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 179

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

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In Ishpeming, Mich, in 1876, Mr. Beach married Christina Skoog, who was born in Sweden. She is a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically Mr. Beach is identified with the Democratic party.

JOHN S. BAKER is a native Californian, his birth having occurred in Riverside county, December 3, 1855; his father, S. G. Baker, was born in Birmingham, England, and his mother, Elizabeth (Ward) Baker, in Worces- tershire, same country; they emigrated to America and now live in Los Angeles.

When quite young John S. Baker was brought to Los Angeles by his parents and here he received his education in the public schools. After completing his studies he took a trip through Arizona, Utah and other west- ern states, but finally returned to Los Angeles county and began farming for himself. He purchased a ranch of forty acres near Nor- walk and set out twenty acres to grapes, mak- ing this place his home for about six years, when he disposed of these interests and im- mediately purchased a ranch of one hundred and sixty acres. This was wild and barren land and he at once began its improvement, making it one of the fine ranches of this sec- tion and there establishing his permanent home. He added to his original purchase and to-day owns one hundred and seventy acres in the home ranch while he also owns one hundred and ten acres a few miles distant. He early started in the man- ufacture of wines, beginning on a small scale,

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and has steadily increased the business until to-day he owns one of the best private win- eries in the state. The winery proper con- sists of a large brick building which was built in 1886, with all necessary outbuildings and engine rooms, with a storage capacity of about one hundred and twenty thousand gallons. He manufactures about forty-five thousand gal- lons of wine per year, buying many tons of grapes and offering the very highest market price which has encouraged this industry throughout the country. He manufactures both sweet and sour wines and also a supe- rior grade of brandies. He employs a large force of men in both this business, for which he has an expert winc maker, as well as the general farming enterprise and stock business, this latter having occupied a considerable amount of his attention, especially the rais- ing of cattle and hogs, having fattened as many as seven hundred head of the latter at a time.

Mr. Baker was married in 1892 to Miss Julia Mekeel, a native of Iowa, and born of this union are the following children: Hazel, Everett, Leona and Gertrude. Fraternally Mr. Baker is a member of Norwalk Lodge No. 315, F. & A. M., and Nietos Lodge No. 197, I. O. O. F., of Downey, and the Fraternal Brother- hood of Norwalk. Politically he is a stanch advocate of the principles embraced in the platform of the Republican party.

R. B. COOK. The family represented by the above named gentleman came originally of English stock although the name was estab- lished on American soil prior to the Revolu- tion. Pennsylvania was the home of succeed- ing generations and from that state Noah Cook eventually removed to Ohio in its pioneer days and there passed his remaining years. His son. Jacob, born in Pennsylvania, became a pioneer settler of Richland county, Ohio, where he hewed a farm out of the wilder- ness lands and made his home until his death at the age of sixty-five years. His wife was formerly Mary Lee, who was born near Rich- mond, Va., daughter of Solomon Lee, repre- sentative of the famous southern family. Mr. Lee was likewise an early settler of Richland county, Ohio, where he made his home for many years, passing away at the advanced age of eighty-two years. Jacob Cook reared a family of children, among whom was a son, J. R., who was born in Richland county, Ohio, November 12, 1829, and there on the paternal farm he was reared to young manhood, receiv- ing a beneficial training in his home while he was educated in the public school in the

vicinity, and also attended and graduated front the high school at Lexington. He was but seventeen years old when he became depend- ent upon his own resources, engaging in teach- ing for three terms, and finally locating on a farm near Shelby, Ohio. In 1852 he became a pioneer of Indiana, making the trip from his home in Ohio to Whitley county, Ind., by ox-teams, where like his ancestors before him he proceeded to liew out a farm from the wil- derness lands about him. Still following the westward trend of civilization, in 1857 he made the journey to Brown county, Kans., there establishing his home near Padonia, and five miles from Hiawatha. Three years later found him en route with mule teams to Pike's Peak, and thence to Fairplay, in which locality he engaged in mining for a time. He then re- turned to Kansas via the Santa Fe Route and established a trading post at what is now Fort Leonard, then Pawnee Rock, and here encoun- tered the various interesting phases of pion- cer life, at the same time working up a big business in general merchandise and general trading. Upon locating in Eastern Kansas he farmed for some time, but eventually removed to Nebraska, where in Grand Island he im- proved a farm and established a postoffice at White Cloud, where he served for some time as postmaster. He started the first school dis- trict of the place.

