Santa Cruz-Alameda-Santa Clara County CA Archives Biographies.....Anthony, Elihu 1818 - ************************************************ 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 January 16, 2007, 1:44 am Author: Luther A. Ingersoll, Editor (1893) ELIHU ANTHONY, one of the first settlers of Santa Cruz, California, was born in Saratoga county, New York, November 30, 1818. His parents were Asa and Sarah (O'Dell) Anthony; the former of Welsh descent, the latter of English. Their family consisted of six children, the subject of this sketch being the second. From the age of five years till he was thirteen he attended the district schools during the winter months. His father was a mechanic, and started the first scythe factory in Saratoga county. With him Elihu learned the blacksmith trade. In 1831 they moved to Allegany county, New York, and ten years later to Indiana. In the meantime our subject went to Michigan, remaining a few months, after which he joined his father at Fort Wayne. There they worked at their trade till 1841, when Elihu was married and set out for himself. The lady of his choice was Frances Clark. Soon after their marriage they went to Wolf Lake, thirty miles from Fort Wayne, where he engaged at work at his trade. About this time he became interested in the salvation of his soul, was converted and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. One month later he received a license to exhort, and three months after this was licensed to preach, and sent to Warsaw Circuit, North Indiana Conference. After serving as pastor on this charge for one year, he was sent to La Grange Circuit. While there his wife contracted a severe cold, which turned into hasty consumption, and caused her death. They had three children, all of whom died in infancy. He was married the second time in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1845, to Miss Sarah A. Van Anda, and their union has been blessed with the following children: Louisa, wife of Wilbur Huntington; Bascom F., Alman, Gilbert and Frank, all citizens of Santa Cruz except Alman, who lives in Tulare county, and who is one of the leading horticulturists of that county. In the fall of 1846 Mr. Anthony, wife and one child went to Oskaloosa, Iowa, on his way to Oregon, as a missionary. He left Oskaloosa May 1, 1847, as a member of a company composed of one hundred wagons and some four hundred men, women and children. They were on their way six months. At Fort Hall they met Mr. Apple-gate and two men who had gone to Oregon on a new route. Mr. Anthony left the company near the sink of the Humboldt, and, on account of his wife's sickness, came to California, arriving at San Jose Mission, and two weeks later at San Jose, where he lived three months. In January, 1848, he came to Santa Cruz and took up an alcalde grant of land, and put up a shop on what is now Front street. Subsequently, he laid out the first town lots in what is now the most beautiful city on the coast. While in San Jose he preached the first Sunday to twelve men and women, and this is said to have been the first protestant sermon ever preached in the State of California. For several years he rode horseback from Santa Cruz to San Francisco and San Jose every four weeks, doing missionary work. He organized the first society in Santa Cruz with seven members. In 1854 he asked to resign, since which time he has not preached, but he has ever been a faithful attendant upon the services of the church, and has, by his large means, aided the good work, helping to build churches, support the gospel, etc. Mr. Anthony followed mining a little in 1884, and in his shop he made seven dozen picks, which sold for three ounces of gold each. They were made of iron bolts with the points made of old files. After he came back from the mines he opened a stock of goods with A. A. Hecox, with whom he continued one year. In January, 1848, he laid out the first town lots in Santa Cruz. In 1851 he tore down his old shop and built a better one. It was a story and a half high, and was used for a store, offices and the post office. He was the first Postmaster and received the first mail ever delivered to Sauta Cruz in December, 1849, which was two letters and one newspaper from San Jose. The mail carrier brought them in his pocket, sealed. For thirteen years he was Postmaster, and also kept a store. In 1871 he built a fine block on the old site. In the upper story is Anthony's hall, and the lower story is used for store-rooms. Mr. Anthony owns some very valuable property in Santa Cruz and vicinity, from which he realizes a handsome income in the way of rents, etc. He has always taken an active interest in the county, nd [sic] was one of its first Supervisors. He served one year as County Treasurer, and was the choice of the people for the Assembly in 1880. He has led a very active life, and has identified himself with everything that has been for the proper -development of the county's resources. This is, in brief, an outline of the life of one of the pioneers and leading citizens of Santa Cruz, and, although only an outline, it will serve to show something of his long, successful and useful life. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Memorial and Biographical History of the Coast Counties of Central California. Illustrated. Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the Earliest Period of its Discovery to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of its Auspicious Future; Illustrations and Full-Page Portraits of some of its Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers, and Prominent Citizens of To-day. HENRY D. BARROWS, Editor of the Historical Department. LUTHER A. INGERSOLL, Editor of the Biographical Department. "A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants."-Macaulay. CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY. 1893. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/santacruz/bios/anthony466gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/ File size: 6.3 Kb