Moses and Ernest Cerf and the Wharves at San Luis Obispo Bay

Moses Cerf was instrumental in finding a solution to a problem merchants had in San Luis Obispo about how to efficiently receive goods and merchandise to stock their stores. In the early years, horse-drawn wagons brought goods in along El Camino Real or from ships that were able to unload along the coast. It would be many years before the railroad connected San Luis Obispo with points south (1894) and north (1901).

The first wharf at San Luis Obispo Bay was known as Mallagh’s Landing or Cave Landing. Built in 1860, the short wharf extended into the ocean from a beach at the foot of a bluff. Only small vessels could dock at there, and cargo was inconveniently hauled up and down the bluff by a freight elevator.

Pirates' Cove, once known as Mallagh's Landing or Cave Landing
(San Luis Obispo Bay is the bay behind the rocky outcrop)

In 1869, a group of local businessmen [I'm assuming Moses was part of this group] pooled their money with some ranchers and constructed the People’s Wharf. The new wharf extended 620 feet into the ocean, giving steamers and larger vessels a place to dock. An article appearing in the Tribune on September 6, 1869, reflected on the inauguration celebration.  “We … attended the inauguration of the People’s Wharf, held on the premises at the Wharf Company’s landing. We found assembled there about 200 persons of all ages and of both sexes; and we found a great abundance of good things provided at the Wharf Company’s expense. Mr. Landeker, the actuary of the company, presided, assisted by a large staff of persons, male and female. After inspecting the warehouses and wharf and indulging in the customary libations, to which end ample opportunity was offered, the (visitors) assisted in demolishing the multitude of good things provided and finished up the performances by an unlimited amount of dancing to the accompaniment of a band of music, provided for the occasion. Everything went off pleasantly, and the greatest good humor prevailed."

Newspaper ad for the People's Wharf

On January 1, 1870, a partnership agreement was drawn up to manage the receiving, warehousing, and delivery of freight at the People’s Wharf. Five groups of partners invested $2,708.44 per group. Some of the partners were from Santa Cruz. One of the groups was A. Blochman and Co., consisting of Abraham Blochman and Moses Cerf who together owned one-fifth of the partnership. John Harford would manage the wharf's operations.

On January 7, 1871, a deed was recorded showing John Harford conveying to himself, Abraham Blochman, Moses Cerf, Nathan Goldtree, Isaac Goldtree, J. N. Ingalls, William L. Beebee, and Louis Schwartz, forming the People's Wharf Company, a tract of tidelands comprising 5.44 acres for the sum of $425. No mention was made in the deed of a wharf.

Before long, the shipping business suffered from the recession that hit California, and the partners of the People’s Wharf began fighting. Abraham Blochman and Moses Cerf filed a lawsuit against Nathan Goldtree, Isaac Goldtree, J. J. Smith, John Harford, John N. Ingalls, William L. Beebee, and Louis Schwartz. The lawsuit claimed the partnership agreement was violated when a sailing vessel was prevented from docking at the People’s Wharf on October 10, 1870; when rates of wharfage and storage were wrongfully altered; and when the managing partner failed to keep accurate records. The court ordered the partnership dissolved and everything sold at public auction. The sale of the People’s Wharf included three warehouses, the tideland, tools, cars, and hand trucks. Abraham Blochman and Moses Cerf had the winning bid of $13,750 at the auction. The deed for the sale was dated November 30, 1872.

Two wharves competed against each other, each having contracts with different shipping lines. On February 28, 1873, Moses Cerf and A. Blochman bought Mallagh’s Landing, which included the wharf, tidelands (2.15 acres), a house, and warehouse for $3,000. On February 11, 1873, they had signed an agreement with David Mallagh, who would become the manager of both the People’s Wharf and Mallagh’s Landing. Mallagh would also move the house from Mallagh’s Wharf to a position near the People’s Wharf, living in a portion of the house and receiving $160 per month compensation. The arrangement was short-lived, however, as another agreement between the parties dated January 6, 1874, released Mallagh from his manager’s job.

