San Diego County
Biographies
CLARENCE ANTHONY SOPER
Progress has even been the watchword
of Clarence Anthony Soper, who owns and operates the Soper Ranch and Resort in
the Matilija Canyon, five miles from Ojai, and is one
of the foremost orange growers of southern California. He was born on his present ranch on the 9th
of May, 1881, a son of P. W. and Sarah E. (Sharp) Soper, the former a native of
Canada and the latter of Nebraska. The
father came to the Ojai Valley as a pioneer of 1874 and homesteaded one hundred
and sixty acres of wild land in Matilija Canyon,
securing eighty acres across from the home place for three thousand, four
hundred dollars, and some years later his son Clarence bought back the tract
for seventeen hundred dollars. The
father was a carpenter and cabinet-maker by trade but after locating on this
land he followed the occupation of farming, and ran a threshing machine in the
valley. However, in the early days he
made coffins when they were required by the settlers in his district. He planted ten acres of oranges on his
ranch. Later he went to the valley with
his son Clarence and for twenty years they cultivated the Miner Ranch,
specializing in the raising of grain.
The father’s upright, useful life was brought to a close in 1914 and his
passing brought deep sorrow to those who knew him. The mother is living, making her home with a
son, who resides in Ventura, and another son lives in Ojai. Mr. and Mrs. P.W. Soper were the parents of
five children, of whom four survive:
Mrs. Clara A. Patrick, of Tracy, San Joaquin County, California; and
William D., Martin Leonard and Clarence Anthony Soper, all residents of Ventura
County.
Clarence A. Soper attended the public
school of this locality and until his father’s death assisted him in all his
farming activities. About 1917 he
returned to the home ranch and on his tract of one hundred and sixty acres
established an attractive resort for both summer and winter guests. He has fifteen cottages which contain stoves
for heating, electric lights, and also a provision store is maintained on the
place. This has become a favorite
vacation and resting spot for many who desire ideal surroundings for their
recreation. Recently Mr. Soper purchased
a string of saddle horses, providing his guests with the best means of enjoying
the many fine trails in this district.
The water from Wonder Spring on his ranch is bottled under the name of
Mountain View is sold all over the valley.
The Mission oranges grown on his ranch he packs in small boxes, sending
them to Los Angeles hotel men, who sell them to their guests for shipment
east. These oranges, the finest grown in
California, are shipped not only to many points in the
United States but also to Great Britain and from their sale Mr. Soper derives a
substantial addition to his income. He
is an alert, enterprising businessman whose plans are carefully formulated and
who carries forward to a successful issue everything that he undertakes.
In 1923 Mr. Soper was married to
Miss Jessie Catlett Kellogg, a native of Santa Barbara and a member of one of
its pioneer families. Deeply attached to
his native county, Mr. Soper has watched with keen interest each step in its
development, in which he has played an important part, and belongs to that
class of men who make their private enterprises public assets.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: California of the South
Vol. III, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 305-306, Clarke Publ.,
Chicago, Los Angeles,
Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
GOLDEN
NUGGET'S SAN DIEGO BIOGRAPIES