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 121

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

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Next to the eldest of the children born to his parents, Robert Strathearn was born February 4, 1857, and was reared to manhood in his native city, Milwaukee, Wis. His educational ad- vantages were perhaps above the average, for in addition to attending the city schools he was given a course in the Spencerian Business college of Milwaukee. Inheriting from his father a predilection for work at the carpenter's trade as soon as he was out of college he began work at the trade in earnest, having prior to this time worked side by side with his father at the bench for many years. The same association was re- sumed and continued after his college days were over, and in much of the work previously allud- ed to in Milwaukee and Southern Wisconsin as performed by his father he assisted. A tempo- rary change of occupation entered into his life when he accepted a position as foreman of the Wisconsin Valley division of the Chicago, Mil- waukee & St. Paul Railroad, a position which he held for three years. Leaving his native state in 1881, he first went to Livingston, Mont., later to White Sulphur Springs, and still later to Helena, in all of which places he worked as a contractor and builder, and remaining in the latter city from 1884 until 1896. His ability does not seem to be limited to any special char-

acter of architecture, planning and executing with equal facility the modern business struct- ure and the palatial residence. During the year last mentioned, 1896, he was engaged in build- ing for the Golden Sunlight Company, a mining corporation of Montana, and the year following went to Whitehall, that state, where for three years he did contracting and building continuous- ly, and during that time practically built up the town. His next removal found him in Sheridan, Madison county, Mont., there, as elsewhere, con- tinuing to work at his trade and meeting with uni- form success until 1905, the year in which his name became associated with Long Beach. His worth and ability as a thorough artisan was im- mediately recognized, and it goes without say- ing that he has had unprecedented success and has built up a large and influential business, con- trolling much of the work of that character in Long Beach and vicinity.

While in Montana Mr. Strathearn was mar- ried to Miss Helena Meier, a native of Dubuque, Iowa, and two children have been born to them, Olive Lois and Roland J: Mr. Strathearn's political sympathies bring him into association with others of like faith, being a strong supporter of the Republican party. His fraternal associa- tions are no less stanch, and among his asso- ciates in the Knights of Pythias, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Knights of the Maccabees he is universally esteemed and re- spected.

ALBERT M. COSTNER. One of the pro- gressive dairymen of Norwalk, Los Angeles county, is Albert M. Costner, who has made a success in his work by careful and steady atten- tion to business and has won the esteem of his fellow citizens through the display of persona! characteristics of merit during his residence here. Mr. Costner is a native of Blount county, Tenn., his birth having occurred sixteen miles from Knoxville, January 4, 1861. His parents, Philip and Mary (Hays) Costner, were both natives of North Carolina; the father enlisted in the Union army during the Civil war, and was captured and confined in Libby prison, where his death was caused through exposure. He had three sons in the same struggle, one of whom lost his life by drowning while attempting to ford a river, another was crippled through a wound received in the service. The mother died in Tennessee at the advanced age of eighty-one years, leaving a large family, of the eight sons and two daughters born to her two sons, Albert M., of this review, and Spencer, of Stanislaus county, living in California.

Albert M. Costner received his early educa- tion in Blount county, Tenn., where he spent the

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first twenty-three years of his life. He came to California in 1884 and from here went to Wash- inton, where he remained a short time. Return- ing to California, for one year he had charge of a large wheat ranch in Modesto, Stanislaus coun- ty, then came to Los Angeles county, and after a brief time went north to Stockton, where he took a commercial course in the Stockton Busi- ness College. Returning to Washington he en- gaged in ranch work for a time and also in the sawmill business. After a few years he returned to Los Angeles county and in the vicinity of Norwalk established his present dairy business. He was married here to Miss Bessie Smith, a daughter of James A. Smith, a pioneer of Cali- fornia, whose biography is given at length on an- other page of this volume. She was born in Illi- nois and brought to this state when only three months old. Mr. and Mrs. Costner have three children, Sybil, Sylva and Ford. Fraternally he is a member of Lodge No. 331, I. O. O. F., of Ar- tesia ; and in national politics is a Republican. He has lived upon his present ranch for sixteen years and has placed upon it all the improve- ments which make of it one of the valuable prop- erties of this section, having built a large barn and stable for the care of his dairy herd, consist- ing of twelve milch cows. He has a fine artesian well which supplies an abundance of water. Be- sides his dairy interests and the cultivation of alfalfa and pasture of thirty-five acres he en- gages extensively in the raising of poultry.

