USA > California > Santa Barbara County > History of Santa Barbara county, California, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 60
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It is, in consequence of its natural advantages, be- coming the home of the wealthy and cultivated. and it is not unreasonable to suppose that in the course of another quarter of a century the narrow strip of land between the sea and the mountains, from Carpenteria to the Gaviota, will be a continuous village, with elegant residences and grounds, alternating with costly ho tels, churches and educational institutions. The ex pectations of the citizens regarding the business de velopments may be far from being realized. but it future as the residence of the cultured and wealth; seems beyond doubt.
GEORGE PARRISH TEBBETTS.
George Parrish Tebbetts was born in Gilmanton New Hampshire, on the 20th day of October. A. D 1827. His father, Dr. Nathan C. Tebbetts, was : well-known physician of the same place, and also . native of the State. His mother, Hannah Badge" Parrish, was the niece of a former Governor of New Hampshire, the Hon. William Badger. Mr. Tebbet :..
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HISTORY OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
was educated at the academy in Gilmanton, and after- wards studied medicine with Dr. Nahum Wight, a noted physician of Gilmanton, intending to adopt his father's profession. But in 1849 the gold fever was at its height. Mr. Tebbetts, with many other young and adventurous spirits of staid New England, caught the infection. Breaking off his medical studies at the end of the second year's course, he set sail from Boston Harbor on the 1st day of March, 1849, on board the schooner Edwin. After a stormy voyage of eight days and a half, they reached Chagres, and found the Isthmus alive with pilgrims in search of the new El Dorado. The means of transportation were terri- bly limited, and accommodations of any sort noto-
N
riously insufficient. The Elwin's passengers were forced to remain in Panama until the 18th of May, when the steamer Panama, which had rounded the Horn, put into that port for coal and passengers. Mr. Tebbetts, with one of his compagnons du voyage, managed to secure a passage upon this steamer, and made the Golden Gate on the 4th day of June, 1849. From San Francisco, Mr. Tebbetts first went up to the mining regions on the middle fork of the American River. For a few months he delved for gold with varying success, but soon returned to San Francisco. From thence, on the 10th of November, he sailed for San Diego on the brig Fremont. In San Diego he opened a store for the sale of general merchandise, and in 1851 was elected City Councilman and Presi- dent of the Board. He also, for several months, acted as Mayor of the city. In October, 1851, he was sent to Santa Barbara as a delegate to the Convention called for the purpose of dividing the State of Cali- fornia. This Convention took the first steps toward
a division of the State, and its work has never been completed. During this same year, 1851, an Indian outbreak caused some alarm, and San Diego was de- clared under martial law. The Indians in revolt were the Yumas, Agua Calientes and Tulares. Mr. Tebbetts was chosen Lieutenant of a company of cavalry, and and was one of the thirty-one who volunteered to go to the mountains in search of the Indians, who were known to be all in arms and 1500 strong. The Com- mandante of the city, Major Fitzgerald, had drawn up all his forces in line, and called for volunteers to at- tack the Indians. Thirty-one responded to the call, and marched away to the mountains, 80 or 90 miles distant, where they met and completely routed the enemy, capturing their second in command, a rene- gade American named Bill Marshall, and a Mexican. The chief of the revolted tribes, Antonio, was captured by United States troops, who followed closely after the volunteer corps. Antonio was shot in San Diego after a court martial trial, and the two prisoners taken by the volunteers were both hung in San Diego when the troops returned, which was after two months of actual service. Mr. Tebbetts was married on the 31st of July, 1854, in San Diego, and of the five children born to him but two now sur- vive The eldest daughter, Frances Stella, married J. Ben. Burton, the only son of Don Luis Burton, formerly a prominent citizen of Santa Barbara. The younger daughter, Mary Virginia del Reyes, is the wife of Frank E. Prescott of Oakland. The two elder sous, Horace Badger and John Edwin, died in Santa Barbara after attaining the ages of eighteen and twenty. The youngest son, George Edgar, died in infancy. Mr. Tebbetts removed with his family to Santa Barbara in 1865.
