01/16/2024 Chatsworth Historical Society - How Chatsworth Got Its Name 1

How Chatsworth Got Its Name

W. B. Barber letterhead from an 1895 court

case regarding the 3rd failure of the

Chatsworth Park Dam (Huntington Library)

At left: Chatsworth House,

Derbyshire, England. It is

part of the Duke of

Devonshire's 1,822-acre

park and 105-acre garden.

Visit the Chatsworth Estate

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How Chatsworth Got Its Name

Map of Chatsworth Estate, England 1699…

a flat plain of gardens and oaks with hills in the background.

Chatsworth Park, California founded in 1888…

a flat plain of oaks with a background of hills.

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This presentation was first shown in April 2014, and featured Zena Thorpe sharing her memories of visiting

with the Duke of Devonshire.

Chatsworth Park was founded in 1888 by the San Fernando Valley Improvement Company.

The President was 69 year old William Booth Barber, who was born in England 17 miles from the Duke of

Devonshire's palatial estate, Chatsworth House.

This presentation will be divided into three parts:

•The founding history of Chatsworth Park, California, and William Barber's ancestry and timeline.

•The history of Chatsworth House, England (including a 2013 nine minute PBS video)

•Our Chatsworth England Connection

•A history of Chatsworth California contacts with the Duke of Devonshire

•Historical Society members John and Zena Thorpe and their connection to England, Including the

Duchess of Devonshire's Chatsworth Food distributed by Zena Thorpe.

This presentation will be posted at our website, chatsworthhistory.com, Digital Archives, Presentations.

Introduction

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Chatsworth Beginnings

•1797 –Mission San Fernando founded

•1821 –Mexico declares independence from Spain.

•1846 –to raise funds for the Mexican-American War,

San Fernando Mission lands were sold to Eulogio de

Celis, managed by Andres Pico.

•1848 –the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ends the

Mexican-American war, and provides that land grants

will be honored.

•Andres Pico had his headquarters at the San

Fernando Mission. In 1854 Pico purchased the

southern half of the Rancho from Eulogio de Celis.

•1869 –Pico sold the southern half of Rancho Ex-

Mission de San Fernando to Lankershim and Van

Nuys.

•1874 –the de Celis family sold the northern half to

Charles Maclay, George Porter, and Benjamin F.

Porter.

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Chatsworth Beginnings

•In May 1887, Benjamin F. Porter contracts to

sell all of his interest in Rancho Ex-Mission of

San Fernando lands (19,417 acres) to F.C.

Howes, William Booth Barber, W.F. Barber

and George R. Crow for $485,439, or

$25/acre. Payments were to be made over 4

years.

•In July 1887, the new purchasers conveyed

their interest to the San Fernando Valley

Improvement Company.

Boundaries of 1887 B.F.

Porter 19,417 acres in

Orange, 1888 Chatsworth

Park 3,364 acres in blue.

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Chatsworth Beginnings

•On March 10, 1888 George R. Crow filed this map of a

subdivision called Chatsworth Park with the LA County

Recorder’s office.

• Chatsworth Park was named after the Duke of Devonshire’s

estate “Chatsworth House” in England.

•Chatsworth was originally planned as a farming community

with the land divided into ten acre family plots.

•Only three roads were identified: Ben Porter Avenue

(Chatsworth St.), Devonshire Avenue and Fernando Avenue

(Lassen).

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Chatsworth Beginnings

The boundaries of

Chatsworth Park 1888

on today’s

Google Earth Map

3,364 acres

Boundaries of Chatsworth

Park 1888 in blue, Rancho

Ex-Mission de San

Fernando in red

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Chatsworth Beginnings

•In 1889, The San Fernando

Valley Improvement Co.

builds a water-storage

earthen dam in the Mormon

Cañon, today’s Brown's

Canyon. This dam failed 3

times (the first two were

earthen dams), was rebuilt in

1896, and can still be seen

today at the very north end of

DeSoto. (it silted up in the

1940’s)

•By 1898, the real estate

boom burst, and payments

dwindled, with a balance due

of $257,613. As a result,

over 12,000 of the almost

20,000 acres reverted back

to B.F. Porter. 1898-06-08 Los Angeles Times

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William Booth Barber

•William Booth Barber (1819-1901) was the President

of the San Fernando Valley Improvement Company; in

1888 he was 69 years old. His son-in-law Charles T.

