A salute to Black pioneers

There were four pioneers whose remarkable stories should not be forgotten: James Hamilton, Albert and Margaret Robinson, and Nate Harrison. They settled in Anza, Julian, and on Palomar Mountain.

James Hamilton was born in Ohio. In the late 1840s, he and a brother came west with a Mormon group heading to Utah Territory. Hamilton arrived in San Bernardino in 1850 and then moved to San Diego where he operated a hotel for a while.

James went to Rancho San Felipe, near Warner Springs, where he married a Native woman. He was evicted from land he had settled near San Felipe and came to a valley between Aguanga and Temecula where he grew melons and other produce. He is listed on the 1870 Temecula census as black, widowed, father of three sons and one daughter.

Hamilton was evicted again from the land he farmed near Temecula, which was part of the Pauba Rancho, land owned by others. Hamilton's former ranchland has been under the water of Vail Lake since the Vail Dam was constructed in 1949. The Hamiltons moved to Anza Valley to an area now known as Hamilton Plain. The Hamilton offspring became well known as talented horsemen in the Anza area and hired out as cowboys. Hamilton came as a free man looking for opportunities which he grasped, first as a businessman owning a hotel and then as a rancher. He died in 1897. Hamilton Creek and Hamilton School have been named to honor him.

In Julian, the hotel run by Albert and Margaret Robinson was the most successful hotel in town and is still doing thriving business today. Little is known about the Robinsons' early history. The 1880 census noted Albert was born in Missouri and that he was a laborer. Albert arrived in SD County around 1870. In 1881 he owned land near Julian. He and Margaret married in 1886 and started a restaurant and rented out rooms. The restaurant earned a good reputation, and the business grew. Hotel Robinson is still in business today.

Mt. Palomar's Nathan Harrison was born into slavery in Kentucky. There are conflicting stories of his early history because people were so fascinated by him and he loved to tell stories. His stories were embellished as they were retold. It is believed that "Nate" came with his master to the California Gold Rush. Afterward, Nate was either freed by his master or he became free when his master died.

Nate homesteaded on Mt. Palomar and loved entertaining guests who hiked up to visit with him. He died in 1920 at over 100 years old, but no one is certain of his year of birth.

A road called the Nate Harrison Grade is named in honor of this charismatic pioneer. San Diego State University recently completed an archeological excavation of his cabin site to learn how Harrison lived and there is currently an exhibit on his remarkable life at the San Diego Historical Society in Balboa Park in San Diego. The lead archeologist of the excavation, Seth Mallios, recently published a book "Born a Slave, Died a Pioneer."

For more information about this article, you can contact Rebecca Farnbach at [email protected].

Rebecca is an author and coauthor of several history books about the Temecula area. The books are available for purchase at the Little Temecula History Center or online from booksellers and at www.temeculahistoricalsociety.org.

Visit Rebecca's Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B01JQZVO5E.