It was the spring of 1879 that Dr. Thomas C. Still, a resident of Kern County, heard about the mining excitement. He loaded a wagon with farm produce and drove over, hoping to sell to the miners. Soon he took up his own claim about half-mile up the canyon from the Mancilla place, and there built a mud-and-stone house, thatch-roofed. That summer, leaving the three older sons, Abram, Will and Ed, to care for the place in Kern County, Thomas Still, his wife Martha, and their three younger children, Aruna, Othor, and Birma moved to the mines. That fall the Stills' youngest son Mentley was born.
When Still had first made up his mind to move to the mines, he had applied for a post office, and on November 4, 1879, the La Panza Post office came into being named for the historic La Panza Rance which had been owned in the 1860s by Drury W. James, uncle to Frank and Jesse. Adjoining the mines, the La Panza Ranch was at the time of the gold-rush owned by Jones and Schoenfeld.
Although the Mancillas carried some groceries and other supplies in conjunction with the saloon and dance hall, and though Angelito Acuna and his wife Chona also had a small store-saloon combination, the need for goods was great enough to warrant the Stills' adding a store to the post office.
In addition, Dr. Still continued his medical practice and indeed he had plenty of calls. Not long after he moved to the mines, he was called out in the middle of the night to cut a bullet out of a man's shoulder. Later Dr. Still was to learn that the man he treated was Librado Corona who as a youth of eighteen some years earlier had been captured with Vasquez and sentenced to a term in the penitentiary. Released from prison, Corona had again overstepped the law and was at the time of his wounding wanted by the sheriff of Kern County. Apparently, he had been shot by one of his own pals in a drunken brawl. His associates managed to spirit him away, seriously wounded though he was, and in this case escaped the law.
In 1882, Dr. Still took up some school land and built a new frame home about three-fourths of a mile to the northwest of the old thatch-roof cabin. The post office and store were also moved, and now with a roomier building, the store supplies were enlarged. Then with the opening of the road through the mountains to the coast, the Stills again enlarged the house and made it a wayside inn where travelers could get meals and say overnight.
(submitted by Finding Family)
It was the spring of 1879 that Dr. Thomas C. Still, a resident of Kern County, heard about the mining excitement. He loaded a wagon with farm produce and drove over, hoping to sell to the miners. Soon he took up his own claim about half-mile up the canyon from the Mancilla place, and there built a mud-and-stone house, thatch-roofed. That summer, leaving the three older sons, Abram, Will and Ed, to care for the place in Kern County, Thomas Still, his wife Martha, and their three younger children, Aruna, Othor, and Birma moved to the mines. That fall the Stills' youngest son Mentley was born.
When Still had first made up his mind to move to the mines, he had applied for a post office, and on November 4, 1879, the La Panza Post office came into being named for the historic La Panza Rance which had been owned in the 1860s by Drury W. James, uncle to Frank and Jesse. Adjoining the mines, the La Panza Ranch was at the time of the gold-rush owned by Jones and Schoenfeld.
Although the Mancillas carried some groceries and other supplies in conjunction with the saloon and dance hall, and though Angelito Acuna and his wife Chona also had a small store-saloon combination, the need for goods was great enough to warrant the Stills' adding a store to the post office.
In addition, Dr. Still continued his medical practice and indeed he had plenty of calls. Not long after he moved to the mines, he was called out in the middle of the night to cut a bullet out of a man's shoulder. Later Dr. Still was to learn that the man he treated was Librado Corona who as a youth of eighteen some years earlier had been captured with Vasquez and sentenced to a term in the penitentiary. Released from prison, Corona had again overstepped the law and was at the time of his wounding wanted by the sheriff of Kern County. Apparently, he had been shot by one of his own pals in a drunken brawl. His associates managed to spirit him away, seriously wounded though he was, and in this case escaped the law.
In 1882, Dr. Still took up some school land and built a new frame home about three-fourths of a mile to the northwest of the old thatch-roof cabin. The post office and store were also moved, and now with a roomier building, the store supplies were enlarged. Then with the opening of the road through the mountains to the coast, the Stills again enlarged the house and made it a wayside inn where travelers could get meals and say overnight.
(submitted by Finding Family)
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