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 187

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 187

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In 1902 Mr. Humphrey was married to Miss Bessie Lewis, a native daughter of California and a daughter of the late Mr. Lewis, whose Lewis Lima beans are noted as a superior seed bean, and in the culture of which Mr. Humphrey is now giving his careful attention. There is one child, a daughter, Lucile, in the family. Young and successful, Mr. Humphrey is ad- mired for his fine personal qualities and affable manners as well as for his keen business ability, and is highly esteemed by every member of the community in which he lives.

JOHN PRATHER HAYS. Long identified with the south, the Hays family became estab- lished in Kentucky during the pioneer days of the settlement of that state. Charles Hays and his wife, Catherine Prather, were both natives of the Blue Grass state, and he followed the trade of a tanner in addition to farming pursuits. Dur- ing the period of their residence in Pulaski county their son, John Prather, was born January 26, 1833. One year later the young wife passed away. In 1839 the family removed to Missouri and settled upon a tract of land in Saline county, where in 1849 the father died at the age of forty- five years. The year after his death John P., his son, who meanwhile had received his education in the high school at Sweetsprings, Saline county, started across the plains with a mule team on a tour of inspection through the west. Returning via Panama in 1851, he gave favorable reports of the coast regions, and his arguments were so persuasive that others were induced to take the trip across the plains. In 1852 a very large train traveled westward with ox-teams and wagons, and he was one of the emigrants. For a time he remained at Milwaukee, Clackamas county, Ore., and worked at the lumber business.

Removing to the Puget Sound region in 1854, Mr. Havs took up a claim and improved the same. Eventually he disposed of that property and bought land three miles from Olympia, where he not only improved a farm, but also de-

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voted considerable attention to the timber indus- try. Finally, desiring to retire from active cares, he traded his land for property at Long Beach and June 15, 1896, arrived in the city which is now his home. During the period of his resi- dence in. the Puget Sound region he married, March 1, 1855, Miss Caroline Scott, who was born in Tennessee, crossed the plains in 1852 as a member of the expedition to which Mr. Hays belonged, and died at Long Beach, October 20, 1904, at the age of seventy-five years. Six chil- dren were born of their union, two of whom died at an early age. Four are now living, as follows : Charles P., of Long Beach; William T., who is a member of the firm of Cobb & Hays at No. 115 West Ocean avenue, Long Beach; Nellie, wife of Frank Folsom, a lumberman living at Seattle, Wash .; and Sadie, who married Ira Kneelan, of Tacoma. Wash. In politics Mr. Hays affili- ates with the Republican party, and fraternally in former years he was an active worker in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Until his retirement he was always more or less interested in the handling of property and bought and sold iarge tracts. In addition he owned mining prop- erties, and still retains large interests in mines in San Bernardino county.

JOHN B. JUSTICE. An enterprising young business man of Los Angeles, Jolin B. Justice, can also claim the distinction of being a native son of California. He was born in Downey, Los Angeles county, July 17, 1870, the son of William Justice. for many years supervisor of the fourth district, San Diego county. His boy- hood was passed in his native town, in Texas, Artesia, Cal., and Richland, San Diego county, places where his parents lived at intervals. His education was obtained in the public schools of the several towns and at the old college of Es- condido.

After leaving school he began farming, and after some years built a blacksmith shop on his own ranch and did his own work and that of the neighbors. This led him to accept employment in the blacksmithing establishment of Alexander Stewart in Escondido, and later to the manage- ment of a shop at Valley Center. for his emplover.

In 1898 Mr. Justice went to San Diego to be- come chief engineer of the court house, which position he resigned in 1901 to locate in Los An- geles and start in business for himself. Mr. Jus- tice is now proprietor of an extensive carriage and wagon manufacturing and automobile repair- ing shop, the Exchange Carriage Works, 208 Fast Seventh street. He is the sole agent in Los Angeles for the Baxter Radial Brake attachment for vehicles, a device of its kind unequalled in the market.

While in San Diego Mr. Justice married Miss Ethel V. Holloway, a native of Illinois. Of this union there are three children, Ross, Gertrude and Justine. Fraternally Mr. Justice is a mem- ber of the order, Woodmen of the World.

