Ellwood Cooper: In His Own Words

NOTICIAS Quarterly Magazine Of The Santa Barbara Historical Museums Vol. XXXIX. No. 2

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..n His Own Words

Summer 1993

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EIKvood Cooper inspects one of his olive orchards.

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his issue of NOTICIAS presents the story of a most remarkable agricultural innovator, Ellwood Cooper. With a life-long interest in horticultural experimentation and “ education, Cooper pioneered the planting ofthe eucalyptus in this area and zoos afounder ofSanta Barbara' sfirst "college.”In approximately 1923 (the booklet is undated). Cooper printed the story of his life. He was already the author of a number of works on agriculture, as well as reportsfor the State Board ofHorticulture.

Cooper died in ipi8, but his name lives on in the area ofEllwood, to the west of Qoleta, as does his legacy in the hundreds ofeucalyptus trees that dot the local landscape. We present his story, in his own words.

All photographs are from the collection of the Santa Barbara Historical Aduseums,unless otherwise noted. Thefront cover image is from the book, Historical and Biographical Record of Southern California, by J.?4. Quinn, igoz. The illustration on the back cover was used on Cooper’s olive oil bottles. The text has been slightly edited for clarity and to conect spellings ofpvpcr names.

Michael Redmon, Editor Judy Sutcliffe, Designer

© 1993 The Santa Barbara Historical Society 136 E. De la Guerra Street, Santa Barbara, California 93101 Single copies S5.00 ISSN 0581-5916

OME INCIDEISTTS IN THE Life OF

.WOOD COOPER

j

Commencing with HIS ANCESTRY^ we learn that James Cooper, who emigrated from England in 1683, was the head of his branch of the Cooper family in America.

James settled in Chester near Philadel phia, and was married in 1705. Of his family, his son Calvin had a woolen mill at Bradford, moved to Sadsbury, east of Lancaster, about sixteen miles. OF Cal vin’ s family, John was married to Rebec ca Moore at Sadsbury, Oct. 24th, 1764.

Of John’s family, Jeremiah was the fa ther of Morris, who was the father of Ellwood, the subject of this history.

Jeremiah was a woolen manufacturer, and settled in the Chester Valley, near Cooperville. His son, Morris, married Phebe Barnaby and settled on a farm about two miles east of his father's mill in the same valley.

Ellwood was born on this farm in 1829 and now relates THE EARLIEST RECOLLECTIONS IN HIS LIFE?.

One of the earliest was the shooting

stars that happened in 1833, I being four years old. My knowledge of this happen ing calls to mind the tramping of the persons of the household and the excite ment that awoke me and my brother.

We got up and dressed without the knowledge of our mother, to her surprise, and we were put back to bed, but not un til we had witnessed this wonderful phe nomena. The whole heavens were lighted up as if on fire, and I have understood that many people were terribly fright ened and thought the world was coming to an end.

The next thing that I remember was running away to school. My brother, who was one year and a half older than I, was attending school in company with a young girl, who was helping my mother.

This departure every morning made me feel that I ought to go with them, and I decided after some days’ thought, that I would follow near enough to see where they went, yet far enough behind not to be discovered. The result of my attempt

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to reach the school is blotted out of my memory. I only recollect chat I was at the school and was seated on a bench by the side of a red-headed boy. We were not the least bit harmonious, and I had pulled the hair of my companion so chat he cried out, and consequently the teacher had to separate us. Here my recollection ends, as to how I got home and the events ocher chan what are mentioned.

vice CO the sacisfaccion of the school directors and the parents.

In my approach to manhood I made the acquaintance of Sarah P. Moore, and was engaged to marry her, which event cook place a few years afterwards.

My brother Jeremiah and myself had joined in an agreement to work my fa ther’s farm and grist mill on shares. My brother attended to the farm, and I to the

The next incident in my life is that mill. We made a success. I may state in this place that I was a my father bought a farm and grist mill property in competitor with ocher Bart Township. Lancaster could make a barrel ot Hour County, about one-half out of the fewest number of mile distant from a village called Georgetown. In our "TH AT l-fP pounds of wheat, the flour moving from the valley to ^ i ilil. j-Q stand inspection in the Bart, I have a distinct rec ISEOTT’ Philadelphia market. I won the prize, having succeeded ollection of being seated in INTERFERE in making a barrel of flour a carriage with my grand out of four bushels and mother, and voyaging to

Vue emperor REPLIED

this new home on what was called the backroad. I have a vivid recollection of this part of our journey.

We come now to the life on this new farm of some

WITH THE

eight pounds, aggregating

LIBERTY OF

hundred and fifty-six pounds to the barrel of flour of one hundred and

THE PRESS^

fifteen years in extent. From my boyhood to my manhood my school life during this period was not much diHerenc from ocher boys in chat neighborhood. I might men tion that the district school, in my four teenth year, was overcrowded, and the master had created three separate classes and selected three of his pupils to teach them. I was allotted as one of the three and given a class in arithmetic that was ad vanced as far as single proportion. Why I was selected I never was cold. There were other pupils much older chan I wasj how ever, I was a successful teacher. A few years after, the head teacher left the school and I was selected to teach the re mainder of the term. I performed the ser-

ninety-six pounds. This re sult was never equaled so far as I learned.

