Early Settlement Of Ventura County, California
Although quite a number of Americans, being traders, sailors, or adventurers, had settled in various parts of the territory now known as Santa Barbara County, none of them had located permanently at San Buenaventura up to the time of American military occupation, since Santa Barbara, the more important town, had superior attractions for them. When Stevenson's regiment arrived in Southern California, Isaac Callahan and W. A. Streeter were put in charge of the mission at San Buenaventura. A few years later Russel Heath, in connection with Don Jose Arnaz and one Morris, established the first store within the present county limits. In 1850 carne C. C. Rynerson and wife from the Mississippi Valley, camping at first at the mouth of the river San Buenaventura; they afterward moved northward. The first American farmer was A. Colombo, and Mr. Ware was the first blacksmith. Even as late as 1857 there were in the whole district but two houses of entertainment. One of these was a tent on the Sespe Rancho, and the other a little hostelry established in rooms in the east wing of the ex-mission buildings. It is worth while to note here a tribute to the climate of Ventura County, paid by John Carr and wife, who kept this little inn or tavern.
They had lived together for twelve years in childlessness, but within two years of their arrival in San Buenaventura they had presented their country with no less than five children, products, so they declared, of the matchless climate!
The first lumber-yard was kept by Thomas Dennis, but the date of his arrival is not given. Very early in the '50's T. Wallace More obtained a title to an immense tract of the richest land in the region; he claimed over thirty miles along the Santa Clara and in other districts, possessions about as enormous, over which grazed 10,000 head of cattle. These lands were valued at ten to fifty cents the acre. During this period the whole Colonia Rancho was sold for $5,000, and this price the purchaser finally concluded was exorbitant. About 1854 W. D. Hobson removed to the Sespe, where he built a house and there lived in 1859. In 1858, the Americans resident in San Buenaventura were: A. M. Cameron, Griffin Robbins, W. T. Nash, W. Williams, James Beebe, -- Park, W. D. Hobson, -- McLaughlin and one other, name unknown. As late as 1860 there were but nine American voters in the precinct. Chaffee & Robbins, and afterward Chaffee & Gilbert, kept the only store in the town for many years. In 1860 the Fourth of July was celebrated here with a regular program of exercises, and much enthusiasm was displayed. About this time the American population was augmented by the arrival of John Hill, V. A. Simpson, Albert Martin, G. S. Briggs, G. S. Gilbert, W. S. Chaffee, W. A. Norway, H. P. Flint, the Barnetts and Messrs. Burbank, Hankerson, Crane and Harrington.
In 1861 a postoffice was established at San Buenaventura, and V. A. Simpson became postmaster. The mail matter received, apparently, was not extensive, for it is related that on its arrival the postmaster was in the habit of depositing it in his hat, and then walking around among the citizens to deliver the letters. "This," says a previous historian, "may be regarded as the first introduction of the system of letter-carriers in California." This year the first brick house in town was built by W. D. Hobson, who moved hither from the Sespe.
During the winter of 1861–'62, there was an excessive amount of wet weather; rain fell for sixty consecutive days; all the land to a great depth was saturated and reeking; live stock was reduced almost to starvation, the animals dying in, great numbers. Landslides were very frequent, half of the soil in certain localities being moved to a greater or less distance. The soil would often be displaced in patches of an acre or more. In the town various houses were submerged, or carried away bodily. The only life lost was that of Mr. Hewitt, a resident of Santa Barbara, who was drowned while on a prospecting tour up the Pim Creek. Travel was rendered almost impossible for twenty days. In 1862 Messrs. Waterman, Vassault & Co., owning the lands of the ex-mission, laid out a town there. This enterprise had been projected as early as 1848, when Don Jose Arnaz laid out here a town site, and advertised the advantages of the spot in Eastern journals, offering lots to those who would make improvements upon them. This offer had not elicited response, and the subject had not been revived until the project above mentioned. The survey made in this instance was rejected by the board of trustees after the town was incorporated, and another was substituted. The first attempt to incorporate was in 1863, when a number of citizens met and drew up a petition addressed to the Legislature, asking for incorporation. Ramon J. Hill, at that time a member from Santa Barbara County, opposed the proposition, and the subject was dropped for the time.
