History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches, Part 38

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

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He continued to farm and work at his trade with success until 1864, when he determined to come again to California to live. He outfitted with four big wagons, each having four yoke of oxen, and a carryall drawn by horses. He loaded in a complete blacksmith outfit and goods, intending to stop at East Bannock, Idaho, but on arrival there, he decided to continue his journey. He therefore took the Landers cut-off and, acting as captain of the train, went from the North Platte to Oregon. They spent that winter at Albany, Mr. Rucker working in the logging camps until spring, when they continued over the mountains to California, and arrived at San Jose in August, 1865. He leased a ranch at Los Gatos for two years and engaged in ranching ; then he bought a place on New Almaden road in Union district. cleared the land, erected buildings and set out a vineyard of sixty acres, opened a blacksmith shop and lived there until 1878, when he moved into San Jose and retired. He died in August, 1880, aged seventy-three. Ilis wife passed her last days in San Jose and died in 1898 at the age of seventy- seven. They had twelve children, nine of whom grew up and five of whom are living.

The oldest of the living children, James H. Rucker, was brought up on the lowa farm until he was fourteen, and then came across the plains with his parents, who made the trip without incident. He and a brother drove one team all the way, taking six months for the journey to Oregon. He attended school in the Union district, Santa Clara county, and remained at home until he was eighteen; then he worked for wages on the ranches about Santa Clara, being in the employ of "Old Joe" Rucker for many years, and attend- ing, for a short time, the Cambria school of that county.

Five years were spent in railroad work on the San Joaquin valley division for the Southern Pacific, when he quit and went to Monterey county. and in April, 1875, bought a farm of one hundred sixty acres and began raising stock and grain. During 1888 he came to this county, and at San Miguel leased twelve hundred eighty acres of the Corriente Land Company. on which he raised grain on an extensive scale. First he had a header, and then a combined harvester ; and he also cut on contract until 1908. In the meantime, he had bought several ranches, one of four hundred eighty acres in Slack's canyon, another of two hundred forty acres in Ranchita canyon.

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and another of one hundred sixty acres in Vineyard canyon ; and on these he engaged in stock-raising until 1908, when he leased the properties and located in Paso Robles. Here he purchased his residence at 2005 Oak street, where he is very comfortably located with his family. Since moving to the city he has sold his ranches and purchased a fruit farm of nine and one half acres adjoining Paso Robles. He has peaches, almonds, cherries and pears, and is engaged both in the cultivation of this land and in the loaning of money.

Mr. Rucker has been twice married. On the first occasion, in San Luis Obispo, his bride was Mrs. Alice ( Brock ) Wren, who was born in Texas and died in San Miguel, leaving one daughter, Alta May, now Mrs. Bates of Paso Robles. The second marriage united him with Mrs. Martha (Gillespie) Cushing, who was born near Petaluma, Sonoma county. Her father William crossed the plains in 1849, and was married in Sonoma county to Caroline Leffingwell, and in 1862 they came to San Luis Obispo County. Mrs. Rucker was educated in the Cambria schools of this county and is Past Noble Grand of Natalia Lodge, No. 216, Rebekahs, of San Miguel. Politically, Mr. Rucker is a Democrat.

SAMUEL T. COINER .- Prominent among the Southern States that long contributed both to the number and to the quality of the pioneers who transformed California from a wilderness to the Golden State, is Virginia, the birthplace of Samuel T. Coiner, land contractor for the Union Sugar Co. Mr. Coiner was born on December 23, 1857, the son of Daniel Coiner, one of the first white men (excepting, of course, the early Spaniards) to take up residence in the Santa Maria valley. His great-great-grandfather was born in Germany, and came to Virginia as the master of a merchant ship. He traded with New Orleans, and in Pennsylvania he won the heart and hand of Margaret Diller. They reared a large family ; and so numerous were the descendants of this sturdy old seafarer that when a reunion of the Coiners was held in Augusta county, Virginia, in 1881, not less than two thousand two hundred persons were present, and among these were a hun- fred thirty-six voters in that county.

