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 189

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

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The island home of the family was the birth- place of Gottfred Anderson and April 1, 1863, the date of his birth. From early childhood he was trained to habits of usefulness and self-re- liance, and soon became a capable assistant on the farm, where he worked during his school vacations. At the age of fourteen years he left school. While he is now a well-informed man, his knowledge has been gained by observation and travel rather than from text-books. In 1878 he came to San Francisco, where for some time he was employed in a restaurant, and later be- came proprietor of the San Rafael coffee house on East street. On coming to San Diego in 1887 he became proprietor of the St. Elmo hotel and for a few years acted as its landlord. Dur- ing 1891 he entered upon the active management of his present business.

The San Diego steam laundry, which Mr. An- derson purchased from Daniel Olson in 1891, now ranks among the substantial business indus- tries of the city. When fire destroyed the laun- dry in 1899, Mr. Anderson erected a two-story modern structure, 100x100 feet in dimensions, on the corner of B street at No. 1170 State street. The equipment of the plant includes a thirty-five horse power engine and a fifty-horse boiler, as well as facilities for the manufacture of all the soap used in the laundry. Employment is fur- nished to forty hands or more, each of whom is trained to be a skilled worker in his or her depart- ment. After having conducted the laundry alone for a considerable period in 1900 Mr. Anderson admitted his brother Julius into partnership. and the two are now joint owners of the plant and business, as well as property on the corner of Second and H streets.

The home of Mr. Anderson is a neat residence on the corner of State and B streets, where him- self and wife, with their three children. Hazel, Myrtle and Pear1, have all the comforts of a well- appointed dwelling. Mrs. Anderson, a native of Sweden, was formerly Annie Petersen, and came to the United States at an early age, settling in Chicago. From that city she removed to Cali-

fornia and settled in San Diego, where she was married. The family are prominent among the Scandinavian residents of San Diego and Mr. Anderson is a charter member and a trustee of the Scandinavian Society. Fraternally he is identified with the Foresters, the Maccabees, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and was made a Mason in Silver Gate Lodge, F. & A. M., to which he has since given his support.

JOHN E. BORDEN, an honored veteran of the Civil war, is now living retired at Long Beach, where he has a comfortable home at No. III7 American avenue. Though impeded by injuries received in the war, he withal accumu- lated a competency through energy, intelligence and persistent effort, which he is now enjoying in the genial climate of the Pacific coast. He was born in New York, September 1, 1828, in the city of Pulteney, Steuben county, where his parents, Horace and Minerva (Chaffee) Borden, made their home for many years. In 1846 the family moved to Pennsylvania, where the father followed the cooper's trade until his death in November, 1864; the mother also passed away in the same locality, at about the same time. John E. Borden studied the three R's in a primitive log schoolhouse. Leaving school he secured em- · ployment in a sawmill, and after five years learned the trade of carpenter and joiner. In the fall of 1856 he removed to Wisconsin, where he became a pioneer of Plainfield, there following the carpenter's trade. January 4, 1864 he en- listed in Company I, Seventh Wisconsin In- fantry, under Division Commander Wordsworth. Going with his regiment to the front, Mr. Bor- den had a brief and unfortunate experience as a soldier. In his first battle, that of the Wilder- ness, May 5, the first day of the seven days' struggle, he was struck by a minie ball when within four rods of the enemy's lines, the ball penetrating the right arm and inflicting a wound so serious that on the afternoon of the same day his arm was amputated. On the second day he was among a large number of wounded soldiers who were taken to the general hospital at Fred- ericksburg. After two days' and two nights' travel to Fredericksburg, for three weeks he had no place to sleep. In recalling those days he is wont to say that he had the soft side of a board for a mattress and a brick as his only pillow. Going from there to the Lincoln hospital at Washington, D. C., and later to Park hospital, Baltimore, he returned to his home in Wisconsin subsequent to his discharge, December 24, 1864.

Unable to resume work at the carpenter's trade, Mr. Borden secured a small tract of land and took up farm pursuits. After seven years as an agriculturist. he removed to Colby, Wis ..

