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 120

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

USA > California > 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 120

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The first marriage of Major Merriam took place in Washington, D. C .. in 1863, and unit- ed him with Mary E. Scott, who died in Jan- uary, 1888. Six children were born of their union, namely: Edwin, now making his home in Keves Cañon ; Helen, wife of F. L. Green, of Los Angeles; Anna Theresa, who died at the age of three years; Henry S., who resides with his father; Wallace W., a mining engi- ner. who is a graduate of the University of California, and now opening up a mine in the state of Chihuahua. Mexico; and Bertha Vir- ginia, at home. In March of 1892 Major Mer- riam married Mrs. Angusta M. Koch, a native of England. By her former marriage Mrs. Merriam had one son, Frederick W. Koch, a

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graduate of the University of California, and now instructor of the sciences in the Lowell high school, San Francisco.

All movements for the benefit of the people receive careful consideration from Major Mer- riam. Particularly is he interested in the pub- lic-school system and for fifteen years or more he has rendered efficient service as a member of the school board of his district. During his long and eventful career he has formed the acquaintance of many men who have been prominent in national affairs, chief among these being Admiral George Dewey, who was one of his classmates at Annapolis. Talented, educated and refined, he has attracted the friendship of men of high character and sub- stantial worth, and with his cultured wife he holds a position of prominence locally, being a distinct addition to the citizenship of the county. While making his headquarters in the east during the Civil war he was initiated into Masonry at Washington, D. C., and was made a Master Mason, later affiliating with the Roval Arch Chapter in Topeka, Kans., and maintaining a warm interest in the help- ful charities of the fraternity. Keenly inter- ested in everything pertaining to the old war days, it is natural that he should find pleasure in association with the veterans of that strug- gle, and for years he has been connected with the Grand Army Post at Escondido.

WILLIAM ORMOND WELCH. As the nominee of the Republican party at the elec- tion of 1902 Mr. Welch was chosen to fill the office of county tax collector for a terin of four years, receiving at the polls a majority of about ten thousand votes. Since he took the oath of office in January of 1903, to the pres- ent time, having been re-elected to the same office in 1906, he has given his entire time and attention to the details of his official position and superintends the work of the sixteen men employed to assist in his department, besides taking charge of the eighty extra men secured during the months of October and November. Prior to entering upon official life he had been variously interested and had gained a wide ex- perience throughout the west while working at railroading and telegraphy.

A native of Kendallville, Noble county. Ind .. William Ormond Welch was born January 20. 1863, being a son of David S. and Sarah Buf- fum (Hayward) Welch, born near Lockport. N. Y. The father, who was a merchant by oc- cupation and a stanch Republican in politics. settled at Kendallville in early life and there dlied about 1871. His widow makes her home in Pomona, Cal .. and one of their sons, Charles

Sumner, resides at Wichita, Kans., where he holds a position as trainmaster with the Mis- souri Pacific Railroad Company. The only daughter is now deceased. The other son. William O., was reared in Indiana until 1878, when he removed to Paola, Miami county, Kans .. and there attended the high school, lat- er taking a commercial course in the Paola Normal. The first work which he secured as telegraph operator and station agent was in the employ of the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Gulf Railroad Company. After two years with them he entered the Topeka office of the su- perintendent of the Santa Fe system. In 1882 he went to Tucson, Ariz., as operator for the Western Union Telegraph Company. Later he was employed as assistant dispatcher for the Texas Pacific Railroad at Marshall, Tex., and next secured employment as operator and agent at Deer Lodge and Melrose. Mont .. with the Utah Northern Railroad. Returning to the employ of the Western Union Telegraph Company he was with them in Deming. N. Mex .. and during this time occurred the strug- gle with the Apaches and the capture of Gero- nimo.

