USA > California > Los Angeles County > Los Angeles > A history of California and an extended history of Los Angeles and environs, Biographical, Volume II > Part 19
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GEORGE W. CAMPBELL, M. D. A man of unusual mental attainments, strong character and untiring industry, Dr. George W. Campbell stood high in the medical profession of Los Angeles and was one of her most prominent and pro- gressive citizens. Of Scotch descent, he was the son of George C. and Mary (Murdock) Campbell, an influential old New England family who re- moved to Canada on account of being United Empire loyalists ; there the great-grandfather re- sided until his death. His father still survives at the advanced age of eighty-three years, making his home with Mrs. Campbell in her commodious home at Boyle Heights, Los Angeles. The eldest of seven children, Dr. Campbell was born January 7, 1854, in Ontario, Canada, where he attended the common schools, later going to Albert College of Belleville, Ontario. After leaving college he spent several years teaching school, afterwards entering Trinity Medical College of Toronto, in which institution he remained three years. Hav- ing worked his way through college, Dr. Campbell cast about for an opening by which he might gain means with which to attain the desired end of a career in his chosen profession, and coming to San Francisco in 1879, he entered the employ of the Canadian Pacific Company as pay-master. Remaining with this company five years he then went back to his old Canadian home and continued there for a time. Coming to Los Angeles in 1886, he entered the medical department of the University of Southern California, from whichi
institution he graduated with honors the following year, receiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine. After that he remained in this city engaged in the practice of his profession, winning a high reputa- tion as surgeon. At various times he was chosen to fill offices of trust and honor, among them that of president of the Alumni Association of the Medical Department of the University of South- ern California.
At Newcastle, Ontario, Dr. Campbell was united in marriage to Miss Kate McCoy, and this union was blessed by four children, two sons and two daughters: Charles, a graduate of the Uni- versity of Southern California, his father's alma mater, and an employe of the Southern Pacific Railway Company; Lyla; Nellie; and Kenneth. After locating in Los Angeles Dr. Campbell made his home in Boyle Heights, where he owned a comfortable and commodious residence, and erected the first brick block that was built in that section. He was associated with several medical societies of this city, among which were the American Medical, State Medical and Los An- geles City and County Medical Associations, and was for several years the expert adviser of the district attorney, also autopsy surgeon for the county coroner.
Aside from services to the city in his medical capacity, Dr. Campbell was active in city and county government, having served in the city council in the ninth ward from 1893 to 1895, and as coroner for the four years between 1895 and 1899. As a prominent and influential Republican he took an active part in national and local poli- tics, being a member and director of the Los Angeles County Republican League, a member of the Republican County Central Committee and a state committeeman. He was affiliated with Hol- lenbeck Lodge, F. & A. M., Los Angeles Chapter, R. A. M., and the Knights of Pythias, maintaining a warm interest in the helpful charities of these fraternal orders, as well as those of the Church Federation. The sterling qualities of his man- lood, received both through inheritance from sturdy Scotch stock and from training, gave him financial and social success, his efforts in the pro- fessional and political world winning for him the esteem and confidence of the citizens of his adopted city. His death occurred October 28, 1913.
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GEORGE RHEINSCHILD. A native of West Virginia, but a resident of Los Angeles for almost thirty years, George Rheinschild was accounted one of the foremost building contrac- tors in the city and for many years was a promi- nent figure in municipal and commercial affairs of the Angel City. His death, which occurred September 16, 1911, at Pacific Grove, whither he had gone with his wife some two months pre- viously in an effort to regain his failing health, was sincerely mourned by a large number of friends and acquaintances and left a place in the life of the city that it has been difficult to fill.
Mr. Rheinschild was born in Mason county, W. Va., August 4, 1848, the son of George and Sibylla De Thiers Rheinschild. His early life was spent in his native state, where he received his education in the public schools. At the age of thirteen years he enlisted in the Civil war under the Confederate flag. About 1879 he came to California from his home in West Virginia, and from then until the time of his death made this city his home. He was prominently identified with many of the building enterprises of the city, and he built the Stimson block, which was the only large building erected in the city during the panic of 1892 and 1893.
