Every November the Los Padrinos Club of the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Fillmore organized the BLACK & WHITE BALL. It may have been the biggest fundraiser of the year. Both my mother and father were involved in activities throughout the year but this one always had a buzz to it. Not that selling tamales after Sunday mass wasn’t important, it’s just that a chile-stained apron couldn’t raise the same level of anticipation and excitement that a rental tux or a new dress could.
In this picture my older brother , Charlie, may have been going to his first BLACK & WHITE BALL. The coming together of the formal event and an infrequent visit from my great-grandmother from Los Angeles inspired those present to snap a four-generation picture. Standing (L >R): Carlos Jesus Davis, son of Carmen Ramirez Davis, daughter of (sitting L>R) Pablo Ramirez, Sr., son of Felipa Rangel Ramirez. This photo may have been taken in 1960 or ’61.
Sandi, this is just wonderful, cant wait to read more! Rancho Sespe was a big part of my life,growing up.. since we rode the bus out there every morning. I had friends I visited, Cristy DeSoto, and Manuela DeAlejandro. I loved the small houses, yards so full of plants and bushes. I envied the fun you all seemed to be having, looking down at all the activity as the bus pulled up. Kids scurried from all over, and I remember a small store and a wooden platform, and all the kids playing on it. Kids would run from homes, as last minute entrances onto the bus. I remember you so well, and the other older kids, and so many little ones.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I've noticed is how people are opening up and talking about where they grew up. We all suffered some, for being poor, living on a ranch, and maybe not dressing as nice as the other kids. Having a parent working in a packing house, or cleaning ponds at the fish hatchery had its humbling moments. The joy and admiration many of us are finding in our parents work, where we grew up, is touching and uplifting. I see so many friends on Facebook, who grew up so different than I did, and we all seem to be coming together, and it's so nice. I somehow think this is what the Lord wanted us to be, one family in Christ.
Dear Sandie, I am pleased that others are telling their stories of life at Rancho Sespe. I came across your internet article on the Ramirez and Davis family. My name is Robert Villanueva (71 years old). I lived next door to your grandparents at House 127 and knew your mother, father and Charlie. What I remember about your mother was that she was very sweet. Since your brother Adrian and you were much younger, I only knew Adrian and you by sight.
ReplyDeleteYour uncles; Arthur, Tommy and Raymond were my best friends. During my later years at Rancho Sespe, I mostly hung around with Raymond. After I married, my wife and I moved to Ventura and then Oxnard. I lost track of Arthur and Tommy, but kept in touch with Raymond until his death.
My ears perked up when you mentioned your movie viewing at your grand mother’s house. I was fortunate to be invited over to your grand mother’s house to view the Mickey Mouse movie. And we also saw the movie of the big snow at Rancho Sespe during 1949 or maybe 1948. That was a long time ago. I recall going over to your grand mother’s house several times to see the same movies over and over again. It was a big thrill to watch the movies since television had not arrived at the ranch yet. If you ever find the movie of the big snow; look carefully at the person pulling the sled; that was me some 62 years ago.
A few years latter, my family was fortunate to get the first television set at the west end of Rancho Sespe. My mother would put out lemon boxes in the living room so that the kids in the area could watch television. During those days, the television pattern would start at 6:00 PM and the actual TV signal at 6:30 PM. We were all so impressed with watching television that we sat watching the TV signal for 30 minutes before programming began.
Becky Sosa, our neighbor at Rancho Sespe (House 129) asked that I write about my life at Rancho Sespe for her book; she had asked others to do the same. I turned in my article over to Becky about 2 years ago, but am not sure of the status of her book.
By seeing the many books and internet articles on Rancho Sespe I realize how important these articles are for our kids and grand kids and future generations. These articles highlight the simple life we lived so long ago. to highlight the agrian life that we left may years ago for a more moderen America. We were at the of western America.
MY FATHER WAS FRANK HERNANDEZ HE WAS CALLED PANCHO AND HIS FATHER WAS PABLO HE LIVED IN RANCHO SESPE WANT TO KNOW MORE
DeleteTO Robert:
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for taking the time to post a comment.
