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 2

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

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father, William Hall, was born in Allegheny county and after an active life as a farmer he died there aged about seventy-six years, his wife surviving him until ninety-six years of age. During the year 1886 Mrs. Mary Kelso came to the Pacific coast and afterward re- sided in California until her death in 1905, at eighty-two years of age. From childhood she had been identified with the United Pres- byterian denomination, which was the church of her forefathers.

On the homestead in Allegheny county, Pa., William H. Kelso was born February 24, 1847, and there he passed the care-free days of boyhood. His education was commenced in neighboring schools and completed in the Dayton (Pa.) Academy, after which he re- mained with his father and grandfather. De- cember 21, 1870, he was united in marriage with Miss Mina C. Craig, a native of Indiana county, Pa., and a member of an old eastern family. With his young wife he established a home on a farm and there he engaged in raising grain and feeding cattle. Meanwhile the oil industry had assumed gigantic pro- portions in Pennsylvania and its activities penetrated to the Kelso homestead, which proved to possess oil in paying quantities. In 1887 he rented the old homestead of one hun- dred and sixty acres, which he yet owns. Eight oil wells on the land produced two hun- dred thousand barrels of oil during the first year and three of them are still pumping. The wells were drilled principally in 1891- 93, Mr. Kelso's share being one-sixth of the output. Upon renting the old home place in 1887 he came to California and purchased sixty acres near Inglewood, and also three blocks in the townsite of Inglewood, contain- ing fifteen acres, which were laid out in town lots and blocks, including his home place, which is one of the most attractive in the town. Always interested in movements for the development of his home town, he has fostered worthy enterprises and was one of the founders of the Bank of Inglewood, in which he now owns stock. For ten years he

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has officiated as director of Occidental Col- lege and in other ways he has proved his keen interest in educational progress. In his fam- ily there are two daughters, Anna J. and Edith A., both of whom were given exceptional ad- vantages ; the older is married to Arthur J. McFadden, of Santa Ana, member of an hon- ored family of this region, and they have one daughter, Mary; the younger daughter, Edith `A., remains with her parents.

The religious connections of the family are with the Presbyterian Church, but other de- nominations have received from them active encouragement and financial aid. In fraternal . relations Mr. Kelso holds membership with the Independent Order of Foresters. From boyhood he was reared to a faith in the Re- publican party and later studies of the polit- ical situation did not change his belief. Though always willing to assist friends who were candidates for office, he has never cared for such honors for himself, and the only po- sition he has held came to him unsought. This was in November of 1902, when without an active campaign on his part he was elected to represent the seventieth district in the state assembly. During the session that followed he served on various committees of importance and represented his constituents with fidelity and intelligence, but at the expiration of his term he declined further official responsibili- ties and honors, and retired to the enjoyment of private life and the management of his im- portant business and landed interests.

OLOF LARSON. The years included be- tween 1880 and 1898 recall varied experiences on the part of Mr. Larson, all valuable in their way, but none more so than those brought to mind by the dates just mentioned, the former being the year of his advent in the New World, and the latter the year in which he located upon his present ranch in San Bernardino county, not far from the city of that name. A son of Lars Hanson and Kestein (Pierceson) Larson, he was born in Skone, Sweden, Janu- ary 7, 1858, receiving an excellent education in the public schools of his native town. Native thrift and not necessity was the idea in mind when he took up agricultural pursuits upon leaving school, for his parents were well-to-do and no comfort had been denied him.

At the age of twenty-two years, in 1880, Mr. Larson carried out a desire which had taken a strong hold upon him, and in the spring of that year he was among the passengers who landed at Castle Garden. Going direct from New York to Lasalle county, Ill., he remained there

