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 173

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

USA > California > 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 173

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JOHN H. HATHERLEY. An extensive and successful ranchman of San Bernardino county is John H. Hatherley, a pioneer of this county, who is highly spoken of by all who have the pleasure of his acquaintance. He is

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the owner of three valuable ranches, the home place comprising sixty acres devoted to the raising of grain, alfalfa and potatoes; a sixty- seven acre piece given over entirely to hay raising ; and a forty-five acre tract of pasture land. Mr. Hatherley was born February 20, 1847, in England, the son of Thomas H. and Mary A. (Pattey) Hatherley, both natives of the British Isles. He was one of a family of seven children and received his education in an English private school. It was the intention of his parents that he enter the navy, but he left school before the completion of his pre- paratory studies and when a little over eleven years of age left home and went to sea, follow- ing the life of a sailor for nine years, one of his trips taking him to the Arctic Ocean, where he spent some time among the Esquimaux.

In 1867 he landed in San Francisco and took up life as a landsman. He began his career in the west as a ranchman, but gave this up soon afterward to engage in the saw mill busi- ness in San Mateo county. Subsequently he came to Santa Barbara county as foreman of a large stock ranch, a position which he held for eight years. Later he spent two years in Goleta, and in 1879 came to his present loca- tion, purchasing the ranch upon which he now lives, and putting all of the improvements thereon, besides sinking a well nine hundred feet deep, giving him enough water to irrigate sixty acres. His marriage to Miss Kate M. Fellen, a native of Ireland, occurred October 14, 1873. At her death, February 18, 1887, she left three children: John H., now of Arizona ; Alfred and Berkley H. By his second mar- riage, in July, 1887, Mr. Hatherley was united with Sophia Olver, born in England, and she became the mother of three children: Eliza- beth J., William L. and Joseph T. Mrs. Hath- erley is an active member of the Episcopal Church. Politically Mr. Hatherley is an advo- cate of the principles of the Republican party. He is a member of the Fraternal Union Lodge of America and in all matters of social and civic import takes an active interest.

ROBERT ADDISON. The name of Robert Addison is well known in mechanical circles throughout Southern California, whither he came in 1885 and settled in Pasadena. From a town of less than three hundred population he has seen the city grow to its present place among the cities of commercial importance of the Pacific coast, and he himself has shared in the commercial and financial activity which has revolutionized the west in the last two decades. Although he still retains his residence in Pasadena, the

Addison Pump Company, of which he is the vice-president has been located in Pomona since 1901, and two years later was incorpo- rated under the laws of the state. The plant is located at the corner of First and Cypress streets, and includes a foundry, blacksmith shop, and a pattern department, all covering a .ground space 72X125 feet. The various com- modities manufactured by the company are weil known throughout the west, and include among others a double-acting surface pump, double-acting deep weli pump (of which Mr. Addison is the sole inventor) and the single- acting deep well pump, besides centrifugal pumps and other mechanical devices.

Mr. Addison is of English descent, although American born, his birth having occurred in Cortland Center, Kent county, Mich., January 7, 1845. From North Duffield, Yorkshire, Eng- land, where he was born, Thomas Addison, his father, set out for America, settling in Utica, N. Y., and there he established domestic ties by his marriage to Emeline Johnson, a native of that city, of Scotch ancestry. After their marriage the parents removed to the frontier of Michigan, and there amid the wilds of Kent county the father cleared a farm and reared his family. Indians were their nearest neighbors and wolves were so frequently seen as to cause no alarm or comment. Thomas Addison be- came a well known figure in his community, and as supervisor and justice of the peace took an active part in its civic life. Fraternally he was a Mason. Seven children, four sons and three daughters, were born to this worthy cou- ple. George is a resident of Los Angeles; Thomas is general manager for the General Electric Company for the state of California ; and Albert has had charge of the homestead in Michigan since the death of his parents.