Your recollections help me to appreciate that my "extended family" included many who were not related by blood but who breathed the same orange-blossom scented air and were dusted by the same Sespe soil. That, too, is a bond to be valued.
Great stories and images. My father's family was evicted from the Sespe company housing during the '41 Citrus Strike of Ventura County.
ReplyDeletefrank barajas
CSU Channel Islands
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about the strike. I just did a google search that brought up very little. Hm . . .more to learn. Thank you for posting a comment.
ReplyDeleteI was once employed at Rancho Sespe. After college in Northern California, I was looking for a job and passed by the old ranch office on Hwy 126. It was about 1977, I'm pretty sure Kenneth Glenn was one of the men who hired me. He was the #2 guy and an older man was the boss. As a recent college grad I was expecting a managerial job. They offered me a house on the property. Actually a really small one-room house in the shop area across the highway from the main office. First day of work I was put in the spray crew. We weren't spraying at the time so I was handed a pair of canvas gauntlets, a hard hat and a long handled pruner and began my career at Rancho Sespe pruning lemon trees. I guess they figured if I could last through the pruning I was serious about the job. Two long months later (I still have a bump where a lemon thorn is imbedded in my arm) I was promoted to spray rig driver. I fondly remember my co-workers. All hard working and friendly to this young "college boy." All lived on the ranch in one of the camps. Several had grown up on Rancho Sespe and followed their fathers and got jobs on the ranch. I remember one older man on the crew. He didn’t have a driver’s license so he was a hand sprayer. He would walk behind a spray rig and hand spray the trees. He had come out from Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl and ended up at Sespe. He had great stories of the way it used to be. Real “Grapes of Wrath” living history stuff. Now I wish I paid closer attention. When I was at Sespe he had been working and living there for over 30 years. Raised a family and was still working every day. His son was another spray crew supervisor. I went to a fiesta where they butchered a goat and cooked it a pit. These were the kind of people I remember at Sespe. Real “Salt of the Earth” hard working family men & women. After 3 months of spraying, I was promoted to assistant pest control supervisor and given a pick-up truck and a different house up in the hills to the north of Hwy 126. I remember it had 2 bedrooms and a view of the valley. Wow, was I happy. My job consisted of checking on the spray crews and making sure they mixed the right chemicals and they kept their protective material on. I can tell you that nothing is more uncomfortable than a respirator mask on a hot day. Since I was a junior manager, I was on the management side of the UFW election. I sat in on strategy sessions where we were instructed to tell the workers the positive side of no union. My Spanish was good enough to get by in communicating with my co-workers, but not nearly good enough to convey the "management message." I'm sure I was poor at it. The UFW won the election and became the workers representative. I remember that most of my co-workers were very happy and excited about the change. My time at Rancho Sespe ended about 6 months later when I accepted a job in Ojai as a Ranch Manager. I left before Rivcom purchased the ranch and closed all the camps. I was very sad because I knew there would never be another Rancho Sespe. I don’t even have any photos of my time there, just memories. I stayed in Agriculture and now work in Produce marketing in Central California. I am interested in a source you’ve mentioned: 100-Year History of Rancho Sespe by Kenneth K. Glenn. Do you know where I can find a copy? Also, I see you posted some photos of a packing line. The ranch packinghouse had closed down by the time I was at Sespe and the fruit was hauled into Fillmore or Piru for packing. I do remember that while I was at Sespe, a movie company used the old abandoned packinghouse for a movie set. I remember it was a horror film about spiders. I don’t recall the name of the movie, but if you research movies about spiders made around 1978, you will find it. I’m sure it would show the outside and inside of the packinghouse where your mother worked. I’m pretty sure the old packinghouse burned down some time later.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your blog as it brought back memories of my youth.
