USA > California > Santa Barbara County > Santa Barbara > The early days of Santa Barbara, California, from the first discoveries by Europeans to December, 1846 > Part 7
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7
THE DE LA GUERRA HOUSE
95
THE RANCHOS
coast were glad to spend a night at their ranch. Un- fortunately it lost much of its early splendor in the year 1818, when it was plundered by the pirates who were led by Bouchard; but there still remain many of the old houses, interesting in their passing glory.
The Spanish-Californians were distinctly a pastoral people, and many other beautiful and interesting ranches of more recent patent were granted and located throughout the county. Raising cattle for their hides was for many years the principal industry; and the free life of the ranch accorded with the nature-loving spirit of the people.
The busy season at the ranches was in the early sum- mer, when the cattle were rounded up and branded. It was one of the most beautiful times of the year. The last rains had left the grass green, and the fields were still covered with wild flowers. The days were grow- ing longer and the warm sun brightened the land. There was no sound of modern industry or ambition's strife. Only the singing of birds or the lowing of cattle awoke the stillness. It was a dreamland of peace.
Then the owner of the ranch would leave the pueblo with all his family and go to his country home. Work began at early dawn and lasted till sundown, but it was a work that all enjoyed; and when the day's work was done and the sun had set, the families gathered in the open air to listen to the guitar and the songs they loved so dearly. There were light feet and light hearts in the old California days and joyful songs and merry peals of laughter.
The typical ranch life of the early days has passed away, and only a few of the old rancheros remain. Not long ago, one of them was speaking of the ranch where he lived when a boy. "It lay beyond the mountain range," he said, "and extended over rolling hills and little valleys. A creek flowed through it, and on the banks were many sycamores. Shaded by the oaks was
96
EARLY DAYS OF SANTA BARBARA
the long, low adobe house with its red tiled roof and wide veranda. Behind the fence of chaparral was the orchard and the melon patch, and beyond the orchard was the meadow, golden with buttercups in early spring. In the open fields, dotted with oaks, the rich alfilerilla grew, and on the hillsides were the wild grasses, which waved like billows as the cool breezes from the distant ocean blew over them. The sameness of recurring events of each succeeding year never seemed monotonous, but brought repose, content and peace. When the dew was still on the grass, we would mount our horses and herd the cattle, if any had strayed beyond the pasture In the wooded canyons where the cool brooks flowed, and where the wild blackberries grew, we ate our noonday meal and rested. And as the hills began to glow with the light of the setting sun we sauntered homeward. When the long days of summer came, we ate our evening meals beneath the oaks, and in the twilight we listened to the guitar and the songs of our people. In the autumn we harvested the corn and gathered the olives and grapes.
"Those were days of long ago. Now all is changed by modern progress; but in the simple ranch life of the olden time there as a contented happiness which an alien race with different sentiments and different tem- perament can never understand.
APPENDIX I.
LOS SOLDADOS DE CUERA
THE following are the names of all the soldiers, not including the Indian auxiliaries, who were present at the founding of the presidio, and who were known as soldados de cuera, on account of the leather jackets which they wore. Many of their descendants became well known in the subsequent life of Santa Barbara.
Captain, Jose Francisco Ortega.
First Lieutenant, Pablo Cota.
Second Lieutenant, Dario Arguello.
First Sergeant, Jose Carrillo.
Second Sergeant, Jose Maria Ortega.
Third Sergeant, Ignacio Olivera.
First Corporal, Pedro Amador. Second Corporal, Jose Ignacio Rodriquez.
Private Soldiers :
Jose Ayala,
Juan Leyva,
Eugenio Ruiz,
Juan Ballesteros,
Juan Jose Lobo,
Jose Ruiz,
Salvador Cervantes,
Jose Logo,
Tadeo Sanchez,
Mariano Cota,
Luis Logo,
Guillermo Soto,
Juan Dominguez, Manuel Machado,
Juan Franco Soto,
Anastasio Felix,
Jose I. Martinez,
Eugenio Valdez,
Rosalino Fernandez, Luis Pena, Vicente Quijada,
Jose Valdez, Juan Valencia,
Jose M. Flores,
Francisco Garcia,
Martin Reyes,
Manuel Valenzuela,
Isidro German, Ignacio Rochin,
Jose Valenzuela,
Felipe Gonzalez,
Joaquin Rodriguez,
Juan Villa,
Tomas Gonzalez,
Juan M. Romero,
Vicente F. Villa.
