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 129

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

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Mr. Adams has been twice married, his first union being with Annie E. Hoyt, who was born in Indiana, and who died in Valley Center, in 1899. At her death she left three children. namely: B. S., who died in December, 1905; B. E., a resident of the valley and who married Annie B. Melhuish; and William H., of San Diego. Mr. Adams married for his second wife Mrs. L. J. Coffee. Mr. Adams is a man of strong convictions, independent in his opinions, and in politics is a believer in Socialism although for -. merly he was identified with the Republican party. He was for a number of terms deputy county clerk, and has the distinction of having served as the first postmaster of Valley Center. Mrs. Adams in her religious belief is a Presby- terian.

ALFRED E. JOHNSON, one of the well- known ranchers of Los Angeles county and form- erly a business man of Pasadena, is located in the vicinity of San Gabriel and engaged in the cultivation of a well-improved ranch. He has done much for the natural development of the resources of this section, has taken a keen in- terest in all matters looking toward the upbuild- ing of the community, and has won for himself a high position among the best citizens. Mr. Johnson came to California in 1878. He was born in Kosciusko county, Ind., February 3. 1857. a son of Henry and Rachel ( French ) John- son, both natives of Ohio, the former born August 19, 1832. The paternal grandfather. Zenas C. Johnson, was born in Vermont July 4, 1800, the representative of an old Pilgrim family. The first to bear the name in America was Isaac Johnson, a native of England, who immigrated to the colonies near the close of the eighteenth century. Zenas C. Johnson studied medicine in his native state and graduated in his chosen profession, after which he followed it for a time in Canada. In 1828 he returned to

the United States and in Port Clinton, Ohio, was located until his removal to Kosciusko county, Ind., where he served as a pioneer physician. His wife, Julietta, also passed her last days in Indiana. Henry Johnson was twice married, his first wife being Rachel French, a daughter of Aaron French and their marriage occurred March 13, 1856. They had six children, but only three are now living : Alfred E. ; Laura, wife of David Thomas, of Alhambra; and Mary, wife of Charles Smith, of Whittier. After the death of his wife in 1867 Mr. Johnson married, in 1869, Eliza Scott, a daughter of Jacob and Lydia (Lamson ) Scott, early settlers of Whitley coun- ty, Ind., and born of this union are six chil- dren, of whom ouly one survive, Erman. Mr. Johnson carried on farming on his farm of one hundred and ten acres until his death, which occurred in 1894, which removed from the com- munity a man of ability and enterprise, foremost in all movements looking toward the upbuilding of the community, and prominent in the Masonic organization and the Republican party.

Alfred E. Johnson received his education in the public schools of Kosciusko county and re- mained at home until attaining his majority, when he came to California. Upon coming to California in 1878 he located in Los Angeles county, where he worked out on farms until 1883, when he engaged in independent opera- tions, leasing land near Boyle Heights upon which he raised grain. In the fall of 1886 he went to Pasadena and established a hay, wood and feed business, which was conducted success- fully for six years under the firm name of Johnson & Ford. Mr. Johnson then returned to agricultural pursuits, leasing five hundred acres of land which he devoted to grain and alfalfa. In the meantime he had leased the busi- ness property in Pasadena, and in 1895 he re- turned to that place and again took up that work. He eventually sold out on account of his health and returned to farming, purchasing his present ranch, which consists of five acres in the home place and forty acres of wet land, the former in orchard and the latter in walnuts. He put up all the improvements on the place, erect- ing residence. barns and other necessary build- ings.

In the fall of 1884 Mr. Johnson was united in marriage with Miss Celia Pollard, a native of California and a daughter of E. Pollard, a native of England and an early settler of this state. Born of this union are the following children : Henry A., Frank L., Jennie K., William P., Richard deccased. Jessie C., Charles O. and Rachel. In fraternal relations Mr. Johnson is a member of Pasadena Lodge No. 272, F. & A. M. Politically he is a Republican and stanch in his endorsement of the principles of this

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party. He takes a keen interest in all educational matters and is now serving as director of the Garvatia school district. He is a man and citi- zen who can always be counted upon to be on the right side of a question, regardless of party interests.

