J H RICE

J H RICE

J H. RICE, an early pioneer of California, and a prominent developer of the Santa Maria Valley, was born in Rhea County, Tennessee, June 20, 1832. His father was a fanner and a prominent trader of that period, who ever in the advance line of civilization, pushed to the front in 1842 and emigrated to Arkansas, where he continued farming. The subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools, and remained at home until 1850. Then, "enthused" with the spirit of emigration and the gold excitement of California, he started across the plains with a mule team, and after a period of four months he arrived at Mud Springs, Placer County, August 10, 1860. He then began placer-mining, and for one. year shook the pan or rocked the cradle on the banks of the Yuba and Auburn rivers; but, meeting with poor success, he resumed the industry of his youth, farming, and to that end settled in Sonoma County, in November, 1851, taking the "squatters'" claim and carrying on general farming for sixteen years. While there Mr. Rice was married, .November 19, 1854, to Miss Mary A. Long, a native of Ohio, and they have six children, five sons and one daughter. In 1867 Mr. Rice removed to Monterey County, where he farmed for six years, and in 1873 they removed to Santa Maria Valley, settling near Guadalupe. Through litigation with grant-holders, he deemed it wise to change his present location, which he did in 1874, and purchased from Martin Murphy 1,831 acres of the Punta de Laguna Rancho, at $4.10 per acre, a barren tract, unfenced and no improvements upon it. Mr. Rice immediately began substantial improvements, and his well-fenced and well-stocked ranch is now satisfactory evidence of his progressive ideas with his energy and ability. The first ten years he farmed in wheat, barley and corn; but in 1884 changed to sheep, cattle and hogs, and in 1886 began his present successful and well-managed dairy, consisting of 160 cows. He makes the "R" brand of butter, shipping only in rolls, and avenging 2,000 pounds per month. His present farming is for feeding purposes, raising eighty acres in barley hay, which averages three tons to the acre; forty acres of pumpkins, of twenty tons to the acre, and ten acres in corn, averaging thirty bushels to the acre. His ranch is very rich and productive.

A Memorial and Biographical History of The Counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura, California.

Yda Addis Storke, Chicago. The Lewis Publishing Company 1891

Pp 401

Transcribed by Martha A Crosley Graham

JOSEPH H. SEATON, M.D

...one of the most eminent physicians and estimable gentlemen in Southern California, was born in Centerville, Wayne County, Indiana, July 29, 1836, the son of Myers and Elizabeth (Dill) Seaton. The father was a native of Pennsylvania, and also a pioneer merchant of Centerville, where lie located in 1834; the mother was also a native of Pennsylvania. They raised a family of six sons and two daughters. Joseph H. Seaton, the third child, left home at about eighteen years of age, going to Louisville, Kentucky, where he took up the study of medicine, and graduated in the winter of 1856-57. He was soon tendered and accepted the position of resident physician of the City Hospital at Louisville, which position he resigned in 1868 to go to Keokuk, Iowa, where his parents were then residing. He remained there until the breaking out of the Rebellion, when he enlisted as Surgeon of the Twenty-first Missouri Infantry, taking the rank of Major. Mr. Seaton served in the war from March, 1862, until its close in 1865. His regiment opened the battle of Shiloh, where they lost 180 men, and their division commander, General Prentice, was taken prisoner. Anything like a detailed account of the Doctor's experience during his years of active service in the war would form a thrilling narrative, and his services as an army surgeon cannot be over-estimated in value .to his regiment and comrades.

At the close of the war Dr. Seaton returned to Keokuk, Iowa, and resumed the practice of his profession, continuing there until 1875, when he came to California. His residence in San Luis Obispo dates from 1877, and since his residence here he has enjoyed the full confidence of the best people of the entire community, as a citizen and physician. He makes a specialty of diseases of women and children. He is affable in his manner, domestic in his social tastes, and charitable where charity is desired. He is a charter member of Fred Steel Post, 0. A. R., No. 70.

Dr. Seaton was married in 1879, at Colusa, to Miss Josephine Blount, a native of California, and they have one son, Joseph, Jr. Besides other property Dr. Seaton owns one of the finest homes in the city of San Luis Obispo.

A Memorial and Biographical History of The Counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura, California.