WILLIAM ELLIOTT BEWLEY. earliest records of the Bewley family trace their ancestry to French soil, whence the emigrat- ing ancestor located the name in Cumberland, England, and finally in Mount Mellick, Queens county, Ireland. In the city of Dublin the name became prominent in commercial activity, Mungo B. being the owner of large spice mills there. His son, Thomas B., who was born near Dublin, was reared to young manhood in his native country and trained to a practical business life in his father's establishment. Seeking broader opportunities, he immigrated to America and in Cincinnati, Ohio, engaged as a grocer. Later he followed a similar occupation in Butlerville, Ind., where he was also occupied as a lumber manufacturer and an extensive farmer. His death, which occurred in 1892, removed from the community a man of strong worth, his connection with public affairs always resulting in a move- ment towards advancement. He was a member of the Society of Friends. He is survived by his wife, formerly Ann R. Thomas, a native of Elkton, Ind., a representative of an old south- ern family long established on American soil. She makes her home in Long Beach. Of the

seven sons and two daughters born to her, James is a railroad man of Indiana ; Edward is a farmer in Indiana; Thomas is engaged in the lumber business in Indiana; George is a real-estate dealer of Long Beach; Charles is located in Cin- cinnati, Ohio; William E. is the subject of this review ; Frank is located in Los Angeles; Eliza- beth is the wife of Elmer Allen of Whittier, Cal .; and Isabelle is the wife of L. J. Neill and located in Westfield, Ind.

William E. Bewley was born August 18, 1875, in Butlerville, Ind. He was educated in the public and high schools of his native city, and after completing the course went to Cincinnati, where, under the instruction of G. N. Merry- weather of that city he learned the tea and coffee business. After four years he went to Denver and in 1897 entered. the employ of Sanders Brothers as a salesman in the tea and coffee de- partment. He filled this position successfully for four years, when he came to Southern Cali- fornia and in Long Beach established a grocery enterprise under the firm name of Bewley Brothers. In 1903 he accepted a position in Los Angeles with the Wells-Fargo Company Express, continuing with them for two years, when he resigned to engage in the real-estate business in Long Beach. He has since been so occupied, his office being located in the Wells- Fargo Company Express office at 429 Pine street. He has made a success of his enterprise thus far and bids fair to take a prominent place among the business men of this city.

Mr. Bewley has been twice married, his first The . union occurring in Denver, Miss Carrie Wilhelmi of that city becoming his wife. Her death oc- curred in Long Beach. In Los Angeles he was united in marriage with Miss Luzina Kellum, a native of Indiana. Both are members of the Society of Friends. Mr. Bewley is a Republican in politics, and although not seeking personal recognition gives his active support to the men and measures of his party.

JOHN B. B. DELONG. The life which this narrative sketches began in the city of Los An- geles May 11, 1852, and closed in the county of the same name May 11, 1905. The DeLong family is of French extraction, Martin DeLong having been born and reared in France, whence he came to America in early manhood and settled in the then Spanish town of Los Angeles. After coming to this city he met and married Miss Josephine Alinez, a native of California, but of direct Spanish descent. The remaining days of his life were passed in this locality and here he passed away at the age of forty-nine years. Among his children was a son, John B. B., whose name introduces this article, and who remained

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

a lifelong resident of the county of his birth. Educated principally in St. Vincent's school in Los Angeles, he gained a knowledge of both French and Spanish, and used these languages in preference to the English language, with which he was less familiar.

When a young man and ready to start out for himself, Mr. DeLong received from his mother thirty-two acres of bare, unimproved land, then of little value. Through his efforts the land was made attractive, the soil produced excellent crops of their various kinds, improvements were made that greatly added to the desirability of the place as a homestead, and all in all the tract was transformed from its original appearance to an abode of comfort and simple content. Immedi- ately before settling on the ranch he was mar- ried, February 8, 1875, to Miss Julia Ruiz, who was born in Los Angeles January 25, 1855, and received a fair education in the Spanish tongue. Her father, Martin Ruiz, was a native of Chi- huahua, Mexico, and a son of a Spanish gentle- man who came to the new world as a representa- tive of the king of Spain ; her mother, who bore the maiden name of Florence Raildez, was a native of Los Angeles and a member of a Span- ish family.