FRED NEWTON BEST. Not alone as a successful orchardist and farmer is Fred New- ton Best known in Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties, but as one of the progressive and enterprising citizens as well, whose best ef- forts are given wherever possible toward the up- building and development of Southern Califor- nia. Mr. Best has the advantage of being a native son of the state, for that presupposes the pioneer characteristics of his parents, his father, Newton W., a native of Nova Scotia, having come to California in 1868 by way of Cape Horn. The following year he was joined by his wife and two sons, she being in maidenhood Annie C. Holmes, a native of Nova Scotia. He located in San Benito county, where he was one of the first settlers and engaged in farming. Later he went to Guadaloupe, Santa Barbara county, thence to La Graciosa, Santa Maria valley. In 1877 he purchased a ranch in the vicinity of Santa Ana (then in Los Angeles, now in Orange county) and made that place his home until 1884, when he located three miles west of Beaumont, pur- chasing a ranch and following farming until 1898. In that year he located in Redlands, where he is now living retired at the age of sixty-nine years. His wife is also living. They became the parents of nine children, of whom Fred New- ton Best is the third in order of birth.

Born in San Benito county, Cal., March 12, 1870, Fred N. Best was reared in Southern Cal- ifornia and educated in the public schools in the various places in which his parents made their home. He was early trained to the practical duties of a farmer's son, which included the driv- ing of from two to ten teams of horses. He was married in Beaumont, October 14, 1890, to Miss Eva M. Elder, a native of Illinois, after which he engaged in independent operations as a rancher. He leased eight hundred acres of land eight miles north of Beaumont, where he set out eighty-four acres in apples, pears and cherries, and there engaged in farming and stock-raising for ten years. He became the owner of forty-two acres of orchard and two hundred acres of timber and pasture lands, where he built a residence and made other improvements. This remained the family home until 1900, when he went to Redlands because of his wife's health, and there engaged in teaming and the carpenter's trade for three years. In 1902 he traded his orchard for the old home ranch at Beaumont, San Gor-

gonia, consisting of four hundred and eighty acres devoted to general farming and the raising of stock. After one year he came to Newport Beach and engaged at the trade of carpenter and also in fishing. He erected one of the finest res- idences in this place, but disposed of this in 1905 and moved to Redlands, then to Beaumont in 1906. In March of 1907 he located in Newport Beach permanently, owning a fine residence property. He also owns residence and business property in Redlands. Fraternally he is a mem- ber of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Fraternal Brotherhood. Politically he is a stanch advocate of Prohibition principles.

To Mr. and Mrs. Best have been born the fol- lowing children: Glenn, Hazel (who died at the age of two months), Ross, Willard, Warren Leonard (who died at the age of five months) and Eva.

MARTIN JOSEPH GOLDEN. One of the successful early settlers of Southern California is Martin Joseph Golden of Los Angeles, who was born in Roscommon, Ireland, November 7, 1832. His parents, Patrick and Mary (Graham) Golden, were both natives of Ireland and im- migrated to this country in the early days, first locating at Clinton, Mass., and later removing to Wyoming county, N. Y., where they died. They were the parents of five sons and two daughters. The early education of M. J. Golden was received in the common schools of Massa- chusetts and New York, and when sixteen years of age he went to work in a nursery where he acquired a thorough knowledge of the business. In 1862 he went to Colorado and then to Mon- tana, where he met with considerable success in the mining and prospecting enterprises in which he engaged until 1866. He then came to Los Angeles, the overland trip through Utah and across the mountains being an uneventful one. Upon his arrival here he secured a school at Santa Ana, teaching Spanish for one year, and following this located on a ranch, which he bought from a Spaniard, and engaged in farming. He remained on this place until recently, when he retired from active work and disposed of the ranch for $170,000.

Mr. Golden was married to Miss Katherine McElroy, a native of county Antrim, Ireland, and they are the parents of six children, all of whom are now living under the parental roof. They are: Mary Elizabeth, James, Winifred M., Hugh P., Agnes K. and Margaret T. The en- tire family belongs to the Roman Catholic Church. Mr. Golden is a well informed man and in poli- tics is independent, giving his vote to the men whom he believes will most honestly and effi- ciently perform their duties.

