Early Families in Los Alamos

Short Sketches About Early Folks

Bell, John S. A great deal has already been said about John S. Bell, one of the founders of the town of Los Alamos. He was born on the island of Tahiti. His father, a merchant and sugar planter, owned the island of Moria. They left there and lived in the Sandwich Islands for a time, when they came to San Francisco during the gold rush. After settling in Los Alamos, he married Catherine, the accomplished daughter of Dr. Nicholas A. Den. She was a writer of considerable merit.

Careaga, Ramon & Juan They were sons of a Spanish nobleman. Juan acquired the business manner of the Americans, among whom he was been raised. On his rancho in Los Alamos, he used gangplows, headers and threshing machines. Both Juan and Ramon were part of the firm of Careaga and Harris; they had a tract of land near Los Alamos. The grain and stock raised on the place were consigned to a junior member of the firm living in San Francisco. The immense amount of produce raised may be inferred from a lawsuit between the parties resulting from a slight misunderstanding about their accounts. The difference of $30,000 was finally adjusted by Judge Fernald. Juan Careaga was a good sample of the high-minded Castilian race, urbane, dignified and polite. His place is about four miles below Los Alamos, and composed of valley, plain,, and hill, adapted to grain, stock, or fruit trees, flowers, graveled walks and drives, gave evidence of a refined and cultured taste. A windmill and tank furnished abundance of water to keep the lawns, flowers, and shrubbery in good condition. Ramon R., brother, when the Careaga and Harris partnership broke up received as his share almost 7000 acres on which oil was first discovered in this area. Mr. Ramon was interested in educational affairs and gave land for two school sites on his property. He was generous, and allowed many of those who had worked for him and grown old in the service, to settle on some of his land and live in comfort the remainder of their days.

Coiner, S.T. Samuel T. Coiner was born in Virginia, the son of Daniel Coiner, one of the first white men (excepting the early Spaniards) to take up residence in the Santa Maria Valley. Daniel Coiner came to Salinas in 1867. When he took up his residence here in the valley, he bought a quarter interest in the La Laguna Rancho, but owing to a dispute as to boundary lines and unfortunate litigation, he lost all of his equity and had to begin over again. A year after his arrival in Salinas, he sent for his family and it was then that Samuel Coiner came across the Isthmus with his mother. From 1868 to 1872, Sam resided with his family in Monterey County. In 1875, a year after he came to the Los Alamos Valley, he married Miss Catherine Fields, a daughter of Edmund and Lucy Fields. He was foreman for Dr. Sahw and lived for some time on the Shaw Ranch. Later he bought the home now occupied by Mrs. Quintana. They lived on part of the El Roblar Rancho from 1878 to 1884, in the red house by the barn. From 1892 to 1902, they lived in the present big house. He is a strong manly man with forceful character, and a good judge of human nature, cordial and liked by everybody. He took up his responsibilities of a land contractor for the Union Sugar Company and successfully leased about 10,000 acres, devoted to sugar beet culture. He was able to supply the factory with over one hundred thousand tons of beets yearly.

Deleissegues, Oliver Oliver was the son of Alberto and Rebecca Deleissegues. He attended school in San Luis Obispo and Nipomo. First, he farmed and then he clerked, and later he applied himself to various kinds of profitable work. In 1910, he married Miss Lizzie Hammer, who was born in Los Alamos, the daughter of H.D. and Albertina Hammer, natives of Germany. Mr. Deleissegues worked in the employ of the Western Union Oil Company and farmed in the Los Alamos Valley.

Foxen, Fred R. and Thomas R. They were two of the sons of William Domingo Foxen, early pioneers of the ranch life around Los Alamos. Their father was an Englishman and around their places they have always retained the oak trees, which in England were regarded as almost indicative of the owner's force of character. Foxen Canyon was named after this prosperous and happy family.

Gates, Lorison He was born in Ohio, became a farmer in Indiana, but in 1875 he took his family to Butte County, California, where he carried on farming. In 1877, he located in Los Alamos where he bought and conducted a ranch. He died here in 1888.

Glines, John T. John T. was born in Lake County, California, and when he was three months old, they moved to his father's ranch near what is now Orcutt. In 1904, he came to Los Alamos, where for two years, he conducted a livery stable. In 1908, he was appointed road overseer of the Los Alamos Valley. As he took care of this responsibility, he managed the Los Alamos Meat Market and farmed hay and grain. In 1895, he married Dora B. Holloway, the daughter Of J.j. Holloway, in Los Alamos. Mrs. Glines was a teacher and taught in the Bell District, which was the name of the school in Los Alamos.