A special feature of the contracting work un- dertaken by Mr. Rheinschild was the construction of concrete irrigation systems, and at one time, some twenty years before his death, he had com- plete charge of all the concrete work on the irriga- tion system in Riverside county. In later years he was actively engaged in street and sidewalk construction. Much of the grading work and street improvement in both Garvanza and South Pasadena was done under his direction, and also in Highland Park and Enclid Heights.
Aside from his business undertakings Mr. Rheinschild was well and favorably known throughout the city in fraternal circles, where he was very popular. He was a Shriner and a thirty- second degree Mason and had for many years been a member of both orders. He was also a member of the German Methodist Church and a regular attendant upon its services.
Mr. Rheinschild was twice married, the first time to Miss Helena Lehman, in Lawrence, Kan., in 1876. She died in 1896, and in October, 1901, he was married in Los Angeles to Mrs. Susan
Pauling, who survives him. Of this marriage a daughter and a son were born, Susie and Rudolph, both of whom are well and favorably known in Los Angeles. By his first marriage Mr. Rheins- child became the father of five children, four of whom survive him. They are: Dr. P. Albert Rheinschild, a dentist; Walter M. Rheinschild, an attorney; George Rheinschild and Miss Helen Rheinschild, all of this city, where they have many friends and are widely known. Another daugh- ter, Alma, passed away during the May preced- ing the death of her father.
ANDREW M. SMITH. The present condi- tion of the San Fernando valley, presenting as it does an almost continuous garden spot to the eye of the observer, with a wonderful growth of fruit, flowers, vegetables, and various other crops, dot- ted with beautiful homes and veined with almost perfect roadways, makes it difficult for one to realize that but a few years ago it was little more than a wide grain field, while well within the memory of the present residents there it was a wilderness, infested with wild animals that de- stroyed the sheep and calves, and made the life of the farmer one long burden. But such is the case, and one of the men who tried in an early day to establish a home there and met with almost insurmountable difficulties in his efforts, was Andrew M. Smith, now a resident of Burbank. Mr. Smith tells interesting tales of life in the days that are no more, and it requires a strong imagina- tion to realize that he speaks of this wonderful garden spot when he talks of the events of not so many years ago.
Mr. Smith is a native of Denmark, having been born in the Island Kingdom, June 20, 1840. His father was a goldsmith by trade, but the son learned the trade of dyer, which he followed in the old country until he was of an age for service in the Danish army, which lasted for three years, and included the time from 1861 to 1864, while Denmark was at war with Germany. At the close of the war he returned to his trade, but in 1865 determined to come to the United States. He set sail from Liverpool and when four days out cholera broke out on the vessel and they were quarantined for seven weeks on their arrival in New York. Later Mr. Smith sailed for Aspin-
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wall and came on to San Francisco by way of the Isthmus of Panama. He found employment in a warehouse in Alameda for a time, and later worked as gardener at the summer home of Sen- ator Saunders in San Rafael. Following that he went to Fort Ross, Sonoma county, where he had a forty-acre apple orchard, and still later he went to Salinas, Monterey county, where he remained for a year. In 1875 he drove overland from Monterey county to San Fernando. taking ten days to make the trip. He took up a claim of government land at Talmage, in one of the can- yons tributary to the valley, stocked his property with cattle and bees and engaged in diversified farming. The mountains were infested with wild animals that came down into the canyons and valleys to prey on the live stock and within a short time both the cattle and the bees were de- stroyed by the marauders, and Mr. Smith gave up his project. In 1881 he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of railroad land a mile and a half north of Burbank, this being raw land at that time, and commenced to improve it for a home. He set out orchards of apricots, peaches, prunes and various other fruits, and also twenty- five acres of grapes, he being the first to raise fruit successfully in the San Fernando valley. The grape vines that he set out in 1881 are still bearing. Mr. Smith farmed on this property for twenty-nine years with marked success, and in 1910 disposed of the farm and retired from active business to enjoy the fruits of his long and active career. He is a pioneer in the best sense of the word, having ventured in many lines ahead of the surrounding country, trying out new ideas and putting old ones into execution in this new field. He was the first man to develop a surface water well in the vicinity, and it is worthy of note that this well has never gone dry. When he settled at Talmage there was not a house between there and the city of Los Angeles, and he was practically on the edge of civilization
In addition to his interest in general farming and fruit raising, Mr. Smith also took a keen delight in breeding fine driving horses. He always possessed a handsome team for his own use, and at one time owned the best pair that traveled the San Fernando road.
