A history of California and an extended history of its southern coast counties, also containing biographies of well-known citizens of the past and present, Volume I, Part 103

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Los Angeles, Cal., Historic record company
Number of Pages: 1184

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James Cleminson was born in Indepen- dence, Mo., August 7, 1833, and was thirteen

years old when taken by his parents to Ga- lena, Ill. From there they removed to Car- roll county, same state, and in the schools of that state he received his education. Decid- ing to follow the westward trend of civiliza- tion he outfitted for the overland trip to Cali- fornia and on the 15th of July, 1851, left In- dependence over the old Santa Fe trail for the El Dorado state. The journey is strong- ly impressed upon the memory of this early pioneer, he recalling vividly the dangers and privations they endured, during the slow, weary months until they reached their des- tination. The Indians stole a part of their cattle and in Arizona the Apaches killed sev- eral members of the train. Deprived of their oxen sixteen men pulled a wagon over the mountains to Santa Cruz, thence on to Yuma, where they had to give nearly all they had to be carried across the river. There they re- ceived assistance from a government train that took them on to San Diego. In Santa Ysabel members of the train stopped to work for the government, but Mr. Cleminson made his way to San Diego and did teaming to Yuma. In November, 1852, he located in San Bernardino county, purchased land on Lytle creek and there made his home for five years. He then came to Los Angeles coun- Ly and in the vicinity of El Monte bought a squatter's right to land, for the title to which he fought for twenty years, but finally suc- ceeded in winning the legal contest. He en- gaged in general farming and stock-raising up to June 15, 1906, when he retired from the active cares of life and located in Los An- geles, at No. 3825 Woodlawn avenue. He was uniformily successful in his enter- prises and accumulated wealth, and at the same time built up for himself a position of prominence among the citizens of this sec- tion. He improved his ranch, setting out twenty-five acres in walnuts, and also laid out several additions to El Monte, known as Cleminson subdivision No. 1. consisting of five acres, and Cleminson subdivision No. 2, consisting of ten acres. He is intensely in- terested in the development of the country and without hesitation gave the right of way to the electric railroad-about $3,000 worth of land. He still owns sixty acres of fine land adjoining El Monte, which is leased at the present writing.

Mr. Cleminson has been twice married, the first union occurring in San Bernardino and uniting him with Mrs. Caroline (Singleton) Beck, a native of England. Two children were born of this union. James Devine, whose sketch follows, and Willis S., who died at the age of four years. In 1885 he was married in

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El Monte to Emma Christ, a native of Iowa, and they have one son, Hugh D. Fraternally Mr. Cleminson is a member of Lexington Lodge No. 104, F. & A. M., and Order of Eastern Star, which he has served as treas- urer since its organization. Politically he is a stanch advocate of the principles of the Re- publican party. During the half century and more which he has been numbered among the residents of the state he has not been an idle witness of her progress, but has borne a noble and telling part in her upbuilding. Progres- sive and enterprising in the highest sense of the word, he is accounted one of the stanch supporters of that which goes to make up the stability of a city, county or state.

JAMES DEVINE CLEMINSON was born in San Bernardino county, February 14, 1870, and reared in El Monte, where he was brought in childhood, receiving his education in the public schools. He then engaged with his father in the management of a fine dairy of one hundred full-blooded Jerseys, and was successful in this enterprise. He gradually acquired a position of prominence among the younger men of the community, esteemed for the qualities of character which he early dis- played. In 1898 he was honored by the ap- pointment to the position of road overseer of the El Monte district, by O. W. Langdon, and since that time he has discharged his duties in a capable and efficient manner and to the entire satisfaction of all concerned.

Mr. Cleminson has been twice married, his first wife being Miss Lulu Caldwell, who was born in Duarte and died in El Monte, leaving one child, James Ercel. Later he married Miss Elizabeth Weigand, a native of San Francisco, and born of this union are two children, Caroline Pauline and George Del- bert. In fraternal relations Mr. Cleminson is a member of Lexington Lodge No. 104, F. & A. M., and also belongs to the Order of East- ern Star. He is likewise identified with the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Polit- ically he is a true-blue Republican and ac- tive in the advancement of the principles he endorses. In addition to his duties as road overseer he established a real-estate enter- prise in El Monte in 1906, which he has since conducted with success. He is prominent in local affairs and is now serving his second term as president of the high school board of trustees. He put up the first brick building in El Monte, which burned down about one year ago, when he rebuilt it. Besides this property he owns six acres in the heart of town, the livery, other business and residence

property, in addition to a farm in the vicinity of El Monte. Not unlike his worthy father he is one of the enterprising citizens of his community.

