USA > California > Santa Barbara County > History of Santa Barbara county, California, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 77
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JOHN R. STONE
Was a native of Ohio; came to this State in 1852, and to the county in 1868, where he married a daughter of the patriarch Foxen. He was a man of great energy and marked character. His experience as an officer in tracking criminals is said to have been very full of exciting incidents. A view of his place, now occupied by his widow, Mrs. M. A. Stone, is given.
F. WICKENDEN
Is a native of England, having been born at Ports- mouth, November 18, 1825. Resided in the old country until twenty-five years of age, when he went to Peru, South America, and was appointed as Superintendent in the construction of a railroad. Remained there two years, and then went to Panama, and thence to San Francisco, arriving in June. In the fall of 1852 he went to San Luis Obispo, where he was engaged for ten years in sheep-raising. In 1862. during the month of October, he came to Santa Barbara County and located on what was known as the Tinaquaic grant, at which place he has since resided.
His business since Jocating here has been merchan- dising and stock-raising. His ranch consists, in the aggregate, of 6,000 acres, about 500,of which are
under cultivation, the balance being used for grazing purposes.
Among the many fine places in the northern part of the county, none show better improvements than does Mr. Wickenden's, and the neat and tidy appear- ance of the premises is ample proof of the good taste and business traits of the owner.
His store contains a general assortment of goods, consisting of dry goods, hats and caps, boots and shoes, groceries, etc. His residence adjoins the store, around which is a beautifully laid-out yard and garden. A view of the premises may be seen in this work.
The happy event of his life was consummated July 16, 1860, in his marriage to Miss Ramona Foxen, the second daughter of Benj. Foxen, who located in Santa Barbara in 1825. Mr. Wickenden has nine children, six sons and three daughters.
Fred Wickenden is one of the best known and most esteemed men in the county. His extensive business connections have brought him into relations with numerous people, every one of whom learns to esteem him as a friend. He is genial and hospitable, his house being open to all his friends, which are legion.
In 1877
LA GRACIOSA
Was a brisk little settlement amongst the hills, southwest of the Santa Maria Valley, on the road from Los Alamos to Guadalupe, fourteen miles from the former and twelve miles from the latter place. But life upon the Spanish grants is at best a precari- ous one. The land upon which the town stands having been confirmed to H. M. Newhall, he served suits of ejectment on all inhabitants, besides claiming some $40,000 damages. The result was a complete eradication of the town from the face of the country.
Its history may be related in a few words: Don Patricio O'Neil settled in La Graciosa and opened a store about the year 1868, long before Guadalupe, Los Alamos, Central City, or Lompoc were thought of. He built La Graciosa, and at one time did a large business, his sales exceeding $75,000 a year. These were the halcyon days of La Graciosa-the days when the Justice's Court at that place had jurisdiction over all that vast country between the Santa Maria River and Santa Barbara; when two trials a day was the rule, and a man for breakfast was not uncommon;, when Chas. H. Smith carried the mail himself twelve miles on horseback, at a salary of $1,200 per year; the days when flourished our friends, congenial and noted, viz., L. N. Cannon, John Conway, James Allen, Don Patricio O'Neil, Thos. Oliver, Chas. Taubert, Fred de la Guerra, etc .; when men died with their boots on every few days; when John McPherson, he of the silver tongue and poetical imagination, looking down from the grand amphitheater of hills toward the west, wrote of Graciosa :-
324
HISTORY OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
" Graciosa! Graciosa! thy name, when uttercd by a Spanish maiden, sounds like a drop of liquid silver falling upon a bed of roses."
Did the beautiful name kill it ?
In May, 1877, Mr. G. W. Foster lost his granary, 800 sacks of barley, and a number of fowls, by a fire, supposed to have been incendiary.
It was here that Justiee Green fined one of the Arrellanes $5.00 for coming into a bar-room with his hat on when the court was in session.
CUYAMA.
This rancho lies in the extreme northern part of the county, and separated from the rest of it by the high Sierra de San Rafael. It is about fifty miles from the coast. The Cuyama River, a northern branch of the Santa Maria, and the northern bound- ary of the county, cuts it in two nearly equal por- tions. It was granted to José Maria Rojo, April 24, 1843, and confirmed to Maria Antonio de la Guerra and Cesario Lataillade, and included 22,198.74 acres. The family still retain possession of it, and use it, in the main, for stock-raising. Its acreage, as repre- sented by the U. S. patent, is 71,020.75 acres. In the spring of 1881 it was estimated to support 3,000 cattle.
