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.)
In the fall of 1858, finding that our business was not sufficiently
remunerative to support four families, Newmark, Kremer & Company
dissolved. In the dissolution, I took the clothing part of the
business, Newmark & Kremer retaining the dry goods.
In November or December, Dr. John S. Griffin acquired San Pasqual
_rancho_, the fine property which had once been the pride of Don
Manuel Garfias. The latter had borrowed three thousand dollars, at
four per cent. per month, to complete his manorial residence, which
cost some six thousand dollars to build; but the ranch proving
unfavorable for cattle, and Don Manuel being a poor manager, the debt
of three thousand dollars soon grew into almost treble the original
amount. When Griffin purchased the place, he gave Garfias an
additional two thousand dollars to cover the stock, horses and
ranch-tools; but even at that the doctor drove a decided bargain. As
early as 1852, Garfias had applied to the Land Commission for a
patent; but this was not issued until April 3d, 1863, and the
document, especially interesting because it bore the signature of
Abraham Lincoln, brought little consolation to Garfias or his proud
wife, _née_ Ábila, who had then signed away all claim to the splendid
property which was in time to play such a _rôle_ in the development of
Los Angeles, Pasadena and their environs.
On November 20th, Don Bernardo Yorba died, bequeathing to numerous
children and grandchildren an inheritance of one hundred and ten
thousand dollars' worth of personal property, in addition to
thirty-seven thousand acres of land.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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