JAKillian

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

JONAS S. KILLIAN. Southern California owes much to such men as Mr. Killian, whose strongest efforts have been for the upbuilding and development of the country ever since his settlement here in 1887. He installed the first pumping plant of the section, the first gas engine and centrifugal pump outside of Los Angeles, and by costly experiments demon- strated the feasibility of pumping water for irrigation. He has been a large upbuilder of the country, and is now the proprietor of three hundred and twenty acres of walnut orchard. He is liberal and hospitable, numbers his friends widely throughout the country, and is justly entitled to the high position he holds among the representative citizens of this sec- tion.

Mr. Killian was born in Pickens county, Ga., near Jasper, June 3, 1856, the seventh in a family of ten children, of whom nine at- tained maturity and six are now living. His father, Lawson A. Killian, was born in South Carolina, and was a miner in Dahlonega, Ga., and afterward engaged in building and farm- ing. In 1887 he came to California and passed his last days in Monrovia. His wife, former- ly Martha Bedford, was also born in South Carolina and died in Monrovia. One son, George, was killed in the Civil war. Jonas Scott Killian was reared in Georgia and re- ceived his education in the public schools and Sonora Academy in Gordon county. In the fall of 1878 he went to San Marcos, Hays county, Tex., and engaged in farming, and later established a mercantile enterprise in this place. In October, 1887, he came to Cali- fornia, locating first in Monrovia and shortly afterward going to El Monte, where he en- gaged in general farming and horticulture. In the meantime he purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land which he began to cultivate as a grain farm. He instituted im- provements immediately and one of his first plans was to put in a pumping plant that would furnish water for irrigation. He drilled a well one hundred and sixty feet deep, after which he installed a gas engine, and after a thorough demonstration of the value of the enterprise, he put down other wells, and put in more engines, until he now owns five com- bined wells which yield five hundred inches of water, and four engines for pumping. His three hundred and twenty acre ranch is lo- cated a mile and half northeast of El Monte and a half mile from the Pacific Electric line. Of this property he has devoted two hundred and forty acres to the cultivation of soft shell walnuts, all of which are now in bearing, this being the largest individual walnut grove in

the world. The rest of the ranch is in gum trees, pasture and alfalfa.

The marriage of Mr. Killian occurred in Gordon county, Ga., November 29, 1881, and united him with Miss Lucy White, a native of Madison county, Ga. Her grandfather, Stephen S. White, was a native of Kentucky, who removed to Georgia and engaged as a planter, and there, in Madison county, her father, William White, was born. He also engaged as a planter in Gordon county until his death. Her mother was Malinda Strick- land, also a native of Georgia, where her death occurred. Of the six children born of this union all are living. Mrs. Killian being next to the youngest. Mr. and Mrs. Killian are the parents of four children, namely : Jonas Edwin, attending the University of Southern California, class of 1907; Ernest Waldo, at- tending the same institution, class of 1909; and Howard Scott and Oliver Clay, students in the El Monte school.

Mr. Killian was made a Mason in Sonora Lodge, of Caldwell, Tex .. and now belongs to Lexington Lodge No. 104, F. & A. M., of El Monte, while both himself and wife are identified with the Order of Eastern Star at Pasadena. He also belongs to the Woodmen of the World, the Ancient Order of United Workmen and Modern Brotherhood. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, of Duarte, and liberally supports all of its charities. He was prominent in the or- ganization of the Mountain View Walnut Growers' Association, and served on its first board of directors. In his political convic- tions he adheres to the tenets of the Demo- cratic party. As a citizen he enjoys a high place among the representative men of this section, esteemed for his personal qualities as demonstrated during his long career as a hor- ticulturist of Los Angeles county.

ALEXANDER CAMPBELL SMITHER. The oldest pastorate of Los Angeles is that of the above named minister, one of the most popular and highly esteemed men of Southern California, where he has been a most important factor in the upbuilding and advancement of his denomination. As his name would indicate he comes of a family identified with the earliest movements of the religious doctrine advocated by Alexander Campbell. one of the most coura- geous pioneers in theological fields. His parents, L. N. and Keziah (Curry) Smither, were both natives of Kentucky, where the father engaged for many years as a successful and prosperous farmer. He is still a resident of his n-''ve state

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but is now retired from the active cares of life. The mother died some years since.

