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 146

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

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Stanch in his allegiance to the Republican party, Mr. Witman has been an active worker in the same ever since he came to Ventura county and at one time served on the county central committee. His activity and efficiency in politics were recognized by his appointment as postmaster at Oxnard, in July, 1900, under the administration of President Mckinley, and he was re-appointed during the Roose- velt administration. As postmaster he has proved faithful to every duty, prompt and en- ergetic, sagacious and resourceful, and under his supervision the town office and the two rural routes are giving entire satisfaction to the people. Since coming to Oxnard he has served as clerk of the board of trustees of the Oxnard Union high school, and has accom- plished much toward making this institution one of the most thorough of its kind in the entire coast country.

After coming to Oxnard Mr. Witman erect- ed on C street the residence he now occupies, the cozy home being presided over by Mrs. Witman, formerly Emma C. Mudge, a na- tive of Philadelphia, but reared and married in West Virginia. They are the parents of five children, namely : Roy B., who is engaged as teller in the bank of A. Levy; Mary M., Ellen B., Henry William, Jr., and Daniel Phil- lip. In religious connections Mrs. Witman is identified with the Episcopal Church and the other members of the family are in sympathy with the work of that denomination. The Citi- zens' Club of Oxnard numbers Mr. Witman among its members, as does the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks at Santa Barbara. His association with Masonry dates back to the year 1883, when he was made a Mason in the blue lodge at Volcano, Wood county, W. Va., and later became identified with the lodge at Hueneme, afterward becoming a charter member of Oxnard Lodge No. 341, F. & A. M., of which he is past master .. Be- sides being active in the lodge, he affiliates with the Oxnard Chapter, R. A. M., the Ven- tura Commandery, K. T., and Al Malaikah Temple, N. M. S., and is quick to respond to appeals for aid from the fraternity in behalf

of those of its members who are in need or suffering. Among the citizens of Oxnard he ranks as a capable business man, leading Re- publican, efficient office-holder and compan- ionable friend, and his substantial qualities of head and heart have given him a permanent place in the esteem of the people.

CHARLES RUSSELL PAINE. In Crafton Charles R. Paine is engaged as a horticulturist and has made a brilliant success of the work through the application of intelligent and pains- taking effort. He is well known in this section and held in high appreciation for the part he has taken in its upbuilding and development, edu- cational interests having found him a most earn- est and helpful advocate. He is the representa- tive of an old and prominent family of Massa- chusetts, his birth having occurred in Barnstable in 1839; his father, John, was born in Maine, the descendant of an English emigrant who lo- cated in Cape Cod. In young manhood he lo- cated in Barnstable, Mass., and engaged as a saddler and harness maker, his death occurring in that section in 1850. His wife, formerly Lucy Ann Crowell, was a native of West Yarmouth, Mass., a daughter of Esquire Crowell, engaged in the East Indian trade and one of the prom- inent business men of that state. She also passed away in Massachusetts, leaving a family of seven children.

Charles Russell Paine was the eldest in the large family of children born to his parents. He received a preliminary education in the common schools of his native state and began the study of classics under the instruction of Albert K. Smiley, at Vasselboro, Me., and when the Smileys took charge of the Friends' Boarding School at Providence, R. I., he was asked to come with them as a teacher. He accepted the position and the following two years he was thus occupied, when he entered Amherst College, graduating therefrom with the degree of A. B. in 1866. In the same year he went to Ohio and began educational work in Dayton, and later acted as principal in the schools of Muncie, Ind., in which section he first met the lady who after- ward became his wife. He then went to Co- lumbus, Ohio, and became principal of the high school, and while in that city he became in- terested in California and decided to go west and engage in horticulture.