Daniel Coiner came to Salinas in 1867. When he took up his residence in the valley he bought a quarter interest in the Punta de la Laguna Rancho, Ivar Guadalupe ; but owing to a dispute as to boundary lines and unfortunate Ingation, he lost all of his equity, and had to begin over again. A year after Il- arrival in Salinas, he sent for his family ; and it was then that Samuel Ubiner came across the Isthmus with his mother, whose maiden name was Tabelle Anderson, and who was of Scotch descent. While the Coiners rigmally belonged to the Pennsylvania Germans, her family was numbered among the early Virginia farmers. Twelve children were born to Daniel Comer and his devoted helpmeet. The oldest, Mary Fanny, died when she ons thurteen years old at Salinas; and only two, Samuel Coiner and Mrs. 3. IL, Rice, of Santa Maria, remained in the Santa Maria valley.

I'rom 1808 to 1872, Samuel resided with his family in Monterey county, where he continued the public school course begun in Virginia, and event- ually finished in the first public school of Guadalupe. In 1875, or a year after he came into the Santa Maria valley, Samuel Coiner was married in Los Alamos to Miss Catherine Fields, a daughter of Edmund and Lucy Fields, the latter a charming lady still residing with the subject of this

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sketch at Betteravia; and six children blessed the union. Arthur married Birdie McCann, and lived at Los Alamos, dying in 1915. Lucy became the wife of George P. Merritt, secretary and auditor for the Pinal-Dome Oil Co. at Santa Maria. Lulu is the wife of Arthur Froom, a prominent business man of Santa Maria. Frances married J. P. de l'Eau, the civil engi- neer of the Union Sugar Co. Nora was joined in wedlock to Ralph Dyer, a city salesman for Chanslor-Lyon in Los Angeles. Ethel is a trained nurse in the first-aid department of the hospital at Betteravia.

A strong, manly man with forceful character, and a good judge of human nature, cordial and liked by everybody. Samuel Coiner was able to take up the responsibilities of a land contractor for the Union Sugar Co., and successfully to lease about ten thousand acres devoted to sugar beet culture and supplying the factory with over one hundred thousand tons of beets per annum. He owns a residence at Santa Maria, but lives at Betteravia. He is a Presbyterian in his church affiliations, and a Democrat by political convic- tion. Fraternally, he is associated with the Masons, the Elks of San Luis Obispo, and the Knights of Pythias of Santa Maria.

JOHN CALHOUN PREWITT .- As might be surmised from the illus- trious given name borne by John Calhoun Prewitt, the popular leader of Santa Margarita, he is an offspring from a Southern family proud of its social and political affiliations, although he himself is a native son, Paraiso Springs, Monterey county, claiming his birth. His father, Green Lemuel Prewitt, was a Southern gentleman of the old school, to whom California so appealed that he was willing, as a young man, in 1849, to travel on the laborious and tedions journey across the great plains with no better motor service than that of a yoke or two of oxen. This sturdy pioneer settled near Salinas, and farmed there, after which he removed to Paraiso Springs and eventually died at Soledad. He married Theresa Ripley, a noble native daughter, and attrac- tive from her childhood. She was born in Monterey, a daughter of Captain Ripley, one of those early navigators who were educated especially in sur- veying, and who were bound to become, once they abandoned the sea. promi- nent as men of affairs. He was sheriff and later treasurer of Monterey county, and left behind him an enviable record both as a private citizen and as a public official. Theresa (Ripley ) Prewitt died at Soledad, and was buried there beside her honored husband.

John was the second youngest of four children, brought up on a farm ; and having attended the public school, he went to work at the early age of fourteen on one ranch or another, putting in two summers of hard work with an unele. An agreeable change came when, for three years, he clerked in a store in King City, obtaining there a most valuable insight into human nature and invaluable preparation for the responsibilities of later years. In that same town, in 1902, he was in the employ of the Southern Pacific Milling Co .; and there, as elsewhere, both before and since, he proved his efficiency Particularly was he valuable as foreman of the warehouse and lumber yard. Near King City he married Miss Sally M. Mansfield, a native of Gorda, and now the mother of two beautiful children, Dorothy and Herschel. After serving as foreman of the warehouse, he went to Metz, Monterey county, as the agent of the same company, and in 1911 he came to Santa Margarita still as agent for the company, having charge of their warehouse and lumber yard.

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Mr. Prewitt is prominent politically, as a Republican. In religious circles, he is an active member of the Presbyterian Church. He is serving as clerk, for the second term, of the board of school trustees of the Santa Margarita school district. Just what the value of public services by private citizens with business experience and common sense may mean is shown from the work accomplished by this board, which in January, 1916, began to build the new schoolhouse, whose completion was celebrated on May 13. For such a district as this the school building is large, being one hundred twenty-three by one hundred twenty-four feet in size. The whole structure is of mission style with reinforced concrete, and cost fully $15,000-an outlay attesting the generous and advanced spirit of the people of Santa Margarita.