After this milling experience I left the home of my father, went to Philadelphia to learn merchandising, and entered the service of George W Taylor, who kept a "Free Labor Score.’’ It was the plan to keep groceries and dry goods in which no slave labor had been used in their production.

There were a large body of Friends(com monly called Quakers) in Philadelphia, New York, and the West, who had conscientious scruples against using any ma terials chat had been produced by slave la bor. This business, however, was not my purpose in changing from country to city life. My aim was to become acquainted in merchandise with the trade of the world.

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ELLWOOD COOPER I left the "Free Labor Store” after one

had to remain at the desk until after

year, and took a position with Samuel A. Lewis and Brother. 58 S. Wharves. Phil

midnight. Mr. Hunt had sailed from Port-au-Prince about the time I left Phil

adelphia. This firm was in the shipping trade with the east coast of South Amer

adelphia. Captain Cutts was very consid erate of my services and very generous.

In fact, I have to say, that he treated me and my wife in a most thoughtful and kind manner at that time, during my early business career, and meant much toward my success that occurred later in life.

ica. In this change I made a great sacri fice in the amount received for my ser vices, but my ambition was to enter a service that might lead to a worldwide business. The . above firm was an exporte. of food stufFs and importers of coffees, raw sugars, and hides, with a few other articles.

It was while I was

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A correspondent of the T^eiv York. Herald had \ visited Port-au-Prince and wrote a very scur rilous article concern

employed in the shipping house of Samuel A. Lewis &

ing the habits of the Emperor Soulouque^ and some of the mer

Brother that 1 got married. After about

chants doing business there. The newspaper I published in the town had the article translat

two years with this firm, I had an offer to go to Port-au-Prince, \ ^ Haiti, a part of the Island of Santo Domingo, one of the West Indies. I sailed with my wife and baby boy to Portau-Prince. arriving after a voyage of fourteen days. There was nothing re markable chat hap pened on the voyage.

Yellow fever was raging amongst the foreign population, and after three weeks, I was taken with the fever, and learned af ter I was well again that I had had a very bad spell of it.

The house of Hunt

ed into French and pub lished with severe criti cisms of the author. The people set about to discover the writer, and concluded that someone in Port-au-Prince must have written it, and that the only person in the town capable of writing it was my self.The article creat

Sarah Moore married Elhuood Cooper at a Quak.tr meeting in Philadelphia on August ij., 1853- The two families had been neighbors for a number of years.

Before her marriage, Sarah had been a principal in a a Quaker school in Phila delphia. The Coopers would have three children, Henry, Bllen, and Fannie.

Sarah Cooper died in 1^08.

& Cutts, with whom I was employed, was doing a large business, so chat I had a very hard task before me. Frequently I

ed great excitement and some of the best friends of the house of Hunt & Cutts became enemies of the store and manifested their displeasure in conver sation in the streets, so that it was neces-

sary to take some action.

It would cake about six weeks or more to get a denial from James Gordon Ben-

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In 1855, the growing Cooperfamily moved to Haiti. Sarah Cooper sits in the carriage; Ellwood Cooper stands next to her. T^ext to theirfather stand two of the Cooper children, Henry and Ellen.

nett, the editor of the New York Herald, that I was not the author. I wrote the American consul residing in Port-auPrince to acquaint the emperor that I was innocent of the charge, and might suffer at the hands of an excited people. The emperor replied that he could not inter fere with the liberty of the press. Upon the receipt of this answer, I applied to the British vice-consul for protection from possible injury. He mounted his horse and rode to the palace and told the emperor that if any harm came to me, he would order a man-of-war from Jamaica that could arrive in twenty-four hours to settle any difficulty that might occur. I learned after the occurrence that the em-

peror had sene an aide and informed the editor that if any harm was done by rea son of this newspaper criticism he would hold the paper responsible. The excite ment quieted down and I had James Gor don Bennett's statement that I was not the writer of the article.

The next incident in my life was the Revolution, headed by General GefFrard,^ to overthrow the emperor. This revolu tion commenced in Cape Haitien, and it took some days before Geffrard’s army could reach Port-au-Prince. A great many arrests were made and great excite ment existed during the interval. For eigners residing there were uncertain as to the result. We were living in the country

ELLWOOD COOPER ac the cime, and then moved into the house of the American consul in the city.

We were not held in suspense for long, as Geffrard’s army soon arrived in town.

T~he prisoners were released. The emperor and a few of his party were conducted to the English Consulate and from there to a vessel to convey them to Jamaica. Af ter a few days all was quieted down, and new officials appointed.

The new appointments were of the best people of the country, so that busi ness was conducted in the most pleasant manner that could be expected and, I have to say, that during the Geffrard reign, life in Port-auPrince for all foreigners was agreeable.

Our business in creased and every thing moved along in a prosperous and sat isfactory way. We moved from the American Consulate back to our old home in the country. We did not miss any property during this revolution.