five years, after which he returned to Sweden to visit his parents and friends. Three months of rest and inactivity made him anxious to re- sume business, and at the end of this time he returned to America, this time locating in Ot- tawa, Ill. In 1886 he sought the milder climate of California, locating at Craftonville, where he was employed in a hotel for about one and a half years. After working in a livery in Red- lands for about a year he came to San Bernar- dino, but three months later returned to Red- lands, where for four months he was in the em- ploy of H. H. Sinclair. A desire to see and in- form himself in regard to the northern coast induced him to go to Seattle, Wash., where he found employment with a company engaged in laying a cable road, doing construction work for about four months, when he went to Puget Sound, there acting as yardmaster in a lumber yard for one year. Still later he became tally keeper in loading grain on steamers, following this until returning to San Bernardino in 1892, from that year until 1898 working in a livery stable here. As has been previously intimated, it was during the latter year that he purchased and settled upon his present ranch of twenty acres, which has been his home ever since, and which he has transformed from wild land into one of the inost productive ranches in the coun- ty. Realizing that the first essential for a suc- cessful ranch depended upon a sufficient water supply, he put in flumes for irrigation, having in the meantime set out orange trees and plant- ed grape vines. The result of his continued ef- forts to make his ranch a success has been all that could be desired by the most sanguine, and much credit is due him for what he has accom- plished.

In San Bernardino, March 2, 1888, Mr. Lar- son and Kerstine Swenson were united in mar- riage. A native of Sweden, Mrs. Larson was born in Skone, July 21, 1865, the daughter of Swen Hanson and Ulrika (Rosengren) Swen- son. When twenty-one years of age she came to the United States with her brother and lo- eated in Ottawa, Ill., coming to California the following year and settling in San Bernardino. Five children have blessed the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Larson, of whom we mention the fol- lowing: Ivan Ulrik, born January 9, 1890, and Frances Estella, born December 31, 1891, are both at home with their parents ; the next child, Algene Henrietta, was born April 16, 1894, in Sweden, where Mrs. Larson had gone on a visit ; the daughter did not long survive the journey to the United States, dying two days after her arrival, August 6, 1894; the other chil- dren are Algina Kerstina, born June 5, 1899, and Norman Stanley. born August 10, 1902.

El Johnson

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

The family attend the Swedish Lutheran Church at San Bernardino, of which the par- ents are members. Politically Mr. Larson is a Republican, and fraternally he is a member of the Woodmen of the World, having joined the order in San Bernardino in 1897.

CASSIUS C. JOHNSON. Few more con- sistent, practical or well-balanced careers have contributed to the development of Pomo- na and Claremont than that of the late C. C. Johnson, whose death, September 3, 1906, was mourned by the citizens of both towns as that of a personal friend. His remains were in- terred in the cemetery at Pomona, in which town so many years of his active and useful life had been passed.

Indiana was Mr. Johnson's native state, and he was born in Greencastle April 1, 1854, one of the younger children in a family of ten born to his parents, Dickson and Nancy (Se- well) Johnson, both of the latter being na- tives of Kentucky. Among the early set- tlers in Indiana who had crossed over the Ohio river from Kentucky was Dickson John- son, who settled down as a farmer in that new country, but he was evidently not satisfied with the country for a permanent location, and some time after the birth of his son C. C. he removed to Vinton, Iowa, near which city he purchased a large farm. It was there that his earth life came to a close, leaving to mourn his loss a widow and a large family of children. The mother passed away some years later in Willow Lake, S. Dak. As he was a mere child when the family removed from In- diana to Iowa C. C. Johnson was reared al- most entirely in the latter state, attending first the public school of Vinton and later Vinton Academy. Although reared on a farm he had no taste for farming himself, and as soon as his school days were over he se- cured a position in a dry-goods store in Vin- ton with the idea of learning the business. When one has definite ideas of a line of busi- ness which he wishes to follow and with per- sistency applies himself to its masterv the victory is half won, and thus it was with Mr. Johnson, for in a short time he was enabled to start in the dry-goods business on his own account. The failure of his health, however, brought about a change in his plans and af- ter disposing of his interests in Iowa he came to California in 1881. The following year he purchased a ranch of thirty acres on the cor- ner of San Bernardino and Towne avenues. For abont four years he raised sheep and grain on his property and then sudivided the ranch

into one and four acre tracts, also opening Towne avenue. In the mean time he had been employed in the weighing department of the Southern Pacific road for about one year.