The
following is given as an accurate list of the foreign, [not Spanish or
Mexican] citizens resident in San Buenaventura in 1862: Baptiste Ysoardy,
who came in 1858; Agustin Solari, in 1857; Victor Ususaustegui, in 1852;
Ysidro Obiols, in 1853; Antonio Sciappapietra in 1862; John Thomp89 II, in
1862; Oscar Wells, George V. Whit man, Albert and Frank Martin, in 1859;
Myron Warner, in 1863; William Pratt, 1866; William Whitney, 1864; Thomas R.
Bard, in 1865; Henry Cohn, in 1866; Joseph Wolfson, 1867; -- Clements, 1868;
Thomas Williams, 1866; A. T. Herring, 1863; Henry Spears, 1865; Walter S.
Chaffee, Volney A. Simpson, John T. Stow, Griffin Robbins, William S. Riley,
William T. Nash, Jefferson Crane, John Hill, Henry Clifton, Marshall Routh,
George S. Gilbert, James Beebe, William H. Leighton, Samuel Barnett, Sr.,
Samuel Barnett, Jr., William Barnett, W. D. Hobson, Alex. Cameron, Melvin
Beardsley, George Dodge, George S. Briggs, Albert de Chateauneuf and Henry
Dubbers.
GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS.
In 1864 the question of incorporation was renewed and accomplished, but it
was not until thirteen years later that the patents to the town site were
received from the Government. This was the year of the disastrous ""dry
season;" the rains of the preceding season had not wet the ground deeper
than three inches, and the feed was therefore a failure. From this cause
two-thirds of all the stock in Ventura famished.
The beginning of growth and development in Ventura is agreed to date back to the subdivision into small tracts of the large ranchos, thus inducing immigration and settlement by small farmers and fruit-raisers. In 1866, the Briggs tract was cut up and put on the market, and two years later began a general influx of Americans, from which directly resulted an epoch of prosperity which became assured with the breaking up and selling to actual settlers of the great ranchos of Santa Paula y Saticoy and Colonia or Santa Clara.
The first cultivation of grain in Ventura County was by Christian Borchard and his son, J. A. Borchard, on the Colonia Rancho in 1867. Thirty acres each of wheat and barley were sown. The rust destroyed the wheat crop, but the barley yielded eighteen centals or hundreds per acre.
The first
Protestant church (Congregational) was organized in San Buenaventura in
1867.
Again in 1867 was San Buenaventura visited by devastating waters. On
Christmas Day of that year the Ventura River overflowed, and the water rose
to a depth of three feet in Main Street. The lower part of the town was
submerged, and the safety of the inhabitants was endangered. The land from
the Santa Clara House to the river was flooded, and forty-seven women,
gathered from the imperiled houses, were assembled in one small adobe
shanty. Some of these had been brought from their flooded homes on
horseback, and others had been carried on the shoulders of men. This
episode gave rise to various feats of real gallantry, courage, and daring.
The immediate cause of the freshet was supposed to be the melting of heavy
deposits of snows about the river's source, through the agency of warm rains
falling upon them.
In 1868 came hither Dr. Cephas L. Bard, the first American physician in San Buenaventura.
In
September, 1870, San Buenaventura and Santa Barbara were placed in
telegraphic communication.
Anticipating the needs and opportunities to result from the creation of the
new county, in immediate prospective, John H. Bradley in April, 1871,
started the Ventura Signal at the proposed new county-seat. Mr. Bradley was
a good and practical business man, and an editor of some experience; and so,
avoiding the political issues not properly within the province of a country
newspaper, he devoted his attention to the production and publication of
matter relative to the recommendations and resources of the section; such as
would contribute to the advancement and advertisement of the region and its
merits.