GEORGE WASHINGTON HURTT. De- scended from an old eastern family, George Washington Hurtt was born at Washington Court-House, Ohio, March 15, 1854, being a son of George and Maria (Kern) Hurtt. In boy- hood he was a pupil in the schools of Connecti- cut and Michigan, and after leaving school on the completion of the study of the common branches he took up the trade of a shoemaker. On completing his apprenticeship he took up work as a journeyman and continued at the oc- cupation for a number of years. Later, how- ever, he took up photography, which he combined with view work, and followed the same for eleven years.

On his arrival in California, during the month of July, 1887, Mr. Hurtt settled in San Ber- nardino, where for several years he worked as a clerk for the Santa Fe Railroad Company, Meanwhile, during the fall of 1890, he had purchased ten acres of land near town. The land being in its wild state, required great care and constant labor, and when he resigned from the employ of the railroad he began to give his en- tire time to developing the land. A suitable sys- tem of irrigation was installed; a neat country house was built, a barn was erected, and fruit and shade trees were planted. During 1898 he embarked in the business of florist, his first step being the erection of a number of greenhouses with a few hundred feet of glass. In these build- ings he made a specialty of raising early vege- tables for the city markets as well as flowers and plants for private sale. Since the inauguration of the business it has been necessary to enlarge the plant and he now has about sixteen thousand feet of glass in use. During 1904 he gave up the vegetable business, since which time he has concentrated his attention upon flowers and plants of all varieties.

To facilitate the sale of the flowers and accom- modate the large number of patrons of the busi- ness. he has established a store in San Ber- nardino. adjoining the Southern Pacific depot, · where he conducts a large trade not only with people of the city and surrounding country, but also with visitors from other sections and tour- ists from the east. The large business which he has established furnishes a speaking evidence of his ability and keen judgment, and it is generally recognized that he not only possesses artistic skill of a high order, but also the financial acumen necessary to satisfactory results in any business.

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

In his work he has had the co-operation of his wife and their only child, Helen A., both of whom possess a love for the beautiful and artistic. Mrs. Hurtt, prior to her marriage in August, 1882, bore the name of Anna B. Lane, her parents be- ing William and Maria Lane.

ANDREW JOHNSON. Since 1901 Andrew Johnson, assistant foreman of the repair track at the Santa Fe shops, has been holding that posi- tion in San Bernardino, proving himself a fine mechanic, a valued employe and an enterprising citizen. He is a native of Norway, having been born January 3, 1868, near Christiansand, in that country, the son of Jens and Maria (Goo- tormson) Johnson, both of whom were born and died in Norway. The son, Andrew, is the only member of the family now living in the United States.

The youngest of four children, he was reared on his father's farm and attended the common schools until fifteen years of age, when he be- came apprenticed as a carpenter and builder and followed that occupation until 1887. Desiring to come to America, and settle in the country that had furnished so many of his countrymen with enlarged opportunities for business success, Mr. Johnson left his native land and arrived in Chi- cago in 1887, where he secured employment in the Chicago & Northwestern railway shops as a car repairer. He remained there until 1896, then came to the western coast and located in San Bernardino and became connected with the Santa Fe company, being occupied with the same class of work that he had done in Chicago. He was finally made assistant foreman of the repair track and is now occupying that position. He re- sides with his family in a home which he owns, located at 1165 Fifth street. By his marriage in 1893 he was united with Miss Olivia Salversen, a native of Norway, and of this union four chil- dren have been born, namely, Edna, Norman, Mildred and Otto. Fraternally Mr. Johnson is a member of the Independent Order of Foresters, and religiously belongs to the Lutheran Church. He is an advocate of the principles embraced in the platform of the Republican party, takes an active interest in all matters of social and civic interest and is held in high esteem by his fellow citizens.

JAMES D. KNEEN. Among the active and enterprising citizens of Los Angeles county, con- spicuous for their ability and worth, is James D. Kneen, who is an important factor in promoting the industrial interests of Venice, Los Angeles, and the surrounding towns and cities. In part- nership with Mr. F. Neuman. he is carrying on

a large and substantial business as a contractor for cement construction, employing a large force of men, many of whom are skilled mechanics. A Manxman by birth, he was born on the Isle of Man, where his father, James Kneen, spent his entire life, engaged in tilling the soil, the oc- cupation in which his ancestors had for many generations been employed.