In 1895 Mr. Johnson removed to a foothill ranch east of San Antonio, comprising several hundred acres. He gave this up, however, in the fall of 1900 and removed to Claremont, in order that his children could attend Pomo- na College. After locating here he engaged in the real-estate business, and among other transactions with which his name was as- sociated was the laying out of a forty-acre tract on North Harvard avenue, which he sold off as Johnson's addition to Claremont, and he also laid out another forty-acre tract ad- joining known as College. avenue addition. This business is still being carried on under the name of C. C. Johnson & Co. In 1902 he Erected the fine residence now occupied by the family, located on North Harvard avenue. Far from being self-centered and interested in his own private affairs only, Mr. Johnson was on the other hand broad minded and gener- ous. He was a director in the Citizens' Light and Water Company, was the organizer of the Co-operative Water Company, which was located on his ranch, also assisted in the or- ganization of the Claremont Lumber Com- pany, the Citizens' State Bank and the Clare- mont Inn Conipany, of which latter he was president. For many years he had served ef- ficiently as school trustee of Claremont and also served as selectman.

In Vinton, Iowa, May 19, 1880, C. C. John- son was married to Miss Louise Moore, who was born in Durand, Ill., the daughter of Hubbard Moore. From Vermont, his native state, Mr. Moore set out with the '49ers for the gold region, but he did not remain long in the west at that time. Later he removed to Durand, Ill., and established himself in the dry-goods business, which he followed until removing to Vinton, Iowa, there following the builder's trade. Removing from the middle west in 1881 he came to California and the same year purchased a ranch adjoining Pomo- na, upon which he lived the remainder of his life, and in addition to its management he also carried on contracting to some extent. Mrs. Moore. who before her marriage was Kath- erine Peck, was born in Massachusetts and now resides with her daughter, Mrs. John- son. Five children blessed the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson: Albert, who is en- gaged in the electrical business in Covina; James, who is with the Claremont Lumber Company ; Clarence : Emma, deceased ; and Katherine. Politically Mr. Johnson was a

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

strong Republican, and in his church affilia- tions was an active member of the Congrega- tional Church, of which at one time he was a trustee. Thoroughly devoted to the interests of this part of California, he was one of those citizens whose coming from the east meant so much to the development and growth of the state.

JOHN H. BREEDLOVE. Coming to San Diego county nearly a quarter of a century ago, John H. Breedlove has been an active and able assistant in developing and advanc- ing its industrial and business prosperity. He is pleasantly located near Valley Center, and is one of the substantial men of his commun- ity, owning a large and well-cultivated ranch, and being especially interested in dairying. A man of unbounded energy and enterprise, he has accumulated his property by hard labor and the exercise of the good judgment and sound sense with which nature generously en- dowed him, and at the same time he has cul- tivated to a marked degree those inherent vir- tues and habits that make him a valued citi- zen and a true man in every relation of life. A son of William Breedlove, he was born De- cember 26, 1846, in Webster county, Mo., where he received a common school educa- tion.

A native of Tennessee, William Breedlove remained in his early home until after his mar- riage with Susan Haggard. Migrating then to the extreme western frontier, he lived for many years in Missouri, clearing from the wilderness a good farm in Webster county, where he became owner of about eight hun- dred acres of land. In the later years of his life he started with his family for the Pacific coast, but while crossing the plains his good wife was taken ill and died. He continued the journey to California, but after a brief stay returned to Missouri, and there spent the re- mainder of his life. To him and his wife sev- en children were born.

Brought up on the homestead, and well drilled in farming and stock-raising from his boyhood, John H. Breedlove became well fit- ted for the independent calling which he is now following so successfully. As a young man, however, he thought to find some more congen- ial occupation, and with that end in view went in the spring of 1864 to Montana, where he worked for awhile in the mines. Not finding much profit in his labors he went back to his native state, where he resumed ranching for a time. Subsequently he went first to Kan- sas, then to Texas, where he lived four years, working at the carpenter's trade in Wood

county. Returning home, he assisted his father on the farm from 1874 until 1876, when he came to California, locating in Butte conn- ty, where he followed farming two years. Coming from there to San Diego county in 1878, he took up a homestead claim on which he resided five years. In 1883 he located near Valley Center, buying his present ranch of six hundred and sixty acres, and in its improve- ment has met with unquestioned success, it being one of the best and most attractive home estates to be found in this section of the state. He pays much attention to dairying, for a number of years milking from fifty to seven- ty cows daily, and carries on general farming to a considerable extent, raising all of the hay and grain used on the farm.