Guidotti, Joseph He was the father of Mrs. Dora Scolari, who now lives in Los Alamos; Mr. Guidotti was the real pioneer in the family. He was a very young man, aged 17, when he first came to America. He stayed here for thirty-three years, then made a trip back to his native country, where he met and married Mrs. Guidotti, who was eighteen years of age at the time. They returned to America and settled in Lompoc, but in 1910, they moved to Los Alamos to Dr. Shaw's La Laguna Rancho, and lived here in the valley until he died in 1933. Mrs. Guidotti now lives in Santa Barbara. They raised a family of five, four daughters and one son. Dora, has been mentioned; Elsie Seaton lives in Burbank; Mary G. Brown, Indiana; Erina Inda, Ventura; and Hildo Guidotti, Barstow.

Jensen, Thomas What a heroic persistence may accomplish in the great struggle of life, is shown in the case of Thomas Jensen, who leaving his home in the Old World to push off to the new and more promising outlook, toiled until he was enabled at last to realize his ambition. He was born in Orra, Denmark. In 1889, leaving his wife and infant baby he arrived in Nipomo where he immediately went to work and saved his money, so that at the end of four years he sent for his wife and two children. In 1898, he came to Careagas and rented part of their ranch, part of the historic old estate. He built an up-to-date bungalow surrounded by a group of fruit trees and English walnuts and a yielding vineyard. They had seven children, Anna Maria, Neils, James, Mattie, Christina, Charles and Mary.

Kahn, Lazarus He was born in Phalsbourg, Lorraine, France in 1850. He came to this country in 1868. In 1880, he came to Los Alamos and stared a jobbing house in liquor, in the stage station, the present site of Mrs. Alice Wurz's house. In 1896, he established a general merchandise business. His upright business methods placed him among the commercial forces of the county. He was a great believer in education and did much to promote it in the town. In 1875 he married Josephine Ortega, daughter of a descendent of an old Spanish family who were among the pioneers of California. They had six children, Archie, Edmond, Samuel, Mattie, Anna, and a girl who died in early childhood.

Patterson, C.D. One of the substantial citizens of Los Alamos was C.D. Patterson, who came to Los Alamos in 1876. He farmed and, also conducted a livery stable business.

Pearson, Charles H. He was an enthusiastic advocate of the Los Alamos Valley. He has been equally successful as a blacksmith, general merchant, and rancher. He was one of the pioneers of Los Alamos, having been interested in its development from the time he arrived in 1879. He first went into the blacksmith business with a firm already here, and then for three years ran his own shop. In 1886, he stared a general merchandising establishment and built his own store on the corner of Bell and Centennial Streets. He commenced his store with a half dozen lines of goods. Gradually he enlarged his stock, until it included staple and fancy groceries, dry goods, boots, and shoes, hardware, agriculture implements, crockery, hats, caps, and millinery. Later he laid in a stock of coffins and caskets. He had honest business methods, a tactful manner, and a great desire to please. He erected a very pleasant home in Los Alamos, surrounded by shade trees which he had set out himself. He owned many acres around the town on which he raised barley and wheat which resulted in excellent crops. He was active in promoting educational facilities of the town and was a school trustee and clerk for many years. Mr. Pearson was born in Canada, and in 1891 returned there and married Nettie Spafford, bringing bring her back with him to Los Alamos. Two children were born, Nettie Elizabeth, now Clark, who is the news correspondent for the valley papers and the Santa Barbara News Press and Agnes Marion Pearson, who is the county librarian in Los Alamos. Mr. Pearson died in his nineties, 1942.

Purkiss, Myrton M. He was the son of John A. Purkiss, who built and ran a flour mill in Los Alamos. When twelve years of age, Myrton worked for C.H. Pearson of Los Alamos , around his farm and store and attended school. He became chief agriculturist for the Union Sugar company. In 1904 he married Hulda Glines, daughter of C.R. Glines, pioneer.

Scolari, Pietro A fine representative of that class of SwissAmericans who have made real success in California, is P. Scolari. He came to America in 1879. Since 1891, he rented part of the Careaga ranch in the Los Alamos Valley and devoted it to the raising of beans and hay and to a dairy. In 1916, he bought excellent land next to the part he rented. He has been a successful fanner and dairyman. Mr. Soclari, in 1893, returned to Switzerland, where he married former friend and sweetheart. The children living are Peter, Louis, Assunta, Jos6, and Alfonso, who owns and runs the California garage in Los Alamos.

