Henry Bergman

The Bergman family had been living in Aguanga, about 20 miles northwest of Lost Valley, since 1864. Jacob Bergman was born in Germany, and came to California in the 1850s. At one time, he served as a San Diego County Supervisor. Jacob’s son, Henry Bergman, had been born in Los Angeles in 1863, and grew up in the cattle business.

 Lester Reed (1890-1984), an old time cowboy who later wrote several books on the early cattlemen of this area, recalled: “Henry Bergman seemed to have been born to become a very thrifty cattleman, not in a big way, but in a very thorough way. Like the old-time California Spanish vaquero, he took real pride in having a good horse, a quality saddle, and other riding equipment, including a long rawhide reata, with which he was better than average when using a big loop. ... As well as taking up the ways and know-how of the old-time California vaqueros, Henry Bergman could speak their language very well, and appeared to be very much at ease when doing so.”

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