A Mason and a Senior Warden in Lodge No. 302. F. & A. M., at King City, and a member of San Luis Obispo Lodge No. 322, B. P. O. E., Mr. Prewitt is able to communicate his kindly spirit of good-fellowship to many others in the local circles in which he moves; and few persons in modest position in this neighborhood enjoy a greater influence for good and for the general uplift of the community.

MRS. LULU TERRILL GARKEE .- A native daughter of the golden West, and one who has been very much interested in the preservation of the landmarks of historical interest left by the forerunners of civilization, is Mrs. Lulu Terrill Garkee, whose father was Richard Terrill, born in Mexico. where his parents had gone to look after the numerous mining interests of his father. Dr. Able Terrill, in the vicinity of Guadalupe. Dr. Terrill was born in Pennsylvania of Scotch-Irish descent, and soon after Richard was born the family went back to Pennsylvania and, in 1849, crossed the plains with horse teams to California and settled in the mining region in Calaveras county, where the father passed away.

Richard Terrill was reared in this state. In San Francisco, he was united in marriage with Miss Ramona Botellio, a native of Spain. She had come to this country with her parents and here met and married Mr. Terrill ; and after the happy event, they moved to Half Moon Bay, San Mateo county, and engaged in the raising of fine horses for market, receiving good prices for them. He became a large landowner at Half Moon Bay, eventually selling out and retiring to Los Angeles, where he died. His wife passed away in San Luis Obispo.

Of the five children born to this worthy couple. three are living. Mrs. Lulu Garkee being the second in order of birth. She was born in Half Moon Bay, and attended the public schools there, and also the San Mateo Academy. The marriage uniting her with Charles Garkee, who was a native of Mil- wankee. Wis .. of French descent, was solemnized in San Luis Obispo. Mr. Garkee came to California a young man. He was a civil engineer and sur- veyor. After marriage they settled in San Francisco, where. with different Companies, he followed his profession until his death, after which his widow wmoined in that city until 1907. On account of ill health, she came to Paso Robles and has since made it her home.

She is a member of San Miguel Parlor. N. D. G. W. In politics she is a Republican. She is public-spirited and supports all public movements for the benefit of the community. Since taking up her residence here she lias surremumbled herself with a host of friends, who respect her for her strength i character and integrity.

1. Campotonico

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S. CAMPODONICO .- A prominent business man of Guadalupe and one of its leading citizens, S. Campodonico was born at Carasco, Circuit of Chiavari, Italy, January 10, 1840. His father, John Campodonico, was a cobbler by trade, a handy man with all kinds of tools ; and being a man of intelligence and considerable learning, he attained to some prominence in official circles in his native circuit, filling various petty offices and clerkships, such as assistant tax collector, and clerk of the board of supervisors. He was a man of good, hard common sense. who attained an age of more than seventy, when he was injured by an accidental fall, from which he died. His entire life was passed in Italy. His wife was also a person of great vitality, living to be over ninety.

S. Campodonico's early life was passed in the home of his parents in Italy, where his father, being a man of scholarly attainments, taught his son the common branches in the Italian language. A lad of precocious mind, he was sent to a boys' seminary, April 4. 1853, where he immediately went into the class of the second grade, and at the end of the first month stood second in a class of more than ninety; at the end of the second month he held first rank, and maintained this supremacy until the end of the semester. His ambition was to take a classical course and to enter one of the learned professions; but his father's financial circumstances precluded this, and he made up his mind that he would go to America to seek a business career. He was considering Buenos Ayres, but his father influenced him to come to the United States, particularly as he had a few relatives here.

At the age of seventeen, May 14, 1857, he took passage in a sailing vessel from Genoa to New York; and on July 18 of that year he landed, after a journey of about sixty days. He found work in a toy factory at 123 White street, New York City, at $1.50 per week, and there worked steadily and with an ambition to rise ; but the panic of 1857, one of the most severe America has ever seen, came on, and the factory had to close down. It looked gloomy for the young man, but he finally went to the owner of the factory and was trusted for five or six dollars' worth of toys; and it being holiday time, he sold the toys on the streets, and to his own and everyone else's surprise, he cleared up twenty-five dollars on his week's business. This was his first commercial venture.

