USA > California > San Luis Obispo County > History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches > Part 28
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Amid all the festivities characteristic of the social life in a family of such ancient traditions, Ramon F. Careaga was married to Miss Maria A. Bonevantur, the daughter of Monsieur Bernardo Bonevantur, who had come from France and married Albina Boronda, a charming member of one of the very early pure Castilian families of Monterey. After her husband's death, the wife moved to San Jose, where she is enjoying life at the comfortable age of sixty-three. The parents had eleven children; and having been blessed with enduring blood, all are still living and are useful members of the society in which they move. Luis S. Careaga is married and resides at Santa Bar- bara with his accomplished wife, Mercedes Orella. Ramon A. Careaga, the representative of the Panama Realty Co., of San Jose, and one of the well- known men on the San Jose Exchange, married Miss Cora Riley, and resides with her and his two children, Ramon F. and Alberto J., in a cosy home at San Jose. John T. Careaga, who is in partnership in the real estate business with Ramon, also resides in that town, having married Miss Alberta Roe, by whom he had one child, Adelbert. Miss Eleanor M. Careaga became the wife of John Carr and the mother of two sons, John F. and Leland ; and that happy family resides on the Careaga ranch. Another resident on the ranch is Bernardo F. Careaga, who married Miss Gussie Hawkins, and is the proud father of two children, William B. and Eugene F., each of whom displays some of the characteristics of the Hawkins family. Antonio F. Careaga re- -ides with his mother at San Jose ; James F. is a farmer and stockman, who lives on a ranch, and Charles M. resides on the Northwest oil lease of the Corvaga ranch near Bicknell, and looks after the oil and gas interests of the ebre. lle married Miss J. Hawkins, one of the most popular daughters of Sim Barbara, and still one of the most beautiful women for miles around. oui / 1. setess who charms with her cordiality; and by her he has a child. 0ml Durward. Three daughters, Rita I., Evangeline, and Angeline, are nome af San Jose with the mother, and attending the famous Notre Dame
de Praga was interested in educational affairs and gave land for two alas 1 Bore on His property. He was generous, and allowed many of those wild hod werkel i wr him, and grown old in the service. to settle on some of TeLo .no me i comfort the remainder of their days. At this time there relibase of the employee still remaining, the others having passed away.
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Besides the great royalties which flow into the coffers of the Careaga family, through the oil and the gas flowing in unlimited quantities from their subterranean sources, the Careagas enjoy an income from leasing out their other lands to tenants, and from other sources, such as would handsomely finance many a European nobleman. Many cattle are raised by them, and stock and farm products are supplied in large quantities to the market. In 1916, the family realized over one hundred thousand dollars through the cultivation and sale of beans alone.
JOHN JAMES HOLLOWAY .- Probably the oldest and one of the best-posted settlers now living in Los Alamos, and one who enjoys a broad. liberal education, is John James Holloway, the son of the man who brought some of the first trotting horses and Durham cattle to California. His father, a native of Kentucky, was John Holloway, a farmer, who specialized in government contracts in connection with the improvement of rivers and harbors and the building of roads and bridges. His mother, whose maiden name was Nancy K. Foster, was born in North Carolina. His parents were married near Winchester, Scott county, Ill., after which they removed to Benton county, Mo., where the father improved a farm. About 1850, John Holloway fitted out two wagons, each having from three to six yoke of oxen, and, with about sixty head of cattle and a few horses, joined a train of twenty-five wagons setting out from Warsaw, Missouri, and started for the Pacific Coast.
Arriving at Hangtown, near Placerville, he soon after made a settlement near Wheatland, on the Bear river, in Sutter county, and there engaged in farming and stock-raising. He became noted as a trader, and was as popular as when he had been made captain of Company E, of the Missouri Mounted Volunteers, in the Mexican War. Soon after he had started farming at Wheatland, he went back to Missouri for horses and cattle ; for, having been born a Kentuckian, he was a good stockman and horseman, brought up among the best types of shorthorn cattle and trotting horses, among which may be mentioned the celebrated trotter, Glencoe Chief, a well-known race- horse in California. Upon his return, his father was drowned in Green river. in Utah, none of the family being then with him. An assistant had become drunk, and the elder Holloway attempted to make a second trip across the river to bring back his cattle and horses. The boat on which the horses and cattle were loaded tipped over and the rancher was drawn under with his stock. A notable man in his day. John Holloway counted many early pioneers as his friends, among them Waldo, Hearst, Huntington, Fair and others.