The oldest child of the parental household, James D. Kneen began life for himself when about twenty years of age, having previously learned the business of a telegraph operator. Ambitious to see the world, he crossed the Atlantic ocean, landing in New York City. Proceeding directly to Chicago, he secured a position with the Chi- cago and Eastern Illinois Railway. He then came to the Pacific coast, settling first in San Francisco, and gradually working his way down the coast to Los Angeles county. For eight years after coming to this locality, Mr. Kneen was in the employ of Mr. F. Neuman, being superin- tendent for him until he was admitted to an equal partnership in the business. This firm is well known all along the coast as the leading con- tractors in cement construction, and are kept busily employed in filling their immense con- tracts, Mr. Neuman having his headquarters in Los Angeles, and Mr. Kneen in. Venice. This firm employs about a hundred men. Politically Mr. Kneen is a Republican, and fraternally he is a Mason and an Elk.

GUY HIBBITS. Guy Hibbits, a well known and highly respected successful ranchman of the Lompoc valley, who stands high in the esteem of his fellow men, is the son of one of the early pioneers of the Lompoc section of the state, John B. Hibbits, who was born in Logan county, Ohio, August 21, 1845, and in which state he received his education. The elder Hibbits was married to Caroline Rehm, also a native Ohio woman, and to them were born two children, the son who is the subject of this sketch, and a daughter, Grace, who married John Arkley, lives in Santa Barbara, and has two children. The mother died in 1905 at the age of fifty-three years and the father now lives with his son. He was a worker at the car- penter trade in his younger years, and when the war between the North and South broke out he enlisted in Company A, Eighty-second Regiment of Ohio Volunteers and served therein four years. He took part in the battles of Bull Run, Gettys- burg and Chancellorsville and was also at At- lanta with Sherman. After the close of the war he again took up his work at carpentering in Ohio, and in 1871 went to Nebraska, where he filed on a piece of government land. Spending a period of nine years in that state. he then de- cided to come to California, and bought a small

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

piece of land at Lompoc. He also took up a piece of government land here, but sold this latter piece. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. lodge at Lompoc and is an ardent Republican in poli- tics, while religiously his belief is in the articles of the Presbyterian faith.

Fillmore county, Neb., was the place of the birth of Guy Hibbits, and the date August 18, 1874, he being but six years of age when he re- moved with his parents to Lompoc, where he re- ceived his education in the common schools. When his school days were over he first did gen- eral farming on his father's ranch and also worked for others at times. As soon as he had reached the age of his majority he started out for himself, renting the ranch of eighty acres upon which he now lives and which is now his own property. He also possesses the title to sixty acres of pasture land in the valley. On the home ranch twenty acres are devoted to an apple or- chard of the winter varieties of the fruit, and the remainder is bean, alfalfa and hay land. In 1904 he was married to Miss Jennie Silsby, a native of the state of Maine, and to them one child has been born, Forest Hibbits. Mr. Hib- bits fraternates with the I. O. O. F. Lodge at Lompoc, in which he has taken all of the degrecs; in politics he gives his support to the Repub- lican party, and belongs to the Presbyterian de- nomination of churches.

J. D. MACNEIL. Actively identified with the industrial prosperity of Compton, Los Angeles county, is J. D. MacNeil, who is carrying on a thriving business as a blacksmith. Of sturdy Scotch ancestry, he inherited in a large measure those habits of application, thrift and true econ- omy that formed the foundation for his suc- cessful career, and won for him the honored title of a self-made man. A son of the late Donald MacNeil, he was born, August 15, 1860, in Nova Scotia, and was there bred and educated.

Born in Scotland, Donald MacNeil remained in his native land until after his marriage, when with his wife he emigrated to America, set- tling in Nova Scotia. Purchasing land, he was there employed in agricultural pursuits the re- mainder of his life, both he and his good wife dy- ing on the farm which they improved from its primitive wildness. They were people of influ- ence in the community in which they dwelt, and were faithful members of the Catholic Church. Of the eight children horn of their union, six survive, two of the boys being residents of Cali- fornia.