CHAPTER XXXV. MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS.
Education-Common Schools-First Free School-Public School in Santa Barbara in 1855-Santa Ynez College-Santa Barbara College-Saint Vincent's Institute-Newspapers- The Gazette-Post-Press-Times-Index-W. F. Russell- Daily News-Daily Morning Republican-Santa Barbara Daily Advertiser --- Democrat-Independent --- The Gaceta --- Small Papers-Lompoc Record-Guadalupe Telegraph-Societies- Secret Societies-Masonic-Odd Fellows-Knights of Pyth- ias-Woman's Missionary Society-Agricultural Society- Immigration Bureau-Natural History Association-Hotels -Farmers' Grange Association-Union Club-Fires-Burn- ing of the American Hotel-Burning of the St. Vincent Institute -- Pioneer Fire Company-Protection Hook & Ladder Company-Crime-Murder of Mr. and Mrs. Wun. Corliss-Samuel Barthman -- Abadie-Brophy-Lorenzana -Mr. and Mrs. Shedd-Norton-Trinadad German-Tra- bucco-Dick Fellows-Water Companies-Street Railroads -Gas Works.
THE first Legislature of California, at the session of 1849, signalized its sense of the importance of popular education by making provision for the estab- lishment of a public school system, comprehensive and thorough. Five hundred thousand acres of land, which had been donated by Congress for this purpose, was to be so used as to make a perpetual fund, with a proviso, however, that it might be used for other purposes, " if the public exigencies required." This produced an animated debate, it being justly considered that " public exigencies " was rather an indefinite term, and would be liable to endanger the existence of the School Fund. The proviso was stricken out by a
majority of one vote. It was made essential that any school, to derive its portion of the public benefits of the fund, should have at least three months' school in each year. The effort to organize a general fund sacred to common schools found its warmest advo- cate in Mr. Semple, of Sonoma, while it was opposed by Captain (after Major-General) H. W. Halleck and William M. Gwin. Such conditions were placed upon the formation of the fund that 50,000 aeres of the Congressional grant were lost to the purposes of pub- lie instruction, before the matter was placed on a secure basis. It was thought by many that these lands, some being located in the mining distriets, would furnish a revenue sufficient to run the whole State Government.
THE FIRST FREE SCHOOL IN THIS STATE
Was organized in San Francisco, April 2, 1850. Later on small schools were established in many mining towns. In Placerville, the first school, containing some half-dozen pupils, was taught by a carpenter in his shop, in the intervals of nailing together rock -. ers and long-toms. The comparatively small num- ber of children, together with the scattered condition of society in these early years, kept the full benefits of the system from being realized, and it was also found exceedingly difficult to organize a fund out of the proceeds of the sales of lands.
THE FIRST SCHOOL REPORT
Was published in 1852, by John G. Marvin, State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Therein he recommended several important changes in the school law, among others; that a tax of five cents should be levied upon each hundred dollars of taxable property; that the office of County Superintendent should be created; that provision be made for school libra- ries and that the proceeds of swamp and overflowed lands be applied to the School Fund. He estimated the value of the sixteenth and thirty-sixth sections, and the special grant of 500,000 acres at $8,000,000.
In Mr. Marvin's second report, published in 1852, the number of public schools in the whole State was stated at but twenty. The sales of land had produced a fund of $300,000, and the number of children in the State, between four and eighteen years, was 17,821, of whom 3,314 attended school. He recommended that the County Assessors be made, ex officio, County Superintendents; that no Catholie or sectarian schools be allowed any portion of the fund. In 1852, the sum derived from the sales of public school lands amounted to $300,000.
In 1853, the Legislature enacted that the School Fund should not be used for any other purpose what- ever; that religions and sectarian schools should not enjoy its benefits. The office of County Superintend- ent was created, and the inenmbents were authorized to appoint three Commissioners for each school dis- triet. Paul K. Hobbs, State Superintendent, recom- mended that the School Fund be apportioned according
RESIDENCE & RANCH OF FREDERIC.R. FOXEN, TINAQUAIC RANCHO, SANTA BARBARA CO.CAL.
*
X
RESIDENCE & RANCH OF JOHN C. FOXEN, TINAQUAIC RANCHO, SANTA BARBARA CO.CAL.
325
MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS.
to the number of children attending school rather than by the census returns.
In 1854, the Legislature provided that fifteen per cent. ofthe poll-tax should be paid into the School Fund. An attempt was made during this session to repeal the article prohibiting the granting of money to sectarian schools, but the bill did not reach a vote. The Superintendent reported the number of children attending school, as having increased from 3,000 in 1852, to 5,700 in 1854; this having been the first attempt to get a tabulated statement of school mat- ters.
