History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches, Part 54

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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The families on both sides of his house were typical pioneers, and it was but natural that Myron H. Brooks should inherit those traits so familiar to western civilization. He was the oldest of seven children, and received his education in the schools of the pioneer days in Sutter county, whither he was brought by his parents in 1860. He grew up to farm work and helped his father in the raising of grain and stock on the three hundred twenty acres he had leased.

In 1881, his health being poor, M. H. Brooks came to Paso Robles and engaged in the real estate business ; he also located a homestead of one hun dred sixty acres and pre-empted one hundred sixty acres near Union, while he bought eighty acres adjoining and Mrs. Brooks bought one hundred sixty acres, making a total ownership of five hundred sixty acres of fine land as well as some lots in the Bay cities. He became a factor in the development of the various interests in this section, and was a stockholder and a director in the Farmers' Alliance Business Association. He was a prominent and well posted Mason and Past Master of Paso Robles Lodge No. 280, F. & 1. M and a member of the Royal Arch Chapter in San Luis Obispo. He also served as inspector of the forty-ninth Masonic district of this jurisdiction. lle was a prominent member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows In politics, he was a Democrat, but with no aspirations for office. When a young man he joined the Baptist Church, and always held to that religious belief.

On January 1, 1889, in the Union district, this county, occurred the mar- riage of Myron H. Brooks with Virginia F. Sawyer, born near the Natural Bridge, Rockbridge county, Old Virginia, a daughter of John Sawyer The latter was also born in Rockbridge county. Virginia, and was a blacksmith there. Later he removed to the Ohio river region, where he continueil lils

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trade; there 1 Hartford City. W. Va .; and finally to the oil region of Volcano, where he made the heavy oil well tools and did a large business. He came to San Luis Obispo County, Cal., in 1885, settled on a ranch in the Union district, and ran a blacksmith shop at Estrella. He died on his ranch in 1901. His father, also named John Sawyer, was a blacksmith, and was of Holland-Dutch ancestry. John Sawyer, Jr., married Hannah Fulwider, born in Augusta county, Va., a daughter of John Fulwider, a miller by trade, who made the trip to California in the fifties by way of Cape Horn during the gold excitement. Afterwards he was engaged in stock-raising in Mendocino county, when he disappeared; the only clue found was a hat pierced with bullet holes, left on the Eel river. Mrs. Brooks' mother still lives in Paso Robles, aged eighty-six years. Six of her children grew to maturity : Virginia R., who became Mrs. M. H. Brooks; Mary Alice, Mrs. Hanson W. True; George M., who died in 1911 ; Isaac, who resides in Paso Robles : Charles E., who died in 1882, aged twenty years ; and Kate, of Paso Robles.

Virginia E. Sawyer was reared in West Virginia, attended the public schools and Belpre Academy at Belpre, O., and in 1885 came to Union, this county, where she was married to Mr. Brooks. Since the death of her husband, Mrs. Brooks leases her ranch and makes her home in Paso Robles, where she owns a comfortable residence on Twelfth and Chestnut streets. She has two sons. John Clinton of San Francisco and Charles Elbert, who resides with his mother. Mrs. Brooks is a member of the Congregational Church. She is liberal and kind-hearted, as was also her husband, and is a typical western woman. In politics, she favors the Democratic party.

WILLIAM B. PRICE .- A pioneer who reached California only after much privation and personal sacrifice, and one who really had something to do with the very foundation of things here, especially in the early develop- ment of San Luis Obispo county, was John M. Price, popularly and affec- tionately known as Uncle John Price, a sketch of whose life is given else- where in this work. He was the father of William B. Price, the enterprising rancher of Paso Robles.

William B. Price, the fourth youngest of the family, was born at Pizmo. April 19, 1866. lle was brought up on the Pizmo ranch and attended the local public school. He learned the stock business under his father's guid- ance, and for several years remained at home to give a helping hand. When he finally pushed out into the world, it was to go to San Francisco in the employ of the Humane Society.

In 1898, at the outbreak of the Spanish-American War. William volun- teered as a member of Company L, of the 14th United States Infantry ; and June 10, 1898, he was commissioned a corporal. and was soon despatched for service in the Philippine Islands. He participated in the battle with the in- sureents at the Manila outposts February 5, 1899, and took part in the assault on and capture of Santa Cruz, April 10, 1899. He was also in the thick of the fiol . Las moon, April 11, 1899, and was in the Battle of Zapote River, June 13, 1999. When He was finally mustered out, August 16, 1899, his discharge tv-tific I lo "esedlent service" and to his being "honest and faithful."

