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 II, Part 119

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Los Angeles, Cal., Historic record company
Number of Pages: 1234

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JOSEPH F. BODWELL. Having by means of industry, wise management and judicious in- vestment acquired a goodly share of this world's goods, Joseph F. Bodwell is now living retired from active labor, owning and occupying a well- improved ranch in Burbank, where he has an attractive home, it being situated on the Fer- nando road, about two miles south of the village. A native of Ohio, he was born, July 19, 1841, in Huron county, where, with the exception of ten years, from 1847 until 1857, when he lived with his parents in Wisconsin, he was brought up and educated.

As a boy and youth, Joseph F. Bodwell assist- ed his father in the various labors incidental to farm life, after which he learned the carpen- ter's trade. Going to Douglas county, Kans., in 1867. he lived there a number of years, follow- ing his chosen occupation the greater part of the time, although for six years he carried the United States mail. Coming to the Pacific coast in the spring of 1883, he spent a few months in Portland, Ore., after which he located in San Francisco, where he worked as a carpenter for two years. Proceeding then to Alaska, which at

1905

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

that time was a comparatively new and little known country, he worked as a millwright for the Treadwell Gold Mining Company, serving as foreman until 1901, and while thus employed made several trips to his California home. On one of these visits, in 1895, he purchased the ranch on which he now lives, located his family thereon, and in 1901 came here himself to re- side permanently. His ranch contains fifteen acres, a large part of which is improved, having a vineyard of two acres, some small fruits, and the remainder devoted to the raising of alfalfa (a staple crop in this section), and grain. In the care of this property he now takes much pride and pleasure, and is continually adding to the excellent improvements already inaugu- rated.

While living in Ohio, Mr. Bodwell married Emma Barnum, and of the children born to their union five are living, namely: Grace, wife of Robert Brunson, of Nevada; Charles L., at home; Maude, wife of Charles Hill, of Chand- ler, Okla .; Catherine, wife of John Powers, of Franklin county, Kans .; and John L., of Bur- bank. Politically Mr. Bodwell is an active sup- porter of the principles of the Prohibition party, and religiously he and his family are members of the Holiness Church of Burbank, in which he is a deacon.

E. R. ERICKSON. In 1889 E. R. Erickson came to California and in the same year located in San Pedro, where he has since made his home. He is a native of Sweden, his birth having oc- curred near Fahlun, April 1, 1866, one of a family of three children, of whom another, An- drew, is also located in San Pedro. The father, Erick, a farmer in Sweden, died when his son E. R. was sixteen years old, being survived by his wife, who still makes her home in her native land. In the common schools of that country E. R. Erickson received an education, after which he worked on farms until his emigration to the United States. In Minneapolis, Minn., he learned the trade of butcher, serving an ap- prenticeship of two years. Following this he came to California and took up his residence in San Pedro. He first entered the employ of George Hinds and James Dodson, and finally worked for J. L. Griffin. In March, 1902, in parnership with Mr. Abbott, he bought out the market managed by Mr. Griffin and the two re- mained together until April, 1905, when Mr. Erickson became sole owner. The San Pedro market, of which he is proprietor, is one of the most extensive and thoroughly equipped in the city or surrounding country, having a large re- frigerator capacity and other modern equipment.

Mr. Erickson is carrying on a large business and is one of the commercial factors of the place.

In San Pedro Mr. Erickson married Christine Erickson, also a native of Fahlun, Sweden, who was brought to America when six years of age. They have had two children, only one of whom, Esther, is living. Fraternally Mr. Erickson is a member of the Knights of Pythias, and polit- ically is an adherent of the principles advocated in the platform of the Democratic party.