The mother managed to keep the little family together and to increase its herds and droves; and in 1868 came with her son, John James Holloway (who had been born in Benton county, Mo., two miles west of Warsaw, January 26, 1839), to the Santa Maria valley, bringing the first full-blooded Durham cattle ever seen here. After a year, they removed to Cat Canyon, or the Cañada Gato, where they pre-empted a hundred sixty acres and home- steaded a hundred sixty more, the whole tract now owned by Jacob Williams ; and while living there they bought the La Brea ranch, which was later sold to G. W. Goodchild. In his early years John James attended a private school conducted by Professor Gow, an Eastern college graduate, who afterwards conducted the private academy at Indian Springs, Nevada county, reputed to be one of the best in the state; and later he went to school at Sacra-
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mento. A memory of his early days is that of the first railway running from Sacramento to Folsom, which passed in front of the Holloways' door.
In 1885, John James Holloway's mother died here at the age of seventy- five, the mother of four children. Besides John James, there was a daughter, Millie Ann Holloway, who was born on Washington's birthday, 1833, and who married C. G. Heath, and died on the Blochman ranch, leaving seven children. A son was Thomas Jefferson Holloway, now living in Los Angeles, at the age of eighty ; and another son was William Houston Holloway, who resides at Bakersfield, having passed his three score and thirteenth year.
John James was twice married. In 1870, at Santa Maria, he wedded Miss Rebecca T. Miller, the second stepdaughter of Joel Miller, who took up the first homestead in the Santa Maria valley ; and of this union five children were born. Lucy E. resides at Pomona, Los Angeles county, the wife of W. D. McCroskey; Dora B. is the wife of John T. Glines, a teacher in the Bell school at Los Alamos; Albert Johnson is a rancher living at Los Alamos; Everett P. was drowned in an old, open well; and James W. is a large rancher residing at Lompoc. The second marriage of Mr. Holloway, in September. 1884, united him with Sarah, oldest daughter of Joel Miller, then the widow of James Linebaugh, of Santa Rosa, by whom she had three children, Eva Linebaugh, David and James. The latter married Mrs. Eliza- beth Mirely, and resides at Los Angeles, the father of one child, Dorothy, and the valued employee of the City Water Company. By her marriage with Mr. Holloway she had four children: Charlotte, who is at home; Carl, who married Miss Mildred Wilson, and resides near Orcutt, on property occupied by the Pinal-Dome Oil Company. their home being blessed by two children, Keith and Doris; Cornell, who died when he was twelve years old; and Frank, who runs the farm. Seven years after his second marriage, Mr. Holloway came to Los Alamos and bought from S. T. Coiner, of Santa Maria, his present ranch of thirty-one acres.
Knowing both his preparation for responsibility as a man of affairs, and his actual experience in disposing of important interests entrusted to his care, it is not surprising to find that Mr. Holloway has had considerable to do with public or official life. For twelve years he was school trustee of the Oak V'ale school district, the school having first been started in the front room of his home, and he was also trustee of the Bell school district of Los Alamos. He served as deputy assessor in 1876, under Assessor Garretson. A consistent Democrat, he was a member of the Democratic county central committee in 1800, and on June 21 went as a delegate to the Democratic convention at Santa Barbara. Since that time he has been a familiar figure in Democratic coun- Ils. Foradvance the State Highway and the cause of good roads, he went Volere the board of supervisors years ago and advocated a trunk road through Monocots Haus, a project now being realized by the building of the State High- Way over exactly that course.
