Santa Barbara County Biographies

DR. W. T. LUCAS

Submitted by Peggy Hooper

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


DR. W. T. LUCAS, a prominent physician and surgeon of Santa Maria, was born 
in Buchanan County, Missouri, March 18, 1850. His father was a farmer by occupa- 
tion, and emigrated to Montana in 1864, across the plains in prairie schooners, and our 
subject rode a mule. The company brought out about 1,000 head of cattle and several 
loads of freight. They stopped at Deer Lodge Valley, took up land and ran a butter 
and cheese dairy until 1868, when they sold oat and came to California. They settled 
near Woodland, Yolo County, where they farmed for several years, but he has now 
retired, at the age of sixty-seven years. The subject of this sketch gained his education by 
hard work, making expenses as opportunity offered. He attended the public schools, and 
then the Hesperian College at Woodland, and also taught in the public schools of Yolo 
and Solano counties. In 1874 he entered the Medical College of the Pacific at San Fran- 
cisco, at which he graduated in November, 1876. He began practicing at Woodland, 
Yolo County, and also gave lectures at the college on physiology and hygiene. He had 
charge of the County Hospital until 1879, when he came to Guadaloupe, Santa Barbara 
County, and practiced until June, 1884, when he came to Santa Maria. He bought town 
property and also 160 acres of ranch property. He rents eighty acres, and is improving the 
remainder. He has already set out twenty-two acres in orchard and deciduous fruits; 
his present residence property lie bought in 1887. The Doctor has had an extensive and 
successful practice throughout the Santa Maria Valley; lie is a great reader, and has a 
large library. 

He was married in Sacramento County, September 9, 1879, to Miss Lula Maupin, of 
French descent. They have two children: Lee Forman and Orion Lulu. The Doctor is 
an enthusiastic Mason, and has served the lodge at Guadaloupe as Master for four years, 
and is still officiating. He has been a member of the Grand Lodge for several years, and 
belongs to San Luis Obispo Chapter, No. 62, 11. A. M., and to San Luis Obispo Command- 
ery No. 27, and has the most extensive Masonic library in Southern California. He 
is an enthusiastic and consistent Democrat, and takes an active part in every campaign. 

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.