Since 1851 to the present time, he has held some office of trust or emolument, either State or Federal. He was Assessor of Internal Revenue in San Diego, and was for many years Deputy Internal Revenue Collector of his district. He held the office of Post- master of Santa Barbara during the administrations of Grant and Hayes, and has for many years occu- pied a prominent place in local politics. He has on several occasions represented Santa Barbara in Re- publican Conventions at Sacramento. Stalwart in his political convictions, he has never sought office from the party. He declined the Consulship at Aca- pulco, tendered him by President Pierce, and has since then asked no reward for his faithful services. IIe is now, and has been for the past two years, the Business Manager of the Santa Barbara Daily Press. Since 1875 he has also held a commission in the U. S. Signal Service. Socially Mr. Tebbetts is genial and obliging, never offensive, always sacrificing a point to conciliate an opponent. He is an extensive reader in general literature. During his residence in San Diego, the celebrated John Phoenix (Lieut. Derby) was a guest at his house, and wrote some of his most amusing articles at that time. Mr. Tebbetts preserves the papers containing them with great care, as he
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does everything pertaining to the early history of California; indeed he has the most valuable collection of papers and documents to be found in Southern California, which he has gathered in his long resi- dence here. Mr. Tebbetts is also quite a meteorolo- gist and keeps a full record of the changes and tem- perature of the weather.
RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS.
The impartial historian, in his researches into the social life of the people whose customs his pen would portray, finds in their moral and religious condition an unerring criterion as to their social advancement and their aptness for future progress and well-being. In the attention that men pay to religious affairs, one may discern the outeroppings of the moral con- science, whose presence is an indispensable accompa- niment of the moral worth and dignity upon which rest the foundations of every valuable custom and institution of humanity. The daring unbeliever, the rash skeptic, may overlook or pretend to scorn the value of religious observances; and the masses may regard themselves beyond or above the necessity of the observance of religious forms. Yet the mind is not yet constituted which does not sometimes turn to religion, in some form, for guidance or assistance; and the worldly influence does not exist which can overawe the silent yet mighty inward force of an appeal to that part of our nature which men term veneration, and which of late some have learned to deride as superstition. History is made up mostly of the results which have flowed from the conflict of religious opinions; nearly every great event is but the embodiment of a religious principle, or the effect of a religious issue. Nations, in the broader view of the student of history, owe their existence or their destruction to the effects of theological opinions; and to bring the subject down to the every-day affairs of the undistinguished individual, one may ascribe all his actions to the operation of natural laws, of which the law of a universal tendency to worship is the most powerful. Casting aside speculations, and confin- ing one's self to the discussion of details, let the reader examine into the religious condition of the people of Santa Barbara County. The ingenuous writer has to admit that the view is not excessively flattering. There are many communities which have a greater proportion of churches and of communicants; yet, considering the limited time that has elapsed since the introduction of Christian observances, the outlook is highly satisfactory and encouraging.
Santa Barbara was, from the beginning, and now is, a city of churches and church influences. Whether we regard it from an ancient or a modern stand-point, as seen in early history, or after Americanization, we behold men of first-class ability administering to the spiritual wants of the people. A long list of Fran- ciscan Fathers, learned and devoted, have labored in Santa Barbara. Father Gonzales has been referred to at length. Father Sanchez also has a reputation for
sanctity and self-sacrificing devotion. The Mission at present is under the care of Father
J. J. O'KEEFE,
Who is in every respect qualified to fill the place. He is of Irish origin, and a big-hearted Irishman too- which means much. His religion is of that fatherly kind which extends a sympathizing greeting to all whom he meets. A visit to the Mission owes half its pleasures to the conversation of Father O'Keefe, who is ever ready to entertain visitors, with the history of every point of interest about the Mission. The old olive trees, the ruined aqueduct, the adobes now in ruins, the reservoir, the site of the mill, the old dormitories, and the burial-places of the Fathers who passed away in the last century, the tombs of the prominent families of Santa Barbara-become, under his instruction, subjects of intense interest. The young people, whether Protestant or Catholic, are especially drawn to him, and consider it a great pleasure to be in his company. Among the older peo- ple he is not less agreeable, and his visits are ever welcome.
When the Mission lost its importance, and the Catholic population were taught by the regular priesthood, instead of the Friars of the Order Fran- cisco who had charge of the Missions, able men were sent to Santa Barbara. The new brick church on State Street was the result of the labors of these de- voted men. The Rev. James Villa, since a professor in the College of San Jose, was among the best and most learned men of the age.