In order of birth Robert Addison was the fifth child, and he was reared and educated in Kent county, Mich. Of a mechanical turn of mind naturally, when the time came for him to choose a calling he naturally leaned towards a line that would permit him to give vent to his genius and for a time followed the build- ing business. From this he later branched out into a manufacturing line, purchasing a sash, door and general planing mill in Rockford, Mich., which he ran successfully for eleven or twelve years. After disposing of his mill he spent one season in Dakota, going from there io St. Louis, and six months later returned to Michigan. As has been previously stated, he first set foot on California soil in the fall of 1885, a move which has proven advantage- ous to himself as well as to the locality in which he settled. He identified himself with the little town of Pasadena in that year and

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established a planing mill which he continued to operate until the boom was over. There- after he was variously interested for a time, going first to Puget Sound, later to San Fran- cisco, where he had charge of building work, and from there to Napa City, where he was in the employ of the electric lighting com- pany. A short experience as a rancher in. Eagle Rock valley proved to him that his forte did not lie in that direction and upon dis- posing of his ranch in 1890 he went to Los Angeles and entered the employ of Mr. Luitweller, as gas engine and pump expert. This move proved a wise one, and in the work which his position demanded dormant talents were brought into play which have been the direct means of his success today. After eight months as a manufacturer on his own account in Los Angeles he removed to Pomona and es- tablished his present factory, which under the name of the Addison Pump Company has been enlarged to meet the demands of the busi- ness, and is classed among the thriving indus- tries of the Pomona valley. In the interests of the business Mr. Addison is on the road a large part of the time, and besides visiting pa- trons throughout his own state, canvasses the neighboring states of Arizona, Utah and Ne- vada.

In Michigan Mr. Addison was married to Miss Ella Quigley, who was born in Kent county, that state, and their only child, Ivan, was born in Rockford, Mich. As he was only a child when the removal of the family to California occurred he was reared and edu- cated principally in Pasadena. For five years he was in the employ of the Edison Electric Light Company of Pasadena, and subsequent- ly was interested in business with his father. He , was married in Los Angeles to Leone Lindley, who was born in Indiana, and he now makes his home in Pomona, and is employed as draughtsman with the Addison Pump Com- pany. He is classed among the town's rising young business men and is a valued member of the Board of Trade. Robert Addison is a Democrat in his political beliefs, and frater- nally he is a Mason of the Royal Arch degree.

HAZEN H. KELLY. A young man who has made a pronounced success in his ranching operations is Hazen H. Kelly of Redlands. He is a native of San Bernardino county, and has spent his entire life within its boundaries. His father, Joseph H. Kelly, was born in Illi- nois in 1842; he later settled in Utah and in 1861 came to San Bernardino county, Cal., where he now resides. In 1866 the father was married to Miss Sarah Keller, a native of Cali-

fornia, who became the mother of five children and died in San Bernardino in 1876. Mr. Kelly is a well-known ranchman, who is especially interested in the raising of fine horses.

Born January 13, 1874, Hazen H. Kelly re- ceived a common school education in San Ber- nardino county and after school days were over he engaged in ranching with his father on the home ranch for a number of years, and at the age of twenty-four married and commenced ranching independently. For the past four years he has owned and operated the ranch upon which he now resides, and which com- prises fifty-four acres of land. Thirty-five acres are planted in oranges, twelve acres hav- ing been set out in 1906, and fifteen acres are in alfalfa.

Mr. Kelly is a man of energy and enterprise and has been very successful in his undertak- ings. His marriage in 1898 united him with Miss Laura Adkinson, a native of Orange county, whose father, J. A. Adkinson, is living there at the present time. Two children have been born of this union, Joseph and Percy. Mr. Kelly is a stanch advocate of the prin- ciples embraced in the platform of the Demo- cratic party and takes an active interest in all matters pertaining to the public welfare.

CHARLES W. BAILEY. One of the oldest settlers and most successful ranchmen and fruit growers in the Spencer valley, San Diego county, is Charles W. Bailey, who has been living on the ranch which he now occupies since 1883. He was born August 9, 1842, in Kentucky, the son of L. M. and Nancy (Rich- ardson) Bailey, both natives of the same state. The parents were both active members of the Baptist Church and the father was a firm be- liever in the principles advocated by the Re- publican party. The mother died at the age of fifty-three years, while the father was sev- enty-two at the time of his demise. They were the parents of eleven children, four of whom are living in California at the present time: H. C. in Long Beach ; T. O. on Smith Moun- tain : L. N. at Banner; and Charles W. at Wynola. One son, J. M., died in Colusa county in 1853.