JOHN VALLANDINGHAM FORD. In the days when Kentucky was attracting fron- tiersmen from the older commonwealth of Vir- ginia the Ford family became established in the blue grass section, and from there Samuel Ford. a Kentuckian by birth and training, re- moved to the newer regions of Missouri. The tract of raw land, which he placed under culti- vation, afterward was made the family home- stead. With him from Kentucky came his family, including a son, Josiah P., who became a farmer in Missouri, and in 1850 crossed the plains to California with ox teams. An experi- ence of two years in the mines did not prove profitable enough to induce him to remain, and he returned to his Missouri homestead. Next removing to Kansas he took up two hundred acres in Linn county, but later sold out and returned to Platte county, Missouri, where he died in 1887, at sixty years of age. Of south- ern blood and sentiment, he did not, however, believe in the institution of slavery, yet he loved the old south too much to take up arms against her during the war, hence he was placed in a position peculiarly trying. The respect in which he was held by all, whether of northern faith or southern views, alone removed him from suffer- ing hardships and dangers. His wife. Minerva, was a daughter of John Estes, a pioneer of Platte county. Missouri, and she was born in that locality. but now resides at Redondo. In her family there are four daughters and two sons still living. One of her sons, Dee, enlisted in a California regiment at the opening of the Spanish-American war and died at the Presidio during the period of his service.

On the homestead, near Parkville, Platte county, Mo., John V. Ford was born March 21, 1863. and in neighboring schools he received a fair education. At the age of twenty-two years he came to California and secured employment on a ranch owned by the Los Angeles Farming and Milling Company, where he remained for ten years. On taking un farming for himself he spent a vear near Compton, and in 1896 farmed near Redondo, after which he was sim- ilarly occupied at San Fernando, and in 1897 returned to the vicinity of Redondo, where now

1906

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

he cultivates a hay and grain farm, near Wiseburn. This ranch originally comprised four hundred and fifty acres, but he has sold a portion of it and contracted for the purchase of three hundred and twenty acres near the town of Tulare, in the great San Joaquin valley, being attracted there by the cheapness of the land and the fertility of the soil. On the latter ranch it is his intention to engage in more diversified farming, such as raising grain, fruit, alfalfa and also stock-raising. At this writing heownstwenty- five acres in the McDonald tract of the San Pedro ranch, and also owns a residence (erected by himself), at Ford's Crossing, on the Los Angeles & Redondo Railroad. After coming to Los Angeles county he married Miss Nettie May Howard, who was born, reared and edu- cated in California, and is a member of the Re- dondo Congregational Church, and a devoted mother to their two daughters, Lucille and Mercy May.

FRANK KARR. Prominent among the active and capable lawyers of Los Angeles county is Frank Karr, a young man of culture and ex- cellent mental attainments, who has already made for himself an honorable record in the legal profession. and is widely and favorably known. The family is of Scotch origin, the name, which was formerly spelled Kerr, having been anglicized to its present form. A native of Illinois, Mr. Karr was born February 18, 1875, in Heyworth, McLean county, a son of H. A. Karr, and grandson of Walter Karr, a pioneer settler of that place. He is distinguished not only for his own substantial qualities, but for the honored ancestry from which he is descended, the blood of patriots running in his veins.

Capt. John Karr, the great-grandfather of Mr. Karr, served as captain of a company in the Rev- olutionary war, taking an active part in the fa- mous battle at Cowpens. He subsequently re- moved from Sussex county, N. J., to Ohio, set- tling in that state as a pioneer. but later in life he went to Illinois, where he died and was buried. The emigrant ancestor was a kinsman of Mary Queen of Scots, and, being obliged to flee his native land, came to America, locating in Sussex county, N. J.

Walter Karr was born and bred in Sussex county, N. J., and went with his parents to Ham- ilton county, Ohio, where he was for a number of years engaged in agricultural pursuits. Re- moving to Illinois, he settled as a pioneer in McLean county, and there followed his inde- pendent calling until his death, in 1879.

A native of Hamilton county, Ohio, H. A. Karr was but four years old when he was taken by his parents to Heyworth. Ill., to the very

farm on which he has since resided, and in the improvement of which he assisted. He learned the trade of carpenter when a young man, and for a number of years carried on an extensive business as a contractor and builder. He is a man of influence in the community, and an active member of the Masonic fraternity. He married Martha Elizabeth Storey, who was born in Ten- nessee, a descendant of two of South Carolina's most prominent families, the Storeys and the Allens, her father, who died from injuries re- ceived in one of the engagements of the Civil war, having married a Miss Allen. Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Karr, four children were born, namely: Grant, principal of the Normal school in New York City; Lyon, a banker at Eureka, Ill .: Mary, an actress, known on the stage by her maiden name, Mary Karr, and the wife of Robert McDowell, of New York City; and Frank, the subject of this sketch.