Born June 10, 1865, A. C. Smither is also a native of the Blue Grass state, where upon his father's farm he was reared to young manhood. The early days of his life were spent much as those of any other farmer lad, home duties al- ternating with an attendance at a subscription school, where he obtained his rudimentary know- ledge. Gifted with more ability, however, than the average youth, he was not satisfied with a foundation for knowledge but early decided to devote his life to the highest calling and in the most earnest spirit of effort and conscious de- sire sought to prepare himself fully and com- pletely for the work. In 1882 he matriculated in Kentucky University, Lexington, Ky., from which institution he was graduated with honors in 1886. Later he began to preach the Gospel in the states of Kentucky and Tennessee and although he met with the success which is char- acteristic of all his efforts he was not content to take up the work permanently without fur- ther study. Accordingly he became a student in Butler University, near Indianapolis, Ind., and devoted the ensuing two years to theology, grad- uating therefrom in 1890. In the same year he accepted a call to the First Christian Church of Los Angeles, and has ever since remained in this pastorate. The changes which the years have brought are indicative of the spirit of progress which has distinguished the Disciples in South- ern California. The church building at that time was an Temple street and was known as the Temple Street Christian Church; the congre- gation was small and its influence was scarcely felt even in its immediate neighborhood. Under the leadership and masterly mind of Rev. Mr. Smither the First Christian Church was evolved. the congregation moving in 1894 to the corner of Hope and Eleventh streets, occupying the Sun- day-school room, which was the first part of the new building erected. In 1897 the auditorium was completed, its seating capacity being eight hundred, while that of the entire building is fourteen hundred, a value of $50,000 being placed upon the property to-day. From the modest beginning of the old Temple Street Christian Church has grown up the most ex- tensive and influential church of its denomination on the Pacific coast. During Mr. Smither's pastorate eighteen hundred persons have been added to the congregation, the present mem- bership being nine hundred, and in this time this church has been instrumental in organizing num- erous churches, among them the East Eighth Street Church, the Central Church, the Magno- lia Avenue Church, the Highland Park Church, besides giving largely of membership and money to organize others. Mr. Smither holds an un-

excelled position among the ministers of his denomination, honored alike for the qualities of leadership which have ever distinguished his career, and for the spirit of earnestness and de- votion which has impelled him to a useful ac- tivity. He is an ardent and enthusiastic worker and has given to every department of the church an impetus which has brought about most satis- factory progress.

Significant of the high place he holds among the citizens of Southern California was his ap- pointment to the position of president of the Board of Trustees of Berkeley Bible Seminary,. at Berkeley, Cal., which position he holds at the present writing, ably discharging the duties in- cumbent upon him. He has three times declined the honor of being made a member of the national convention, but has served as president of the Southern California mission convention for five years. Through his various articles contributed to eastern religious papers he is well known throughout the entire country and readily ac- corded a place among the men who are advanc- ing the cause of the Disciples of Christ. His in- fluence is unusually wide in his home city and in religious circles of Southern California.

The marriage of Mr. Smither occurred in Los Angeles, July 29, 1891, and united him with Miss Gertrude Clough, a native of Massachusetts, though reared and educated in California. She is a daughter of Frank S. Clough, the descend- ant of an old New England family. Educated and accomplished, Mrs. Smither has brought to bear in her duties as the wife of a minister abili- ty and culture which have made her peculiarly successful in all the work she has undertaken. She has many friends in and out of the church, who appreciate her for her sterling traits of character. Mr. and Mrs. Smither are the parents of one son. Chester Campbell Smither, now a student in the public schools of Los Angeles.

THOMAS JEFFREYS WILLIAMS. The ranks of the veterans of civilization on the Pa- cific coast are fast thinning, and comparatively few respond to the roll call of those whose ef- forts have spanned and survived this distinc- tive epoch in American history. The frontier and its accompaniments have been pushed beyond the rim of the ocean, and two kinds of men stand out from the background of its nev- er-recurring opportunities-that part of the rude and shifting population which took only a gambler's interest in the country, and those who tarried in the wake of excitement and un- certainty and participated in the ordinary and more stable industries which bring prosperity and lasting growth. To the latter class be- longs T. J. Williams, a pioneer of both Cali-

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fornia and Arizona, a man of many experiences and the owner of the largest apricot orchard in Santa Barbara county.