Our country house had been fre quented by more peo ple than just care takers, for I shall never forget what happened during the first night after our return. Upon retiring 1 found that my whole body was as if a rash had broken out upon it. My wife got up to bathe me with rum, and after

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lighting a lamp and viewing the situa tion, she could not help laughing, as my whole body was covered with young bed bugs. She said that if there was one, there were a million.

In writing of this bedbug experience, I will give another instance during our so journ in that country. I had ordered from New York two or three sets of solid black walnut furniture. When this furniture was completed, it was sent out with in structions that after a few months it

Henry Cooper, oldest ofthe three children, poses with three ofthe household servants.

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30 must be oiled to keep it from cracking.

This was done with sweet oil, which at tracted the bedbugs and the ants, which proved to be parasites, so the bugs were soon captured by the ants and carried away. Here was a lesson in bug biology and the effort made to profit by this ex perience. It was found that by placing tin vessels under the four posts of the bed stead and introducing poison in these ves sels that it would prevent the bugs from passing from the floor to the occupants in the bed. But these creatures were not to be baffled in this way, for they would travel up the walls of the room and on the ceiling far enough to drop down on the bed. NOTE; The reader is advised to read my book, Do Plants Thinks?, to better under stand the intelligence of in sects.

The government moved along in a quiet way until it was discovered by passing let ters that parties were in the act of making a revolution.

These letters were placed in the hands of President

the window. In che excitement, the presi dent shut himself up in the palace and was protected by the palace guards. The plan did not work and the revolting par ties were frightened and quickly scattered to their homes, acting as if suddenly sur prised by the commotion in the streets.

The following morning, the supposed party that did the shooting, or the one suspected, was found to be absent and was traced to a point about nine miles toward San Domingo. He was overtaken and questioned by the officers capturing him. They had suspected some of the parties in the plot and told the party ar rested that they knew all that were en gaged in the attempted revo lution and tha-. they were arrested; one of the parties

iiis

DAUGHTER WAS SHOT

BY THE ALLOTTED PARTY

Geffrard, who summoned the

having confessed, was how they knew all about it. The result of these statements caused the man to make a confession, so consequently all were finally arrested. A military court appointed a guard composed mostly of loyal merchants established in the town, and a trial soon

party and gave him the alternative of leaving the country or to stand trial; he quit the country.

Some time after this, a revolution by some of the adherents of the former Em

thereafter found sixteen men guilty and condemned to be shot. They were then killed on a Sunday morning in public on

peror Soulouque organized a movement in an attempt to overthrow the Geffrard government. Their plan was to kill the president’s married daughter, who lived near the palace, and supposing that the president with his aides would come out, would give the parties allotted for the job a chance to shoot him.

pening the government had no further troubles so far as my recollection serves me.

His daughter was shot by the allotted party. She was in the parlor reading, and the party shot her through the blinds of

the parade ground. Thus ended that terri ble affair, and after this unfortunate hap

After ten years sojourn, I decided to consult with my wife in regard to leav ing the country. We had two children, and could not think of sending them to some other country to be educated. We left, and arrived in New York safely. I made a proposition to my partner to sell out to him all my interests in the busi-

ELLWOOD COOPER

31

ness. This was accepced with the underscanding chat I join the New York house of Robert Murray, Jr., for some time to come. I rented a furnished house, and settled down to a condition chat I might become a New Yorker.

I bought a lot on Clinton Avenue, Brooklyn, and built a home. It was my intention not to enter a business chat would employ my whole time, but face decided otherwise; in addition to looking after the best interests of the Port-auPrince business, the firm of Robert Mur ray, Jr,, commenced building ships and afterwards established a steamer line to

TTie house on Clinton Avenue, Brooklyn.

Haiti. This steamer line plied between New York, Gonaives,^ and Port-au-

Thefamily moved herefrom Haiti in 1865.

This was the family home until their move to Santa Barbara.

Prince, making regular crips twice each month.

In the meantime, a revolution in Cuba

news that was solely for the benefit of

correspondence with the U. S. govern ment resulted as a consequence. About the same time, there was a revolution in Hai

the two houses. But on the second trip to Havana, the steamer was seized by the Cuban revolutionists and taken into Remedios. It was some time before news was received of her whereabouts. Then

ti headed by General Salnave. Geffrard with his family left for Jamaica. A new government under Salnave was esta blished.4

correspondence commenced as to her re lease.

President Grant cabled to Madrid to Minister Daniel E. Sickles that if the

In GelFrard’s government we had pur chased a steamer which was turned into a

steamer was not given up, reprisals would be made on two Spanish men-ofwar then in the harbor of New York.

The steamer was released and sailed to

broke out. Our steamer was fired on, and

man-of-war for his government. After wards, our firm bought two steamers for the Salnave government. One was not accepted, as the conditions proved chat the steamer could not complete what she was meant to perform. The second pur chase was sent to Port-au-Prince, but was not accepted by the Salnave government.

