History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches, Part 44

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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That same year Mr. Branch joined a party of trappers under the leader- ·hip of William Wolfskill, making the journey from New Mexico by Great Salt lake, across the headwaters of the Red river, which they followed until it emptied into Little Salt lake near the California mountains. It being November, the country was covered with snow, and they found it impossible to cross the Sierras and consequently struck south for the Red river, and through Cajon pass. They were nine days crossing and had to break a path through the snow ; they found but few beaver and no game, and soon their provisions gave out, and they were obliged to eat their horses and mules. Finally. reaching the Mojave country, they arrived eventually in San Ber- nardino, February, 183], from which point they went on to Los Angeles; and after hunting in the mountains three years, Mr. Branch bought a general merchandise store in Santa Barbara, later selling to Alpheus B. Thompson.

In 1835 he married Doña Manuela Carlona, who was born January 1, 1815. in Santa Barbara, and they settled in San Luis Obispo County in 1839. It was here that he obtained a valuable Spanish grant in 1837, of many thousands of acres located in the Arroyo Grande valley. Later he added to his holdings the Pismo and Huer Huero tracts and raised vast herds of cattle and horses. The dry years of 1862-3-4 caused the loss of some 70,000 head. He held many public offices in the county and died on the Santa Manuela rancho, May 8. 1874. The children born of this marriage were: Ramon, born in 1836: Leandro R., born in 1838; Maria Josefa, born in 1840; Anna 1 .. , born in 1842, who married D. F. Newsom ; Francisco, born in 1844; Deseta, born in 1846; Manuela, born in 1848; Eduarda, born in 1850, Mrs. E. W. Jones of Arroyo Grande : Jose Frederico, owner of part of the home ranch ; Løsa, born in 1856, who married H. A. Sperry ; and Ysabela, born in 1857. Af Are deceased except Ramon, Mrs. E. W. Jones and J. Fred.

Mr. Branch established the first school in Arroyo Grande. He gave one wwe of land, erected the building, secured the teacher, and paid all the ex- moses himself the first year, after which he turned the school over to the Bounty. Part of the old adobe where he lived and raised his children is endine. Toin - one of the old landmarks of the valley. He was a self- Traite matt, pod at one Time was one of the wealthiest men in San Luis Obispo Yonly For additional data regarding his early activities, see the mention me alone in the narrative history.

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GERONIMO CARRANZA .- A prominent citizen and rancher of the Santa Maria valley who has performed his part towards the development of the farming resources of Santa Barbara county is Geronimo Carranza, now living in the enjoyment of his hard-earned means in a new and comfortable modern home he completed in 1917 about three miles south of Santa Maria on the lower Orcutt road. He is a native son of California, having been born in San Bernardino county, in that part now included in Riverside county, September 31, 1850, a son of Joseph Carranza, who was born in Mexico near the home of General V. Carranza, of Mexican fame. He was educated in Mexico and there was married to Agapite Tores; and soon afterwards the young couple came to California to carve out their fortunes. They settled in San Bernardino county and farmed for a time, but later moved to San Luis Obispo County and continued raising stock, meeting with a fair degree of success. From there the family went to Lower California, where Mr. Car- ranza bought a large ranch and engaged in the stock business on a large scale, and where their five children-Saturnina, Geronimo, Feliz, Miguel and Dolores-were educated.

Saturnina married Felisciano Ruiz D'Esparza, who became secretary to General Castro, governor of Lower California, and when, later, the governor was killed, succeeded to the governorship. Affairs were progressing nicely when a revolution set in ; the governor was banished to Mexico, and Mr. Car- ranza's property was confiscated and he and his family were also banished. They all embarked on a vessel and left port, but when three days out on the Pacific they set out for the island of Guadalupe, where they concluded to land and await developments The island was uninhabited by people except Mr. Carranza and his family, and was a desert waste with thousands of wild goats roaming over its expanse.

There began a Robinson Crusoe life which continued for one year and eleven months before they were rescued. They subsisted on goat's flesh and milk, a native date and the pulp of a species of palm out of which they made bread. After a time their clothes wore out, and the father fashioned clothing for his children, his wife and himself, out of the hides of the goats that they would trap by building a stockade with runways up to the top, where the goats would go in search of date fruit placed inside of the stockade as bait. Once they would jump inside, it was impossible for them to get out. Many of the hides were spotted with black and white and made very beautiful clothing. Shoes were also made out of the hides and tied on with thongs. In the end they sighted a passing schooner, and started a big fire. The smoke attracted the attention of the sailors; and they were rescued and taken to the port of San Quentin, and from there came back to San Diego. There the father died, and after his death his widow and the rest of the family came to the northern part of Santa Barbara county, where the mother passed away at the home of her son on the Suey ranch at the age of eighty- eight years.