Avila Beach Pier (which replaced the People's Wharf) and the town of Avila Beach

During southwest storms, strong waves prevented ships from docking at the People’s Wharf. To remedy the problem, John Harford began construction in 1872 of a third rival wharf called Port Harford in a more sheltered position nearby. Rocky bluffs at the end of Port Harford made unloading a problem, so a railroad line was laid along the pier and two miles beyond, allowing goods, especially lumber, to be transported more easily on railway flatcars powered by horses. Port Harford began operating in 1873 and was fully completed in 1875.

Further fortifying their position, Moses Cerf, A. Blochman, Nathan Goldtree and Isaac Goldtree [apparently there were no hard feelings after the lawsuit], purchased land on June 15, 1875, in the town of Avila Beach along San Luis Obispo Bay, which included the Bay Hotel next to the People’s Wharf, for $4,200.

Harford soon dropped his wharfage prices, and a fare war ensued. He had already started organizing plans to have a railroad track built between the end of his horse-drawn railway line and the city of San Luis Obispo. Meanwhile, a group of investors from San Francisco headed by Charles and Edwin Goodall (connected with the Pacific Coast Steamship Company) obtained legislation to construct a railway line between San Luis Obispo Bay and Santa Maria (eventually to Santa Barbara). Although the railroad line between San Luis Obispo and the Bay began successful operations on August 17, 1876, the railroad line to Santa Maria provided heavy competition. Caught in the middle of the steamship company and the railroad conglomerate, John Harford was pressured to sell his wharf business, reportedly to one of the Goodall brothers for $30,000 though I could not find any deed recording the sale.

What happened to the People's Wharf?  In 1878, the Tribune reported, "Marine phenomena. On Friday last (November 22) a tidal wave swept along this coast doing considerable damage to many of the landings.... The greater part of the old People's Wharf at Avila was carried away. This was not a very substantial affair, having been badly damaged last winter, since which time it has not been used and but partially repaired." On January 28, 1881, Moses Cerf and his partners sold the People’s Wharf, together with associated buildings, including the Bay Hotel, and 5.44 acres of water front, to Edwin Goodall of San Francisco for the sum of $1. Why $1, I don't know.

Port Harford survived the severe storms. With the further aid of a breakwater, Port Harford could allow docking in all types of weather. Ernest Cerf served on a committee in 1880 to petition Congress to fund a breakwater at the harbor. Unfortunately, this wasn’t approved at that time.

The Cerf brothers weren’t finished with owning property at San Luis Obispo Bay. On February 11, 1886, Ernest Cerf purchased lots in the little town of Avila Beach at an auction for $600.  And on May 9, 1887, he bought more lots in Avila Beach for $500.

Today, San Luis Obispo Bay has three piers: (1) Avila Beach Pier (built 400 feet east of the old People’s Wharf) for tourists and recreational fishing; (2) Harford Pier (also known as Port San Luis Pier) for commercial fishing boats (the excellent Olde Port Inn Restaurant is located near the end of Harford Pier); and (3) Cal Poly Pier for private university marine research.  The wharf at Mallagh’s Landing or Cave Landing is gone, and the site is now a clothing optional beach known as Pirates’ Cove.

The three piers, near to far, Avila Beach Pier, Cal Poly Pier, and Harford Pier with the buildings on the end.

References:

Agreements between A. Blochman, M. Cerf, and David P. Mallagh, February 11, 1873, and January 6, 1874, Marcel E. Cerf Collection, Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Agreement between John Harford, Abraham Blochman, Moses Cerf, Nathan Goldtree, Isaac Goldtree, J. J. Smith, John N. Ingalls, William L. Beebee, and Louis Schwartz, January 1, 1870, Marcel E. Cerf Collection, Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Angel, Myron. History of San Luis Obispo County, California, Oakland, CA: Thompson & West, 1883.

Abraham Blochman and Moses Cerf, Plaintiffs, vs. Nathan Goldtree, Isaac Goldtree, J. J. Smith, John Harford, John N. Ingalls, William L. Beebee, and Louis Schwartz, Defendants, District Court of the Fourth Judicial District of the State of California in and for the City and County of San Francisco, Marcel E. Cerf Collection, Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Carpenter Index to Grantor/Grantee Databases, San Luis Obispo County Genealogical Society, http://www.slocgs.org/carpenter/.

