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 181

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 181

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In December, 1903, Mrs. Mays became iden- tified with real estate operations in Ocean Park. She opened an office at No. 49 Ocean Front, later removing to No. 83 Ocean Front, and finally locating at No. 9112 Ocean Front, where she is at present carrying on an ex- tensive business in a quiet, conservative way ; investing but little for speculation, either for herself or friends, believing rather in the more stable manner of advancing the country's in- terests. Mrs. Mays enjoys a widespread re- spect among business men for her thorough knowledge of business affairs, her clean, con- cise methods as a dealer, her straightforward honor and integrity. Socially she holds a place among the best people of Ocean Park and its vicinity.

C. B. MESKIMONS. Closely associated with many of the leading interests of this sec- tion of San Diego county is C. B. Meskimons, a well-educated, talented and progressive young man, whose influence for good is felt in the upbuilding and advancement of Rain- bow and vicinity. A son of James M. Mes- kimons, he was born, March 15, 1880, in Lyon county, Kans., very near the city of Emporia.

Born, reared and educated in Ohio, James M. Meskimons migrated to Iowa when young, and on the breaking out of the Civil war en- listed in defense of his country's honor in Com- pany I, Fifth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, in which he served for three years and three inonths, taking part in the Battle of Lookout Mountain and the Siege of Vicksburg, and be- ing wounded in the Battle of Juka. Subse- quently settling in Kansas, he resided in Lyon county until 1890, when he came with his fam- ily to California, where he has since resided the greater part of the time, his home now be- ing in Fallbrook. He is a man of prominence in social circles, belonging to Fallbrook Post. G. A. R .: to the Free and Accepted Order of Masons ; and to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Religiously he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He married Sarah Blue. who was born in Indiana, and they are the parents of five children.

2203

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Coming with his parents to Southern Cali- fornia when a lad, C. B. Meskimons received his elementary education in the Redlands schools, after which he was graduated from the high school in Phoenix, Ariz. Since reach- ing manhood, he has been actively engaged in general ranching, devoting his one hundred and seventy acres of land, located near Rain- bow, to the raising of fruit, grain, alfalfa and live stock in his operations meeting with a fair share of success. For the past two years Mr. Meskimons has been studying the science of dentistry.

In 1901 Mr. Meskimons married a Miss Mar- tin, a native of Kansas, and into their home two children have been born. In his political affiliations Mr. Meskimons is a Republican, and is now a member of the Fallbrook High School Board. Religiously he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

REMI NADEAU of Los Angeles county was born in Grove Lake, Minn., May 3, 1867, a son of Joseph F. and Mary A. (Williams) Nadeau, the father a native of Canada and the mother of Wisconsin. Joseph A. Nadeau located in Minnesota in young manhood, and during the Civil war participated in the cause of the Union in a regiment of that state. He married in Minnesota and in 1867 brought his family to California, locating in Los Angeles. Later they went to Washington and Oregon for a period of five years, after which they came back to Los Angeles and in the vicinity of Florence, Los Angeles county, Mr. Nadeau en- gaged extensively in ranching. He raised large crops of grain which he harvested and threshed himself, being interested in a threshing ma- chine which was one of the first to be oper- ated in the county. He also carried on at one time a large vineyard with gratifying success. Desiring to spend some time in various parts of the state he lived in San Diego, later in Seat- tle, Wash., for about six years, and also made two trips to Alaska on a prospecting tour. He finally returned to Los Angeles county and located permanently in Long Beach, where he is now residing and although he has attained an age that entitles him to relaxation from bus- iness cares he is actively interested in real estate operations in that city and equally suc- cessful as he has been in all business affairs. His wife died at Florence at the age of thirty- seven years.