I have been researching Rancho Sespe amd have not found any real information on the families that lived there in the 1930's. My mother, (as a child), grandmother Clotilde Gutierrez and great grandmother Victoria Martinez lived there in the 1930s. I am very interested in this part of their lives. Took my mother there a couple of months of ago but nothing there anymore. My mother is 83 years old. Eloise Sifuentez. We went to find my great grandmothers grave which may be in Potters field.. the gentleman from the cemetary who I spoke to was not very helpful. In fact the 2nd time I called he tried to tell me it didn't exist. Same person mind you. Does anyone have any pictures or mayber their parents or grandparents remember my mother Eloise or grandmother Tille Clotilde, or great granmother who died there approx 1936. Victoria possibly "Libriana" Martinez. Not sure what last name she went by. Thank you, Susie Gomez gogogomez93436@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteMY NAME IS FRANCISCO HERNANDEZ AND MY FATHER WAS FRANK L. HERNANDEZ
ReplyDeleteWHO WAS ORIGINALLY FROM RANCHO SESPE. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO KNEW OF HIM AND HIS FATHER AND MOTHER. HIS FATHER IS BURIED AT SANTA PAULA CEMETARY AND WAS PABLO
Hello Franciso,
DeleteI'm sorry to say that I don't have any knowledge of your family. Perhaps someone who happens onto this blog will have info for you. I wish you good fortune in your search.
Did anyone know anything of my great grandmother Victoria Gutierrez Martinez? She passed away while living at Sespe in the 1930s. She had several Clotilda (tille), Belen, I can't recall the others but my mother Eloise also lived there with them and my uncle Jimmy. I have been searching for her grave. She isn't at Bardsdale. They tell me that Sespe had their own cemetary? thank you, Susie Gomez
ReplyDeletegogogomez93436@yahoo.com.
Well I just found the site I don't know if it's still active. My mother Norma Ramirez grew up at Rancho Sespe. She is 79 now and we just found out her father Tiquio Ramirez had children with a woman he never married, I was hoping someone might have some information that could be helpful in locating my mothers half sibling. We were told her name was Gloria and she had a sister named Elena but she passed away as a child their mothers name was Juana we have no last name and was told she didn't use my grandfathers. I'm guessing since my mother was born in 1936 that Gloria may have been born in 1925-1930.If anyone has any information please email me at 805caro@gmail.com thank you
ReplyDeleteWe lived on rancho sespe when I was really young, i remember everyone that lived there were friendly and treated each other like family, i remember a tetherball pole where everybody would play, the workers were treated good my dad drove a water truck /light the smudge pots to help keeping trees from freezing at nite , and many more positions my grandfather's name is (wilburn Ernest rice sr.) Nick name was Sarge. He was a field supervisor I think if I remember right I do know his name was on the big rock on a metal plaque in front of rancho sespe after the big fire for saving lots of lines I have so many different fond memories of Rancho sespe, our families last names are wood and rice ,my name is carol jean wood my dad is( marion ellis wood sr. ) he went by (pete wood) I'm not good with names but we knew a lot of people on the ranch i can not remember anything after the great fire we moved.we would visit and loved seeing the Memorial rock with a plaque on it thanking my grandfather another man for helping save lives and the ranch. we were a few of the only white families living there enjoyed learning and tasting all the wonderful different types of food the families would cook and share with each other thats where i made up my mind i wanted to learn how to make Mexican food. I do remember the heavy dollies they used to move the crates of lemons because my grandfather had one in his yard and I was always told to leave it alone one day we were at Grandma and Grandpa's house which was across the way from us having a barbecue everyone was inside the house and I decided to climb on that dolly well I learned my lesson climbing on that dolly it fell on me and I broke my leg never crawled on the dolly again lesson well learned just want to say thanks to the four generations of a beautiful family that did lots for a lot of different families thank you ,
ReplyDeletefrom Carol Jean Gonzales(carol jean wood )
Hello Carol,
DeleteFirst, I wanted to thank you for taking the time to share your rich and vibrant memories. Being able to remember where we came from adds to our sense of belonging, our sense of place in the world. When I share what I remember with others who are open to knowing and remembering also, I am enriched by the exchange. It’s a good thing.
As I read through your comments, a couple of things came to mind.
1.
Do you have any pictures of the time you and your family lived in Rancho Sespe?
If you do, would you be willing to share them?
I haven’t posted on this blog for quite some time. I’ve begun to wonder if it’s time to get back into it. New photos might be just the inspiration I need.
2.
I also wondered about the fire and the plaque you talk about.
