CHAPTER SIX
Hard work and determination by the early few brought many more families, friends and travelers to this area. By 1905 the San Marcos population had increased considerably from the 98 persons in 1875 to approximately 36 families, usually with 6 to 8 children each. Large families were a necessary blessing back then because the farms and ranches needed a lot of hardy souls to make them successful. Having neighbors was also important. The families of Cave Couts, Gustavus Merriam, James and John Barham, William Borden, plus Kelly, Cozens, Huchting, Mahr, Peterson, Cochems, Oden and Uhland were all noteworthy pioneers whose names are prominent in early San Marcos history. (If any of you have a connection to one of these names in your family history you may be a distant part of our heritage.) John Uhland, for example, was an accomplished carpenter who built many of the early homes in Major Merriam’s area of Twin Oaks Valley. He was one of the workers for Merriam who made the weekly 8 mile trek from Meadowlark and eventually was able to homestead near Merriam’s property and move his family there. William Borden became the Barham postmaster, preacher and school teacher. He also established the first newspaper he called “Our Paper”
By 1908 San Marcos was still mostly a farm community but now had many of the amenities that made living in the area a place to call home. There was a general store-post office, hotel, blacksmith, bank, telephones, Methodist Church, a functioning hospital down in San Diego (which later became Mercy Hospital) really nice weather most of the time, AND the Sears Catalogue! This Chicago based publication had finally made its appearance in San Marcos and had a profound impact on the residents. San Marcos, being a farming community (up to WWII and beyond actually) was home to many rural folks who found the catalogue a great advantage. To be able to order needed equipment, materials or a dress for Susie and have them delivered directly to the community was a huge advantage. The 1200 or so pages in the catalogue covered every imaginable commodity available at the time. Horseless Carriages were even being introduced as a future option but few, if any of our early settlers could afford such a thing. There were, of course, some problems and procedures when ordering from a catalogue, time being one, but the option was definitely bringing our young community into the 20th century. It even helped these folks communicate with Santa Claus. He was already a popular figure across our country though most often portrayed as an evil-faced skinny soldier, priest or dwarf. His robes ranged from white to brown to green and instead of a hat he wore a crown or holly or ivy. And, as now, he wouldn’t bring any Christmas presents (except maybe a lump of coal) if you didn’t behave yourself. Sears catalogue took advantage of this situation by posting hundreds of pictures and descriptions of items just for the children. Smart!
Sears catalogue early 1900's
CHAPTER SEVEN
Progress – Yes in just over 100 years San Marcos is on the map. This small community continues to grow but still has a way to go before it can compete with even Oceanside. But before we go any further into its future we will take another small but important step back to the late 1800’s.
Part of the progress and a big part of San Marcos today was the development of a cemetery. We can suppose that the early pioneers, who were predominantly farmers and ranchers, set aside a small plot of land on their own property for the final resting place of family members. But what about the builders, cabinet makers, store owners? There was a tiny 20’x20’ area in the Meadowlark community owned by Salvador Gonzales who owned the land that included the tiny cemetery. It only held seven occupants. It had barely survived some rough times. Vandalism and desecration of some graves was a problem. Mr. Gonzales would later donate it to the new cemetery. His land was originally located near the San Marcos creek which is now covered by Lake San Marcos, but I’ll come back to that later.
In 1894, there was yet to be a proper cemetery in San Marcos and the community was growing enough that this amenity was needed. San Marcos was still somewhat isolated but the pioneering Littlefield family needed a respectable place to bury their matriarch who had just passed away. So they got together with a few area families and formed the San Marcos Cemetery Association. The association members each maintained areas of responsibility within the new seven acre cemetery and eventually found a way to protect the dignity of the Meadowlark portion as well. The City met with the descendants of Meadowlark and offered to move the graves to the larger cemetery but the offer was rejected. It remains in the median of Rancho Santa Fe Road just north of Meadowlark Ranch Road. The road was widened to encompass the graves which were covered by a concrete slab and a landmark.
This is the original marker still in place in the San Marcos Cemetery
Today the San Marcos Cemetery holds the remains of many of our original pioneers and their families as well as descendents. During the Depression when workers across the nation were looking for employment, mostly through federal programs, the Cemetery Association became a Public Cemetery District in 1930. This made it eligible for road improvements through the public works program. Roads were improved, gutters installed, land graded and landscaped with trees and shrubs and water was piped in from the Vista Water District to maintain the new amenities. It now covers 27 acres which includes several acres available for development as needed.
San Marcos was still in its infancy but our city wouldn’t be here if it hadn’t started with the folks now resting in this part of our history. They provide a very special accounting of our foundation.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Now in the early 1900’s San Marcos is expanding with a population in the hundreds and needing more of the things that support development and enhance life’s expectations for the community. For instance, in 1906 a group of individuals calling themselves “The Promotion Club” built a general store and post office with a dance hall on the second floor that was used as a community center.
Residents Myron and Nellie Kreisler had emigrated from Austria to America and found San Marcos in the early 1920’s. They bought a ten-acre piece of land and felt another market could be useful. Their little store was located on Pico between Mission and Encinitas Rd. (Now San Marcos Blvd) The small wooden building housed shelves stocked with potatoes, rice, beans and all the essentials needed or wanted at the time (maybe including lip color and cold cream for the ladies). The Kreisler’s lived in rooms behind the store and were open seven days a week for more than 30 years. They were even willing to open at odd hours to help faithful customers and friends who needed help. The Kreisler’s didn’t make the cover of Life Magazine, a popular publication developed in 1923, but they were solid citizens that helped form the character of San Marcos.
In 1927 the Vista Water District brought water to the areas of Richland and Twin Oaks Valley which improved the ability to raise grains, citrus and avocados in the area. Hay and vineyards had previously been the main crops.
Mary Helen Hill also had a substantial impact on San Marcos. Born in Colorado in 1891, she became a teacher and received her certificate in 1913 and added several additional titles to her resume. She lost her husband to illness and moved to San Marcos with three children in 1924 in a Model-T Ford. Mary and children started out on Coronado where she taught summer school in Tent City near Hotel Del and also worked in the kitchen of Mercy Hospital in San Diego. Mary got a permanent job teaching here at the “1910 Schoolhouse” (near what is now San Marcos Elementary). She was also able to continue her studies at San Diego State College (Est. 1897) where she received a Life Diploma to teach in California in 1930. She had a car but the distance between San Marcos and San Diego was about 40 miles each way on a two-way road. No freeway or internet back then and at about 30 mph that had to be quite an effort. Mary became principal at the school in 1938. She taught for 31 years and was a resident for 50 years. In that time, she had established an incredible list of accomplishments far too numerous to list here. Mary Helen Hill Connors was honored as “Mrs. San Marcos” and “San Marcos Woman of the Year” as well. She was 93 when she passed away in 1985, survived by 2 daughters, 1 son, 10 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, 1 great-great grandchild and a community of loving friends.