Robedeau (married to Lucy Barber) was Vice President,

and his son William F. Barber was Secretary.

•William immigrated to the United States from England

with his wife in 1841 at the age of 22.

•William was born and grew up in Eckington,

Derbyshire, which is 17 miles from Chatsworth

House in Derbyshire, England. (map at right, red arrow

on Chatsworth House)

W. B. Barber

letterhead from an

1895 court case

regarding the 3rd

failure of the

Chatsworth Park Dam

(Huntington Library)

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William Booth Barber - Timeline - birth to Los Angeles

•1819-01-15 Born in Eckington, Derbyshire, England (which is 17 miles from Chatsworth House, the Duke of Devonshire's estate)

•1841 William (22yo) married Mary Riley (28). William's occupation was butcher. They immigrated to New York that same year.

•They would have nine children:

•1842 Mary, born in Brooklyn, NY

•1847 William Frederick, 1851 Lucy Deborah, born in St. Louis, MO

•1852 Martha, 1854 Charles, 1855 Edward, 1857 Chester, 1859 Walter, 1861 Edwin, born in Brooklyn, NY

•1861 (42) His wife Mary (48) dies in Brooklyn, one month after Edwin is born.

•1862 (43) He marries Sarah Burks (30) in Brooklyn, they have a daughter Ruth in 1862.

During that time….

•1850 (31) Census, is listed as a Merchant in St. Louis with Mary, Mary and William

•1855 (36) New York Census, is listed as a Merchant with family, Mary's mother Elizabeth, and two servants

•1865 (46) New York Census, is a tobacco inspector. He has a daughter Ruth from his second wife Sarah. And three servants from Ireland.

•1866 (47) IRS Tax assessment, he owns 4 carriages, 3 gold watches, and a piano.

•1868 (49) travels "First Cabin" to England with wife Sarah. Did he visit John Barber Esq, one of the stewards of the Devonshire Estates?

•1868 (49) An article mentions William Barber's stores on Clinton Warf in Brooklyn on Long Island

•1873 (54) Was the marshal of a parade of 1,500 school children from the Brooklyn Uptown schools

•1874 (55) Was a preacher for two years at the Cook Street Methodist Episcopal Church

•1875 (56) New York Census with family, grain dealer.

•1875 (56) notice of foreclosure on two mortgages in NY.

•1877 (58) Lots for sale, Nob Hill, Los Angeles

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William Booth Barber - Timeline - in Los Angeles

•1877 (58) Lots for sale, Nob Hill, Los Angeles

•1880 (61) Census, he is a grain dealer in Kansas City with wife Sarah and daughter Ruth.

•1887 (68) Purchases B.F. Porter lands as a part of the San Fernando Valley Improvement Company (SFVIC).

•1888 (69) On March 10, 1888, George R. Crow filed a map of a subdivision called Chatsworth

1889-02-24 Offices at 2nd & Spring LAHerald

•1889 (70) W.B. & W.F. Barber, Barber & Co. Real Estate, and sole agents for the SFVIC's

property at Chatsworth Park, have offices at Second and Spring Street, in the Bryson-

Bonebrake Block.

•1892 (73) Voter Registration, his occupation is "Capitalist", living at the corner of Figueroa

and 30th.

•1893 City Directory, three Barbers WB(74), WF(46) & WF Jr(21) living on Figueroa

•1895 (76) Land for sale, in Chatsworth Park, 50 acres planted in apricots, and twenty 10-

acre pieces, offices at 2nd & Spring.

•1896 (77) Voter Registration, his occupation is "Real Estate", residence is 822 S. Hope

•1897 (78) His son William F. Barber (secretary of SFVIC) dies at the age of 50, buried at

Angeles-Rosedale Cemetery

•1898 (79) Unsold lands from the San Fernando Valley Improvement Company revert back

to BF Porter.

•1900 (81) US Census, living with wife Sarah, renting at 404 9th St., Los Angeles.

•1901 (82) Death, buried at Angeles-Rosedale Cemetery

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William Booth Barber

The following is from a 1960 interview with Mrs. Catherine Dace, the granddaughter of Charles Maclay, the

founder of San Fernando:

"In the meantime, I think I should bring this in, B. F. Porter had sold a tract of land to a man by the name of

Barber, who was the third son of the lord, or whatever he was [Duke of Devonshire], who lived in

Chatsworth Park, England. He had very little money. Barber subdivided this land and was able to sell a little

of it, but he came at just the time that the boom in Los Angeles burst [about 1888], and he was unable to

sell any more.