ANDREW JOUGHIN, JR. To those who have spent all or the greater part of their lives within the sound of the sunset sea or beneath the shadow of the mountains of the west, this portion of the country possesses a charm all its own and unequaled by any other locality to which their travels may bring them. It is significant of Mr. Joughin's interest in Los Angeles to state that all of his holdings are compassed within the city and its inviron- ments. It is here that he makes his home, here he has labored to develop his personal interests and the affairs of the city, here he grew to manhood and has been content to re- main without desire to investigate the will-o'- the-wisp allurements of localities less dear to him. In common with practically all of the men who have been lifelong residents of Los Angeles and Southern California, he main- tains a deep and unceasing interest in move- ments for the public welfare and contributes of time and means toward such measures.

Upon another page of this work appears the biography of Mr. Joughin's father, whose name he bears and whose strong personality was impressed upon the pioneer citizenship of Southern California. During an early period of the American development of Los Angeles the family became residents of the city. An- drew, Jr., was then a small child, he having been born in Rockford, Ill., January II, 1857. Educated in the schools of California, he early left school in order to aid his father in ranch. ing. Indeed, he was only sixteen years of age when he came into the management of a ranch owned by his father, and afterward he main- tained a close supervision of its cultivation. As the number of settlers increased the land was gradually sold off in small tracts, until but a comparatively small part of the once large tract was left in the hands of the Joughin family. Since the death of the father the widow and children have inherited the estate, which now represents a large moneyed value.

The marriage of Andrew Joughin, Jr., united him with a young lady who, like him- self, has been a resident of California from early childhood. Miss Mary Elizabeth Davis was born in Syracuse county, N. Y., and at the age of seven years came to the Pacific coast with her father, John Davis, settling in the southern part of the state. Her education was received in local schools and her home remained with her parents until May 2, 1883,

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when she became the wife of Mr. Joughin, and they now have a residence on Arlington Heights, Los Angeles, their place having been a portion of the Joughin estate. Born of their union were two children, Glenn and Ruth Elizabeth, but death removed the oldest daughter from the homc at eight years of age. The family are honored by their large circle of acquaintances and number among their friends many of the most cultured residents of their home city.

LOUIS DIDIER. Another substantial and enterprising citizen which France has contrib- uted to the commonwealth of California is Louis Didier, a glance at whose well-appointed ranch two miles east of Puente will substanti- ate the claim. He comes of a family well known in Hautes-Alpes, France, his father, Jacques Didier, carrying on a farm in that section of the country throughout his life. A break in the monotony of his farming life came in 1870, when as a soldier in the French army he took sides against Germany in the Franco- Prussian war. He did not live to know the outcome of the struggle, however, for he died the same year. His wife, formerly Madelena Segnorete, was also born in Hautes-Alpes, which has been her life-time home, and she is still residing on the old homestead in that de- partment. Of the seven children born into the parental family all are living, and three of the number are residents of California, Casimer, Joseph and Louis, all in Puente.

Louis Didier was born in the ancient town of Embrun, Hautes-Alpes, France, June 18, 1866, and until a lad of eighteen years was reared on his father's farm there, in the mean time, however, having the privilege of attend- ing the common schools of Embrun. His eld- er brother, Casimer, had taken advantage of the opportunities offered by our western coast country and had established himself on a ranch near Puente, Cal., and hither Louis fol- lowed in 1884, working as a ranch hand un- til enabled to start in business for himself. Hard work and determination soon made this possible, however, and two miles east of Puente he bought the nucleus of his present ranch, upon which he at first carried on gen- eral farming and stock-raising. Later he set out twenty-five acres on the San José creek to walnuts, besides which he has ten acres in vines in the same vicinity. The home ranch two miles cast of Puente now includes eigh- teen hundred acres, upon which are raised large quantities of grain and hay, besides which large herds of fine cattle, horses and hogs are also raised.