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and engaged in the general mercantile business for fourteen years. He was chosen the first town treasurer of Colby and officiated in that capacity for four years, and he also acted as district clerk and district treasurer during his residence in that town. Retiring to private life after fourteen vears as a merchant, in search of a milder cli- mate he went to DeFuniak, Fla., for eight years spending nine months of each year there, return- ing to Wisconsin for the summer months only. In December, 1901, he removed to California and bought the first lot sold in the block where he now lives; on this lot he built an attractive home early in 1903, and has since lived retired at this place. After coming to Long Beach he was married, May 19, 1901, to Margaret M. Gilbert, a native of Michigan, and a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church of Long Beach. After coming to the west Mr. Borden affiliated himself with Long Beach Camp No. 181, G. A. R., De- partment of California and Nevada, and here, as during his residence in the east, he maintains a warm interest in all the activities of the old soldiers.

ROBERT H. BROWN was born in Alameda county, December 23, 1867, a resident of the · Santa Maria valley since his sixth year, and for the past twelve years the manager of the Brown homestead in the vicinity of Santa Maria.

Thomas S. Brown, father of Robert H., was born near Belfast, north Ireland, November 12, 1823, and was reared on a small tenant farm offering little scope to a strong, ambitious boy. Arriving in the United States during the sum- mer of 1845, he spent about five years in the neighborhood of Boston, Mass., and in 1851 came to California. Journeying west by way of Panama and San Francisco, he settled in Ala- meda county as a rancher. In 1864 he estab- lished a home of his own in Alameda county, marrying Rachel Brown, a fellow country- woman, and native of the north of Ireland. In 1874 the couple brought their children to a farm near Guadaloupe, Santa Barbara county, where Mr. Brown accumulated an estate of four hun- dred acres, and sometimes farmed as many as a thousand acres. He was a man of ability and resource. with a predilection for public affairs. Mr. Brown moved to the latter place about twelve years ago, and here, surrounded by the comforts and refinements made possible by his years of well directed labor, his life closed April 30, 1905, at the age of seventy-nine years. He was a stanch Republican, and a regular attendant at the Pres- byterian Church.

R. H. Brown was educated in the gramınar school at Guadaloupe, completing his training at the Pacific Business College in San Francisco.

Returning to his father's farm, he assisted with its management, and accompanied his parents to the present homestead about twelve years ago. He is unmarried and lives with his mother, who, in spite of her sixty-three years, retains her health, faculties and sympathies. Mr. Brown de- votes the ranch to grain, beans and potatoes, also stock and general produce. He is promi- nent socially, and identified with the Santa Maria Lodge, K. of P., also the Uniform Rank.

ELI BUNT. Nestled in a sheltered nook at the base of the San Gabriel range and at the mouth of Lytle creek, in San Bernardino county, lies the ranch owned and occupied by Mr. Bunt. While it includes only eleven acres, its admirable location makes it especially desirable and its equal in point of productiveness would be hard to find. Upon purchasing the property in 1890 he made the necessary improvements, erecting a suitable house and barn, and also built a house for the shelter of bees, the raising of which he at once entered into upon a large scale. From a small beginning he has steadily increased the business until he now has fifty colonies. In his orchard may be found almost all of the fruits grown in the state, including peaches and apri- cots, three persimmon trees, three grape-fruit trees, one lemon tree, and oranges of seventeen varieties, besides a number of berry bushes. While the orchard is not large, it supplies the home needs with an abundance and a variety not often combined.

Mr. Bunt is a native of the Empire state, born in Broome county, November 16, 1839. It was not until he was approaching middle life that he severed his connection with the east and took up life on the Pacific coast, coming to California in 1884, and locating at once in San Bernardino. Accepting the first employment which he was able to secure, he engaged in cutting stone for a time, later trained horses, and finally became in- terested in the raising of bees, and so well did he succeed in the latter that he determined to concentrate his efforts along that line exclu- sively. Putting this determination into execu- tion, he began to seek a desirable location, with the result that in 1890 he purchased the ranch he now occupies. During young manhood Mr. Bunt gave his services to the cause of his coun- try by enlisting in Company H, Ninth Iowa In- fantry, his muster-in being dated September 5, 1861. With the rest of his regiment he was assigned to service in the western Mississippi army, in which he gave faithful service until dis- abled at the battle of Pea Ridge, March 7, 1862, being shot in the calf of the left leg, besides re- ceiving injuries in the right leg.