She was used in connection with the business of the two houses to carry de spatches from Port-au-Prince to Havana to be cabled to New York and then to re turn to Port-au-Prince with the replies. It was thought much could be gained by our business in this way, in transmitting

Havana. Many threats had been made that she would be destroyed. The captain made her fast to the admiral's vessel in the port, the ironclad. Dictator. The in tention to destroy the vessel was boldly stated. To our surprise, the admiral, in conjunction with the American minister then residing in Havana, advised the captain to run away in the night to Key West, as they feared some danger or evil might be attempted.

The firm’s first news from the cap tain by telegram was that he was forced

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CO run away and was then in Key West, and asked whac he should do. He was tel egraphed CO provision the steamer and steam back to Havana. The government would not give the ship a clearance; so we learned, if we did not know it before, that the government was bigger chan we were.

The question then was to arbitrate the damage—the Spanish government to choose an arbiter, we to choose one, and in the event of non-agreement, the Secre tary of State CO appoint an umpire. The controversy resulted in requiring a third party to fix the damage; chough I have to say that the Spanish merchant appoint ed by the Spanish government was a gentleman of the highest character, and would have allowed us a larger amount of damage chan we received in the settle ment. It was reported that the Secretary of State, the Hon. Hamilton Fish, said after the settlement was determined that he was not surprised, as the man he ap pointed was a royalist, a minister of one of the German governments, and that he.

Mr. Fish, had at one time discussed the question with President Grant whether or not to hand him his exequatur.

This was the sort of a man that he appointed to settle an American claim.

We sold the steamer at a loss and thus ended a very unpleasant transaction. The Salnave government was not a success, and business grew more and more difficult. The money depreciated so that it could not in a credit sale purchase products that would equal the value of the products sold. Great losses were sus tained in all the business houses, and a refusal on the part of importers was the result, so that the government cook over the products, giving a bond to deliver coffee CO the importers to the value of the goods taken. Thus business was placed on

Mark,Twain used humor to portray the political and economic turmoil through which the Cooperfamily suffered dur ing their stay in Haiti.

a sort of trade-barter basis, which result ed in certain loss. The government was unable to deliver coffee to parties prom ised, as they had to sell the coffee to get money for their necessities; their paper money was worthless, having depreciated to one thousand to one.

A proclamation was issued that the government would issue a dollar that was a dollar, and would be taken at par for all import and export duties, and would pur chase all the former currency at one thousand to one. Business under the new issue was then restored, but it was only for a short period, as another proclama tion was issued, chat owing to great ne cessities only one-half of the new curren cy would be taken for duties.

Depreciation of values was imminent.

Not long thereafter further proclamaCions were made that only one-quarter of the national currency would be received

ELLWOOD COOPER

33

for duties, and finally chat all must be paid in gold. The complete demoraliza tion of business was then reached, and only money of American standard value was received in payment for merchan dise.

Revolution was the result; everywhere dissatisfaction and confusion was ram pant. Salnave attempted to run away, but was overtaken, captured and brought back, cried by court-martial, convicted and shot, chained at the palace steps.

Business conditions were pictured in an amusing article written by Mark Twain purporting to be a voyage from New York to Port-auPrince. The events hap pening on the voyage were nothing extraordinary. On the arrival at Port-auPrince he stepped out on the wharf, hailed a boy, and asked him to carry his handbag up to a hotel, but before concluding the task, said that he had always made it a rule to fix the

to cake off one hundred dollars for such a slight service, was more chan he could comprehend, so he at once engaged his services. The remainder of the events during the visit in the city were of simi lar kind, shaving, shoe-service, etc.

The gold excitement of 1849 had created in my mind a strong desire to visit California, but circumstances were against any such a visit. This desire could not be gratified until time and money were available.

My business arrangements in New York were such that I could afford the time to make the voyage, so I sailed with my wife and son by the steamship line via Aspinwall, the Panama rail road, and the Pacific to San Francisco. After

THE GOVERNMENT WAS BIGGER

THAN WE WERE^

price of such service, so that there might be no disagreement when the work was completed, so asked the boy what he would charge. The boy replied. “One thousand dollars.” In an ordinary business transaction, the circum stances were so extraordinary, chat Twain was almost paralyzed. He gazed about him in such a manner, putting his hand up to feel if his head was there, and so dumbfounded, that the boy wanted to relieve his state of mind, and said chat he would do the job for nine hundred dollars.

This awakened a different train of thought, which captivated him, and struck him as being so remarkably gener ous, that he was completely taken off his guard, that a boy showed such generosity

stopping at San Francisco ^ first voyage of observation was to Los Angeles, where we stopped some time, and while there experienced a delightful, warm rain. We wondered at the lack of

improvements, and that in such a beauti ful country there was not more pop ulation. We visited the Wolfskill orange grove, and satisfied ourselves that great possibilities were in store for this region.

We took the stage for Santa Barbara, We visited the Old Mission and saw growing there a few olive trees full of fruit. We were lace in arriving on ac count of muddy roads.

Mrs. Cooper was the first to appear in the morning, and I never will forget her expression in returning from the ve randa. She said, "Ellwood, get up. I have never experienced such beautiful air in all my life, and we must be out to enjoy it.”

