USA > California > Santa Barbara County > History of Santa Barbara county, California, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 95
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His farm is situated on the stage road from San Buenaventura to Santa Paula, about four miles from the latter place, and comprises ninety acres of fertile land. Of this, he has twelve acres in orchard, con- taining a variety of fruit trees. In this pleasant local- ity he has settled for the future, rearing a happy family about him. Mr. Todd has been twice married; first in Sutter County, to Miss Mary J. Beekwith, who died shortly after the marriage; and again Jan- uary 22, 1871, to Isadore Rickard, a native of Massa- chusetts. They have four children-three girls and one boy. A view of Mr. Todd's place is given in this volume.
JOHN M'KENNA
Has one of the beautiful homes for which the valley is celebrated, a view of which is published in these pages. The popular owner is a native of Ireland, born in County Mayo, June 24, 1833. Spending his
early years in the Emerald Isle, he followed the throng of his countrymen to the free land beyond the sea, sailing from Liverpool in the ship William Penn, April 17, 1849, and landing at Philadelphia on June 5. Pushing westward he stopped at Cincinnati, Ohio, during the winter, and early in 1850 went to the State of Michigan. On March 29, 1852, he left his temporary home by the great lakes, and started on the long journey across the plains to California. The tedious trip was made without special incident, the route at that time being well known, and trav- elers familiar with its requirements and dangers. Mr. McKenna came with horses, and was thus en- abled to make a quick passage, arriving at the busy mining camp of Hangtown, now Placerville, on the 7th of August. The year 1852 was one of the bus- iest in the history of placer mining, and in all the gulches and on the river banks and bars gold was found in such quantities as would at least afford a living, and often a miner would make a rich strike that would place him in a position of independence. Soon after his arrival in California, Mr. McKenna sought the mines of Placer County, where he re- mained for seventeen years, with the exception of three years spent in following the great rush to Frazer River, which, in 1857 and '58, threatened to draw off the entire mining population of the State. Returning, he resumed his work in one of the richest gold mining regions of the earth, and there contin- ued until 1869, when he removed to the valley of the Rio Santa Clara, then belonging to Santa Barbara County, and there settled upon the home he now occupies. Here he has a farm of choice land situ- ated about half a mile east of the village of Santa Paula, and between sixteen and seventeen miles from the county seat. . Mr. McKenna was married in May, 1869, to Miss Ann Kregan, a native of Roscommon, Ireland, and three children, two girls and one boy, bless their union.
SANTA PAULA.
In 1872 its present site was a wilderness, where were to be found no improvements save an old adobe house or two, an antiquated barn, and a half-effaced irrigating ditch, the relics of a mission once estab- lished there. When N. W. Blanchard arrived upon the scene in that year, he was impressed with the idea that there might be built up a town at that point, and so Messrs. Blanchard & Bradley laid out some town lots, and built the flouring-mills, before mentioned, on the Santa Paula Creek, one-half mile above the town. The site of the town is on the Santa Paula Creek, about one mile above the S.inta Clara River, in the upper part of the rancho Santa Paula y Saticoy.
In anticipation of the coming town, some half a dozen lots were sold, but as late as the summer of 1875, a small liquor shop was the only building erected. June 16th of that year, the village was
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more extensively laid out. Mr. Blanchard bought abont 27,000 acres of land in the vicinity.
In December, 1875, the town was visited by a snow-storm, an almost unprecedented event for that section. The growth of the hamlet received a severe check from the dry winter of 1877-78. In the fall of 1878 the village supported a Bap- tist Church organization that had a church building and a membership of thirteen. Amongst the principal supporters of the good work were William Skaggs, Warham Easley, O. P. Growall, and H. Crumrine. The Rev. J. W. Robinson had been their pastor, but having returned East in the preceding June, they were for some time without a spiritual guide.
On October 18, 19, and 20, 1878, the Santa Bar- bara Baptist Association celebrated their second anniversary at the Santa Paula Baptist Church. In 1879, under the gratuitous labors of Rev. T. G Mc- Lean, the Baptist Church was blessed with a gracious revival. Seven members were added to the church by baptism. The population of Santa Paula in 1879, numbered about 250.
