HomeMy WebLinkAboutSLOWhat December 2017For those just tuning in, we’ve been talking
with early pioneer, Charles H. Johnson, on his
adventures before arriving in San Luis Obispo.
Born in Maryland in 1848, he sailed extensively
on merchant ships and in 1848 while planning to
trade in Hawai’i (the Sandwich Islands to him) heard
of the California peace with Mexico. Arriving in
San Francisco just before the Gold Rush, opened
business (regularly victims of fire), he eventually
moved to Monterey. We last heard about how a
murder led to his coming to the County Seat.
I am anxious to hear about your decision to move to
San Luis Obispo.
“I had hoped my marriage in the summer of 1852
would provide for a more stable life and family.
My wife was Isabel Gomez de Estrada. And I was
fortunate enough to become the Assistant Customs
Collector in Monterey under Collector Isaac Wall.
But it was not meant to be. When poor Isaac was
murdered in 1855, the tragedy presented another
opportunity. This unexpected opportunity caused
us – my wife and I and children – to relocate to San
Luis Obispo. By then, we had two sons, Charles
Alexander and Albert Beresford, born in Monterey in
1853 and 1855.
You see, Isaac was traveling to San Luis when he
and another- I’ve forgotten his name – were waylaid
and both murdered. It then became my duty to
notify the authorities and try to continue conducting
business at the Custom House. When I received an
opportunity to oversee the collections in Avila Beach
plus the dowry of land received by Isabel, we moved
further south.
I hope you will note the San Luis Obispo in 1856
was simply a crossroads between the increasing
population in the state and not a particularly safe
place. Of course, there weren’t many safe places
anywhere given the influx of people chasing after
gold.”
Just a note here for our readers: the 1850 Federal
Census for California is about 92,500; ten years
later, it’s listed as 380,000.
“However, we were determined to establish
ourselves permanently and quickly became involved
in establishing a stable governance including
addressing the criminals and violence around us.
I had reliable employment and free land to farm. I
was thirty years old and had no desire to return to
the sea or the merchandising business. Along with
other responsible residents, we were determined to
establish a lawful community.”
I’m sure we’d like to find out what happened but
for now, the focus is on how the earliest pioneers
reached San Luis Obispo.
“I appreciate your interest very much, but I was
not the earliest here. I know you will be interested
in another early settler who was here when I first
arrived. I hope you will be talking with my friend,
Sam Pollard. He was here even before we became
a state!”
Thank you. I will contact your friend soon.
Contact: jacarotenuti@gmail.com
Visit: www.joefromslo.com
12/2017
History of SLO: Pioneers’ Story
WITH JOSEPH CAROTENUTI, CITY HISTORIAN/ARCHIVIST