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 149

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

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In partnership with his brother Samuel Mr. McCreery engaged in selling stock in Hang- town for a time and later the brothers were interested in mining at Diamond Springs for about two years, during which time they av- eraged $12 per day. Leaving the mines at the end of this time Rufus K. McCreery went to San Francisco and near that city was em- ployed in a dairy until the spring of 1855. In company with his brother he returned east by the Nicaragua route, and for two years Rufus carried on a farm which he had purchased in Illinois, having in the meantime established domestic ties. With his brother-in-law, George Parker, in 1859 he again set out for the west, intending to go to Pike's Peak, but when they reached Fort Laramie encountered

so many returning from that locality they changed their course and went to Salt Lake instead, continuing on from there to Harney Lake, in Lassen county, Cal., where they worked in the mines until the spring of 1860. They then went to Laporte, Plumas county, where with five others they bought interests in seven claims on Rabbit creek. For five or six years their mining venture proved exceed- ingly profitable, employing as many as one hundred men at one time, but complications arose between them and the owner of the ad- joining claim, Tom Powers, and the partners lost nearly all that they had accumulated.

In 1866, in partnership with George Mc- Math, Mr. McCrecry began teaming to the mines, hauling supplies from Marysville to Laporte with six and eight horse teams. Dis- solving partnership in 1869, Mr. McCreery brought his family to Southern California in one wagon drawn by four horses, landing in Los Angeles November 3 of the same year, and for two weeks camped on the corner of Seventh and Flower streets. Thereafter for a short time he rented a ranch of forty acres on Pico street at Alvarado Heights, subsequently settling on a quarter scction near Los An- geles, thicre conducting a small dairy. Al- though he had proved up and paid for the land and obtained his patent therefor from the gov- ernment, he became involved in a law-suit over the land and finally lost it, together with the improvements which he had placed upon it. He next purchased ten acres at the corner of Adams and Vermont streets, for which he paid $450, and after erecting a house for his family established a dairy business and en- gaged in making butter. To such an extent was he prospered in his efforts that it became necessary to secure more land, and by renting one thousand acres along the river (for which hie paid $1,000 annually) he was enabled to in- crease his herd to sixty cows. In the mean- time his little plot of ten acres had been in- creasing in value, for in 1886 he sold the same for $11,000. The same year he purchased a lot at the corner of Seventh and Hill streets, paying $1,300 for it, and the next year sold it for $8,000. With the proceeds of this sale he bought a ranch of one hundred and sixty acres at what is now the corner of Vermont and Florence streets, and also purchased his present residence property on Hope street. These purchases and the erection of his home left him in debt about $8,000, but in a year's time he was enabled to cancel the obligation. Stocking his ranch with one hundred cows, he carried on a very successful dairy business with his son for a number of years, the latter subsequently carrying it on alone for a time.

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Finally Mr. McCreery divided the ranch with his son, giving the latter eighty acres, while he himself sold his share and invested the pro- ceeds in city property.

The marriage of Rufus K. McCreery was celebrated May 6, 1856, and united him with Miss Mary B. Bull, a native of New York City, born January 8, 1836. Her father, John R. Bull, was born March 1, 1795, in Tring, Hertfordshire, England, and was there reared and fitted to follow the saddler's trade. Dur- ing young manhood, July 10, 1824, he came to the United States, locating in New York City, where his first wife died leaving no chil- dren. His second marriage occurred in that city and united him with Jeanette P. Young, who was born in Perth, Scotland, September 12, 1803. In 1838 Mr. and Mrs. Bull left the east and settled on a farm in the vicinity of Rockford, Ill., Mr. Bull taking entire 'charge of its management until retiring in 1855. He lived to attain the ripe age of ninety-eight years, while his wife was in her eighty-eighth year at the time of her death. Besides Mrs. McCreery, who was next to the youngest in the family, the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Bull were as follows: Jeanette, the wife of George T. Parker and a resident of Riverside, Cal .; John, deceased; William, who makes his home in Kansas; Israel, of Rockford, Ill .; and Sarah, the widow of John Redline, who makes her home in Illinois. Three children blessed the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. McCreery, of whom we make the following mention: Nettie · became the wife of Nelson C. Bledsoe, an at- torney at law in Arizona; the sketch of the only son, Samuel Robert, will be found else- where in this volume; Mary Frances is the wife of George Simpson, a contractor and builder. Both father and son are Republicans in political belief, and with his wife Mr. Mc- Creery is a member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church, which at the time they became identified with the community had a mem- bership of only thirty-six. In his fraternal as- sociations Mr. McCreery is an Odd Fellow, holding membership in Los Angeles Lodge No. 35, and both himself and wife are affil- iated with the Rebekahs.