Again desiring to become a pioneer of the more remote west, in 1867 he outfitted with ox-teams and necessary equipment, and set out across the plains with his wife and worldly possessions, bound for California-then the picturesque destination of the greater part of the pioneers who set out in search of a home on the Pacific coast. Three months later they arrived in Santa Cruz, Cal., where Mr. Cook at once became interested in farming, team- ing, and freighting. After one year he located in Montery county and engaged on a farm near Salinas and also acted as foreman for a large warehouse. In 1878 he came to South- ern California, and in the vicinity of Capis- trano, Orange county, farmed for about three .years. He came to Long Beach in 1882 and here he has remained since, building up his own personal fortunes and at the same time giving his best support to the advancement of the city in every possible avenue. It was the fortune of the pioneer that he paid $50 for a lot which he afterward sold for $20,000. His land purchased at first for farming purposes steadily increased in value and gave him promise of large future returns. His first em- ployment in this city was as a teamster in hauling lumber for the greater part of the early dwellings of the place, which he brought from

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Wilmington and San Pedro. He also en- gaged in farming and horticulture, having set out a part of his ranch in orchard immediately after his arrival here, and had also later pur- chased a walnut grove near San Juan, which he still owns. He also owns considerable property in Long Beach which he has held for many years, his faith steadfast and strong in the future of the city, a greater future than the greatness which has come to Long Beach in the past ten years. Mr. Cook's home is presided over by his wife, formerly Harriett A. Kinney, a native of Cayuga county, N. Y., and a descendant of Revolutionary ancestry. Her father, George Rix Kinney, was born in Bennington, Vt., and settled in Cayuga coun- ty, N. Y., and later in Lexington county, Ohio, and finally to Huron county, same state, where his death eventually occurred. His wife was Sylvia Graves, also a native of Vermont and granddaughter of Rev. Increase Graves, a min- ister of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. and Mrs. Cook became the parents of the follow- ing children: James Adelbert, a builder lo- cated in Clearwater, Cal .; R. B., of this re- view; Amy Jane, whose marriage to Joseph Rowse, of Capistrano, occurred February 12, 1884, being the first wedding that occurred in Long Beach (then known as Willmore City;) Elmer Ellsworth, a horticulturist of Tustin; Ozias B., a horticulturist of Capis- trano; and Frank Emerson, who represents the Shepherd Fruit Company, of Los Angeles. Mr. Cook is a Republican in his political affili- ations, whose principles he supports. He is a stanch advocate of prohibition and has given every effort to bring about a consummation of such management in Long Beach, and has as well contributed materially in other ways to the upbuilding and development of the city.

March 19, 1854, in the vicinity of Cleveland, Ohio, occurred the birth of R. B. Cook, the second oldest in his father's family. He was reared on the frontier, from Indiana to Kan- sas, and thence overland to California, his education having been received in the public schools throughout the country. He was but thirteen years old when he came to California, his home being in Santa Cruz for eleven years, when he accompanied his father to Southern California, his father-in-law. J. R. Congdon, also locating here and establishing the first walnut grove in what is now Orange county. In 1886 Mr. Cook set out a walnut grove in San Juan Capistrano, consisting of twenty acres, while he devoted the remaining sixteen acres of his place to general farming. He still owns this place although in 1904 he came to the vicinity of El Monte and here purchased thirty acres, which he has since improved to

walnuts and alfalfa, building a handsome resi- dence, substantial barns, and outbuildings ade- quate for the protection of stock and imple- ments. He was married in San Juan Capis- trano to Miss Harriet L. Congdon, who was born on Lytle creek, San Bernardino county, Cal., a daughter of J. R. Congdon, and born of this union are two sons, Leroy R. and Rus- sell. Mr. Cook has taken an active interest in all matters of public import, having served as school trustee at San Juan for some years. He is now a member of the Republican County Central Committee, with whose interests he has been identified for many years. Frater- nally he is affiliated with the Odd Fellows, of Santa Ana; the Woodmen of the World, of San Juan, of which he is past consul com- mander; and the Fraternal Aid. Mr. Cook is a man and citizen held in highest esteem wherever known, successful in business, enter- prising in all public affairs, and a friend and citizen well worthy the name.