Remi Nadeau, the second son in the family of his parents, received his education through the medium of the public schools principally of Florence, supplementing this foundation and his excellent home-training along business lines

by a thorough commercial course in the Los Angeles Business College. After his school- (lays were over he established himself in ranch- ing pursuits, remaining so occupied for a short time, when he came to Los Angeles and en- gaged in a mercantile career. He opened a retail furniture store at No. 310 South Main street and successfully conducted the enter- prise for five years, when he sold out and fol- lowed contracting and building for a lengthy period, putting up a large number of store buildings, rooming houses and private dwell- ings. He also engaged in the building busi- ness for himself, purchasing lots in various parts of the city and erecting fine houses, which he sold later. Characteristic of the ability of this family, he accumulated the means to launch him independently in any business ven- ture and although his time is now given to other matters he still retains an interest in building operations in Florence. He is now engaged in real estate operations, having re- centiy sub-divided a tract of fifteen acres known as the Remi Nadeau tract, and in which enterprise he was unusually successful. He is now the owner of a tract of twelve and a half acres which is being subdivided and known as the Walter A. Nadeau tract. On both tracts it is the plan of the owner to erect homes to suit purchasers of lots, which plan is working well in the development of the property.

HUGH M. NICHOLS. In the development of the extensive lumber trade of Southern Cal- ifornia, Hugh M. Nichols, associated with the Consolidated Lumber Company of Ocean Park, has taken an active and prominent part. A native of Osage county, Iowa, he was born June 9, 1876, a son of Dr. Elmer Nichols. His grandfather, John Nichols, a life-long resident of New Hampshire, was of substantial New England descent, tracing his ancestry in a di- rect line back to the time of the Pilgrim fa- thers, when threc brothers named Nichols emi- grated from Wales to America, one settling in Rhode Island, one in Massachusetts, and one, the founder of his branch of the family, locat- ing in the Green Mountain state.

Elmer Nichols was born and reared in New Hampshire. Studying medicine when a young man, he subsequently located in Osage, Iowa, where he was engaged as a physician until his death, while yet in manhood's prime. He mar- ried Nannie Camelia Wright, who was born in Kentucky, coming from distinguished South- ern stock. She survived him, and subsequent- ly married his brother, Dr. Horace Nichols, also a physician of prominence in Iowa. Both

2204

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Dr. Elmer Nichols and Dr. Horace Nichols were men of influence and public spirit, inher- iting many of the patriotic virtues of their paternal grandfather, who served as a soldier in the Revolutionary war.

Educated in his native town, Hugh M. Nich- ols was graduated from the Osage high school, and from the commercial department of the Osage Academy, receiving his diploma from the latter institution in 1897. Continuing his residence in Osage for a few years, he was first in the employ of the United States postal service, and afterwards was with James A. Smith, a dealer in lumber and coal. Coming to California in July, 1901, he was associated with the Southern California Lumber Com- pany for a few weeks, when, on September 2, 1901, he began working for Nofziger Brothers Lumber Company, continuing with that firm as manager of the Glendora Lumber Company until October, 1904. Going then to Long Beach, Mr. Nichols was there manager of the yards of the Southern California Lumber Com- pany until June 1, 1905, when he became trav- eling auditor and superintendent of the yards of the Consolidated Lumber Company. Octo- ber 1, 1905. this company purchased the D. I. Nofziger Lumber yards at Ocean Park, where Mr. Nichols has since been located.

In Iowa Mr. Nichols married Daisy Tup- per, a daughter of A. C. Tupper, a prominent citizen of Osage, Iowa, and a leading pol- itician, and they have one child, Richard Tup- per Nichols. Politically Mr. Nichols is a stead- fast Republican, and fraternally he is a mem- ber of Pomona Lodge, B. P. O. E.

JULES SAULQUE, a successful farmer, is actively identified with the advancement of the agricultural prosperity of Los Angeles county, his ranch, located in Hyde Park, be- ing highly improved, and with its appoint- ments and equipments giving visible evidence of his energy, enterprise and good business management. He is a man of strict integrity, high moral character, and is highly respect- ed throughout the community. A son of Jo- seph Saulque, he was born in France in 1850, and there reared and educated.

A life-long resident of France, Joseph Saulque was prominent and influential, for twenty years serving as mayor of his home town, holding the office from the time of his first election until his death, in 1876. His wife, whose maiden name was Julia Barnard, died in 1866, a comparatively young woman. Of their family of nine children, five boys and four girls, eight are living and all of the sons came to America, but three returned to France,

Jules, the subject of this sketch, and his broth- er, August, are the only ones now in America.