Brought up on the home farm, J. D. MacNeil received a limited education in the common schools of Nova Scotia, and at the age of sev- enteen years began learning the blacksmith's

trade, serving an apprenticeship of four years. Emigrating to the United States in 1885, he re- mained in Boston for a little more than two years, working at his trade as a journeyman. Coming then to California, Mr. MacNeil was employed in Los Angeles for a time, after which, in February, 1888, he located in Compton, where for one season he worked in the harvest fields. The following year, with a partner, he operated a blacksmith's shop in this place. Going to Washington in 1890, he spent a short time in Ta- coma, afterwards being located for awhile on the east side of the Cascades. Returning to Comp- ton, Mr. MacNeil opened his present shop, and has since carried on an extensive and lucrative business as a blacksmith and general repairer of machinery of all kinds, his mechanical skill and ingenuity being unquestioned, and his patronage being large.

In June, 1896, Mr. MacNeil married Margaret McDonald, who was born in Nova Scotia, which was also the birthplace of her father, Donald Mc- Donald. Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. MacNeil six children have been born, namely : Donald E. S., born April 15, 1897; Mary F., born Septem- ber 28, 1898; Catherine F., born December 27, 1899; Edward N., born February 7, 1901 ; Mar- garet J., born January, 1903; and Annie E., born July 31, 1904. Politically Mr. MacNeil is Independent, voting with the courage of his con- victions for the best men and measures. Frater- nally he is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks; of the Maccabees of the World; and of the Fraternal Aid. True to the religious faith of his ancestors, he is a member of the Catholic Church.

JEREMIAH McELVAIN. Born in Kala- mazoo, Mich., November 21, 1829, Jeremiah Mc- Elvain is a son of Jeremiah, Sr., who was born in Pennsylvania, but removed to Ohio at an early age, and there married Sarah Bell. Shortly after his marriage he removed to the wilderness of Michigan, where he took up a tract of one hun- dred and sixty acres as a pre-emption claim and began the arduous task of transforming the raw land into a productive farm. While he was still a young man death terminated his labors in 1840. His wife survived him for a great many years, living to the advanced age of ninety-four.

When only eleven years of age Jeremiah Mc- Elvain was orphaned by the death of his father, It immediately became necessary for him to earn his own livelihood, and for a long period he worked on farms in the home neighborhood. meanwhile attending school on such few oc- casions as the work made possible. When twenty years of age, in the spring of 1850, he joined a company of one hundred and fifty emigrants

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

bound for California. The journey was made with oxen and wagons as far as Salt Lake, where winter quarters were established. In the spring of 1851 the remainder of the journey was made to Sacramento, where the large expedition ar- rived in safety. For a time Mr. McElvain was employed on a cattle ranch in that locality. Next he came to San Bernardino county and engaged in ranching. On leaving this locality he went to Stockton, from which point he engaged in freight- ing for four years. Later, while still freighting, he made his headquarters at Sonora and Mari- posa. Eventually he sold his teams and returned to San Bernardino county, where in 1859 he married Minerva Morse, a native of Illinois and a daughter of Moses Morse, a pioneer of 1853 in San Bernardino county.

After his marriage Mr. McElvain established his home in San Bernardino, from which point he engaged in freighting to Salt Lake and Mon- tana. With a six-mule team he engaged in hauling provisions and merchandise to remote points.

It was not until 1891 that he sold his equip- ment and retired from freighting, since which time he has lived quietly in San Bernardino, superintending his interests in this city, where he has built and still owns several houses, in- cluding his attractive residence at No. 709 D street. Genial and affable, bluff and hearty, vig- orous in spite of advanced years and a strenu- ous existence, he impresses a stranger as one who has seen all sides of life and has gathered a vast fund of information beneath a modest and unobtrusive manner. In his habits he is tem- perate, in character upright, in citizenship pro- gressive, yet averse to office-holding, in politics stanchly Republican, and in friendship warm and helpful. In his family there were eight children, seven of whom attained maturity, namely: Will- iam H., who is superintendent of the streets of San Bernardino; Jefferson C., assessor of San Bernardino county; Frank B., who is engaged in teaming: George. deceased; John C., a loco- motive engineer: Charles, who is engaged in mining ; and Jane, who married C. R. Knapp and resides in San Bernardino.