WILLIAM ROBERTS FARQUHAR is a native of Ohio and was born in East Union, Coshocton county, September 6, 1828; his father. Caleb, was born in Maryland on Pipe creek, and his grandfather, Samuel, of Scotch origin, came from the north of Ireland and became a farmer in Maryland, where severa! of his sons enlisted for service in the war of 1812. Later he removed to Beechwood, Pa., then to Coshocton county. Ohio, where his death occurred when nearly ninety years old. He was a member of the Society of Friends and was a worthy and helpful citizen. In Coshocton county, Ohio, Caleb Farquhar en- gaged as a farmer and was still occupied thus at the time of his death at the age of eighty- four years. He was also a member of the So- ciety of Friends. His wife, formerly Cather- ine Trimble, was a native of Ireland, and when five years old she came to the United States, her father, John Trimble, locating the family in Coshocton county, Ohio, where he engaged as a blacksmith and later as a farmer. He was a devoted member of the Episcopal Church and built the church of this denomi- nation on his farm. His death occurred at the age of ninety-six years. Mrs. Farquhar died in Ohio, leaving a family of four children, of whom three are now living.

The second in the family of his parents, William Roberts Farquhar was reared on the paternal farm in Ohio and educated in the common schools He followed farming in his young manhood, making a trip to Iowa in 1855 in search of a better location, but soon return- ing to his preferred state. While in Iowa, in

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July, 1856, he was married to Miss Marian Renfrew, a native of Coshocton county, Ohio. Mr. Farquhar located in Indiana in 1857 and improved a farm near Sullivan, and made that place his home until the breaking out of the Civil war, when he sold out and returned to Ohio because of the strong secession feeling in that neighborhood. He engaged in general farming and stock-raising in Coshocton coun- ty. In 1887 he made his first trip to California and while in Riverside purchased his present ranch in Redlands, consisting then of sage brush land and with no prospect of its future luxuriance. He returned east in 1888 and left his son instructions to set out his ten acres in oranges, which he did, and continued to tend until his father's return in 1896. The family together have fifty-six acres of full bearing oranges. The death of his wife oc- curred May 5, 1904. They were the parents of five children, namely: Ellen Catherine, of Redlands; Franklin, a horticulturist ; Ida Maria, of Redlands; Richard J. and William C., also horticulturists of this community. Mr. Farquhar is a member of the First Presby- terian Church, of Redlands, and politically is a Republican.

EDMUND FICKEWIRTH, of Puente, came to California in 1872, two years previous having located in America from his birthplace, Nordhausen, Germany, where he was born April 16, 1840. His father, Traugott, was a tanner by trade. Edmund Fickewirth received his education in the common school and gym- nasium, which he attended until he was six- teen years old, when he learned the trade of tanner as an apprentice. Later he engaged as a journeyman and spent three years in France as such. When twenty-one years old he enlisted in the Seventy-first Regiment Ger- man Infantry, in Company I, and served three years, during which he participated in the Sleswick-Holstein war of 1864 and two years later in the Prussian-Austrian war. Return- ing to civic duties he again engaged at his trade, traveling throughout Switzerland, Italy and Denmark until 1870, when he decided to emigrate to the western world. After landing in New York City, went to Detroit, Mich., where with a brother he engaged in the con- duct of a wood and coal yard. Two years later he came to California and in Los An- geles was employed in a furniture factory for a time ; then going to the country he worked on a farm until able to purchase land, when near Compton, Los Angeles county. he bought eighty acres. Later he disposed of forty acres, still retaining forty acres, which he owns at

the present writing. In 1897, Mr. Fickewirth purchased his present large ranch, which is located one mile from Puente, and three years later erected his handsome home, put down three wells, installed a thirty-five horse power engine with a large capacity; set out small fruits; twenty acres of vineyard; forty acres in walnuts. In addition to this ranch he also owns twenty acres of apples and walnuts in the Mountain View district.

In Detroit, Mich., Mr. Fickewirth was united in marriage with Miss Caroline Koch, a native of that city, and they are now the parents of twelve children, two of whom are in Michigan and the others in California. Mr. Fickewirth is a stanch Republican.