Nature had in this view presented us

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The Old Mission, as it would have appeared at the time of Cooper's msit. His visit here and to Mission Santa Ines inspired Cooper to try his hand at growing olives.

with the most beautiful place that ever was created. We took the stage for San Juan Bautista, our next stopping place.

Col. W W Hollister was at chat time living at San Jusco, near San Juan Bautis ta. We had letters of introduction to him and had decided to scop to see him.

Along the stage route from Santa Barbara to San Juan Bautista, we saw at the dinner station at Santa Ines Mission one olive tree full of fruit. After a short stay at San Juan Bautista, we returned to San Francisco. From San Francisco, we went to Walla Walla, Washington Ter-

35

ELLWOOD COOPER

ritory, to visit an old schoolmate, and when we returned, we made voyages of pleasure to che Yosemice Valley and ocher pleasure resorts. It was really voyaging for information rather chan pleasure.

We returned to New York, and after our return I discussed with my wife che question of removing to California to change our pursuit in life, and have a more agreeable climate for our home. The question was what we should do. I had had che experience of che difficulty in getting from Europe good cable olive oil, and our knowledge of what we saw in Santa Barbara convinced me chat there was a great opening for che olive industry in California; also in traveling on che plains we had witnessed herds of cattle and horses without shelter from che heat of che sun, not a tree even to shade them at midday, hence tree planting should be encouraged. We decided after mature de liberation CO make California our future home, sell out by auction our holdings.

and so we did and arrived in April, 1870.

On June che first we arrived in Santa Barbara. We had previously purchased, through the aid of Col. Hollister, a part of the Rancho Dos Pueblos adjoining his place, so as soon as we could make tem porary arrangements, we commenced our new life. We were not able to get a place to live, and bought a small house, fur nishing it the best we could. We lived in town about one year and during that time we investigated the school facilities.

We learned that in 1869 amongst the best citizens of Santa Barbara a school was desired to which they could send their children, and to encourage new set tlers in making homes. It was realized chat something must be done, hence an effort on their part to organize a plan to raise money by voluntary contribution and build a suitable structure, and com mence at once to supply this want.

A quarter of a block on the corner of State Street and Anapamu was pur-

Despite its name, Santa Barbara College was an elementary and high school with m boardingfacilities. Ellwood Cooper served on the boardfor a number ofyears and the i8y$'y6 academic year, he served as school principal, while Sarah was viceprincipal. The college succumbed tofinancial difiicidties in the late 1870s. >5,

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36

chased and a two-story brick building was erected. A lease of two years was given to Rev. S. W Harmon to start a school. When the two years were com pleted, Mr. Harmon left with his family for Washington Corners in Alameda County.

I saw the necessity of a school, having three children to educate. After one year’s

exerted an influence, which has made

residence the question of completing the enterprise was brought to my mind, and a determination to enlarge the structure and to make many other improvements to accommodate pupils from adjoining counties, and to perfect the curriculum by adding a number of competent teachers.

During 1872 and 1873 a r

sustaining, and give a profit on the in dustries we were undertaking to develop.

The first thing was to fence the land. I bought one thousand sheep to eat the natural grasses and pursued the sheepgrowing for several years.

I had noticed on my first visit I had made on

Santa Barbara notable as a place of su perior school work.

When I had finally finished securing land, I had 2022 acres in all, and a lady friend of ours named the place "Ellwood Ranch." Improvements were vigorously prosecuted, not only to make a pleasant home, but to make the ranch self-

the land, that there

new building was added IM.PR.OVEM.EINI’T’S were many grasshopto the front and many pers, but did not realize other improvements the destruction they were to make in future made, and a great effort to get pupils from ad years. The tableland on the ranch had been joining counties, as from other states outside of grazed with sheep for California.

■ many years, and was in In the first effort, the building was excellent condition for the grasshoppers called the Santa Barbara College. After when the seasons were right for their all the improvements the building was grov/th. If the rains were not too early, so imposing, and considering the instruction that the native grass, nlfileria, did not given, it was not misnamed. For a few grow too early in the spring so as to make years after, with my great efforts and extoo much shade to prevent the sunlight penditures, with the assistance of many from giving sufficient heat to hatch the people in the town, the school was a suc grasshopper eggs. I found that they would cess, but the ranch affairs compelled my appear about the middle of April, and personal presence, so that the absence of commence a march, and would destroy the constant attention to school matters, everything as they traveled. and the effect of adjoining counties On my ranch the tableland bordered progressing and improving the facilities on the sea bluff, so that the grasshoppers' of schools in their own districts, Santa march was northerly. These pests had Barbara could not profit by their sup devoured all the grasses on the table and port, and there were not sufficient pupils started on their northward career, every for the expensive establishment to con grasshopper jumping in the same direc tinue. However, a school was kept for tion, and when they came to a barranca, several years thereafter. It had already they would jump down on the side first

WERE VIGOROUSLY PROSECUTED^

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ELLWOOD COOPER

This view of thefamily home on the ranch was painted by the second ofthe Cooper children, Ellen. An accomplished artist, she studied with Henry Chapman Ford. She also enjoyed a reputation as a poet and musician and was married to poet and playwright, Issac. R. Baxley.

encountered, pass across the bottom, go up on the opposite side and continue on their northern course until they met some obstacle to prevent their further march.