After his rourh to California, Mr. Price went to the Pizmo ranch to deco ber remained for eight months. Then he went to Cananea. Sim 10. Av val Fi tered the employ of J. B. Brethett, serving as assistant misarbol se ford There. At the end of seven years he resigned, and then

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engaged in prospecting in the Yaqui river country. He had a good gold pros- pect, and also one for silver and copper in the Panama mine, which had al- ready been worked and which he now owns; but the Yaqui Indians were so hostile that he was compelled to abandon everything there.

He then went to Douglas, Ariz., where he worked for the smelter com- pany, and while there married Mrs. Mary (Clark) Oaks, who was born in Corralville, Johnson county, Ia. By her first marriage Mrs. Oaks had had one child, John C., who is now a junior at the University of California. Pro- ceeding to San Diego, Mr. Price was for three years in the employ of Carl Leonardt, the contractor, at the end of which time he resigned and came home to take charge of his mother's ranch. This responsibility he fulfilled until her death in the fall of 1912.

In January, 1913, Mr. Price removed to Paso Robles, where he engaged in the raising of alfalfa and stock on seventeen and a half acres, along the Salinas river, on Riverside avenue, within the city limits. He sunk a well four hundred feet deep, and soon had a wide area of finely irrigated alfalfa, and there he may be found today in the center of an agricultural equipment modern and first-class in every respect, a genial host and a patriotic citizen. with many things to be proud of, yet enjoying nothing more than the mem- ory of his father's service as a pioneer.

CON DONOVAN .- Cornelius Donovan, more familiarly known as Con Donovan, is an extensive landowner and enterprising capitalist who, because he was never afraid of hard work and was always ready to adopt the most progressive methods, and thus keep fully abreast of the times, is today enjoy- ing both leisure and comfort as a retired farmer. He is a native of county Cork, Ireland, where he was born nearly seventy years ago, a member of a longlived family. His father, Daniel Donovan, was a farmer in the same county, who lived to be past eighty : while his grandfather, Con Donovan, also a farmer of that district, attained an equal age. Ilis mother, too, formerly Miss Ellen McCarty, reached more than her ninetieth year.

The first child among eight in the order of birth, Con Donovan grew up on his father's farm and remained with the old folks until he was twenty-six. Emigrating to America, in 1875, he came direct to California, and spent a summer harvesting near Salinas. In the fall he removed to the Santa Maria valley, where a cousin, Jerry Donovan (the story of whose life is given else where in these pages), was renting land and dairying. Con Donovan followed his example in leasing acreage, and so successful has he been, by hard work and frugality, that he now owns a ranch of six hundred acres on the county road between Santa Maria and Guadalupe. In the beginning, Mr. Donovan raised wheat and barley, and later became quite as extensive a raiser of hogs. Before the days of the railroad, he hanled all grain and stock to Point Sal, in wagons drawn by six horses. While raising hogs, he usually had seven hundred head or more, the care of which was no small undertaking in addition to his regular farming. During hard times, he was glad to sell good hogs as low as two cents a pound and fresh eggs at from eight to ten cents per dozen. In time, he acquired another ranch, on a hundred sixty acres, located this side of Garey.

In 1897, Con Donovan was married to Miss Katie Hourihan_ a native of County Cork, by whom he has had three children- Daniel, a student at Santa Clara College : Eugene, who is attending the Santa Maria high school

SAA MMA OMAISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

und Mekbe wo to grammar school. With his wife and family he resides in a Nuoto To bewwwinch he built in 1912. Besides this residence, he owns Tweether baliev- wirth he - accustomed to rent out. Devoted to the Cath- che Bith, Afr: Menos an fødees an especially active part in church affairs, and &T Mit Altar Society. As a citizen, Mr. Donovan is alive to all md problem-, and while leaning towards Democratic standards, W alivog - vores wording to reason and for the "best man."