The first marriage of Mr. Smith occurred in 1871 at Fort Ross, uniting him with Emily San- derson, and one daughter was born to them, Mrs. Carrie Rae, who is a teacher in San Luis Obispo.
Mr. Smith's second marriage, August 2, 1904, united him with Miss Marie Peterson, of Sweden, who came to Los Angeles in 1898.
FRANCIS M. WRIGHT. A pioneer of San Fernando, Cal., and a member of the firm of Hubbard & Wright of that town, Francis M. Wright was horn in Polk county, Mo., October 10, 1841, removing with his family, while very young, to Des Moines county, Iowa. From there, in 1853, the family started across the plains to California in May, with a party of travelers in a train of thirty-five wagons. His father and mother were John and Sarah (Coffin) Wright, natives of Kentucky and Indiana, respectively, and the parents of nine children, all of whom made the trip across the continent in those early and inconvenient days. The party arrived in California in September, 1853, after a journey of four months, and John Wright engaged in mining in Yuba county, Cal., for three years. Later he bought land in San Luis Obispo county, which he devoted to farming, making his home in that section of the state for the remainder of his lifetime.
In 1872 Francis M. Wright formed a partner- ship with Henry C. Hubbard in the lumber busi- ness, under the firm name of Hubbard & Wright, at Soquel, in Santa Cruz county, Cal., the partner- ship having continued in various lines of business since that time, the two men having been promi- nent in the settlement and advancement of the town of San Fernando, and the owners and renters of many acres of land in the San Fer- nando valley which they devoted to the raising of grain on a large scale. Mr. Wright bought a ten-acre ranch near San Fernando in the rich farming section of the valley in the year 1910, which he has set to walnuts, and has erected for himself a fine home. He is in charge of the renters on the B. F. Porter estate of twelve thou- sand acres located in the valley, having the general care of the estate. He is a director of the First National Bank of San Fernando, and is a member of the school board of the San Fernando Union High School, and of the Los Angeles Pioneer Society. He joined the Masons in Santa Cruz county, and is a member of the local lodge at San Fernando which he helped to organize.
The marriage of Mr. Wright united him with
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Emily W. Davis
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Miss Emily Vose, a native of Illinois and formerly a school teacher in San Fernando. They had one son, Francis M., who died in infancy, in February, 1881. With his wife Mr. Wright recently took an automobile trip across the country to Reno, Nev., past Lake Tahoe and Truckee Lake and Mountain in California, camping on the way at the noted Donner Lake, and on this trip he picked up the shoe of an ox, lost by one of the animals that brought the wagon trains of pioneers across the plains to California in the early days. Mr. Wright's find was in the same section of country through which he and his party had passed in 1853, when crossing the plains in Mr. Wright's boyhood, an interesting reminder and possibly even a relic of those old days.
In politics Mr. Wright is a Progressive and though he has always taken a very great interest in political matters, never would permit his name to be proposed for an office. He has taken an active part in promoting the people's interest in the water questions that have arisen in the county, and in fact every movement for the upbuilding of the county has had in him an active worker.
HON. ALONZO E. DAVIS. The life which this narrative depicts began in Livingston county, N. Y., June 30. 1839, and closed in Pasadena, January 19, 1915. Early years in the life of Mr. Davis were spent on a farm in his native county, and he had such advantages as local schools afforded. Through his father. Thomas Davis, he descended from a pioneer family of New York state, one whose members were noted as patriots and successful business men. His father was a drummer boy in the War of 1812 and in that same struggle the grandfather, Robert Davis, served as a major. while in the war of the Revolution the great- grandfather, Thomas Davis, was also a com- missioned officer.
