ms. darnell: i get the sense he was a force to be reckoned with. he was already recognized as a prominent rancher, and in 1894 he was successful in bringing the railroad to san luis obispo. i believe that to be his major contribution to this community. back in 1993, i was new to the community by one year, and i saw this house and realized that we -- [indiscernible] in 1998i came on board and this is on the national historic register for historic places for the country visions made to the community. i did not know anything about the beginning of his life only that his father was a sea captain. , butew he was from maine we didn't know where he was in the family, and so my research and his letters brought that to life. what really made me decide to publish all of his letters was the letter dated april 19, 1865. he is writing his parents that they had just received the news of president lincoln's assassination. "we have just received the horrible news of the assassination of president lincoln. san francisco is one mass of excitement. there were some co

ms. darnell: i get the sense he was a force to be reckoned with.e was already recognized as a prominent rancher, and in 1894 he was successful in bringing the railroad to san luis obispo. i believe that to be his major contribution to this community. back in 1993, i was new to the community by one year, and i saw this house and realized that we