Ventura County
Biographies
L. F. Eastin
L. F. Eastin, the county clerk of the county of Ventura, is one of the best known and well-informed men in the affairs of the county, having acted as a clerk from its organization to the present time. He was born November 8, 1845, in Lexington, Lafayette County, Missouri. His father, James W. Eastin, was a Kentuckian, born January 7, 1821. The ancestors of the family came from Ireland early in the history of the country. He came to California August 20, 1847, settling at Sutter's Fort. From there he went to Sonoma and engaged in the mercantile business, and in the time of the gold excitement became a miner. In 1850 he settled on a farm in Santa Clara County, where he is still resident. Mr. Eastin's mother, nee Rebecca A. Pine, was born in Tennessee, August 19, 1811, and died March 15, 1883. Of their five children three are living. A brother, John W. Eastin, was born in San Francisco October 9, 1848, the first child both of whose parents were "Americans" born in that city.
The subject of this sketch graduated at the University of the Pacific, in Santa Clara County, in 1866, and followed farming with his father until 1868, when he was appointed Deputy County Clerk of that county under John B. Huston, serving two years under him, and a second term of two years under J. M. Littlefield. In May, 1873, when the county of Ventura was organized, he was requested by telegraph to come and take charge of the office of this county, and everything in connection with the records of the county feel under his supervision, and the manner of keeping and preserved the records has devolved upon him. During the years 1875-'76 he served the county as Under-Sheriff, appointed by John R. Stone. In 1883-'85 he practiced law and dealt in real-estate and lent money; and in 1886 he was again elected County Clerk, and in 1888 re-elected, and he now holds the office. He is a Democrat, and generally runs ahead of his ticket in the elections. He has aided in the establishment of the fine library of Ventura and has been one of its trustees; and he has also held the office of Court Commissioner two years. He is a member of the blue lodge, chapter and commandery; has been Secretary of the blue lodge and Master several years, and since 1876 has been Secretary of the Chapter. He is also a member of the A. O. U. W., and of the Catholic Church; his parents were members of the Christian Church.
Mr. Eastin was married July 19, 1874, to Miss Fanny Sutton, who was born in Canada April 12, 1850, and they have three daughters and two sons, all born in San Buenaventura, namely: Mary A., Fanny R., Ruth, Charles P. and George Russell. Charles is attending school at Los Angeles.
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF THE COUNTIES OF SANTA BARBARA, SAN LUIS OBISPO, AND VENTURA, CALIF. by Ida Addis Storke, 1891, p 646 Transcribed by Sandy Neder
James Evans
James Evans, one of the early settlers and prominent pioneers and ranchers of Ventura, was born in Clarke County, Indiana, July 5, 1839. His father, Thomas Jefferson Evans, was a native of Kentucky. The ancestors of the family were Virginians of Scotch and English origin. Mr. Evans' mother, whose name before marriage was Catharine King, was a native of Pennsylvania, and her parents were Pennsylvania Dutch. Thus our subject has inherited an unusual degree of good quality. He was the third in order of birth of a family of five children. He received his first schooling in Missouri; afterward, in 1844, his parents removed to Missouri, in 1852 to Oregon, and in 1859 to California, settling in Sonoma County, and he attended school in each of these States. In starting out in the world for himself, he first followed farming two years in Sonoma County, and then followed mining most of the time for four years in Idaho, made some money, but lost it; then he came to Salinas Valley in Monterey County and engaged in farming for two years; and finally, in 1869, his father came with his family to Ventura County, purchased 111 acres of land, and he (our subject) bought eighty acres, which he still owns. He has therefore been cultivating his present ranch for twenty years. He has raised corn, beans, barley and flax; but his principal crop at present is beans, on which he realizes $35 to $40 per acre.
Mr. Evans has never joined any society or held office, but he has ever been a Union man and a Republican. He was married in October, 1884, to Miss Osmosen, a native of Germany, and they have two children, Plasent and Hallie, both born in Ventura.
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF THE COUNTIES OF SANTA BARBARA, SAN LUIS OBISPO, AND VENTURA, CALIF. by Ida Addis Storke, 1891, p 509 Transcribed by Sandy Neder