byithstohding advanced sociological views. Mr. Holloway is neverthe- Je de sells an advocate of Christianity, being a member of the Christian Turi The hr-t Protestant sermon preached north of Gaviota was deliv- seyah An ilbliway's home, in November, 1869, the preacher being the No Me Nollor, a pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
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MISS CHRISTINE JACK .- Just what a woman can do when she in- herits the thrift of the Old World and Scotch energetic sturdiness is shown in the interesting story of the life of Miss Christine Jack, particularly that part which has to do with her contribution towards making California history. She was born at Creiff, Perthshire, Scotland, the daughter of William Jack, who first saw the light of day at Strathallen, in the same shire-a plain man, a dealer in wood, who died where he had lived, esteemed by all who knew him, bequeathing, no doubt, to his daughter, some of those personal char- acteristics which have contributed to make her so popular in Paso Robles. where she has long been a resident. Her mother was Janet McCune, a native of the Scottish Highlands and a woman of rare attainments and worth. William Jack married twice, and had by his first wife five sons and a daughter. and by his second wife a son, David, and two girls: Margaret, who died in early childhood, and Christine, of this review. David was born in 1826. at- tended the public school in his village, and at the age of seventeen crossed the ocean to New York, where he secured a position as bookkeeper with the firm of Flood, Mackay & O'Brien. Six years later he made for California via Panama, and at Monterey again took up bookkeeping. He acquired some land and became a farmer and stockman, and soon owned several large tracts in various parts of Monterey county. He settled in Monterey, where he died at the ripe age of eighty years. Mr. Jack married and was blessed with seven children, all of whom are living. In 1857 he was able to revisit Scotland and see his boyhood home. As a Presbyterian and a Republican he made his contribution to the bettering of both religious and political conditions in the country of his adoption.
In 1866, her parents having both died. Miss Jack joined her brother in California, travelling by way of New York, from which city she set out on the steamer "Caledonia," bound for the Isthmus of Panama, and after crossing that strip of land took the steamer "Arizona" for San Francisco. She lived for a time with her brother at Monterey, when she bought a ranch at Jose- phine, in San Luis Obispo County, operating it for twenty years. She made a large stock ranch of her possessions, raising shorthorn Durham cattle. She had a dairy of forty-five cows, and churned three times a week, turning out more than a hundred pounds of butter at each churning. The milk was panned and skimmed by hand, Miss Jack doing all the work herself. Such was the quality of her butter that it was rated as the best in the San Fran- cisco market ; and such, too, was the care that she gave her cows that each knew her voice and would come to her. A mile away from her nearest neigh- bor, she never suffered from loneliness; for she cooked and did all the work required at the ranch house, even to washing and scalding the pans. She was in fact very busy, undertaking, in addition, to raise calves and hogs.
On account of rheumatism, Miss Jack nine years ago came to the Paso Robles Hot Springs, and there she has remained, for the most part, ever since. While working her ranch, some fourteen hundred acres at the head of Santa Rosa creek, she discovered a quicksilver mine on the property which she named the "Bonnie Doon"; and this mine of cinnabar ore she worked for many years, putting in a retort and manufacturing quicksilver. While she was visiting the mine one morning, the shaft of which had been left carelessly uncovered, she walked into it and fell a distance of three hundred feet to the bottom, and was so seriously injured that her frame was shattered and several
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n pe lmd.so che wo- rescued and brought to her residence ; and very Delete by encal elligwol attention, she fully recovered.
Tice Jive laive had a peculiar experience where a dog came to her assist- nov Stee Bad indie a trip to Cambria, and in the meantime a hard rain-storm had Imisen Atok returning home on horseback-having declined an urgent urmator to say all night with some friends, thinking she must get back on- The furod Santa Rosa creek had become a raging torrent. On reaching boxer im crossing her mare, Fannie, refused to swim the flood, though urged in every possible way : and finally, when Miss Jack was despairing of getting pues, wven ions dog came out of the storm. When its intelligence er voj zle situation. it looked up at Miss Jack, and then at the horse, and (mori moto the stream: after which the mare. evidently inspired by the Sample, odbooked and carried her mistress safely over.
In the out sint- on the ranch, when she used to get up at four, and some- Vinter af three aclock in the morning, she kept things lively at the mine; FIL mmaIls she sold the ranch and leased out the bonanza. Now, in her years of leighre. she resides with her companion. Mrs. Mary Doling, taking a keen interest in her Park Street home and in the little social world about her, paroculairly in the works of charity undertaken by the Presbyterian Church ; and not failing to follow the devious ways of politics, she shows the keenest interest in Republican affairs. Miss Jack is a very liberal and generous- Wirted woman, and she seems never to become weary of well-doing in spite 0 biten being imposed upon : she always has fed the hungry and weary travellers who come to her door, and still she is ever ready, so far as she is able, to assist those less fortunate than herself. She is well and favorably known, and everyone speaks of her in the highest terms of appreciation.