Among the Protestants, there were also examples of highly educated and noble men; in fact most of them were such. When we look back at the list which contains the names of Jackson, Bowers, Ilough, Phelps, and others that might be named, the asser- tion would appear unnecessary. Mr. Bowers was a lover of science as well as theology, and to his exer- tions in the domains of geology and archaeology the world owes its knowledge of many valuable facts regarding Santa Barbara.
The Rev. J. W. Hough was perhaps the most ver- satile man among the religious teachers. In many respects he resembled the famous Thomas Starr King. Like him, he had a poetic temperament which in- vested every subject with beauty. His powers of com- prison were perhaps unequaled. He had the advan- tage of a better presence than Starr King, having fine classical features. Not only was his power seen in the discussion of religious subjects, but no topic of the day was dwelt upon by him without enlightening his hearers. In the industrial question of the worth of woman's work, he advanced ideas that proved the extent of his mental grasp. He wrote the most strik- ing descriptions of the scenery and climate and soci ety that were ever penned.
As a preacher, he combined all these things in his sermons, which were calculated to produce devotional feeling and faith in the inspiration of the Scriptures
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HISTORY OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
The following is a sample of his pulpit eloquence :-
" Men are often heard to say, ' Your Christian faith is vagne and uneertain. Give us the substantial con- clusions of science. Revelation is unsatisfactory; hut when the man of science comes back from his explorations among the rocks or stars, and tells us what he has found, we have something solid to rest upon.' Is science, then, the domain of absolute eer- tainty ? Enter the realm of astronomie seience, and at one era you find it teaching the Ptolemaic System, with its cycles and epieyeles; at another, the Coper- nican system, with its beautiful system of concentrie ellipses; and to this day it is uncertain whether to accept or reject the nebular hypothesis. Enter the domain of geology, and at onee you encounter the fierce conflicts of the Neptunists and Vuleanists; and to this day it is not settled whether the crystalline schists and other azoic rocks are igneous or aqueous in their origin. Approach the arena of medieal sei- ence, and you will find sehool contending with school, theory clashing against theory, till diseased human- ity knows not whom or what to believe. Are you compelled to enter the temple of legal science ? You will be told on the very threshold that the uncertain- ties of the science are proverbial. And amid this conflict of theories, what a ring of absolute certainty has the voice of Revelation, as it deelares: 'God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting lite'!
"Ask ' star-eyed Science,' mistress of absolute cer- tainty, as she is elaimed to be: 'Is the interior of the earth a mass of liquid fire ?' ' We are not agreed on that point.' 'Is the human race descended from a single pair ?' . We cannot exactly tell.' ' What is the cause of earthquakes; of the Aurora Borealis; of the Zodiacal Light ? ' ' We have various theories, but not one of them is a matter of absolute demonstration.' · What is light ?' ' We do not certainly know.' 'Is the Darwinian theory true ?' ' We cannot agree upon a verdiet in that matter.' How refreshingly certain is the utterance of Scripture, as it solves the deepest problem of human existence: 'This is a faithful say- ing, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ came into the world to save sinners.'
"Science has just discovered that her estimate of the distance from the earth to the sun-her yardstick of the universe, her unit of measurement which she has been applying to all the heavens, from the earth to the Milky Way, is at fault some three or four mil- lions of miles; but for more than eighteen centuries Revelation has been applying the Golden Rule to the adjustment of all human relations, and has never found it to vary the breadth of a hair.
" I stand on Glacier Point, and look down into the Yosemite. Whitney, the State Geologist, eomes and says, ' This stupendous chasm is plainly the work of a subsidence.' In other words, the bottom fell out. At any rate, however it is formed, it is not the result of glacial action. Muir, who has lived among the heights of the Sierra, and loved them until they have whispered the very secrets of their origin, comes and says, 'Obviously this chasm is glacial in its for- mation. Why, look at these rounded domes; you may sce there the very print of the plowshare with which the glaciers plowed out this gorge.' I say, · Well, gentlemen, settle it among yourselves, but when I want certainty, let me get my feet not on Glacier Point, but on the Rock of Ages. Your argu- ments and theories are exceedingly interesting, but for absolute certainty, let me rather listen to that
voiee which echoing down the centuries, makes the very grave reverberate with 'I am the resurrection and the life.'"
Subsequent to Mr. Hough's departure, the Congre- gational and Presbyterian societies united, and have sinee formed but one society, of which Rev. F. H. Burdick is now in charge.