ELMER ELLSWORTH MOSES. Self- made in the best sense implied by the term, El- mer E. Moses has won for himself a place among the representative citizens of Bassett and sur- rounding country, being appreciated for the qualities of character he has exhibited during his residence in this section. He is not a native of California, his birth having occurred in Phila- delphia, Pa., March 4, 1863, his parents, Abra-

ham and Rebecca Moses, both being natives of Cumberland county, Pa., in which state they both passed away. He was their only child and as they were farmers he alternated home duties with an attendance of the public schools. Thrown upon his own resources at the age of fifteen years, he engaged as a farm hand for three years, when he accepted a position as flagman with the Pennsylvania Central Railroad and ran between Philadelphia and Harrisburg. In 1884 he re- moved to Nebraska and in Adams county fol- lowed farming for eleven years, when, in 1895, he married Miss Laura Rants, of Illinois, and with her came to the Pacific coast and located in Garvanza, Los Angeles county. He was first employed in the building of the electric rail- road between Los Angeles and Pasadena, and after its completion he entered the employ of the Santa Fé Railroad Company, remaining about two years. In 1898 he engaged in farming in the vicinity of El Monte, and in 1905 purchased his present property, which consists of twenty- six acres in Bassett and all devoted to the raising of walnuts and alfalfa. He has improved his property by the erection of a comfortable resi- dence and other necessary buildings, and while engaged in the management of his own ranch also engages in the raising of grain on leased land.

Mr. and Mrs. Moses are the parents of five children, namely: Matde Ella, Clara Neva, Louis, Sadie and Eva. One daughter, Elma, died at the age of fourteen months. Both himself and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in El Monte, in which Mr. Moses has officiated as trustee and class leader. Politically he votes the Republican ticket. As a citizen he can always be counted upon to uphold the best interests of county, state and nation.

A. C. WHITTEMORE. Although A. C. Whittemore has been a resident of Lompoc for a short time only, he is now looked upon as one of the leading citizens and in business has gained the entire confidence of his many pa- trons. Mr. Whittemore is of New England parentage, his father, John G. Whittemore, having been born in Massachusetts, and his mother, Ruth A. Jacobs before her marriage, being a native of Vermont. They were mar- ried in Michigan and from there removed to Missouri in 1867, where the elder Whittemore engaged in farming. Eight children were born to them, three of whom are now living in Cali- fornia, A. C. and his two brothers, one residing at Santa Maria and the other at Mountain View. A. C. Whittemore was born in Kent county, Mich., July 12, 1864, was taken with the family to Missouri when three years old, and received his education through the medium

& Gaskill

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

of the common schools of Henry county, in that state. When a young man he learned steam engineering and followed this calling for about fifteen years, at various times having charge of stationary and portable engines. He also worked in saw mills in Missouri for five years.

Mr. Whittemore's California career began in 1886 and with the exception of two years when he conducted a dray and express busi- ness in Arroyo Grande, he worked with a threshing outfit, having charge of a portable engine. In 1902 he entered the employ of the Southern Pacific Milling Company at Santa Maria and now has charge of the business in- terests of the firm at Lompoc, also being the representative of the Salinas Valley Lumber Company. Since assuming charge of the busi- ness interests of these two enterprises he has, by persistent effort, been instrumental in in- creasing the volume of business transacted by them at Lompoc more than four-fold.

In 1891 Mr. Whittemore was united in mar- riage with Miss Frances Wear, a native of Mountain View. Cal., and a daughter of Jo- seph A. Wear. They have one child, a dangh- ter named Ada. Mr. Whittemore is a firm be- liever in the principles advocated by the Dem- ocratic party. Religiously his belief is repre- sented by the Presbyterian denomination, whose charitable and benevolent interests he aids with his support, personal and financial. He is an enthusiastic lodge man and holds membership in all of the leading fraternal so- cieties. These include Arrovo Lodge No. 274, F. & A. M., of Arrovo Grande (of which he is a past master, having been installed W. M. of that lodge for three terms) ; Chapter. R. A. M., San Luis Obispo: Lompoc Lodge No. 248, I. O. O. F .: Arroyo Grande Camp, M. W. A .; Ramona Chapter No. 96, Eastern Star, and is now a member of the auxiliary at Arroyo Grande.