In Los Angeles Mr. Didier was married to MIrs. Alphonsine ( Gauscher) Amar, who was born near Paris, France, and has been a resident of California since 1876. Her first married united her with August Amar, a na- tive of Hautes-Alpes, France, who came to the United States and settled in California about 1869. From that time until his death almost twenty years later he carried on gen- eral farming and stock-raising, having pur- chased for the purpose a portion of the Thom- as Rowland ranch near Puente. He died in Los Angeles in 1888, leaving three children, Constance, August and Fidel. By her sec-

ond marriage Mrs. Didier has become the mother of four children, as follows: Louisa, Renee, Louis, Jr., and Claire. As is her hus- band Mrs. Didier is an active and substantial member of the community and as a member of the school board in the Rowland district has done much to make possible the present satisfactory conditions which exist in that dis- trict. Politically Mr. Didier is independent in the casting of his ballot, and the only so- cial organization to which he belongs is the French Legion of Los Angeles. As a well- earned respite after twenty years of continu- ous labor Mr. Didier in 1904 took his wife and family on a visit to France, on the way visit- ing Chicago, Buffalo and New York.

FRANK H. NEWLOVE. The lineage of the Newlove family goes back to English an- cestors of substantial traits, and the entire genealogy concerns men and women who were unusually forceful in character and vigorous in mind. These qualities were found in a marked degree in the character of John New- love, a native of England and a pioneer of 1862 in California. Upon coming to the Pa- cific coast he settled in San Joaquin county. but soon removed to Monterey county and during the year 1874 he settled at Guadaloupe, Santa Barbara county, where he soon became prominently connected with the stock ranch- ing interests of the locality. Eventually he established his home in Santa Maria, where he died at the age of sixty-three: since his death his wife has continued to reside in San- ta Maria. Of their eleven children eight are now living, all in California, and with the ex- ception of one residing in Santa Clara county they are residents of Santa Barbara county. After becoming a citizen of the United States the father voted the Republican ticket and gave his stanch support to the principles of that party. In religion he was associated with the Methodist Episcopal denomination and his wife also belongs to that church.

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

While the family were living in Monterey county, Cal., Frank H. Newlove was born No- vember 28, 1868, and when six years of age he accompanied his parents to Santa Bar- bara county, settling on a ranch at Guada- loupe, and later removing to Santa Maria. The common schools of these two towns gave him fair educational advantages and of these he availed himself to the utmost, laying the foun- dation of the broad knowledge he today pos- sesses. In early youth he became familiar with ranching in all of its details and the oc- cupation has been his life-work. Starting for himself in 1889, he settled in the Los Alamos valley, and eventually, about 1905, removed to his present ranch, where he has eight hun- dred acres and engages in raising barley and wheat. In addition to what he has accumu- lated for himself he is heir to a share of his father's estate and ranks among the prosper- ous young men of the valley.

The marriage of Mr. Newlove was solemn- ized in 1890 and united him with Miss Millie Van Gundy, who was born, reared and edu- cated in California, and is a lady of attractive personality and an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Born of their union are five children, Ida. Ray, Albert, Dewey and Ruby. As a boy Mr. Newlove was accustomed to hear his father discuss political issues and he naturally fell into sympathy with Republican principles. When he became of voting age and considered national problems unbiased by the views of boyhood, he found no reason for changing his attitude on govern- mental issues and still stanchly gives his sup- port to Republican measures. In fraternal re- lations he is connected with the Ancient Or- der of United Workmen at Los Alamos.

THOMAS L. DE COUDRES. The lineage of the De Coudres family is traced to France, whence one of the name crossed the ocean to America during the period of the nation's col- onial history. A son of this immigrant bore the name of Christian and followed the occu- pation of a tanner in New York. Francis, son of Christian, followed farm pursuits in New York state for a considerable period, but about the middle of the nineteenth cen- tury he became a pioneer of Wisconsin, where lie took up a tract of raw land near Port Washington, Ozankee county. In the man- agement of that tract and its development in- to a valuable farm the remaining years of his iife were actively passed, his death occurring in Racine county. While still living in New York he married Sarah Leffingwell, who was born in Newark, N. J., and died in Wiscon-

sin. Through her mother, who was a Miss Van Gelder, she traced her ancestry to one of the oldest Dutch families in the United States.