After becoming of age, Jules Saulque emi- grated to the United States in 1872, coming directly to California. Staying a few days in San Francisco, he went to Los Angeles, but finding no congenial employment in that city removed to Bakersfield, where with his broth- er August, he took up sheep raising. Return- ing to Los Angeles in 1875, Mr. Saulque was employed in the livery business for a year. In 1876, he again embarked in sheep raising, and for eight years carried on a good business. Mr. Saulque owns a ranch, in Hyde Park, and has since carried on general farming most suc- cessfully. Having passed the prime of life, he feels that he is entitled to some years of leisure, and has recently given up the care of his estate to his son Edmond, who is managing it successfully, being well versed in the art and science of agriculture.

In Los Angeles, in 1882, Mr. Saulque mar- ried Honoria Hobert, a native of France, and they have the following children: Edmond, Rosa, Lucien, Helen, Theresa, and May. Po- litically Mr. Saulque is a stanch Republican, and religiously be belongs to the Congregation- al Church.

J. M. HUGHES. The younger generation of the Santa Maria valley have an excellent representative in J. M. Hughes, who in addi- tion to cultivating two hundred acres of land, does a thriving business with his threshing out- fit, which is in great demand throughout the valley. Mr. Hughes is the owner of forty acres ; he also rents a quarter section of ad- joining land, and thus has two hundred acres under his control. He pays some attention to the raising of fruit, having about twenty-five acres in apricots alone, and averages about six tons of dried fruit each season. The remainder of the land is given over entirely to the raising of beans, this crop averaging about nine sacks to the acre.

A native of Kansas, J. M. Hughes was born in Pottawatomie county May 16, 1876, one of eight children born to his parents, George and Rachael (Guthrie) Hughes, born in North Car- olina and Missouri respectively. Their mar- riage occurred in Missouri, where the father carried on farming for some years prior to his removal to Kansas. Each removal brought him a step nearer the Pacific coast, and the year 1896 witnessed his arrival in California. The fact that he has remained in his first loca- tion is the best possible evidence of his sat- isfaction with the Santa Maria valley as a place of residence. Of their eight children

2205

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

three are deceased, and all of the five living are sons. A Republican in his political opinions, Mr. Hughes is identified with the Foresters and Modern Woodmen of America, affiliating with the lodges in his home city, Santa Maria.

Until twenty years of age J. M. Hughes made his home with his parents on the Pot- tawatomie county homestead, and in 1896 ac- companied the family to the Pacific coast. Re- maining with his parents for three years on the home place in Santa Barbara county, he then, in 1899, formed domestic ties by his mar- riage with Miss Althea A. McHenry, like him- self a native of Kansas, and a daughter of Dan- iel McHenry. Two children have been born of this marriage, Gladys and Inez. Following closely in his father's inclinations both in pol- itical and fraternal matters, Mr. Hughes is a Republican and belongs to the Foresters and Modern Woodmen of America. Too much praise cannot be bestowed upon Mr. Hughes for the progress which he has made in his cho- sen work, the fact that he is in constant de- mand demonstrating better than can mere words his thoroughgoing and dependable nat- ure. Throughout the county he bears a com- mendable reputation for probity and honesty, and all speak of him in the highest terms.

L. E. HOFFMAN, a well-known business man of Oceanpark, is intimately associated with its real estate interests, as a member of the Crescent Bay Realty Company being act- ively engaged in the sale and transfer of city and town property. A son of Fred Hoffman, he was born at Macomb, Ill., and was there reared and educated.

Being distinguished as the longest-estab- lished saddler and harness maker in Illinois, Fred Hoffman is still carrying on the business which he started at Macomb so many years ago, and in which he has been successfully employed for nearly half a century. His wife; whose maiden name was Malvina Cannon, was the first white child born at Macomb. She is still living, and of the ten children that she bore her husband nine survive, L. E. being the subject of this sketch. Her oldest son, Henry Hoffman, a resident of St. Louis, Mo., has the distinction of being the only man in the United States who received the nomination for the presidency on the Henry George ticket.

