Santa Barbara County Biographies

JAMES A. BLOOD

Submitted by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

JAMES A. BLOOD, one of the successful ranchers of the Carpenteria Valley, resides in 
a handsome residence situated on a high elevation among the foot-hills, commanding 
a superb view of the valley, ocean and the islands in the distance. Mr. Blood was born 
in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1818. His father was a mechanic by trade, and a native of 
Salem. He moved to Rochester. New York, when the streets of that present beautiful 
city were filled with stumps and the town supported but one insignificant hotel. James 
A. remained at home until nineteen years of age, when he went to Illinois, and became 
engaged in the manufacture of plows. He was one of the first to make a scouring plow, 
and people would come a hundred miles to see it work. He did a large business for that 
country, and also carried on farming, owning a quarter section of land. He remained 
twelve years, and then sold out in 1850 and came to California. 

He fitted up three wagons with plenty of supplies, and started on his long march, 
taking seven men who paid him for transportation, lie was eighty-seven days en 
route, and men and animals all arrived in first-class condition, while others suffered 
severely from lack of supplies. He then went to the mines in Placer County, and 
after a short but successful experience lie returned to the East, having made $3,000. He 
then engaged in the hardware business in Farmington, Illinois, and one year later sold 
out and returned to California. He again crossed the plains. This trip took six months, 
as he drove eighty head of cattle and suffered very little loss. He then settled at Marys- 
ville, Yuba County, where he began trading by running a pack train to the mines, and 
later engaged in the merchandise business with a Mr. Shannon, for two years. He then 
sold out, continuing his trading until 1858. In that year he went East with his brother, 
by water and the Eads ship canal route. They then purchased cattle on the border of 
Texas, and drove 1,250 head across the plains, up the Arkansas River to Pueblo, then to 
Denver, leaving the cattle to graze on the Humboldt River through the winter. In 
crossing they lost about 200 head, and later the Indians stampeded 500, thus making the 
transaction a losing investment. The subject of this sketch then went to the mines in the 
Indian Valley, where his first year's business amounted to $33,000. He was then "frozen 
out" by his partners, receiving only $25,000 for his one-third interest. He was in the 
valley about five years, as he also owned 1,000 acres of land in partnership with his 
brother. Mr. Blood also had mining interests in Summit City, Nevada County, where 
he invested $25,000 and lost every cent. In December, 1866, he made a pleasure trip to 
the East with his wife, going by the Isthmus of Panama, and returning to California in 
1867. After returning to San Francisco, he began looking about for a place to settle, and 
came down the coast by steamer, landing at Santa Barbara. He purchased 117 acres in 
the Carpenteria Valley, all wild, rough land. After clearing the land he began the cultiva- 
tion of nuts, corn and beans, and he has since added to his place, increasing it to 350 
acres. In 1875 he rented the ranch and moved to Santa Barbara, where he carried on 
the grocery business under the firm name of Blood & Orr, for about six years, after which 
he returned to his ranch. In August, 1887, he sold his entire tract to a syndicate. He 
then repurchased eight acres, where he has since built his large and beautiful residence. 
Mr. Blood was married at Avon, Fulton County, Illinois, March 29, 1840, to Miss 
Cornelia L. Woods, and they have just celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of their wedding, 
a pleasure granted to but few in this world. Although they have not been blessed with 
children, their present happy relation is significant of the peace and harmony which 
have always existed. 

History of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura Counties, California  - by 
C.M. Gidney, Benjamin Brooks, Edwin M. Sheridan, Vol I, II.  -Lewis Publ. Co., 
Chicago, 1917.