In Preston, Minn., in 1866, Mr. Bunt was

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united in marriage with Mary E. Shear, the daughter of Rowland and Mary (Hull) Shear. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bunt, all of whom with one exception are married and in homes of their own. The second child, Flor- ence, died when two years old. The eldest child, Dora, is now the wife of David Coleman and lives in San Bernardino; Anna is the wife of Thomas Reece; Edith, Mrs. John Quinn, lives in Palo Alto, Cal .; and Jennie, Mrs. Kellogg, makes her home in Berkeley, this state.

DWIGHT E. CLOUGH. California has proven the realization of the ambitious efforts of many men, among whom Dwight E. Clough, of Long Beach, Los Angeles county, is no excep- tion, and to this state he gives a happy allegiance. He is city electrician of Long Beach, where he has made his home since 1900. Mr. Clough is the descendant of an old eastern family whose settlement in America is of colonial origin, the name being prominent in Massachusetts, where his father, Samuel C. Clough, was located until his removal to Los Angeles, where he now re- sides. Since 1890 the elder man invested money in property in Southern California principally in the vicinity of Los Angeles, and finally located there permanently, although he still retains his old home in the Bay state. He was the pioneer engineer on the New York Central Railroad and while a resident in the east served as a soldier in the Civil war. He married Janet Thompson, and she still survives. Dwight E. Clough was born in Springfield, Mass., May 16, 1870, and in the public schools of the state received his pri- mary education. Later he entered Amherst Col- lege, from which institution he was graduated in 1888, after which he took up the study of elec- tricity in Schenectady, N. Y., where he continued for eleven years. For several years he had charge of work in the Niagara Falls and Lockport dis- tricts, after which he was sent to San Francisco, and thence to Southern California, in both places installing electric light and power plants, and also working for the Pacific Electric Company and Los Angeles Pacific. After coming to the southern part of the state he became interested in the prospects held out to the ambitious man in Long Beach, and accordingly he left the electric company and came to this city, where he has since remained. Although it had but eighteen hundred people when he first located here he be- gan investing his means in property, giving much of his time to real estate. His home is lo- cated at No. 803 Cedar street, and is presided over by his wife, formerly Dora M. Welch, a native of New York, and a granddaughter of ex-Senator Arnold, of that state. In politics Mr. Clough is a stanch Republican and is holding his

present office through the influence of this party, he being the first incumbent under the new char- ter. He has charge of all city lighting and is supervisor of all electric wiring, having wired the new convention hall. He has been a frequent contributor to electrical journals on high poten- tial work and long distance transmission, as well as street railway work, and is an honored member of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. Fraternally Mr. Clough is a Mason, belonging to Genesee Commandery, K. T., of Lockport, N. Y .; and Ismalia Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Buffalo, N. Y. He is also identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of Lockport, N. Y.

HOWARD M. CHERRY. The family repre- sented by the supervisor of the first district of San Diego county descends from Scotch pro- genitors and long has been identified with American history. At one time the greater part of the original site of Altoona, Pa., was owned by Anthony Cherry, who carried on farm pur- suits in that then sparsely settled region and re- mained on the same homestead until death. Among the children of this pioneer farmer was a son, A. D., who was born and reared at Al- toona and for a time during early life held a position as paymaster with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, but later assisted in the or- ganization of the Keystone Bridge Company of Pittsburg and for about twenty-five years held the office of secretary in that important corpora- tion. Since his retirement from business activi- ties he has continued to make his home in Pitts- burg, where he holds an honored position as a citizen and Master Mason and also as a Repub- lican takes a warm interest in political move- ments. In his native county of Blair he met and married Miss Lucinda P. Boyles, daughter of a pioneer of that locality and herself a native of Blair county, but deceased in Pittsburg.

