Helen Ellsworth van Loben Sels

Helen was a daughter of William Webster Ellsworth and Helen Smith, Julie P. Smith’s daughter.  She move to California and married Maurits van Loben Sels.  They developed a very successful farm, Amistad, in the Sacramento Valley.  The farm is still in operation today, though the house (which was very much a California version of Esperanza) no longer exists.

This picture, taken in 1904, is located on the top of the lane.  One of the interesting things is how much the lane has sunken between its banks in the last century, today it is nearly a foot lower..  The horses would have been primarily used for driving,but were also broke to ride.  Clearly of Thoroughbred ancestry, they probably stood between 16 and 17 hands.  From letters and stories it is known that Helen was quite comfortable around horses, as was her mother and grandmother; and she clearly seems to be confident in this picture.