Accordingly in 1870 he came to San Francisco by the Union Pacific Railroad the year following its completion, and while en route by steamer to San Diego he met D. C. Twogood, of Riverside, who at once interested him in that city, then known as Newtown. He came at once to, that part of Southern California and after thoroughly

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investigating the country decided to invest in land, and also had his household goods stopped at San Pedro and thence brought to Riverside county. The country was entirely new, the hardships incident to a primitive civilization were the larger part of the life, and conditions such as to bring out the most dominant characteristics of the settlers. Mr. Paine set out a raisin and grape vineyard as a business project and a small deciduous orchard, but met with an endless amount of trouble for the first few years from grasshoppers and lack of water and cattle de- predations. He sold his place in 1874 and com- ing to San Bernardino established a private school known as Paine's Academy, and because of the magnificent success with which he met, he was elected principal of the San Bernardino schools. He held this position for several years and was then elected county superintendent of schools, of San Bernardino county, which sec- tion then embraced the greater part of Riverside county. He continued teaching in San Ber- nardino county and finally purchased a ranch of one hundred and six acres at Crafton, this being a portion of the old Carpenter ranch, where his father-in-law had first bought. Of this property fourteen acres were in Mission grapes, and after locating on the place in the spring of 1877 he set out an orange orchard of seedlings. This ranch had most valuable water rights, in the days of the first occupation of the country by the suc- cessors of the old Mission fathers, a connection having been made about 1820 between Mill creek and the natural water course at the foot of the northern slopes of Crafton and Redland Heights, thus forming the Mill creek zanja. Mr. Paine now holds eighty-eight acres, of which eighty acres are in oranges, while he has also conducted a nursery for his own orchard plantings. In 1906 he built a handsome residence in mission style and calls his beautiful home Alderbrook. He was one of the organizers and has always been an officer of the Crafton Water Company, which supplies Crafton, East Redlands, Redlands Heights and Smiley Heights, in connection with the Bear Valley Water Company, which sup- plies water by means of the Greenspot pipe line. Mr. Paine takes the keenest interest in the hor- ticultural success of the country, being one of the original members of the Redlands Orange Growers' Association, which operates a packing house in Redlands and a branch house in Craf- ton, serving now as director and was its first president.

In Muncie, Ind., in 1868, Mr. Paine was united in marriage with Miss Mary Elizabeth Craig, a native of Ohio, and a daughter of Dr. William Craig, also a pioneer of Riverside and Redlands. She received her education in the schools of Indiana, completing the course in the

high school. Mr. and Mrs. Paine are the parents of eight children, who have benefited by the best educational advantages the country affords. Mr. Paine assisted in the establishment of the high school district, and served on its first board of trustees as president. In religion he is a mem- ber of the First Presbyterian Church of Red- lands ; politically he casts his ballot for Repub- lican principles. Mr. Paine has witnessed the- great growth of Southern California and ably participated in its development. When he first. came to this section there were no advantages possible, only the hardships and privations in- cident to pioneer life. He bravely faced the dis- advantages, helped to upbuild the country as it is now known to the visitor, and is enjoying the- evening of his days in the quietude and com- petence won by his earlier years of effort. He is highly esteemed wherever known, and held in truest appreciation for his qualities of citizen- ship.

J. R. THURMOND is a son of Thomas J. and Sarah (Franklin) Thurmond, natives of North Carolina, who moved to Tennessee while still young, reared their family of seven children and there spent their last days, each having at- tained the age of forty-five years. Two of the sons of this family were killed in the Civil war while fighting in the Confederate cause, and two sons now reside in California, G. E. and J. R., the latter the subject of this sketch. He was born January 15, 1848, in Tennessee, there re- ceiving a common school education. As a result of the Civil war he was compelled to assist in the support of that portion of the family which remained at home, his father having died before the opening of hostilities and his older brothers offering themselves in the service of the cause which they believed to be right. He clerked in a store for about four years at Lagrange, Tenn., and when the war was over and he was at liberty to devote himself to acquiring his own independ- ence he decided to come to California and in 1869 arrived at Carpinteria, in the vicinity of which he has ever since resided. By the exercise of careful business methods he has been enabled to acquire much valuable property and is now con- . sidered one of the successful men in the county, where he has many friends who esteem him highly. Ambitious and energetic he has made his home ranch one of the best improved and most attractive of this section, cultivating one of' the finest walnut groves in the vicinity. Other orchard fruits in bearing enhance further the value of this particular forty acres. This is only one of his many tracts of land, others heing fifty acres of fine bean land near Serena, Marin county, a sixty-acre tract of pasture land

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and seven acres fronting on the beach; another piece with fifteen hundred feet of beach frontage ; and one of twenty acres a mile west of Serena wharf also bordering on the beach. Of mountain land with oil prospects he has nine hundred acres, all of it well watered and timbered, and a splendid tract in Riverside county comprises one hundred and sixty acres and has on it three artesian wells; in Cuyama his holdings consists of eighty acres of fine bottom land.

