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 156

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

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Brought up in Burlington, Lincoln A. Lauer received superior educational advantages, com- pleting the full course of study established in the public schools of that city, and being grad- uated from a commercial college. Subsequently going to Chicago, he was for two years secre- tary to the superintendent of the Pullman Palace Car Company, at Pullman, Ill. Resigning his position, he entered the dental department of the Northwestern University, in Chicago, where he was graduated in 1888, with the degree of D. D. S. Locating in that city, at the corner of State and Randolph streets, he at once began the prac- tice of his profession, and met with most satis- factory success during the many years that he remained there. August 27, 1904, he came to Ocean Park, Los Angeles county, and in the comparatively brief time that he has been here has won an extensive and lucrative practice, his acknowledged skill, close attention to his pro- fessional duties, and his unblemished personal character winning for him a large patronage among the best people of the community.

In Chicago, Ill., March 26, 1890, Dr. Lauer married Mary F. Lamb, a niece of Mrs. H. P. Schofield, of Ocean Park, and they are the parents of four children, namely : Edith, Harold, and Ruth and Russell, twins. Fraternally the doctor is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks.

HON. GEORGE FILLMORE KAPP. Leav- ing behind him an unusually fine record as a professional man and an efficient public official Hon. George Fillmore Kapp became a resident of Long Beach in February, 1904, for the benefit of his wife's health, and has within but little more than two years established himself in a successful real-estate husiness and gained the re- spect and esteem of all with whom he has come in contact. The Kapp family has been promi- nently identified with the history and develop- ment of this country for many years, the first members having settled in York county, Pa., where the grandfather and father were born.

The father, Henry Kapp, was a farmer by occu- pation, and during the Civil war served in the One Hundred and Ninetieth Regiment of Penn- sylvania Volunteer Infantry. He was a lead- ing citizen of York county and at one time served as a member of the county board of directors for the poor. Religiously lie was an adherent of the Lutheran Church, and his death in 1901 removed a man of sterling principles and strong char- acter, who was universally mourned by all who knew him. His wife, in maidenhood Lucinda Urich, was a native also of York county and now resides near the old home.

A member of a family of six children, George Fillmore Kapp was born November 11, 1865, in "York county, Pa., and spent his boyhood days on his father's farm. After receiving a prelim- inary education in the common schools he en- tered the first state normal school at Millers- ville, from which he graduated in 1884 with the degree of B. E. He then taught in York and Lancaster counties for some time, and about the year 1887 continued the occupation in Laporte county, Ind. Subsequently he entered the law department of the Northern Indiana State Nor- mal, graduating therefrom in 1891, with the de- gree of LL. B. The following year he located in Butte, Neb., and began the practice of law, meeting with flattering success in the profession. In 1894 he was given the nomination as candi- date for prosecuting attorney on the Democratic ticket and came within forty votes of being elected in a county strongly Republican. Two years later the Democrats nominated him on their ticket for member of the legislature, and receiving the indorsement of the Independent party, he was elected by a majority of six hun- dred and sixty-five votes. He served during the session of 1897, receiving the chairmanship of the committee on county organization and county seats, and was also made a member of several other committees. Becoming a resident of Ex- ira, Iowa, in 1898, where he continued his legal practice, he served that city in the capacity of mayor for one term, refusing a re-nomination to the office. Upon his arrival in Long Beach in 1904 he formed a partnership with Fred Aufdenkamp and under the name of The Hub Realty Company has since been transacting a general real-estate business. the office being lo- cated at No. 2001/2 East First street.

Mr. Kapp's marriage occurred in Butte, Neb .. uniting him with Mary E. Jonas, a native of Holt county, Neb., and the union has been blessed in the birth of two children, Harold and Marjorie. Mr. Kapp was made a Mason in Butte and still retains his membership in the lodge there, and also belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America. He attends the Congre- gational Church and takes an active interest in

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bettering the social and civic conditions of the community in which he resides. As a man of liberal education, broad culture and extensive experience in business, professional and public life he is recognized as one of the valued citizens of Long Beach.

