William Heath Davis

About the same time he moved to San Diego, which became part of the United States in 1850 via the admission of California to the union.

[3] Davis agreed and recruited José Antonio Aguirre, Miguel Pedrorena, and William C. Ferrell as additional partners in the venture.

The venture did not do well due to a lack of fresh water and hostility from the established settlements at Old Town and La Playa.

Davis later wrote a memoir which was of great value to historians in understanding the early years of California and San Diego.

[1] The oldest building in New Town is the William Heath Davis House, a pre-fab "saltbox"-style home shipped from the east coast and built in 1850.