SILAS EDWARDS GASKILL. It is in- teresting to chronicle a history of such a man as Silas Edwards Gaskill, who in his pioneer life has passed through untold dangers and privations and through it all has maintained the courage and self reliance which from boy- hood were dominant traits in his character. It may be said that every year of his life has been passed on the frontier, for he was but a child in vears when his father removed from their New York home to the then wilderness of Indiana, whence they continued their west- ward march. finally locating in the extreme southwest of the United States and taking a prominent part as pioneer settlers in the up-

building of the city of San Diego. Thrown thus into a pioneer life he early mastered pio- neer ways, becoming proficient in the use of the gun and in time acquired fame as the best shot in the community. Perhaps no man in California may be more properly styled a hunter than Mr. Gaskill, for it is doubtful if any man has killed so large a quantity of game, great and small. His success in this line has been achieved through his absolute fearlessness and presence of mind in the midst of danger. All in all he represents one of the best types of pioneer citizens whose efforts for a personal success have always lain par- allel with those given for the development and upbuilding of whatever community he has made his home.

Mr. Gaskill was born in Rochester, N. Y., February 16, 1829; his father, Cortland Gas- kill, was a native of New Jersey and a de- scendant of an old Scotland family, from whom he inherited the sterling traits of char- acter so ably maintained in the lives of his sons. In young manhood he located in New York and engaged as a stage driver until 1835, when he migrated to Steuben county, Ind., and located upon an entirely unimproved tract of land. A little clearing was soon made and a home built and with the aid of his children he improved and cultivated his farm. With the passing years that section became an im- portant one in the agricultural life of the mid- dle-west state. Here Silas Edwards Gaskill was reared to manhood, his chief duties being to assist in the work on the paternal farm. At the time the family located in Indiana there were no public schools in that section, but at a little later period a log school house was built and the rudiments of an education given to the children of the pioneer settlers. The Gaskill family finally removed to another sec- tion of Steuben county. and later to the vicin- . ity of Battle Creek. Mich. While residing in this last-named section (where he learned the machinist and gunsmith's trade) the news of the great gold discovery in California came to him and so enthused him to seek his fortune in the Golden state that with three others he planned to make the overland trip to Cali- fornia. When the time came, in the spring of 1850, his comrades changed their minds, but nothing daunted by the probability of hav- ing to make the journey alone, Mr. Gaskill set out with all his worldly possessions (con- sisting of $16 which his father gave him) and finally reached western Missouri, having made the trip thus far via Chicago, St. Louis and St. Joseph. Upon his arrival in western Mis- souri he found he was too early to start out on the plains and took a job cutting cord

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wood. When the weather made it possible for him to start upon his journey he went to Council Bluffs and although there was a large number of emigrants ready to make the trip he failed to secure a place with the train. Again exhibiting his undaunted courage he set out alone with a knapsack containing crackers and venison, sturdily following the setting sun, fording streams and enduring the loneliness and dangers bravely. It was not long, however, before he overtook an Ohio train and asked permission to camp with them. It was readily granted and he further made himself welcome by replacing a broken wagon pole with a new one which he cut out of white oak. With perfect confidence in the future which California held for him, he made an agreement with the train to pay them $200 of the first money he earned in the Golden state for the privilege of traveling with them. However, he was fortunate in being able to settle this debt before he arrived in California, through his being such an excellent shot, as this enabled him to supply the twenty-one wagons in the train with quantities of meat ; besides exempting him from guard duty, he was also able to sell the surplus to other trains, an enterprise which netted him $205. On Bear river the train split up and Mr. Gas- kill with a party of five. one wagon and three voke of oxen set out for California. At the head of the Humboldt river the Indians stampeded all the cattle of the camp and they were compelled to go on foot to the coast, a distance of five hundred miles, carrying their blankets, guns and knapsacks. They made an average of forty miles a day, a sixty-five mile desert taking them from 3 P. M. until 10 A. M. of the following day.

