Abel Stearns (February 9, 1798 – August 23, 1871) was a trader who came to the Pueblo de Los Angeles, Alta California in 1829 and became a major landowner, cattle rancher and one of the area's wealthiest citizens.
Early life
Stearns was born in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, the son of Elizabeth (née Goodrich) and Levi Stearns, a farmer. His parents were both from families that came from England in the 1600s. Stearns went to Mexico in about 1826, where he became a naturalized citizen.
Los Angeles
In 1829, Stearns emigrated to Monterey, California, then settled in the Pueblo de los Ángeles, present day Los Angeles, California. He obtained a government concession to build a warehouse at San Pedro, the nearest seaport. Later, he established a stagecoach route connecting San Pedro Bay with the Los Angeles pueblo. In 1831, he built a three-story flour mill on North Spring Street, Los Angeles. Soon, Stearns became one of the most prominent and influential citizens of the pueblo.
In 1842 Stearns bought his first rancho, the 28,000-acre (110 km2) Rancho Los Alamitos between Los Angeles and the harbor. However, there was a drought between 1862 and 1864 which was said to have resulted in the death of 50,000 cattle on Stearns land alone. Stearns mortgaged the rancho to Michael Reese, who then purchased it at a sheriff's sale. Reese's estate was then sold to John W. Bixby and Isaias W. Hellman, a founder of the Farmers and Merchants Bank.
Stearns House may refer to:
Donald "Don" Clarke Abel (born February 4, 1952) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was elected as an Ontario New Democratic Party MPP to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario representing the riding of Wentworth North from 1990 to 1995.
Background
Abel studied economics, industrial sociology, political science, labour history and labour law at the Labour College of Canada in Ottawa. He worked in the purchasing and plant management department of the Wentworth County Board of Education and served 10 years as the president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). He also served as a National Service Representative for CUPE. Abel and his wife Debra own and operate a cottage resort on Sturgeon Lake near Lindsay, Ontario.
In 1992, while in office, Abel's teenaged son Mark was seriously injured in a skiing accident in New York. He was left paralyzed from the chest down. The family was left with $50,000 in medical bills which was eventually paid with funds raised amongst the local community and donations from all three parties.
Don Abel Stearns House (El Palacio) was located in Los Angeles, California, US. His home was at the southeast corner of Main and Arcadia streets. Here he built a substantial, wide spreading adobe surrounding a large courtyard. The house was a one-story adobe, and covered the entire ground occupied by the block, with an extensive "patio" or inner court in the center. When the outer gates were closed, this was a citadel capable of withstanding a siege.
The residence was on the site of what became the Baker Block; and it was for many years, both before and after the change of government, a prominent social center for Southern California. Married to Arcadia Bandini de Stearns Baker, it was here that the beautiful daughters of Don Juan Bandini entertained their wide circle of acquaintances from San Diego and Santa Barbara at grand balls and other social functions characteristic of life in Spanish countries. Here Commodore Jones in 1842, and Captain Fremont in 1846 and 1847, and other distinguished historical figures at various periods were hospitably entertained.