In 1870 Mr. Thurmond was married to Miss Lua R. Dickinson of Tennessee, whose sisters married members of the noted Gwyn family. Of the seven children born to them all except Thomas are now living and are filling important positions or are still in school preparing them- selves to occupy places to which their own tal- ents and the family's prominence justly entitle them: Frank married Miss Alice Sprague and has a home in Carpinteria valley ; Thomas, who married Cora Robinson, a native of Mis- souri, was accidentally killed in 1905; Julia is a teacher; Edna is the wife of R. M. Clark, a prominent attorney of Ventura, and the mother of one child; William lives in Chowchilla, where he owns one hundred and sixty acres of fine land ; Blanche is a graduate of the Ventura high school, class of 1906: Hugh is a student of the Ventura high school.

In political matters Mr. Thurmond is an in- dependent voter and thinker who believes that strict adherence to party lines does not secure to the public the best men for its servants. He is a public spirited man, has always been active in forwarding measures which tend to the upbuild- ing and advancement of his community, and holds the highest esteem of his fellow citizens.

GEORGE M. CLARK, a rancher located in the vicinity of Norwalk, Los Angeles county, was born in Cooper county, Mo., December 27, 1853, a son of Jesse M. and Nancy J. (Fray) Clark, natives respectively of Kentucky and Virginia. They were the parents of ten chil- dren, of whom two died in infancy, those re- maining being as follows: W. T., a rancher of Orange county ; Lucy F., now Mrs. Belvel, of San Francisco; John S., of Los Angeles; George M., of this review ; Robert E., in charge of the peat baths in Orange county ; Charles E., engaged in the manufacture of mattresses in Los Angeles; Annie L., the wife of J. A. Wooley, of Monterey county ; and Mattie P., a teacher in Los Angeles. The parents were married in Missouri, where the father was ex- tensively engaged in farming. In later life they came to California, where both passed away, the father at the age of sixty years, and the mother when seventy-two years old.

The early education of Mr. Clark was re- ceived in Missouri, where he remained until at- taining manhood. In 1873 he came to Califor- nia, and in Yuba, Sutter county, attended the high school for a time. After the close of his schooldays he worked in a general merchandise establishment for one year, and then went to Santa Rosa and for two years attended the Pa- cific Methodist College at that place. He then returned home (his parents in the meantime having located in California) and with his elder brother farmed the three hundred and twenty acres owned by his father, besides leasing four hundred acres more and devoting it to wheat and harley. In 1878 the family came to Azusa, Los Angeles county, where the father and sons invested a large sum of money in a company, buying about thirteen thousand acres of land. They remained here about two years, when, on account of a misunderstanding, the company gave up the claim. After his marriage Mr. Clark leased a ranch in this vicinity for two years and then purchased his present ranch, consisting of sixty acres, which with the excep- tion of ten acres in table grapes, is devoted to alfalfa and sweet potatoes. He is also interest- cd in a dairy, which is supplied by ten cows, although he has had as many as twenty milch cows.

January 9. 1881, Mr. Clark was united in marriage with Miss Nannie Elliott, a native of Texas, whose parents died when she was a small child. Her death occurred November 1, 190I, at the age of forty-two years. They were the parents of six children, namely : Mary S .; Alma L., attending the University of Califor- nia at Berkeley : Jessie H .; Annie E., a student in the Covina high school : Paul- E .; and Carrie. Mr. Clark is a member of the Fraternal Aid, and politically is a stanch advocate of Prohi- bition principles. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, to which his wife also belonged.

B. L. FORTNEY. While many of the ranches of San Luis Obispo county cover a large acreage, there are not wanting in the pretty valleys a number of small farms adapted to the raising of fruit and vegetables and these places, if wisely managed, are no less profitable than the larger estates. Such a homestead is owned and oc- cupied by B. L. Fortney and consists of fifteen and one-half acres in the vicinity of Arroyo Grande. With the exception of the ground taken by the residence and lawns, the land is devoted to market garden and fruit purposes. As an instance of the success he is meeting with in his undertaking it may be stated that during the

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year 1905 he shipped to Los Angeles thirteen car loads of apples that were produced in the Arroyo Grande valley. He makes a specialty of strawberries, Logan berries and blackberries, all of which are of such fine quality as to command an excellent price in the city markets.

