Ventura
County
Biographies
GILPIN WALLACE CHRISMAN
Inseparably associated with the
history of Ventura’s upbuilding and progress is the name of Gilpin Wallace
Chrisman, an honored pioneer, whose activities in connection with subdivision
work and the development and control of public utilities were particularly
resultant and beneficial. His efforts
were ever directed into those channels through which flows the greatest and
most permanent good to the greatest number, and at the venerable age of
eighty-four years he is enjoying the fruits of a well spent life. He was born near Independence, Jackson
County, Missouri, March 15, 1849, a son of John P. and Barbara (Powell)
Chrisman. The former sought his fortune
in the gold fields of California, making the trip in company with his father,
who became separated from the rest of the party while crossing the plains and
was never heard from again. John P.
Chrisman brought his family to the Golden state in 1850. In the early days the father engaged in
freighting from Stockton to the mines and on discontinuing that business he
settled in Santa Clara County. Later he
removed to a ranch in Contra Costa County and through arduous labor transformed
his tract of wild land into a productive farm.
He remained in Contra Costa County until his death, which occurred in
1906, when he had reached the eightieth milestone on life’s journey, and for
six years had survived his wife, who passed away in 1900.
In rural schools of Contra Costa
County Gilpin W. Chrisman acquired his early instructions, completing his
education in Oakland, California. When a
young man of nineteen he began farming in Contra Costa County and at the age of
twenty was married to Olivia M. Lyle, of Iowa.
In 1869 Mr. Chrisman came with his bride to Saticoy, California, by the
overland route, and brought with him six horses. These he utilized in cultivating the tract of
four hundred fifty acres which had been previously purchased by his father, and
remained on that place for five years.
In 1874 he decided to locate in Ventura, which was then a part of Santa
Barbara County. Here he purchased a
tract of land and was associated with J. R. Willoughby in stockraising. Mr. Chrisman was thus engaged for fifteen
years, becoming recognized as one of the leading stockmen of the district. With clear vision he looked far into the
future and saw the possibilities for real estate development here. He owned forty acres of local real estate and
in 1887 opened the tract of land on Ventura Avenue, the city’s first
subdivision. He was instrumental in the
erection of El Jardine Patio, a beautiful building and the first of this type
to be constructed here. It is now owned
by his daughter, Mrs. W. B. Aplin. Turning his attention to the management of
public utilities, Mr. Chrisman’s business sagacity and foresight ensured his
success in that field, and Ventura is indebted to him for her first electric
lighting system. In 1888 he purchased
the Santa Ana Water Company. The Ventura
Land & Power Company, which he formed, established a reservoir and laid out
the water system. He was also the owner
of the ice plant and the administrative head of the Ventura Water, Light &
Power Company. To marked executive
ability he added an unusual capacity for detail and carried forward to
completion everything that he undertook.
In 1900 he sold his interests here and removed to Los Angeles, where he
was closely identified with real estate operations at which time he laid out
and developed the Buenaventura tract. Although
many laughed when he subdivided that portion of the home ranch which had been a
bean field, time has proved the wisdom of his course, for this is today the
finest residential street in Ventura.
Mr. Chrisman is now living retired in his beautiful home, which is
located on Main Street, between Chrisman Avenue and McMillan Avenue.
Mr. Chrisman’s first wife died in
1918. She had become the mother of three
children: Mrs. Edna Jordan; Barbara, who
is Mrs. W. B. Aplin and has a floral shop in Ventura;
and Clarence Lyle. The son was born in
1875 and passed away in 1931, leaving a widow, who resides in Los Angeles, and
has three children: Haywood, a young man
of twenty-three, who is preparing for the career of a commercial artist; John,
now in his twentieth year, and a student at the University of Southern
California; and Joseph, aged seventeen, who is in high school. In 1919 Mr. Chrisman was married to Janet
MacMillan, who was born in Chicago in 1871.
While on a visit to Ventura in 1897 her father met death by drowning and
the mother passed away eighteen years later in 1915.
A Master Mason, Mr. Chrisman has
been identified with the organization for fifty-seven years and in years of
continuous connection is the oldest member of the local lodge. He is also the only living member of the
original directorate of the Bank of Ventura.
He casts his ballot for the candidates of the Republican Party but has
never accepted political office, preferring to remain in the background. However, as a private citizen he has rendered
signal service to the community and few men have labored so earnestly and
effectively in behalf of Ventura. That
his work was well done was shown in the excellent condition of the water pipes
removed October 20, 1932, by the city.
These pipes had been laid forty-three years ago by the old Ventura Water
Company, of which Mr. Chrisman was then president. When the late Eugene P. Foster presented to
Ventura the Foster Memorial Park in memory of his son Mr. Chrisman donated
seven and a half acres of land, situated on both sides of the creek, in order
to extend the boundaries of the park. He
did much to beautify the city by planting eucalyptus trees along the road from
Foster Memorial Park to Stony Flats. His
love for his community has been demonstrated in terms of actual achievement but
his good deeds have never been advertised.
Modest, sincere and unassuming, Mr. Chrisman has a wide circle of
steadfast friends and is a man whom to know is to esteem and admire. Mrs. Chrisman figures prominently in social
affairs, belonging to the Woman’s Club, the Tuesday Club, the E. C. O. Club and
the Eastern Star.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: California of the South
Vol. III, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 435-438, Clarke Publ.,
Chicago, Los Angeles,
Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
GOLDEN
NUGGET'S VENTURA
BIOGRAPIES