'The early education of C. W. Bailey was received in the common schools of Illinois, his parents having removed to Macoupin county, that state, from Kentucky when he was but six years of age, and he finished his school work at Blackburn University, in Carlinville, before enlisting for service in the Civil war. As a member of Company G. One Hundred and Thirty-third Regiment of Illinois Volunteers, he was stationed for five months at Rock

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Island, then returned to his home county and engaged in farming until 1878. In that year he removed to Kansas, locating near Arkansas City, where he purchased an eighty-acre farm, which he held for two years. He then sold out and in 1883 came to California, buying the four hundred and forty acre ranch on which he now makes his home and has since devoted himself to grain and stock-raising and fruit growing.

Mr. Bailey's marriage to Miss Jennie R. Hamilton, a native of Virginia, occurred in California, and they are the parents of four children : Oscar, Virginia, Newton L. and Mary. Mrs. Bailey is a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. Mr. Bailey affiliates fraternally with the Masonic lodge of Escon- dido, having been made a Mason in Illinois in 1863. Politically he advocates the principles of the Republican party and is actively inter- ested in all matters of public import.

FRANCIS MARION LEE. A young man of recognized ability, integrity and worth, Francis Marion Lee is contributing largely towards the advancement of the agricultural and mercantile interests of Compton, being prosperously engaged in general ranching, and likewise having a finely established jewelry business in the village. A son of Benjamin D. Lee, he was born, November 6, 1871, in Powe- shiek county, Iowa, the descendant of a Penn- sylvania family of prominence. His grand- father, the late William C. Lee, was born in Pennsville, Pa., in 1811, married Sarah Den- nis in 1837, and died at his home in Pasadena, Cal., in 1905, at the venerable age of ninety- four years. His wife preceded him to the life beyond, passing away in 1903. They reared a large family of children, six of whom survive, namely: Benjamin D., Mrs. J. E. Quinby, C. F., Mrs. L. A. Shirks, Mrs. M. L. McIntosh and A. C. Lee.

Born in Pennsylvania. Benjamin D. Lee spent several years of his early manhood in Iowa, from there removing to Illinois, and be- ing a resident of Princeton for some time. He subsequently carried on general farming in Allen county, Kans., living there until the spring of 1893, when he came to California, settling in Los Angeles county, where he is now retired from active pursuits, his home be- · ing in Pasadena. He married Tirza Ann Kel- ler, a native of Ohio, and they became the parents of two children, Walter Varian, of Pasadena, and Francis Marion.

Being but three years old when his parents removed from Iowa to Princeton, Ill., Fran- cis Marion Lee there acquired the rudiments

of his education, completing his school life in Allen county, Kans. Leaving home when ·twenty-two years old, he was engaged in ag- ricultural work for a year, after which he ran the grain elevator in Moran, Kans., for a while. Then establishing himself as a jew- eler in Farlington, Kans., he remained there a year. In 1896 he came to California, locat- ing three miles northeast of Compton, where he was prosperously employed in farming for four years. Removing then to his father's ranch, lying one mile northwest of Compton, he has since had the supervision of its twenty- five acres of land, and in its management has met with noteworthy success. In addition to ranching he has also been profitably engaged in the jewelry business in Compton since De- cember, 1901, having built up a thriving trade in this line, and won an assured position among the leading business men of this com- munity.

October 8, 1890, in Moran, Kans., Mr. Lee married May Coffman, who was born in In- diana, but was brought up and educated in Kansas. Mr. and Mrs. Lee are the parents of six children, namely: Eva R. Haydn Coff- man, Agnes Tirza, Francis C., Olive May and Jessie. Politically Mr. Lee is a steadfast Re- publican, and is a member of two beneficial or- ganizations, the Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica and the Amsterdam Casualty Company. Both Mr. and Mrs. Lee are members of the Christian Church, but there being no organiza- tion of that denomination in Compton they attend the Congregational Church, and for two and one-half years Mr. Lee has been su- perintendent of its Sunday-school.