When they arrived at a stream of water, they would jump into it and be carried away. I have been told that in the San Joaquin Valley, where they had irrigating ditches, they were destroyed in this way.

Many devices were resorted to to destroy them. They used poison and, where the land was level, heavy rollers to mash them, etc.

These grasshoppers took wing about the first of July in Santa Barbara County, and thereafter commenced look ing for a place to deposit their eggs. They searched for a place of southeast exposure where the soil would allow penetrating their tails about one inch in the ground, and where it was not sand, as the wind would uncover the eggs, or where water would not stand, as either would defeat hatching and end the race. They would as a general proposition all go to the same place to deposit.

My plan was to go to these places, mark out the district, and as soon as sufficient rain had fallen, to plow up with deep moulboard plows that would completely turn the top of the soil down, and sow it with barley. The barley would grow up before the hatching season, pre venting the sun’s rays from hatching the eggs, thus ending the race. Success was complete.

To continue the grasshopper subject, I might state, that several years later, when Albert Koeble was traveling for the State Board of Horticulture, looking for parasites, he was instructed to send from Australia the parasite of the grasshopper.

When Koeble received his instructions it was rather late in the season, but he se cured a few and sent them to the board.

They were distributed by Alexander Craw in Contra Costa County, and did good work, so reported. I will say in con clusion, that there is an effective para site; that this pest is very prolific and destructive. It appears in April on table lands where the growth is very succulent.

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39

ELLWOOD COOPER

as this is required for the young to devel op. Their destructive season is during their jumping states. They take wing in the end of June, search for their deposit ing grounds, and disappear about the 4th of July. The grasshopper plague was eliminated from my ranch, after having destroyed about $25,000 worth of my property.

I was still preparing olive trees to plant. In the growing of wheat, I lost about three hundred acres in one year from rust. After this loss, I did not plant any but rustproof varieties, and had no further loss in wheat planting.

The next disaster I encountered was the black scale on the olive, and had determined if I could not find a success ful parasite, I would dig up the trees. For this menace, I refer the read

years for fruit. I shipped the fruit to east ern cities and found out that nothing was known of this fruit, and no sales were made to any extent. So I had the pleasure of not only losing the whole business, but also of sending on money to help pay the freight. But I have it to say that I learned the best varieties, how to pick, to pre pare, to box, and to market these fruits, and this gave me great profit.

The main object, however, was the olive. I had, before leaving New York, de cided to make olive oil, and soon after our arrival bought some olive cuttings and commenced planting and continued to plant for years until I had seven different or

The maii\[

chards, comprising about 12,500 trees.

OBJECT^ HOWEVER^ WAS THE OLIVER

Many of the orchards af ter wards as the trees

er to my book, Bug vs.

Bug. I had during these years tried growing Japanese persimmons and had from a few trees of the right va riety made an exhibit and was encour aged. I learned through San Francisco nurserymen that plants ready to set out in orchard form could be purchased in the Orient. I decided at once to order ten thousand trees, which I did. My ignor ance of this culture, by not knowing what to order, cost me a lot of money and a lot of time. I ordered the plants and set them out in orchard form, and waited three years for them to fruit. The result was all sorts of seedling varieties, abso lutely worthless. I had only a few of the best varieties. I dug up all the trees in one orchard and burned them up.

In the ocher orchards, the trees of the good varieties budded and I waited three

were too close for prof itable bearing. The best of my ability was given to the olive industry.

I employed an inventor, who was vi siting Europe, to get information in Spain, the south of France, and Italy, to secure books on the subject of oil-making and send them to me. After receiving the books, which I could not read, in my correspondence I found a gentleman in St. Louis who could read all the languages of the books. I made a bargain with him to come to Santa Barbara to translate for me. My European visitor made drawings of the machinery, also purchased the apparatus that he had seen in operation in his visits to the different localities, and forwarded same by express to me. In this way I gained some knowl edge of oil-making. As soon as the first planting bore a little fruit, I commenced experimenting and kept at it until I was

40

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NOTICIAS

Although best known for his work with olives and the eucalyptus tree, Cooper produced a wide variety of crops on his ranch. Here field hands stop to pose before going about the taskof bringing in the almond harvest.

ELLWOOD COOPER

41

versed in the business. I spent about three years in the special study of this work, and got a reputation unequaled for mak ing the best oil on the market. I never adulterated. When I sold the ranch and

send to me such a book. It was very for tunate that I had formerly made the ac quaintance of this gentleman, as he in terested himself in my desire to get information on these trees. He called

delivered it to the new owner, he had the

upon Baron Ferdinand von Mueller, the great botanist, located in Melbourne, vdio was stationed there by the British gov ernment in the plant industry. I was written that the baron had delivered lec

advantage of all my labors.