WILLIAM AND WILLIAM J. LEFFINGWELL .- This is a country More the men in business affairs are the true type of vigorous, healthy man- Tort, many of them being the descendants of the pioneers who blazed the trails over mountain, desert and plain to this state and here laid the founda- wolf of our present prosperity. No more worthy representative of these Phoneers is to be found in San Luis Obispo County than W. J. Leffingwell of Cambria, where he was born, October 2, 1873, a son of William Leffingwell, forty-niner, who crossed the plains with ox teams to California, via Salt Lake wsd the Sink of the Humboldt. The father was one of a family of three sons and four daughters, who, with their father (also named William ) and mother, touk the long and hazardous journey from their eastern home. William Heffingwell, the grandfather of W. J. Leffingwell, went to the mines for a -hort time, and then moved to Sonoma county and began lumbering with his sons, Adam and William. They built a sawmill and had the first Circular saw ever brought into the state. They continued the business there until they located in San Luis Obispo County in 1859, settling on land that became known as the old Leffingwell place, two miles north of Cambria. The land purchased was covered with timber, and here they put up a sawmill, ran it by steam power, logged the timber and manufactured it into lumber. This was the first sawmill in this county and it was oper- ated several years. Many of the early houses, as well as other buildings in this section of the county, were constructed from; lumber turned out from this mill. They also built a flour mill with a run of burrs and made flour from the wheat brought to them from various parts of the county. This bois the first flour mill in this part of the county, and it was operated until it Was completely demolished by an explosion of the boiler. Only the two burr- Hhes were left to mark the site of the mill. Mr. Leffingwell and his sons Wired the land of timber, and began farming. They also built the Leffing- Wwil wharf, about half way between Santa Rosa creek and San Simeon creek, flere they owned a large tract of land.

Grandfather William Leffingwell died on the old home ranch; Adam the recentally killed while head sawyer at the mill, and William, the father an William I .. continued to farm the old ranch until he retired to his resi- Andi Cambria, where he died, October 11, 1913, aged seventy-one years. He was nerried near Cambria to Miss May Woods, a native of Waldo, Oh wow hter of James and Anna (Jones) Woods, of Mercer county, Profiny Gaard the plains to Oregon in 1849, and later located in Cali- wy man Tratta, where they engaged in cattle raising. In the spring of lh Wirdk moved with his family to the coast and settled near Limey, Tu le & such on Santa Rosa creek, farmed, dairied and raised They had three sons and five daughters, all of whom, Mrs. Leffingwell is the oldest, and has been a resi- dwa - lie was twelve years old. She attended the first

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school they had in this section, kept in an old log house on Santa Rosa creek. She had two children, Anna, Mrs. Bergagnin, of Cambria, and William James, of this review.

W. J. Leffingwell attended the school on San Simeon creek, lived at home and helped his father until he was twenty-one, when he took charge of the old place comprising six hundred acres, and for a time ran a dairy and raised stock. He later sold three hundred twenty acres at a good price, retaining two hundred eighty acres. Since the death of his father, he has carried on the stock business with more than ordinary success. In 1916 he was appointed road master of his district, and he is discharging the duties of the office with efficiency. He is a member and past president of Cambria Parlor, N. S. G. W., and is highly esteemed for his many good qualities and for his sterling traits of character.

OLE NELSON .- A valued resident of Santa Maria valley since 1876, Ole Nelson is one of the few pioneers who have been spared to witness the growth of the country and to recount the experiences of the early days, when game abounded in this section and cattle roamed at will, and when few trees could be seen except on the sides of the mountains on either side of the valley. Ile remembers when Central City, as the thriving town of Santa Maria was first known, was but a settlement at the four corners where Main and Broadway intersect, with a few straggling houses scattered here and there. He is the owner of three hundred twenty-six acres, which he bought from Dana Brothers in the fall of 1885. The ranch is located three miles north of Santa Maria, where Nipomo creek flows into the Santa Maria river. A native of Denmark, Mr. Nelson was born on February 12, 1854, in the north- ern part of Jutland, a son of James and Elsie Nelson. The father died when Ole was six months old, leaving his wife with three children, two sons and a daughter. Mrs. Nelson was married a second time, Andrew Jensen becoming her husband ; and one child was born to them. She died in Denmark at the age of seventy-four.

Ole Nelson was educated in the public schools, and was confirmed in the Lutheran Church when he was fourteen. Ile then began to work out for wages, but the pay was very small. He had read about America, and had talked with some of his countrymen who had returned from this country : and learning that better opportunities were offered for young men of energy than his own country afforded, he decided that he would seek them for him- self. He made arrangements for money to pay his expenses, bade good-bye to his home and friends, and sailed from Copenhagen. March 17, 1873, on the old Allan line, landing at Castle Garden in April. The first two years in this country were rather lonesome ones for the young man from Denmark. He knew nothing of the customs of the country, nor could he speak our language : but he had to make a living and welcomed any honest work that came his way, He worked on a farm in Connecticut the first summer, and then spent two years in the copper mines on the upper peninsula of Michigan.

