The Photo Gallery

In this section we have more photos of Morro Bay in its early days. If you have any old photos you would like to display, please e-mail me.You can send e-mail from the Homepage.

Robert Tonini/Annie (Schferly) Tonini Family

Annie and Judge Robert in front and left to right the children--Jennie, Fred, Robert, Benjamin, Howard and Rosie. The family was raised on a ranch at San Bernardo Creek. Robert Tonini was the first district judge in Morro Bay, followed by his son Howard, then Judge Paine and Rod McDonald who won election with a write-in candidacy.

This photograph, donated by Dorothy Watts Stewart, depicts a meeting of some particular group. It may be the ODDFELLOWS LODGE or a poker club.

From thetop left is Don Judkins, Hearl Watts, Rudy Tanner, unknown, unknown, but this may be the Presbyterian Minister, lower left Jim Ellis, Harold Callahan, unknown, Tad Rumley and front and center Harry Spinney DDS.

Dick Gaines served in the Army during World War Two. He was in the South Pacific and told great stories about his experiences. Almost all of the stories ended with someone finding a case of cold beer after a hard days work in the sweltering sun.

Dorothy Birkhead on the left and Dick Gaines in 1942. Dick was a student at Morro's first school. As you can tell by his picture, many that served their country were not just young men. Dick was forty-two when he enlisted.

The Benson (Berndtsson) Brothers The Benson's were early Morro residents from Sweden. They are John, Carl, and Fred. John was born in 1865. He married Marcelina Romo (b.1872, California) of Rancho Romo which was near Rancho San Bernardo. Marcelina was the fourth child of Jose Maria Romo and Encarnacion (Duckworth) Romo. Romo's were from New Mexico. John changed his name to Brown. They had a daughter, Lillie, that we have written about elsewhere-see Stocking Gallery, pages 3 and 4. Lillie married George Anderson--see December 7, and Stocking Gallery p.4.

Fred Benson died in 1942 and his wife Lina lived in morro Bay until 1955. They had two children Hilda and Carl. Hilda married Arthur Johnson and they lived in San Luis obispo. Carl Benson Jr. built a home in Morro Bay.

John, Carl and Fred. Many thanks to Sven Delille from Paris, France for the pictures and information about his family.

These are the photos of Lillie (Brown) Anderson that appear as part of the Stocking Gallery pages three and four.