After that he apprenticed himself to the proprietor of certain marble works, and served his apprenticeship of two and one half years, securing com- pensation of board, lodging and twenty-five dollars per year. During all this time he practiced the strictest economy, confining himself to the barest neces- sities. One purchase he did make, however, during this time was an Italian- English and English-Italian dictionary, which he bought from a second-hand store for fifty cents. This he studied, and it is still in his possession. The Civil War then broke out, putting business everywhere in strained con- dition ; and inasmuch as Mr. Campodonico's employer, a member of the National Guard, who later took part in the Battle of Bull Run, was requisi- tioned into service, he was once more out of employment. About this time he wrote his father, in Italy, that he would like to go to California ; and his father answered that he had his permission to do so. To this the young man replied with some sarcasm, "The fare to San Francisco will cost $100, and if you will advance that sum, your permission may be sent right along with the money ; otherwise, if I must pay it myself, I'll take the permission."

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A family by the name of Bacigalupi was living at the mines in California, and young campodonico made up his mind to come out and join them. Leaving New York City, September 2. 1861, by steamer "North Star" for Panama, he came across the Isthmus and arrived in San Francisco, by the "Uncle Sam." September 26. There he found a job at his trade, and became a marble engraver and an artist in his line, which is attested by some of the Work from his hands still standing in Lone Mountain cemetery in San Fran- cisco-notably the bust of Senator Broderick, chiseled in white marble and mounted on a high shaft in a prominent place in the cemetery ; as well as the capitals on the marble columns of the Nicolas Lunning colonnade. In 1868, after having worked as a journeyman for several years, and accumulated some money, with another young man he started in the marble business for himself at 1130 Market street, near the junction of Sixth and Taylor streets, in San Francisco, under the firm name of Campodonico & Co. This business was conducted successfully from 1868 until 1881, when he sold out. Owing to the hard times caused by the Dennis Kearney agitation, business in San Francisco came to a practical standstill, and the years 1877 to 1881 were anything but -atisfactory in the marble line.

Having sold out in 1881, he next engaged with Mark J. Fontana & Co., now the Associated (anneries; and there Mr. Campodonico rose to the posi- tion of superintendent in the extensive fish and fruit canneries, holding his position there until 1884. Mark J. Fontana & Co., as creditors of an insolvent business in Guadalupe, had to take over a small stock of merchan- dise : and they having offered this business to their superintendent, he came down in July. 1884. to look over the situation, and in November made arrange- ments to buy the stock. On December 3, of that year, he brought his family to Guadalupe to live, and has been in business here ever since. As a business man and merchant he has been eminently successful, through square dealing, wide-awake business methods, strict attention to business and ability to accommodate his customers, and has built up one of the largest general mer- chandising establishments in the Santa Maria valley.

For two years, from 1864 to 1866, Mr. Campodonico was in Bear Valley. Mariposa county, and there became acquainted with Miss Elizabeth Biglar, burn in St. Louis, Mo., who crossed the plains to California with her parents, as a child. in 1852. They were married in San Francisco in 1869. of this union fourteen children have been born, five dying in infancy. The une who grew to maturity are Lottie, wife of J. B. Acquistapace of Guada- Hope: Silvia, who married Martin Luther Smith of Santa Cruz: Frank, who runs his father's ranch at Los Berros in San Luis Obispo County; Stephen, whee married Florence Baumgartner, and is his father's chief assistant in rrique the merchandise store in Guadalupe : Joseph, who is with his brother Iran! , whythe ranch : Margarite, clerk and bookkeeper in the store : Charles. poriger of the Commercial Hotel in Guadalupe : Alma, who married Harry Nul revit secretary of the Union Sugar Company at Betteravia ; and Vic- pro pho i- the wife of Richard Maretti of Guadalupe. Mr. and Mrs. Cam- jed no. low e nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

We ! On walonico cast his first vote for U. S. Grant in 1868, and has been a kopile an ever since. He is a member of the County Central Com- milee of Santa Barbara county, and although adhering closely to party Torinoope-, be Has found it consistent to vote a mixed ticket at times. He