J. H. JENSEN. Agriculture, as conducted under the favorable conditions found in San Luis Obispo county, has a wise and sagacious follower in J. H. Jensen, a prominent Danish- American, and the owner of his present ranch of five hundred acres near Nipomo since 1902. Mr. Jensen was born on a farm in the princi- pality of Sleswick-Holstein, August 8, 1872, and is a son of J. H. and Annie (White) Jen- sen, natives of the same part of Germany. The elder Jensen was a baker by trade, but owned his own tract of land and derived his chief sustenance from the pursuit of agriculture. In 1890 he immigrated to California, where live the five survivors of his family of seven chil- dren, and here his death occurred in Watson- ville at the age of seventy-two. His wife, who is sixty-eight years old, makes her home in Nipomo.

The education of Mr. Jensen has been self acquired, and is the accomplishment of his

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inature rather than youthful days. Early con- fronted with the wage-earning problem, he came to America at the age of fourteen, and. from New York sailed to the Isthmus of Pan- ama, and thence to San Francisco. In San Luis Obispo county he found employment on several ranches, and after a number of unsuc- cessful attempts at independent ranching, in- vested in a tract of land in Merced county in 1896. This farm proved disappointing from the standpoint of productiveness, and in 1902 he purchased his present valuable and well- equipped ranch. He is engaged principally in grain and bean culture, and averages about five sacks per acre. He has fine buildings and much valuable farm machinery, and is constantly on the lookout for better ways of conducting his affairs.

The marriage of Mr. Jensen and Mrs. Paul- son occurred in 1902, Mrs. Jensen being a native of Germany, and by her first marriage the mother of eight children. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Jensen, Fran- ces and Ernest. Mr. Jensen is liberal in pol- itics, but casts his vote preferably for a Dem- ocratic candidate. He is social in his tenden- cies, and a member of the Nipomo Lodge No. 164, K. of P., and the Danish Lodge No. 16. He is a man of pleasing address, well bal- anced mind. and the thrift and far-sightedness characteristic of his countryinen.

HENRY O. MORRIS For generations the Morris family have been pioneers in the settle- ment of the United States, pushing out as time passed to the edges of civilization, hewing their way further into the wilderness and mak- ing easier the path of those that followed later. Three generations back Henry Morris settled in Ohio in a very early day, when that country was infested by Indians, and he fought his way through troubles with them. Lorenzo D. and Rachael (Dresbach) Morris, the parents of the present Henry O., were both natives of. Ohio, and in his turn the father pushed out into the frontier, locating in Edgar county, Ill., in 1852, and engaging in agricultural pur- suits remained there the rest of his lifetime. His wife, who was born in 1815, died in 1896, and he passed away at the age of eighty-eight years, having been born in 1813.

Born September 19, 1841. in Pickaway county, Ohio, Henry O. Morris was taken by his parents to Illinois. where he was educated in the old subscription and public schools of that state, and from the time that he had at- tained his majority until 1887 he was engaged in agricultural pursuits in Edgar county. In the meantime, during the summer of 1882, he

had been in the San Jacinto valley, California, at which time there were not more than three or four white families there. Hither he came as a settler in 1887 and a year later he bought the place upon which lie now resides, built a house and other necessary buildings, planted trees and now has a highly improved ranch of fifteen acres, devoted principally to oranges, olives, alfalfa and a few peaches. In 1871 he was married in Illinois to Miss Mary Web- ster, a daughter of William Webster, who came to California in 1875. Mr. and Mrs. Morris are the parents of two children, Bruce, who lives in Riverside, and Fred, a mining engineer now located in Alaska. Politically Mr. Morris is a Democrat, and during his resi- dence in Illinois served on the school board for several years.

ALBERT G. HULL. A man who owns considerable property and is making a suc- cess of his ranching operations is Albert G. Hull, of Winchester, who stands high as a citizen of the community in which he resides. He was born December 16, 1858, in Dunn coun- ty, Wis., the son of Marvin and Julia (Stowe) Hull, both natives of New York, who in 1857 became pioneers of Wisconsin. There the father was occupied as a farmer and stock- man, and at one time engaged in the milling business. In 1871 he went still further west and settled in Big Bend, Minn., where he was occupied as a farmer until 1878, when he re- moved to Benson, built a store building, which he rented, and lived retired from business ac- tivities until 1887. In that year he came to California and purchased a ten-acre ranch near Winchester, making this place his home un- til 1902. From here he removed to Olym- pia, Wash., where he now lives and is en- gaged in gardening. He is now eighty-four years old, his wife being one year younger.