REUBEN HART .- One of the most prominent developers and the pio- neer of Santa Maria. Reuben Hart was born in Derbyshire, England, in 1843. He received his education in England and learned the trade of carriage-maker in the Stubbs Manufacturing Company, at Derby, where he remained for Several years. He then went to Swansea, Wales, and was employed in a large Manufactory for a time, after which he came to America and was engaged, Is about four years, in the Cummings Railway Contract shops in New Joey. While there, he sent for his brother Thomas, who was a machinist; ml together, in 1866, they came to California. Mr. Hart first found employ- Mem with D. S. Mills, at San Jose, as manager of his manufacturing plant La Wagons and agricultural implements.
Ir um San Jose, the two brothers went to Castroville when that town was -kol. and established the firm of Hart Bros., doing general blacksmithing wod wa fffue work until 1872. They then moved their stock and machinery To the new town of Guadalupe, in Santa Barbara county. They practically el nil the growth of the town by establishing a large blacksmith and machine Hope and alo bought lots and built a block of business houses; and they Ja mel . : its for the Guadalupe ranch. In 1875. the brothers extended Reuben Hart, going to Santa Maria, then the center of a tothe band community, bought property at the corner of Main and Brophyas, god erected a large building for an extensive blacksmith and He also put np a feed mill, run by steam power, and later Will a slon Building and several residences, and carried on a large business with The remeber- A dealing in feed and barley.
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In 1879, the firm of Hart Bros. dissolved; Reuben Hart retained the Santa Maria property, and his brother continued at Guadalupe. That same year Mr. Hart started a lumber yard, and the next year established the water works, piping the town and pumping the water by steam power from an eighty-five-foot well to an elevated tank. He added to his business inter- ests in 1882 and 1883 by forming a partnership with M. P. Nicholson in farm- ing four thousand acres to wheat and operating a steam threshing outfit. In 1884, he built a one-story brick store building 50x88 feet, and continued his shop until 1888, when he sold out the business and buildings, which were removed from their location. It was here that Mr. Hart constructed the building now known as Hotel Bradley, then called "Hart's House" and known far and wide as the leading hostelry of the Santa Maria valley, and which, for seven years, was presided over in person by its owner, until he finally sold out.
The water works system, begun in a small way in 1880, was enlarged from time to time. The mains were extended and the service improved by Mr. Hart, and it was conducted as a private enterprise. He met and overcame strong competition, but succeeded in the long run in giving very satisfactory service. In 1912 he sold out to the Lewis Sloss Company, bond brokers of San Francisco, for sixty thousand dollars. This company entered into speculative enterprises in the northern part of the state, met reverses and failed. It was then that the "Father of Santa Maria" again came to the fore and was one of the prime movers in getting the city of Santa Maria to purchase and operate its own water works. This was accomplished in January, 1916, thus giving the city control of its most important public utility.
For seven years, Mr. Hart served as a member of the board of education, and he has always taken an active interest in the maintenance of good schools. No movement has been advanced for the betterment of the community and the welfare of the citizens that has not had the co-operation and support of Reuben Hart. When it was proposed to build the broad-gauge railroad through the city, the company asked a bonus of eight thousand dollars. Mr. Hart came to the front ; and to stimulate interest at the meeting held to dis- cuss the matter and to raise the money, started the list with five hundred dollars, and aided very materially in raising the balance. This road runs through Santa Maria, extending from Guadalupe to Leonhart in the East Santa Maria oil fields. When it was proposed to build the state highway through the county, Mr. Hart spent of his time and money to secure the right of way, and he was one of the prime movers to call a general meeting. lle also took a leading part in advocating the paving of the business streets and was instrumental in getting a vote passed to levy assessments for paving the highway in the city limits, and putting in curbs and gutters. It meant an expense to him of over twenty-five hundred dollars, which goes to show that his motives were not mercenary in any way.