A. LEHMANN came to Lompoc in early boy- hood twenty-two years ago and has grown up with the city which was then only a mere vil- lage and is now one of the leading towns in this section of the state. He has always been close- ly identified with those enterprises which were today one of its most prominent and highly re- spected citizens, noted for his honesty and in- tegrity and genial manner toward all with whom he comes in contact. He is now manager of Lompoc Produce & Real Estate Company, one of the largest and most influential firms of the kind in the city, besides being heavily interested in a number of important business enterprises, in- cluding the Lompoc Planing Mill Company, and the Bank of Lompoc, of which he is vice-presi- dent.

Mr. Lehmann was born May II, 1867, in Alsace, Germany, which was also the native home of his father, Moise Lehmann, and his mother, Estella (Weill) Lehmann, both of whom were members of old and prominent families in that province. The father was a merchant and real-estate dealer in his native town until a short time before his death, which occurred in Ger- many, when he was seventy-six years old. There was a family of seven children, all of whom are now living at Oxnard with the exception of A. Lehmann and one sister, the latter residing in Los Angeles. The mother came to California in 1893, and makes her home with a son living at Oxnard. Mr. Lehmann received a fine edu- cation in the high schools of Germany before his immigration to this country and immediately upon his arrival in Lompoc, Santa Barbara county, which was his objective point upon reaching the United States, he engaged as clerk in a mercantile house, and continued at that work for seven years. He then established a business of his own on the same lines and conducted it for twelve years, after which he sold out and took active charge of the Lompoc Produce & Real Estate Company, performing the duties of manager since 1898, and giving liis attention as well to the running of the lumber yard which the company conducts in connection with its other lines of business.

Mr. Lehmann is a stanch believer in the prin- ciples advocated by the Republican party and takes an active part in all matters of interest to the public civic life of the city. Fraternally he is

identified with all of the important organizations in Lompoc, being a leading member of the Ma- sonic lodge in this city and of which he is a past master; also is a member of the Lompoc Knights of Pythias Lodge and of the Lompoc Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Mr. Leh- mann is a self made man and is justly entitled to all of the confidence, respect and honors which his friends and fellow-citizens are glad to give him.

MISS LOTTIE ISABELLE LEFFING- WELL. An accomplished and enterprising busi- projected for the improvement of Lompoc and is - ness woman of Venice, Miss L. I. Leffingwell is energetic, progressive and keen-sighted, and as an equal partner in the real-estate firm of A. F. Webster & Co. has been actively connected with some of the most important and extensive sales and transfers of realty in Los Angeles county. In her many transactions of this kind, she has clearly demonstrated woman's ability to compete with man in the world of finance, by her industry, thrift and superior management accum- ulating a fine property. She was born, reared and educated in Ravenna, Ohio, a daughter of James and Charlotte (Dewey) Leffingwell. On the paternal side she comes of thrifty Scotch stock, her Grandfather Leffingwell having been a native of Scotland, and on the maternal side is of substantial New England ancestry, her mother having been born and reared in Becket, Mass.

The youngest of a family of five children, Lot- tie I. Leffingwell was left fatherless at the age of ten years, and four years later she began earn- ing her own living. She first worked as assist- ant in a dental office at Ravenna, during which time she completed the course at the high school, from which she was graduated. Subsequently she obtained a position in a jewelry store, where she became an expert as a repairer of jewelry, and afterwards was engaged in the millinery business, for twelve years having a store in Ra- venna.

Her healthı failing, Miss Leffingwell was obliged to seek a change of climate in 1902, and came to California, a step that she has never regretted. Locating first in Los Angeles, she had charge of the millinery department of a store in that city for awhile, but preferring out-door occupation she embarked in the real-estate busi- ness, and from the very beginning met with most encouraging success. In April, 1903, she located in Ocean Park, and soon after became associated with her present partner under the firm name of A. F. Webster & Co. Beginning business with a limited capital, in a small office at Ocean Park, this firm has built up a good business, growing with great rapidity, and now maintains

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

three offices, one at Ocean Park, one in Venice, and one in Los Angeles.

Miss Leffingwell has become owner of con- siderable real estate in this vicinity, and has ac- quired title to a large share of beach property. She is very public-spirited, being a promoter of every worthy cause which will aid in the up- building of Venice and Crescent Bay. She comes of Revolutionary stock, a fact of which she may well be proud, and is a member of the Ravenna Chapter, D. A. R.