When the now beautiful and richly culti- vated Mohawk valley was a dense wilderness our subject's father was born on a frontier farm there. As he grew old enough to assist he helped to clear the land and hewed the lumber from which a home was built. His principal occupation was that of agriculture. but he also followed other pursuits. In 1818, when Roches- ter, N. Y., was a wilderness, he removed there
with his young wife in a small colony and cleared up a farm. He was one of the pro- moters and builders of the Erie canal. After his wife died, in 1846, he moved to Wisconsin and built a large hotel. The venture, however, proved a most unfortunate one. Two years la- ter the building burned to the ground and in the fire one of his children, a daughter, lost her life. He then returned to New York and spent the remaining years of his life there, dying when he was eighty-three years of age. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Sarah Randall, was a member of an old colonial fam- ily of Rhode Island. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom the following at- tained maturity, and all of whom are now de- ceased with one exception : Edwin A., who was formerly superior judge at Marysville, Cal., where the late Judge Field held his first court ; Robert, who resides at Yuba City, Cal., at the age of ninety-two years, and is the only mem- ber of the family living : Alonzo E., who passed away January 19, 1915; Mrs. A. D. Ferris, of Tonawanda. N. Y. ; Mrs. Emily Elzea, of Elgin, Ill .; Mrs. Harriet Rosenburg, of Livingston county, N. Y., and Mrs. R. Mandeville, of Lock- port, N. Y.
On the farm where he was born our subject spent his childhood years. When he was twelve he secured employment on another farm, where he worked in the summer and was given the privilege of attending school in the winter. He remained there until he was seventeen, and during the last two years of the time was paid $9 a month. With the money he had saved and with some financial assistance from a brother, in 1857 he started for California via the Isth- mus, and after a voyage of six weeks he landed in San Francisco. For a short time he taught school, but the work was too confining and he therefore sought a more healthful occupation. For two years he mined at Oroville. He then located one hundred and sixty acres of land in Butte county, after which, until 1862, he worked on the ranch in the summer and dur- ing the winter hauled lumber for posts and fencing from the mountains.
In the fall of 1862 Mr. Davis enlisted in the Fourth California Infantry, under an agree- ment that the regiment would be sent east. After drilling for six months they were or- dered to Texas and went as far as Drum Bar-
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racks, when, on account of the hostile spirit manifested in California against the United States, the order was revoked. In April of the year 1863 the regiment was ordered to Arizona, where the soldiers had several skir- mishes with Indians. At the close of the war Mr. Davis was left in command of a detach- ment of his company at Camp Cady. On being mustered out he returned to Butte county, sold his place (which had been leased) and returned to Arizona, in order to engage in mining. While in the United States service and after leaving it he had studied law at odd moments. In 1866 he was elected to the legislature, which met at Prescott, and again in 1874. He was admitted tc practice before the supreme court. While practicing his profession he also superintended his large mining and mercantile interests in the territory. He also served two terms as district attorney. In 1878 he was the Republican nomi- nee for congress, but the district being strongly Democratic he was defeated, although he ran some two thousand votes ahead of his ticket. His work in the legislature was especially help- ful from an educational point of view. In fact, his interest in the schools led to his nomination (without his knowledge) as territorial superin- tendent of schools. However, he was defeated, but only by two hundred votes.
As early as 1871 Mr. Davis purchased land in Los Angeles and thereafter he was more or less closely identified with the city. During his lifetime he had made more than one hundred trips by wagon across the plains between Ari- zona and Los Angeles and his wife has made the same trip sixteen times. For several years he resided at Downey and in 1888 was elected supervisor from that place, serving for four years. During that time the new court house was built on the superb site that commands the admiration of all visitors to the city. The original plan was for a three-story building, but this was changed to a four-story building, and he also worked indefatigably to secure the fine tunnel and elevator, which has proved re- markably convenient, saving the fatigue of climbing the steep stone steps. In 1897 he was again elected supervisor for a term of four years and was made chairman of the board. This body, in token of regard for him, pre- sented him with a gold headed cane and gavel. The Republican party always received his vote
from the time he cast his first ballot for Abra- ham Lincoln. He was a progressive citizen and, as an officer, favored all enterprises where- by the city and county could be benefited. Fra- ternally he was connected with the Odd Fel- lows, the Ancient Order of United Workmen and was also a member of the Society of Los Angeles County Pioneers.