Always interested in educational matters, Mr. DeLong officiated as a school trustee for years and maintained a warm interest in the building of schools. Politically he stanchly supported Democratic principles, while in religion he was an earnest Roman Catholic, and all of his family adhered to the same faith. Fraternally he was a member of the Foresters of America. Surviving him are his widow and the following children : Conception, Mrs. Joseph Cyprien, of Fullerton, this state: Constance, widow of Joseph Toussat, also of Fullerton; Alexander, at home; Jossie, who married Joseph W. Reve, of Los Angeles, her wedding and that of her eldest sister being solemnized on the same day ; Charles, who makes his home at Sherman, this state; Ortense, at home: Henry L., who is employed in Los An- geles; Vernie, Mary, Josephine and Barnaby, who remain with their mother on the home ranch.

MICHAEL OSMUND. But a brief time has elapsed since the death of Michael Osmund, one of the enterprising and progressive ranchers of the El Monte district, where he had located about fifteen years ago and began the accumit- lation of the property which placed him among the successful men of this section. He was a native of Norway, his birth having occurred in Farsund, where his parents were born and mar- ried. The father died there, and the mother later joined her son in Iowa, where her death occurred. He was educated in the common

schools of Norway, after which he went to sea, finally locating permanently in America, where he first engaged as a lumberman. Later fol- lowed farming in Cass county, Iowa, for some time and then came to California in 1891. For a time he was located in Pasadena, but later purchased the property now owned by his widow, improving the land from a wild state, and building a comfortable residence and sub- stantial barns and outbuildings. While he car- ried on general farming, he made a specialty of raising celery and walnuts. He was a Mason fraternally, being identified with Lexington Lodge No. 104, of El Monte, and also belonged to the Order of Eastern Star and the Foresters. He was a Lutheran in religion and in politics a stanch Democrat. His death occurred Jan- uary 16, 1906, and removed from the community a worthy citizen, a helpful friend, and one who tried to live according to the Golden Rule.

Mr. Osmund was married in Farsund, Nor- way, June 12, 1895, to Miss Christine Hansen, a native of that place, and daughter of Ole and Martina Hansen, her father being a builder and farmer in Norway, where both parents still live. Since her husband's death Mrs. Osmund has con- tinued to conduct the ranch, which she has managed profitably. She is the mother of four children, May, Carl, Albert and Myrtle. In re- ligion she is a member of the Lutheran Church.

JOHN McCLURE. In those rich and fer- tile districts of Southern California that are devoted to the raising of luscious fruits there has been established no more important branch of horticulture than that relating to the grow- ing of grapes. Prominent among the men who are doing much to promote this special branch of horticulture is John McClure, a well-known resident of Los Angeles, pleasantly located at No. 3425 Downey avenue. Ener- getic, progressive, and a man of excellent judg- ment and ability, he is one of the leading vine- yardists of Los Angeles county, and the pro- prietor of an extensive winery. A native of Ireland, he was born in 1854, in County An- trim, the home of his ancestors for many gen- erations.

Immigrating to this country in early man- hood, Mr. McClure came to California in 1875. and for a brief time resided at Los Angeles. Looking about for a favorable location, he settled in the San Fernando valley, buying land at Roscoe, which was then in its infancy, there being hut very few houses in the entire valley, and for a while was successfully employed in grape raising. Here he demonstrated that by careful cultivation grapes could be raised with- out irrigation and was the pioneer in this

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

undertaking. He subsequently carried on an extensive business in the same line as junior member of the firm of Dillon, Kenealy & McClure, the partnership continuing until 1902. In 1896 Mr. McClure purchased a thousand acres of raw land, lying just north of the village of Burbank, and on it has made note- worthy improvements. He has erected a fine set of buildings, and has set out three hundred and fifty acres to wine grapes, having one of the most extensive and best bearing vineyards in the vicinity. He also carried on a substantial business at Dolgeville, where he had a winery, with an annual capacity of one hundred thou- sand gallons of sweet wine, and where he also manufactured some dry wines. On his ranch, which is known as the "Sunnyside Vineyard," he also raises bees on a large scale, having three apiaries, stocked with about four hundred hives. On this ranch he erected in 1906, con- crete wine cellars, with about five thousand tons yearly capacity and a complete modern manufacturing plant.