Upon coming to California during the year 1886 Mr. Welch embarked in horticultural pur- suits at Pomona, where he set out and im- proved an orange grove of twenty acres, re- taining the ranch until 1904. when he sold it at a fair profit. Meanwhile he had become inter- ested in the business of buying, drying and shipping fruit, and for three years had carried on a growing business with a partner, but at the expiration of that time he sold his interest. On coming to Los Angeles in 1894 Mr. Welch was employed for a year as deputy county re- corder under Arthur Bray. For four years he was deputy tax collector under A. H. Merwin and for a similar period he held the same posi- tion under John H. Gish, meanwhile acquiring a thorough knowledge of the work of assessing and collecting, so that he was well qualified to fill the position of collector when elected to the office. Always stanch in his allegiance to the Republican party, he is one of the influen- tial members of the Republican League of Los Angeles and in other ways has aided in local party affairs. While living in Pomona he was initiated into Masonry and now holds mem- bership with South Gate Lodge in Los An- geles. also with Signet Chapter of this city. and is a 32° Scottish Rite Mason. His mar- riage was solemnized in Los Angeles and unit- cd him with Miss Eva Dell Roberts, who was born in Otoe county, Neb., her father, John Roberts, having migrated from Ohio to Ne- braska in a very early period of that state's de- velopment ; eventually he closed out his inter-

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ests there and came to California, becoming prominent in civic affairs in Long Beach, where at one time he was honored with the office of mayor.

In 1887 Mr. Welch became identified with the National Guard of California, having been promoted while in Pomona to the captaincy of Company D. Upon coming to Los Angeles he was appointed to the office of assistant ad- jutant general on the brigade staff with the rank of lieutenant colonel. During the Span- ish-American war he served as major of the Seventh Regiment California Infantry, and af- ter being mustered out at the close of the war he resumed the office of assistant adjutant general. He is now serving as a member of the examining board for the First Brigade, having in charge the examining of officers as to their fitness for office in the National Guard.

The personal character of Mr. Welch has been such as to win for him a wide esteem wherever known, and the manner in which he has discharged all official duties in the years of his experience in Southern California has given him a position of importance among the citizens of this section. His success to the present time is an augury of what may be ex- pected for him in the future, for he is a citizen of worth and works and can always be count- ed upon to uphold public honor in whatever position he may be placed.

JAMES WATSON WOOD, M. D. One of the most prominent physicians of Southern California outside of Los Angeles is Dr. J. W. Wood, of Long Beach, in which city he has been located since October. 1887, giving his best efforts throughout this long residence to the upbuilding and development of the place. Born November 17, 1856, he is a native of Geneva, N. Y., and a son of John M. and Re- becca (Rupert) Wood, both of whom were na- tives of the same state. Reared and educated in his native city, he attended the Geneva high school and the Canandaigua Academy; with this preparation he taught two terms of school in New York during the years 1878 and '79. In 1880 he went to South Bend, Ind., and there took up the study of medicine under the in- struction of Drs. Dunning and Kilmer, and a vear later entered Rush Medical College, of Chicago, Ill., where he completed the course in 1883; in the meantime he had taken a course in the College of Physicians and Sur- geons of the same city, and graduated in March, 1883, from that institution. Entering upon his practice in Palestine, Tex., he spent a profitable year, but not finding the climate agreeable he removed to Juniata, Neb. In that

state he was united in marriage, in October, 1884, with Miss May McDonald, a native of Indiana. They remained residents of Ne- braska for two years, when they removed to Indiana and made that state their home until 1887, in which year they sought the delightful climate and conditions of Southern California, with a view to making this place their perma- nent home. Dr. Wood's brother, George A. Wood, had preceded him to California and had located in Long Beach, where he had engaged as a druggist, and it was to this city that the doctor came immediately following his arrival in the state.

Establishing an office in Long Beach he be- gan the practice of his profession independ- ently, continuing so occupied until July. 1904. when he became associated with Amos F. Hamman. He built up a wide patronage throughout the country surrounding this city, becoming widely and favorably known. His evident ability and the practical use he has always been able to make of his theoretical knowledge (which has grown constantly with the passing years, as he is an indefatigable stu- dent) have won for him the confidence of the people ; his personal characteristics are also largely in his favor in the practice of his pro- fession, for he is cheerful and optimistic in temperament, and yet thoroughly sympathetic and genuine in his friendliness. His presence in the sick room brings with it an air of good cheer that means as much in the recovery of his patients as do his medicines. He has made countless friends during his residence in Long Beach and has at the same time acquired finan- cial independence. He is examining physician for several old-line insurance companies, and also acts in a like capacity for the Independent Order of Foresters (having served as lodge physician since 1890) and in the camp of the Modern Woodmen of America and is assistant surgeon of the Pacific Electric Railway and the Southern Pacific Railway. He has always had implicit faith in the future of Southern California and has invested freely in real es- tate, and is also interested in mining proper- ties, serving at this writing as president of the Chickawalla Mining. Milling and Water Com- pany, and is a director in the National Bank of Long Beach.