In 1881 Santa Paula bases its claims to respect as a considerable town upon the presence of the follow- ing business interests: C. N. Baker, hotel; Blanchard & Bradley, flouring-mill; B. W. Everman, D. McLean, and E. Boor, teachers; L. Hector, W. Brown, and S. Wilkerson, blacksmiths; M. & S. Cohn, John Scott and Skinner & Dobbins, dealers in general mer- chandise; W. A. Gordon, liquors; Dr. S. P. Guiberson, drugs; P. McMillan, livery stable; A. H. Shepard, Postmaster and agent for the Western Union Tele- graph Company, and Wells, Fargo & Co.'s Express. There were also a boot and shoe shop, a Justice of the Peace, a Constable, Good Templars Lodge, but no school honse.
The District Lodge of I. O. G. T. for Ventura County convened at Santa Paula on July 27, 1881, and held a two days' session. The occasion brought together a number of people from various localities throughout the county. The Rev. Fisk, of Santa Bar- bara, delivered a temperance lecture to a large and attentive andience in the Good Templars Hall.
In August there was considerable talk of organiz- ing a joint stock company to erect an Odd Fellows hall in the town of Santa Paula.
September, 1881, is noted as the hottest month in the history of the town. For several successive days the thermometer registered 100° in the shade, and on September 8th, the mercury rose to 108º.
In 1882 Santa Paula is a lively town next in size in the county to San Buenaventura. It is situated in the center of a choice fruit and farming section as well as of the petroleum region. It has a fine school house and a good school. Blanchard & Bradley's flouring- mill has grown to very respectable proportions. They have four run of stone, two of four feet, and a capacity of fifty barrels per day. Three men are
kept constantly employed. The purifying process was adopted soon after its introduction into the State. The enterprising proprietor is determined to keep his mill up to the best standard of the times. His brand of " Middlings Purified" is much sought for in the local markets. Mr. Bradley, his early partner, is now deceased, and Mr. Blanchard super- vises the business alone. There is a granary or store-house at a fire-proof distance from the mill.
The water supply of the town preserves it from dust and from disastrous fires, and is taken from pipes having a head of eighty-five feet in a reservoir, which is itself supplied from Blanchard's ditch, whose capacity is 400 miner's inches. The creek by which the ditch is fed never falls below a flow of 150 inches. The water, though slightly impregnated with oil at the head of the ditch, is pure and healthy when it reaches the town.
The climate of Santa Paula is much like that of the Ojai Valleys, the town being at a considerable elevation above the sea, and at such a distance from it that the winds from the ocean become greatly tempered before reaching there. Its accessibility, and the fact that it is on the route of that great broad-gauge railroad which at no distant day must be built down the Santa Clara Valley, adds greatly to its popularity with those desir- ing pleasant homes out of the reach of the coast winds and heavy fogs.
Among the attractions of to-day are Blanchard's orange orchard which is fenced along the public road with a hedge of lime trees. The grove of eucalyptus trees planted by Blanchard & Bradley, some seven years ago, is now a promment feature of the land- scape. They are set as thickly as they can grow and wave their glossy leaves at a height of from seventy to eighty feet.
In the matter of rare fruits and flowers Santa Paula is very showy. Its variety of evergreens is remarkable, and the growth of its young orchards is something wonderful. The loqnot, guava and date palm, show specimens as fine as those grown in Central America. There are many fine English walnut trees which have not as yet come into bearing.
It is a perennial source of surprise and pleasure to one traveling through the rural districts of California to find stowed away in a small hamlet some gentle- man, who, to scientific and philosophie attainments, unites an ardent love of natural science and the truths of nature.
DR. S. P. GUIBERSON,
At present, druggist, archæologist, geologist and a genuine man, friend, and neighbor, is the man. Kind-hearted and open-handed, he is ever ready with a pleasant word or generous deed. A scholarly man of a wide culture, the result of a half century of care- ful study and keen observation, his salient character- istics are simplicity, modesty and candor, qualities common to all men through whose natures runs the
RESIDENCE, FARM BUILDINGS & PART OF ORCHARD OF RICHARD ROBINSON, UPPER OJAI VALLEY, VENTURA CO. CAL.
RESIDENCE AND RANCH OF G. W. FAULKNER, SANTA PAULA VENTURA CO. CAL.
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golden thread of love for the truth. He is ever ready to disclose his rich stores to those who apply to him, and is equally willing to listen when there is anything to be learned. His greatest pleasure is a ramble through and over the mountains in company with an appreciative companion. He knows the geology of the vicinity thoroughly, and never tires of expounding his theories thereof. From a depth of eight feet he has dug unmistakable evidences of former Aztec ocenpation. Quantities of these mate- rials have been shipped to the Smithsonian Institute at Washington, D. C., where they were highly wel- comed. Who can tell the influence of such a man in a community?
