Los Angeles herald., 1890-07-31
A Little Sketch of the His
tory Of the Industry.
Mr.. ChaS. Stern's "reminiscences
Since the Year 1854.
The Old Days When the Mission Was
the Only Wine in the Section.
An Interesting Tale Concerning Pc
riod of Nearly Forty Years in
Wine Making.

ing to look back into the past, so as to
trace the march of cause and effect and
thereby endeavor to predict the out
come of the future and when such retro
spection falls upon line of industrial
pursuits, whose past has been such as
to augur prosperous future, then the
mind loves to linger over such in fond
contemplation.
Among the many paths of industry
that are of progressive nature, per-
haps none can offer such satisfaction to
the observer OF events as the growth and
expansion of wine-making in California,
an industry which, scarcely known forty
years ago, has already assumed national
Importance and whose future is destined
to be most brilliant.
The origin of this, the most noble Of all
professions. lies with those old devout
Spanish missionaries, who, in times long
by-gone, dotted the coast of the Pacific
with chain of missions of which moth
ing is left today except a mass of crum-
bling ruins, which serve as evidence of
their antiquity. While the missionaries
were jealous defenders of the faith and
were constantly in arms to defend and
advance the causes of the church and
matters spiritual, they nevertheless
were keenly alive to matters temporal,
and guided by the scriptures, they fol
lowed the hint given to Noah by an all
wise Creator, and left to the new world
an heritage more lasting than monu-
ments OF stone and iron, and which will
exist as long as thirsty humanity.
And right here may be added paren-
thetically and it speaks we'll for their
judgment of soil and climate, that the
grape they introduced and named in
their honor-the "Mission"-has never
been surpassed by any of the hundreds
of varieties subsequently imported into
the state of California in the endeavors
of enterprising vignerons to excel in the
quality OF their productions.
In the old days the vineyards were
few in number and quite modest in pro-
portion, and were only to be found in
the immediate vicinage of the mission
to the church, and, being of sacred orr
gin, it is not difficult for the faithful to
believe that these worthy toilers in the
vineyard of the Lord found in its pro-
duct the necessary inspiration" with
which to replace their wasted energies
and it is also worthy of belief that be-
fore raising the flowing bowl to their
lips they devoutly made the sign of the
cross and muttered silently short
prayer of thanks.
Under the watchful care and guidance
of these old padres there soon made itself
felt an air of quiet prosperity and happi
ness. Every chapel boasted of it's thirty
ing little village, whose inhabitants were
skilled in pastoral pursuits of various
kinds, and writer's of the times often
spoke in terms of highest praise of this
glorious country and the truly Arcadian
existence of it's inhabitants.
But matters were destined to change
The war with Mexico was followed by
the annexation of California to the
United States of America, and the old
inhabitants, who up to that time had
lived in peace and tranquility, suddenly
found themselves confronted with the
hardships of war and strife.
That these circumstances altered en-
tirely the character of the people needs
only passing mention. Many of them
notably the oldest ones-followed the old
padres back into Mexico; others fell in
defense of their rights and property, but
by far the great majority adapted them
selves to the changed conditions and
began anew those pursuits which they
had been taught of old.
In the wake of the war followed many
OF an adventuresOme turn OF mind, who,
either enchanted with the natural beau
ties and wonderful climate of the coun-
try, or owing to accident and reverses,
determined upon settling in the new
country, and eventually became large
landowners. Subsequently the discov-
cry of gold sent a vast army of fortune
hunters into the state, who spared
no nook or corner in their search
for wealth and treasure, and when un-
successful in the mines they too fol-
lowed the example of their predecessors
and turned their attention to agricul-
tural pursuits, for which the country
was admirably adapted, owing to soil
/ OF wondrous fertility and a climate of
marvellous perfection, two things which
still exist today to charm the eve and
gladden. the heart of the modern tourist
In common with other pastoral pur-
suits viticulture made commendabe
progress, and the year 1850 saw a large
part of what is now the city OF Los Ange-
les in a state of the highest cultivation.
evenly divided between oranges and
vines.
OF the thousands who found their wav
to California was the founder of the
present firm of Charles Stern & Sons,
whose name was destined to become in
separately linked with that of California.
A German by birth and wine-maker
and merchant by profession, on arrival
in California he was naturally directed
to the possibilities of the new country
in that line.
About 1854, Mr.. Charles Stern came
to Los Angeles. The Messrs. Koehler &
Froehling were about to go into business
in this city as makers of wines and
brandies from the native grapes. Mr..
Stern entered the service of this firm.
and during the following five years de-.
voted all his energies with the enthusi-
asm of devotee to the task of learning
the mysteries of wine-curing and dis,
tilling. He took every pains to post his
mind with all the intricacies of the bust
ness, and at the same time devoted
much attention to studying the posi-
bilities of the industry in this section in
the line of wine and brandy-making. At
the end of these five years of practical
study, Mr.. Stern proceeded to San Fran
cisco, where he formed partnership with
Richard F. Perkins, then postmaster of
San Francisco, and in November, 1859. he
went on to New York, accompanied bv
Samuel G. Perkins, son of the above
| The firm of Perkins Son e. Co ,uoo J,,l,,