HON. HENDRIK DIRK CANNE. Not many California residents can claim the birth- place of Erasmus the scholar and Van Tromp the naval hero as his own, but this honor and all the inherent qualities that distinguish their race belong to Mr. H. D. Canne, of Hollywood. By the royal right of birth, in the direct line- age of the distinguished Cannes family of Bris- tol, England, barons and baronets under James II, who emigrated to Holland during the Puri- tan wars, where the descendants have since re- sided, Hendrik Dirk Canne was born in Rotter- dam, Holland, January 9, 1879, son of C. D. and Johanna Elizabeth Teengs Telting, both natives of Holland, the former a son of a college pro- fessor, and the latter a daughter of a prominent merchant in that country. After their marriage, which occurred in April, 1873, and the birth of their three children, Henriette Louise, J. C. D. and Hendrik D., the parents set out from Rot- terdam, hoping to find a broader outlook for their children in America. The father relin- quished an excellent government position with the Royal Postal Telegraph, and with a party of colonizers landed in New York City in the win- ter of 1889-90, having shipped from Rotterdam. It was the intention of the colonization party with which they came to locate as pioneers in the grape industry in Merced county, Cal., and after traveling across the country they finally reached their destination. The colonization scheme proved, however, a gigantic swindle, which resulted in large financial loss to Mr. Canne. Determined to make the best of the sit- uation, he remained in Merced county for a few years, then located in Santa Clara county, where his attempts at prune-raising being unsuccessful, he later removed his family to Chino, where the sons became connected with a sugar factory, re- maining there until his removal to Los Angeles to spend his declining years. J. C. D. Canne is still interested in the heet-sugar business, and is now chief chemist for the Spreckles Sugar Company.

After the location of the family in Los An- geles. Hendrik D. Canne became secretary to the German consulate here, a position which he

filled with credit until the office was abandoned. Before coming to the United States he had re- ceived an excellent preliminary education in the schools of Holland, supplementing this by at- tendance of grammar schools in this state and taking a course in a private academy, and com- pleting the whole by taking a course in a busi- ness college. Becoming interested in the buy- ing and selling of real-estate, he carried on a flourishing business for a number of years. The country in and around Hollywood became of spe- cial interest to Mr. Canne, and during his last few years in Los Angeles he gave considerable attention to developing that section, with the re- sult that he finally removed here, and he now makes his home here with his parents. In addi- tion to carrying on his real-estate business while in Los Angeles, Mr. Canne took up the study of law in the University of Southern California, from which he graduated with the degree of LL.B. in June, 1905, and during the same year he was admitted to practice at the bar in the state and United States courts. He was made a citi- zen of the United States under Judge Allen.

Politically Mr. Cannes upholds the principles of the Republican party. He is a member of various improvement associations and civil and political leagues. Recently he has been nomi- nated a justice of the section in which he resides, and he is one of the best known and most re- spected citizens in the valley. Popular among the young as well as the old, a good sportsman, a jolly companion well met, and a stanch friend. these are the qualities that have made him such a universal favorite.

JAMES LABORDE. One of the most suc- cessful and popular men in the San Jacinto val- ley is James Laborde, who was born in Basses- Pyrenees, France, July 10, 1854, the son of John and Jane Laborde, both natives of France, where their deaths occurred. The son, James, spent his boyhood days in his native country, receiving a good education in the public and private schools, and then engaged in sheep herding for a time before coming to the United States in 1874. Ar- riving at the port of San Francisco, he made his way almost immediately to Southern California, locating near Los Angeles, and for six years worked in a fruit orchard. During that period he had succeeded in saving enough to establish himself in an independent business and bought a herd of sheep and engaged in sheep raising for a similar length of time. He then sold the herd and came to the San Jacinto valley, where he has been engaged in agricultural pursuits from then until the present, renting the property from Joe Wolfskill. It is fitted with the neces- sary machinery for use in cultivating grains in

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

the most up-to-date manner, the outfit including a thirty-two horse power combined harvester. The ranch comprises seven hundred acres, five hundred acres being devoted to grain raising and the remaining two hundred acres to pasture. He has about twelve head of horses and other farm stock. He owns real-estate in San Jacinto, where he resides with his family.