In a family of four children (all now living) born to the union of Francis De Coudres and Sarah Leffingwell the third in order of birth was given the name of Thomas Leffingwell, and was born near Groton, Tompkins coun- ty, N. Y., January 30, 1849. When five years of age he was taken by his parents to Wis- consin, where he received such advantages as an undeveloped neighborhood afforded. In 1872 he married and settled upon a farm near the old homestead in Racine county, where as the years went by he gained an increased reputation for sagacity in farm operations and wise judgment in the conduct of his lands. As previously stated he had established do- mestic ties in 1872. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Ella Paddock, was born in Wisconsin, and died in Walworth county, that state. Two children were born of their union : the daughter, Mrs. Elba Smith, makes her home at Spring Prairie, Wis., and the son, Ralph, is engaged in business in St. Paul, Minn. The second marriage of Mr. De Cou- dres was solemnized in Spring Prairie, Wis., in 1890, and united him with Miss Alice Greene, by whom he has three children : Thomas Greene, Sarah Clark and Charles Greene. Mrs. De Coudres, who was born No- vember 19, 1856, and educated in the normal school at Whitewater, Wis., is a daughter of George and Sarah (Clark) Greene, natives re- spectively of Amherst, Mass., and Chautauqua, N. Y., the former of whom became a pioneer of Milwaukee, Wis., during the year 1836, later became interested in the tilling of the soil in Walworth county, and was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Elk- horn, Wis. He traces his ancestry to Gen- eral Greene of the Revolutionary fame.

It was in 1899 that Mr. De Coudres brought his family to California and settled in Pasa- dena. A year later he removed to Long Beach, where since 1903 he has been associat- ed with the Townsend-Dayman Company as salesman. At the same time he has been in- terested in the buying and selling of land, the building and sale of dwelling houses, and has also erected a neat residence for his family on a lot 150x160, occupying a desirable loca- tion on American avenue. In addition to his other investments he is a stockholder in the Long Beach National and Long Beach Sav- ings Banks, in both of which he officiates as a member of the board of directors, being a member of the finance and loan committees. Through the Board of Trade he aims to as-

Jacob Bean

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

sist in all enterprises for the material devel- opment of Long Beach and has accomplished much tending toward the public welfare dur- ing the comparatively brief duration of his residence in this city. All through his life, from the time of casting his first ballot, he has been a stanch adherent of the Republican party and has given his influence and vote in support of its men and measures. Although not personally identified with any denomina- tion, he is interested in religious movements and contributes toward the maintenace of the Methodist Episcopal Church, with which his wife is identified. He has always been tem- perate in his habits and an earnest advocate of men of high moral character to fill offices of trust. Mr. De Coudres is a strictly self-made man in every sense of the word. Coming to Long Beach in 1894 for the health of both himself and his wife, after a few years in Wis- consin, he moved to California permanently, disposing of his property in the former state. He has been very successful in his invest- ments since locating here and is named among the substantial citizens of Long Beach.

JACOB BEAN. The century which wit- nessed the first permanent colonization of the Atlantic seaboard brought to the new world a young Scotchman named John Bean, who crossing the ocean in 1660 during the course of his voyage met an Irish girl, Margaret, of a family name not now known. An ardent wooing resulted in their marriage and they set up their first home in the primeval wilds of New Hamp- shire, where many succeeding generations of their descendants lived and labored and died. From that state Jacob W. Bean, a brave sol- dier in the war of 1812, removed to Maine and secured employment in teaming and draying, later for some years holding a po- sition as superintendent of the county poor farm of Penobscot county. Eventually other activities engaged his attention and he achieved a success noteworthy for that day and locality. Until his death at eighty-two years he retained his interest in commercial enterprises and movements for the develop- ment of his community. Early in manhood he had married Jane Danforth, who was born in Eaton, N. H., and died in Minnesota at about seventy-eight years of age. Both were faithful members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and reared their children (of whom there were three) to habits of industry, hon- or and persevering energy.

