Santa Barbara County Biographies

CHARLES H. CLARK

Submitted by Peggy Hooper

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


CHARLES H. CLARK, an early pioneer, and a prominent developer of the Point Sal shipping 
industry, was born in Johnson, Vermont, in 1838, and is a lineal descendant of William 
Clark, the chief mate of the old ship the Mayflower. Our subject's education was only in 
English branches, acquired in attendance at the common schools and academy. At thirteen 
years of age his business career began, as clerk in the postoffice of his native town, where 
he did all the writing of the office, and attended school during the school hours. In 1857 
he came to California, by the Panama route. At San Francisco his first occupation was in 
the postoffice, but the opportunities being too narrow for one of his enterprise, he soon 
found more congenial employment in the broader fields of mercantile life. As clerk he 
entered the office of C. J. Hawley, an extensive wholesale and retail grocer of San Francisco. 
After one year, as a financial advancement, he worked on the steamboat running between 
San Francisco and Stockton for one year, and then returned to the former place, where he 
opened a retail grocery store. Here he felt the kindly influence of his old employer, C. J. 
Hawley, who in many ways advanced the young man's interests. Mr. Clark continued his 
store until 1868, when on account of failing health he sold out, and in 1869 came to the 
southern country for the open-air exercise, settling near Santa Maria Valley, and taking 
charge of the " Todos Santos " cattle ranch, where he remained about eighteen months. 
When the Guadaloupe Rancho was divided, about 1874, Mr. Clark bought 1,000 acres 
near Point Sal, and in 1884 bought 1,157 acres adjoining, upon which he has 750 head of 
cattle and fifty head of horses. The ranch is particularly adapted to grazing; being near the 
coast it has an abundance of nutritious food and Mr. Clark is farming only a small acreage 
to hay. His horses are well bred for general utility purposes. 

In 1864 Mr. Clark was married to Miss Eliza Clayton, a niece of Hon. Charles Clayton, and 
they have had eight children, two sons and six daughters. The elder daughter is a descriptive 
writer of great merit, and all the children have musical talents. The second daughter, 
Minnie, has studied music under the best instructors in the State, and is a finished pianist 
and vocalist. 

The history of Point Sal has been chiefly made by Mr. Clark, he being the promoter 
and founder of its extensive shipping industries. In 1872, before any wharf was estab- 
lished, in partnership with W. D. Harriman, he commenced unloading vessels by means 
of lighters, and that year ten cargoes of lumber were loaded through the surf, and over 
1,000,000 feet were sold to the new settlers. In 1873 Messrs. Clark & Harriman built a 
wharf at Point Sal, of which a third interest was sold to Hay ward & Harmon, of San 
Francisco. In 1876 the wharf was carried away by a storm. It was rebuilt the fol- 
lowing spring, but the winter again destroyed it, and Mr. Clark soon after sold his interest, 
and is now agent for the Pacific Coast Steamship Company, whose steamers largely do 
the carrying trade of the coast. The present Chute Landing was built in 1880 by St. Ores, 
a Canadian Frenchman, a syndicate of ranchers furnishing the necessary capital, which 
amounted to $21,000. This is an elevated frame work, projecting from the cliff, firmly 
anchored to the rocks and elevated eighty feet above the water. The vessel is then 
safely anchored outside, over which extends, from the landing to a buoy beyond, a wire 
cable; this is securely attached, a traveler is safely suspended to it, which works 
easily back and forth upon it, by means of nicely adjusted shievis. To the traveler are 
then suspended cages, which by means of steam power are worked back and forth, thus 
discharging or loading the vessel, an engine on the wharf furnishing the necessary power. 
In 1881, 8,000 tons of grain were shipped by this landing. 

Mr. Clark has been manager of the landing since 1883. The gypsum mines of 
Point Sal were developed by him in 1883, on the Casmalia Rancho, owned by Merritt & 
Phoenix. Mr. Clark secured a twenty years' lease of Messrs. Lucas & Co. of the Golden 
Gate Plaster Mill of San Francisco, which is the only plaster mill on the coast for manu- 
facturing plaster of Paris and land plaster. The mining is all under ground and Mr. 
Clark is the manager of the works, and he is said to be the " Father of gypsum on the 
Coast." and he mines about, 3,000 tons per year. Mr. Clark possesses the confidence 
and esteem of the community, and in early life devoted much time to the interests of the 
Republican party; but in later life his manifold duties have occupied all his time. 

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.