Mr. Williams was born in Luzerne county, June 16, 1835, and on the paternal side comes of several generations of iron workers. His father, Samuel Williams, native of England, kept the family occupation unbroken, and dur- ing his entire active life engaged in the foun- dry business. In his native land he married Eliza Evans, with whom he immigrated to America in 1824, settling in Pennsylvania, where his death occurred at the age of sixty- eight years. He was a Baptist in religion, and in politics a Whig, and one of his five children donned the blue of the Union during the Civil war. His wife lived to be forty-five years old. Thomas Jeffreys Williams, after a compara- tively brief attendance at the schools of Lu- zerne and Schuylkill counties, Pa., learned the machinist and foundry business from a rela- tive, thus insuring himself a career of never failing usefulness. In the emergency of se- lecting a desirable future field, his judgment

and foresight sanctioned the region beyond the Rockies, where, in any emergency, his trade would lift him above the number destined to succeed or fail in the quest for gold.

Leaving Philadelphia October 5. 1853, Mr. Williams came to San Francisco by way of Panama, and after a brief experience as a miner established a foundry business in Ne- vada City, Nevada county, during January, 1856. His was the first foundry above tide water in California, and he continued to oper- ate it until removing to San Francisco during the first year of the Civil war. Here he oper- ated in mining stocks as a member of the first board of mining brokers in the state, and in March, 1862, moved to the promising territory of Arizona. For a time he was superintendent of the Lieutenant Mowry mines, and later prospected throughout Arizona and Mexico, re- turning to Los Angeles, Cal., by way of Fort Yuma and the Colorado desert, in 1864. In Kern county, his next home, he was superin- tendent of mines for a Boston firm, of which Col. A. A. Rand was manager and proprietor, and while thus employed served as clerk of Kern county on the Democratic ticket from 1872 until his resignation, which occurred when the county seat was removed from Ha- vilah to Bakersfield.

Returning to San Francisco, Mr. Williams was appointed wharfinger for the state of Cali- fornia by Governor Irwin, and later was en- gaged to establish a lumber business along the narrow-gauge railroad in San Luis Obispo county for Goodall, Perkins & Co., steamship owners. It was at this time that he purchased

the ranch a mile east of Santa Maria, which, since 1890, has been his permanent home. Af- ter varied wanderings and as varied experi- ences he finds both profit and recreation in the supervision of his fine apricot orchard, the av- erage yield of which is five to eight hundred pounds an acre. His home is charming in its simplicity, and ideal in its comfort and hos- pitality. The facilities for a large fruit in- dustry are modern and adequate, and include a large drying house and packing shed.

In San Francisco, in 1866, Mr. Williams was united in marriage to Mary A. Kemp, who was born and reared in Melbourne, Australia, and of their marriage three children were born: Samuel; Mary E., of San Francisco; and Ed- vin R. Mrs. Williams died July 22, 1872, at the age of twenty-eight, and in 1873 Mr. Will- iams married Eliza Hurlburt, a native of Mid- dlebury, Addison county, Vt. Association with all kinds and conditions of people has de- veloped in Mr. Williams a rare spirit of kindli- ness and good-fellowship, qualities thoroughly appreciated by his friends, and he is known and honored for his practical services. Fra- ternally he is a member of the lodge, chapter and commandery of Masonry.

CAPT. JOHN D. FREDERICKS. That for many generations past the bar has attracted vast numbers of the foremost men of the age is a fact well attested by history, and that from its rank have stepped forth some of the most illustrious statesmen and leaders of nations no one doubts. At all periods since law became reduced to a science its expounders have taken a prominent place in the affairs of their day, and their in- . fluence often has survived them for generations. In passing in review the members of the Los Angeles bar the name of Capt. John D. Fred- ericks shines forth with the brilliancy of the pos- sessor's genius, and the following facts in rela- tion to him will doubtless prove of interest to his hosts of friends here and elsewhere.

A native of Pennsylvania, John D. Fredericks was born in Burgettstown, September 10, 1869, a representative of a sturdy family of that state. His father, the Rev. J. F. Fredericks, was a Presbyterian minister, to which calling he de- voted his entire life. He was a man of many pleasing qualities and became much beloved by the people to whom he ministered, holding one pastorate all his life. His death occurred in 1886, when well along in years. His wife was for- merly Mary Patterson, also a native of Burgetts- town. John D. Fredericks was one of a family of four children, all of whom were reared to young manhood and womanhood in Burgettstown. He

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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 129

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