1955:
“Death claimed one of San Mateo County’s oldest pioneers last night when Mrs. Ida J. Steele, 90, died after a brief illness in the home in which she had been born in Pescadero.
“The home, the first American-built home in the Pescadero Valley, was erected in 1855 by Mrs. Steele’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Moore. It had been the scene of her parent’s golden wedding anniversary, and 16 years ago Mrs. Steele and her husband, the late Charles E. Steele, celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in the residence.
“The lumber for this home was hauled from Santa Cruz by oxen and many of the original pieces of redwood flooring still remain in the home, along with a century-old clock that is still running after coming across the country in a covered wagon.
“A year after Mrs. Steele was born, her father built the community’s first school house near his home and hired a teacher at his own expense. The building served as a community social hall and as a church for several different religious faiths. Later, a public school was constructed.
“Mr. and Mrs. Steele were married in 1880. Mrs. Steele devoted the rest of her life caring for her family and a flower garden that in pre-war days was one of the show places in Pescadero….”
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1907
Frederick N. Steele died at his home near Pescadero, Tuesday morning (9-24), his death being caused by heart failure. He was well known and prominent on the coast side, and owned large property interests at Pigeon Point. He was 62 years of age and leaves a wife, two sons and two daughters to mourn his loss.
***[There was a “note” attached to the Frederick Steele obit, pointing out that Mr. Steele’s death was the first “news” that had come out of Pescadero in a long time. Only the San Gregorio correspondent was actively sending the newspaper local stories and that correspondent was not familiar with goings on in Pescadero. San Gregorio is located north of Pescadero; I think of them as “sister” communities, with remote Pescadero the bigger sister.]