After their Robinson Crusoe experience on Guadalupe island. Geronimo Carranza came to the Santa Maria valley and settled in 1873, and since that time has done his part to help build up the country round about. His first ex- perience was in taking horses over into Nevada to dispose of them. Then he began ranching; and as the years passed he gradually widened his acquaint- ance and circle of friends until today he is one of the best known men in the

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valley, where We fa- garnered his share of wealth from the soil. In 1900 he INstand on the Suey ranch, and in 1916 his yield of products included seven thousand sack- of barley, eight hundred sacks of beans and one hundred fifty tons of hay, for which he received good prices. He began buying land some time ago, as fast as he could do so, and secured forty acres, where he recently erected In- house. This property he has been improving from time to time; ud when he is ready to retire, he will have a place to live in comfort the balance of his days.

In 1885 Mr. Carranza was united in marriage with Miss Delphina Onti- veros, a daughter of Patricio Ontiveros, another representative pioneer of the Tepesquet rancho, which his father bought in 1855. Of this union were Born Angelina, Riccardo, Amelia, Maria, Erminia, now the wife of Joe Car- rumza. and Patricio. Mr. Carranza and his family are members of the Catholic Church, and have a wide circle of friends throughout the valley. In 1916 he trust his vote for Woodrow Wilson for President, but in local matters he aims to support the men and measures he considers best suited for the existing conditions near his home. In the Santa Maria valley, where he is known and has lived for so many years, he is highly respected as a true type of manhood.

JOHN HOUK .- A self-made man in the truest sense is John Houk of Los Alamos owner of several ranches, director of the First National Bank of Santa Maria, and stockholder in the Bank of Santa Maria and in the Valley Savings Bank. He has been a resident of the state since 1874, and since the fall of 1899 a tenant on the Todos Santos rancho, owned by the Newhall Land and Farming Co. of San Francisco, where he has twelve hundred acres under plow. A native of Germany, he was born at Billigheim, Bavaria, May 22, 1852. a son of George and Margarite Houk, both natives there, where also they were married. The father came to America, leaving his family behind, and for two years worked in Cincinnati, Ohio, at his trade of horseshoe-nail maker. After he had established himself, he sent for his family, consist- ing of his wife, three sons, one baby daughter and a stepson; and they sailed via llavre to New Orleans. Arriving at the latter place, in the summer of 1855, the little family embarked on a steamer up the Mississippi river, and while en route to Cincinnati the mother was taken with cholera and died at Vairo, Ill., where she was buried. The daughter also died en route, but the ther children continued their journey. On their arrival at Cincinnati they fre ll, including the half-brother, who was fourteen years old. placed Wa German Protestant orphanage. John being then but three years of age. W children remained there until 1859, when the father, who was engaged in und making in Dayton. O., married again. By this wife he had one son, Wollen. now a banker in Joplin, Mo. The father, aged sixty, died in Mon-

he remained under his father's roof until he was fourteen, attending Toalan the orphan house, where he was taught English and German, and -one h y short time to the public schools; but when he was fourteen, he striN xun for himself, going to Preble county, Ohio. There he found work won wrie nichteen miles from Dayton. Two years later, in the spring of TAS.In Som to Missouri, but eighteen months later moved to Round Rock. Trau- Tu The lad of 1871 he enlisted with the Texas rangers, and served six birth- , continued riding the range and trailing cattle until 1873, when he

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went to Kansas. While there he met the girl who later became his wife; and he also became acquainted, in 1873, with Buffalo Bill ( William Cody), while he was sheriff of Abilene county, Kansas.

In 1874 Mr. Houk came to California and settled for a time at Roseville, north of Sacramento. He had kept up a correspondence with his lady friend in Kansas, and she came to Sacramento, where they were married, September 28, 1875. The bride was Angeline Howerton, who was born in Johnson county, Ill. Her father, William P. Howerton, a native of Tennessee, came to Illinois with his parents, Benjamin and Elizabeth (Barnum) Howerton, the former being a minister in the Methodist Church as well as a farmer. William P. Howerton married Candace N. Groves: and in 1867 they removed with their children to Johnson county, Kansas, where the father died. The mother came to California and died in Santa Clara county.