SATICOY.
This promising village is situated on the Santa Clara River, about eight miles east of San Buena- ventura, nine miles north of Hueneme Wharf, and eight miles southwest of Santa Paula, at the lower end of the old Santa Paula y Saticoy Rancho. Here are the famous Saticoy Springs. In the olden time, migratory Indians and Mexicans were fighting in the grim tragedy of existence at these springs, weaving around their waters many a bloody tradition, that adds a pleasant, melancholy, and romantic charm to the enchanting beauty which renders it a most delightful spot.
J. L. Crane settled upon the site of the village in November, 1861. Saticoy is the headquarters of a see- tion noted for its choice farms and orchards. A school was opened as early as 1868, and to-day the fine public school house stands a monument to the pro- gressive spirit of the people. Over the post-office building great troops of flowers madly but fondly run riot, while the yard is filled with rare shrubbery, a fitting testimonial to the soil and climate. J. P. Quesnel, a carpenter and builder, is Uncle Sam's agent, and
GEO. FRED'K ROTSLER,
A worthy imitator of Vulcan, salutes the ears of the passing wayfarers with a ringing anvil chorus.
Mr. Rotsler was born in the town of Witlengen, in the grand dutchy of Baden, Germany, January 4, 1831. His parents were Daniel and Mary (Houpt) Rotsler, both natives of Germany. The family con- sisted of the parents and six children, there being two daughters and four sons, the subject of the present sketch being next to the youngest. The social laws of the fatherland require that all be pre- pared for the practical battle of life, and young Rotsler was thus subjected to the discipline of the common schools of his country, and when he arrived at the age of fourteen was apprenticed to the trade of a machinist. Continuing at this for a period of three years as an apprentice, he then became a jour- neyman, and worked at his trade in his native land until he was eighteen years of age. Having acquired a reliable trade, and approaching manhood, he looked
forward to a broader field of life and greater oppor- tunities than were offered in the densely-peopled countries of the Old World. The great Republic beyond the sea was attracting the attention of his countrymen and relatives, and in 1849 he joined the emigrants for that distant land of the free. In the usnal course of time he reached the great city of the New World, and sought employment at his trade. This he shortly found near the banks of the lordly Hudson. in Green County. New York, where he remained employed for fifteen years. After this long trial in his new home he entered upon business for himself, engaging as a merchant and manufacturer, which business he continued until 1867, when he removed to Missouri, locating in Audrain County. There he established a merchant flouring-mill, and continued the business for about nine years. The star of Mr. Rotsler's prosperity was bright and hope- ful. but the brighter star continually led the way to the West, and thither he followed. In 1876, he came to California, locating in Ventura County, on the premises he now occupies in the town of Saticoy. Here, in addition to the practice of his trade, he is engaged in farming, having a well-improved ranch of seventy-five acres, a view of which is incorporated in this volume.
East of and across the river from the lower portion of the Santa Paula y Saticoy Rancho extend the fertile fields of the
SANTA CLARA DEL NORTE RANCHO.
To its east is the Las Posas Rancho, while its southern boundary is formed by the Rancho La Colonia. It was granted to Juan Sanchez, May 6. 1837, and contained 13.988,91 acres, which acreage was also confirmed to him. It lies six miles east of the county seat and borders on the Santa Clara River about three miles. The Schiappapietra Brothers own the greater part of it, but reside in their elegant home in San Buenaventura. They lease about a third of it to parties who raise great quantities of flax. Three-fourths of the rancho is tillable. The grazing land supports 8,000 head of sheep. A vine- yard planted by Dominguez & Pearson, seventeen years ago. now produces 10,000 gallons of wine annually. The owners challenge the State to produce a better article. It sells readily at fifty cents per gallon. The rancho has growing upon it an orchard of five hundred trees, which includes every variety of fruit known to the country. Two good artesian wells, one fifty-six and the other sixty- five feet deep, and the Santa Clara ditch, which passes through the eastern part of the rancho, supply an abundance of water.
NEW JERUSALEM
Is a promising little village on the Santa Clara del Norte Rancho. about eight miles east of San Buenaven- tura, and near the east bank of the Santa Clara River, where the county road to Los Angeles crosses that
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stream. It is located in the midst of a rich farming district, with good schools, stores, and shops, and a very fine Catholic Church.
