| Ventura County Biographies |
| Extracted from |
| "A Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of |
| Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura, California" (1891) |
J. S. Barkla
J. S. Barkla came to California in 1853 and located in Ventura County in 1871. He was born in Cornwall, England, March 9, 1832. His father, John Barkla, was a mining contractor in England, and both his parents were natives of that country. Mr. Barkla was reared and educated there, and in 1849, at the age of seventeen years, came to the United States. His business, that of a copper miner and prospector in the employ of a copper mining company, took him into the States of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. The gold excitement of California brought him to this coast in 1853, where he engaged in mining for the precious metal. His operations began at Hangtown, now Placerville, where he spent six years, most of the time in tunnel mining, being very successful. In the summer of 1856 four men worked four days and cleared up fifty ounces of gold as the result of the labor, worth $925. After this he put $8,000 in one claim and worked hard for three years to get his money back again. After leaving the mines he came to Ventura County and bought forty acres of land on Main street, Santa Paula, and of this he retains five acres, on which his residence is situated, and on which is a variety of fruit trees, including oranges in bearing. Mr. Barkla also owns land in this and Los Angeles counties. During his residence in Santa Paula he has done his share toward the development of the town.
Mr. Barkla was united in marriage in Pennsylvania, April 17, 1860, to Miss Hannah Hinton, a native of England, born in 1840. When a child she came to America with her parents, and was reared in Massachusetts. They have three children living: Laura H., born in El Dorado County, March 23, 1861; Luna Jane, in the same place, August 31, 1863; Carl Benjamin, born on the Cosumnes River, El Dorado County, April 23, 1866. Mr. and Mrs. Barkla are Universalists in belief. In politics his views are in harmony with Democratic principles. From 1883 until 1887 he served as Supervisor of Ventura County. He united with the I. O. O. F. in 1855.