Completing his early education at the State Normal school at Normal, Ill., Frank Karr was subsequently employed in teaching for five years, being for four years employed in McLean county, and for one year as principal of the Garfield school at Pekin, Ill. In the fall of 1898 he entered the law department of the Leland Stanford, Jr., University, and having taken the prescribed course of study was admitted to the bar in June, 1901. Locating in San Pedro in November, 1901, he immediately entered upon the duties of his profession, and so rapid and honorable was his advance that he soon won recognition as a young man of ability and prom- ise. For four years he was city attorney, to which position he was appointed in May, 1902. He enjoys a large and lucrative practice. .

In Los Angeles, in 1903, Mr. Karr married Dora Van Ordstrand, a native of McLean county, Ill., and they have one child, Frank Ran- dolph. Politically Mr. Karr is a Democrat. Fra- ternally he was made a Mason in Illinois, joining Heyworth Lodge No. 251, from which he de- mitted, and is now a member of San Pedro Lodge No. 332, F. & A. M .: of San Pedro Chapter No. 89, R. A. M .: of San Pedro Chap- ter, O. E. S .; and of San Pedro Lodge No. 966, B. P. O. E. Mrs. Karr is a woman of culture and refinement, and a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church.

EDWARD H. BAUTZER. The postmaster of San Pedro, Los Angeles county, Edward H. Bautzer, is a young man of ability and energy who bids fair to take rank with the successful men of this section. He is a native of Missouri, his birth having occurred in Linn, Osage county, January 31, 1876. His father, Edward F. Baut- zer, a native of Wiesbaden. Germany, came to

1907

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

America when a young man and located in the state of Missouri. In Osage county he held the position of county recorder for twenty years, and since that time he has been engaged in the news- paper business in St. Louis, editing the Squib. In Missouri he married Nannie Benson, a native of Linn, that state, and the descendant of Scotch- Irish ancestry whose first emigrant located in the eastern states during the colonial period of our history. They became the parents of three children, all of whom are living, a brother, Paul, also being in San Pedro.

Edward H. Bautzer was reared in Linn, where he attended the public and high schools in pur- suit of a preliminary education, after which he entered the University of Missouri at Columbia, from which institution he was graduated in 1893 from the normal course. Following this he en- gaged in teaching for one year and was then em- ployed by the government in the engineering department of the Missouri river commission. For four years he engaged as payroll clerk for R. A. Crawford, when he came to California and located at once in San Pedro and became pro- prietor of the San Pedro News Company, while he at the same time engaged as reporter for the Los Angeles Times. In March, 1902, he was appointed postmaster of this office by President Roosevelt, the receipts at that time being about $4,000, since which time they have more than doubled.

Mr. Bautzer has also become interested in the real estate of San Pedro and is a motive power in the upbuilding of the place, being a member of the Chamber of Commerce. As a Republican he seeks to advance the principles he endorses. In fraternal relations he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, and is a charter member of San Pedro Lodge No. 966, B. P. O. E., of which he is esteemed lecturing knight.

ROBERT M. LYNN. one of the old resi- dents of Long Beach, is responsible for the first daily paper of the city, The Eye, which was es- tablished by him and published as a weekly, a well-edited, clean sheet, elegant in workmanship and in every way a credit to its manager. Mr. Lynn inherited his strong, literary traits of char- acter, his forefathers being founders of many en- terprises in the pioneer days of Kentucky, from which state the paternal grandfather removed to Indiana and became a factor in its upbuilding. His father, E. K. Lynn, a native of Kentucky, engaged in the Presbyterian ministry in Indiana after graduating from Hanover College, in his native state. About 1857 he removed to Allen county, Kans., and in the town of Iola built the first church, and later assisted materially in the establishment of colleges and schools throughout

the entire state. He was a man of strong per- sonality, highest integrity and honest purposes, and let nothing come between him and the ful- fillment of his highest aim for the betterment of mankind. His death occurred in Kansas, as did that also of his wife, formerly Harriett B. Briggs, a native of Massachusetts and the daughter of George Briggs, a native of the same state but for many years a contractor and builder in Madison, Ind. Mr. and Mrs. Lynn became the parents of eight children. two of whom are now surviving. Samuel, a participant in the Civil war in a Kan- sas regiment, now residing in Butler, Mo., and Robert M., of Long Beach, Cal.