SESPE RANCHO
. Adjoins the Santa Paula y Saticoy Rancho on the northeast, extending eight miles np the Santa Clara, and comprising most of the arable land in the valley on both sides of the river in that extent-8,880.81 acres, or two leagues. Right in the center of the rancho, but not included in its area of two leagues, is an oval traet of Government land lying along the river. The title to the rancho is perfect, being a United States patent.
The story of the struggles, legal and illegal, in connection with the title to and possession of this rancho, is. perhaps, the most remarkable of all Cal- ifornia rancho histories, involving, as it does, allega- tions of the most extensive frauds, of trespass, of misdemeanor, of attempted homicide, of arson, and of murder. Its importance demands a special article, which is given to it in this volume, and where the subject is fully treated.
Among the early settlers there are found, in 1861, the More Brothers, W. H. Norway, and Capt. Wm. Morris. For a part of the year the Americans near- est to them were at San Buenaventura. The first crop of grain was sown in the winter of 1860-61. The More Brothers put in about 200 acres of wheat and barley. It was harvested by W. S. Chaffee and W. H. Norway, while Alexander Cameron was the contractor. It was cut with a reaper and threshed out by horses.
In 1876 the Sespe Rancho, owned by T. Wallace More, was assessed at $9.00 per acre, whereupon he brought suit to have a portion of the taxes refunded. It was beld that the land could be sold for twice that sum in twenty-four hours.
The rancho has been principally used for many years for cattle. horses, and sheep to roam over, and is, for the most part, a rich, virgin soil. Between this rancho and the San Francisco Rancho is a strip of Government land abont eight miles long, and at one time included within the claims of the Sespe proprietor. Of this whole section stretching between the Santa Paula y Saticoy and the San Francisco Ranchos, it may justly be said to possess such natural qualities of soil, climate, and water as need but an active human agency to transform it into a very paradise. Only about 150 families live here at present, of which over 100 occupy the original Government lands. When desired, almost the whole of it may be irrigated. But as has been seen, this is not con- sidered essential, except in some cases. Corn, wheat, harley, flax, beans, and vegetables are profitably cultivated. Its sunshine, absence of frost, and even- ness of elimate are favorable in a high degree to the culture of semi-tropical fruits. The olive will pay the best without irrigation, while raisin-grapes are probably quickest in their returns with a limited
supply of water. This valley has demonstrated its adaptation to the cultivation of cereals and vegetables, and oranges, limes, lemons, figs, grapes, and almost the whole list of choice fruits. It is the natural home of the apricot. There are a great many apiaries, as the finest bee pasturage in the county abounds along the foot-hills. Among the large apiaries, that of Messrs. Atwood & Kenney, of the Sespe, stands in the front rank. They have 300 stands of bees, half being of the Italian species. At one time, during a run of five hours, they extracted 1,000 pounds of honey from the comb.
As to the health of the climate, it is claimed that the Sespe Rancho is a queen among the health resorts of the Pacific Coast. Its elevation is 2,000 feet above sea level. Twenty dollars per acre is given as the maximum price asked for unimproved lands.
Above the upper limits, and on the " Little Sespe," are situated the oil wells of the Los Angeles Oil Company. Their oil is run down through pipes a considerable distance to the oil refinery, which is kept in full blast by the product of 120 barrels per day from the oil wells above.
The Sespe Grange was organized March 13, 1874, with the following officers: S. A. Guiberson, M .; J. A. Conaway, O .; F. A. Sprague, L .; James Heaney, S .; C. W. Edwards, A. S .; C. H. Decker, C .; Mrs. C. E. Sprague. T .; Thomas Marples, Secretary; T. J. Casner, G. K .; Mrs. M. E. Gniberson, Ceres; Mrs. E. MI. Decker, Pomona; Mrs. T. J. Casner, Flora; and Mrs. J. Edwards, L. A. S.
SCENEGA
Is the name of a post-office about fourteen miles up the Santa Clara Valley from Santa Paula, on the stage road to Newhall, which latter place is distant about twenty-one miles. It should properly have been spelled " Cienega" (a marsh), as it is of Spanish origin. The office was established on the 22d day of March, 1875, with Charles H. Decker as Postmaster. IIe retired in 1877, and was sneceeded by Hermon Haines, the present Postmaster and dealer in general merchandise.