Krieger, Daniel E., San Luis Obispo County: Looking Backward Into The Middle Kingdom, Northridge, CA: Windsor Publications, Inc., 1988.

La Vista, Volume 2, Number 4, San Luis Obispo: SLO County Historical Society, 1972.

San Luis Obispo County Deeds, SLO County Recorder’s Office, San Luis Obispo, CA.

Moses and Ernest Cerf, SLO County Land Purchases, Part 3

Moses and Ernest Cerf purchased land all over San Luis Obispo County, but there was something unusual about two of these properties, which are located in the wine country of Paso Robles in the northern part of the county.

Map of Paso Robles Wineries. Marked in pink, the land patent area is in the NE quarter of the map;
the Blochman Tract is in the SW quarter of the map.

Ernest Cerf Obtains a Land Patent

On July 23, 1884, Ernest Cerf received a land patent from the State of California for 320 acres. A land patent is granted for land to which no individual holds title. Today, the land is a vineyard northeast of the City of Paso Robles. Here is a copy of the land patent, though the small writing makes it difficult to read.

Land Patent to E. Cerf begins more than half way down the page.

Page two of land patent grant.

Even though I am curious about how much Ernest sold this property for, I didn’t want to take the time to slog through all of Ernest’s property sales and try to match up the land.

The Blochman Tract

On Sunday, February 12, 2012, my husband, our dog, and I enjoyed a sunny drive to the outskirts of Paso Robles, CA, to take a look at land called the Blochman Tract. Curiosity made us choose this particular property to investigate. What made the property special enough to have the parcels joined into a subdivision and named after A. Blochman and Co.?

The property is located about ten miles west of Paso Robles and about ten miles from the ocean. The bulk of the property was purchased in two transactions from Bryce Patrick and one transaction from John M. Wilkinson. The buyers were A. Blochman, Moses Cerf, Ernest Cerf, and L. M. Kaiser, all the individuals doing business as A. Blochman and Co. For $5,000 the buyers purchased 878.36 acres; for $3,000 they received 255.93 acres; and for $600 they received 160 acres, for a grand total of 1,294.29 acres altogether. There are a few other smaller transactions that might be for the same tract.

View of a small reservoir that is not part of the Blochman Tract.  Photo taken from the property.

I expected the property to be covered in grape vines as the Paso Robles wine country is booming with 170 wineries and 250 vineyards. While heading west out of Paso Robles, we passed several country lanes with winery estates just before reaching our turnoff at York Mountain Road. The only winery nearby was York Mountain Winery, just off the property boundaries. Within the property's boundaries, we didn't see any grape vines, but much of the property was secluded.

Some hills on the property.

We turned north off York Mountain Road onto Shadow Canyon Road, a narrow country lane following alongside a meandering creek shielded by heavy oak canopies. Shadow Canyon Road and Noble Lane are the primary roads through the property, with Dover Canyon Road weaving in and out of the property boundaries.

Shadow Canyon Road

An electronic gate at Noble Lane prevented us from exploring a lane probably containing several well-to-do country homes on large tracts. At the gate, we met a friendly and curious homeowner in the area, receiving permission to walk on her easement.

My dog, Sophie, and I walking along the easement.

A handwritten note on the Map of the Blochman Tract says, “Filed at request of Ernest Cerf, October 7^th A.D. 1891.” To me, that means that the buyers doing business as A. Blochman and Co. had the property surveyed and made into a subdivision.

I was able to view the deeds for a few sales transactions because the grantor-grantee index sometimes contained descriptive notations.  In these cases, the description included the words, “Blochman Tract,” making it easy to spot. In 1890, they sold 593.96 acres for $9,536 and 592 acres for $9,503.36 to James Cass of Cayucos. In 1889, they sold 7.74 acres for $200. And in 1891 they sold 122.21 acres and 150.84 acres to buyers in San Francisco and Alameda for $10. That’s right, $10, for all the acres. The total acreage sold from the Blochman Tract was 1,466.75 acres. Comparing the number of acres purchased with the number of acres sold means I missed the purchase of some piece of the property. All I can say is, it’s NOT EASY going through all those transactions and reading all those deeds. I did the best I could with the amount of time I was willing to spend on it.

There’s still more land records research to come.