Born in Grant county, Wis., October 4, 1860, B. L. Fortney is one of the five children form- ing the family of John and Theresa (Altizer) Fortney, natives of Pennsylvania, but reared and married in Wisconsin. After having engaged in general farming and stock-raising in Wisconsin for a number of years in 1874 the father brought his family to California and settled in San Luis Obispo county, where he died at the age of forty- six years. He was long survived by his wife, who lived to be seventy years of age. Both were earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and aided in the upbuilding of that de- nomination in their home county. When the family came to the West B. L. was a boy of four- teen years, the recipient previously of common- school advantages which he supplemented later by habits of close observation and thoughtful reading. After one year in San Joaquin county he came to San Luis Obispo county and later became interested in the mercantile business at Estrella, where he remained until he lost his store by fire in 1900. Afterward he removed to the valley near Arroyo Grande and rented a tract of farm land, but later purchased the valuable little tract he now cultivates.

The family of Mr. Fortney consists of three children, Dora, Josie, and William, born of his marriage in 1886 to Miss Ettie Teachout, a native of Illinois. The older daughter, Dora, possesses musical talent and has been given ex- ceptional advantages in the art, which she studied under private instruction and also in the University of Southern California. While voting the Republican ticket in national elections Mr. Fortney has not allied himself with any party in local matters, but prefers to support the best man irrespective of party ties. Frater- nally he has been actively identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Arroyo Grande and at San Obispo, also has been warmly interested in the Modern Woodmen of America, belonging to the camp at San Luis Obispo. With his wife he has membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which faith he was reared by his parents in childhood and to which de- nomination he ever has been a liberal contributor, aiding its philanthropic work and missionary en- terprises to the extent of his ability.

JAMES TWEEDY. There are few people now living in the vicinity of Compton whose identification with this locality antedates that of Mr. Tweedy, a pioneer of 1852, and the

owner of a valuable ranch near town. In com- pany with his parents he came to Southern California in 1852 and first settled on the El Monte rancho and later on the old Lugo ranch near Compton, his father having purchased the two thousand acres comprising the estate, and in the cultivation of the property he bore a large share of the responsibilities. On the death of his father he inherited two hundred and thirty-four acres of the homestead, and here he has a neat house, substantial outbuild- ings, and all the facilities necessary for one making a specialty of raising cattle and hogs.

The Tweedy family is of colonial lineage. Robert, father of James Tweedy, was born in Missouri, November 18, 1812, and at an early age removed to Arkansas, where in 1836 he married Mary Elizabeth Holyfield, who was born in South Carolina May 26, 1820, and is still living, enjoying fair health for one so ad- vanced in years. While they were living in Arkansas their son, James, was born February I, 1844. In 1852 the family sought a new home in the far west. In making the trip they followed the southern overland route and used oxen to draw their wagon. For a year they re- mained at El Monte, Cal., thence removed to San Francisco, and later spent six months at Visalia, Tulare county, but eventually re- turned to El Monte. and in 1862 came to the ranch in Los Angeles county that remains in the family to the present day.

After having remained at the old homestead until he was forty-five years of age, James Tweedy thereupon set up domestic ties, being united in marriage with Mrs. Laura (Prater) Tweedy, the widow of one of his brothers. The Prater family is of German extraction, and John B. Prater, father of Mrs. Tweedy, was born and reared in Tennessee, whence he im- migrated to California in young manhood, about 1854, settling in the northern part of the state. Both he and his wife were sincere members of the Christian Church. Of their eight children all but two are still living, and the six survivors make California their home. In religious affiliations Mrs. Tweedy holds membership in the Baptist Church, to the work of which she is a contributor. By her former marriage she had three children, name- ly : Fay W., who is married and resides in this locality: Inez M., who married J. P. Carse ; and Mabel, who died at the age of three years and nine months. To the union of James Tweedy and wife there were born four daugh- ters, of whom Delillah J. and Marie E. sur- vive. Mildred B. died at the age of three years and nine months. and Alice May was tak- en by death at the age of seventeen months. When at leisure from the cares of his ranch

William DNations

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Mr. Tweedy finds recreation in the society of his family and the perusal of current literature which enables him to keep in touch with the world of modern thought. In fraternal organ- izations he takes no part whatever, and the only part which he takes in politics is in the casting of a Democratic ticket at all elections.

