Bartlett, Samuel A.

Samuel A. Bartlett (1811-1899), born in New York, came to Santa Cruz in the 1850s, settling first in the Soquel area. In 1858, a meeting in Soquel headed by judge Henry Rice chose Bartlett as one of the members of a committee assigned to investigate the feasibility of constructing a "turnpike" (toll road) from Soquel to the summit. Also on the committee were Elihu Anthony, F. A. Hihn, Nathaniel Holcomb, and John Hames (Rowland, p.73-74). The turnpike was built that year, following roughly the same route as today's Soquel-San Jose Road.

Bartlett later became a furniture dealer and banker in Santa Cruz. In 1866, he owned a 9+ acre parcel fronting on Rincon (today's Chestnut Street), Lincoln (today's Walnut Avenue), and Mission streets.