In 1883 Mr. Laborde was united in marriage to Rosa Necochea, a native of California, the ceremony being performed at San Jacinto, De- cember 15 of that year. There were ten chil- dren born to this union, namely: Jennie, now the wife of John Rubidoux; Frances, who be- came the wife of John Rosa; Leonidas; Guada- lupe; Peter ; James ; Mary, who died in infancy ; Rosa; Anna; Elmer. Mr. Laborde is an earn- est communicant of the Catholic Church, and takes an active interest in all enterprises which tend toward the upbuilding of the community in which he resides.

ZEPHANIAH JONES. To the residents of San Diego county familiar with that section of the county lying east of Escondido no name is more familiar than that of Zephaniah Jones, the present postmaster of the village of Vineyard and for years the efficient foreman of one of the largest ranches of the locality. Mr. Jones is of eastern birth and Welsh ancestry. His father, Henry P., was born in New York in 1812 and after arriving at man's estate engaged in agricultural pursuits in his native locality, but in 1871 removed to Iowa, purchased a tract of raw land and gave his attention to its develop- ment. Many years before leaving the east he married Elizabeth Jones, who was of Welsh de- scent and a native of New York, born in 1814. On the Iowa farm which he had improved and made valuable he died in 1875 at the age of sixty- three and his wife passed away three years later at the age of sixty-four years. While they were living in Oneida county, N. Y., their son, Zep- haniah, was born on the home farm October 8, 1858, and his education was begun in the schools of that county, but later prosecuted in the public schools of Iowa and the state university at Iowa City. For some years after discontinuing his uni- versity studies he farmed in the summer months and taught school in the winter, but in 1883 he removed to Wisconsin and taught school at West Bend for two terms, then embarked in the bee business, building up an apiary of three hundred colonies. During 1885 he sold his bee business and returned to the old home place in Iowa, where he spent the following year.

Late in the year 1886 Mr. Jones arrived in California and made his home in San Diego coun- ty until 1906. For a short time he was employed

in the city of San Diego, but soon he removed to the mountains fourteen miles east of Escondido and worked for Jacob Gruendike from July, 1887, until February of the following year. March 24, 1888, he was united in marriage with Miss Helen, daughter of Col. A. E. Maxcy one of the leading stockmen and distinguished pio- neers of San Diego county. When mention is made of the development of the ranching indus- try in this county the name of Colonel Maxcy merits prominent consideration. A native of Massachusetts and the son of a farmer, he re- ceived every advantage within the financial abil- ity of the family, and on completing his classical studies became engaged in the study of medicine. At the age of nineteen years he traveled through Ohio, Illinois and Indiana, introducing physiol- ogy into the public schools, and while in that portion of the country he heard of the discovery of gold in California, which immediately changed all of his plans for the future. Returning to his old home in Massachusetts, he quickly made preparations for a voyage to the Pacific coast, and soon afterward took passage on the ship Pharsalia, which sailed around the horn and then northward, arriving in the harbor of San Francisco in July, 1849, after a voyage of six months. For a year he worked in the mines, but luck did not favor his efforts and he decided to seek other avenues of employment.

In 1850 he became a pioneer of San Diego county, which at the time had few residents ex- cept those of Mexican lineage. For a time he engaged in business at Oldtown, which was then the business center of the county. In the spring of 1852 he moved to a ranch sixteen miles east of the present site of Escondido and here he be- gan to raise cattle and horses. From the first he met with success. His herds increased until he had from forty thousand to fifty thousand head of cattle, and his brand was familiar through all this part of the country. When settlers be- gan to come in and lands were taken up, dis- posing of all of his cattle but one thousand head, he bought a ranch of five thousand acres. In addition, in later years, he planted grapes and engaged in the manufacture of wine. At the or- ganization of the Consolidated National Bank of San Diego he bought stock and the subsequent failure of the institution entailed upon him a heavy loss, but he still retained large landed hold- ings. After a long illness Mr. Maxcy died March 9, 1901, at the Southern California hos- pital in Los Angeles. For some years before his death his son-in-law, Mr. Jones, had acted as foreman of the ranch, and since then the latter and a son, Alonzo, has been in charge of the estate. Disposing of the ranch, April, 1906, in June, the same year, Mr. Jones removed to Hollywood, Cal., where he engaged in the real-

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estate business under the firm name of The Cali- fornia Developing Association, with office in the Bradbury Building, Los Angeles.