He came to Porter and told him he couldn’t make any more payments, and asked Porter to take the land

back, except those pieces that had been sold. And that is where Chatsworth got its name: from this man’s

home in England"

Note: W.B. Barber was not related to the Duke of Devonshire.

Sidenote: British Titles were inherited based on "primogeniture", where

the person's property passed on to the first born son.

Source: "Oral Histories Three Pioneer Women's Memories of the

San Fernando Valley, 1860s-1930s" pgs 11-12 of 40,

Spring 2015 issue vol 97, No. 1 Southern California Quarterly

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William Booth Barber - unanswered questions

•Was William Booth (W.B.) Barber (1819-1901), founder of Chatsworth, related to John

Barber Esq (1797-1880), one of the stewards of the Devonshire estates?

•There were a lot of Barbers in England near the Chatsworth House at that time. But we

could not find an ancestral link between W.B. Barber and John Barber Esq.

•However, W.B. Barber in 1868 traveled "First Cabin" to England with wife Sarah.

•If W.B. visited Chatsworth house during that visit to England, and perhaps even met

with the Duke of Devonshire, or John Barber Esq, it may have been additional

inspiration to name his 1888 township "Chatsworth Park", twenty years later.

John Barber Esq

(1797-1880) was

Mayor of Derby in

1843, and was one of

the stewards of the

Devonshire estates

from 1840 to 1880.

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William Booth Barber - Ancestry

•William Booth Barber (1819-1901) was born in Eckington, as was

his father and grandfather. When William was married, he was a

butcher, as was his father. William was the first born male, he

had 11 siblings.

•His father, William Barber (1780-1868) was a butcher, and he

married Deborah Booth, which was their first son's middle name.

•His grandfather, William Barber (1747-1794) was born and died in

Eckington.

St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Eckington

The church dates from the 12th century

Interesting historical note: Ten Roman coins discovered in Eckington

in 2008 may be evidence of a Roman settlement or road in the area.

The oldest of the silver and copper coins is from the reign of the

emperor Domitian (AD 81 to 96) while the others are from the reigns

of Trajan (AD 98 to 117) and Hadrian (AD 117 to 138).

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William Booth Barber family - at Angeles-Rosedale Cemetery

For a good introduction to the history of the cemetery, visit the YouTube video

Exploring Famous Graves of Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery, Part 1

•William Frederick Barber (1847-1897), son of WB Barber

•William Booth Barber (1819-1901) founder of Chatsworth, President of

San Fernando Valley Improvement Company (SFVIC)

•William Frederick Barber Jr. (1872-1904), grandson of WB Barber

•Ruth Barber (1862-1910), daughter of WB Barber and Sarah Birks

•Sarah Birks Barber (1831-1911), wife of WB Barber

•Lucy Barber Robedeau (1851-1943) daughter of WB Barber and wife of

Charles T., VP of SFVIC

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William Booth Barber - SFVIC Title Deed

1890 Chatsworth Park Title Deed - San Fernando Valley

Improvement Company to WB Barber

•In 2014, Teena Takata gave us a copy of a 1890-06-07 title

deed. It was a sale of 576 acres of 62 different lots in

Chatsworth, plus 19 acres above and bordering the Chatsworth

Park lot map, where Sierra Canyon School is today. (map at

right). The lots included Brown's canyon creek, plus other lots

•The sale was $11,901 for 595 acres, or $20/acre.

•Included in the deed was a lengthy section of 267 words

restricting the "vending of intoxicating liquors for drinking

purposes", and if violated the title of the land would revert

back to the grantor.

•This intoxicating liquor clause was included in other/all? grant

deeds from the San Fernando Valley Improvement Company.

Map of lots sold (highlighted in yellow) to

WB Barber in 1890

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History of Chatsworth House, England

Up next is a nine minute introduction video,

2013 Secrets of Chatsworth PBS

It is available on our YouTube channel,

chatsworthhistory1, at

https://youtu.be/1hcTnEKaJF8?si=odp6LYmYKdnfLoMr

The full Public Broadcasting Video is available on

Amazon DVD

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History of Chatsworth House, England

Up next is a nine minute introduction video,

2013 Secrets of Chatsworth PBS

It is available on our YouTube channel,

chatsworthhistory1, at

https://youtu.be/1hcTnEKaJF8?si=odp6LYmYKdnfLoMr

The full Public Broadcasting Video is available on

Amazon DVD

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History of Chatsworth House, England

•Some recent Cavendish/Duke of Devonshire history related to the United States:

•William Cavendish (1808-1891) was the 7th Duke of Devonshire from 1859-1891. W.B. Barber visited

England in 1868, and may have met the Duke. There is no record of the Duke ever visiting Chatsworth

California.