Dr. Wood has taken a prominent part in public affairs in Long Beach, as a Republican giving his best efforts toward the advance- ment of the principles he endorses. He is. however, above all things a loyal and patriotic citizen and can be counted upon to maintain the best interests of the city. He was an im- portant factor in the incorporation of Long Beach and has served variously since then in

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the city government, serving as health officer from 1890 to 1898; resigning at that time he accepted the office of councilman, to which he had just been elected, serving efficiently for two years. In 1894 he was elected a member of the board of trustees of the school district, and was re-elected in 1897, 1900 and 1903, the last two terms unanimously, and acting for the greater part of this time as clerk of the board. The school system of Long Beach is one of the chief advantages of the city and is one that affords considerable satisfaction to the citi- zens ; to such men as Dr. Wood is largely due the credit for having made it what it is.

Dr. Wood is progressive and enterprising, both in his private and professional life, the people who know him trusting implicitly in the broadness of his views, the absence of nar- row partisanship, and the soundness of his principles. On several different occasions he has served as delegate to county conventions and has ably maintained the tenets of his par- ty. He takes a prominent part in various medical associations, among them the Los An- geles, the Southern California and the Ameri- can, while he contributes ably to many medi- cal journals. In the midst of his busy cares he finds time for social and fraternal pleasures, holding membership with the Masonic organ- ization (belonging to the Long Beach chapter and commandery, and to Al Malaikah Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Los Angeles) the Elks, the Knights of Pythias, the Foresters and the Modern Woodmen of America. Socially he is held in the highest esteem and accorded a prominent place among the representative cit- izens. He is typical of the true American manhood-independent in his views, fearless in his expression, progressive in spirit, and withal a man of integrity, cordial in the friend- liness of his attitude toward the world, and firm in his loyalty, patriotism and the kindly brotherhood of man. He has justly won the high regard in which he is held by all who know him.

JOHN A. HINSHAW. The degree of suc- cess attained by Mr. Hinshaw since his arrival in San Diego county proves him to be a man of energy and sagacity. At the time of settling in the vicinity of Ramona he had less than $100 with which to begin life in a strange country, in the midst of unfamiliar surround- ings and an unknown soil and agricultural en- vironment. Nor was this feature the most dis- couraging part of his situation, but in addition he experienced much sickness in his family and expended a large amount in an effort to secure the restoration of health for those dear

to him, so that the fact that he has reached a gratifying degree of prosperity and an excel- lent standing as a rancher proves him to pos- sess qualities which misfortune cannot daunt nor formidable obstacles successfully oppose.

Jasper county, Iowa, is Mr. Hinshaw's na- tive place and August 14, 1863, the date of his birth, his parents being David and Elizabeth (Lewis) Hinshaw, natives of Tennessee. Af- ter their marriage they removed from the south and identified themselves with the pio- neers of Iowa, settling in Jasper county as ear- ly as 1847 and soon afterward buying a claim of one hundred and sixty acres of raw land. From that beginning the father worked his way forward by dint of unwearied application and tireless labor until he ranked among the foremost men of his county and was known for miles around as an extensive raiser and breeder of hogs and cattle. At one time he owned two hundred and eighty acres of well- improved land. On the homestead which he had transformed from a raw and unprofitable acreage into one of the fertile tracts of the county he continued actively engaged in rais- ing grain and stock until the time of his death, which occurred in October, 1870, at the age of fifty-seven years. About eighteen years later (in February, 1888) his wife passed away at the same place.