In the fall of 1876 the young couple came to the Santa Maria valley, settling first on land that is now a part of the Pinal-Dome property, oil not being dreamed of at that time. He was offered a one hundred sixty acre claim for one hundred dollars, in what is now the heart of Orcutt oil field, then known as the Stubblefield settlement : but coming from the middle west he could not see that it was desirable as he was looking for plow land. Ile later bought one hundred sixty acres in that settlement on section 9, having a partner, S. J. Graves. At another time he purchased a quarter section near Garey. In 1880, he traded his interest in the land owned with Mr. Graves for one hundred sixty acres near Garey and soon after added a like amount, which he still owns. He has bought land from time to time, as he has been able, and among the various properties he owns is a tract of one hundred thirty-seven acres located three and one half miles west of Lompoc, and thirteen hundred forty acres in Gleun and Butte counties, between Butte creek and Sacramento river, and located in the rice belt. He built the C'ali- fornia Garage building in Santa Maria ; and this building he owns, together with its site, as well as a block of ground near the depot. In addition, he has other interests scattered about the state. For seventeen years he has operated the Todos Santos ranch, making a specialty of raising grain and beans. He runs five big teams, and has from three hundred to three hundred fifty acres in beans.

Mr. and Mrs. Houk have had eleven children of their own and have reared a niece, Sarah Hazelrig, an orphan child of Mrs. Hlouk's sister, now the wife of William Bennett of San Benito county. Dora was attending the Los Angeles high school, when she was taken ill and passed away in 1899. aged eighteen ; Volney met an accidental death in 1904, aged sixteen. Those living are: Eva, who married Porter Buchanan of Lompoc: Candace, wife of A. E. Dooley, an employe of the Pinal-Dome Oil Co .: Georgia, who became the wife of John Day, an employe of the Pioneer Warehouse Co, at Lompoc : John, who married Amelia Nichols and resides at Lompoc ; Fred E., who married Vina Boring, and is farming near Lompoc: William, who operates the home ranch ; Burton, who is in partnership with Fred F. Honk ; and Weaver and the youngest son Ruby, who are at home.

Mr. Houk is a member of Hesperian Lodge, No. 264, F. & A. M., in Santa Maria, and lives up to the precepts of the order. Ile is a man of strong character, a deep thinker, unostentatious, kind and considerate of others, and generous in his benefactions. His father cast his vote for Abraham

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Lincoln in Dayton, Ohio, though under threat of violence to his life, for feel- ing ran high over the slavery question. In politics a reformer, Mr. Houk aligns himself with the Progressive Republicans. In religious matters Mr. and Mrs. Houk are firm believers in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. As a man and citizen. no one stands higher in the esteem of the people than does John Houk.

CHARLES ALBERT CASS .- The oldest son of Captain James Cass, and a native son of the state, Charles Albert Cass was born July 17, 1856, on Lagoon creek, twenty-five miles east of Sacramento, and there for a while attended the public schools. In 1867, he came to San Luis Obispo county with his parents ; and they being poor at the time, the lad had to go to work, driving a team that was hauling piles from Cambria during the building of the wharf at Cayucos. The balance of his education, therefore, was acquired in the school of adversity ; and that he took advantage of his practical experience, he has ably demonstrated.

When he was past twenty-two, in December, 1878, he began working for wages in the vicinity of Cayucos ; later he went to Sonoma county and fol- lowed a threshing machine a season ; and then he came back home and for over three years worked for his father and others. From 1881 to 1883, he operated a dairy and a farm on shares; and later he engaged in the livery business in Cayucos and "went broke."

In 1885 he settled on the place where he now lives, then unimproved land, and erected buildings and fences, and in other ways improved the place. On the Glenn Brook Ranch, on the summit, he set out the apple orchard that was the pride of his father, and he worked for him for sixteen years. Mr. Cass bought five hundred twenty acres of hill land, and for three years engaged in raising stock; but in 1912 he came back to his father's ranch, leased it on shares and at the present time is successfully operating a dairy and farm of three hundred eighty acres, of which one hundred forty acres is bottom plow land.