Under the instruction of his father, L. E. Hoffman learned the trade of a harness mak- er, as did seven of his eight brothers, but as a young man did not follow it very long. Going then to Quincy, Ill., a prominent shipping point, he entered the wholesale house of J. B. Schott, with whom he served as clerk for a

time. Afterwards, as commercial salesman for George Blackman & Co., of St. Louis, Mo., he traveled extensively for three years through the states of Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa, meeting with good success. Subse- quently he visited New Mexico and the west, finally settling at Flagstaff, Ariz., where he embarked in business as a harness maker and saddler, taking up the trade which he had learned as a youth in his father's shop.

Coming to California in the fall of 1893, on account of his wife's health, Mr. Hoffman be- gan life as a ranchman among the mountain springs of Kern county. During the mining excitement that followed he went into the des- erts at Randsburg, and for a time carried on an exceedingly prosperous business as a har- ness maker, a dealer in real estate, and as dis- trict recorder. When the boom broke, how- ever, he was poorer by $6,000, and with but $6.75 in his pockets went to Ventura county, where, in Oxnard, he again started in business as a manufacturer of leather goods. From there, in January, 1905, he came to Ocean Park, and in company with Jesse B. Green began op- erating in realty in this section of the county. Succeeding well in his financial transactions, a third partner was added to the firm, C. W. Averill, and these gentlemen, under the name of the Cresent Bay Realty Company, are carrying on a substantial real estate business, with offices at No. 159 Pier avenue.

In 1889, at Flagstaff, Ariz., Mr. Hoffman married Ida Fay, and four years later, on ac- count of the ill health of his wife, came with her to the milder and more invigorating climate of Southern California. Politically Mr. Hoff- man is a Socialist, and fraternally he is a mem- ber of the Modern Woodmen of America and of the Fraternal Aid.

EDWARD NATHAN HARRISON, of Fallbrook, is a representative of the success- ful agriculturists. Since coming to Southern California, he has witnessed many important changes throughout this locality, and has con- tributed his full share toward advancing its growth and prosperity. A son of Nathan Har- rison, he was born, July 12, 1856, in Iroquois county, Ill., and there was brought up and edu- cated.

Born in England, Nathan Harrison came with his parents to America when nine years of age, settling in Canada, where he grew to man's estate. Removing to Illinois when a young man, he bought land in Iroquois coun- ty, and was there actively employed in farm- ing and business pursuits until his death, at the age of fifty-six years. He married Ellen

2206

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Burt, who was born in Ohio, and died, at the age of four score and four years. She was a consistent christian, and a valued member of the Baptist Church. She bore her husband six children, five of whom are living.

In 1874, before reaching his majority, Ed- ward N. Harrison came to California, seeking in this sunny climate a favorable location. Establishing a bee ranch in San Diego county, he lived there about a year, and then trans- ferred his residence and his occupation to Bear Valley, where he was employed in bee rais- ing and general farming for about six years. In 1883 Mr. Harrison bought a claim to one hundred and sixty acres of Government land, and with the exception of two years that he spent in Los Angeles as proprietor of a lodg- ing house, he has since resided here. In his agricultural labors he has met with genuine success, and is now the owner of a finely cul- tivated ranch of three hundred and twenty acres, on which he has made substantial and valuable improvements.

In 1888 Mr. Harrison married Elizabeth Vin- cent, who was born in Nantucket, Mass., com- ing from thrifty colonial ancestry, and into their home three children have been born, namely: Blanche, Howard, and Ruth. Polit- ically Mr. Harrison is an independent voter in local affairs, but in national movements sup- ports the principles endorsed by the Republi- can party. Socially he is a member of Los An- geles Lodge, No. 9, Fraternal Brotherhood. He is a member of the Christian Church, and Mrs. Harrison belongs to the Unitarian Church.

J. W. HANSARD. The exact duration of the sojourn of the Hansard family in America is not known, but the records show that they were residents of the south at an early period of our national existence. Among their num- ber was a farmer. C. B. Hansard, who was born and reared in Tennessee and there married Hannah Ailor, also a native of that state. Both were sincere members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South and reared their chil- dren in that faith. In politics he was a stanch Democrat and received from his party the office of sheriff of his home county in Tennessee. During early life he followed teaching and for seven years had charge of the same school. Accompanied by his family he removed to Mis- souri, where he lost his wife by death. Event- tally he came to the coast and died in Cal- ifornia. Of his nine children there now sur- vive J. W., of Long Beach, Cal., a daughter in Northern California and another in Ten- nessee.

