USA > California > San Luis Obispo County > History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches > Part 17
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Episcopal Church
The first Protestant Episcopal church in the county was St. Stephen's in San Luis Obispo. It was organized in August, 1867. May 14, 1868, it elected vestrymen and officers: Dr. W. W. Hays, senior warden; J. B. Townsend, junior warden ; G. F. Sauer, treasurer ; John Flint, secretary ; J. HI. Hollister, O. Kemp, J. Jones, I. C. Smith, vestrymen. Rev. H. Chetwood was the first rector that we find on record. He was stationed at San Diego, but frequently came up here and held services. The first service was held in Odd Fellows Hall, July 28, 1872. In April, 1873, at a meeting held, plans for a church building were submitted, and it was decided to erect a building on the northeast corner of Nipomo and Pismo streets. The church cost $3,000 and seats about one hundred persons. Rev. C. H. L. Chandler is now the rec- tor in charge.
Presbyterian Churches
The first Presbyterian Church services in the county were held in San Luis Obispo by Rev. Frazier of Oakland, July 18, 1874. May 12, 1875, a 8
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number of mmende of that denomination met at the residence of Judge V'enach anil Touk the preliminary steps towards organizing a church, which were completof the next Sunday, May 16, 1875. Rev. Alvin Ostrom was engaged as pri-tor, and the services were held in Little & Cochran's hall. This hall 1. now a part of the building occupied by the Golden State Hotel. About 1884 a church seating two hundred people was built on the corner Morro and Marsh streets. This building was moved to the lot adjoining, given to the church by Mr. Henry Bruhner, named Hersman Hall, and is now need for social meetings, Sunday school rooms, etc. In 1905 the fine edifice How occupied by the church was dedicated ; Rev. Harry Hillard was pastor and Rev. Hugh K. Walker of Los Angeles preached the dedication sermon. Res. John D. Habbick is now the pastor. After the influx of settlers that came with the Southern Pacific Railway, in 1886, Presbyterian churches were organized and built at Templeton, Estrella and Shandon. For years the . Estrella and Shandon churches were lively institutions, but at Estrella the church has been without a pastor for years, and at Shandon the services are only held irregularly.
LODGES
Lodges are numerous and prosperous. The first lodge organized in the county was a Masonic lodge, San Luis Obispo Lodge, No. 148. Dr. Joseph M. Havens, "the father of Masonry" in the county, took the first steps and a charter dated May 16, 1861, was obtained from the Grand Lodge of Cali- fornia. There were nine charter members. Later in the year others joined, Governor Pacheco being one. The great drought of 1862-63-64 caused many changes in population, and the lodge surrendered its charter. Early in 1869, San Simeon Lodge, No. 169, of Cambria was organized, and a charter was granted October 14, 1869. On December 12, 1869, a public dedication of the lodge was held, and a grand ball concluded the ceremonies. Here O. K. Smith figures as one of the committee ; he was Senior Warden of the lodge. King David Lodge, No. 209, was organized ; a charter was obtained October 14, 1870; and on November 1, 1870, it was duly instituted in San Luis Obispo. The first 1. (). O. F. lodge in the county was instituted March 3, 1870, at San Luis Obispo and named Chorro Lodge. The second lodge of this order in the county was organized at Cambria, Hesperian Lodge, No. 181. It was instituted on September 28, 1870. Many prominent Odd Fellows were present, District Deputy Grand Master M. Pepperman, Past Grand 1 .. Landeker of Chorro Lodge, and John B. Fitch, Past Grand of Heallsburg Lodge, being among them. The charter members were D P. (r: wiord, Geo. S. Davis, O. S. Palmer, John H. Rader, Ed. M. Amote. (. 11. Webert and F. F. Letcher. Officers installed: N. G., C. H. 1 doct : V. G., Geo. S. Davis ; Sec., O. S. Palmer ; Treas., J. H. Rader. Arroyo 6. 278, I. O. O. F., was instituted January 12, 1878. The first B. Elston : V. G., G. A. Robbins ; P. S., P. J. Wash- 1. Moods: Treas., M. Hammerschlag. The last two lodges my bad have always flourished. About 1902 the Arroyo God we o-story building of the handsome yellow sand- The first Rebekah lodge in this county, Morse's Muted at Cambria, June 10, 1877. The second Year was instituted at San Luis Obispo, July 12 18
500. I. O. O. F., was organized about 1883.
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This lodge owns it own hall. The Odd Fellows lodge at Paso Robles was organized soon after the town was started. In June, 1889, the Templeton lodge was instituted. It prospered for about ten years, and was then united with the Paso Robles lodge. Paso Robles has a Masonic lodge and a Rebekah Degree, as has also San Miguel. There are Eastern Star lodges at San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles and San Miguel.