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helped to organize the Bank of Santa Maria, and is still a stockholder. For years he has been the U. S. correspondent of statistics from this section. and for many years, including the time of the building of the two-story frame high school building here in 1896, he has been identified with the school board, but has declined to become a candidate for county office. He has done more for Guadalupe than any other person alive. When Mr. Campo- donico came here in 1884, he had for his active competitor H. J. Laughlin, formerly a prominent merchant of the place; now Mr. Campodonico is the veteran business man of the town, and the Campodonico Block, a substantial two-story and basement structure, stands as a monument to its owner. This was the first brick business block erected in the town ; and from the clay dug out of the basement were made the bricks of which the walls are constructed. A beautiful residence has also been erected by Mr. Campodonico, and it is complete in all appointments. He is a member of Guadalupe Lodge, No. 237. F. & A. M., is Past Master and the treasurer of the lodge, and served on the building committee during the erection of the Masonic and Odd Fellows hall, a brick structure erected in 1913-14 at a cost of $15,000.

The career of this venerable merchant is linked inseparably, in fact, with the building up of Guadalupe. During the time he has lived here he has prospered, and besides his town properties he is the owner of a ranch near Orcutt and one near Los Berros in San Luis Obispo County. The new Com- mercial Hotel building was erected by four of his sons on land donated by their father. During his residence here the railroad has been constructed through from San Francisco to Los Angeles, reaching this town in 1894: the permanent bridge was built in 1895 and the road completed to Santa Barbara in 1898. Prior to that, all supplies were hauled from Port Harford.

Today a gentleman of seventy-seven, looking back over a busy life, Mr. Campodonico is happy in good health, and in the consciousness of a life well spent, and might easily be taken for a man ten years younger. His numerous friends are of one accord in wishing him many additional years in which to enjoy the fruits of a useful life.

SPENCER C. RECORDS .- One of the representative citizens and an "old-timer" in the Arroyo Grande valley, Spencer C. Records is a worthy son of his parents, Thomas B. and Mary (Short) Records, of whom extended mention is made on another page of this volume. He was born in llender- son county, Ill., on December 21, 1864, and came west with his parents to this state, settling in the then wilderness along Arroyo Grande creek. He at- tended the public schools, supplementing this with an elective course in the University of the Pacific and a business course at the Garden City Business College, both in San Jose.

He worked with his father until he was eighteen, and then started out for himself, although he practically lived at home until his parents died. They always encouraged him in every way to get ahead and do for him- self, and he has been self-supporting ever since he was a young man. He was reared to the stock business and has followed that line of farming until the present time. He farmed, raised stock, bought and sold cattle, horses and mules, and has prospered.

He made his first purchase of land of one hundred sixty acres, and with that as a nucleus he has added from time to time until he now is the owner

SAS TAVIS CHRISTO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

of three thousand deres in the Huasna country. principally grazing land on Winch he runs bo realite He lived on the ranch until 1905, when he bought property ni Vougrande and erected a very comfortable residence, where Fo lives togedno wor b family, although he is still managing his stock inter- It himon

His wil wlwo lu married in March, 1904, was Miss Lucy Jones, a native daughter born and ducated in San Luis Obispo County. Iler parents, Mas ant Lftarda Branch) Jones, were farmers, and Mrs. Records is the next to the oldest new family of ten children. Mr. and Mrs. Records have Have daughters. Mars La. Ilna 1 ... and Agnes C. Like his father, Mr. Rec- ball Is a developer and a promoter of the best interests of the county, and ms son arti ( part in the advancement of his section of the county, which In De- con greve from a sparsely settled region to one of great productiveness

MR. AND MRS. ELIAS P. BRUBAKER. Almost unbelievable is the refined, when one stops to consider it, of many such lives as that of Elias P Brubaker, spainig, as they do, the marvelous transition periods in the Wifion when society &merged from the cruder and well-nigh primeval state into advanced conditions of comfort and even luxury. His father was George Brubaker, a natte of Pennsylvania, who removed with his family to .Ash- Med. O. bull a log house there, and pursued farming until his death, in his -exty fifth year Fhas Brubaker was born on February 21, 1830, in Pennsyl- wnia. came with his parents, in 1833, to Ohio, and grew up on an Ohio farm. attending school in a pioneer log schoolhouse, with rough slab benches. Mrs. George Brubaker was Miss Elizabeth Burkhardt before her marriage. She was also a native of Pennsylvania and, like her husband, passed away in cond. Ten children were born to this hardy couple ; but only one, the fifth plest the subject of our sketch has survived until the present.

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History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches, Part 38

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