After Mr. Hart had conducted the hotel for seven years, he decided that the care of such an establishment was too much for him to attend to with all his other interests; so he traded the hotel property for some on the opposite side of the street. This he still owns, as well as the post office block and some valuable residence properties other than his home on South Broad- way. He owned the property at the southeast corner of the main business block in the town recently sold to the First National Bank for their new
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home Of this bank he is a stockholder and director. He served on the city board of trustees for many years, resigning in 1912. There has not been a church erected in this valley, no matter of what denomination, that has not received his contribution. It would be hard to point to any worthy move- ment that has been promoted in the valley for the betterment of conditions generally that has not had his heartiest support, both moral and financial. He has met with success solely through his own efforts, loves his fellow men and a square deal, and no one is more highly respected by all classes of people than Reuben Hart.
In 1879 Mr. Hart was united in marriage at Santa Maria with Mrs. Harriett Sharp, a native of Pennsylvania. She had two daughters by a for- mer marriage, Mrs. E. T. Bryant and Mrs. W. A. Haslam. The only child of this union is Harriett, now the wife of George MI. Scott, who, with her husband, resides at the Hart home on South Broadway. Mrs. Hart died in 1896. Mr. Ilart is a member of long standing in the Knights of Pythias lodge of Santa Maria. In politics he is a consistent Democrat in national affairs, but in local matters supports men and measures best suited, according to his estimation, for the public good. In the evening of his days he can look back upon a life well spent, and look forward without fear ; for he has lived up to the Golden Rule, and has done what he could for his fellow men.
LEWIS D. AND CARRIE GIBBONS .- The late Lewis D. Gibbons, who passed away in 1910 at his home in Morro, was one of the well-known citizens of the county, and in the section about Adelaida was identified with the agricultural development of the land. He was born in Ohio and attended the public schools there until he accompanied his parents to Bachelor Springs, Kan., when he was a lad of sixteen. Here he finished his public school course and was graduated from the University of Kansas, after which he taught school in Kansas for a time. On account of ill health he gave up teaching and, in 1884, came to California; and near Adelaida, in San Luis Obispo County, located on government land. He also homesteaded and improved the property, and finally retired to Morro, where he died.
The marriage of Lewis D. Gibbons united him with Carrie Ingraham, a native of Illinois who, at the age of eleven years, accompanied her parents to Kansas, where she completed her schooling. Coming to California she at once became identified with educational matters, and for thirty years was connected with the schools of San Luis Obispo and Kern counties. She served as principal of the grammar school in Taft for two years and held the same position in the school in Fellows for three years. In San Luis Obispo County she taught nine years in Cayucos and Morro, and for some ! time was connected with the schools in Paso Robles. She is recognized as one of the pioneer teachers of the county, and none of them are more favor- abdly known than Mrs. Gibbons. She has always entered into school work With her whole heart, and many of the men and women who are active in the affairs in the county today owe to her their start in educational training.
Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Gibbons two children were born : Oscar, A graduate of Stanford, and a prominent attorney in San Luis Obispo, who Married and the father of two children ; and a married daughter, Mrs. Hor- IHAL Rhyne, Mrs. Rhyne was graduated from the State Normal and taught ir an Luis Obispo six years and in Riverside, Cal., one year. She is the weber of two children.
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home Of this bank he is a stockholder and director. He served on the city board of trustees for many years, resigning in 1912. There has not been a church erected in this valley, no matter of what denomination, that has not received his contribution. It would be hard to point to any worthy move- inent that has been promoted in the valley for the betterment of conditions generally that has not had his heartiest support, both moral and financial. He has met with success solely through his own efforts, loves his fellow men and a square deal, and no one is more highly respected by all classes of people than Reuben Hart.
In 1879 Mr. Hart was united in marriage at Santa Maria with Mrs. Harriett Sharp, a native of Pennsylvania. She had two daughters by a for- mer marriage, Mrs. E. T. Bryant and Mrs. W. A. Haslam. The only child of this union is Harriett, now the wife of George MI. Scott, who, with her husband, resides at the Hart home on South Broadway. Mrs. Hart died in 1896. Mr. Hart is a member of long standing in the Knights of Pythias lodge of Santa Maria. In politics he is a consistent Democrat in national affairs, but in local matters supports men and measures best suited, according to his estimation, for the public good. In the evening of his days he can look back upon a life well spent, and look forward without fear ; for he has lived up to the Golden Rule, and has done what he could for his fellow men.
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