The preliminary education of Albert G. Hull was received in the public schools of Wiscon- sin, and later he attended the high school at Benson, Minn. His father having sold the farm, when the son was ready to begin his business career he worked as a machinist for three years, then went to Montevideo, Minn., and clerked in a hotel five years. Afterwards he located in South Dakota and engaged in the insurance business there for a couple of years, later for three years having charge of a hotel in Webster, that state. In 1887 he came to California and located near Win- chester, where he now resides upon a ten-acre ranch. He also owns four hundred and forty acres in the same location, which is improved with a house and other buildings, and on this

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latter place he has one hundred and twenty head of cattle and twenty-eight horses and mules. He is especially interested in the breed- ing of English Shire horses and owns a full- blood Shire stallion named Wonder, which is considered one of the most valuable horses in this section of the state. A large number of horses are required for his farm work, as he has three hundred and fifty acres of land planted to grain and hay.

In 1892 Mr. Hull was united in marriage with Mrs. Mary (Daurty) Hull, who was born in Wisconsin and is the mother of two chil- dren by her former marriage, Arthur J. and Chester. Fraternally he is a member of Win- chester Lodge No. 3623, I. O. F., and political- ly is a stanch advocate of the principles em- braced in the platform of the Republican par- ty. He has always taken an active interest in public matters and officially has been a member of the board of school trustees, a con- stable here for ten years, and is now deputy sheriff, an office he has held for the past eight years.

ROBERT B. HARPER. Among the ag- riculturists of Los Angeles county who have attained success from a financial point of view is Robert B. Harper, who is one of the most progressive and energetic farmers and stock- raisers of Downey, and a complete master of the vocation which he is so earnestly follow- ing. He is a native of the state, his birth having occurred September 8, 1879, on the ranch where he now lives, a son of William Harper. His grandparents, John and Betsey (Lake) Harper, were born and brought up in New York state. After their marriage they settled in Ohio, becoming pioneers of Ashta- bula county, where he, in addition to farm- ing, was engaged for many years in boating on the lakes, carrying wood and stone used in building piers. Both spent their last years in Kane county, Il1.

William Harper was born, March 17, 1834, in Ashtabula county, Ohio. Completing his early education in the district schools of Kane county, Ill., he remained at home until 1852, when he came across the plains, with horse- teams, to California, arriving at Hangtown on July 28. The following three years he was engaged in mining, first in Hangtown, then at Scotts bar, in Siskiyou county. The next vear he lived in the Sacramento valley, and in 1858 came down to the Nietos valley, lo- cating near Downey, and for nine years worked for General Banning. In 1867 he started in business on his own account, becoming the pioneer truckman of Los Angeles. In 1868, purchasing land about three miles west of

Downey, he embarked in agricultural pursuits, placing his eighty-four acres of land in a till- able condition. Prosperous in his undertak- ings, he carried on an excellent business as a general farmer and stockman for many years, by industry and good management accumu- lating a competency. He bought five house lots at Long Beach, and in 1903, leaving his son Robert on the home ranch, removed to his present residence, at No. 517 West Second street. May 8, 1876, he married Alpha J. Lower, a native of California, and they have three children, namely: Clara, wife of Nor- man Fay, of Downey; Robert B., the special subject of this brief sketch; and William, of Portersville, Cal.

Brought up on the home farm, Robert B. Harper attended the public schools of his dis- trict while young, subsequently pursuing his studies for six months at Woodberry College. Completing his early education, he began working for himself on the home ranch, which now contains eighty-nine acres of valuable land. He devotes his attention to the raising of alfalfa and stock, and is also profitably en- gaged in dairying, keeping twenty-five cows. A thorough-going farmer, practical and enter- prising, he is meeting with unquestioned suc- cess in his agricultural operations, and holds an honored position among the most hightly respected and public-spirited citizens of the community,

In 1902 Mr. Harper married Amy Mussel- man, who was born in Kansas, a daughter of Hiram Musselman. Politically Mr. Harper is a firm supporter of the principles of the Re- publican party, and is now serving as road overseer. Fraternally he is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, and of the Knights of the Maccabees, while both he and his wife belong to the Order of the Eastern Star.

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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 173

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