•Charles Cavendish (1905-1944) was the second son of the 9th Duke of Devonshire. He married Fred

Astaire's sister Astele in 1932 in the family's private chapel at Chatsworth. He died at 38 due to chronic

alcoholism. Astele is buried near Fred Astaire, Fred's wife, and their mother at Oakwood Cemetery.

•Edward Cavendish (1895-1950) was the 10th Duke of Devonshire from 1938 to 1950.

•His first son, who was inline to inherit the title of Duke, William Cavendish married Kathleen Kennedy in

1944, sister of John F. Kennedy. He went to war soon after they were married and was killed. Kathleen

Kennedy lived in London, and died in a plane crash in 1948. She is buried on the Cavendish family

burial grounds, in the Church at Edensor outside of Chatsworth, England.

•His second son, Andrew Cavendish (1920-2004), was the 11th Duke of Devonshire from 1950 to 2004.

•The current Duke is Peregrine Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire (born 1944), second son of the 11th

Duke of Devonshire.

Note: Fred Astaire had a 20 acre horse breeding ranch, Blue Valley Farm,

at 10901 Melvin Ave in Porter Ranch, bordering today's Monteria Estates.

His wife passed away in 1954 and was buried at Oakwood.

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Our Chatsworth England Connection

•In 1944 the Chamber of Commerce sent a letter to the Duke requesting the use of his family crest while

promoting Chatsworth California.

•Our more recent connection to Chatsworth England has been John and Zena Thorpe, who grew up in

England near Chatsworth.

•Zena is a Past President of the Chatsworth Historical Society 1991-1993. John was president during

1997-2000 which included the 1988 Chatsworth Centennial. During the Centennial, Zena was

President of the Chatsworth Community Coordinating Council.

•In 1987, Zena met with the 11th Duke of Devonshire at Chatsworth House.

•In 1989, Zena became a distributor of Duchess of Devonshire foods in the United States.

•The following documents are a fun remembrance of the involvement in Chatsworth England by our own

Chatsworth Historical Society members…..

•Comments on each document are taken from Zena's recorded presentation to the Chatsworth

Historical Society on April 2014.

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Our Chatsworth England Connection

In 1944, Charles Janess of the Chatsworth Chamber of

Commerce sent a letter to the 10th Duke of Devonshire

requesting permission to use the crest for the Chamber of

Commerce literature. The Duke's reply below:

Note:

I have

cropped

the

documents

in this

section to

best fit on

each page

01/16/2024 Chatsworth Historical Society - How Chatsworth Got Its Name 22

Our Chatsworth England Connection

Sign at the northwest corner of

Devonshire and Topanga, in front

of Chatsworth Park Elementary –

circa 1940s-50s

Note that the Duke of Devonshire

Shield is shown on the sign,

representing Chatsworth England

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Our Chatsworth England Connection

•In 1987, in preparation for the 1988 Chatsworth

Centennial, it was suggested that we invite the

Duke to come and visit for the celebration.

•Zena Thorpe was planning a visit to England

later that year, and was seeking an introduction

with the Duke, to give him a personal invitation

to the event.

A draft of the 1987 letter

before corrections

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Our Chatsworth England Connection

•The Duke replied, and would be

delighted to see Zena Thorpe.

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Our Chatsworth England Connection

•Zena went to visit the Duke, and arranged with

Mayor Tom Bradley's assistant to prepare a letter

of greetings from Mayor Tom Bradley to the Duke.

•Zena would visit England on matters of business

and pleasure, and provide more information about

Chatsworth's 100th birthday next year.

•When Zena arrived for her visit, she was informed

to call a Mr. Oliver, the Duke's personal secretary.

She called from her brother's house about 12

miles from Chatsworth House. The person

answered, "Hello", and Zena asked "Is this Mr.

Oliver?" The reply was "THIS IS THE DUKE".

•She met him in his study and shared a glass of

champagne with him. And invited him to the

centennial celebration the following year.