Contemporaneously with the formation of the county, work was begun to provide canals to supply water for domestic and irrigating purposes. The old Mission waterworks, which brought a supply from six miles up the Ventura River, was overhauled and repaired, portions of the aqueduct having been destroyed by the excessive rains of 1861–'62.
Owing to
the difficulties attending the disembarkation of freight and passengers by
means of lighters to transport them between the vessels and the shore; it
became evident that a wharf was an absolute necessity to the public.
Accordingly, in January, 1871, a franchise was procured, and work was begun
upon the structure, by Joseph Wolfson. The beginning of operations was
signalized by formal ceremonies. In August of this year the right to
construct a wharf at Hueneme was granted to Thos. R. Bard, C. L. Bard and R.
G. Surdam.
By February, 18721 the Ventura wharf was so far completed as to obviate
further necessity for lightening steamers now discharging directly upon it.
Rates of toll were instituted, and an instrument of great public utility was
firmly established.
In May,
1871, was formed the Santa Clara Irrigating Company, designed to water the
fertile lands of the Colonia Rancho from the Santa Clara River. The canal
therefor was twelve miles long, twelve feet wide, and two feet deep, with
branches of smaller dimensions. In 1871 also surveys were made for " The
Farmers' Canal and Water Ditch," taking water from the Santa Paula Creek,
and conveying it some eight and a half miles down the valley.
In December, 1871, Ysabel Yorba sold to Dickenson & Funk the Guadalasca
Rancho, comprising 22,000 acres, for $28,500.
In 1872 many property owners refused to pay taxes, owing to the abeyance of financial settlement between Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.
In July,
1872, the first gold was taken to Santa Barbara from, the Sespe mines.
On September 16, 1872, the corner-stone of the high school building at San
Buenaventura was laid. This building was the first 'public building erected
in the county. The total number of school children in the .county at that
time was 800.
A Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Santa Barbara, San
Luis Obispo and Ventura, California
Mrs Yda Addis Storke, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1891: Pages 183-186
Transcribed: 19 July 2006 by Martha A Crosley Graham
WESTERN PORTION OF VENTURA
The country drained by the San Buenaventura River is mostly comprised within
the limits of the following ranchos: - The Canada San Miguelito and a part
of the ex-Mission, both bordering on the ocean; the Canada Largo or Canada
Verde, and the Ojai on the left bank, and the Santa Ana on the right bank.
The vast domain of the ex-Mission Rancho was granted as six leagues to Jose
Arnaz, by Governor Pio Pico, June 8, 1816. Arnaz sold it to M. A. R. Poli in
1850. The claim was confirmed May 15, 1855, by the Land Commissioner, and
finally, on April 1, 1861, by the United States District Court. In August,
1874, a patent was issued to the grantees for 48,822.91 acres. Poli sold the
property to the San Buenaventura Manufacturing and Mining Company. He
afterward died insolvent. This rancho derives its name from the fact that a
division was made of the lands held in the name of the old Mission, the
church retaining the old orchard and 36 27/100 acres contiguous, all lands
outside these are called ex-Mission lands. At the sale of lands for
delinquent taxes, February 16, 1874, the ex-Mission lands were offered for
sale without a buyer, the taxes amounting to $3,163, drawing interest at two
per cent per month. This region is one of almost continuous settlements,
with easy outlets. The soil is exceedingly rich to the very crests of the
hills, and the climate is unsurpassed. The lands are agricultural and
grazing. This territory is luxuriantly covered wild oats, wild burr-clover,
and alfilaria. A short distance back from the sea are forests of oaks, not
readily seen save from close at hand. The bee pasturage is rich and
extensive. The oil belt underlies a portion of this rancho.
THE RANCHO CANADA SAN MIGUELITO.