WILLIAM DAVIS WATKINS. The ear- ly history of the Watkins family is associated with the little country of Wales, where Thom- as Watkins was born and reared, and where he married Mary Davis, like himself a de- scendant of Welsh forefathers. Later he crossed the channel to France, but soon re- turned to Wales by way of England, and in 1846 crossed the Atlantic to the United States, settling at Youngstown, Ohio, and securing employment as a miner and later as foreman of mines. Removing to Iowa in 1857, he settled at Albia, Monroe county, where he soon ac- quired various interests. For some time he was foreman of mines in Iowa. During the last twenty years of his life he lived in retire- ment and at eighty-seven years he died at Al- bia in August of 1902. His wife had passed away in the same city twelve years prior to his demise.

In a family comprising eight sons and three daughters William Davis Watkins was fourth in order of birth, and was born at Youngs- town, Ohio, September 12, 1850, during the residence of his parents in that place. In 1857 he accompanied his parents to Iowa and there received common-school advantages. After having worked in coal mines for a time, in 1872 he went to Colorado and began prospect- ing and mining at Sunshine and Gold Hill. In the spring of 1877 he became interested in mining in the Black Hills and engaged in freighting to those mines from the Missouri river. For seven years he was employed as wagon master for Pratt and Ferris in freight- ing to government posts and the mines of the Black Hills.

During 1884, at O'Neill, Holt county, Neb., Mr. Watkins married Elizabeth Hayes, who was born near Dubuque, Iowa, of Irish de- scent. Her parents were pioneer settlers of Iowa and Nebraska. After his marriage Mr. Watkins settled in Cheyenne county, Neb., and became interested in the stock industry, raising cattle, sheep and horses, and operating four thousand acres of land, besides which he had large tracts of government land for range. At one time he had two thousand head of cat- tle and four hundred head of horses on the ranch. While the business proved profitable, it demanded exposure to much inclement

weather and entailed constant labor and mani- fold annoyances, hence he finally resolved to dispose of his stock and landed interests and seek a more favorable climate. In this way he was led to establish his home in California, where since May, 1900, he has resided in Long Beach and has been interested in the buying and selling of real estate. Since coming here he has laid out the Watkins tract of twelve acres on the corner of Tenth and Alamitos streets, and at this writing owns the Bruns- wick pool hall. In politics he always votes the Republican ticket. Fraternally he holds mem- bership with the Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica and Long Beach Lodge No. 888, B. P. O. E. In his family there were six children, but one son, Willie, died at eleven years. Those now living are Mamie, Bessie, Frederick, Madge and Eva, all of whom are at home.

JOSEPH C. STONE. America was a favor- ite place of refuge for the Huguenots when they were compelled to flee from France by the revo- cation of the Edict of Nantes. Among the num- ber that sought the freedom of this country was John de Stone who was the grandfather of our subject and in the true American spirit dropped the "de" and became plain John Stone. He served during the Revolutionary war under Gen- eral Lafayette and after the war he located in Genesee county, N. Y., where he spent the re- mainder of his days.

Mr. Stone's father was Elias Stone, born in Genesee county, N. Y. He responded to his country's call for the War of 1812 and was hon- orably discharged at the close of the war, after which he engaged in farming in Attica, Genesee county, N. Y., until 1836 when he removed with his family to Kalamazoo county, Mich., where he purchased government land in the oak open- ings which he cleared and brought to a high state of cultivation. In 1856 he came to Califor- nia and spent his last days with his son Joseph in Contra Costa county. His wife was Caroline Chamberlain, born in New York and died in Michigan. She was the daughter of Captain Joseph Chamberlain who was a master in the merchant marine service in the transatlantic trade, his death occurring in New York state.

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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 146

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