In forest planting I had to face the question as to the variety of trees to plant. I had sent from my fathers home the eastern black walnuts and chestnuts.

The former proved unsuccessful, and of the latter, my foreman saved only two trees in planting, and after residing on the ranch for about thirty years, I plant ed an orchard of chestnuts. The trees from the first planting had grown well, and gave an annual crop of over two hundred pounds, which I sold in San Francisco and Chicago at eight cents a pound, This proved to be equal in returns to English walnuts, and the trees would live and flourish for at least ten times as long. I had planted over one thousand English walnuts, and reaped fine returns from the planting.

To return to forest planting, I had. in a voyage from the West Indies, made the acquaintance of Thomas Adamson, Jr., who played an important part in the eu calyptus industry. In my voyaging in San Francisco. I had seen in two house gardens, two bluegumsj these plants had wonderfully interested me—the symmet rical growth, the silver blue leaf. I had never seen so beautiful a plant.

The lady conducting me through the garden had said they were very rapid growers, and were grown in Australia. I wrote to my agent in San Francisco, and requested him to purchase for me a book on eucalyptus trees. He replied that there were no such books published. I then wrote to our minister at Melbourne, Mr. Thomas Adamson, Jr., to purchase and

tures on the eucalyptus, which had been printed, but that the only copies to be had were those in his possession; all the others were sent to London to the gov ernment, but that the baron would let me have his copies, if I would have them published and send him fifty bound cop ies. This arrangement was made. I pub lished the volume. Forest Culture and Eu calyptus Trees, in 1875. This circum stance created great friendship between myself and the baron, with whom I cor responded for more than thirty-five years and until his death.

In this eucalyptus planting there was no "haphazard” work on my part. I was following the recommendations of the baron. There was some peculiar history during this planting, as at first there were several persons who visited my ranch to dissuade me from further plant ing, stating that these trees were no good, and worthless for even firewood."

The future will prove that the family of the eucalyptus is the most important known to civilization.

In 1883, the Legislature of California created a State Board of Horticulture. I was one of the first appointed, and I re ceived letters from friends stating for me not to refuse to act in this new industrial position. Early in 1885, I was appointed president of the board and held this posi tion for about twenty years, and after the board was abolished, and a new law

NOTICIAS

Thefamily at rest. From left to right are Elkoood,Sarah, and daughter Ellen.

of the State of California Horticultural Commission was made, I was made com

thereto. I made some thirty to thirty-five addresses. These addresses are to be found

missioner and acted over four years on this commission, so that I spent about a quarter of a century giving fully onefourth of my time to the state, and ex cepting the four years under the new law, without compensation. I spent thousands of dollars out of my own pocket. Organi zation in the first years was incomplete, but there soon developed a systematic

in the publications of the State Reports, that are possessed by the libraries. There is one thing that I urged at two or three meetings and that was not accomplished.

This I have always regretted, for it was to remove Cleopatra’s Needle,” known as the New York Obelisk, from New York Central Park to Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

plan of work to increase the fruit growth of the state, and to answer all the neces

The hieroglyphics, and in fact a part of the polished body of the pyramid, are scaling off on account of the severity of the climate, and will continue to scale off

sary questions to insure proper distribu tion. My position as president was a difficult one to fill, but so far as I was able, I performed the service to the satis faction of the people of the state.

At the fruit conventions as president, I recommended what I thought was ne cessary in developing the industry in the state, and such other questions as related

until there may be nothing but the rough surface left, while in California this qual ity of native rock exists, and no climatic influence would impair this wonderful monument. Objections were raised that William H. Vanderbilt would not con sent to the removal, that neither the

43

ELLWOOD COOPER Central Park commissioners nor the New York City authorities would consent. So far as W. H. Vanderbilt was concerned, a man so generous, and with such noble thoughts, and a desire that the American people might for unborn generations wit ness this pyramid to admire and corntemplate the minds of the age that raised it, he would be more than glad to perpet uate this noble object.

During the years that Pardee was gov ernor of the state,5 the American Fruit Company was organized. The belief was that fruits could be boxed in nitrogen gas and kept indefinitely without deteriora tion, and that a saving of nearly one-half of the fruits could be realized. Such ma chinery as was required was installed at Antioch and the business was started. The separation of oxygen from the nitrogen was necessary and the greatest difficulty was experienced in the process, but not withstanding, a wonderful progress was

made. Bartlett pears were kept over three months without decay, grapes quite as long, and strawberries several weeks.

This establishment was in the wrong place or wrong locality, as there was a constant shake that prevented the con ductors of the gas from being perfectly airtight. The water in the bay was foul.

It was decided to move to a building with a rocky foundation near the Golden Gate, but the want of funds prevented any further efforts, for we had failed to sell stock. The subscribers were unwilling to put up any more money, so the pro ject was given up.

I made an investigation of the fruit situation, and found chat the deciduous fruits in our present plan of distribution were not more than half the quantity grown of any market value, and that the nitrogen gas method, if perfected, would save the enormous loss and give fruits cheaper to the consumers, and so far as

The "Olive Oil King ”surveys the scene.