This is next northwest of the ex-Mission Rancho. It has about three miles of
coast line. This grant of 8,877.04 acres was confirmed to J.F. Rodriguez and
others. This rancho consists almost wholly of rich pasture lands, raising
great numbers of sheep. Very little timber is found here. The ocean road
from San Buenaventura to Santa Barbara passes along the beach here. On
Government land close by this rancho is a mine of so-called rock soap, being
an infusorial earth resembling marl. It has been exported for polishing
silverware, and for use by jewelers for burnishing purposes.
RANCHO CANADA LARGA ó VERDE
was granted to J. Alvarado, who pushed the claim to confirmation. It
contains about 2,220 acres, of which all is grazing land but about 1,000
acres, which are well cultivated, and upon which are found fine orchards and
handsome homes.
THE OJAI RANCHO.
This is a wedge-shaped tract which was granted to Fernando Tico, April
6,1837, and afterward confirmed to him; acreage 17,792.70. In 1864 this
rancho was bought by the California Petroleum Company. It was then a very
wild place; a dozen or more grizzly bears were killed in Ojai Valley in one
winter, and hundreds teem thereabouts, as well as California lions, wild
cats, etc. Lion Caňon was so named from the great number of these panthers
that it harbored. Dr. Chauncey Isbell lived here as early as 1866, and in
October, 1868, Robert Ayers removed thither his family, the first American
household in the valley, where a few Spanish Californian families were
living. In 1870 but two houses, one frame, one adobe, were in the Upper
Ojai. In 1872 this rancho produced about 16,200 bushels of wheat, averaging
thirty to forty bushels to the acre. A grange was organized here in 1874,
and, in 1875, there were two school districts, the Ojai and the Nordhoff.
The settlement of this section has been most rapid; within four years from
the time when the inhabitants were less than half a dozen it had nearly 100,
forming an enterprising and intelligent community. The fertility of this
soil is hardly surpassed in California; here the wheat crop reaches its
maximum as to quality and quantity. No irrigation is used for the small
grain crops. Artesian water is obtained at Nordhoff, but it rises little
above the surface. On the hills all the usual northern farm crops thrive
remarkably well, as also many fruits, etc. considered semi-tropical in
character.
THE OJAI VALLEY
Almost in a straight line due north from San Buenaventura, from which town
it is fourteen miles distant, lies the valley of the Ojai, shut in by high
mountains, that determine the amphitheater-like shape whence it takes its
name (a nest).
The mountains on the north side take a snowy covering in winter, in sharp
contrast with the slopes of sulphur mountain, covered with live-oaks on the
south side. Overlooking the others rises Mount Topotopa, between 5,000 and
6,000 feet high, also snow-mantled in the winter.
The drive to the lower Ojai follows an easily grade along a beautiful clear
stream where trout sport and twinkle. The Upper Ojai, to the eastward of the
main valley, is reached by a steep grade up an oak-covered ridge leading out
of the lower valley. The soil here is rich and fertile, and plentifully
watered, and its crops never fail.
Attention was first called to this valley by Charles Nordhoff, who visited
it in 1872, and soon after, in his book on California, gave an enthusiastic
description of it.
The lower valley is five miles long, and 800 feet above sea-level; the upper
is small with an elevation of about 1,200 feet. This basin is well-timbered,
and its soil is very productive, giving the largest yield in the county of
wheat per acre. It is also well adapted for raising the finest varieties of
citrus fruits. Mr. Elwood Cooper, the famous olive-grower, says that the
Ojai is also the best olive-growing district in California.
The scenery here is truly wonderful; the softy and balmy air, the park-like
groves of oaks, their mistletoe, the vines and mosses, the bird voices
within their leafage, the grandeur of the surrounding mountains, the cloud
effects - all combine to give an indescribable charm to the Ojai Valley.
But there is another advantage; the delightful climate is of great benefit
to sufferers from affections of the throat and lungs, and the famous Ojai
Hot Springs in the Matilija Canon are possessed of strong curative
properties.