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Our Chatsworth England Connection

•Zena wrote to him as a follow-up letter,

suggesting that he combine his visit with the

"UK-LA 88" Arts Festival.

•Chatsworth House is one of the richest

houses in Europe in terms of art treasures.

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Our Chatsworth England Connection

•The Duke replied that the idea of a visit

appeals to him very much, particularly if it

could coincide with the Arts Festival.

•At this point Zena thought "Woah", if the

Duke comes to visit, what do I do with him, I

don't have a spare bedroom…there were no

hotels in Chatsworth at this time.

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Our Chatsworth England Connection

•So Zena wrote to the UK-LA Arts Festival,

and also sent a copy to the British

Consulate down on Wilshire Blvd.

•She was interested in the proper protocol

and how to deal with the Duke.

•Her comments were that the British

Consulate were very unhelpful, and it took

the longest time for their reply. And they

replied that it is already planned and we

don't have any more room to add

anything…..

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Our Chatsworth England Connection

•Zena replied to the Duke with the letter from

the consulate stating that there was limited

room at the Festival for new entries.

•Zena also mentioned that the Duchess of

Devonshire might be interested in a

promotion of her Chatsworth line of teas

and jams at the UK-LA Arts Festival.

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Our Chatsworth England Connection

•Not surprisingly, the Duke decided that his

schedule no longer allowed a visit.

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Our Chatsworth England Connection

•Zena replied back saying that we were

disappointed, but also asked if the Duke

could send a message to be included in the

"Time Capsule" to be opened 100 years

from now?

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Our Chatsworth England Connection

•The Duke replied in a letter, that will be

revealed when the Time Capsule is opened

in 2088.

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Our Chatsworth England Connection

This is the visitors

brochure that was

handed out when

Zena visited

Chatsworth House

and the Duke of

Devonshire in

June 1987.

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Our Chatsworth England Connection

•During Zena's visit to Chatsworth House,

she had seen the Duchess's fancy foods,

and she decided that she would like to be a

distributor for the foods.

•Later John went with Zena and visited with

the Duchess regarding her fancy foods.

They visited her at Chatsworth House in her

apartment, and had tea and chocolate cake

with her.

•Zena made arrangements that she would be

the sole distributor of Chatsworth Food in

the United States.

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Our Chatsworth England Connection

•She came back and organized an import

license.

•In 1989 there was a British Food Exhibit,

and Zena had a booth there. And she got

all sorts of orders, and she was shipping it

all over the country, including Hawaii and

Canada.

•And it was quite heavy work. She would

get these great big pallets piled with cookies

and teas and jams and jellies, and John

would rent a U-Haul truck and they would

go down to the port of Los Angeles, and get

it stacked in the truck.

•And they were storing it all in the garage.

•She did it for about 5 years.

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Our Chatsworth England Connection

•It was going gangbusters, and around

Christmas as well. It was a real heavy job,

and she would get her son to help carry

these great big cartons over to UPS.

•She realized that business can't stand still.

•She either needed to expand and grow, and

rent a warehouse and helpers, or else fold.

•And it was kind of getting in the way of her

quilting anyway at that time.

• But it was a lot of fun…..

01/16/2024 Chatsworth Historical Society - How Chatsworth Got Its Name 37

Our Chatsworth England Connection

•When we give tours at the

museum, we always start with

the cabinet near the door with

displays of items related to the

Duke of Devonshire and

Chatsworth House.

•Included in that case are three

tea canisters from Zena's

collection of products from the

Duchess of Devonshire.

01/16/2024 Chatsworth Historical Society - How Chatsworth Got Its Name 38

Our Chatsworth England Connection

01/16/2024 Chatsworth Historical Society - How Chatsworth Got Its Name 39

Our Chatsworth England Connection

01/16/2024 Chatsworth Historical Society - How Chatsworth Got Its Name 40

Our Chatsworth England Connection

01/16/2024 Chatsworth Historical Society - How Chatsworth Got Its Name 41

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Sources and Acknowledgements

References:

•A 2013 PBS documentary video, "Secrets of Chatsworth"

•[2015 - Oral Histories Three Pioneer Women's Memories of the San Fernando Valley, 1860s-1930s] 40pgs Spring

2015 issue vol 97, no 1 Southern California Quarterly

•Newspaper articles, birth & death records, censuses, voter registrations, city directories, etc. available from

Ancestry.com

•Findagrave.com

•Prepared by Ann & Ray Vincent in April 2014, revised January 2024