Born in New Philadelphia, Ind., October 19, 1849, Robert M. Lynn received his education in the schools of Indiana, Illinois and Kansas, com- pleting his schooldays in Iola. In the office of the Iola Register he learned the trade of printer and this work has occupied his attention for the greater part of his manhood years. He was employed for a time following his mastery of the trade on a Lyndon (Kans.) paper and in the same state later worked for the Ottawa Daily. He then employed his accumulated means in studying music, for which he had strong tastes and talent, entering a conservatory at Madison, Ind., and completing the course with honors. He then followed teaching of music for a time, eventually returning to his trade, however, in assuming charge of the Greenfield (Ind.) Re- publican; later he went to Franklin, Ind., and assisted in the publication of the Daily Star, remaining so occupied until 1894, when his de- cision to change his location resulted in his re- moval to Long Beach, where he has ever since resided.

Long Beach was then a very small beginning of what is now the city of that name, and only to a far-seeing judgment did the future offer returns for efforts put forth here. On the corner of Second and Pine streets Mr. Lynn put up a small building, 12x20 feet in dimensions, and established a weekly paper, known as The Eye, which was later published as a weekly and daily and continued successfully for eighteen months. For a time following his discontinuance of this publication he engaged as ticket agent for the Salt Lake Railroad Company, then was engaged in job printing, and later published the One- Horse Printer, a weekly which grew to a circu- lation of one thousand per week. In the mean- time he had gradually 'assumed a place of im- portance among the representative men of Long Beach, and in 1902 he was honored with the election on the Republican ticket to the office of constable of Long Beach township for a term of four years. He also served as deputy city marshal under Marshal Williams, and in this public capacity proved his fitness for official duty,

1908

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

bringing to bear in the discharge of his work the strong integrity and honorable purpose which was his by inheritance. As a member of the board of education during the erection of the magnificent high school building on American avenue he proved a practical promoter of the good work.

In 1906 Mr. Lynn began a real estate enter- prise which has been successful when viewed in the light of financial returns, and has evidenced his faith in the future of Long Beach by the erection of a comfortable home at No. 243 Locust street. In Whiteland, Ind., he married Miss Carrie C. Covert, a daughter of Dr. G. W. Co- vert, an early settler of Long Beach, and born of this union is one daughter, Theta Mae, who has inherited the musical talent of her father and has cultivated her talents to a high degree, not only having graduated from a conservatory in this country, but has also studied in Paris. Mr. Lynn is associated fraternally with the Knights of Pythias, having been a member of this organization for twenty-five years, and is now serving as prelate. He belongs also to the Uniformed Rank, Knights of Pythias. He is a member of the Fraternal Aid Society, and in re- ligion is active in the Presbyterian Church, which denomination has held his loyal allegiance throughout his entire life since manhood. He has served efficiently as musical director of the Presbyterian Church of Long Beach. He is a stanch adherent of the principles advocated in the platform of the Republican party, but al- though strong in his allegiance does not allow this to prevent him giving his strongest support to men and measures best calculated in his opin- ion to advance the general welfare. Above all he is a patriotic and loyal citizen, intent upon the general good of the community, the city and the state which he has made his by adoption.

MATTHEW JONES AUSTIN. The family represented by this retired old settler of Pomona traces its lineage back to England, where its members were well known prior to the days of the Revolution. With convictions and inde- pendence of thought that would no longer brook adherence to the Established church, the great- grandfather left the home of his forefathers and established the family in America, locating in Virginia. All of his seven sturdy sons partici- pated in the Revolutionary war, among the number being the grandfather, John Austin, who became a well-known and wealthy planter in Louisa county, Va. He in turn reared a stal- wart family who were destined to shed even more lustre upon the family name. One of the sons of this Revolutionary soldier. David Shel- ton Austin, born on the home plantation in

Louisa county thirty miles east of Richmond, en- tered the second war with England with no less ardor. and throughout his service in that con- flict he was stationed at Norfolk, Va. With the return of peace he resumed agricultural affairs in Louisa county, but subsequently removed to the adjoining state of Tennessee, locating near Gallatin, Sumner county. There his death oc- curred, resulting from a runaway accident. In his young manhood he had married Mary Low- rey, like himself a native of old Virginia, and the daughter of Overton Lowrey. The latter was also a native of the same state, but some time after the birth of his daughter established his home near Nashville, Tenn., passing his en- tire life thereafter in that vicinity. Ten chil- dren were born to David S. and Mary (Lowrey) Austin, eight of whom grew to maturity, and of these seven were sons. Among the gold-seekers who crossed the plains in 1849 none set out with more enthusiasm than did five of the afore- mentioned sons, John O., Brice, A. W., T. J. and M. J.

