Pescadero Memories

From the Half Moon Bay Review, 1945

1945 Well known Citizen of Coastside Passes

“Charles Franklin Humphrey, well known attorney of San Francisco, on Friday, the 17^th of August 1945. With his death ends a vibrant and colorful personality of old San Francisco.

“Life began for him when his pioneer mother held him in her arms above a Kansas river while Indians marauded the neighboring villages. His father, James C. Humphrey, established the first newspapers in Republic and Decatur Counties, Kansas.

“As a boy he worked as a printer’s devil on the widely quoted “Belleville Telescope” one of the first nine newspapers established, owned and edited in the state of Kansas by his father. He worked his way through college as a reporter on the “Kansas City Star,” and then the “Topeka Capitol,” and was graduated by the University of Kansas with the degree of L.L.B.

“After leaving college he practiced law for about a year in Portland, Oregon, under the late W.W. Cotton, brother of Judge Aylet R. Cotton of San Mateo County.

“In 1895 Mr. Humphrey moved to San Francisco, where, with thirty-five cents in his pocket after furnishing his office, he began his long and able career in the law. Never acknowledging defeat, all his cases were interesting to him and all the clients “innocent victims” for which he was a fiery partisan.

“In 1899 he married Miss Elizabeth Warren, a native of England. They lived on Washington Street where their two sons, James W. Humphrey and Jack C. Humphrey were born.

“About the time of the San Francisco fire, his interests took him to Europe where he was instrumental in consolidating many of the California oil properties of the Shell Oil Company.

“In 1919 he became interested in agricultural possibilities of San Mateo County and purchased a  large ranch which was a part of the Old Spanish Grant Punta del Ano Nuevo, near Pescadero. Here he had a beautiful home and being hospitably inclined, and a jovial host, entertained a constant stream of friends.

“For over fifty years Mr. Humphrey was a member of the Bohemian Club. He was a Life Member of the B.P.O.E. (?) , also a member of the Commonwealth Club, the California State Chamber of Commerce and a director of the Associated Farm-California.

“He was a member of the American Bar Association, State Bar of California, San Francisco State Bar Association, Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity, Trustee of the Kansas Pioneer Memorial Society, San Mateo County Historical Association and of E. Clampus Vitus.

“A 32 Mason, and a member of Knights Templar, Shrine and Past Patron of Golden Gate Chapter of Eastern Star, he was signally honored in 1944 when he was presented with the Masonic Gold Button by Excelsior Lodge No. 166, F & A M, and in the same year by Islam Temple, in recognition of his half century of membership in the Masonic Order, dating back to April 17, 1893, at Laurence Lodge F & AM No. 6….”

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From John Vonderlin

Email John (benloudman@sbcglobal.net)

Hi June,

  Mr. Humphrey bought the Cascade Ranch from Mr. Renssalear Steele after the Torquay fiasco. He’d mortgaged it for $60K to somebody and only sold a few lots before the 06 Quake  Mr. Humphrey  allowed him to live there until his death with a small annuity. He also bought the Green Oaks Ranch and let Renssalear’s widowed sister live there until she died in 1919. Let me reread Tess Black’s book and get this straight in my head. Enjoy. John

[While this original draft may be messy, it does contain more details and research than the edited version.]
By June Morrall

The Steeles moved from Ohio to California in 1855, first farming in Marin and Sonoma County. Seven years later the Steeles were forced to move when the Point Reyes property they rented was sold to new owners.

Then they heard that Loren Coburn, the San Francisco stableman and San Mateo County landowner, was looking for someone to lease his property at Ano Nuevo. Originally a deal was struck where Renneslear (“RE”), Issac (“IC”) and Edgar Steele rented the Ano Nuevo land for ten years. But by 1864 they owned it! [I believe what happened is that Loren needed cash up front for another project and the Steeles had the money.]

Besides dairying, the Steele brothers raised stock and cultivated grain. They built lovely homes for themselves at Ano Nuevo and at the famous Cascade Dairy. During the Civil War, Edgar produced a gargantuan cheese weighing one ton and donated it to the U.S. Sanitary Commission, forerunner of the Red Cross.

The Steeles had a personal reason for producing the giant dairy product: General Frederick Steele, who fought in the Civil War, was a close relative.

Edgar Steele also distinguished himself by demonstrating at county fairs new production techniques designed to yield higher quantities and qualities of cheese.

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From: Coastside Cultural Resources of San Mateo County, California (1980)

Steele Brothers Dairies: In 1862, Rensselaer Steele and his three cousins established a chain of dairies between Gazos Creek and Ano Nuevo known as the Steele Brothers Dairies which became famous throughout the Bay Area for their products. A number of houses and barns still stand which were constructed by the family. The dairies are listed as a California State Landmark.

Cascade Ranch House: Built in the mid-1860s for Rensselaer and Clara Steele, the building is constructed in a classical form with a symmetrical placement of windows and doors, and is the most elegant of the buildings. A wide veranda with a balcony on the second floor runs along the front and both sides of the house. Alterations made to the house over the years have not destroyed its distinctive coastal character.

Cascade Ranch Dairy: This three-story redwood structure was the first erected by the Steeles after their location on the Coastside in 1862. The building was designed for function rather than style, which may explain the irregular placement of its windows. A wide band, or fascia, just under the eaves was the builder’s only architectural embellishment.