Ephraim Morse
Encyclopedia
Ephraim W. Morse was an early settler of the city of San Diego, and was partially responsible for many of its expansions as a city, such as attracting the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
and proposing Balboa Park
.
). He lived there as a farmer and teacher until 1848, when news of the California Gold Rush
took America by storm.
north of Sacramento
. However, Morse and his partner, Levi Slack, could not cope with the California summer heat. Then they heard about the small town of San Diego, far to the south near the U.S.-Mexico border.
by fellow Massachusetts native Richard Henry Dana, Jr.
, about his voyage by sea to California, spending much time in San Diego, then a small Mexican pueblo
. They decided to resettle there for the time being. In April 1850 the two arrived, and opened a store in the settlement of Davistown on San Diego Bay. When Davistown faltered, they relocated to the main center of town, further north on the San Diego River
near the old Spanish presidio
(fortress).
After a year, Morse found himself recuperated, and decided to return to Massachusetts. Despite a rough voyage via Nicaragua
, he returned safely to his hometown of West Amesbury, where he met and married a local woman, Lydia A. Gray. The two lived there until he heard of the sudden death of Levi Slack back in San Diego. He then returned alone to attend his friend's funeral, then came back again in May 1852.
However, the couple had become drawn to the young city's dry, warm climate, and the following year made the journey West again, this time permanently. They were joined by Thomas Whaley
and his wife, from New York City
. Morse and Whaley jointly operated a store in the town center until 1856, when they split up. In 1859, Morse left San Diego for the open farmland of Palomar Mountain
, where he became a farmer and rancher. Morse was also established in beekeeping. He was one of the first commercial beekeepers in the San Diego area and had several hundred hives in various operations.
In 1861, Morse returned to San Diego and started a new business as a merchant, as well as a Wells Fargo
express agent, making a name for himself as a prominent local man. In June 1869, he moved to the new development of Horton's Addition, also known as New Town, organized and promoted by the successful land merchant Alonzo Horton
. Although many residents of the former town center (known to this day as Old Town) were angered, the new site became the focus of the growing town because it was located on the bay
, providing easier access for shipping. He was subsequently joined by Philip Crosthwaite
, another early Anglo resident of San Diego. Morse, in conjunction with Horton, did much to promote the new downtown on the water.
However, his varied efforts did much to promote San Diego's name throughout the nation and help it mature into a thriving metropolis. In 1870, he organized the city's first bank, the Bank of San Diego, and in 1871 he went to Washington, DC to present information about San Diego's pueblo land interests. Like many local businessmen, he gained much wealth during the city's land boom in the early and mid-1880s, only to lose much of it when the boom collapsed at the end of the decade.
He also became a tireless promoter of attracting a railroad to the steadily growing city, starting by organizing the San Diego & Gila Railroad Company. In October 1879, while he was serving on the Citizens' Committee, representatives of the Santa Fe Railroad visited San Diego, and Morse enthusiastically promoted the city's virtues. The railroad company was soon convinced, and in 1881, the California Southern Railroad
, a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
, began building a line northward from San Diego to connect with the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad
in present day Barstow
in 1885. The rail connections to Los Angeles were completed by 1887.
Morse was also admitted to the bar in 1856, and from 1880 to 1886 he capitalized on San Diego's growing land interests as a member of the real estate firm Morse, Whaley & Dalton. He also invested much and heavily promoted the San Diego Flume Company, which helped provide much-needed water for the arid city.
One of his most lasting achievements was the promotion of local open space for public enjoyment, resulting in the current Balboa Park
, one of the city's most beloved attractions. He joined with Alonzo Horton in 1868 to propose the establishment of a park reserve of 1400 acres; the San Diego Board of Trustees adopted the proposal and the land became the nucleus of City Park, later renamed Balboa Park.
schoolteacher Mary C. Walker to serve in the local school. The two married on December 20, 1866. By his first wife he had one son, Edward, who eventually resettled in newly-incorporated Merrimac, Massachusetts
, formerly West Amesbury. Morse died on January 17, 1906.
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
and proposing Balboa Park
Balboa Park (San Diego)
Balboa Park is a urban cultural park in San Diego, California. The park is named after the Spanish maritime explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa...
.
Early life
Morse was born in 1823 in West Amesbury, Massachusetts (incorporated in 1876 as Merrimac, MassachusettsMerrimac, Massachusetts
Merrimac is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, and on the southeastern border of New Hampshire, approximately northeast of Boston and west of the Atlantic Ocean. It is situated along the north bank of the Merrimack River in the Merrimack Valley. The population was 6,504 in 2008...