In Missouri, in 1875, Mr. Breedlove married Edith A. Rogers, a native of that state, and into their home four children have been born, namely : Roy E., of Los Angeles, a dealer in real estate; Lillian, also dealing in real es- tate in Los Angeles; Grace, at home; and Carl. Although not very active in politics, Mr. Breedlove keeps himself well informed upon current events, and uniformly supports the Republican ticket. Religiously -Mr. and Mrs. Breedlove are members of the Methodist Epis- copal Church.

EDWARD H. STAGG, of Los Angeles is a man who, although retired from active service on account of ill health, still takes a prominent in- terest in public affairs, and his thirty years of intimate connection with railroad work while fill- ing important positions gives him an insight into the live questions of the day, which is of recog- nized valne. He was born in Jackson county, Mo., November 8, 1853, one of a family of seven children, five of whom are still living. His father, Rev. Isaac M. Stagg, was a native of New Jersey and when a young man learned the tailor's trade at Hartford, Conn. From there he removed to Laporte, Ind., took a theological course, was ordained as a minister and accepted in the Methodist Conference, after which he re- moved to Logansport, Ind., and continued in the ministry twenty-four years. His death at East St. Louis, Ill., removed a man who was greatly revered by all who knew him. The mother was in maidenhood Marial Thomas, and a native of New York. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and an active worker in re- ligious circles. Her death occurred in 1891 at Albuquerque, N. Mex.

E. H. Stagg received a common school educa- tion and immediately after his school days were over he became an apprentice at the cigarmaker's trade. In 1872 he began his career as a railroad

M. Alexander SchutzMQ.

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

man, entering the service of the Illinois Central as a clerk and was promoted successively to baggage master and conductor. Later he be- came connected with the Union Pacific Railway Company, filling the position of chief bill clerk at Kansas City, Mo., and when he left that posi- tion it was to become chief clerk to the terminal agent of the Denver & Rio Grande in the south- western part of Colorado. From there he went to Oregon as chief clerk in the auditor's office, was soon promoted to the position of traveling auditor, and in 1897 became chief claim clerk of the Atlantic & Pacific. In 1898 he was made auditor of the Randsburg Railway Company, which position he filled for about a year, when he was appointed to the position of general freight and passenger agent of the same com- pany, and before he retired from that company in 1904 had attained the office of general man- ager. Mr. Stagg built the Ludlow Southern Railroad and served as general manager and treasurer of the company before his retirement from active work on account of impaired health. He still owns large business interests and is at present a stockholder and director of the High- land Park Bank. In politics he has always been an active member of the Republican party.

Fraternally Mr. Stagg is a Royal Arch Mason and is identified with Signet Chapter No. 57, F. & A. M., and is Past Grand Secretary of New Mexico jurisdiction of Odd Fellows. He was married to Miss Louise Vaughn, a native of Windsor, Ontario, and has a family of three children, all of whom are living in California. They are: Mrs. Nellie A. Black, Mrs. Jessic Norton, and Mrs. Sarah E. McMillan. Mrs. Stagg is a member of and active worker in the Methodist Episcopal Church. In everything he has undertaken Mr. Stagg has met with great success and has amassed a considerable fortune.

M. ALEXANDER SCHUTZ, A. B., M. D. A resident of California since 1891, Dr. Schutz has been an eye-witness to the remarkable de- velopment of the southern part of the state and has himself been an active participant in the growth and progress of Long Beach, where he has made his home for the greater part of this time. He is a native of Russia, having been born at Odessa on the Black Sea, March 2, 1864, the descendant of a family conspicuous in the af- fairs of that country, an uncle now serving as physician to the Royal family. After receiving a primary education in the private schools in the portion of the country where he made his home, he entered college and after eight years gradu- ated with the degree of A. B. and prepared to take up the study of medicine, which he had chosen for his life work. He had intended to