COLONEL HARRY S. JOHNSTONE, one of the most prominent citizens of San Diego, has been a resident of Southern California since 1887. He was born in Chicago, Il1., April 3, 1872, the oldest of three children, and received his pre- liminary education in the public schools of his native state. The family removed to Southern California in 1887 and located in San Diego, where the father, James S., engaged in business for many years. Harry S. Johnstone completed his education in the public schools of this city

and also attended the college at Pacific Beach. In young manhood he learned the plumber's trade under the instruction of his father, and be- came a member of the firm of J. S. Johnstone & Co. In October, 1904, he became manager of the San Diego Plumbing Co., and in April of the following year purchased the business.

In San Diego Colonel Johnstone married Miss Agnes Fritz, who was born in Oshkosh, Wis. He is prominent in fraternal circles, having been a member of Sunset Lodge No. 328, I. O. O. F., some years ago, and is now chief patriarch of the encampment and past captain of the canton, and is also associated with the Daughters of Re- bekahs. He is also a member of the Woodmen of the World, Foresters of America, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, and the Masons. He was initiated in Silver Gate Lodge No. 296 and has since been raised to the degrees of Royal Arch, Knight Templar and Mystic Shrine, be- ing a member of Al Malaikah Temple, and also belongs to the Order of Eastern Star. Polit- ically he is a Republican, and in the line of his business he belongs to the Master Plumbers' Association.

In 1890 Mr. Johnstone enlisted in Company B, Ninth Regiment of California Infantry, and upon its reorganization was placed in the Sev- enth Regiment. He served as sergeant for some time. May 5, 1898, he volunteered for service in the Spanish-American war and served as ser- geant in Company B, Seventh Regiment Cali- fornia Infantry until mustered out of service December 2, 1898. The colonel acquired his title through his association with the Third Regiment of California militia, having served from 1903 to 1905 as major, and in January of the last named year was elected to the position of colonel.

ROBERT CATHCART. In reading over the events and happenings associated with the life of Mr. Cathcart one immediately recognizes the attributes that individualized his character, name- ly faithfulness to every duty and his purpose of will. It was in 1853, when a youth of seventeen years, that he accompanied his parents to Cali- fornia, and from the year 1876 until his death, November 17, 1904, he was a continuous resi- dent of the Pomona valley. As a pioneer of this community he took a prominent part in measures of an upbuilding and progressive nature, in fact no one labored more zealously to bring this sec- tion of Los Angeles county into public notice than did Mr. Cathcart. His efforts along this line were of a practical nature, and a prospective set- tler in viewing his thrifty ranch was almost in- variably counted as a newcomer. As a result of his untiring efforts an interest in horticulture was established which transformed the barren

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valley into a garden spot, and during his more active years his ranch and nursery were counted among the show places in this part of the county.

A native of Missouri, Robert Cathcart was born in St. Louis June 3, 1837, a son of Robert and Hannah (Lee) Cathcart, both of whom were natives of Scotland. Coming to the United States during his youth, the father located in St. Louis, Mo., where as an engineer his services were in great demand. To him was given the credit of building the first steam flouring mill ever erected in that now flourishing city, and in other enterprises he was identified in a substan- tial way with its early upbuilding efforts. He keenly appreciated the city's advantageous posi- tion on the river, and was largely interested in steamboating between St. Louis and New Or- leans, owning the packet line which he ran be- tween these two points.

Until he was about seventeen years of age Robert Cathcart remained in his native city, and in the mean time received an excellent education in the schools of St. Louis. Upon the removal of the family to California in 1853 he also came and settled with them on the ranch which the father purchased in Santa Cruz county. Eight years later he opened a general merchandise es- tablishment in Santa Cruz, which he conducted two years, and then, from 1863 to 1866, was proprietor of a livery stable in that town. There- after he again associated himself with mercan- tile interests, and for ten years, or until 1876, conducted a general store. Selling out his stock and good-will that year he came to Los Angeles county and settled in the San Jose valley about two miles north of Pomona. From A. R. Meserve he purchased a hundred acre tract of land which was about as uninviting and unpromising as it is possible to imagine, but with a purpose he set to work to make it habitable and produc- tive, and that his energy was well expended all will concede who have followed his career. During his later years he disposed of a large part of his ranch, and at the time of his death owned only thirty acres of the original tract, and of this twenty-seven acres were in oranges and the re- mainder in walnuts. He was very successful in the sinking of artesian wells, and at one time had ten wells on his property. In 1889 he with others was instrumental in securing a contract for pip- ing water into Pomona, an innovation which was a distinct advantage to the citizens.

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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 187

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