▁Ana . ▁He ▁founded ▁the ▁city ▁with ▁approximately ▁$ 1 , 0 0 0 . ▁He ▁acquired ▁ 7 6 - ac res ▁of ▁land ▁from ▁the ▁Ran cho ▁Santiago ▁de ▁Santa ▁Ana . ▁From ▁there , ▁he ▁designed ▁and ▁founded ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Santa ▁Ana . ▁He ▁rem ar ried , ▁Jenn ie ▁English , ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 8 7 2 . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁fr ustr ated ▁with ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁trees ▁and ▁excess ive ▁amounts ▁of ▁high ▁growing ▁must ard ▁plants ▁throughout ▁the ▁area . ▁To ▁rect ify ▁the ▁problem , ▁Sp ur geon ▁purchased ▁sy cam ore ▁trees ▁for ▁Santa ▁Ana . ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁transport ▁the ▁trees , ▁he ▁built ▁his ▁own ▁road , ▁cutting ▁through ▁the ▁must ard ▁plants . ▁After ▁that , ▁he ▁built ▁the ▁first ▁general ▁store ▁in ▁Santa ▁Ana , ▁out ▁of ▁red wood ▁l umber . ▁The ▁general ▁store ▁started ▁out ▁with ▁a ▁very ▁small ▁invent ory , ▁but ▁over ▁time , ▁as ▁the ▁population ▁grew , ▁the ▁store ▁became ▁larger ▁and ▁more ▁successful . ▁The ▁store ▁and ▁starting ▁area ▁of ▁Santa ▁Ana ▁made ▁Sp ur geon ▁a ▁well - known ▁figure ▁in ▁the ▁region . ▁Sp ur geon ▁worked ▁as ▁an ▁agent ▁for ▁Well s ▁F argo ▁and ▁also ▁was ▁post master ▁for ▁the ▁town . ▁Event ually , ▁the ▁first ▁board ▁meeting ▁was ▁held ▁for ▁Santa ▁Ana . ▁Sp ur geon ▁was ▁chosen ▁as ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁board . ▁ ▁Sp ur geon ▁founded ▁the