AUGUST H. GRAND. One of the success- ful sheep ranchers in this section of the coun- try is August H. Grand, who owns about six hundred acres of land in the Warm Springs valley, which he farms to grain and hay and devotes to the raising of cattle and a herd of five hundred sheep. Mr. Grand came to Cali- fornia in 1872 from France, where he was born November 26, 1855, at Dauphine, the son of Jean Pierre and Josephine Grand, the mother still residing at the old home. The elder Grand was a farmer in France and there the son, August H., lived until he was sixteen years of age, when he came to America and joined his two brothers, Fred and Emil, who were then located in Los Angeles. They are now engaged in the stock business at Julian in San Diego county. Mr. Grand had thirteen brothers and sisters, six of whom are now living.

Upon his arrival in this country he first se- cured employment on a ranch for Mr. Burnett, later went to Riverside, and from there to Ventura, where for a time he engaged in gar- dening. Later he returned to San Pedro, from there going to San Juan Capistrano and en- tering the employ of his brothers, who after- wards took him with them to San Felipe. In 1877 he went to San Juan and was engaged in sheep herding there for the next two years, when he removed to the San Seville ranch near San Julian, bought a flock of sheep and conducted an independent sheep business un- til 1880. The following ten years he spent in the same occupation on a four hundred acre ranch in the San Luis Rey valley, and in 1890 went to Fallbrook and raised cattle and sheep until 1900. Since that time he has been lo- cated on the ranch which is now his home. His marriage to Miss Bernardina Osyone oc- curred at San Pasqual, where she was born. They are the parents of ten children. The

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family are adherents of the Catholic religion. Mr. Grand is well posted in his business and an honest and industrious citizen who is highly esteemed by all who know him.

HENRY CLAY GUITEAU. Since 1891 Henry Clay Guiteau, superintendent of Urbita Springs, San Bernardino, has been a resident of Southern California. He was born Febru- ary 14. 1843, in Murfreesboro, Tenn., of French Huguenot descent on both sides of the house. After the revocation of the edict of Nantes the Guiteau family came to America and settled in Vermont in which state Calvin Guiteau, the father of Henry Clay, was born. He became a jeweler in Tennessee, in the cities of Memphis and Nashville, later remov- ing to Watertown, N. Y., where his death oc- curred in 1846. The mother, whose maiden name was Amelia Romaine, was born in New York and died in Tennessee.

There were five children in the family of which Mr. Guiteau was a member, but two of whom are now living. He was the young- est and but three years of age when his father died, the family having some time before that removed to Watertown, N. Y. In this city the son was reared and received his education through the medium of the public schools. In 1864 he went to Tennessee and accepted a position as conductor on the Nashville, Chat- tanooga & St. Louis, remaining with that company until 1870, when he went to St. Louis and secured a similar position on the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern, being given a passenger run. After twelve years, in 1882, he resigned this work and connected himself with the Louisville & Nashville rail- road, working as freiglit and passenger con- ductor between St. Louis and Nashville, and also took the pay car all over the system until 1886. Following this he changed to the Ala- bama & Great Southern, running between Chattanooga and New Orleans, he having had charge of the first train ever run over Lake Pontchartrain. His next position was that of train master on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas, running between Greenville and Dallas, Ken- ney and Jefferson in Texas. Upon his arrival in California in 1891 lie entered the employ of the Southern Pacific as brakeman. In 1893 he assumed the superintendency of the old San Bernardino Motor railroad between San Bernardino and Riverside, holding the posi- tion under I. H. Pope, receiver, until the road went back to the control of the Southern Pa- cific. Mr. Guitean at this time retired from railroad work, for a time turning his attention to the oil business, becoming a director in the

oil exchange and sinking and operating wells in the Los Angeles field. He continued at this occupation until 1897, in which year he spent eight months' time on a trip to Dawson, Alaska. Returning to Los Angeles he fol- lowed various lines of work for a season be- fore becoming traffic manager of the Vallejo, Benicia & Napa Valley railroad, filling the po- sition from its inception until July, 1906, when he resigned to become superintendent of Ur- bita Springs and take charge of the park.

The marriage of Mr. Guiteau in St. Louis united him with Miss Sarah C. Mabee, a na- tive of Alton, Ill., and they became the par- ents of one daughter, Minnie B., now the wife of B. F. Johnson of Los Angeles. Fra- ternally Mr. Guiteau affiliates with the Ma- sonic lodge, in which he has attained the de- gree of Royal Arch Mason. Politically he is a Republican. He and his wife are attend- ants of the Presbyterian Church.