Shaw, James Barron, M.D. He came to California around the 1850's. He came here originally to manage Santa Cruz Island, which was owned by an English company. Dr. Shaw came to Califon-da in the early stages of its development. Clothes were then sent to China to be washed, and later to Honolulu for the same purpose. For his own ranch property, Dr. Shaw bought two leagues of La Laguna Rancho and one league of Rancho Los Alamos. Dr. Shaw and John Bell founded the town of Los Alamos.

Snyder, John D. He came to Los Alamos at an early age, engaged in farming on a large scale and was soon able to build the Union Hotel of thirty or more rooms. He also became the agent for Wells, Fargo and Company Express.

Leslie, Alexander He came to Los Alamos in 1876, farmed and started the first buildings of Los Alamos on a capital of $2,000. He developed his business to $40,000 a year by 1883, He had three stores, one, general assortment of merchandise; second, post office, school books, stationery, toys and candy; and the third, liquors, wholesale and retail.

Wickenden, W.F. The mercantile interests of Los Alamos were well represented by W.F., who was born in San Luis Obispo in 1861. He was one of the nine children of Frederick, who came to Santa Barbara County in 1889 and who was born in England. An early adaptability to general business convinced W.F. Wickenden that he would find his greatest sphere of usefulness and success in that field, and in 1889, his brother, J.D. and himself opened a general mercantile establishment in Los Alamos. Their plans were wisely laid and their honest financial methods and correct estimate of what would be required secured for them an extended patronage, not only in the town, but in the surrounding country. The responsibilities of Mr. Wickenden increased in 1899 by the death of his brother, when he became sole owner of the business and increased his stock. He added hardware and agricultural implements to his general necessities. His establishment was well conducted, neat, and an orderly place, where goods could be purchased at a figure consistent with reasonable profit, and the best quality procurable. In addition, he owned another store in Gary run along the same policies. W.F. Wickenden was a brother of Robert A. Wickenden and Albert P. Wickenden of Los Alamos

