Letter from Benjamin Franklin Christlieb to Ervin G. Chrislip–24 Feb 1896

Pasadena, Cal.

Feb 24, 1896

E. G. Chrislip, Esq

Dear Cousin: Your letter of Dec 24, 1895 came to hand on time but having many letters to write and also ~illegible~ it but on account of my health, I spend considerable time out of doors and in doing so I become sufficiently fatigued to enjoy leisure or rather a lazy period and put off writing to a more convenient time. My health continues in a fair condition with added continual improvement apparently although not very marked. Since writing before the weather has been of a little cooler average, many nights were just cool enough to frost but did but very little harm, to regular fruit crops here. People that carry on gardening on a small scale had to protect some of the tender vegetables from frost. Latterly we seem to be entering a warmer period. Through this period of cooler weather that I speak of during the middle part of the day it was pleasant and sometimes quite warm so that one would perspire freely in exercising. Other days required an overcoat in driving. There are many visitors and pleasure seekers here now, many of whom seem to have plenty of money to spend, and in doing so benefit the people here. Climate is a commodity here but people have to come here to utilize it and so leave their money here. I rather think considerable of the prosperity here results from that process. I have only seen about 12 days on which it rained, the rainfall in all up to date being about five or six inches. The season for rain is not yet over with. We will likely get a few more inches between now and May 1^st.

I was much interested in your description of West Virginia. I regret that in my visits east that I did not visit your state. The times that would have been most convenient was during the War and it seemed then when I once arrived in Penna^a from Minnesota, as if I had all the visiting I could possibly attend to there so that I did not even get to see even all I wanted to there. If I ever become well enough again so as to enable me to travel east without damage I will try and see West Virginia and my relatives in that state.

Speaking of the physiognomical features of the former generations of our race, recalls a circumstance that happened a short time before I left Minnesota. I received a photograph of Cousin Jacob N. Christlieb of Bessemer, Alabama (see page 27 Christlieb Family) who carries those features having the roman nose high forehead and widening of the head under the hair which you describe of W. Va. branch, and which was a characteristic of Cousin Jacob's father and some of his brothers. I showed the photograph to a friend of mine, who knew of the Turkish tradition, and on examining the picture he remarked that it showed the Arabian or Turkish features in the arching eyebrows high forehead and roman nose, calling my attention to something that had never occurred to me before, that possibly the race (if it descended from the Trukish Boy) inherited those peculiar features directly from the Turkish boy; and last but not least seem to be pretty strong evidence in confirmation of that idea of the family origins. If we are really descended from the Turks, I would like to see the civilized natives of the world chastise our Turkish relatives and bring them to time for their cruelty to the Armenians. That is a blot on modern civilization.

I am much interested in the progress your son in his educational course and his success in life, wishing him success in completing his education and in life. I was pleased to learn that he took an interest in history of the family. I was also pleased to receive a letter from your daughter and I will be pleased to hear from either of them at any time in the future. I was also pleased to learn the address of Mr Callihan, Salinas, etc. That point is on a line of railroad from Los Angeles to San Flancisco(sic) now under construction and nearing completion and it may happen in my travels here, that I may pass through that place. If I do I will try and find him. Speaking of dark eyes appearing in the younger generations of the W. Va branch I would say that a few of my nephews and nieces have black eyes but I think they inherited them from the parties whom the parents of the different ones of the race married.

Speaking ~illegible~Carbon ~illegible~ and other minerals in W. Va. impresses one that that state has a great future before it. If I remember some one of the W. Va. relatives wrote me that some oil monopoly was leasing all the lands within reach for the oil it might contain. Perhaps it was the best the landowner could do under present circumstances, but it is after all an unhappy thought contemplating the grip that monopolists are getting on the country which has come about through policy of the Republican party while in power and we have much reason to believe that some of our Democratic bretheren are also in the ring which is the main cause of the divisions of sentiment of the leaders of the Democratic when in power last, which was very apparent in the proceedings of Congress on Tariff legislation. The Currency question seems the problem of the day and the Republicans seem to be as much divided on the question as the Democrats were which fact I fear that the people will not consider, and the result will be a condemnation of the Democratic party and an approval of the Republicans in following the same course of non-action or apparent inconsistency.

Speaking of oil, I would say that there is much of that material being found in California, some right in the City of Los Angeles. The discoveries are located at different places in the state. The Standard Oil Company has been looking the ground over here, but as yet, I have not learned that that company has obtained any foot hold here. The California oil seems to be better adapted for fuel purposes than illuminating purposes. They have not succeeded in clarifying the California oil to a sufficient degree to compete with eastern oil in the market for illuminating. Whether the right process of cleansing has not been discovered or whether it is for the want of facilities for that purpose I cannot say, but the probability is that the demand for fuel purposes absorb all that is produced. There is but little if any stone coal here and but little wood, so the oil comes in well for fuel, Locomotive and stationery engines, especially the latter are and being adapted to the use of oil as fuel. I have about absorbed all the material in my mind from which to build a letter and so I have written considerable already I will now close. I will be pleased to hear from you again as you may find it convenient to write. Remember me kindly to all of your children and to the relatives. I remain as ever

Back to Top