On October 20, 1881, Mr. Cass was united in marriage at Guadalupe, this county, with Miss Melissa Ellen Matthews, who was born in Newburgh, Ind .. and came to California with her parents in 1875. They had three children : James, deceased, Violet and Henry. Mrs. Cass passed away in July, 1917. Mr. Cass is a Republican in politics, and fraternally is a member of the Cayucos Lodge of Odd Fellows. Like all native sons, he is interested in the upbuilding of the state and county, and in the preservation of the history of the pioneers, who are fast passing away. By his own efforts, he has risen in the world and become one of the prosperous citizens of the county.

HARRY D. DRAPER .- A former railroad man, and a pioneer con- ductor of the coast division of the Southern Pacific Railroad, Harry D. Draper i now living in the enjoyment of a competence won by hard work and Huse attention to business. He was born in Jackson, Mich., May 17. 1842. a son of Alfred D. Draper, a native of Erie county, N. Y., who was born near lindalo, and was one of the early settlers in that part of Michigan. He Shipped his goods across the lake and thence by ox teams and wagons, fordin: streams and rivers, to Jackson, near where he bought land from the Government and carried on general farming, improving a farm of three hun- Ired deres, and building a log house, in which the family lived. The coun-

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try was wild and unsettled, wolves howled about their cabin, and the father would shoot deer from his doorway. He helped drive the Chippewa Indians out of his section. Finally retiring from active work, he moved to the town, where he passed away at the age of seventy years. He married Eliza Doncy, who was born in Clarence Hollow, near Buffalo, N. Y., and died in Jackson, Mich. They had eleven children, nine of whom grew to maturity, and seven of whom are still living.

Harry D. Draper, the third oldest child in his father's family, was reared to young manhood on his father's farm, educated in the public schools and early became accustomed to the rude conditions of pioneer life. When he was sixteen, he went out to work for wages on the farms in the locality, and then worked in the timber at Saginaw, and Bay City salt wells, and for two years on flat-boats, and in 1860 went to St. Paul, Minn., and for another two years worked on the Mississippi river boats at night. He then took up railroad work for the Illinois Central at Amboy, 111., as a brakeman, and three years later entered the employ of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad, run- ning a train from Clinton, Ia., to Chicago as conductor; and this he followed for the next eighteen years. In 1882, Mr. Draper went to Dakota and took up a homestead, remaining for eighteen months; and in 1884, we find him in California in the employ of the Southern Pacific Railroad as freight con- ductor on the coast division from Castroville to the end of the line. He later became a passenger conductor running to Santa Margarita, and still later from San Luis Obispo to the end of the line, which was at Surf, and on down as the building progressed.

In July, 1896. Mr. Draper resigned from the railroad and located on his present ranch, which he had purchased some years previously and upon which he has made all the improvements, erecting residence, barns and out- buildings. His forty acres is located across the Salinas river from Paso Robles. Ile was formerly owner of three hundred twenty acres which he devoted to the raising of thoroughbred Guernsey cattle, having a dairy of thirty-five head of high-grade cows. He made a success of his operations and did much to induce men to work into a higher grade of cows than they formerly had. He devoted his entire time to his stock, enjoying his work and making it profitable.

Mr. Draper was united in marriage in San Luis Obispo with Mrs. Leonora (Lemon) Livingston, who was born in Woodland, Yolo county. Her father, John Lemon, was a native of Kentucky, who crossed the plains in 1847 to California. engaged in stock-raising in Yolo county, and then went to Pendleton, Ore., where he continued his business until his death there. His wife, Mary Huff, was born in Georgia, came to California in 1850, married in Woodland and now is living in San Jose, hale and hearty at the age of seventy- seven years. She had seven children, Mrs. Draper being the second oldest. The latter attended school in Yolo county and there married Mr. Livingston, who was a wholesale butcher. They resided in San Francisco, where she conducted a hotel; and after moving to San Luis Obispo she managed the Cosmopolitan Hotel.