The Knights of Pythias lodge was first introduced to San Luis Obispo when Park Lodge, No. 40, was instituted, December 21, 1876, with thirteen charter members, J. MI. Wilcoxan, Chancellor Commander. Those who joined the lodge at its organization, or very soon thereafter, and have been faithful members since, are : J. M. Vincent, Ben Sinsheimer, P. F. Ready, A. C. McLeod, J. E. Lewis, who all joined in 1887; A. H. Hicox, 1878; J. F. Branch and J. B. Weaver, 1881; Otto Tullman, 1884; Finney, 1888; H. C. Fry, 1889.
The Native Sons of the Golden West have had lodges at several places, as have also their sisters, the Native Daughters of the Golden West. At Cambria the parlor was organized on November 8, 1889, with nineteen members. There are sixty-four members at present. This lodge has six thousand dollars now in its treasury and is socially a strong factor. Each year it celebrates Admission Day, September 9, with great enthusiasm. A Wild West show has been the leading feature for years now. There are lodges of this order at San Miguel and San Luis Obispo, and a strong one formerly existed at Nipomo. The Native Daughters of San Miguel and San Luis Obispo are also lodges of influence.
There are, in the county, lodges of the Woodmen of the World, Red Men, Women of Woodcraft, Royal Neighbors, Knights of Columbus, and various other orders; but space will not permit us to write of them all. We have endeavored to note those of greatest importance, and earliest in the county.
CHAPTER XIII The Press, the Bench and Bar, Physicians and Others
THE PRESS
The first newspaper published in California was The Californian, at Monterey, August 15, 1846, by Rev. Walter Colton and Dr. Robert Semple. The latter was the printer and had come with Fremont's expedition. Colton had come into the country as chaplain of the frigate "Congress." He had been appointed alcalde of Monterey by Commodore Stockton. As there were no newspapers in this county to print public notices, the legislature passed a special act, April 27, 1857, for the benefit of this county and Santa Barbara, which was also without a paper. The act provided for the posting of notices "At the house of Jacob J. Simmler in the town of San Luis Obispo, and at the house of Felipe Gaxiola. At the house of Charles Varian in Arroyo Grande, and at the house of Joaquin Estrada in Santa Margarita."
The first newspaper published in the county was The Pioneer of San Luis Obispo. The editor and owner was Rome G. Vickars, and his first issue was January 4, 1868. The price was $5.00 per annum, invariably in
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phaner The paper was printed on paper 22x28 inches, six columns to each oneif the four pages. In the first number were professional cards of Limes Van Nes. James White, Wm. J. Graves, Chas. Lindley, P. A. For- rester. Walter Murray, attorneys; W. W. Hays, M. D. The official directory was Pablo de In Guerra, judge of the first district; WV. M. Beebee, county inder : 1 A. de la Guerra, sheriff ; Wm. J. Graves, district attorney ; C. W. Dana, Werk und recorder; G. F. Sauer. treasurer; John Bains, assessor ; Gente Definer, surveyor; P. A. Forrester, superintendent of schools ; J. J. smiler, justice of the peace of San Luis Obispo and R. Rigdon of San The Eagle Hotel of San Luis Obispo was run by S. H. Parsons. The Pioneer was a Democratic paper and the Republicans wanted an organ - a rival, the San Luis Obispo Tribune, entered the field, August 7. 186", and came to stay, for it is here yet and still a stanch Republican. Here is the place to say that the authentic county history for every week and day since August 7, 1869, is to be found in the files of the Tribune kept in the public library of San Luis Obispo. Without those files of the Tribune, getting authentic history would be impossible. We say the Tribune, for it is the only paper that began with the pioneer days of the county and has continued publication up to the present day. It is doubtful if the people of the county realize the great value of those files of the paper. They should be carefully stored in an iron-proof safe; for if a fire destroys them, away go the only authentic records of the county since August 7, 1869, save those found in the county records, and the county records contain nothing outside of county business.