With the advantage of a course of study in the Newton (Iowa) Academy supplementary to the public-school education gained in the home district, John A. Hinshaw was prepared to start out in the world for himself; and his preparation was also thorough in the line of farm work, for he was familiar from early boyhood with the routine of agricultural oper- ations. After leaving school he worked out by the month until about thirty years of age, meanwhile spending one year in Kansas. During 1894 he removed to Colorado and rent- ed land, which he devoted to farm products. From that state he came to California, arriv- ing at Ramona November 8, 1897, and later securing the title to fifty acres where he now lives. The land was unimproved and he found it necessary to put up all the fencing now on the place, besides erecting a granary for the storage of his crops. People familiar with the soil of the locality state that there is no finer land than this in the entire valley, and much of its productiveness is due to his wise man- agement and systematic rotation of crops. Al- together he has about five hundred acres in grain, while in addition he has considerable pasture land. Having given his attention closely to the care of his land and to domestic duties, he has had no leisure for participation in public affairs and has taken no part in poli-

GrokPorter

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

tics aside from voting the Republican ticket.

The marriage of Mr. Hinshaw occurred in Newton, Iowa, March 2, 1894, and united him with Mrs. Arwilda Cox, a widow with one son, Ernest C. Cox, who still remains with his mother. The Hinshaw family originally com- prised six children, but the first two born were taken from the circle by death, namely : Huldah Lenore, who was born October 24, 1894, and died January 1, 1906; and Agnes Susanna, who was born April 23, 1896, and died in October, 1898. Those now living are as follows: Leoner A., born February 6, 1898; Elmer Glenn, October 28, 1901; Ceicle Her- bert, January 23, 1903; and Birdie Alice, July 9, 1905. The family adhere to the doctrines of the Society of Friends, and the children are being reared in that faitlı.

HON. GEORGE K. PORTER. Wherever in personal history a man is found whose plan of life was drawn from within, and whose course was mapped out on lines distinctly his own, that man challenges the attention of the general pub- lic. Prominent among the number thus desig- nated was the late Hon. George K. Porter, of San Fernando, a man of deep individuality, great abilty and sterling integrity. He descended from a strong, long-lived race and inherited to a marked degree the health, geniality, equability of temper and the keen sense of justice that won for him the lasting friendship, esteem and re- spect of men and women of all classes and con- ditions. His antecedents were substantial New England stock, and ancestors on both sides held responsible positions in early colonial life, and some served in the war for independence. A son of Dr. John Porter, he was born February 9, 1833, in the historic town of old Duxbury, Plymouth county, Mass., a direct descendant of a family that emigrated from England in 1635 and settled in Hingham, Mass. His grandfather, Rev. Maciah Porter, a Congregational minister of note, served as chaplain in the Revolutionary war.

A native of Voluntown, Conn., John Porter was fitted for a professional career, and after his graduation from the medical department of Dart- mouth College, with the degree of M. D., settled in Duxbury, Mass., as a physician and surgeon. He purchased for a homestead a part of the old farm on which John and Priscilla Alden settled, when, after their marriage, they went up the creek to locate. He built up a large practice in Duxbury and adjoining towns, and by the suc- cessful removal of an abscess from the liver be- fore the discovery of anesthetics. established a fine reputation for skill and ability as a surgeon. He was the physician of Daniel Webster, whose

home was in the neighboring town of Marsh- field, and from him received many gifts, includ- ing among others of value a silver water pitcher, which is in the possession of his son's family. John Porter, M. D., married Ann Thomas, who was born in Marshfield, Mass., the daughter of John Thomas, a typical New England farmer. The emigrant ancestor of that branch of the Thomas family from which he sprang came to Massachusetts from England in colonial days and settled in Marshfield, where he had been given by the king of England grant to a large tract of land. This remained in the family until sold to Daniel Webster by John Thomas, Mrs. Porter's father, who reserved for himself a life interest in the estate, which was one of the most beautiful in Plymouth county. The Thomas family were people of importance in England, active in public life, some of them serving as Crown counselors. Dr. Porter and his wife were life-long resi- dents of the old Bay state. Their son John T. Porter came to California in 1851, becoming a prominent citizen of Watsonville, where he spent his last years, and for a number of terms was sheriff of Santa Cruz county.

