| Abel Stearns | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 9, 1798 Lunenburg, Massachusetts U.S.A. |
| Died | August 23, 1871 San Francisco, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, Rancher |
| Known for | Early California pioneer |
| Spouse | Arcadia Bandini de Stearns Baker |
Abel Stearns (February 9, 1798 – August 23, 1871) was a trader who came to Los Angeles, Alta California in 1829 and became a major landowner, cattle rancher and one of the area's wealthiest citizens.
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Born in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, Abel Stearns went to Colonial Mexico in about 1826, where he became a naturalized citizen.[1]
In 1829 Abel Stearns came to Monterey, California, then settled in Pueblo de Los Angeles, present day Los Angeles . He obtained a concession to build a warehouse in San Pedro. Later, he established a stagecoach route connecting San Pedro Bay with the Los Angeles pueblo. In 1831, he built a three-story flour mill on North Spring Street, Los Angeles. Soon Stearns became one of the most prominent and influential Californio citizens of the pueblo.[2]
Abel Stearns represented Los Angeles under American military rule, 1848-1850. He was a delegate to the 1849 California Constitutional Convention ,[3] representing the district of Los Angeles; later he was California State Assemblyman, and a Los Angeles County Supervisor[4] and Los Angeles City Councilman.
In 1842 Stearns bought the 28,000-acre (110 km2) Rancho Los Alamitos between the Los Angeles and the harbor. However, there was a drought between 1862 and 1864 which was said to have resulted in the death of 50,000 cattle on Stearns land alone. Stearns mortgaged the rancho to Michael Reese, who then purchased it at a sheriff's sale and Reese's estate then sold it to John W. Bixby.
In 1842 Stearns made the first shipment to the U.S. Mint of California gold on record. On July 8, 1843, his package of 18.75 ounces of placer gold was deposited in the Philadelphia Mint by Alfred Robinson.[5]
By 1860, Abel Stearns was the most important land owner in Southern California, and owned Rancho La Habra, Rancho Los Coyotes, Rancho San Juan Cajón de Santa Ana, Rancho Las Bolsas, Rancho La Bolsa Chica, Rancho Jurupa and Rancho La Sierra (Sepulveda). Stearns was hit hard by the drought of 1863-64, causing the loss of thousands of cattle. By 1868 Stearns had suffered such financial reverses that he mortgaged all his ranch assets in what were then Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.
To obtain the necessary operating capital, he formed a real estate sales partnership, with Alfred Robinson and four San Francisco investors; Samuel Brannan, E. F. Northam, Charles B. Polhemus, and Edward Martin; that became known as the Robinson Trust in 1868. He turned over 177,796 acres (720 km2) to the Trust, including all but one of his ranchos.
The era of the large cattle ranchos was on the way out. In its place came agriculture, as ranchos were broken up and generally sold in 40-acre (160,000 m2) farms and ranches. The Robinson Trust acted as sales agents for the subdivisions. In order to gain maximum coverage for their campaign, they linked themselves to the California Immigrant Union and helped guide that organization’s sales pitches.
Despite considerable friction between Stearns and the other members of the trust, the Robinson Trust nevertheless succeeded. By 1870 Stearns was out from under the debts incurred by the drought of the 1860s and was on his way to accumulating yet another fortune. But, before he could realize that fortune, Abel Stearns died.
Stearns was nicknamed "Cara de Caballo" (Horse Face) because of his long-jawed countenance.[6] In 1841 Stearns married Arcadia Bandini of the wealthy Bandini family. Stearns died on August 23, 1871 at age 82 in the Grand Hotel, San Francisco, California, and is interred at Calvary Cemetery, Los Angeles.[7]