Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-29
THREE GENERATIONS SURROUND
pEATHHED
PIONEER SETTLER GOES TO HIS
LONG HOME
Allen Washington Neighbours Was
Prominently Identified with Growth
Of Southern California - He
Founded Town of Gallatln

LlVSb representing tnree SeHei idtiohS ~
len Washington Neighbours, pioneer set
tier and rancher, passed away at his
home, 525 California street, yesterday
morning at $3.50 o'clock.
Driving across the plains and desert
behind slow plodding oxen the deceased
brought his family TO California in 1864
when Los Angeles was but a little Mex
ican pueblo and the rest of Southern Cal
fornia was a barren waste covered with
sage brush The bold pioneer stopped in
what is now San Bernardino county. A
short time after this he settled near what
is now called Downey and founded there
the town of Gallatin.
For nearly 45 years the pioneer watched
the marvellous development Of Southern
California, shared in its prosperity and
sloried in it's rapid growth. From dry
waste of sage brush and cactus Mr..
Neighbours saw the fertile valleys OF
Southern California blossom into a
mighty flower garden and orchard, con-
verted into land of homes where villas
hidden in bowers of fragrant blossoms dot
the landscape on every side and tell the
story Of great prosperity.
Enlisted Young
Wher boy of Is Neighbours left his
quiet home in South Carolina and en-
listed in the army for the Mexican
war, where he served under General
Anderson throughout the campaign.
lie took part in all the big battles Of the
Mexican war from the taking of Vera
Cruz to the storming of the stony heights
of the Castle of Chapultepec. the key to
Mexico City, the capital Of the southern
republic.
lie was in the terrible struggle of Con-
treras where the Mexican forces had
concealed themselves behind the massive
walls of an ancient monastry and from
their stone barrcades poured volley after
volley into the exposed ranks of the
Americans, who finally succeeded In
taking the fort.
At Cerro Gordo the brave young soldier
was injured and sent to the hospital,
where he remained severa, months chat
ing at his confinement and longing to
join the forces again. Finally he was al
lowed to drive hospital wagon to the
front, being still too weak to carry
musket and take part in the fight. AS
member of the hospital corps he was
eble to witness the terrible struggle
around the high stone walls of Chapul-
tepec where American soldiers scaled the
seemingly insurmountable granite walls
by ladders strapped together and finally
drove the Mexican forces from the bat
Elements above and then marched tri-
umpbantly into the capital city of the
Mexican republic.
Routed Santa Ana's Guard
Neighbours was one of the company
that routed the guard which surrounded
General Santa Ana, the famous wooden
legged president of the Mexican republic
and leader of the Mexican forces. Santa
Ana's wooden leg figures conspicuously
in the history of the Mexican republic.
Once he had sft buried with great pomp
and ceremony. Later the angry populace
dug it up and kicked 1t about the public
plaza of the City of Mexico until the his
toric Limb was rescued by a friend of
the general and smuggled away.
When Santa Ana was surprised and
outed by the American forces he did not
have time to strap on his famous leg and
il was captured by the Americans along
with other booty of more immediate
value 1t was the lot of Neighbours to
he the first one to get hold of the wooden
leg and he kept it as a sacred memerto
of the war and carried it with him until
he was wounded and carried off the bat
tlefeld. Then he lost trace of his SOU
venir, which passed to some of the officers
and was later taken across the border
into the United States.
From Mexico Neighbours went to Mis-
sssippi, where he married and shortly af-
terward moved with his family to Texas.
In the Lone Star state he Joined the
rangers and became an intimate and life
long friend of General Sam Houston. serv-
ing under him for a number of years
until the outbreak of the Civil War
Taken Prisoner
When the war cry between the North
and South was sounded Neighbours en-
listed under the flag of his adopted state
ard served in the 24th Texas cavalry. AT
Post Arkansas he was taken prisoner
and was confined in the prison and hospi-
tai at Springfield, ILL.,, for many months.
He was finally released and allowed to
return to his family in Texas.
In 1864 he commenced the perlous jour
rey across the plains to California. The
way led across trackless deserts inhabited
az that time by savage and hostile In
dams.
Day after day the pioneer walked by the
side of the white ship-of- -the-desert in
which he and his family had all their
worldly goods, boun to new land where
they were to help lay the foundation for
new and grand civilization.
When Governor Downey settled near
him the two friends decided to consolidate
their towns and Gallatin and Downey
were from that time known by one name.
The Gallatin school, built on lands do
mated by Mr.. Neighbours, alone bears to
this day the name of the old community.
From the date of his arrival in South
ern California Mr.. Neighbours was
one of the leading agricul turalists of the
slate. Up to the time of his death he
was a leading member of the Los Nietos
Walnut Growers association. At one
time he owned nearly all the Los Nietos
valley but it has been cut UP little by
little into smaller holdings as the land
grew more valuable. His ranch at Los
Nietos is one OF the finest in the state.
Leading Democrat
Mr.. Neighbours was also prominent in
all civic and public affairs. He was a
prominent Democrat, and although he
never sought office he was one of the
leaders in the Democratic party in Cali
fornia He was interested in education
and to the time Of his death was a mem
ber of the board of education OF the Gal
latin school,
He was a Mason before he left Texas
but there was no lodge in Los Angeles
when he arrived and he allowed his mem
hership to lapse.
Four sons. six daughters, thirty-one
grandchildren and two great-grandchild-
ren are left to mourn the loss of the de-
ceased pioneer. His sons are all in busi-