At this time Matthew J. Austin was a youth of nineteen years, his birth having occurred on the old family homestead in Louisa county, Va. When he was two years old the family home was transferred to Tennessee, and near Gallatin, Sumner county, he was reared and educated. The death of his father when he was a lad of twelve years brought another change into his life. For a time thereafter he attended a sub- scription school, and later apprenticed himself to learn the blacksmith's trade in Russellville, Ky. When he was seventeen years old he was a full-fledged blacksmith and with this asset he established himself in business in Independence, Mo., following it there for two years. The rumors of the finding of gold in California put a quietus upon all other ambitions which he might have had, and all thought and surplus means were devoted to preparation for crossing the plains with his four brothers. With wagons drawn by four ox-teams they left Independence, Mo., May 10, 1849, following the Platte and Sweetwater routes to South pass, and from there by the Carson route to Sacramento, the journey consuming just five months. At Car- son sink Matthew and two of his brothers aban- doned the wagons and made the rest of the way on foot, reaching Sacramento ahead of the two other brothers. In order to replenish their de- pleted finances they worked at cutting hay for a number of days on the Sacramento river, haul- it to Sacramento, where it readily brought them $40 per ton. This good luck enabled them to lay in a supply of provisions and necessities preparatory to going to American bar, where they mined with excellent results, making on an average of one ounce per day. During the

1909

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

latter part of the winter of 1849-50 they went to Georgetown by way of Cañon creek, mining there with varying degrees of success until Au- gust of 1850. Later they went to San Fran- cisco and boarded a boat for Panama, and after crossing the isthmus boarded another boat which landed then in New Orleans. By way of the Mississippi and Red rivers they made their way to Bonham, Fannin county, Tex., where each purchased land and engaged in farming. There Matthew J. bought eleven hundred acres of land upon which he carried on farming and stock-raising for three years, or until his sec- ond removal to California in 1853. Following the Platte route from Missouri, as he had done on the journey four years previously, he located this time near Yreka, Siskiyou county, where he remained for ten years engaged in mining. During this time the Modoc Indians gave evi- dence of their resentment of the invasion of the white man, and in the disturbances which fol- lowed Mr. Austin took a prominent part, serv- ing as lieutenant of Company A, under Gen. John D. Cosby.

From Siskiyou county Mr. Austin subsequent- ly went to. Sonoma county and opened a cop- per mine, but the venture proved a failure and in 1865 he went to Virginia City, Nev., where until 1870 he carried on mining and also worked as an engineer. The latter year found him lo- cated once more on his farm in Texas, continu- ing farming there for a number of years, be- sides which he erected a building in Bonham. While there, too, he invented and patented a ditching machine, used for tile and fence ditch- ing, and for the purpose of manufacturing this machine he removed to Danville, Ill. The Aus- tin ditching machine was well received wherever introduced and proved a boon throughout Illi- nois, greatly facilitating the laying of drain tile. In 1886 Mr. Austin discontinued the manufac- turing business in Illinois and the same year came to California, and for one year worked as a blacksmith in the Baker foundry and machine shop in Los Angeles. His identification with Pomona dates from the following year, when he bought ten acres of the Phil- lips tract, which was then a barley field, and set it out to deciduous fruits. Subse- quently he substituted alfalfa and walnuts and now has a fine ranch devoted entirely to these commodities. He also erected the family resi- dence on South Ellen street.

Mr. Austin's home is presided over by his wife, who was formerly Miss Annie Layton, a native of Vermilion county, Ill., and to whom he was married in Danville in 1881. Two chil- dren have blessed their marriage, William Shel- ton, who is an electician in San Pedro, and Grace, now the wife of W. B. Binkley, of Los

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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 II, Part 119

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918 Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Los Angeles, Cal., Historic record company Number of Pages: 1234

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Los Angeles, Cal., Historic record company
Number of Pages: 1234