The Tribune began life under the ownership of H. S. Rembaugh & Co. The "company" was Walter Murray, who was also the brilliant editor. As there were so many people unable to read English, one or two columns were printed in Spanish. The paper was 28x36 inches, seven columns, four pages. One of the most interesting things in connection with the writing of this history has been the taking of some event as told by a pioneer, and then get- ting fiction untangled from fact by going back to the old, reliable Tribune. All sorts of things-murders, births, deaths, marriages, public and private trans- actions-have been unraveled by that old standby, and the truth dug up. The Pioneer, in 1869, died, but in 1870 it was resurrected as the Standard, lived a few months and was bought by the Tribune. April 20, 1872, Judge Murray published his "Valedictory," saying that long ago he had wished to "hang his harp on a willow tree" and be rid of editorial duties that interfered with other business, but had continued editor until some reliable person could be found to take his place. O. F. Thornton took Mr. Murray's place on the paper. March 6, 1883, the Tribune began a daily issue. It now publishes a woli weekly and daily paper. J. K. Tuley, George B. Staniford, George Wwwwell. Myron Angel, Warren M. John, Benjamin Brooks, have all been Mettitied with the Tribune.
March 20. 1878, appeared the first issue of The South Coast, published kg x bark I. Wood. This paper was in existence about a year. August 2, 187 Y Know the 1 a nowy paper calling itself The Southern California Advocate. Newhamwar d, but it was understood that C. H. Phillips and Geo. W. Min vare behind the scenes. March 27, 1880, Phillips retired and W. M. Kontrol fn di bed the paper until its fifty-second number and then sold Hey the Time. October 13, 1880, a Democratic paper, The Mirror, pub-
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lished by H. H. Doyle, made its appearance. Its office was on Court street between Higuera and Monterey, where we think it later passed into the hands of The Breeze Publishing Co. In 1898, T. T. Crittenden was editor. The San Luis Obispo Breeze was a Democratic paper and a live wire for all news while it was in existence. It finally became involved with the affairs of the County Bank, and went under when that did.
The Telegram was first published in 1905 by a stock company. March 12, 1912, C. L. Day took over the paper. He has always conducted it as a purely independent paper regardless of politics. The paper is published semi-weekly and as an eight-page daily. It is brim-full of county, state, national and world news, and goes to a large number of well-satisfied sub- scribers. Mr. Day has a controlling interest and is editor-in-chief, ably as- sisted by a lively corps. The plant is the largest and best-equipped in the county.
We have written rather fully of these papers, because each has been a paper going to all quarters of the county. Those published in other towns and more of a local nature will be mentioned in writing of the respective towns. Some very able men have been connected with our county papers- Walter Murray, Myron Angel, T. T. Crittenden, Will Fischer, Warren M. John, Benjamin Brooks, C. L. Day, and others who have written under the editorship of these men.
BENCH AND BAR
Some notable men have presided over the courts of the county, and many really brilliant lawyers have pleaded for their clients. J. M. Bonilla occupied the first judicial bench, John M. Price followed Bonilla for about a year as county judge, then W. J. Graves was elected. In March, 1853, O. M. Brown became county judge, in 1854 Romualdo Pacheco was elected, in 1857 Jose Maria Munoz took Pacheco's place and was drowned when the steamer on which he had taken passage for San Francisco was wrecked. In 1861, Joseph M. Havens was elected. Judge Beebee was elected in 1863, and again in 1867. In October, 1871, Judge Venable was elected, and again in 1875. In 1879 the new constitution was adopted, the county and district courts were abolished and each county held a superior court. In 1884 Judge Gregory was elected; his health became impaired, and by special act of the legislature Judge Gregg was appointed to serve also with Judge Gregory. In 1890 Gregg was elected superior judge, and in 1896 Judge Unangst was elected. He served continuously until 1914, when broken health compelled him to retire from the bench. For eighteen years this man presided over the su- perior court with unfailing fairness, a highly respected and well-liked official. It may be interesting to recall that Miss Anita Murray, the daughter of the brilliant Judge Murray, became the wife of Judge Unangst. The eldest son of this union is Edwin, who seems to have inherited his grandfather's ability to write, along with musical talent of a high order. The young gentleman is teaching music at present in a boys' school at Santa Barbara and is still in his early twenties.
In 1914 Judge Norton was elected superior judge, and his term will not expire until 1920. He is a rather young man, but ably fills the position. "Arch" Campbell was district attorney, then an able criminal lawyer. llc was elected to the state senate and is now identified with a state office con-
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nevel vale di fe Chas. A. Palmer is now serving his third term as Ist Joje . V. Wright, Paul Gregg, Phil Kaetzel, Thos. Rhodes, W. A. Van Wormer. W. K. Burnett, and Alex Webster are other well-known lawyer-o do present time.
