| Ventura County Biographies |
| Extracted from |
| "A Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of |
| Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura, California" (1891) |
R. Orton
R. Orton, another one of California's pioneers, came to this State in 1853. He was born in New York, March 23, 1834. His father, R. Orton, was also a native of New York, and was of Scotch descent. Mr. Orton's mother, Clara (Ricknell) Orton, was born in Utica, New York. Her people were of French and English extraction. Mr. Orton was educated in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and, after completing his studies, he engaged in the milling business, which he learned in Iowa with his father, who owned a mill.
Mr. Orton came to California during the gold excitement, and, like others, he became a miner in Volcano. He mined for a year and made as high as $50 per day; then sold out and went East. When he returned to California he engaged in milling in Santa Cruz County, and was in the business there from 1855 to 1871. He was elected Sheriff of the county, and held the office for eight years. During that time he arrested many desperate characters, guilty of high crimes. One man he followed 1,180 miles, and single-handed arrested him in a saloon, shackled him, lodged him in jail at Salt Lake City, and took the train to Ogden and thence to California. Mr. Orton again engaged in mining for two years, after which he located in San Luis Obispo County, and went into the milling business. He built a mill and remained there four years, and from there went to Watsonville, Santa Cruz County, and milled six months. He came to Ventura in 1881, and helped build the Ventura mill. He returned to Ventura February 1, 1887, and since then has improved themill from a stone to a full roller-process mill, and he is now doing the milling for Ventura and surrounding country, and ships some flour to Santa Barbara. They make the best of flour, and also grind meal and feed of every description.
Mr. Orton was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Hunt, a native of Illinois, and daughter of Mr. John Hunt, of Watsonville, California. Their union is blessed with five children, four sons and a daughter. Emma was born in Santa Cruz County, and is now the wife of William Orr, of Santa Barbara County. F. A., Edgar and John were born in Santa Cruz County, and Lucius was born in Ventura. Mr. Orton is a Master Mason, and also a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In politics he is a Republican.