Mr. Haines has not escaped the attentions of the wandering predatory Mexican. In November, 1881, one of this class entered his store and made a small purchase. Upon raising up from getting change Mr. Haines found a six-shooter pointed at his nose, and heard a demand for p'ata. He handed over about $30 belonging to Uncle Sam. The Mexican then left, and he and his partner, another Mexican, who had remained outside to hold the horses, rode off for parts unknown.
In the vicinity of Scenega is the famous Buckhorn Ranch, the property of
B. F. WARRING.
This enterprising gentleman was born March 9, 1827, in the town of Tioga, Tioga County, New
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York. His father's name was HIndson Warring; his mother's, Rebecca Sherman; his grandfather, Amaziah Sherman, was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, for which he received a pension from the Government
By the death of his mother, when he was but seven years of age, his home was broken up and he was sent to live with Elihn Slocum, on his farm in Cayuga County. Here, engaged in the duties of the farm, he laid the foundations of a strong and vigorous constitution, which served him well in after years. His education was obtained by attending the country schools, while living on the farm.
Conceiving the idea that his fortunes lay in the resources of the Pacific Coast, he bade adieu to the scenes of his youth, and at the age of twenty-four, left his native State, and started for California, by way of the Isthmus of Panama.
The steamer on which he had embarked not making connection with the one on the Pacific side, he was de- tained on the isthmus about two weeks, and contracted the much-dreaded Panama fever. which reduced him to a skeleton, but when the Golden Gate made her appear- ance for her first trip to California, he managed, by staggering down through the surf, with his trunk on his back, to get on board, more dead than alive. After a voyage of fourteen days, he reached San Francisco, and at once left for San Jose, where he had a sister living. His first ocenpation after reach- ing California, was the lumber business. in which he engaged in company with two partners, commencing operations in the lower redwoods, opposite Redwood City. This proved very lucrative, and although having
their lumber several times destroyed by fire, the final profits were all that could be desired. Returning to San José, he engaged in selling lumber on commis- sion, which business he followed two years. He next bought a farm of 160 acres near San José, where he remained eight years, but was finally swindled out of it by a fraudulent grant. In September, 1869, he removed to Ventura and settled upon 160 acres of land, the now famous " Buckhorn Ranch."
This name had its origin in the deer horns that hang over the gate. Mr. Warring is a great hunter, and has brought down many a nobly antlered buck. His house being for some time the only one along the road for miles, he was compelled to keep open house, and so the old Buckhorn Ranch became well known all over the county. The land had been elaimed as belonging to the Spanish Sespe grant of T. Wallace More, but after having fought the case and had it contested in the courts for ten years, Mr. Warring has finally succeeded in getting a U. S. patent to the same. An illustration of his residence adorns these pages.
In politics Mr. Warring is a Republican. He was a member of the San Jose cavalry during the late war, and was drilled under Captain McElroy. He was married September 5, 1834. to Miss Missouri Dorcas Easley, of San José.
THE CAMULOS RANCHO,
Which belongs partly to Los Angeles County. is sit- uated at the confinence of Piru Creek with the Santa Clara River, adjacent to the Sespe. on the Newhall stage road. and separated from it by a six- mile tract of Government land. It was granted to Pedro C. Carrillo, October 2. 1843, and comprised 17.760 acres. The Temescal Rancho. now incorpor- ated with the Ca mulos, was granted to Francisco Lopez, March 17, 1843, and contained 13.320 acres. It was confirmed to R. de la C'nesta as 4.400 acres.
In 1861 the rancho came into the possession of Don Ygnacio del Valle, whose interesting biography is given in this volume. The rancho is now held by the heirs, of whom the Hon. R. S. del Valle. the eldest, is a wor thy representative of a line of illus- trious ancestors.
One hundred and fifty acres of the rancho are under a high state of enl tivation. There are thrifty orchards of peach, apple, pear. fig. quince. and kn:on trees, all yielding the finest of fruit. The go'den fruit of about 500 orange trees is noted everywhere as the largest and most delicious found in the mar- kets of Southern California. There are 500 olive trees in full bearing, from whose fruit is manufact- nred a fine grade of olive oil. Forty thousand grape- vines yield annually 10,000 gallons of wine and 300 gallons of the justly celebrated .. Camulos' brandy.
Camulos is most elegantly fitted up in all its appointments of buildings, with a great variety of adornments of flowers, and surroundings in the old hidalgo style. It is one of the most beautiful places in all Southern California.
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