During the following session measures were intro- duced which became the law of the State, probably forever settling the vexed question of maintaining sectarian schools out of the public school funds. These measures provided that no sectarian doctrines should be taught in schools receiving public money. It was also provided that no money should be appor- tioned to any school not taught hy a regularly ex- amined and licensed teacher.
Superintendent Hnbbs, in 1856, recommended that a uniform series of text-books be used. This was a very great step in advance, as until then every school, and, in fact, every pupil had possessed its own peculiar set of books, whence arose much confusion and inefficiency.
In 1857, Andrew J. Moulder, the present Secretary of the Free Library of San Francisco, became State Superintendent. The number of schools had now increased to 486; the number of children from 11,200 to 35,700. Mr. Moulder has always been devoted to the interests of education, and has done much to create public interest in school matters. He strongly recommended the establishment of a polytechnic school, which should turn out practical metallurgists and miners, predicting the immense future develop- ment of the mining interests, and anticipating, in some measure, the organization of the State Univer- sity at Berkeley, which, in some of its departments. is modeled on his recommendation. During the year 1858, the Legislature took measures to in- crease the School Fund, and authorized the separate districts to levy a special school tax on all prop- erty. This was in accordance with the recommenda- tion of the previous Superintendent, Mr. Hobbs, who, in 1857,announced that no such thing as a public school existed in the State, the rate bills and other expenses practically excluding many pupils from the schools.
Mr. Moulder's first report of the condition of the schools was an able production, showing that the number of children had reached 29,347. He recom- mended that each school should be kept open for six months each year. He drew a parallel between the cost of controlling the criminal classes of the State, and educating the children, from which the facts are drawn, that in five years $754,000 had been expended on prisons and reformatories, while only $284,000 had gone to the support of the schools; or, in other
words, that each of the 30,000 children had not cost $9.00, while each of the 400 criminals had cost the State $1,885.
PUBLIC SCHOOL IN 1855.
The public school of Santa Barbara was taught, in 1855, in the original mission building, a damp and poorly-lighted structure, which was much superior in age to the mission buildings ou the hill, and which is fallen to ruins, with the exception of a portion of a wall and archway, which can yet be seen standing on Santa Barbara Street between Cannon Perdido, and Carrillo Streets. Opposite stands the equally inter- esting remains of the Commandante's headquarters in the old presidio. This building is modernized by a shingle roof. The cobblestone foundation of the presidio may yet be traced. The presidio grounds com- prised about seven acres, on which some of the mili- tary barracks are still standing. The school referred to was taught in that year by an illiterate individual who made Spanish the sole medium of communica- tion with his pupils, and whose services were repaid at the rate of $80.00 per month. In order to draw public funds for the support of the school, it was essential that the teacher be examined as to his pro- ficiency. It is remembered that in answer to the query "Which is the largest river in the world," he unhesitatingly replied, " The Santa Maria !" (an in- significant stream in Chili). About forty scholars attended the school, and for want of books studied the alphabet written in chalk upon the walls. In 1857 the school building was rendered so unsafe hy an earthquake, that it was abandoned for school pur- poses, and the teachers and pupils removed to an adobe structure on the corner of State and Carrillo Streets, which cost $1,500, half of which was sub- scribed, the remainder coming from the County School Fund. The new school house was considered such a piece of extravagance that that Board of Trustees were incontinently kicked out of office at the next election, and others elected who would use more caution in spending the people's money !
By the year 1868 there were five school districts within the county, attended by 1,627 pupils, of whom forty-nine were of Indian extraction. Of these dis- tricts Santa Barbara had the greatest number, 785; while San Buenaventura came next, with 499. Mon- tecito District comprised 216 pupils, and the remain- ing two, Pedregosa and Rafaella, were of small im- portance, having together but ninety-nine pupils. In 1870 a two-story brick school building was erected in Santa Barbara. costing $16,000.
An interesting matter in this connection may well be mentioned here. This was the proposition on the part of the firm of Leland & Company to organize a lottery in aid of the district school of Santa Bar- bara. This project, taking the Mercantile Library Lottery of San Fransisco as its model, was to have been conducted under the auspices of the school authorities of Santa Barbara, and application was
42
326
HISTORY OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
made to the Trustees for the use of the Publie School Building, in which to conduct the drawing. The proposed measure evoked a storm of dissension, and the local newspapers were drawn into the dis- pute, the Press opposing, the Times supporting the projeet. After a season of debate, public opinion was settled adversely to the measure, and its consid- eration was dropped.