I lived in Rancho Sespe for the first 20 years of my life – from 1953 to 1973. I never remember seeing a commemorative plaque recognizing those whose bravery helped to save lives in a fire. I don’t know about a fire at all. Would you be willing to share more about what you know? When did the fire take happen? Where exactly was the fire? Did it consume houses? Were people injured? What did your grandfather do in response to the fire?
I do know that, when I started kindergarten in 1953, our bus stop was a wooden floor of a building that used to be a dance hall. The wooden floor was the only thing that was left of the building. I’m wondering if this building was part of what the fire burned down.
My father, Alejandro Davis, was a picking crew foreman by the time I was born into the family. I remember those frosty winter nights when he was called out into the freezing cold to be part of the work team that lit smudge pots in every orchard on the Ranch. An especially vivid memory was the Sunday morning my family sat in a pew in the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church on Central Avenue. My dad had dutifully driven his family to mass even though he had been out all night lighting smudge pots. As the priest spoke his homily, I remember seeing my dad’s head bobbing as he tried but failed to stay awake. It caused some oh-oh tension and a hidden smile in me as I hoped he wouldn’t start to snore.
Thanks for sharing your dolly story. Sometimes as kids, and even as adults, we just need to learn from our own experiences. Does that healed leg bone help you to predict rain?
I was also glad to know that you have such fond memories of the time you spent on the Ranch.
I hope you’ll feel free to respond to my questions and to share anything else that may come to mind.
All for now,
Sandi
Hello, my name is Ronald Gutierrez. My maternal grandparents lived on Rancho Sespe from the late 1920's or early 1930's, until their death in early 1979. My grandfather's name was Joaquin Gomez, married to Lenore "Chata" Leon Gomez. My mother, Jessie Gomez Gutierrez, was born on Rancho Sespe in July 1931; as were her twin sister "Lula" Gomez Torres. They have an older sister named Lily Gomez Ramirez. My grandma Chata's parents, the Leon family, along with her many siblings, also lived on Ranch Sespe. I'll have to ask mom what their house number was on the ranch. I have many memories of time spent visiting my grandparents home on the ranch. I also have some photos taken at the ranch.
ReplyDeleteBest regards,
Ronald Gutierrez
Correction to my January 20th comment: My mom's sister's last name is Reyes, not Ramirez. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHello Ronald,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to know that my recollections sparked your own.
So many of our family roots were planted in Rancho Sespe.
I my mother were still alive today she would no doubt have been able to recall your family members -- the Ranch was a relative small community.
But, I can't say the same thing.
I'd be interested in seeing the photos you mentioned. Let me know if you're willing to show them to me.
All for now,
Sandi
I noticed a need to make corrections in the above comments, but was unable to access the original text.
DeleteHere is the corrected text:
"If my mother were still alive today she would no doubt have been able to recall your family members -- the Ranch was a relatively small community."
Good to hear from you Sandi! I talked with mom by phone this week and told her about your blog site; I read some of the first and last names that you mention here and she remembers some of the names mentioned! I'll see her this coming Sunday and I plan on taking my ipad with me in order to show her the photos and names which will help to jog her memory further. I'm going to share your blog site with my second cousins whose mother, Carmen Leon Tellez, also lived on the ranch. Please let me know how I go about sharing the photos that I have that were taken years ago on the rancho. Oh and I'll inform my cousin Richard Torres, who is the son of my mother's twin sister. His father is John Torres.
ReplyDeleteBest regards,
Ron
Here's my email address: sdg4asong@aol.com
DeleteDid I mention that I'd like to know how to go about sharing some of the photos with you? If not please let me know, thanks
ReplyDeleteRon
Greetings my great grandfather lived in house 58 in sespe.
ReplyDeleteHis name was pablo hernandez.
His wife was hermenia hernandez
Pablo son was frank l hernandez
Siblings Manuel hernandez
David hernandez
Antonia hernandez
Guadelupe hernandez
I also have a family picture.
Pablos father was named jesus hernandez.
Ring a bell anyone?
Are you able to post up some of the pics that were shared? Who knows we may be able to find a family member or 2! :)
ReplyDeleteWe used to live there years ago when I was a young my grandfather saved lives from a fire
ReplyDelete