). He lived there as a farmer and teacher until 1848, when news of the California Gold Rush
Gold rush
A gold rush is a period of feverish migration of workers to an area that has had a dramatic discovery of gold. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and the United States, while smaller gold rushes took place elsewhere.In the 19th and early...
took America by storm.
Ship charter to San Francisco
He decided to form a company to charter a ship and gather materials for a voyage to the gold fields. He later stated that "this company was intended to be, and was, a select company. No one could join without presenting satisfactory recommendations from the selectmen of the town, the mayor of their city, or some prominent preacher." It was indeed a stringent organization, in which each member had to give their time and interests to the company rather than themselves, nor could they assume pecuniary liabilities without company approval, or drink or gamble, all under penalty of a fine. Labor on the Sabbath was also prohibited unless of urgent necessity. However, members would be cared for in sickness, and in case of death buried at the company's expense. The members mainly consisted of Morse's friends, relatives, and associates. By early 1849 they managed to charter a ship, the Leonora, and on February 4, 1849, they set sail for San Francisco, arriving on July 5. The members then dispersed to the mines on the Yuba RiverYuba River
The Yuba River is a tributary of the Feather River in the Sacramento Valley of the U.S. state of California. It is one of the Feather's most important branches, providing about a third of its flow. The main stem of the river is about long, and its headwaters are split into North, Middle and South...
north of Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
. However, Morse and his partner, Levi Slack, could not cope with the California summer heat. Then they heard about the small town of San Diego, far to the south near the U.S.-Mexico border.
Move to San Diego
The two had both read Two Years Before the MastTwo Years Before the Mast
Two Years Before the Mast is a book by the American author Richard Henry Dana, Jr., published in 1840, having been written after a two-year sea voyage starting in 1834. A film adaptation under the same name was released in 1946.- Background :...
by fellow Massachusetts native Richard Henry Dana, Jr.
Richard Henry Dana, Jr.
Richard Henry Dana Jr. was an American lawyer and politician from Massachusetts, a descendant of an eminent colonial family who gained renown as the author of the American classic, the memoir Two Years Before the Mast...
, about his voyage by sea to California, spending much time in San Diego, then a small Mexican pueblo
Pueblo
Pueblo is a term used to describe modern communities of Native Americans in the Southwestern United States of America. The first Spanish explorers of the Southwest used this term to describe the communities housed in apartment-like structures built of stone, adobe mud, and other local material...
. They decided to resettle there for the time being. In April 1850 the two arrived, and opened a store in the settlement of Davistown on San Diego Bay. When Davistown faltered, they relocated to the main center of town, further north on the San Diego River
San Diego River
The San Diego River is a river in San Diego County, California. It originates in the Cuyamaca Mountains northwest of the town of Julian, then flows to the southwest until it reaches the El Capitan Reservoir, the largest reservoir in the river's watershed at . Below El Capitan Dam, the river runs...
near the old Spanish presidio
Presidio of San Diego
El Presidio Reál de San Diego is an historical fort established on May 14, 1769, by Commandant Pedro Fages for Spain. It was the first permanent European settlement on the Pacific Coast of the United States. As the first of the presidios and Spanish missions in California, it was the base of...
(fortress).
After a year, Morse found himself recuperated, and decided to return to Massachusetts. Despite a rough voyage via Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
, he returned safely to his hometown of West Amesbury, where he met and married a local woman, Lydia A. Gray. The two lived there until he heard of the sudden death of Levi Slack back in San Diego. He then returned alone to attend his friend's funeral, then came back again in May 1852.
However, the couple had become drawn to the young city's dry, warm climate, and the following year made the journey West again, this time permanently. They were joined by Thomas Whaley
Thomas Whaley
Thomas Whaley early settler of San Diego.Whaley was born in New York City 1823 to Thomas Alexander Whaley Sr. and Rachel Pye. His father died in 1832 and his will said Thomas should receive a liberal education....
and his wife, from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Morse and Whaley jointly operated a store in the town center until 1856, when they split up. In 1859, Morse left San Diego for the open farmland of Palomar Mountain
Palomar Mountain
Palomar Mountain is a mountain in the Peninsular Ranges in northern San Diego County. It is famous as the location of the Palomar Observatory and Hale Telescope, and known for the Palomar Mountain State Park.-History:...
, where he became a farmer and rancher. Morse was also established in beekeeping. He was one of the first commercial beekeepers in the San Diego area and had several hundred hives in various operations.
In 1861, Morse returned to San Diego and started a new business as a merchant, as well as a Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...
express agent, making a name for himself as a prominent local man. In June 1869, he moved to the new development of Horton's Addition, also known as New Town, organized and promoted by the successful land merchant Alonzo Horton
Alonzo Horton
Alonzo Erastus Horton was an American real estate developer in the nineteenth century. The Horton Plaza mall in downtown San Diego is named for him.-Early life:...