In 1871 there were found to be 763 children of the appropriate age for attending school, of whom 344 habitually attended. In the same year the receipts of that school district were :-
From State Fund. $2,972.58
From Library Fund 50.00
From County Fund_
3,349.93
Special Tax
4,300.15
In addition, $1,000 was claimed from the sale of the old school house, making altogether $11,672.66. The amount paid for teachers' salaries during the same fiscal year (ending June 30, 1871,) was $3,000, which, with other current expenses, added to the cost of building a new school house, footed up $12,644.40 for the amount of expenditure for that year.
The next topic of interest in connection with the subject of education was the holding of an election in Santa Barbara, to determine whether the city should provide means for increasing the school facil- ities. It had appeared by statistics that owing to the natural growth of the place, and the influx of visitors, the number of children of age to demand the benefits of the school law was nearly 1,000, while the accommodations were now very limited; that but 300 pupils could be received. The vast majority who were deprived of the inestimable benefits of free education had their ease presented, but although the faet would scem neither credible nor creditable, their necessities were ignored and their rights with- held. This narrow and disereditable decision was brought about through the combination of Mexicans, who desired no schools, and Americans, who were afraid to entrust the then Board of School Commis- sioners with the money require to build proper accom- modations.
In 1875 the total number of pupils receiving in- struction in the city of Santa Barbara was 796, of whom sixty-two attended the Santa Barbara College; 145, St. Vincent's; 485, the public schools; thirty-one, the Mission school; while the private schools of Mrs. Woods, J. R. Tomlinson and S. Bloomfield received forty-one, twelve and twenty, respectively.
SANTA YNEZ COLLEGE.
Of institutions of a more pretentious character and of a higher grade than common schools, the county possessed two, the Santa Barbara College and the College of Santa Ynez, in the Santa Ynez Valley. Both of these institutions have done commendable work, though within but a small scope, and each is worthy of extended mention, though they have dif- fered so widely in their field of labor.
THE CATHOLIC
College, at Santa Ynez, was founded at a compar- atively early period in the history of the State, it appearing, from a comparison of dates in possession of the writer, to have been not later than the year 1843 that Pascal Doran. a Franciscan friar, became the head of the college, and set out in the profession of educating teachers who should aid in the work of eivilizing or reclaiming the Indians. For sixteen years this devoted man labored in his calling, at the little abode of learn- ing situated in the secluded vale of the Holy Ynez, in 1859 relinquishing his work to the Rev. Father Basso, who, dying in 1876, after the prolonged admin- istration of seventeen years, gave over his work to the present head, Rev. Father Lynch. There are now associated in the work two lay brothers of the Franciscan Order, John McMahon and Peter Moran. There has been a considerable attendance at times, the number rising as high as sixty, while it has gen- erally been considerably less. In 1868 fifty were on the rolls. The institution is rather sparsely attended at present, and does not promise much for the future, except as a local school for the rapidly growing pop- ulation of the valley.
SANTA BARBARA COLLEGE,
An institution which for a time was looked upon with pride and interest by all who had the well- being of the county at heart, and which for years bid fair to soon rival the classic seats of Eastern learning and culture, but which is now a thing of the past, was incorporated in the year 1869. The reason of the existence of this institution of learning is well stated in the Prospectus of 1873-74, and one cannot do better than to reproduce the language :-
" Under the laws of California, in the year 1869' the College of Santa Barbara was incorporated. It owes its origin to the feeling that, with its health- giving breezes and almost perfect elimate, Southern California is destined to be the Paradise of America, and that consequently a necessity exists for an educational institution which shall carry its pupils further than is the province of the public schools. The citizens of Santa Barbara and vicinity felt that the rapidly increasing population and wealth of their own county, and those adjoining, would justify con- siderable expense in providing for their children better means and methods of edue tion. In obedi- ence to this feeling, a number of publie-spirited citizens of Santa Barbara organized a stock com- pany, who erected suitable buildings for the imme- diate wants. The success attained by their first efforts, and the encouragement of almost the entire community, induced the incorporators to re-organize under the new Code, with a capital stock of $100,000.