VINCENTI MORICICH. The birth of Vincenti Moricich occurred in 1854 in Lasian, Austria, the son of Lucas and Maria Moricich, both members of old and prominent families in that country, where they lived their entire lives. As a young boy he learned fishing with his father, a part of his early days having been spent in Venice, Italy, and a part in the land of his birth. At the age of thirteen he began his career as a sailor, sailing under many different flags on various . ships, his cruises taking him into the waters of the Mediterranean, Black, Red and Baltic seas, to the East and West Indies, through all of the oceans, twice each around Capes Horn and Good Hope, and into innumerable ports.

Arriving in San Francisco in 1872 he stayed at that place but a short time, then came to San Pedro, where he engaged in fishing, sub- sequently going to the Columbia river salmon beds and fishing as far north as Victoria. In 1890 he located in Avalon and has since made this place his home. He has three launches, the Mascot, Wavepress and Sea Bass, and a number of small boats and does the largest fishing business of anyone on the island. His marriage in Wilmington united him with Jo- sephine Gimelier, a native of Santa Barbara, and a daughter of Fortunato Gimelier, who came from Marseilles, France, to Santa Bar- bara, then removed to Wilmington, where the daughter was reared. Mr. and Mrs. Moricich became the parents of the following children : Lucy, wife of John Roberts, of Avalon; Vin- centi, who was drowned in Avalon bay at the age of nineteen years; Tony and Lucas, who assist their father in business; Alice; Ruth;

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Magdalene ; Irene ; Estella : Violet ; and Mary, who died in July, 1906. Mr. Moricich is an advocate of the principles of the Republican party and has for the past twelve years dis- charged his duties as an official, being con- stable of Catalina township.

GEORGE H. NICHOLSON was born, September 17, 1877, in San Jose, Cal., coming from English ancestry on the paternal side.

Although born in New York state, Frank H. Nicholson was reared and educated in Joliet, Ill. When a young man, as early as 1848, he crossed the plains with ox-teams, and for a number of years was engaged in mining, first in the vicinity of Nevada City, and then at the New Almaden mines. For a few years after his marriage, he carried on a substantial business as a wholesale and retail grocer in San Jose. He subsequently removed to Ma- dlera, where, as representative of the Madera Flume and Trading Company, he had his headquarters. There he also improved a good farm, on which he resided until his death, in 1884. He married Elizabeth Charles, who was born near Killrock, Ireland, where her father was proprietor of a line of jaunting cars. She came to New York City when a girl of four- teen years, from there coming by way of the Isthmus to California, locating in Santa Clara county, where she was married. She is now a resident of San Jose. She bore her husband eight children, namely: Angie M., a gradu- ate of the San Jose State Normal School, and Leland Stanford, Jr., University, and now a teacher in the San Jose Normal School; Fran- ces R., living in Goldfield, Nev .; Charles H., of Watsonville, Cal .; Louis F., of San Jose ; E. A., of Los Angeles, manager of the West- ern Sash and Door Company; Joseph W., having charge of the San Pedro Lumber Com- pany's yards at Compton and Gardena ; George H., the special subject of this sketch ; and Genevieve, a graduate of the State Nor- mal School at San Jose, and a teacher in San Francisco.

Leaving San Jose, where he received his preliminary education, when the family re- moved to Madera, George H. Nicholson con- tinued his studies in the public schools of that place, and as a member of the first class that was graduated from the Madera High School received his diploma in 1897. He subsequent- ly taught school for three years in Fresno county, after which he was in the employ of the Sanger Lumber Company, at Sanger, for a few months. Coming to San Pedro in 1901, Mr. Nicholson became a clerk in the office of the San Pedro Lumber Company, and in the

discharge of the duties devolving upon him in that capacity proved himself so capable and faithful that he was promoted from time to time until attaining his present responsible position as manager of the office. He is a man of great enterprise and financial ability, and, with his brothers, E. A. Nicholson and J. W. Nicholson, incorporated the Western Sash and Door Company, of Los Angeles, of which he is a director. He is also a member of the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce.

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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 179

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