Sixty Years in Southern California, 1853-1913: Containing the Reminiscences of Harris NewmarkNewmark, Harris
History
Sixty Years in Southern California, 1853-1913: Containing the Reminiscences of Harris Newmark
Newmark, Harris
California, Southern; Los Angeles (Calif.)
Colonel Jonathan Trumbull Warner, master of Warner's Ranch, later the
property of John G. Downey, and known--from his superb stature of over
six feet--both as Juan José Warner and as Juan Largo, "Long John,"
returned to Los Angeles in 1857. Warner had arrived in Southern
California, on December 5th, 1831, at the age of twenty-eight, having
come West, from Connecticut, _via_ Missouri and Salt Lake, partly for
his health, and partly to secure mules for the Louisiana market. Like
many others whom I have known, Warner did not intend to remain; but
illness decided for him, and in 1843 he settled in San Diego County,
near the California border, on what (later known as Warner's Ranch)
was to become, with its trail from old Sonora, historic ground. There,
during the fourteen years of his occupancy, some of the most stirring
episodes of the Mexican War occurred; during one of which--Ensign
Espinosa's attack--Don Juan having objected to the forcible searching
of his house, he had his arm broken. There, also, António Garra and
his lawless band made their assault, and were repulsed by Long John,
who escaped on horseback, leaving in his wake four or five dead
Indians. For this, and not for military service, Warner was dubbed
Colonel; nor was there anyone who cared to dispute his right to the
title. In 1837, Juan married Miss Anita Gale, an adopted daughter of
Don Pio Pico, and came to Los Angeles; but the following year, Mrs.
Warner died. Warner once ran against E. J. C. Kewen for the
Legislature but, after an exceedingly bitter campaign, was beaten. In
1874 Warner was a notary public and Spanish-English interpreter. For
many years his home was in an orchard occupying the site of the
Burbank Theater on Main Street. Warner was a man of character and
lived to a venerable age; and after a decidedly arduous life he had
more than his share of responsibility and affliction, even losing his
sight in his declining years.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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