CHAPTER XXX.
THE ISLANDS, CHANNEL, AND HARBOR.
The Islands-The Channel-New Harbor-Geology of Santa Cruz-Anacapa-Seals-Fish-Cave- Extinct Inhabitants of the Islands-Whitmore's Vessel-Santa Cruz-Matanza -Great Storm-Santa Rosa-Santa Rosa Matanza-Indian Relics-Natural Resources-Seal Hunting-Otter Hunting -Fish in the Channel-Abalone Shells -- Turtles -- The Har- bor-Petition to Congress -- Material for a Breakwater- Place for a Colony.
LOOKING south ward from Santa Barbara, especially if the atmosphere is clear, the islands form a prom- inent object in the landscape. In a clear day they stand out prominent and strong, with every eañon and ridge distinetly defined, and seem hut a few miles away. At other times they seem like speeters afar off, and look like castles and forts with perpeu- dicular walls. The effect depends upon atmospheric conditions, and consequently the view is ever chang- ing.
The islands, four in number, are named San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, and Anaeapa, the former lying most westwardly, the others succes- sively toward the east. and the four comprising nearly a straight line east and west.
Until the members of the Coast Survey examined in detail the islands lying off the main, between San Diego and Point Concepcion, nothing aecurate was known of their numbers, peculiarities, extent, or position. On the chart of the coast from San Diego to San Fran- cisco, published by the United States Coast Survey, a remarkable and beautiful exhibition of parallelisms between the islands and the adjacent coast is pre- sented. The four islands, Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel. with the roeks seven miles west by north from the last named, have their longer axis parallel to the trend of the shore-line, which is the general direction of the Sierra Santa Ynez, immediately behind it. In Viseaiño's voyage this parallelism was noted west of Santa Catalina, where a regular row of islands exist, five or six leagues distant from each other, all populous, and the inhabitants trading with each other and the main, and the islands following each other in the same direction as the mainland.
Cortez Shoal, the islands of the Santa Catalina, San Clemente, and San Nicolas, with John Biggs' Rock seven miles from its northern extremity, have their longer axes northwest by west, and parallel to each other, while the island of Santa Barbara is on
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ISLANDS, CHANNEL, AND HARBOR.
the prolongation of the longer axis of the San Clemente. In the third parallel the direction be- comes perpendicular to the first described, for from latitude 33º 5' north, the trend of the coast and hills southward, through the longer axis of Point Loma, will pass through Los Coronados, although the islands lie northwest with respect to each other.
Navigators, in making the Santa Barbara Channel trom the northwest, readily recognize their approach in thick foggy weather by the peculiar odor of the bitumen, which, issuing from the bottom or the shore about eight miles west, and floating upon the water, works against the summer winds far beyond Point Concepcion. This set to the westward is found to exist for about four miles off shore, and runs at a maximum velocity of a mile and a half per hour. Further out the current is variable, but even there its greatest velocity is attained when running west- ward. From Point Concepcion it strikes to the southward and westward, being doubtless influenced by the current from the upper coast.
Vancouver was the first who called attention to the bitumen, using the following language. [Vol. XI., p. 449.]
"The surface of the sea, which was perfectly smooth and tranquil, was covered with a thick, slimy substance, which, when separated or disturbed by any little agitation, became very luminous, while the light breeze that came principally from the shore brought with it a strong smell of tar, or some such resin- ous substance. The next morning the sea had the appearance of dissolved tar floating upon its surface, which covered the ocean in all directions within the limits of ourview, and indicated that in the neighbor- hood it was not subject to much agitation."
The following remarks of Sir Edward Belcher, in October, 1839, are taken from the account of his voyage. [Vol. 1., p. 320.]
"Off this part of the coast to the westward [of Santa Barbara] we experienced a very extraordinary sensation, as if the ship was on fire, and after a very close investigation attributed it to a scent from the shore, it being more sensible on deek than from below; and the land breeze confirming this, it oc- curred to me that it might arise from naptha on the surface. The smell of this asphaltum appears to be occasionally experienced quite far from the land."
' Among the islands as far south as San Nicolas the current runs to the southward. On the Cortez Shoal it frequently runs against the northwest wind at the rate of nearly two miles per hour. At other times it has been found to run in an opposite direc- tion nearly as strong.
