Santa Barbara County Biographies

A. F. McPHAIL

Submitted by Peggy Hooper

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


A. F. McPHAIL, a gentleman largely interested in various enterprises in and about Santa Barbara, 
was born on Prince Edward's Island, at Charlottetown, in 1858, his parents being natives of 
the island, and his father a farmer and cabinet-maker. In 1866 his parents moved to Lake City, 
Minnesota, where our subject attended school until fourteen years of age, when he was 
employed as money-order clerk at the postoffice, remaining two years, and in 1874 coming to 
Santa Barbara to join his father, who came out in 1872. They then started a furniture business 
under the firm name of McPhail & Son. In 1880 our subject bought out the Champion livery 
stable, which he has since continued, keeping about twenty horses and suitable carriages. He 
was one of the incorporators of the Santa Barbara Transfer Company, which was incorporated 
December 14, 1886, and is now (1890) its president and manager. He was one of the incorporators 
of the Santa Barbara Hack and Carriage Company, July, 1888, and is still president of the company. 
For ten years he was manager and had charge of the street-car line, and has been connected with 
many of the city improvements. He was elected a member of the City Council from the second 
ward in 1884, and re elected in 1886. 

Mr. McPhail was married at Santa Barbara, in 1880, to Miss Helen Stevens, a native of California. 
They have two children, Eula and George. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias. 

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.