Descriptive Summary
Access
Publication Rights
Preferred Citation
Acquisition Information
Biography/Administrative History
Scope and Content of Collection
Indexing Terms
Additional collection guides
Descriptive Summary
Title: Dibblee Family Papers
Dates: 1842-1927
Collection Number: AR-1993-097
Creator/Collector:
Dibblee family
Extent: 3 linear feet in 3 record storage boxes
Repository:
Santa Barbara Historical Museum. Gledhill Library.
Santa Barbara, California 93101
Abstract: The Dibblee Family Papers consist of 1,269 pieces of correspondence and records related to the operations of Rancho San Julian
from 1842-1927.
Language of Material: English
Access
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Property rights reside with the Santa Barbara Historical Museum. For permissions to reproduce or to publish, please contact
the Head Archivist of the Gledhill Library.
Preferred Citation
Dibblee Family Papers. Santa Barbara Historical Museum. Gledhill Library.
Acquisition Information
Donated by A. Dibblee Poett
Biography/Administrative History
Rancho San Julian was established in 1817 as a source for meat, tallow, leather, and horses for the King of Spain's soldiers
at the Presidio of Santa Barbara, California. Presidio Comandante Don Jose Antonio de la Guerra y Noriega received Rancho
San Julian, about 48,000 acres, in lieu of back pay. The Rancho passed to Don Jose's sons, who sold it to Gaspar Orena during
the difficult financial times caused by the drought of 1862-1864. Albert and Thomas Dibblee purchase Rancho San Julian in
1867. A year later, Thomas Bloodgood Dibblee married Francisca de la Guerra, granddaughter of Don Jose, keeping the Rancho
in the de la Guerra family. In 1875, the Dibblees along with W. W. and Hubbard Hollister, built a pier at Gaviota for shipping
cattle and sheep to the San Francisco market. Later, in the 1890s when the railroad reached Guadalupe, they drove the stock
to the rail terminal there. When Albert and Thomas Dibblee both died in 1895, Albert's family received the Jalama (western)
portion of the land and Thomas's descendants retained San Julian. In 2000, 15,000 acres remained of the original 25,000 left
at the time of the 1895 subdivision. As of 2020, Rancho San Julian continues to be held and worked by the descendents of Thomas
Bloodgood Dibblee.
Scope and Content of Collection
The Dibblee Family Papers contain correspondence from a who's who of Santa Barbara citizens from the second half of the 19th
century. Subjects covered include Ranchos Las Cruces, San Julian, Santa Rita, and Simi; land grants for Lompoc, Salsipuedes
and University; Gaviota Wharf, Cordero papers, sheep industry, cattle drives and livestock sales. The types of records include
correspondence, telegrams, financial documents, legal papers, abstracts of title, survey field notes, maps, sketches, deeds,
agreements, contracts, leases, insurance policies, loans, liens, statements, accounts, invoices, payments, receipts, protests,
subpoenas, summons, disputes, settlements, estate summaries, wills, legislation, cargo manifests, employee lists, and genealogies.
The collection consists of 1,269 pieces of correspondence and records related to the operations of Rancho San Julian from
1842-1927.
Indexing Terms
Rancho San Julian (Calif.)
Correspondence
Petitions
Maps
W. Dibblee Hoyt collection, SBHC Mss 70. Department of Special Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California,
Santa Barbara
Poett, A. Dibblee. 1991. "Rancho San Julian: the story of a California ranch and its people". Santa Barbara: Fithian Press.
Hoyt, W. Dibblee. 2000. "Rancho San Julian dia del rancho". [Santa Barbara, Calif.]: Rancho San Julian.
Additional collection guides