Ile saved his money, and after he had earned enough to pay his fare, he started for the Coast, visiting Washington, Oregon and British Columbia. In the spring of 1875 he arrived in San Francisco, where he worked about a year. This experience of travel and mixing with various people contributed much to Mr. Nelson's education, and fitted him to cope with conditions as he found them later on. While in San Francisco he met a man who owned the

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Sisquốc randy and wher wanted workmen ; whereupon Mr. Nelson hired out, took the steamer to Avila, and from there went by horse stage to Guadalupe and the ranch. For several years he remained there, giving his best efforts to his employer and meanwhile saving his money, until he felt justified in branch- ing out for himself. He then bought land and raised grain. He now has a small dairy of twelve cows, raises beans, and keeps about 1,000 white Leg- horn chickens. All the improvements seen on the ranch have been placed there by its owner ; ornamental and fruit trees have been set out, fences have been built, and other things necessary to make of it a comfortable home place have been done.

Mr. Nelson was married, October 24, 1883, in San Luis Obispo County to Margaret Christensen, who was born in Schleswig, January 30, 1860, a laughter of Hans C. and Ingeborg (Hansen) Christensen, who never left their native land. The father died there in 1912, aged seventy-five: the mother, now aged seventy-nine, is still living. They had eight children, seven of whom are living ; and four of these are in California : John Christensen, who live, near Edna: Hans, of Nipomo; Maria, who married John Nelson, and resides in Lompoc : and Mrs. Ole Nelson. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson had twelve children. Elsie, who married Andrew Ditlefsen, has four children and resides near Biggs, Butte county ; Ingeborg is at home with her parents ; Oline is the wife of H. P. Schmidt, residing in Healdsburg : Cecelia, who became the wife of Ernest Wineman, has three children and lives at Nipomo; Ninnie, who married Ernest Jacobsen, lives in Petaluma and has two children : Nils died in infancy ; James lives in Penngrove, Sonoma county ; Annie died at the age of eighteen : Margaret died when she was eight ; Oliver, Hans and Raymond are all at home. Mr. Nelson is a member of Santa Maria Lodge No. 613, I. (). O. F., and in politics is a Democrat. He is a self-made man, and is known as a man of dependable word. In the evening of their days, he and his good wife live in the enjoyment of the well-earned reward of their years of toil, surrounded by their children and grandchildren, and by a host of friends.

ERNEST H. GIBSON,-Competent and efficient as cashier of the First National Bank of Santa Maria, E. H. Gibson has grown up in the banking business, in which he has always been found reliable and accurate. He was born on January 29, 1885, a son of Joseph B. Gibson, who was born in the north of Ireland in 1859. After a creditable record in Belfast, Ireland, the father settled in Chicago, in 1883. He was closely associated with Lyman Gage, ex secretary of the treasury, and former president of the First National Bank of Chicago. In 1890 Joseph B. Gibson left Chicago and spent about ten months in the state of Washington, after which he came down to San Luis Obispo County, and settled at Arroyo Grande, where he is now employed in Wwk of Arroyo Grande. Ile married Annie Hamilton, and they became ble parents of five children.

In die't of these. E. II. Gibson, was but five years old when his parents To : ' po, and his education was obtained in the schools in Arroyo Grande. Howto To Me Let that his father had met with reverses by purchasing some jowe ind The of Wild to go to work before finishing the high school. He williede l'o Eil of Arroyo Grande in 1904, as a clerk, and seven months lalan were finale ce hier of the Bank of Cambria, which was organized in with the Bank of Cambria until 1908, when he accepted The First National Bank of Santa Maria.

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Mr. Gibson was united in marriage with Miss Ruth Maulsby, a well- known lady of Santa Maria and a graduate of the Santa Maria high school. She was residing in Whittier at the time of their marriage in 1913. Both Mr. and Mrs. Gibson are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is a member of the board of trustees of the church and is now superin- tendent of the Sunday school. In 1914 he was elected a member of the board of city trustees of Santa Maria. He and his wife are prominent in church circles, both being deeply interested in religious work.