"The institution is governed by a Board of eleven Directors, who- have been chosen from among the most prominent and intelligent citizens of the county. They serve only in order to promote the educational interest of the State, and to open wider fields of learning for the sons and daughters of the country. Their best thoughts are given to the institution. * * * * *
*
"The institution will be entirely free from sectarian
327
MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS.
bias. The pure morality and piety of the Scriptures, excluding everything sectarian and denominational, is the foundation of all moral and religions teachings. The patrons, stock-holders, and directors are mem- bers of every sect and denomin ition. Justice to them demands the utmost I berality. The Sabbath will be observed as a day of rest and religious te ich- ing, and should be made the pleasantest of the week. Attendance upon Divine worship is expected, and parents are requested to signify the church which they prefer their children shall attend. An instructor will accompany the younger pupils. * * * * *
" The college receives pupils of both sexes. It thus places itself in accord with the progressive spirit and the necessities of the West. Girls and boys have each an equal share in the instruction, and will be treated alike."
From this liberal declaration of facts and princi- ples, the college took its rise. The stock was divided into 500 shares, of a par value of $20 each, and was subscribed for as follows :-
FIRST STOCK-HOLDERS IN SANTA BARBARA COLLEGE.
SHARES.
AMOUNT.
Jonathan Mayhew
25
$ 500
John H. Neale.
10
200
G. P. Tebbetts
10
200
M. H. Biggs
10
200
H. G. Trussell 3
60
E. B. Boust ..
3
60
John P. Stearns
13
260
R. Forbush
5
100
J. E. Goux
5
100
Charles Fernald 10
200
Albert Boeseke 5
100
J. Franklin Williams 4
80
J. H. Summers
5
100
Arza Porter
5
100
Chas. E. Huse.
10
200
Cyrus Marshall 17
340
H. H. Snow
5
100
John A. Kuhlman
5
100
George Hartley
5
100
S. R. I. Sturgeon
5
100
J. M. Audenagui
2
40
N. W. Winton
10
200
O. L. Abbott
5
100
José Lobero
3
60
L. T. Burton
5
100
F. W. Frost ..
5
100
D. W. Thompson
5
100
W. R Thompkins 5
25
500
Ramon J. Hill 5
100
A. P. More 10
200
G. C. Welch
5
100
F. A. Thompson
5
100
W. H. Norway
10
200
Robt. B. Ord
5
100
J. B. Shaw
5
100
J. A. Johnson
5
100
Hannah B. Tebbetts 15
300
W. W. Hollister
125
2,500
G. N. Collins
5
100
P. J. Barker
2
40
Leach & Rynerson
10
200
John Nidever
1
20
Jesse Hanford
1
. 20
B. H. Collier
2
40
B T. Dinsmore
5 100
John Edwards
4
80
R. Cohen & Co. 5
100
S. S. Harmon 5
100
Elwood Cooper
45
900
Total
500 $10,000
Report of the Trustees of Santa Barbara College, February 4, 1871 :-
Whole amount of stock subscribed $10,000 00
Less amount not paid 305 16
$ 9,694 844
Loans negotiated on mortgage
3,000 00
Rents received
493 00
Temporary loans
175 00
Total receipts $13,738 00
DISBURSEMENTS.
Purchase of ground $ 400 00
Masons' work, stone, brick, ete .. 4,234 50
Carpenters' work, lumber, and material 4.867 00
Extra work . 550 90
Plastering and materials 1,704 78
Well
122 01
Grading Jot and fencing
409 50
Architect 40 00
Discount, interests, and stamps 913 88
Insurance 57 75
Benches, freight, and drayage
477 04
Taxes; city, county, State, and school. 111 05
Ineidental expenses 126 95
Cash on hand 22 98
$13.738 34
Beginning under such favorable anspices, the insti- tution won its way into the respect of the public, and was a really efficient school for a greater part of its career. Its course of instruction was divided into three departments, called juvenile, preparatory, and aerlemic, to which it was proposed in good t me to add a fourth, the collegiate course.
The exertions of Mr. Elwood Cooper, the President, were freely given to the success of the institution for a long time; and that gentleman deserves the highest credit for having contributed carnestly to its welfare. The following gentlemen's names are taken from the Prospectus of 1873, where they appear as officers and committees: Mortimer Cook, G. P. Tebbetts, J. P. Stearns, Charles E. Huse, Jonathan Mayhew. Dr. S. B Brink- erhoff, T. Wallace More, C. C. Hunt, Col. W. W. Hollister, and Dr. J. B. Shaw. At that time the Board of Instructors was composed of Julius L. Tomlinson, L. M. Iddings, W. Regenstein, and Misses E. C. Hatch, Sarah P. Monks, Isabel G. Large, Kate Goldthwait, and M. L. Parsons. Seventy-four stu- dents were in attendance at the same time.
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