In fraternal relations Mr. Jones holds mem- bership with Escondido Lodge No. 345, I. O. O. F., while politically he is a pronounced Re- publican and in recognition of party services in 1904 he received the appointment as postmaster of the village of Vineyard, which office he filled, in addition to superintending large ranch inter- ests.

JOHN DAVIS CLARK. Practically the en- tire life of Mr. Clark has been passed within the limits of San Bernardino county, for he was only four years of age when the family left Utah and crossed the plains to the then un- known regions of Southern California. Hence his early recollections are associated with this vicinity, whose progress he has witnessed from the condition of primeval wildness to one of re- markable prosperity. In the bringing about of this satisfactory transformation he has been a factor, for his work as boy and man has tended toward the improvement of the land and the permanent development of its material re- sources. The farmn which he now owns is situ- ated near Highland and ranks among the finest in the locality. All of the improvements have been made under his personal supervision and prove him to be a man of thrift and energy.

A native of Springville City, Utah, born in September of 1854, Mr. Clark was the only child of Davis and Priscilla (Singleton) Clark, natives respectively of Connecticut and England. After coming to San Bernardino he attended the local schools and availed himself of such advan- tages as they offered for the acquiring of an education. From an early age he has been familiar with agriculture and horticulture, and during 1883 he also began to be interested in the raising, feeding and shipping of cattle, a branch of agriculture in which he met with gratifying success. . However, eventually the rise in land valuations rendered large stock-raising enter- prises unprofitable, and in 1900 he began to con- fine his attention to raising fruit and farm products.

The larger part of his present farm Mr. Clark acquired in July, 1889, when he purchased an unimproved tract of forty acres. Later he bought ten acres adjoining and also acquired an eight- acre tract, all of which property he yet owns and devotes to farming and fruit-raising. Five acres are in a bearing grove of navel oranges and five acres are planted to apricot trees. A substantial residence has been erected by the present owner and occupant and a barn also was built for the storage of grain and the shelter of stock. For-

merly he used a wind pump, but on account of pumps having been placed on the creek below the water has been taken from the higher land.

The marriage of Mr. Clark took place Jan- uary 11, 1880, and united him with Mary I. Haws, daughter of F. M. and Malettna Haws. Mrs. Clark was born at Provo City, Utah, July, 25, 1855, and died in San Bernardino county, August 13, 1905. Both of their children had preceded her in death, the son, Francis, having died in infancy, while the daughter, Eva, was taken from the home in 1891 at the age of six- teen years. These bereavements leave Mr. Clark alone in the world. His life is a very busy one, for the management of his land and the care of the fruit trees demand constant attention. Like all public-spirited citizens, he keeps posted con- cerning problems affecting local and national prosperity. In politics he gives his support to the Republican party, and on that ticket in 1900 he was elected a member of the board of super- visors of the county, a position that he filled with characteristic energy and faithfulness. In fra- ternal relations he holds membership with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Masons at San Bernardino.

JUAN ORTEGA. Throughout the length and breadth of this glorious state no more worthy people can be found than those born on California soil, of Spanish ancestors, men and women noted for their industry, geniality and warm- hearted hospitality. Their doors are ever open to the stranger, who is given a cordial welcome and freely invited to partake of the best afforded by the house. Prominent among this number is Juan Ortega, a prosperous rancher living near Vista, a typical representative of the true Spanish gentleman. A native of California, and the son of a native son, he was born June 24, 1844, in Santa Barbara county, being one of nine chil- dren born to his parents, Amidio and Concepcion (Dominguez) Ortega, the former of whom was born in Los Angeles county and the latter in Santa Barbara county. The father was a farm- er, and for many years was engaged in ranching in Ventura county, where he died at the age of eighty-two years. The widowed mother is still living, and on December 8, 1906, celebrated the ninety-eighth anniversary of her birth.

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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 156

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