BACK TO TOP

Bell, John S.	A great deal has already been said about John S. Bell, one of the founders of the town of Los Alamos. He was born on the island of Tahiti. His father, a merchant and sugar planter, owned the island of Moria. They left there and lived in the Sandwich Islands for a time, when they came to San Francisco during the gold rush. After settling in Los Alamos, he married Catherine, the accomplished daughter of Dr. Nicholas A. Den. She was a writer of considerable merit.
Careaga, Ramon & Juan	They were sons of a Spanish nobleman. Juan acquired the business manner of the Americans, among whom he was been raised. On his rancho in Los Alamos, he used gangplows, headers and threshing machines. Both Juan and Ramon were part of the firm of Careaga and Harris; they had a tract of land near Los Alamos. The grain and stock raised on the place were consigned to a junior member of the firm living in San Francisco. The immense amount of produce raised may be inferred from a lawsuit between the parties resulting from a slight misunderstanding about their accounts. The difference of $30,000 was finally adjusted by Judge Fernald. Juan Careaga was a good sample of the high-minded Castilian race, urbane, dignified and polite. His place is about four miles below Los Alamos, and composed of valley, plain,, and hill, adapted to grain, stock, or fruit trees, flowers, graveled walks and drives, gave evidence of a refined and cultured taste. A windmill and tank furnished abundance of water to keep the lawns, flowers, and shrubbery in good condition. Ramon R., brother, when the Careaga and Harris partnership broke up received as his share almost 7000 acres on which oil was first discovered in this area. Mr. Ramon was interested in educational affairs and gave land for two school sites on his property. He was generous, and allowed many of those who had worked for him and grown old in the service, to settle on some of his land and live in comfort the remainder of their days.
Coiner, S.T.	Samuel T. Coiner was born in Virginia, the son of Daniel Coiner, one of the first white men (excepting the early Spaniards) to take up residence in the Santa Maria Valley. Daniel Coiner came to Salinas in 1867. When he took up his residence here in the valley, he bought a quarter interest in the La Laguna Rancho, but owing to a dispute as to boundary lines and unfortunate litigation, he lost all of his equity and had to begin over again. A year after his arrival in Salinas, he sent for his family and it was then that Samuel Coiner came across the Isthmus with his mother. From 1868 to 1872, Sam resided with his family in Monterey County. In 1875, a year after he came to the Los Alamos Valley, he married Miss Catherine Fields, a daughter of Edmund and Lucy Fields. He was foreman for Dr. Sahw and lived for some time on the Shaw Ranch. Later he bought the home now occupied by Mrs. Quintana. They lived on part of the El Roblar Rancho from 1878 to 1884, in the red house by the barn. From 1892 to 1902, they lived in the present big house. He is a strong manly man with forceful character, and a good judge of human nature, cordial and liked by everybody. He took up his responsibilities of a land contractor for the Union Sugar Company and successfully leased about 10,000 acres, devoted to sugar beet culture. He was able to supply the factory with over one hundred thousand tons of beets yearly.
Deleissegues, Oliver	Oliver was the son of Alberto and Rebecca Deleissegues. He attended school in San Luis Obispo and Nipomo. First, he farmed and then he clerked, and later he applied himself to various kinds of profitable work. In 1910, he married Miss Lizzie Hammer, who was born in Los Alamos, the daughter of H.D. and Albertina Hammer, natives of Germany. Mr. Deleissegues worked in the employ of the Western Union Oil Company and farmed in the Los Alamos Valley.
Foxen, Fred R. and Thomas R.	They were two of the sons of William Domingo Foxen, early pioneers of the ranch life around Los Alamos. Their father was an Englishman and around their places they have always retained the oak trees, which in England were regarded as almost indicative of the owner's force of character. Foxen Canyon was named after this prosperous and happy family.
Gates, Lorison	He was born in Ohio, became a farmer in Indiana, but in 1875 he took his family to Butte County, California, where he carried on farming. In 1877, he located in Los Alamos where he bought and conducted a ranch. He died here in 1888.
Glines, John T.	John T. was born in Lake County, California, and when he was three months old, they moved to his father's ranch near what is now Orcutt. In 1904, he came to Los Alamos, where for two years, he conducted a livery stable. In 1908, he was appointed road overseer of the Los Alamos Valley. As he took care of this responsibility, he managed the Los Alamos Meat Market and farmed hay and grain. In 1895, he married Dora B. Holloway, the daughter Of J.j. Holloway, in Los Alamos. Mrs. Glines was a teacher and taught in the Bell District, which was the name of the school in Los Alamos.
Guidotti, Joseph	He was the father of Mrs. Dora Scolari, who now lives in Los Alamos; Mr. Guidotti was the real pioneer in the family. He was a very young man, aged 17, when he first came to America. He stayed here for thirty-three years, then made a trip back to his native country, where he met and married Mrs. Guidotti, who was eighteen years of age at the time. They returned to America and settled in Lompoc, but in 1910, they moved to Los Alamos to Dr. Shaw's La Laguna Rancho, and lived here in the valley until he died in 1933. Mrs. Guidotti now lives in Santa Barbara. They raised a family of five, four daughters and one son. Dora, has been mentioned; Elsie Seaton lives in Burbank; Mary G. Brown, Indiana; Erina Inda, Ventura; and Hildo Guidotti, Barstow.