pursue this study with his uncle, but his plans were changed by political ideas imbibed through a careful and thoughtful review of the situation in Russia. He became a Liberalist and before his plans were completed was placed under sus- picion and practically deprived of his liberty. For the sake of the broader freedom to be found on this side of the water he decided to come to America, and upon his arrival became a student in New York, taking up the study of medicine. His health becoming impaired he gave up his studies and came to California to recuperate, completing the course in the Southern California Medical College, and receiving the degree of M. D. in 1899. In the meantime, in 1894, he had located in Long Beach and established a sanita- rium for the treatment of chronic and nervous diseases, erecting the buildings and fitting them out with every modern appliance. Later he en- larged the property and the first building which was erected is now used for an office. He con- ducted the work successfully and at the same time took a broad interest in the material upbuilding of his adopted city, putting up the first Liberal hall in Long Beach, where free speech could be made. In 1901 he built the Riviera hotel, the largest of its kind in the city, consisting of eighty rooms and all modernly equipped for the accom- modation of the best class of tourists. He was also the organizer of the Improvement Society of Long Beach and established the first bath in the place, and along many lines has given his best efforts for the beautifying and upbuilding of the city. In 1905 he organized the International Home for children, his object being to protect the homeless and friendless children of all na- tionalities and place them in an environment cal- culated to enable them to develop the best in their lives. They are taught not only the principle of universal love and given the best physical and intellectual training, but are also instructed in useful trades and occupations and taught to be- come self-supporting. The home, which is lo- cated near Signal Hill, built by the doctor and improved each year, is to be dedicated to them in perpetuity, to be free from indebtedness and thereby insuring them the best opportunity to develop the highest type of manhood and woman- hood. This is the plan of Dr. Schutz, to be ful- filled at his demise, his possessions to be given to the support of the home.

In Long Beach Dr. Schutz was united in mar- riage with Pearl Kelly, a daughter of Rev. Isaac Kelly, and a native of Iowa, from which state she removed to California in 1895. They are the parents of a son and daughter, Ahura and Emeth, both natives of this city. Mrs. Schutz is identified with her husband in his philan- thropic work and gives him her heartiest support and encouragement. In the midst of his other

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labors the doctor is the editor of the Southern California Journal of Health, of which about a thousand numbers are published each month, and he has also traveled and lectured on Russia very extensively. In his practice in the sanitarium he makes a specialty of electricity and X-ray and is accomplishing much that is bringing him prom- inently before the public. The doctor is not a man of one idea, unless it be said-and truly -- that all his actions are founded upon the rul- ing motive of his life, to be a benefit to human- ity, for he is broad and philanthropic, a man of letters and scholarly attainments; and a true Socialist in all the comprehensiveness of the term, freely giving of his time and means in the furtherance of his ideas, which mean a broader and better future for the coming generation.

FRANCIS CHERRILL HANNON. A native son of the state, Francis Cherrill Han- non was born in San Jose, March 6, 1867, the son of an honored pioneer. Jeremiah C. Han- non was born in London, England, December 2, 1828, a son of David Hannon, who married Martha Cherrill. The grandfather brought his family to America and located near Zanes- ville, Ohio, where he died in 1854. Jeremiah C. Hannon engaged as a farmer in Ohio until 1860, when he came by the Isthmus of Pan- ama to San Francisco and for a time followed mining in California and Nevada. Later, in San Francisco, he was married and in 1863 purchased a ranch near San Jose and farmed there for six years, coming at the last-named date to Southern California, where he pur- chased one hundred and sixty acres one mile north of El Monte. This was wild land, which he began at once to improve, continuing his labors until 1904, when he retired from active cares and located at San Gabriel, where he is now residing. In addition to his quarter sec- tion of land previously mentioned he owns seven hundred acres in Beaumont, Cal. He is prominent in public affairs, having served for many years as county supervisor on the Dem- ocratic ticket. His wife, formerly Elizabeth Carr, was born in County Donegal, Ireland, and she is also living, at the age of sixty-nine years. They became the parents of seven children, of whom six attained maturity, and are now living.

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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 2

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