BENJAMIN BROOKS .- Ever since the year 1635 the Brooks family has been identified with American history, at which time they settled in New York. Many of the early representatives of the name were shipmasters and owned merchantmen engaged in trade with the West Indies. Benjamin S. Brooks was the son of a wealthy shipowner: but at an early age his tal- ents seemed to point in the direction of the law, and he entered that profession. In 1849 he joined the throngs that sought the far West. He went. not to search for gold, but to follow his profession. He settled in San Francisco and began practice, becoming in that city an honored member of the bar and a successful attorney. He was connected with almost all of the important land cases of his time throughout the state. He was a successful business man, as well as an attorney, and had accumulated considerable wealth when. in 1883, he died in San Francisco, aged about sixty years. He was twice married. By his first wife, who was a New York lady, he had one son, Benja- min ; and by the second wife, another son, William, who became prominent in San Francisco.

Benjamin Brooks was born in New York City, October 25, 1842, and was educated in the noted academy at Fairfield, Conn., until he was thirteen, after which he came to California and attended the public schools in San Fran- cisco. Intending to enter the profession of the law, he studied in his father's office and elsewhere and was admitted to the bar. About this time Gen. John C. Fremont, who was a warm friend of his father, offered him a position with the Union Pacific Railroad. Returning to San Francisco in 1865. he resumed the practice of law, and later accepted a position in the custom house there. For five years afterwards he was connected with the freight department of the Southern Pacific Railroad.

It was during 1885 that Mr. Brooks came to San Luis Obispo, where he became owner and proprietor of the Tribune, which under his able manage- ment has become the leading paper in the county and one of the leading Re- publican organs of Central California. The paper was conducted as a weekly until 1893, when it became a daily. Not only through his paper, but also personally, Mr. Brooks gives his influence to the Republican party : and as a member of the county and state central committees, he has filled every trust reposed in him. He is a Mason, a member of the lodge chapter and com- mandery in San Luis Obispo, and of the Eastern Star : while the Independent Order of Foresters, the B. P. O. Elks and the Royal Arcanum number him among their active members and their past officers. lle assisted in organiz ing the San Luis Obispo Building and Loan Association and for years served as its president.

In 1867 Mr. Brooks was united in marriage with Miss Ella Steele, daugh- ter of Hon. John B. Steele, who was a member of Congress from New York She is a niece of Judge George Steele, a leading citizen of San Luis Obispo

BW TUIS THISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

isune, no dem creo: I nol Steele, an officer in the Union army in the Civil Ayar, OF whom Ro foraml Army post in San Luis Obispo is named. Mr. Drabs 19 a man of geral manner. possessing tact, intelligence and good- (-ho onl & person jity that impresses and charms, the whole combin- je to make fomosse to the influential and popular men of the county.

REGA DENT FREEMAN .- That nothing succeeds like success is w faouistrated in the life history of Rega Dent Freeman, successful farmer and stickman in the Ranchita district of San Luis Obispo county. A native To Kamergia, born at Indian Springs, Butts county. December 24, 1874, the edtest con di T. F. Freeman ( who is represented on another page in this History, Rega Dent was reared on a stock ranch in Young county, Texas, where he learned to ride the range and to care for cattle, attending mean- while the public schools in his locality.

He was married in Palo Pinto county, Tex., on September 26. 1897, to AF. TyNie Nickless. a native of that county, whose father. David Nickless, Wwe la ri in Alabama, but was reared in Louisiana, afterwards becoming a Harm to Palo Pinto county. Tex. Her mother, Epsey Melton, was born in Luisana Both are still living in Texas. After their marriage, the Free- Mos farmed in Texas until 1902, removing thence to Arizona, where Mr. Theman followed farming above the Roosevelt dam and also hauled con- eren and cement for the construction of the canal.

In 1905. he located at Bradley, Monterey county, Cal., and with his ofother Joe leased the H. \. Fallman ranch of 1,960 acres. A couple of years Der he bought his brother out, and continued farming alone until, in Wab, he purchased the present place of 1.120 acres, nine miles east of San Menel in the Ranchita school district. He immediately set about improv- the place. builling an addition to his residence, and new barns, and unicing in the place: and since then he has purchased land adjoining until he 0000 . was 1.740 acres in a body, which he devotes to grain and stock- mind. About 1,200 acres is tillable land, and each year about three hundred hoy acres is shown to barley and wheat, and one hundred acres is planted to for Aside from raising cattle and hogs, he is making a specialty of raising obs ( which he has some fine specimens, which he sells for as high a 1000 20 5250 each.

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History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches, Part 54

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