The marriage of Mr. Davis occurred Febru- ary 10, 1868, and united him with Miss Emily W. Matthew, who since the death of Mr. Davis has continued to make her home in the family residence at No. 693 South Los Robles avenue, Pasadena. Born in Springfield, Ill., the daugh- ter of Francis M. and Nancy (Van Alstine) Matthew, when she was six years old she crossed the plains with her parents, the jour- ney from Illinois to California having been made with mule teams. They passed through Omaha when it had but one building, and that a hut. The Indians were hostile and frequently on their journey they had narrow escapes. After coming to this state Mr. Matthew engaged in mining, but later lived in retirement until his death in 1900, his wife dying in 1902. He was a veteran of the Mexican war. Mrs. Davis grew to womanhood in Los Angeles and received her education principally in the Spring street school. She was married at her father's home, on the corner of Olive and Seventh street, now the heart of the city, but at that time considered quite a country district. Her father at that time owned all of the land from Olive street to Grand avenue and from Seventh to Eighth streets. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Davis: Mrs. Lottie Mckellar, of Los Angeles ; Frank E., who is an employe of the city of Los Angeles and has been admit- ted to the bar; Mrs. N. Louise Van Cleve, of Los Angeles; and Mrs. Jessie D. White, of Pasadena.
HENRY C. HUBBARD. Among the pioneer settlers of San Fernando, Cal., should be men- tioned Henry C. Hubbard, who has made his home in that district for the last forty years, having been a bank director, school trustee and county supervisor from that district as well as a prominent business man since the time of his arrival in the San Fernando Valley when that section of the country was a sheep ranch, where
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one hundred and twenty thousand sheep ranged, and the postoffice and village store were the only business buildings in the town.
A native of Windsor county, Vt., where he was born in the town of Hartford, September 19, 1844, when only three years old Mr. Hubbard removed with his family to Lebanon, Grafton county, N. H., where he was brought up on his father's farm and educated in the public schools. In 1867 he set out for California, via the Isthmus of Panama, and arrived in San Francisco on January 13, 1868. Locating near Santa Cruz, Cal., he first worked for wages, then, with six companions, erected a saw mill on Corraletos creek, in 1872 forming a partnership with Francis M. Wright in the lumber business, and from then to the present time they have been partners in different enterprises, and during all these years there has never been a contract between them. On March 1, 1875, he and Mr. Wright went to San Fernando, which was at that date the termi- nal of the steam railroad from Los Angeles. With his partner he rented from thirty-five hun- dred to four thousand acres of land in the valley, which they devoted to the raising of wheat and barley. There were then no steam threshing machines in the county, the soil being plowed only a few inches in depth and farming therefore being very primitive. Wheat ran from sixteen to twenty bushels to the acre, and barley from fifteen to twenty sacks to the acre. In 1887 the partners bought eleven hundred and twenty acres at $50 per acre, and with this land and that which they rented, continued grain farming on a large scale for many years. Having sold the eleven hun- dred and twenty acres in 1910 to the Valley Homes Company, the property was subdivided thereafter and put on the market, three-quarters of the same having been sold in tracts of from five to twenty acres, and the property known as the Zelzah tract, situated nine miles southwest of San Fernando, is a part of this property. In 1912 Mr. Hubbard planted a forty-acre piece of ground in the foothills, which was the property of his wife, to oranges, and the firm of Hubbard & Wright at present own sixty acres of land in the San Fernando Valley. Mr. Hubbard has been retired from actual business life for some years, and holds the offices of director in the First Na- tional Bank of San Fernando and trustee of the First Methodist Church of the town, which was organized by Rev. Mr. Maclay. Though Mr.
Hubbard was one of the original trustees he is not a member of the same. He also served as school trustee one term, when the Morganside School District was opened, and as county supervisor of Los Angeles county for the four years following 1889. Politically Mr. Hubbard is a Republican, and fraternally he was a charter member of Fernando Lodge No. 214, A. O. U. W. He was made a Mason just before leaving for California, and affiliated with Los Angeles Lodge No. 42, and assisted in organizing and is a charter member of San Fernando Lodge No. 243, F. & A. M. He likewise holds membership in the Pioneer Society of Southern California.
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