My great-grandfather A. Davis Trussell, purchased the Kennedy Ranch near the head of the San Pasqual Valley in 1887. The Kennedy place occupied much of what had once been the Clevenger place. Clevenger was the original white settler in San Pasqual Valley. Subsequently, my grandfather, Ray Trussell settled at that ranch, prospered, and with his wife May Rhodes, raised nine children there. Until 1905 when they built their own home, they lived in the old Clevenger home. The youngest of those children was my father, Robert Lloyd Trussell, who was born at the new Trussell home in San Pasqual and who dearly loved that valley. My dad's sister, Rebecca, and his brother, Amos, both married children of Andrew Judson and I saw both the Judsons and the Trussells and their children as part of my immediate family. Until I left for college at age seventeen in 1962, I spent much of my leisure time in the valley visiting my uncles, aunts, and cousins. Even after I went to college, I spent a lot of time in the summers working there and later, in Ramona, for my Uncle Franklin Trussell. My fondest memories are of times in that place. My father, my grandfather, and my great-grandfather are all buried in the San Pasqual Cemetery. My grandfather and his neighbor, Mr. Rockwood, donated the land on which the cemetery lies.
In this book I have tried to preserve some of the memories of that place. Not only my own memories, but the memories of my relatives as well. These memories come from conversations with my aunt, Rebecca T. Judson, my Uncles, Amos and Franklin Trussell, and my father, Robert Trussell. For earlier history I'm indebted to numerous Trussells I've corresponded with around the United States and England. I've tried to integrate photographs where possible and I've extended the history to include the Trussells preceding those who settled in San Pasqual.
Robert Rhodes Trussell
January 1998 |
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