During the residence of the family in East

Tennessee J. W. Hansard was born November 14, 1840, and from there he removed to Mis- souri at fourteen years of age. Deprived of educational advantages, he was obliged to sup- port himself from an early age and became a laborer on farms. By frugal saving of his wages he was eventually able to purchase a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, but four years after settling on that place he sold out and in 1865 came to California, where he has been variously occupied in different localities. For three years he conducted a livery, sales and feed stable at Grass Valley, Nevada coun- ty. In 1868 he became interested in ranching near Marysville, Yuba county, and from there in 1874 removed to Downey and for six years operated a rented ranch. For twelve years he made his home in Orange county and during that period rendered efficient service for a long period as a member of the board of trustees. For a year he carried on a hotel in Downey and for four years operated a ranch which he had purchased in the suburbs of the same town. In 1903 he opened the Downey livery and feed stable. Among his recollections of earlier years is that of assisting in the capture of the noted Vasquez and his gang, whose depredations had terrorized certain sections of the state. Always interested in questions affecting the national prosperity, he is well posted concerning party issues and gives his support to the Demo- cratic party. In 1874 he married Miss Hester 'Taylor, who was born in Missouri, and at the age of two years was brought to . California by her father. James Taylor. a native of Ten- nessee and a descendant of old southern an- cestry. The only child of Mr. and Mrs. Han- sard is a son, William. who married Gertrude Davis and has two children.

WILLIAM SHUTT. A native of Indiana, William Shutt was born March 16, 1849, in Huntington county, a son of Henry and So- phia (Geething) Shutt. His parents were both born in Maryland, of German stock, and set- tled in Huntington county, Ind., in 1848, as tillers of the soil.

Educated in the common schools of his na- tive county, William Shutt subsequently chose the independent occupation to which he was reared, and during his early manhood was con- sidered one of the model farmers of his vicin- ity. Going westward in 1876, he lived in Kan- sas for ten years, following farming first in Allen county, and then in Neosha county. Through drought and other causes he lost much of the money that he invested, and in 1886, when the rush of tourists and prospect- ors was at its height, he came to the Pacific

2207

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

coast in search of a favorable location. Ap- plying for a position at the University of Cal- ifornia, at Berkeley, he became identified with the Southern California Experimental Station at Pomona, where he remained as an employe for eight years. Becoming an expert horti- culturist while there, he then assumed the position of foreman at the Rustic, or Santa Monica, Experimental Station, of which he had sole charge five years. He became widely known for his work. When Abbot Kinney was in search of a capable man to take charge of the planting of trees, flowers and shrubs in fa- mous Venice, he selected Mr. Shutt as the most competent person known, and under his su- pervision the artistic work has been most suc- cessfully and satisfactorily planned and exe- cuted, having been accomplished in the sum- mer of 1905. Mr. Shutt is a real estate owner, having in San Diego county a valuable ranch of one hundred and thirty-six acres, on which he has fine improvements, including an excel- lent system of irrigation.

In Huntington county, Ind., Mr. Shutt mar- ried Lucinda B. Shanks, and they are the par- ents of five children, namely : Jennie M .; Ida, wife of William Hamlin, of British Columbia ; Lorne P., an employe of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company : Nathan E., attending the Leland Stanford University, being a member of the class of 1906; and Vincent, attending the high school. Fraternally Mr. Shutt is a mem- ber of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

JAMES STEWART. A man who is well posted on the care and culture of oranges and is one of the most progressive growers of that fruit in Southern California is James Stewart who owns a ten acre ranch and also has under his charge one hundred and forty acres of oranges which are divided into ten-acre tracts. He was born June 30, 1866, in Canada, the son of Alexander Stewart who was born in Scot- land, lived for a time in California during the later years of his life, but returned to Canada, where his death finally occurred. His mother is still living in Canada at the advanced age of seventy years. There were five children in the family of which James Stewart was a member, and two of his brothers are now residing in Riverside county.

His education was received in the common schools of Canada and after the completion of his school work he engaged in farming for a short time in that country. In his twenty- second year he came to the United States, lived in the northern part of the state of California for two years, and in 1887 came to San Ber-

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 181

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