold the San Miguelito rancho; and when the Southern Pacific Railroad entered the county in 1886, the West Coast Land Company was organized, with C. H. Phillips as manager. He sold the Paso Robles rancho, laid out the town of Templeton, and built a fine home there, where his family and he resided for several years. Later he sold the Chino ranch in the southern part of the state, and one of the Murphy ranches in Santa Clara county, laying out the towns of Morgan Hill and San Martin. In this county he also sold a tract of land about Shandon, but the town never got very far on the way to a big city. Mr. Phillips finally went to San Jose to live, after years of great successes and many failures. He made and lost money, but died just comfortably well off. No man ever had more to do with real estate transactions and general interests here than C. H. Phillips while he lived in this county.

J. J. Simmler

A native of France, born July 18, 1826, J. J. Simmler learned the painter's trade, and to perfect his business, traveled much in France, Germany, Swit- serland and other countries, learning the craft as it was practiced in other plats. His father was a pupil of the great school teacher and reformer, Metilozzi, and passed on to his son many of the views he received from the master teacher. In February, 1847, he started out for the New World and landed in Texas. In May, 1852, he started for the gold fields of Cali- fornia, crossing the plains of Mexico and taking passage on a sailing vessel for San Francisco. A period of calms held the ship at sea, and rations giving out, seven of the passengers died of starvation. At last, after two months, the ship made the Port of San Luis, and Mr. Simmler concluded to go no farther. He worked at his trade, was in charge of the St. Charles Hotel of San Luis Obispo for two years, was a member of the Pollard &

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

Simmler firm, and in 1872 was appointed postmaster of San Luis Obispo, holding the office until 1890. There is a postoffice named for him over in the eastern section of the county, so named because he took great interest in getting it established. Mr. Simmler died in February, 1906, and is buried in San Luis Obispo.

J. W. Slack

The life story of J. W. Slack reads like one of Stevenson's tales, and confirms the statement, "Truth is stranger than fiction." Mr. Slack has the build of a hero-tall, of commanding presence, fine-looking and with an eye that compels one to look straight at him. Kentucky never sent a braver son to California than when, in 1854, young Slack, then in his twenty-first year, said good-bye and started for El Dorado, the land of gold. He crossed the plains and reached Hangtown in October, 1854. He went to mining in Diamond Spring, struck it rich, and for a while took out from $2,000 to $4,000 a day. He mined about two months, and when he had cleaned up $200,000, he resolved to go back home. He sailed from San Francisco on the "Yankee Blade." This vessel carried an immense amount of gold and was bound for Panama. When off the coast of Point Concepcion the vessel was run ashore by the officers and wrecked on the rocks close to the shore. No doubt of this remains. The captain and first mate were seen in a boat together when boats were lowered for all hands to go ashore, but they never came ashore, at least not where the rest did.

Much money was spent by the government to raise the treasure chest, but when it came up and was opened, no treasure was there. Slack's gold went with the rest, and all believed it went with the missing officers, who kept themselves well lost for years; but Mr. Slack says he heard of one of them being seen in New York, very opulent, many years later. Young Slack "went wild" when he realized what had been done to him and the rest, and was almost a madman, flourishing his revolver and vowing vengeance on the scurvy officers.

The day after the wreck another vessel called and took the passengers to Panama. Slack went from Panama back to the mines, but his big luck was gone, and he only made a modest sum at mining in his second venture. The second attempt was at a place known as Burns's Barley Field. Here his partner was William Morrell, a shoemaker from New Hampshire.

In 1858, Mr. Slack married Miss Ellen Kamp at San Jose. He bought cattle and came to this county. His range was in what is now known as Slack's canon, northeast of San Miguel. Mrs. Slack's father and a brother were here in the county, and in 1862 J. W. Slack sold out his cattle and came to the town of San Luis Obispo, then a little collection of adobe huts clustered about the Mission.

The San Miguel Mission Indians had evidently planted an orchard years before near Slack's canon, for some old pear trees stood near by. Othar Kamp, a brother-in-law, set out an orchard on his ranch near town, and remnants of the old orchard still stood a few years ago. All about San Luis Obispo was government land, but unsurveyed. Mr. Slack settled on two hundred acres just north of town, lying in between where the Polytechnic School lands and George Andrews' home on Monterey street now are. Even- tually, Mr. Slack sold the land to C. H. Phillips, and part or all of it became 5

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History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches, Part 10

Author: Morrison, Annie L. Stringfellow, 1860-; Haydon, John H., 1837- Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company Number of Pages: 1070

Author: Morrison, Annie L. Stringfellow, 1860-; Haydon, John H., 1837-
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1070