Moses and Ernest Cerf, SLO Land Purchases, Part 2

Many of the deeds I inspected while researching Moses’ and Ernest’s land purchases revealed that Ernest bought a lot of property sold at auction by the sheriff for nonpayment of taxes by landowners. He scooped up a lot of valuable property for next to nothing, both in the City of San Luis Obispo and within the County.

 

Purchases of SLO City Lots

Ernest bought lots in SLO at auction for as low as $2.88 per lot to as much as $60. These lots were spread out all over the City. It’s hard to imagine someone letting their property go because they couldn’t afford to pay $2.88 in taxes. Remember, however, there was a drought within the county creating financial woes for many county residents. This also kept land prices down for a few years.

My research focused on property purchased, mostly because I was interested in what Ernest and Moses owned. I reasoned that it would be too difficult and time-consuming to match properties sold to original purchases. I assume Ernest made money off the sales with purchases that low. He made a nice sale on one lot. On March 13, 1872, Ernest agreed to sell a lot to the City of SLO for $1,500 to be used as the site for building a new county government building. (La Vista 4:1, 8) The current SLO County Courthouse sits on that property.

Moses’ earliest purchase in San Luis Obispo County was in 1859. For $4,000, Moses purchased the St. Charles Hotel a block from the SLO Mission. The mercantile store known as A. Blochman and Co. was probably set up on the ground floor of the hotel. The same year, Moses purchased a lot near the SLO Mission from the City of SLO for $5.00. I asked a clerk in the County Recorder’s Office why a lot would sell for $5.00. She said maybe the City wanted the lot to be further developed or improved.

A few years later, Blochman and Moses had a new store built. The building they erected was mentioned in the newspaper in 1870 in comparison to a new saloon. “This [the saloon] promises to be the finest improvement in town since the erection by A. Blochman and Co. of their magnificent brick store.”(Angel 360) In an 1880 deed, A. Blochman, who was moving to San Diego, transferred his interest in the store property to Moses Cerf, calling the building the Pioneer Brick Store. My efforts at finding a photograph of the building or even determining if it still exists have failed. The old property descriptions don’t specifically translate to today’s descriptions. It’s too bad.

I did manage to get a copy of a sales receipt for a sale by the store to the County of SLO (courtesy of the SLO History Center):

[Transcription of articles sold in 1861: 1 # candles .50; 1 pr blankets 1.00; 2 # candles 1.00; 1 doz matches .75; 1 pr pants (prisoner) 3.00; 1 undershirt and drawers 3.50; epsom salts .50; 1 lamp glass 1.00; 1 overshirt 2.50; 1 doz matches .75; 1 # candles .50; 1/2 ream paper 5.00; totaling $25.00.]

Land Grab

Moses made purchases of land belonging to various Ranchos beginning in 1866, some with purchase amounts that raise research questions. Examples are 350 acres of Rancho Corral de Piedra for $5.00; 328 acres of Ranchos Canada de Los Osos and La Laguna for $1.00; 200 acres of Rancho Pecho y Islay and Ranchita Santa Fe for $3,969; and 201.7 acres of Rancho Santa Manuela for $14,000. (SLO Deeds) Blochman and Co. also owned 640 acres of farm land in the area known as San Jose Valley/Pozo. (Angel 365)

Ernest’s many purchases at auction of acreage within the County of SLO include 1,760 acres for $70; 12,760 acres for $37; 17,080 acres of grazing land for $362.95; 203 acres of the San Geronimo Rancho for $27.87; unknown number of acres near San Miguel for $4,770; 378 acres for $40; 48 acres of the Ranchos Corral de Piedra, Santa Manuella and Bolsa de Chemisal for $500; 81 acres for $500; 1,080 acres for $500; unknown number of acres of the Ranchos Pecho y Islay and Santa Fe for $969; 155 acres of Nipomo Rancho for $5,000; and 157 acres of Nipomo Rancho for $4,250. (SLO Deeds) Some of these areas are truly beautiful. Part of lovely Montana de Oro State Park along the coast was once part of Rancho Pecho y Islay. Here is a photo of a beach in the park that is not the portion owned by one of the Cerf brothers.