PHYSICIANS
Some of the men who have become well-known physicians or surgeons re: W WY Hays, the pioneer doctor of the county, who came to San Luis Phism in 1800. He was a native of Maryland, was a surgeon in the United States army and was connected with the Smithsonian Institute. Mrs. Hays was a daughter of Rev. Dr. Park, rector of Trinity church, New York. The jemily was highly cultured ; and two daughters, one of whom married E. B. Ballard. an English gentleman and friend of H. A. Vachell, were belles in carly San Luis society. The old Hays home still stands, though sadly changed from its former beauty, on a sloping hillside just north of San Luis Obispo. Dr. Nichols of San Luis and Dr. J. H. Glass of Paso Robles were pioneer doctors. Dr. Clark and Dr. Paulding of Arroyo Grande are old- timers. For many years old Dr. Smiley practiced at Morro, and at present Dr. H. W. Jones, Dr. Paul Jackson, Dr. C. J. McGovern, Dr. W. M. Stover and Dr. Guilfoil are prominent in San Luis Obispo and are identified with the two well-equipped hospitals of the city.
OTHER PROMINENT NAMES
In this chapter we shall also mention a few men who in one way or another have become prominent. C. W. Dana was county clerk for over twenty years. William Mallah, son of Captain Mallah, one time owner of the Huer-Iluero ranch and member of the Vigilance Committee, was born on the ranch in 1864. In 1889 he went into the county clerk's office, C. W. Dana clerk, and worked with Dana six years, then was deputy under Whicher for eight years, was elected tax collector in 1906, and served as deputy for four years under County Clerk Leland. In 1910 he was elected justice of the peace for San Luis Obispo and is still serving. His wife was formerly Miss Nellie Dana, daughter of (. W. Dana. F. J. Rodrigues went into the courthouse as a clerk in 1891. In 1899 he was deputy tax collector ; January, 1903, deputy county clerk ; and in 1911 he was elected to that office. He is now forty-four years of age and has been employed in the courthouse for twenty- five years. Mrs. Grace Kelshaw is county treasurer. For many years her husband, John Kelshaw, was treasurer. When he died, the supervisors ap- Top 101 Mrs. Kelshaw to fill the vacancy. Having been in the office for some Fine. el was well qualified to fill the position with satisfaction.
County Officials
Af faisenil county officials are: T. A. Norton, superior judge; C. A. Ilme ferietattorney ; Frank J. Rodrigues, county clerk ; D. F. Mahoney, Mint Ilind, tax collector; P. J. McCaffrey, assessor; Mrs. 10Se Towy Dementer: P. 11. Murphy, auditor; W. S. Wight, county wo ErEn Efe: Charles J. Taylor, sheriff; C. W. Palmer, coroner ; hr eyor; Thomas Fogarty, public administrator. 4 Mal, patrick Donovan, Peter Tognazzini, Mathias Iver-
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Paderewski's Ranch
A few years ago Ignace Paderewski, the great pianist, came to Paso Robles to rest and recuperate. At the time some fear was felt that his hands were becoming affected with muscular trouble arising from so much piano- playing. He recovered from his affliction, fell in love with the surroundings and bought several thousand acres of hill and valley land northwest of Paso Robles. Quite recently he purchased the T. M. Wear ranch of three hundred twenty acres, and will set it to nuts and fruits. He also has some fine stock, and no doubt will evolve one of the fine estates Europe set the pattern for long ago. September 16, 1916, the San Francisco Chronicle announced the most recent purchase and said the estate would be known as "Ignace Farms" and all stock branded Ignace, according to trade-mark letters issued.
The Atascadero Colony
This colony is situated on the old Henry ranch, about four miles south of Templeton. The ranch contained 23,150 acres. Later 849.21 acres were bought, Baron von Schroeder's beach property at Morro and other parcels, the colony holdings now totaling 24,062.31 acres. E. G. Lewis, who founded the Woman's Republic, was the originator of the plan. In a recent issue of the Review, published at Atascadero, these statements are made: "The colony is situated half-way between San Francisco and Los Angeles on the main line of the Southern Pacific, and the great concrete paved highway, the El Camino Real-The King's Highway-on the line of the old trail from mission to mission, passes through it. Three thousand people have pur- chased town lots or acreage tracts, 10,000 acres are planted or are to be planted to orchards, seventy miles of roads and streets are or are to be con- structed, twenty-one miles of water mains are laid, and two hundred homes, some very fine ones, are already built or are in course of construction."