. Although many residents of the former town center (known to this day as Old Town) were angered, the new site became the focus of the growing town because it was located on the bay
San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay is a natural harbor and deepwater port adjacent to San Diego, California. It is 12 mi/19 km long, 1 mi/1.6 km–3 mi/4.8 km wide...
, providing easier access for shipping. He was subsequently joined by Philip Crosthwaite
Philip Crosthwaite
Philip Crosthwaite was an early settler of San Diego, California and Rosarito, Baja California.-Early life:...
, another early Anglo resident of San Diego. Morse, in conjunction with Horton, did much to promote the new downtown on the water.
Development of San Diego
From the beginning of his time in San Diego, Morse took an active role in local political affairs. In 1852 he was elected associate judge of the court of sessions, and also that year to the secretary of the board of trade, as which he served for 12 years. From 1858–1859 he served as San Diego County treasurer, and again from 1861–1863. From 1866–1867 he served as city trustee, in which capacity he sold many lands to Horton. He also served as public administrator from 1876-1877. However, he did not wish to become a politician, and only served in public office if he felt it would be necessary. Thus he did not seek any higher office.However, his varied efforts did much to promote San Diego's name throughout the nation and help it mature into a thriving metropolis. In 1870, he organized the city's first bank, the Bank of San Diego, and in 1871 he went to Washington, DC to present information about San Diego's pueblo land interests. Like many local businessmen, he gained much wealth during the city's land boom in the early and mid-1880s, only to lose much of it when the boom collapsed at the end of the decade.
He also became a tireless promoter of attracting a railroad to the steadily growing city, starting by organizing the San Diego & Gila Railroad Company. In October 1879, while he was serving on the Citizens' Committee, representatives of the Santa Fe Railroad visited San Diego, and Morse enthusiastically promoted the city's virtues. The railroad company was soon convinced, and in 1881, the California Southern Railroad
California Southern Railroad
The California Southern Railroad was a subsidiary railroad of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in Southern California. It was organized July 10, 1880, and chartered on October 23, 1880, to build a rail connection between what has become the city of Barstow and San Diego,...
, a subsidiary of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
, began building a line northward from San Diego to connect with the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad
Atlantic and Pacific Railroad
The Atlantic and Pacific Railroad was a U.S. railroad that owned or operated two disjoint segments, one connecting St. Louis, Missouri with Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the other connecting Albuquerque, New Mexico with Southern California. It was incorporated by the U.S. Congress in 1866 as a...
in present day Barstow
Barstow, California
Barstow is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 22,639 at the 2010 census, up from 21,119 at the 2000 census. Barstow is located north of San Bernardino....
in 1885. The rail connections to Los Angeles were completed by 1887.
Morse was also admitted to the bar in 1856, and from 1880 to 1886 he capitalized on San Diego's growing land interests as a member of the real estate firm Morse, Whaley & Dalton. He also invested much and heavily promoted the San Diego Flume Company, which helped provide much-needed water for the arid city.
One of his most lasting achievements was the promotion of local open space for public enjoyment, resulting in the current Balboa Park
Balboa Park (San Diego)
Balboa Park is a urban cultural park in San Diego, California. The park is named after the Spanish maritime explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa...
, one of the city's most beloved attractions. He joined with Alonzo Horton in 1868 to propose the establishment of a park reserve of 1400 acres; the San Diego Board of Trustees adopted the proposal and the land became the nucleus of City Park, later renamed Balboa Park.
Personal life
His first wife, Lydia, died in Old Town in 1856. In 1865, Morse brought New HampshireNew Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
schoolteacher Mary C. Walker to serve in the local school. The two married on December 20, 1866. By his first wife he had one son, Edward, who eventually resettled in newly-incorporated Merrimac, Massachusetts
Merrimac, Massachusetts
Merrimac is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, and on the southeastern border of New Hampshire, approximately northeast of Boston and west of the Atlantic Ocean. It is situated along the north bank of the Merrimack River in the Merrimack Valley. The population was 6,504 in 2008...
, formerly West Amesbury. Morse died on January 17, 1906.
See also
- "E. W. Morse and the San Diego County Beekeeping Industry, 1875-1884', The Journal of San Diego History 27:3 (1981) by Barbara Newton
- Ephraim W. Morse Collection, 1857-1889 (manuscripts), MS 341, Historical Society of San Diego
- "E. W. Morse, Pioneer Merchant and Co-founder of San Diego", San Diego State University thesis, by Samuel E. McGhee, 1950