98
EARLY DAYS OF SANTA BARBARA
APPENDIX II.
DERIVATION OF THE NAMES OF LOCALITIES NEAR SANTA BARBARA
Rincon-Is the Spanish equivalent for a Corner, and is applied to the mountain in the northwest corner of Ventura County.
Carpinteria-Is the Spanish equivalent for a Carpenter Shop. The reason for the application of this word to the valley is uncertain. It has been stated that a carpenter shop, carpinteria, existed in the valley very many years ago; and that the valley received its name from that circumstance. It has also been stated that when the padres first visited the valley the Indians were engaged as carpenters, building boats; and from this circumstance the valley was named.
Montecito-Is the Spanish equivalent for a Little Wood; and the valley was so named on account of the many groves of trees which grew there.
Mesa-Is the Spanish equivalent for Table, and refers to the table- land along the coast.
Goleta-Is the Spanish equivalent for Schooner. When Captain De la Guerra was sent to Mexico, as habilitado general of Cali- fornia, he took with him a portable writing desk containing a secret drawer, within which were concealed several thousand pesos. Mexico was then in the throes of one of its many revo- lutions ; and as a partisan of the government he was arrested and his private papers removed; but the secret drawer and its contents were undiscovered. Shortly afterwards he made his escape, and with the pesos which he had concealed during his confinement he purchased a schooner, in which he sailed from Mexico and landed at Goleta. That locality was thereafter designated Goleta, with reference to his schooner.
La Patera-Signifies in Spanish a place where ducks congregate ; and that locality was so designated on account of the large flocks of wild ducks which formerly frequented the low lands there.
Dos Pueblos-Is the Spanish equivalent for Two Villages; and re- fers to the two Indian rancherias, one of which was on each side of the creek of that name.
99
APPENDIX
Tecolote-Is the Indian word for An Owl.
Gaviota-Signifies in Spanish a Sea Gull, and that locality was so named from the circumstance, that when Governor Portola and Sergeant Ortega were marching up the coast to found the Mis- sion of Monterey, one of the soldiers shot a sea gull at that lo- cality.
Santa Cruz-Is the Spanish equivalent for Holy Cross. See page 28 for origin of the appellation.
Anacapa-Is an Indian word implying deception in appearance; and was applied to the island on account of the frequent mirages which give it a weird and distorted appearance.
APPENDIX III.
THE DERIVATION OF THE NAMES OF THE STREETS OF SANTA BARBARA ARE AS FOLLOWS :
Alamar-Is the Spanish for a Grove of Cotton Trees.
Alisos-Is the Spanish for Sycamores, many of which once grew on the street so named.
Anacapa-Is so named because the street points in the direction of the Island of that name. See above.
Anapamu-Is derived from the name of an Indian Chief who ruled over many tribes, principally south of the City of Santa Barbara. Arrellaga-Is named after Jose Joaquin de Arrellaga, who was governor of California from 1792 to 1794.
Banos-Is the Spanish word for Baths, and the street was so named as it led to that part of the beach where the people generally bathed.
Cacique-Was the title which was applied to the chief of an Indian tribe.
Canal-Is the Spanish for Channel, and the street is said to have been so named because it led to the channel of Santa Barbara.
Carpinteria-Was named after the valley of that name, and was one of the principal thoroughfares leading in that direction. See page 100.
Carrillo-Was named after the Carrillo family, of whom Raimundo
100
EARLY DAYS OF SANTA BARBARA
Carrillo was comandante, and Joaquin Carrillo was district judge.
Castillo-Is the Spanish word for Castle or Fort, and the street was so named as it led to the old Spanish fort on the Mesa.
Chapala-Was named by some of the early settlers after the town in Mexico from which they came.
Chino-Was named after the Rancho del Chino, where occurred the battle of San Pascual.
Cota-Was named after the Cota family, one of whom was first lieutenant under Captain Ortega.
Canada-Signifies in Spanish a Ravine, and the street was so named as it extended to a ravine.
Canon Perdido-Derives its name from the following incident: At the time that the regiment of Col. J. D. Stevenson was here. a brass twelve-pound cannon was landed on the beach; but a number of native Californians carried it off at night and hid it in the vicinity of Canon Perdido street. As Canon Perdido is the Spanish equivalent for "lost cannon," the street near where it was buried therafter received that name.
De la Guerra-Was named after the family of that name.
De la Vina-Once called Vineyard street, derived its name from the fact that Comandante Goycoechea owned a vineyard through which the street passed.