Yda Addis Storke, Chicago. The Lewis Publishing Company 1891

Pp 512

Transcribed by Martha A Crosley Graham

A. D. BARNARD

…one of the best known pioneers of Ventura, was born in Calais, Maine, December 12,1830. His father, W. K. Barnard, was a native of Massachusetts, and their ancestors were from England, His mother, whose name before marriage was Nancy Denny, was born in Worcester, Massachusetts. Her ancestors came to that State during its early settlement. Her father, Daniel Denny, was one of the posterity of John Denny, of Suffolk, England, who lived there in 1439. A picture of the old English home of 450 years ago is still preserved in the family, and there is also in their possession a complete genealogy of the family from 1439 to the present time. Branches of this family have established themselves in all the States of the Union. In Mr. Barnard's fathers family were six children, all sons, he being the eldest. He was brought up and educated in Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts, completing his education in New Hampshire. He began business for himself

as a merchant. In 1852 he came to Oregon and was engaged in general merchandising in Corvallis until 1859; he traveled for two or three years, and in 1868 came to Ventura, when that town was just starting, the American residents there being Messrs. Chaffee, Leach, Ayers, Grimes, Simpson and the Hobsons’. Mr. Barnard engaged in the lumber business, and soon purchased a home place of thirty acres about a mile up the avenue; and he has also been engaged in real estate. His home place now comprises 125 acres, beautifully cultivated, and artistically arranged with ornamental trees, hedges, etc. He has 3,000 walnut trees just commencing to bear fruit; has twenty three kinds of fruit altogether. He has also two or three other farms in the valley. He has been a very busy man, accomplishing much in the improvement of his ranches and of the locality generally. Such industry and such faith in the country has had its ample return. Mr. Barnard has never joined any society, is not a politician, but is a Republican. His parents are Unitarians.

In 1861 he married Miss Sarah E. Lehman, a native of Wayne County, Ohio, and of Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry. They have six sons and one daughter, all natives of the Golden West; Frank E., Edwin L., Austin D., Charles V., John C. and Mary E., all at home with their parents.

A Memorial and Biographical History of The Counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura, California.

Yda Addis Storke, Chicago. The Lewis Publishing Company 1891

Pp 498

Transcribed by Martha A Crosley Graham

TIMOTHY CAVANAUGH

…was born in Ireland in 1828, and went to Canada at the age of eight years. In 1848 he came to the United States and settled in Illinois. It was there he cast his first vote for President, and General Taylor was the man who received it Mr. Cavanaugh remained in Illinois only three years. At the expiration of that time, like many others, he caught the gold fever. In 1850 he set out for California and at once sought the mines, where he remained, however, only six months. He then traveled around prospecting, and finally settled down in Santa Clara County, in July, 1852, where for three years he was extensively engaged in ranching. During this period Mr. Cavanaugh was married, and eleven children is the result of this union, ten of whom .are now living. In 1888 Mr. Cavanaugh came to San Luis Obispo County, and, with the assistance of his sons, is operating a fine ranch of 1,000 acres, near the Santa Margarita station on the Southern Pacific Railroad. Mr. and Mrs. Cavanaugh are living in a very pleasant cottage near the railroad,—the eleventh house he has constructed during his life-time.

A Memorial and Biographical History of The Counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura, California.

Yda Addis Storke, Chicago. The Lewis Publishing Company 1891

Pp 669

Transcribed by Martha A Crosley Graham

JOHN Mc DONNELL

…was born in Tippeary, Ireland, in 1846, and at the age of sixteen years came to America, coming direct to San Francisco. He was first employed in the commission business in the city, but very soon afterward went to the Santa Clara Valley and engaged in farming. For thirteen years he was engaged in that occupation, a part of the time on his own account and a part of the time for P. W. Murphy. In 1879 Mr. McDonnell was employed on the famous Santa Margarita ranch, in San Luis Obispo County, the property of Mr. Murphy, and from that time has been the foreman. Under his charge this vast property, twelve miles square, is being successfully and judiciously managed. As far as the eye can reach this beautiful piece of land extends, and every visitor to San Luis Obispo who has a day at his disposal, would miss much by not making the journey of only eleven miles to this ranch. Mr. McDonnell is unmarried.

A Memorial and Biographical History of The Counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura, California.

Yda Addis Storke, Chicago. The Lewis Publishing Company 1891

Pp 669

Transcribed by Martha A Crosley Graham

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Martha A Crosley Graham