Jensen, Thomas	What a heroic persistence may accomplish in the great struggle of life, is shown in the case of Thomas Jensen, who leaving his home in the Old World to push off to the new and more promising outlook, toiled until he was enabled at last to realize his ambition. He was born in Orra, Denmark. In 1889, leaving his wife and infant baby he arrived in Nipomo where he immediately went to work and saved his money, so that at the end of four years he sent for his wife and two children. In 1898, he came to Careagas and rented part of their ranch, part of the historic old estate. He built an up-to-date bungalow surrounded by a group of fruit trees and English walnuts and a yielding vineyard. They had seven children, Anna Maria, Neils, James, Mattie, Christina, Charles and Mary.
Kahn, Lazarus	He was born in Phalsbourg, Lorraine, France in 1850. He came to this country in 1868. In 1880, he came to Los Alamos and stared a jobbing house in liquor, in the stage station, the present site of Mrs. Alice Wurz's house. In 1896, he established a general merchandise business. His upright business methods placed him among the commercial forces of the county. He was a great believer in education and did much to promote it in the town. In 1875 he married Josephine Ortega, daughter of a descendent of an old Spanish family who were among the pioneers of California. They had six children, Archie, Edmond, Samuel, Mattie, Anna, and a girl who died in early childhood.
Patterson, C.D.	One of the substantial citizens of Los Alamos was C.D. Patterson, who came to Los Alamos in 1876. He farmed and, also conducted a livery stable business.
Pearson, Charles H.	He was an enthusiastic advocate of the Los Alamos Valley. He has been equally successful as a blacksmith, general merchant, and rancher. He was one of the pioneers of Los Alamos, having been interested in its development from the time he arrived in 1879. He first went into the blacksmith business with a firm already here, and then for three years ran his own shop. In 1886, he stared a general merchandising establishment and built his own store on the corner of Bell and Centennial Streets. He commenced his store with a half dozen lines of goods. Gradually he enlarged his stock, until it included staple and fancy groceries, dry goods, boots, and shoes, hardware, agriculture implements, crockery, hats, caps, and millinery. Later he laid in a stock of coffins and caskets. He had honest business methods, a tactful manner, and a great desire to please. He erected a very pleasant home in Los Alamos, surrounded by shade trees which he had set out himself. He owned many acres around the town on which he raised barley and wheat which resulted in excellent crops. He was active in promoting educational facilities of the town and was a school trustee and clerk for many years. Mr. Pearson was born in Canada, and in 1891 returned there and married Nettie Spafford, bringing bring her back with him to Los Alamos. Two children were born, Nettie Elizabeth, now Clark, who is the news correspondent for the valley papers and the Santa Barbara News Press and Agnes Marion Pearson, who is the county librarian in Los Alamos. Mr. Pearson died in his nineties, 1942.
Purkiss, Myrton M.	He was the son of John A. Purkiss, who built and ran a flour mill in Los Alamos. When twelve years of age, Myrton worked for C.H. Pearson of Los Alamos , around his farm and store and attended school. He became chief agriculturist for the Union Sugar company. In 1904 he married Hulda Glines, daughter of C.R. Glines, pioneer.
Scolari, Pietro	A fine representative of that class of SwissAmericans who have made real success in California, is P. Scolari. He came to America in 1879. Since 1891, he rented part of the Careaga ranch in the Los Alamos Valley and devoted it to the raising of beans and hay and to a dairy. In 1916, he bought excellent land next to the part he rented. He has been a successful fanner and dairyman. Mr. Soclari, in 1893, returned to Switzerland, where he married former friend and sweetheart. The children living are Peter, Louis, Assunta, Jos6, and Alfonso, who owns and runs the California garage in Los Alamos.
Shaw, James Barron, M.D.	He came to California around the 1850's. He came here originally to manage Santa Cruz Island, which was owned by an English company. Dr. Shaw came to Califon-da in the early stages of its development. Clothes were then sent to China to be washed, and later to Honolulu for the same purpose. For his own ranch property, Dr. Shaw bought two leagues of La Laguna Rancho and one league of Rancho Los Alamos. Dr. Shaw and John Bell founded the town of Los Alamos.
Snyder, John D.	He came to Los Alamos at an early age, engaged in farming on a large scale and was soon able to build the Union Hotel of thirty or more rooms. He also became the agent for Wells, Fargo and Company Express.
Leslie, Alexander	He came to Los Alamos in 1876, farmed and started the first buildings of Los Alamos on a capital of $2,000. He developed his business to $40,000 a year by 1883, He had three stores, one, general assortment of merchandise; second, post office, school books, stationery, toys and candy; and the third, liquors, wholesale and retail.
Wickenden, W.F.	The mercantile interests of Los Alamos were well represented by W.F., who was born in San Luis Obispo in 1861. He was one of the nine children of Frederick, who came to Santa Barbara County in 1889 and who was born in England. An early adaptability to general business convinced W.F. Wickenden that he would find his greatest sphere of usefulness and success in that field, and in 1889, his brother, J.D. and himself opened a general mercantile establishment in Los Alamos. Their plans were wisely laid and their honest financial methods and correct estimate of what would be required secured for them an extended patronage, not only in the town, but in the surrounding country. The responsibilities of Mr. Wickenden increased in 1899 by the death of his brother, when he became sole owner of the business and increased his stock. He added hardware and agricultural implements to his general necessities. His establishment was well conducted, neat, and an orderly place, where goods could be purchased at a figure consistent with reasonable profit, and the best quality procurable. In addition, he owned another store in Gary run along the same policies. W.F. Wickenden was a brother of Robert A. Wickenden and Albert P. Wickenden of Los Alamos
	BACK TO TOP