There were nine children in the family of A. D. and Lucinda Cherry, and of these Howard M. was next to the youngest and the only one to settle on the Pacific coast. At the family home- stead in Altoona, Pa., he was born June 6, 1859, but from the age of eight years he lived in Pitts- burg, where he attended the grammar and high schools. After having completed his education in Shortridge Academy, Philadelphia, he returned to Pittsburg, and began his business career as a member of the civil engineering corps of the Key- stone Bridge Company, but later he turned his attention to taking contracts for the building of street railways. With J. T. Gordon as a partner he bought a controlling interest in what is now the Pittsburg Traction Company, of which he acted as superintendent for five years, holding

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

the position for almost a year after he had sold out his interest in the corporation.

Upon resigning his position as superintendent Mr. Cherry came to San Diego county in Feb- ruary, 1887, and became interested in the nurs- ery business, growing citrus stock that was shipped from Florida. After five years as secre- tary and manager of the Sweetwater Nursery Company he sold out and turned his attention to the insurance and real-estate business, in which he still continues to be actively engaged. Dur- ing practically the entire period of his residence in San Diego he has been an active worker in the Republican party, a prominent member of the Union League Club and a believer in the pro- gressive policies adopted by the Chamber of Commerce, to which also he belongs. His first election as supervisor occurred in 1896, when he was chosen to represent the first district upon the county board. At the expiration of the term in 1900 he was re-elected and four years later he was again victorious as the Republican nominee, the present year of 1906 being his ten consecutive years in the office of supervisor, and during one term he was honored with the chair- manship of the board.

While making his home in Pittsburg Mr. Cherry there married Miss Josephine C. Gordon, who was born in that city, being a daughter of J. T. Gordon. During his latter days Mr. Gor- don was a resident of San Diego and here his death occurred. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Cherry there are four daughters, Alma, Edna, Leila and Roma. Fraternally Mr. Cherry is identified with the Woodmen of the World, the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, and the Masonic Order. During the period of his resi- dence in Pennsylvania he was made a Mason in the Davidge lodge at Allegheny, also took the Royal Arch degree in Allegheny Chapter, be- came a Knight Templar in Tancred Comman- dery at Pittsburg, and after coming to the Pa- cific coast became affiliated with the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine in Al Malaikahı Temple at Los Angeles.

WILLIAM STRONG CALEY. The total area of forest reservations in the United States includes nearly fifty million acres, and from year to year the government is adding still more to this vast tract. The average person may not know or appreciate what this forethought on the part of the government in the matter of preserv- ing the forests means to us as individuals and as a nation. Not only do the forests furnish our timber and fuel supply, but their influence on the climate and the waterflow of the country is of inestimable value, nowhere perhaps more keenly appreciated than in our western states.

Among the vast number of men required to patrol and guard the forests thus set aside men- tion belongs to William S. Caley, who as forest ranger in the San Bernardino reserve has given the government faithful and conscientious serv- ice for over five years, and a native son of the state.

Throughout his entire life Mr. Caley has made his home in the vicinity of his birthplace, and attended the schools of San Bernardino during boyhood. After leaving school he worked at any honorable employment that could be found, in- cluding farming and teaming. It was while en- gaged in the latter pursuits that he was offered the position of forest ranger and August 6, 1900, he entered upon his new duties. He makes his home in Cajon Pass, about eighteen miles from San Bernardino, on Waterman av- enue, occupying one of the rangers' cabins. As may be inferred Mr. Caley is unmarried. Being of a quiet disposition he is reserved in his man- ner and has never taken any active part in politics.

BENNETT J. CARL. As an example of one whose interest has been concentrated in mercan- tile enterprises for a number of years mention is due Bennett J. Carl, who as a member of the firm of Atwater & Carl is interested in a thriving grocery at the corner of Third and Locust streets, Long Beach, and also one at Alamitos Beach, at the corner of Fourth and Almond streets. Busi- ness was inaugurated in Long Beach January 15, 1903, under the firm name of Wilson & Carl, and continued under this title for nine months, wlien Mr. Carl disposed of his interest to Mr. Atwater, his present partner. It was not long before Mr. Carl was again interested in the firm, at which time it took the name of Atwater & Carl, its present title. Small quarters sufficed for their modest beginnings, but were soon out- grown by the steady increase of business until they were compelled to locate in their present commodious buildings. They carry a complete line of groceries and provisions, nothing which the market affords being omitted from their stock.