A large department store is nearing completion, and a fine new school- house is going up at the present writing. The administration building, quite a pretentious affair, was well on the way when a new turn of affairs stopped the building of such things until the more necessary work on roads, bridges and orchards was done. A large printing plant is in operation, and the Review says: "A special daylight rotary gravure printing plant, the finest in the world, is to be built especially for the Review." This paper states that more than $2,000,000 has been expended in the improvement of .Atas- cadero Colony, and that the state of California has recently authorized a bond issue of $1,750,000 for the completion of the remaining improvements.
This colony is a try-out. It started to become an old, established city in phenomenal time. People lost all sense of time, for many have told the writer-in fact, it was published at the inception of the colony three years ago-that orchards would be yielding good incomes in two years from time of planting. Let no one ever believe such marvelous stories, even of Cali- fornia, "the land of wonders." People from the East sufficiently able to play at farming may come right along to Atascadero or any part of the county and find lovely scenery and a climate without blizzards or extreme cokdl: but in the Salinas valley there will be three or four months of dry, hot weather. and it is of no use to pretend otherwise. At the same time, the heat never debilitates like the summer heat of the East, and the nights are generally
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86 1 Nowy the coast side of the county hot summer months do not occur, ner is i efer so cold as on the eastern side of the Santa Lucia range. There are ww esclones nor electrical storms. Occasionally in summer a slight play of lightning will be seen, but often years pass without the sight of light- ning of the roll of thunder. Snow is so rare that most people (natives) have never seen it, save at a distance on the mountain tops. Once in many years halit, feathery fall occurs, melting almost as quickly as it touches earth. San Luis Obispo County is an empire in itself. It felt the foot of the first Wlate man, Cabrillo, who sailed along its shores and landed at its bays. It con the rise and fall of two great missions; then Spanish dons held sway until the Americans came in sufficient numbers to change the old régime. The county is developing rapidly. Its great resources will soon be utilized, ind even now it is the best spot on earth, for within its borders everything worth having is to be found.
CHAPTER XIV Cities, Towns, and Villages SAN LUIS OBISPO, THE CITY OF THE BISHOP
When the county was organized in 1850, San Luis Obispo was the only settlement in it. Around the Mission clustered a few small adobe buildings. "The main road passed through it from southwest to northeast, crossing San Luis creek about half a mile below the Mission, at the end of what is now Dana street. It followed up the right bank and a trail led off to the chorro that is now Chorro street. The main road has become Monterey street, but the "bend," after passing the Mission, has never been straightened. A year or so ago the city authorities compelled property owners to move back their buildings on the lower left side going north, after passing the Mission, so that the whole street should be of uniform width. On the southwest corner of Chorro and Monterey streets stood a two-story adobe with a dance hall and restaurant in it. This was considered quite a grand building.
l'arther north, and fronting on Monterey street, Captain W. G. Dana, Tu 1850, erected the first frame building in the county out of material brought ip m Chile. Captain John Wilson soon after erected a two-story frame Molimo on the lot where the public library now stands, or in that block. The material came around the "Horn." Beebee & Pollard had an adobe dies on the corner where the Sinsheimer store now is. In 1851 Captain Dann phi njea large adobe building on the corner where the Carpenter building www.home. the northeast corner of Monterey and Court streets. The roof Wanie Ferron, the walls adobe. The timber was drawn by oxen from Cam- Greco I lo Dorije and doors came from the Atlantic coast. This was known worbirinde setsthe first hotel in town, and the scene of many a festivity. estnani of so was used for a courthouse after the room in the Jumboned, and it was, we believe, the courtroom up to the Sole mment courthouse, in 1872.
used to pass through the town on their way to One Jesus Luna was alcalde in 1852. Some-
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times two hundred fifty or three hundred Sonorans would be in one band, the men on foot, the women and little ones on burros or horses. The men were called Calzones blancos (white breeches) and each carried a "machete," or long knife. This alcalde had his office in the adobe on the corner near the Mission. Usually the Sonorans stopped at the Mission to make the sign of the cross or to ask a blessing from the Virgin. Luna, in 1852, exacted a fee of fifty cents from each one of a large band as "toll" for passing through the town. Some in the rear, learning of his plan, tried to go another way through the town, but Luna sent his constables to compel them to pass the Mission and pay the toll. One way to get graft, which is one of the oldest things under the sun. This Luna was the one who killed his partner, in the story of crimes, and later fled to New Mexico when the Vigilance Committee began to clean things up.
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