The beginnings of Wintersburg

Wintersburg, that oasis of culture and refinement surrounded by lush fields, is vastly different today than it once was.

Kids today cannot imagine what life was like before the automobile, television or even indoor plumbing.

Before the 1920s the mode of travel was by horse as few farmers could afford the price of an automobile. Radio was still in the future, and the only entertainment came from traveling vaudeville shows or gramophone records.

But in spite of the lack of what we take for granted today, the little farming community was a wonderful place to raise a family. Wintersburg, located east of Beach Boulevard and Warner Avenue, had many small businesses including a grocery store, blacksmith shop, Methodist church, library and a telephone exchange ? just about all that was necessary to a community of the time.

But life was difficult, and hard work was the norm. The school taught the children to read and write, and the church looked after the spiritual needs of its people. But it fell to the ladies of the community to bring culture to Wintersburg.

This week we’ll look back at the lives of three women who were instrumental in bringing that need to the people of Wintersburg just before the 1920s.

Our first lady of Wintersburg raised her six children here before she died on Aug. 25, 1919. Minerva Jane Dixon was born on Dec. 5, 1855, in Kentucky. While still a baby, her parents moved to Arkansas to settle in the small town of Russellville. In 1872 she married B. Easter and from that union a daughter, Ella, was born. Within a very short time she lost her husband, and six years later she married William H. Taylor. From this new union came five children: Oscar, George, Aston, Otis and Dora.

In 1900 she again married, this time to Isaac Barton, and the family moved to Wintersburg. Isaac died in 1909, and Minerva continued to raise her family.

The Taylor children exemplified her teachings, and they would become prominent citizens in the community. Dora went on to marry E. Ray Moore, a prominent rancher and important figure in establishing Farmers Insurance.

Our second Wintersburg lady was the well-educated wife of Wintersburg’s only doctor. Amanda Johnson Huff was born near Marlborough, Ohio, in Aug. 26, 1854, one of three children. A great part of her life was spent in Alliance, Ohio, but she came to California in 1908.

On Aug. 15, 1909, she married Dr. Samuel G. Huff, and they made their home on land that today is part of Central Park.

Amanda joined the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union to fight for a dry town, but her first love after her family was the church. She belonged to the First Christian Church of Huntington Beach and had an intense interest in its missionary work. She passed away on July 2, 1919.

Our third lady was the first schoolteacher at Springdale Elementary School. Bonnie Clay was born in Butler County, Neb., on Oct. 2, 1880, but shortly thereafter her family moved to Kansas. She and her parents, two sisters and two brothers moved again, this time to California, in 1893.

They attended school in Los Angeles, and Bonnie went to a normal school before teaching school.

While teaching at Springdale Elementary, she met a young, handsome man by the name of William Slater, and they were married in Los Angeles on Aug. 5, 1908.

In December 1908 Bonnie was elected to the Methodist Church’s Arbamar Epworth League and became an active member in the Wintersburg Women’s Home Missionary Society. She also taught Sunday school.

At first the couple made their home in a house on the McGuirk ranch, where their children Fred, June and Homer were born.

Like Amanda Huff, Bonnie was against the drinking of alcohol, and both she and William were active in the temperance movement.

While attending church services on Sunday, Aug. 5, 1919, their 11th wedding anniversary, Bonnie became ill. Two days later she died.

These are just three of the ladies who brought culture and influenced the lives of those early pioneer families who called Wintersburg home.