In 1891 Mr. McClure married Nellie M. Quayle, a native of Michigan, and a resident of California since 1889. Of their union five chil- dren have been born, namely : Mona, John Q., Edmund H., Robert G. and Marcus A. Politi- cally Mr. McClure is independent, voting ac- cording to the dictates of his conscience, re- gardless of party prejudice. Fraternally he is a member of Los Angeles Lodge No. 290, F. & A. M.

ROLLIE FRANK DE GARMO. Located in the vicinity of El Monte, Mr. De Garmo is en- gaged in the raising of alfalfa and the conduct of a dairy, in both of which enterprises he has met with success. He was born in the vicinity of Girard, Crawford county, Kans., June 8, 1877; his father, Robert M. De Garmo, was born near Bloomington, Ill., and there enlisted in the Fifty-fifth Regiment Illinois Infantry for service in the Civil war, after which, in 1867, he became a pioneer of Kansas, and in Crawford county engaged in general farming and cattle-raising until his death in the fall of 1893. The paternal grandfather, Marion, was also born in Illinois, and served in the Fifty-fourth Regiment Illi- nois Infantry; he was the representative of an old New York family of French origin. Robert M. De Garmo married Elizabeth Willey, a na- tive of Illinois, who survives and now makes her home in Marshall, Mo. She was the mother of five children, three of whom are living, Rollie Frank De Garmo being the youngest and the only one in California. He was reared in Kan- sas on the paternal farm and educated in the public schools, completing his education in Baker

University, at Baldwin, Kans., after which, in 1894, he came to California and in Pasadena at- tended Williams Commercial College, from which institution he was later graduated. He then engaged in ranching near San Gabriel, pur- chasing a five acre tract, and later purchasing fifty-three acres adjoining El Monte. This was semi-damp land, upon which he engaged in gen- eral farming, remaining so occupied until 1899, when he leased the ranch and located in Long Beach. He established a dairy at the corner of State street and American avenue, where he purchased forty acres of land, and conducted the same successfully for four years. Disposing of this business at the time mentioned, he then engaged in the dairy business in El Monte, and also raised alfalfa without irrigation. He has installed a pumping plant on his ranch and is occupied in the raising of cabbage and potatoes, in addition to his ranch renting forty acres ad- joining his property.

In Savannah, Cal., Mr. De Garmo was united in marriage with Miss Etta Renfro, a native of Missouri, and born of this union are three chil- dren, Alva, Glenn and Velma. Mrs. De Garmo is the daughter of George B. Renfro, an early settler of the state, who was born near Collins- ville, Madison county, Ill., a son of James Ren- fro, who engaged as a farmer in that state. The elder man removed to Harrison county, Mo., in 1874, his death occurring in Bethany in 1881. He served in the Civil war in the Thirty-sixth Regiment Illinois Infantry and was wounded at the battle of Franklin. He was a Mason fra- ternally, and politically was a strong Republican. In religion he was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His wife was Martha Reed, born in Missouri, and whose death occurred in California at the age of eighty-three years. They had three children, of whom the eldest was George B .; William is located in Los Angeles, and Thomas is in Missouri. George B. Renfro was born October 9, 1843, and reared in Illi- nois, where he attended the public schools. In 1862 he volunteered in Company E, Eightieth Regiment Illinois Infantry, and was an active participant in a number of important battles, among them Roseburg, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Resaca, Buzzard's Roost and siege of Atlanta. In the fall of 1864 he went home on a furlough and was ill for about fifty days; rejoining his regiment in February, 1865, he served until the close of the war. He was mustered out of service and honorably discharged in Springfield, Ill., June 19, 1865, and upon returning to civic pursuits engaged in general farming in Jefferson county. In 1872 he removed to Missouri and in Vernon county purchased a farm, which he cultivated for four years. In 1876 he went to Harrison

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

county, Mo., and this property he disposed of in 1882 and came to California. He located at Sierra Madre, where he set out an orchard and improved the property for two years, when he sold out and in the spring of 1885 purchased the property in Savannah. He owns twenty-four acres, of which twenty are devoted to alfalfa, raised without irrigation. He was married in Jefferson county, Ill., to Margaret Williams, a native of Kentucky, and they became the parents of four children: Alva, of Tonopah; Lntie, who became the wife of Brace S. Gibson, and is now deceased; Adella, wife of Charles Gidly, of El Monte; and Etta, Mrs. De Garmo. Mr. Renfro is a Mason fraternally and prominent in the order, his wife also belonging to the Order of Eastern Star. In politics he is a Republican.

