LINTON, Horace

LINTON, Horace (1847-1921), Ohio-born Quaker farmer who married Sarah Brockman in Jackson County, Illinois on February 6, 1879. Son Clarence was born on October 4, 1880, and in 1887 the family moved to Whittier, California. By 1910, Horace and his wife had divorced, and Horace spent several years alone tending sheep on San Nicolas Island. Two inexplicably different accounts were reported by Linton concerning the circumstances of the death of fisherman, Charles Peterson in 1910. When Linton came off the island in December for the Christmas holiday, he reported to the Los Angeles coroner that Charles Peterson had died of pneumonia after having been tended to by Linton. A few days later when Linton was in Oakland, he reported that Peterson was dashed to death against the rocks during a storm, and that he later found the body washed ashore and buried it. Horace Linton died on December 3, 1921 at age 74. He is buried in Inglewood Park Cemetery.

In the News~

February 5, 1869 Jackson County, Illinois marriage certificate Horace Linton to Sarah Brockman

June 13, 1896 [LAT]: “Whittier. Horace Linton started yesterday on a trip to San Francisco on a wheel.”

“July 7, 1909 on board the good ship Flyer, somewhere between Santa Barbara and San Nicolas islands, with the following members [Cooper Ornithological Club] present: O. W. Howard, W. B. Judson, A. P. Howard, H. J. Lelande, C. B. Linton, Otto J. Zahn, Antonin Jay, Chester Lamb and Howard Robertson; also the following as visitors: C. A. Caldwell, It. A. Gaylord, H. F. Hossick, Emerson Knight, H. Linton, H. N. Lowe, W. S. McQuilling, Captain Graves, Mate Grannis, and cook Vic… The party left Long Beach on Friday evening, July 2, for a three days’ trip to Santa Barbara and San Nicolas islands. Santa Barbara Island was first visited… Leaving Santa Barbara Island about 3 P.M. the trip was made to San Nicolas Island, reaching the sand spit at the southeast end of the island about 8 P.M. Sunday. July 4 was spent on the island by most of the party, some of whom walked around the island and examined the cormorant rookeries and the Indian burial grounds…” [Condor 12:1 (52)]

July 8, 1909 [LAH]: “Long Beach, July 7. The party of sixteen members of the Cooper Club of California who went to Santa Barbara Island July 3 in Captain W. H. Graves’ launch Flyer, returned last night with a large assortment of relics and interesting discoveries and with a story of having weathered one of the sharpest storms known among the Channel Islands for some years. Several different times members of the party were thrown overboard while trying to make landings through the heavy surf, and once several of the men had to stay all of one night and the following day in a small cave, being unable to return to their boat. In the party were Harry Lelande, city clerk of Los Angeles; attorney Howard Robertson, O. W. and Arthur Howard, Dr. Otto J. Zahn, W. B. Judson, H. F. Hossack, Antonio Jay, Emerson Knight, Dr. Horace Gaylord, H. N. Lowe, W. S. McQuilling, Chester Lamb, C. S. Caldwell, Clarence B. Linton, Horace Linton, Captain W. H. Graves, Mate Granis Crandall and Chef Victor Sepulveda.”

July 8, 1909 [LAT/LB]: “The launch Flyer, Captain Will Graves, with sixteen members of the Cooper Ornithological Club of California, arrived home at midnight, after a four-day’s cruise of the Channel Islands… The next day several human skeletons were unearthed, probably of the prehistoric aborigines, and the party also picked up Horace Linton, who was left in charge of Linton’s camp [on San Nicolas Island] two months ago and was glad to get away…”

November 30, 1910 [LAT]: “Fisherman dies on lonely island. With devotion sheepherder nurses patient. Despite attentions of the islander, Peterson breathed his last while other was tending his flock. News of death and rude burial at last reaches coroner. The story of how he nursed a dying man, hoping to fan the spark of life into a flame and save himself from the loneliness incident to a sheepherder’s life on an island seventy miles out in the ocean was related by Horace Linton to Coroner Hartwell yesterday…”

December 29, 1910 [LAH]: “San Pedro, December 28. The coroner may be called upon to go to San Nicolas Island and hold an inquest over the body of Charles Peterson. A few days ago Horace Linton returned from the island where he and Peterson have been fishing since last August. He told friends of Peterson that his partner had died of pneumonia, and that he had buried him on the island November 28. Linton’s story was reported to the police and officers are investigating the case. Probably the circumstances will be laid before the coroner. In case the coroner decides not to hold an inquest, John Salte, a cousin of the dead man will go to San Nicolas Island, and bring the body here for interment. Linton has lived here for more than ten years, and bears a good reputation.”

December 30, 1910 [OT]: “Weird story of battle for life. Lonely sheepherder brings tale of fisherman’s struggle. Dashed to death on rocks while storm rages on island. A story of solitude, tragedy and death…was unfolded here today when Horace Linton, a sheepherder, who is the solitary inhabitant of Coral Harbor [San Nicolas Island], 70 miles off the southwest coast of San Pedro, came to this city and related the details of a great storm which struck the island on November 28, wrecking a fishing craft on the shores of the island and causing the death of its unknown occupant. Linton stood on the rocky shore of his lonely island home and watched the fisherman’s hopeless battle against death in the storm. Helpless to lend succor, he saw the fisherman and his boat finally pitched high in the air and dashed against the rocks, to disappear finally from view. Later, Linton found the body of the man when it was washed on the beach. There was nothing by which he could identify it further that a few scraps of letters, which seemed to indicate that the man’s name might have been Charles Peterson. The sheepherder dug a grave in the sands of the beach and gave the body burial. Linton lives absolutely alone on his isolated island, and is without communication with the outside world excepting every three months, when a boat calls to bring him supplies.”

December 31, 1910 [SBMP]: “Island tragedy told to coroner. Fisherman dies from pneumonia attended only by sheep herder… Horace Linton has been on bleak San Nicolas Island for several years herding sheep for the San Clemente [Island] Wool Company. A boat carries him supplies every three months. The rest of the time he is out of touch with the world. A few months ago Charles Petersen went to the island for fishing and was welcomed by Linton as a companion to help him while away the dreary days. Exposed to the weather for long hours, Petersen early in November was stricken with pneumonia. The supply boat was not due until a few days before Christmas and Linton moved his tent to the vicinity of the fisherman’s so that he could be of service to him at any hour of the day or night. Petersen’s condition grew steadily worse and as the sheep were able to take care of themselves, Linton devoted his entire attention to the sick man. When Petersen suffered with chills, Linton built fires with driftwood and held his body near the flames. He cooked as temptingly as he could, such bit of food as the stricken man was able to eat. Seeing Petersen sink steadily, Linton searched his supplies for medicine, but all he could find was some quinine. It was administered. Petersen’s strength increased and Linton felt so greatly encouraged that he walked to the other end of the island, a distance of six miles, to see his sheep. As he started away Peterson rose to his feet and waived his handkerchief. Linton trudged along the beach, turning occasionally to wave his hand at his companion and received the return salute. He was gone several hours. When he returned, Petersen was dead. Evidently feeling worse Petersen had crawled up from the beach to his tent. The date of his death was November 28, almost a month before the boat was due. Linton dressed the fisherman’s body in the best clothing he had on the island and then constructed a rude coffin. A grave was dug and the tent became a shroud. A crude monument was erected. Linton once more took up his lonely life. When the boat reached the island to take Linton to the mainland so he could spend the holidays with friends, he told his story. He reported it to the coroner.”