Spooner's Cove at Montana de Oro State Park in San Luis Obispo County

On July 31, 1868, a revealing article appeared in the Alta Californian in San Francisco (La Vista 2:4, 34).

“San Luis, the Bishop, is a town of some 700 inhabitants, the chief portion being the old native stock of the country. It was founded in 1772 as the inscription upon the church[reveals], which building, with the priest’s quarters and some others attached, were repaired last year, and now look quite fresh and well preserved.

The town has the same rusty, dirty and dilapidated appearance as San Juan and Monterey. The wealth of the old inhabitants has passed away, and the industry of new arrivals has not yet been sufficient to repair buildings or enlarge cultivation. Townspeople are…indifferent…as to the immediate future of their section (but there has been) a large immigration (during the last year).

Some of these newcomers have taken up tracts of excellent public land upon the very borders of the town, whilst speculators from San Francisco got hold of considerable bodies of other…lands near here. (They) have purchased some ranchos at low rates, all of which have greatly enhanced in price since.

This place and the whole county (is) in a great hub bub at present about the swindling way in which some of these speculators have been operating. C.E.P., a Correspondent.”

I have a feeling Moses and Blochman (Ernest didn’t buy property until 1870) were included in that group of speculators from San Francisco.  I hope they weren’t using swindling ways, however.

I am actually skeptical of which transactions went through because purchases of acreage for as little as $1 don’t make sense, and I see other court actions mentioned in the deeds.  In one court action in 1876, A. Blochman and Co. sued a Mexican Rancho land grant owner (I don’t know the nature of the lawsuit). The deed notes that the court ordered all land sold at public auction. The buyer at the auction was E. Cerf, who purchased two square leagues of the Rancho Piedra Blanca for $1,728. There was so much wheelin’ and dealin’ that it would take a lot of work to make sense out of all the transactions.

Just How Much Property Did the Cerf Brothers Own?

SLO County tax receipts offer a clue about the holdings of Blochman and Co.:

1864 – Property Valuations: House and lot $2,000, second house and lot $600, merchandise on hand $7,500, 2 tame horses, buggy and harness $100, 300 Spanish sheep $2,250 = total value $12,450, tax paid $404.63. (SLO Tax Assessment)

1874/5 – City lots and other acreage totaling 1,453, with personal property, goods, and merchandise (valuations not known). (Tax Index)

1883 – Real Estate valued at $21,722, improvements thereon valued at $9,820, Personal Property valued at $19,750, Value of Mortgages and Trust Deeds $4,240, Money on hand $300 = $55,832, tax paid $949.28. Here is a copy of that tax receipt:

Kern County tax receipts (Cerf Collection):

1883 – For A. Blochman and Co., Valuation of 11 parcels in Townships 10 and 11 was $1,650, tax paid from A. Blochman (per A. Weill) $27.25.

1883 – For Ernest Cerf, Personal Property is mortgage on property $500 [mortgage holder], tax paid from E. Cerf (per A. Weill) $8.25.

The brothers also had holdings in Santa Barbara County, but I don’t have any Santa Barbara tax documents to share.

There were a few other interesting land purchases, which I am saving for next time.

References:

Angel, Myron. History of San Luis Obispo County, California, Oakland, CA: Thompson & West, 1883.

A. Blochman and Co. sales receipt, courtesy of San Luis Obispo History Center.

Carpenter Index to Grantor/Grantee Databases, San Luis Obispo County Genealogical Society, http://www.slocgs.org/carpenter/.

Cerf, Marcel E., Collection, Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.

Land Grants and Ranchos, San Luis Obispo County Genealogical Society, http://www.slocgs.org/carpenter/LandGrants.html.

La Vista, Volume 2, Number 4, San Luis Obispo: SLO County Historical Society, 1972.

La Vista, Volume 4, Number 1, San Luis Obispo: SLO County Historical Society, June 1980.

Nicholson, Loren. Rails Across the Ranchos, Fresno, CA: Valley Publishers, 1980.

San Luis Obispo County Deeds, SLO County Recorder’s Office, San Luis Obispo, CA.

San Luis Obispo County Tax Assessments, San Luis Obispo, CA.

Tax Index of 1874-1875 Assessment Book, San Luis Obispo County, http://www.slocgs.org/land/Tax1874-1875.pdf.