Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-11-29
the FIRST AEclo-sAxoS SETTLER.
An interesting Interview with the
Oldest English Resident ofthe Pa
cihc Coast--A Checkered Career

An Interesting Interview with the
Oldest English Resident of the Pa
ciho Coast--A Checkered Career
Many of the readers Of the HERALD
remember with pleasure the hospitable
mansion of Don Miguel White in the
valley Of San Gabriel, but few have an
idea that this quaint old mansion was for
a generation the home of the first Eng
disappearing settler Of the Pacific Coast.
Don Miguel was born in Chisclhurst,
County Kent, in 1901, so that this hale
old gentleman, who viii be SO years old
on the lst Of next February has passed
through wonderful amount of hard.
ships during his romantic life.
TO THIS COAST.
In the year 1917, while but sixteen
years of age. Mr.. White arrived at Baja
California, from which point he bought
a trading schooner and left for the Sand
wich Islands with al. assorted cargo of
freight. Mr.. White was the master OF
the vessel, and the trip was made in
1924, seven years after his first arrival
on the Pacific Coast He returned the
same year, and four years later, in 1928,
first visited Alts. California, landing at
Santa Barbara. Here he took charge Of
an English brig which sailed to north
ern port for cargo OF horses for the
menadas OIL the ranchos near that city.
His mate was Scotchman named Nc
Collect. and the trip was very successful,
as at that time the Padres were in
charge of all the industries OF the coun.
try. On his return to Santa Barbara he
worked at his dual accomplishments up
to 1880, when a
REVOLUTION
Broke out. Lieutenant Soils, OF Monte.
rey, brought an army of sol.
diers to Santa Barbara, General Chan
dilla being Governor, while Soils was
against the government. Mr.. White
took part in this paIea, and the loyal
men won. The same year, after this
fiasco, brig was cast upon the coast
off what was then known as the Embar-
cadero, bat is now near San Pedro, on
New Years eve.
On the morrow, the first day of the
year 1881, he commenced to build
schooner out of the wreck Of the brig,
with which he proceeded, with some
additional material. to engage in the
lumber trade, gathering it at various
places and landing it at the Embarca-
dero for transportation to the Mission
San Gabriel, for the use of the padres
and their Indian peones. This trade for
time was very profitable, but Mr..
White, being naturally rover, started
for San Bias, Mexico, with cargo con-
sisting of various Alta California
products not then raised in that part of
Mexico.
From there he sailed to Guaymas,
where he remained for nearly two years,
working at his trade of carpentering,
and where
HE MARRIED
Maria Guyen, who has now been his
faithful wife for ffty-one years, and is
yet his helpmeet, in health and strength.
Don Miguel has not only children and
grandchildren, but great-grandchildren.
the youngest of which is about 9 years
of age, yet the great-grandfather and
his wife are unusually healthy for their
age. Each of them possesses remark
able memory concerning romantic
scenes and incidents which lave trans
pired throughout their lives, which are
more than those allotted by the Scrip
lures.
The old historian tells story OF
ROMANTIC EPISODE
Which happened at Acapulco in 1920,
while Mr.. White was still resident of
Lower California. He was on the bark
Mary Esther, while the bark Kent, an
English vessel, was also anchored there.
Another brig, the Lancaster, was also
close by, and shortly from her was
heard the cry of "Murderr' Captain
White had whaleboat of considerable
size, and called upon men to follow him
TO the Lancaster. Only three sailors
followed, none Of them having any arms
but the cutlasses OF sixty years ago, but
they were all brave men. They pulled
under the lee Of the Kent, which was
between them and the Lancaster, and
informed those ABOARD of her that they
were armed. They then continued on
to the brig Lancaster, where they found
THE MrTISEE
There were twenty.four Of them.
Twelve Of them were drowned, two shot
in the water, and the remaining ten cap
tured, and all by only four men. The
British consul at Acapulco offered Mr..
White the princely reward of S5, which
Don Miguel refused scorn, and
said that he chad muth ather that
gentleman would thank him."
After this episode he returned to Alta
California, where he followed his trade
of carpentering until lS4l, having be-
come tired of the sea. In the year men,
toned he acquired the title TO the splen-
did Muscapiabe rancho in San Bsrnar
dino county, but lost it through foul
means by some other claimant who had
no bona fide title.
Two years later he moved to the
beautiful rancho northeast of San Cab
riel, which he occupied for 81 years, up
to the year 1880, three years ago, when
he removed from the effects of hard
times to his present residence at No. 3l4
Also street in this city.
In the year 1874, one year after he had
removed to San Gabriel, he was engaged
in the
ENCOUNTER
Between Governors Pico and Michelto-
reno in their contest for power. II is
well-known that the engagement was
short and not very bloody. Two years
later, in 1916, when he had an extensive
ganado, at that time worth great deal
Of money, the Americans landed at
Monterey, 20 years after his arrival on
the Pacific coast. He joined the Ame-
rican army and bravely assisted, at the
age Of As years, to enable them to win,
a victory which was accomplished. But
he returned an unhappy man. His de-