IK

NOTICIAS

44

che citrus fruits were concerned, would

it CO C. J. M. M. Criehcon^ on che first

save about 30 percent. It is my convic tion chat sooner or later this method

of December, 1912, and will close the

must be used in che distribution of all

ing my life up to chat dace; but should I

fruits and green vegetables.

be spared in good health and sound mind

After this American Fruit enterprise, I did not branch out in any schemes or un dertakings. I sold the ranch and delivered

history of che incidents happening dur

for many years to come, will continue to write in a subsequent history.

ElLWOOD CoOPER-n

Editor'^s Notes 1. The period of che Coopers'stay in Haiti was one of great political turmoil. The Haitian legisla ture selected Faustin Soulouque, a former army officer, as che country’s leader in 1847. Ruth less and corrupt, he proclaimed himself Emperor Faustin I in 1849. He was overthrown in an 1859 military coup led by Fabre Nicolas Geffrard.

2. Fabre Nicolas Geffrard governed Haiti from 1859 to 1867. Although some reforms occurred under his reign, his rule was arbitrary and corruption was rife. He was forced out of office by an insurrection led by Sylvain Salnave in 1867.

3. Gonai'ves is a port town approximately seventy miles north of Port-au-Prince.

4. Sylvain Salnave ruled Haiti through force and repression until his overthrow and execution at the end of 1869.

5. George C. Pardee was elected governor of California in 1902 and served until 1907. Before be coming che state’s chief executive, he served as mayor of Oakland, California and as a regent of che University of California.

6. Cooper is referring to Charles Crichton of Alcadena, California. The sale price was approximate ly $125,000.

Ever the experimenter, Cooper became interested in a patented process to preserve produce and meat using nitrogen. The American Fruit Company wasformed in an effort to capitalize itpon this process.

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San Francisco. Cai.,..

SANTA BARBARA HISTORICAL SOCIETY BOARD OF TRUSTEES Mr. David Gledhill , , , Mr. Roger Phillips , . .

Dr. C. Seybert Kinsell

President . . First Vice President Second Vice President

Mrs. Susan B. Simpson

Secretary

Mrs. Tamara Cerio

Mr. Warren Miller Mrs. Delfina Mott Mr. Remi Nadeau

Lani Meanley Collins Mrs. Nan Djordjevic Mr. Richard Glenn

Mr.John Pitman

Mrs. Jean Goodrich Mr. Lawrence Hammett

Mrs. MaryThorson Mrs. jo Beth Van Gelderen

Mr. Thad MacMillan

Mr. John C. Woodward

Mr. Charles L. Turner, Interim Executive Director LIFE MEMBERS Mr. Stephen A. Acronico Mr. and Mrs. William B. Azbell Mr. and Mrs. J.W Beaver

Mr. Richard C. Harpham Mrs. Natalie B. Clark-Harpham Mrs. Glenn D. Hillebrand

Mr. and Mrs. Danily Bell Mr. Marvin J. Branch

Dr. C. Seybert Kinsell

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Mr. and Mrs. William F. Luton, Jr. Mrs. Jane Rich Mueller

Mrs. Virginia Castagnoia-Hunter

Mr. Spencer L. Murfey,Jr.

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Mr. William W. Murfey Mr. David F. Myrick Mr. and Mrs. Godwin J. Pelissero Miss Frederica D. Poett Mrs. Rena Redmon

Mrs. M. C. Conkey Mrs. Florence Corder-Witter Mr. J. V. Crawford Mr. Richard G. Croft, Jr. Marla Daily Mrs. R. E. Danielson, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Oswald J. Da Ros Mrs. Albert de L'Arbre

Mr. Eric P. Hvolb0ll

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Ridley-Tree Mrs. Alma R. Ritchie Mr. and Mrs. Wade Rubottom

Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Fish

Mrs. Melville Sahyun Mr. and Mrs. Peter J. Samuelson Mrs. Niru Sandrich

Mrs. Helen W. Foyer Master John Galvin Mr. Michael Galvin

Mr. and Mrs. J. Terry Schwartz Mrs. David Shoudy Mr. Walter G. Silva

Miss Sally Gane Mr. and Mrs. Keith Gledhill

Mr. and Mrs. Burke H. Simpson Mr. Ivano Paolo Vit

Mr. and Mrs. John C. Woodward BENEFACTORS; Santa Cruz Island Foundation, Northern Trust of California

Categories of membership; Life/Benefactor. $5,000 or morej President's Circle, $1,000; Patron, $500; Associate, $250; Sustaining. $ioo; Supporting, $50; Regular, $30.

Contributions to the Society are tax-exempt to the extent of the law.

Museum & Library; 136 East De la Guerra St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101 ● Telephone; 805/966-1601

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Santa Barbara California Permit No. 534

NOTICIAS Quarterly Magazine of the >^'/i > (I

Santa Barbara Historical Society P.O. Box 578 Santa Barbara, California 93102-0578

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CONTENTS Pg.25; Ellwood Cooper