The second child in a family of seven, only one of whom is now living, George K. Porter, was brought up and educated in Duxbury, at- tending the public schools and Partridge Sem- inary. A lad of unbounded energy and ambition, his enthusiasm was aroused by the wonderful stories concerning the discovery of gold in Cali- fornia, and he determined to try his luck in searching for the shining metal. Accordingly, on February 7, 1849, he sailed from Boston on the brig Acadian, and two days later celebrated on board that craft the sixteenth anniversary of his birth. Capt. Theodore Cunningham, who had command of the brig, was a skillful navigator, who safely conducted the vessel through the strait of Magellan, sixty-seven days being con- sumed in passing through one-half of this nar- row body of water, and but three days in the other half. After a voyage of two hundred and sixty-four days the youth arrived in San Fran- cisco, and the ensuing summer he spent at the mines. Although the country hereabout was then without government, the vast population, consisting of half-naked Indians, swarthy Span- ish-Americans, titled Spaniards, gigantic trap- pers, keen-eyed Yankees, and traders from all parts of the Union, toiled harmoniously with pickaxe and shovel, and he met with as much genuine politeness in the miner's camp as could be found in the refined and cultured homes of the far east.

Giving up mining, Mr. Porter was for two years engaged in farming in the Santa Clara val- ley, on Dry creek. Going from there to the Redwoods, above Saratoga, he was for awhile

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employed in the split lumber business in that lo- cality. Locating at Santa Cruz, he carried on teaming for a short time, after which he em- barked in the tanning business, establishing the second tannery ever operated in that part of the state. Enterprising and progressive, and pos- sessing excellent business tact and judgment, he ' was quite successful in his undertakings, and soon obtained a position of prominence among the leading men of the town and county. In 1860 he was elected to the state senate from Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, being the first Re- publican of that district to be so honored, and served on several important committees. In 1863, with his cousin, B. F. Porter, he obtained a con- tract with the state to employ convict labor, and then established the first wholesale boot and shoe manufactory in California, continuing their tan- nery in Santa Cruz. Mr. Porter contracted for one hundred convicts from the San Quentin prison, and many of these learned the trade, and after their liberation worked for him in San Francisco. In his dealings with these men he had excellent success, invariably finding them straightforward and trustworthy, readily re- sponding to his methods of discipline, and truly appreciating his kindness and generosity. He treated them with the utmost courtesy, and to their regular rations often added vegetables, fruit, fat mutton chops, or melons, which he bought by the wagon load during the season. He had a perfect system of book-keeping, and each man, when his task was completed, was allowed certain privileges, and on pay day re- ceived anything he asked for, providing none of the prison rules were broken. The men early learned to respect and esteem Mr. Porter, and never took undue advantage of him. The San Quentin plant being destroyed by fire in 1870, Mr. Porter and his partners moved their busi- ness to San Francisco, and established at the cor- ner of Sansom and Clay streets a large, modern. up-to-date factory, which was operated success- fully for many years. There, as in other places in which he has resided, Mr. Porter obtained a position of influence, and soon gained a wide rep- utation for honest, straightforward, business management. He became exceedingly popular in financial, social and political circles, and was very strongly talked of for mayor of the city.

Disposing of all of his San Francisco interests in 1896, Mr. Porter then devoted his time and attention to the care of his San Fernando ranch. which was formerly a part of the old Mission. and at the time that he bought it, upwards of thirty years ago, contained over one hundred thousand acres of land. The San Fernando Mis- sion was the richest in gold of all of the old mis- sions. the Placeritos cañon being especially rich, and was dug by the Indians, who were the slaves

of the superiors of the different missions, being hewers of wood and drawers of water for the churches, before Marshall's discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill. Reckoning the wealth of the mis- sions by their possession of cattle and sheep, San Gabriel Mission ranked first, San Jose second, and San Fernando, with fifty-four thousand head of cattle and sixty-five thousand head of sheep, held third place, but it had money, which the others oftentimes lacked, having at one time (in 1826) $90,000 in gold, which was dug from its soil, in the San Fernando mountains. In those old mission days the Indians had to have passports to go from one mission to another, and some of these papers Mr. Porter found in the adobe walls of the old mission. When Mr. Por- ter first visited this place, he was charmed by its beauty, and in riding over its hills and through its valleys, said of it. "It is certainly the Valley of the Cumberland."

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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 120

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