Mr. De Garmo is associated fraternally with the Masonic organization, belonging to Lexing- ton Lodge No. 104, F. & A. M., of El Monte ; also Lexington Chapter No. 172, R. A. M. His wife is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Politically Mr. De Garmo is a stanch Republican.

ALBERT B. CLAYTON. The principal of the high school of Long Beach, Albert B. Clay- ton is a man eminently fitted for the position he holds, as he has made educational work his life study, at the same time bringing to bear the natural ability which has distinguished his efforts as a teacher. He is well and widely known throughout this section of the state, his birth having occurred near Downey, Cal., No- vember 2, 1876, and in that location he spent the years of his boyhood, His father, P. O. Clayton, was a pioneer of 1850, who crossed the plains from Kentucky, his native state, and located in California, where he passed the re- mainder of his life. As a minister of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church South he gave his best efforts toward the moral uplifting of the com- munity in which his life-work was directed, and became a popular friend of all movements which tended toward the upbuilding of the western statehood. His wife, formerly Lennie L. Walker, a native of Illinois, survives him, and now re- sides at No. 930 Pine avenue, Long Beach.

A. B. Clayton spent the first years of his life in Downey where he attended the public school until qualified to enter the high school of Los Angeles. He was graduated from this institu- tion in 1893, when he went east to Franklin, Tenn., and enrolled as a student in the Battle Ground Academy. Three years later he was graduated from the classical course and imme- diately entered Vanderbilt University, at Nash- ville, Tenn. Graduating in 1900 with the degree of B. A., he returned to California and took the same degree in the University of California, at

Berkeley. Subsequently, in 1902, he was se- cured by the Japanese government to work in the high schools and universities of Japan as a teacher of English, in which position he re- mained for two and a half years. Deciding to return to his native country and state he located in Long Beach about 1904, when he was made vice-principal of the high school here, holding the position for one year, when he assumed the duties of principal. Although but a brief period has elapsed since his assumption of these duties, yet he has evinced the qualities of leadership and the possession of executive ability, which is necessarily an essential factor in the accomplish- ment of results; both speak eloquently of future success which shall place the schools of this city in the front rank of those in Southern Califor- nia.

Mr. Clayton, in addition to his educational work, has taken a prominent part in the social life of Long Beach, where he is granted the position won by his personal attributes. He is a valued member of the Methodist Church South, and fraternally is identified with Long Beach Lodge No. 327, F. & A. M .; Chapter No. 84, R. A. M .; the Knights Templar and the Knights of Pythias. Throughout his entire career, even as a student, he was prominent in social orders, at Berkeley being an active member of the Young Men's Christian Association. Thus far in life Mr. Clayton has made his success by the exercise of his own ability and energy, starting in the world without capital, but allowing no obstacle to daunt nor dismay him. Whatever the future holds for him he carries that force within himself that enables him to give his best efforts toward the fulfillment of his desires-the bet- terment of humanity through educational forces.

JAMES G. COX. The citizens of Long Beach are a unit in their unquestioning and per- fect faith in the future prosperity of the town and its increasing growth in population. A number of the influential men of the place have given evidence of this faith through their invest- ments and their close identification with the buying and selling of real estate. Among this class stands James G. Cox, member of the firm of Cox & Cox, organized September 1, 1904. for the general handling of real estate, with loans and insurance as auxiliaries of the main business. Though primarily the removal to Cal- ifornia was made for the benefit of the health of himself and wife, he has had no reason to regret the change from a financial standpoint, for he has met with a gratifying degree of suc- cess in his investments and has become an in- fluential member of the Board of Trade and a contributor to the advancement of the city.

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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 121

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