The youngest child in the family of Jacob IV. Bean was a son to whom was given the father's name and whose birth occurred in

Penobscot county, Me., January 19, 1837. At- tending school between the years of six and fourteen, he then began to earn his own live- lihood, and for seven years was employed as clerk in a general store owned by Colonel Hamlin of Orono, Penobscot county. In 1858 he resigned his position and sailed for Pana- ma en route to California, where for a brief period he worked in the mines in Placer county. However, learning of his father's illness, he decided to return to the Atlantic coast, hence his first experience of life in the far west was brief. For a year he had charge of a lumber camp owned by a brother in Maine, after which he bought an interest in the business and continued logging and lum- bering in the east until 1864. meanwhile meet- ing with encouraging success in the industry.

On removing from Maine to the newer and more undeveloped regions of the upper Mis- sissippi valley, Mr. Bean became a resident of Stillwater, Minn., in 1864, and managed a lumber camp for a year. At the expiration of that time he bought a one-third interest in the business and in 1880 enlarged his hold- ings in the concern, where now he owns one- half interest. The company owns one hun- dred and sixty thousand acres of timber land of great value and conducts a large and prof- itable business in the line of its specialty. For many years Mr. Bean was one of the principal partners in the enterprise and gave it his undivided attention, his attention to details and executive ability being. in fact, the principal factors in the rapid growth of the company's holdings. After a long per- sonal identification with the camp and mills of the company, Mr. Bean reached a position where he felt justified in relinquishing many of his activities, and accordingly he began to spend his winters in California, returning to Minnesota for the summer months. During 1893 he purchased one hundred and four acres at Alhambra, eight miles from Los An- geles, and since 1900 he has made this his permanent home, meanwhile devoting many thousands of dollars to the development of the land. At the time of its purchase the place was a barley field. Realizing its value for citrus fruit cultivation, he began to plant orange trees and now has ninety acres in oranges, of which he has shipped as many as sixty-four cars in one season. An attractive modern residence adorns the homestead ; water has been brought to the house and land by an adequate system of piping : lawns have been cultivated, and no expense or labor has been spared in making the property one of the most beautiful and valuable properties in Southern California.

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

While still making Maine his business head- quarters Mr. Bean established a home of his own in his marriage to Miss Cynthia A. Mc- Phetres, a refined young lady who was born and reared in Orono and to whose sympathy and co-operation not a little of his subse- quent success may be attributed. The Mc- Phetres family dates its history in America back to Archibald McPhetres, who crossed the ocean about 1716 and settled with a brother at Portsmouth, N. H. Later he mar- ried a daughter of the first governor of New Hampshire. Descended from him was John McPhetres, a native of Maine and a pioneer of Orono, that state. In the family of John was a son, Martin, born and reared at Orono, and employed as a lumberman and also as surveyor for lumber firms. The title of Cap- tain, by which he was familiarly known, came through his service at the head of a company in the state militia. Three children were born of his marriage to Jemima Murch, a native of Hampden, Penobscot county, Me., and de- ceased at the age of eighty-five years. In re- ligion she was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Among her three children was a daughter, Cynthia A., who was born May 21, 1838, and received a fair education in the schools of Orono, remaining in that town until after her marriage to Mr. Bean, which was solemnized October 14. 1860. Four years later the young couple established their home in Stillwater, Minn., where they soon became influential citizens. Of their union the following-named children were born : Charles Robie, who resides with his parents ; William H., who manages with keen intelli- gence the large lumber interests owned by his father; Estelle, who died at twenty-three years of age: Ann, who married Albert J. Lehmicke, cashier of the Lumberman's Bank at Stillwater, Minn .; Eugene (twin of Ann), who resides in Los Angeles ; and Mary Ella, who is the wife of Norbert Murray, a real-es- tate man of Los Angeles.

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A history of California and an extended history of its southern coast counties, also containing biographies of well-known citizens of the past and present, Volume I, Part 103

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918 Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Los Angeles, Cal., Historic record company Number of Pages: 1184

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Los Angeles, Cal., Historic record company
Number of Pages: 1184