On both sides of the family Mr. Carl is de- scended from progenitors noted for longevity, this characteristic being especially noticeable on the maternal side, the grandparents living to the advanced age of one hundred and three years. Mr. Carl's mother was of English descent and before her marriage was known as Sarah Wing- ett. She too lived to a good old age, dying in J901, when in her eightieth year. James Carl. the father, came of Irish antecedents. As a life calling he carried on farming and also owned and managed a grocery in Sylvania, Ohio. He too lived to a ripe old age, at the time of his death

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

in 1897 having reached his eighty-second year. While the family was living in Fulton county, Ohio, Bennett J. Carl was born in Chesterfield township July 24, 1862. As he was a lad of only five years when his parents removed to Lucas county his earliest recollections are associated with that locality. At the time he had reached his twentieth year he had graduated from the Sylvania high school, had a good knowledge of farming and was so thoroughly versed in the grocery business that he felt competent to start in it independently, having received his training in this line in his father's store in Sylvania. Leaving home when he was nineteen years old he first went to Omaha, Neb., but believing that he saw better prospects for advancement in Washington, established himself in the grocery business in Tekoa. Some time later, however, in Lawrence, Kans., he opened a similar business, in addition to this dealing in wholesale produce. Five years of hard work in that locality had re- suited in a thriving business, but he gave it up in 1902 to take up life in California, whither he was drawn on account of the evenness of the climate.

While a resident of Kansas Mr. Carl was mar- ried to Sadie Eskridge, a native of that state. While in that state he also joined the Indepen- dent Order of Odd Fellows, and is still a mem- ber of the lodge at Lawrence, besides holding membership in the camp of the Modern Wood- men of America at Long Beach. Politically he adheres to the principles of the Republican party and appropriates every opportunity to advance its cause. While a resident of Washington he was a member and clerk of the school board of Tekoa for seven years.

JOHN CAMPBELL. Among the finest specimens of the hardy people who have emi- grated from Scotland to America and are faith- fully meeting all of the requirements demanded of a faithful and loyal citizen of our Republic, is John Campbell, of San Diego, who is a son of John Campbell, and was born August 5, 1857, in Markinch, Fifeshire, Scotland, the descendant of a family of prominence. The branch of the Glencoe clan to which his ancestors belonged originated in the highlands of Scotland, which they left at the time of the Reformation, going to the lowlands to escape from the religious per- secution of the Catholics. David Campbell, Mr. Campbell's grandfather, a farmer by occupation, became a member of the Presbyterian, or Free Church of Scotland. He was a man of great mental and physical vigor, and attained the age of ninety-six years.

Born in Markinch, county Fife, John Camp- bell. Sr., spent his entire life in his native town.

being engaged in general farming and stock raising. He was a man of strong personality, much respected by his fellow-men, and was an active member of the Presbyterian Church. He died while yet in manhood's prime, at the age of forty-seven years, his death being caused by blood poisoning. He married Elizabeth Boggie, who spent her brief life of thirty-five years in Fifeshire. She belonged to one of the old fami- lies of that county, being the daughter of David Boggie, a prominent farmer and miller. She bore her husband three children, two sons and one daughter, and of these John, the subject of this sketch, is the only survivor.

Brought up in Fifeshire, John Campbell at- tended the common schools until twelve years old, and then entered Saint Andrew's Academy, where he completed the course of study. After his graduation he was apprenticed to a pattern- maker and millwright in Markinch, and served for three years, from the age of nineteen until twenty-two. The following eighteen months he worked as a journeyman in Falkirk, and then returned to his native town. The following eighteen months he was foreman of a gang of men in Edinburgh, Scotland. Going from there to England, to Newcastle-on-Tyne, he remained there for awhile, and as foreman assisted in the erection of the Liberal Club Building, and was afterwards a resident of Manchester, Eng., for six years. Emigrating to America in 1881, Mr. Campbell located in San Antonio, Tex., as a contractor and builder, from there going to Gainesville, Tex., where he remained four years, being successfully employed as a contractor and as the operator of a planing mill.

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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 189

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