The Ojai Hot Sulphur Springs are beautifully situated in Waterfall Canon,
about five miles from Nordhoff and fifteen from Ventura. The altitude at the
springs is about 1,000 feet. The flow is about 50,000 gallons per hour, and
the temperature ranges from 60° F. to 74° and 101° F. Several of the springs
are carbonated and others are sulphureted. The Ojai waters contain: sodium,
potassium and magnesium carbonates and sulphates, calcium and ferrous
carbonates, silicates, carbonic anhydride and sulphurated hydrogen. The
waters have a reputation for whitening and softening the skin, and proving
the complexion. These springs are the resort of many people afflicted with
stiff joints, rheumatism, gout and skin diseases.
Almost in the center of this lovely valley, and nearly 900 feet above the
sea, 4 the village of Nordhoff, so named in recognition of Charles
Nordhoff's offices in heralding to the outside world the merits of this
quarter.
Mr. R. G. Surdam, if not the first, was one of the prime movers in starting
this flourishing little town, he having bought sixty acres, which he laid
off in blocks and lots in 1874. He gave a one-third interest to A. M.
Blumberg, on condition that he build a hotel. That structure, which at first
was made of light scantling covered with cloth, has developed and grown into
quite a sightly hostelry, the nucleus of a thrifty little village. Nordhoff
contains some 300 inhabitants, many of whom are recuperated invalids from
nearly every State in the Union. There are here two hotels, nestled under
the splendid oaks, two churches, two schoolhouses, two general merchandise
stores, two blacksmiths, a builder, contractor and lumber-dealer, and a
butcher-shop. There is a weekly newspaper and a postoffice with daily mail.
SANTA ANA VALLEY
Westward from the Ojai are a number of broad mesas and thickly-populated
uplands, which constitute the Santa Ana Valley, on whose well-cultivated
farms and orchards are raised as fine fruits as any Ventura County produces.
This is all a fine grain country, where wheat reaches its maximum as to
height, quantity and quality. This valley is a twin sister to the Ojai in
its climate, soil and resources, and also probably with quite as much water
and timber, but this valley contains less arable land than the Ojai.
Here is a region of forests; timber of majestic size, and an undergrowth of
wild oats, wild grasses, wild gooseberries, rhododendron and honeysuckle,
while wild grapes clamber over the trees along the creeks and the river.
A portion of this territory has as great an altitude as the Ojai, but it is
much lower where it approaches the San Buenaventura Valley. Above this
section the Ventura River descends rapidly, passing by cascades over
highlands, but it flows more tranquilly when it reaches the table-like lands
of the Ojai and Santa Ana ranchos. Here it gathers volume from the water of
the San Antonio and Coyote creeks, the former flowing from the east, the
other from the west; and hence forward to the sea it flows with gentle
current. All three of these are fine trout streams.
THE RANCHO SANTA ANA.
This tract of 21,522.04 acres was, in April, 1837, granted to Crisogono
Ayala and others, and to them confirmed. This lies but two miles from the
Santa Barbara line, and it is the most northerly rancho in Ventura County.
The Coyote Creek crosses this forest-hooded rancho, of which nearly 10,000
acres would be good arable land, if cleared of its timber, In May, 1875,
this rancho was surveyed in lots, which were to be sold on terms similar to
those of the Lompoc colony lands. The capital stock of the company was fixed
at $60,000, in shares of $100 each. Among the estimated resources were 6,000
acres of arable land, other 6,000 tillable with side-hill plows, and 75,000
cords of wood. The temperance principle was to be a leading feature of this
settlement. The project was never carried to fulfillment.
A Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Santa Barbara, San
Luis Obispo and Ventura, California
Mrs Yda Addis Storke, The Lewis Publishing Company, 1891: Pages 226-228
Transcribed: 14 January 2006 by Martha A Crosley Graham