Figueroa-Was named after Governor Figueroa, who was governor of Alta California in 1833.
Garden of Jardines-Street if extended would pass through the gar- dens which in early days were known as the De la Guerra gar- dens, from which fact the street was so named.
Gillespie-Was named after Captain Gillespie, who had charge of the American troops at the battle of San Pascual.
Gutierrez-Was named after the Guttierez family, who were promi- nent residents here and in other parts of California. Col. Nicolas Gutierrez was acting governor and military commander of Alta California after Governor Chico.
Haley-Was named after Salisbury Haley, who made what is known in Santa Barbara as the Haley survey.
101
APPENDIX
Indio Muerto-Signifies in Spanish, A Dead Indian, and the street was so named because a dead Indian was found in the locality where the street passes.
Islay -- Is the Indian name for the wild cherry which grows on the Santa Ynez Mountains.
Junipero-Is named after Junipero Serra.
Ladera-Is the Spanish word for Declivity, and the street is so named as it is on the hillside.
Laguna-Street extended to the lake or languna which existed in early days in the lower part of the city, from which circumstance the name was derived.
Los Olivos-Is the Spanish for Olives; and the street is so named as it passed through the old garden of the Mission where many olive trees grew, and many of which are still standing.
Mason-Was named after Governor Mason, who levied a tax of five hundred dollars to pay for the lost cannon.
Micheltorena-Was named after Manuel Micheltorena, who was appointed governor of Alta California in 1842.
Milpas-Is derived from an Indian word meaning a patch of ground sown to grain. In the early days, large quantities of corn and grain were raised in the vicinity of Milpas street.
Montecito-Street led toward the valley of Montecito, which in Spanish signifies A Little Wood.
Nopal-Is the Indian word for the Prickley Pear.
Pedregosa-Is the Spanish adjective for Stony, and the street was so named after the arroyo Pedregosa which crosses part of it.
Pitos-Is the Spanish word for Flutes, and the street derived its name from the reeds which grew where the street now passes, and from which flutes were made by the Indians.
Pueblo-Signifies in Spanish a Town or Village, and refers to the Indian pueblo near the Mission, which was in the vicinity of that street.
Punta Gorda-Signifies in Spanish a High Bluff, and refers to the bank to which the street extends.
Quaratino-Derived its named from the fact that some ships were once put in quarantine near where the street reaches the beach. Quinientos-Is the Spanish word for Five Hundred, and the deri-
102
EARLY DAYS OF SANTA BARBARA
vation of the name of the street is as follows: The native Cali- fornians who had stolen the cannon above referred to alleged that it had been lost by the sailors, in their attempt to place it on the ship which was to convey it to Monterey; but as Governor Mason, to whom the matter was referred, refused to credit the report, he levied a tax of five hundred dollars on the town of Santa Barbara, and a company of soldiers was sent from Los Angeles to force payment. As many of the innocent residents regarded the tax as unwarranted, they refused to pay it, where- upon a sufficient amount of their property was sold to meet their share of the tax.
Rancheria-Was so named on account of a rancheria or Indian vil- lage which formely existed in that vicinity.
Robbins-Was named after Captain Thomas M. Robbins, who came to Santa Barbara before 1830, and who formerly owned a ranch to which that street extended.
Salinas-Signifies in Spanish a Salt Marsh, and the street was so named as it extended to a salt pond or marsh.
Salsipuedas-In Spanish (Sal si puedas) means "get out if you can," and the name was applied to the street on account of the many gulches it crossed.
San Andres-Is said to have been named after the location where a revolutionary skirmish occurred between the native Califor- nians.
San Buenaventura-Was named after the pueblo of San Buena- ventura, and in Spanish signifies Welcome.
San Pascual-Was named after the battle of San Pascual, which oc- curred in 1846, between the American forces and the Cali- fornians.
Sola-Was named after Vicente de Sola, who was governor of Alta California from 1815 to 1823.
Soledad-Signifies in Spanish, Solitude, and the street: was so named because it passed through that part of the town in which there were few inhabitants.
Valerio-Was named after an Indian, who escaped from the Mission about the year 1826, and turned robber. He lived in a cave in the Santa Ynez Mountains, where he hid his spoil.
103
APPENDIX
Victoria-Was named after Manuel Victoria, who was governor of Alta California in 1831.
Voluntario-Is the Spanish for Volunteers, and it is stated that Fre- mont's camp of volunteers was on a hill to which the street extended.
483%
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.