Upon his arrival in the state Mr. Gaskill engaged in mining on Hangtown Creek, later he returned to the summit and entered into partnership with Bob Weeks, who was con- ducting a restaurant, Mr. Gaskill's duty be- ing to hunt for the camp. His first game was a bear which he sold for $1 per pound and which brought him $600. He killed all the deer he wanted and brought in twenty-five to Hangtown which he sold for $25 each. At one time the miners decided to have a bear and bull fight, the only difficulty being to se- cure the live bear : to insure someone attempt- ing the capture $500 was offered as an in- ducement. Mr. Gaskill being thoroughly fa- miliar with the country discovered a place where a bear fed, and secured three kegs of syrup and brandy and placed them in his as- customed haunt. The bear came to his meal and ate enough of it to make him drunk and while in this condition Mr. Gaskill secured

him with ropes, loaded him into a wagon and hauled him into camp. He was paid the $500 and given two free tickets to three perform- ances worth $100 each. Three bulls were pitted against the bear at separate times, the latter killing two of the bulls, while the third bull killed the bear. To further make his hunt- ing successful Mr. Gaskill had a three-barrel gun made to order. Having lost considerable game because he had no dog he bought a six- months-old pup which he called "Ring." This pup was trained so he would hamstring any bear and many a time has saved Mr. Gaskill's life. At one time he killed a large bear in the Redwoods and taking it to San Francisco, sold the liver, lights and gall for $75 and received twenty cents a pound for the meat. This in- duced him to begin a traffic for the San Fran- cisco markets which he followed for a period of ten years. In the course of his life Mr. Gaskill has killed three hundred and two bears.

A considerable share of the attention of Mr. Gaskill was given to mining, first at Hang- town, then Colonia and later at the middle fork of the American river. He flumed it successfully, one pan netting him $33. He was in partnership with Pegleg Smith, each of them taking out $10,000 in a month. In September, 1851, Mr. Gaskill returned east via the Nicaragua route and in Michigan pur- chased a farm near Kalamazoo. He married Miss Sarah Cox, who was born in Michigan. He engaged in farming for a time, but did not like the monotony after the exciting life he had led in California. Upon deciding to return to California he gave his farm and teams to his father and in 1853 made the trip west via Panama, his wife joining him two years later. In the mean time he engaged in mining in the Yuba river and was one of the flumers of the Yuba dam. He took out $125,- ooo, but the freshet came and took the flume, leaving him nothing for his labor. The sec- ond year they flumed it again and had taken out about $100,000, when the freshet again carried it away. The third year they flumed it and took out $67,000, but the freshiet this year left them $60 in debt. However, Mr. Gaskill had no difficulty in securing a stake and following this mined all over the Sierra region. For a time he resided in Sonoma county, but finally decided to locate in Ari- zona and accordingly started southward. On the way he killed deer and bear and sold them in Ventura until he had enough money to buy a team. In Santa Ynez he spent three months and there discovered the first wild bees he had seen in California. He obtained the honey, which eventually cured him of dyspepsia. He continued to travel southward through San

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Bernardino, where he located on a ranch and engaged in vegetable growing, after having irrigated the land. He also hunted and finally captured some wild bees with which he start- ed an apiary. This was a little black bee brought in by the Mormons. Later Mr. Gas- kill sold this property and located at San Jacinto and engaged in farming and stock- raising. Here he had a colony of two hun- dred bees with which he was very successful. He manifested his faith in the future of South- ern California by investing in landed prop- erty, becoming a one-tenth owner of the San Jacinto grant which he later sold at a good profit.

It was in 1868 that San Diego county first claimed the attention of the Gaskill brothers, the two purchasing land and founding the town of Campo, originally called Milquatay Valley. They built the first store, wagon and blacksmith shop, the first grist mill which was operated by water power, and for many years were the principal upbuilding factors of the town. Campo is located near the Mexi- can border and for many years the inhab- itants of the town were besicged at times by the Mexican desperadoes. At one time there was a preconcerted arrangement to attack and rob the store of the Gaskill brothers and this led to one of the most terrible fights ever en- gaged in Campo. The leader of the Mexi- can desperadoes was killed, while several oth- ers were captured and hanged. The Gas- kills exhibited rare courage and bravery in this encounter, as well as excellent marksman- ship, which turned the tide of the battle in their favor. A full account of this attack by the Mexicans is given in the biographical sketch of Luman H. Gaskill, which appears upon another page of this volume.

