Den, Bell, and Luton Families Papers, 1784-1974

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Summary

Creators:
Den, Richard S., Den, Nicholas Augustus, Meagher, Thomas Francis, 1823-1867, Pico, Pío, 1801-1894, Micheltorena, Manuel, 1802-1853, and Stearns, Abel, 1798-1871
Abstract:
The papers of the Den, Bell, and Luton Families are focused largely on land ownership by brothers Nicholas and Richard Den, early settlers of Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, and their heirs. They highlight the transition in land tenure during the Mexican period and early years of California statehood as well as the inner operations of land and oil development in Santa Barbara County during the first part of the twentieth century.
Extent:
2.2 Linear Feet 2 record storage boxes
Language:
English and Materials in Spanish and English.
Preferred citation:

Den, Bell, and Luton Families Papers, MS-07, Presidio Research Center, Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation, Santa Barbara, California.

Background

Scope and content:

The papers are focused largely on land ownership by brothers Nicholas and Richard Den, early settlers of Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, and their heirs. They highlight the transition in land tenure during the Mexican period and early years of California statehood as well as the inner operations of land and oil development in Santa Barbara County during the first part of the twentieth century.

The types of materials contained in these papers include: correspondence; land titles, deeds, and leases; legal documents including opinions, powers of attorney, and depositions; diaries, photographs, and printed materials. Many of the deeds to various parcels and ranchos are scarce handwritten copies of the originals. Many are accompanied by certifications of authenticity by local officials or by the U.S. Surveyor General.

Biographical / historical:

Den Family

Nicholas August Den (1812–1862), son of Emanuel Den and Katherine O'Shea, came to California, by way of Nova Scotia, from Waterford, Ireland. Den had studied to become a medical doctor in Dublin, and although there is no record of his having graduated, he became the first medical doctor in the Santa Barbara area, moving there in 1836. He later served as mayor of Santa Barbara. He married Rosa A. Hill, a daughter of Daniel A. Hill in 1843 and died in 1862, leaving ten children.

Richard Somerset Den (1821–1895) also studied medicine in Ireland. Afterwards, he sailed to Australia and then Mexico, landing in Mazatlan, before arriving in Santa Barbara in the fall of 1843 where his brother lived. Richard Den was given a certified medical license in 1844 by Governor Micheltorena to practice medicine in Mexico, and he treated wounded Californios and American prisoners during the Mexican-American war. Den also practiced medicine in Los Angeles where he resided for much of his life. He never married.

Over the course of his life, Nicholas Den acquired several Mexican ranchos in Santa Barbara County, starting with Rancho Dos Pueblos in 1842. In 1845 Den and Daniel Hill became lessees of the Mission Santa Barbara lands which were granted to his brother Richard in 1846 by Governor Pio Pico. Richard acquired Rancho Los Prietos in 1857 and Rancho Tequepis in 1858. The brothers also owned the Rancho San Marcos which Richard managed for a number of years.

Bell Family

Nicholas Den's daughter Catarina Maria Den, who grew up on Rancho Dos Pueblos, married John Stewart Bell in 1842. Bell was born in Tahiti where he father had a sugar plantation. They lived in Santa Barbara and had five children: Katherine Maria Den Bell, Charles Den Bell, Caroline Alexandra Bell, Rosa Margaret Antonia Bell and Mary E. Bell. Katherine M. Bell married Seth Cheney and in 1931 she compiled a history of her mother Catarina's life entitled Swinging the Censer: Reminiscences of Old Santa Barbara.

Luton Family

Caroline "Carrie" Bell married George Roscoe Luton. They had one son, William and lived in Montecito, California.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Nancy Luton Jackson.
Processing information:

Collection guide updated by Chris S. Ervin CA 2020-03-18.

Arrangement:

The papers of the Den, Bell, and Luton Families are arranged in four series:

Series 1 - Documents

Series 2 - Miscellaneous Family Materials

Series 3 - Photographs

Series 4 - Printed Matter

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open to researchers.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Archivist and Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation Research Center as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Preferred citation:

Den, Bell, and Luton Families Papers, MS-07, Presidio Research Center, Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation, Santa Barbara, California.

Location of this collection:
215 East Canon Perdido St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101, US
Contact:
(805) 961-5369
dez@sbthp.org
Website