San Diego-San Francisco County CA Archives Biographies.....Noell, C. P. 1812 - 1888 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 21, 2006, 2:37 am Author: Theodore S. Van Dyke COLONEL C. P. NOELL. ONE could not have been in San Diego any great length of time up to the latter part of 1887 without having his attention attracted to a tall, fine-looking old gentleman, with silvery hair and a snowy white beard, slightly bent, as he walked along Fifth Street, having a pleasant word and a kindly greeting for all his acquaintances, and they comprised a large majority of those he met. This was Col. C. P. Noell, who was one of San Diego's oldest, most respected, and wealthiest citizens. He was born in Bedford County, Virginia, February 20, 1812. His parents were Virginians, and his grandparents were also natives of the Old Dominion. His early boyhood was passed in Lynchburg. He received his education at a school in Bedford County, about eighteen miles from Lynchburg. After leaving school he was engaged in mercantile business in Lynchburg until 1846. He then went to New Orleans, where he remained a few months, but the Mexican war was raging at the time, and as he had an opportunity to enter upon a profitable speculation by taking a stock of goods to Vera Cruz, where our troops, under General Scott, had, after a brief siege, become masters of the city, he availed himself of it. Having obtained an appointment as sutler, he remained in Vera Cruz for eighteen months. Disposing of his goods to advantage at the end of that time, he went to New York, and in a few months afterwards—in November, 1848—he sailed for California, doubling Cape Horn, in company with General Mason, the first military governor of our new acquisition on the shores of the far-away Pacific. The vessel in which he took passage was the Silvie de Grasse, and had been a packet running between New York and Havre, France. There were three other vessels sailing in the fleet, all loaded with troops. Noell was then in partnership with Samuel Hewes, who afterwards engaged in business in the young city of San Francisco, but was burned out several times and finally went to Australia. Mr. Noell landed in San Francisco in April, 1849. He had brought with him a stock of piece goods, which did not prove adapted to the market, so he shipped them up to Oregon City, and there disposed of them to advantage. He then returned to San Francisco and engaged in merchandising from July, 1849, to December of that year, when the first of the big fires that devastated San Francisco in its early days occurred, and swept away everything he had. In February, 1850, he came to San Diego, then situated at Old Town, and erected the first wooden building in the place. It is still standing there on the Plaza. This building was framed and packed in the East, and had been sent around the Horn to San Francisco. Colonel Noell saw it there, and purchased it, shipping it to San Diego by sailing vessel. In this building the Colonel carried on a general merchandise business for a year and a half, having as a partner Judge John Hayes. In company with M. M. Sexton and James Fitten, the Colonel bought a schooner in San Francisco. He loaded it with a miscellaneous cargo and started down the coast. He sailed up the Gulf of California, and having disposed of his stock and vessel to advantage, he bought a large band of sheep in Sonora, and shipped them across the Gulf, from Guyamas to Moleje. From the latter point the Colonel started to drive them overland to San Diego. The country was a rough one, and for seventy-five miles there was no water to be had. They carried a little with them, packed in rawhide pouches, but, as might be expected, they were on short allowance. Over this arid waste progress was slow and fatiguing in the extreme, and many of the sheep dropped down and died. They started with thirty-six hundred, and on reaching San Diego had about three thousand. In 1853 the Colonel sold out his business in Old Town to his partner, Hayes. He was elected to the State Legislature by the Democrats, in the autumn of 1853. The Legislature assembled in Benicia, in December, and a month later removed to Sacramento. Here they remained in session continuously until May of the following year. There was no public business of importance transacted, the whole time of the session being occupied in an effort to elect a United States Senator. The Legislature was largely Democratic, but there was a strong wing of the party opposed to David C. Broderick, the leading candidate, and after months of debating, wrangling, and balloting they adjourned, unable to effect a choice. The next year Broderick overcame the opposition and was elected. After his return from the Legislature Colonel Noell went to Central America, where he remained two or three years traveling through the country, in company with several others, prospecting for gold. He then went to New Orleans, going across the State of Honduras, and thence by the Carribean Sea. He remained a short time in New Orleans, and then went into Texas to visit his brother, with whom he remained several years. In 1870 he returned to San Diego, but remained only a short time, going back to Texas. Three years later, however, he came back to San Diego to settle down, after his many wanderings, for good. In 1850 Colonel Noell, with ten others, bought the addition to San Diego known as Middletown. This proved a very lucrative investment. In addition to this he owned considerable real estate in other parts of the city. He was formerly a member of the real estate firm of Morse, Noell & Whaley, but retired from active business in February, 1886. Colonel Noell did his full share towards placing San Diego in connection with the outside world bv means of the railroad, and had generally interested himself in all projects tending to benefit the city. He was a member of the Building and Loan Association, and a stockholder and director in the Old Town Electric Railroad. Colonel Noell was never married. He died in this city January 30, 1888, leaving a very valuable estate. Additional Comments: From: THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO. ILLUSTRATED, AND CONTAINING BI0GRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS. SAN DIEGO, CAL. LEBERTHON & TAYLOR 1888 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/sandiego/bios/noell830nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 6.7 Kb