THE CHANNEL.
The bottom of the channel and shores of the islands and mainland varies from mud to soft gray sand, hard gray sand, and broken shale; is never very hard, and generally affords good holding ground for vessels at the proper depth of anchorage. In but few instances are there any dangerous rocks in the vicinity of the islands or mainland. The depth of
the water is greater in the vicinity of the islands than near the mainland. The water in the channel varies from 200 feet to 2.000 feet, this difference being found between the channel from Anacapa to Ilueneme, and from Santa Cruz to Santa Barbara. A line run from the mainland to Anacapa shows the following soundings in fathoms: 6, 8, 11, 12, 11}, 12}, 12, 13, 14, 16, 23, 47, 110, 120, 117, 119, 100, 53, 45, 48, 36, 19, at nearly equal distances. Westward in the channel the water gradually deepens until be- tween Gaviota and Santa Cruz Island the soundings are as follows: 5, 23, 36, 44, 92, 140, 170, 225, 247, 251, 268, 282, 341, 293, 302, 294, 289, 261, 231, 203, 75, 45. 37, 25, 11, 8}. From Point Concepcion to San Miguel: 6, 13, 36. 52, 65, 107, 134, 189, 206, 229, 232, 248, 253, 230, 92, 71, 66, 57, 45, 40, 38, 34, 21, 15, 7}, 6. From these soundings it will be seen that the channel shoals towards the eastern point of the is- lands and deepens towards the west.
NEW HARBOR.
If the Pacific Coast is rising, of which there seems to be little doubt, it would seem that a magnificent harbor is forming off the coast of Santa Barbara, which will surpass anything of the kind known in the world, as it will be fifty miles long and ten to fif- toen wide, and perfectly land-locked. A rise of a hundred fathoms will bring this about-a deep-water channel, protected from the ocean swells by Point Concepcion, from the southeast winds by the islands, which then would be a continuous chain. A tortuous but safe channel leading in between Anacapa and Hueneme would afford entrance from that direction, but Santa Barbara will then be some miles from the seashore. Lest timid persons should feel like selling and leaving under this prospect, it may be said that the most competent authorities fix the mean rise of the coast at less than one foot in a century, and as something like six hundred feet elevation is necessary to bring about this change, invo ving a period of 60,000 years, no immediate inconvenience need be apprehended.
GEOLOGY OF SANTA CRUZ.
The geological formation of the island presents a rare example of variety in a small spacc. The east- ern portion of the island begins first with volcanic formations belonging to the trachytic and trach- doleritic, covered in part by deposits of the tertiary period, in which are found numerous beds of silex (flint), and veins of chalcedony, etc., extending to- wards the west on the northern coast as far as the neighborhood of Prisoner's Harbor, and on the south- ern coast to within three miles of Los Coches Prietos. The sedimentary formations are the only ones which emerge from the shores of the Pacific, showing only here and there the under-volcanic submarine rocks in the cuts in the cañada. From the Cañada del Agua on the northern coast near Prisoner's Harbor, the volcanic grounds continue. without interruption as far as the northwestern part of the island, with the
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HISTORY OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
exception of a very limited area at the place called Curva de Valde, where is still found a very important calcareous sedimentary deposit. On the southern coast the ground is volcanic as far as the western ranchos, where appear some pudding-stones made of petro-silex; after that some sandstone is found, pre- senting towards the shores a conglomerate with vol- canie rocks and metamorphic schists, a staurotide and steatite; interrupted at the place called Sierra Blanco by a volcanic formation similar to the one forming the greater part of the northern coast.
ANACAPA
Is the most easterly of the group; it is composed of several small islands, the surf having cut several channels through it. It is about thirty miles from the mainland and seven or eight from Santa Cruz; it is six or seven miles long but very narrow, and is mostly solid rock, though a small portion of the highest part is covered with a.sandy loam which sustains a luxuriant growth of grass.
The descent to the ocean is abrupt, and the water immediately deepens, so there is no convenient land- ing-place, excepting one little sand-spit where land- ing is practicable, and where hunters and fishers usu- ally make their camps. The south side of the island is a vast bed of sea-weed. There is no fresh water on the island, but sheep and goats live and flourish with only the dews which cover the vegetation every night instead of water. Men who reside on the island carry water with them to last during their stay.
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