Mr. Gaskill and his brother continued to add other purchases of land until they owned fourteen hundred acres and upon this prop- erty for a period of twenty-eight years en- gaged in the raising of stock. In 1894 Mr. Gaskill located in San Diego, building and · furnishing a comfortable residence on the cor- ner of Sixteenth and F streets. He has mani- fested his faith in the future of the city by dealing extensively in real estate and now owns several residences, among them the old Shoate house on the Plaza. His wife died in Michigan, leaving three children, namely : Charles J., chief clerk in a railroad office in South Bend, Ind .; Henry, yardmaster for a railroad in the same city; and May, wife of William Byce of Willows, Cal. In Campo, May 1, 1881, Mr. Gaskill married Mrs. Cath- erine Mary (Sloan) Scott, who was born in Boston, Mass., a daughter of Joseph Sloan,

of Vermont, a farmer by occupation. Later lie located in the south, where his death oc- curred. Her mother was formerly Catherine Pratt, who was born in Massachusetts and died in Vermont. Of the three children born to her parents Mrs. Gaskill is the only one living. She was first married in Cambridge- port to James Scott of Glasgow, Scotland, who was brought to America at the age of five years and here reared to manhood. He. be- came superintendent of a woolen mill in Southbridge, Mass., his death occurring in Kansas while on a business trip. Born to Mr. and Mrs. Gaskill were two children; Mary J., of San Diego; and Andrew, who died in Marysville.' Mrs. Gaskill is a member of the Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic. In his political convictions Mr. Gaskill ad- heres to the principles in the platform of the Republican party, and although he has never sought official position he has always given a hearty support to the candidates for office on this ticket.

MACEDONIO MACHADO. The name above given calls to mind one of the earliest Spanish families represented in Los Angeles coun- ty, and the first member of whom we have any definite knowledge was the grandfather, Augus- tin Machado. The birthplace of the latter is not definitely known, but it is certain that his son, Juan Machado, was born on the family es- tate in the latter county. At the time of the disruption brought about by the annexation of Texas to the Union, known in history as the Mexican war, Juan Machado was just twenty years of age, but notwithstanding his youth he passed the scrutiny of the mustering officer and was admitted to the service. After peace was declared he resumed private life and made his home in Los Angeles county for a number of years, in later life, however, taking up his resi- dence in Elsinore, Riverside county. During his young manhood he formed domestic ties by his marriage with Manuela Altamirano, who like himself was of Spanish origin and also a native of Los Angeles county. Both parents are now de- ceased, the mother passing away in Los Angeles in 1903, at the age of sixty-five years, and the father in Temecula, Riverside county, in 1904, when in his seventy-eight year.

On the old Machado homestead in Los An- geles county Macedonio Machado was born in 1857. Upon reaching school age he was placed in school nearest his home and for a number of years conned his lessons in the temple of learn- ing in La Ballona. Later he attended Santa Clara College and finally took a course in Heald's Business College in Los Angeles, this latter train-

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ing being his initiation, so to speak, into the com- mercial life which has formed so large a part of his career. From Los Angeles he came to Teme- cula in 1887 and accepted a position as clerk in the old government store then in charge of Louis Wolf, a Frenchman, who had come to San Fran- cisco in the days of mining fever, and for five years, from 1852 until 1857, had followed the uncertain though fascinating life of a miner. In the last year mentioned he came to Temecula and established himself in the general merchandise business, following it in this location for eight years. It was during this time that he formed an intimate acquaintance with Helen Hunt Jack- son, who was one of his patrons. About 1865 Mr. Wolf bought out the store of Simon Mund, also in Temecula, and of this enterprise Mr. Machado had charge for one year, severing his connection with Mr. Wolf at the end of that time and removing to San Bernardino, where for twelve months he was bookkeeper in the, office of M. Burne. Terminating his service with Mr. Burne at the end of this time he returned to Los Angeles and for one year clerked in the store of Eugene Mever & Co. His old employer in Temecula again offering him a favorable induce- ment he returned hither and clerked for Mr. Wolf for two years, at the end of that time being taken into partnership with him, an association which was mutually agreeable and profitable, but which was terminated five years later by the death of Mr. Wolf. With his father as his partner Mr. Machado purchased the stock and carried on business under the name of Machado & Co., until 1889, when the store and contents were utterly destroyed, entailing a loss of $12,000 to the son alone. Undaunted by this disaster, however, he removed to the Welty hotel building and once more opened up for business with a complete assortment of goods. Two years later, in 1891, he was again visited by the fire fiend, and as before his stock was completely ruined. This was surely a severe test for one possessing even his courageous spirit, but he proved equal to it and Phoenix-like rose from the ashes and re- established himself once more in business. The struggle was long and strenuous, but in ten years he had cleared off all of his old debts and was on the high road to success which is his today.

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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 149

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