Mr. Draper was made a Mason in Emulation Lodge in Clinton, Ia., was transferred to Castroville Lodge and is now demitted. He is a Republican in politics, but never has aspired to office. He is a self-made man who has seen much of the world, and is decided in his opinion that the Golden State 21

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nfTer- Writer in wrote 10 energetic men and women than any other place At the organization of the Republican party in 1854, Mr. Love father www ordelegate to the convention that was held under the

ARCHIBALD McNEIL .- Conspicnons among the residents of Santa Whey, to whose energy and perseverance in the midst of obstacles and innu- wwwpodle hardships may be attributed much of the advance made by the cen- real kwast regions, is the name of Archibald McNeil, owner of the Santa Miris I louring Mill. president of the First National Bank, and president of die IBuary board of Santa Maria. He was born near London, Middlesex ofing. Canada, January 12, 1846, a son of Peter McNeil, born in Argyleshire, Semthøj who, as a sailor for some years along the coast of Norway and swedlet often beheld the "midnight sun." He also sailed the coast of Great firmade lle was a farmer also, as were his forebears in Scotland, and in 1832 Gumm with his wife and one child to Canada, bought one hundred acres of how ily timbered land, cleared it and farmed there. Wild game abounded mu thar wilderness and he kept the larder filled with meat, often shooting deer Banjo the window of their cabin; wolves would come into his clearing after the sheep, and it required constant vigil in order to raise stock. He fried Henrietta Beaton, who was likewise born in Argyleshire ; and they had ten children, all of whom grew to maturity. They were: Flora, John, Catherine, Mary, Hugh, Duncan, Janet, Archibald, Isabelle, and Peter. The family were all Presbyterians.

The eighth child born to his parents. Archibald McNeil, received but hitle regular schooling in the wilds where their little Canadian farm was located, his mother being his only teacher. When he was old enough to swing an axe, he was set to work cutting timber in the effort to clear the land, and continued hard at work there until he was twenty. Then he was apprenticed, at Napier, Canada, to learn the miller's trade, and served three sears under James G. Sutherland, one of the finest men in the country, and Ins good wife, a most excellent lady. They took this rough timber lad into their own home and hearts, and became much interested in his welfare, and give him his start in life.

After serving his apprenticeship, Mr. McNeil went to Indiana, where Je -pent the years 1868-69; and in 1870 he came to California, arriving on May 12 m Sacramento. Hle went to Chico and worked two seasons for General Tofm Bidwell in his mill, and in 1873 went to Marysville and was employed me miller in the Marysville Flouring Mills. That same year he went to wwwwill and took charge of the mill owned by George Perkins and Max Pat's, the former of whom was afterwards governor of the state, and still Tom et ed os a United States senator from California. Mr. McNeil re- Wwed miller until 1882. The original mill burned down in 1879, At M; "> planned the new mills, looked after their construction and ord hu po ilion after they were finished. Resigning in 1882, he came Sunfeb : wo opening for himself.

Santa Maria, found an opening in the valley, as it was the bgrin section, and with John Adams established the Santa Mis erected the building ; and for about nineteen years the lowest Nams & Me Veil continued without a change except in the enlarge- inmt 5 there willi Minent and the addition of modern machinery as it

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came on the market. In 1900 Mr. McNeil bought out his partner and has since remained sole proprietor. He has large warehouses in Santa Maria, and buys and stores grain for his mill at different places along the Pacific Coast Railway.

Mr. McNeil was one of the prime movers in organizing the First National Bank, was elected its president at the beginning and has since held that responsible position ; and by his conservative methods he has become a bul- wark in the institution in which he is so deeply interested. He has been extensively interested in the oil business, and has been an officer in various oil companies ; but as a whole the oil venture has been a disappointment to him. First of all, he is a first-class miller, and the mills have been the basis of his wealth and the center of his pride ; and next in his attention and interest comes the banking business.

He has always been interested in all good movements for the better- ment of the community, was one of the men who were largely instrumental in securing the Carnegie library, and has been president of the library board for years. He has always been a·devoted friend of education and has served for many years as a member of the boards of trustees of the grammar and high schools, and for a number of years was secretary of the board of trustees of the high school. Mr. McNeil was appointed a member of the board of trustees of the California Polytechnic School at San Luis Obispo by Governor Gillette, and held the position through both administrations of Governor Johnson, and for over six years he has been president of the board. Hle is a trustee of the Presbyterian Church, of which he and his wife are regular attendants. He is a stand-pat Republican, but has always refused public office, although serving on the Republican County Central Committee for years. Mr. McNeil is prominent in fraternal matters. He belongs to San Luis Obispo Lodge No. 322, B. P. O. Elks, and is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Foresters of Santa Maria.

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History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches, Part 44

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