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 20

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

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land benefiting likewise. Subsequently this canal was sold to the Bear Valley Company with the proviso that the latter company was to complete the canal to north San Bernar- dino, which has since been accomplished. Mr. Marshall was also one of the organizers of the North Fork Water Company, of which for vears he was a director and also president. When the loop line of the Santa Fe road was built around the east end of the San Bernar- dino valley its construction was largely aid- ed by the personal effort of Mr. Marshall, he contributing over $3,000 and the right of way for over two miles through his property. Hor- ticultural affairs also have received an im- petus through his efforts, a practical demon- stration of which was seen at the time of the organization of the Highland Orange Grow- ers' Association, of which he is now presi- dent. One of the most stupendous undertak- ings in San Bernardino was set on foot with the organization of the Arrowhead Hot Springs Company. With the assistance of a strong local directorate Mr. Marshall inaugurated an enterprise which promises to out-distance any undertaking of the kind in the world. The company is incorporated for $1,000,000, and has among its stockholders some of the lead- ing men in this part of the state and also of the east. It is the confident expectation of all concerned that with the natural advantages of scenery, climate, elevation and surround- ings these springs will develop a resort which will make the San Bernardino valley world renowned.

In San Francisco, in 1878, Mr. Marshall was married to Frances Marie Moyle, a sis- ter of Mrs. William H. Cheney, of South Man- chester, Conn. After almost twenty years of happy married life Mrs. Marshall was called up higher, February 15, 1897, leaving a void in her home as well as in the many charitable and social organizations with which she was connected. Her greatest happiness consisted in doing for others, and none knew her but to love her. She was a devoted member of the Episcopal Church and one of its active workers.

AMASA PARKER JOHNSON, JR., the president of the city council of San Diego, is a member of one of the pioneer families of Cali- fornia. In a family of six daughters and two sons, of whom all are living except one son, he is next to the oldest and represents the third successive generation bearing the same name. San Francisco is his native city, the date of his birth being October 29, 1866. Primarily educated in public schools, he later had the

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advantage of study in St. Matthew's Hall at San Mateo, and meanwhile became interested in stenography. When eighteen years of age he started out to earn his own way in the world, his first position being that of private secretary to Jesse D. Carr, president of the Salinas Bank. From Salinas he came to San Diego in February, 1888, and after filling a po- sition as stenographer for two months he be- came a deputy in the office of the county re- corder. There he continued for five years, and during the last three years acted as chief deputy. The following five years were spent in the county assessor's office as deputy (a part of that time being chief deputy) and then he returned to the county recorder's office as chief deputy for five years.

By the purchase of the interests of the Reed & Burt Abstract Company, in February, 1903, Mr. Johnson organized the Union Title & Trust Company, and by forming a combina- tion with the Title Insurance & Trust Com- pany of Los Angeles the strongest organiza- tion of its kind in Southern California was se- cured. The company has a capital stock of $100,000, and Mr. Johnson acts as manager, secretary and treasurer.

Under appointment by Governor Pardee in the year 1904 Mr. Johnson became a member of the city council according to the new char- ter. The following year he was elected to rep- resent the eighth ward in the council, where he served as chairman of the street committee and a member of the finance and water com- mittees. On the resignation of Mr. Osborn as president of the city council, in November, 1905, Mr. Johnson was chosen to fill the va- cancy and since then has acted in the capacity of president.

JOHN J. ORR. A native Californian, John J. Orr was born on the old Orr homestead near Norwalk, Los Angeles county, March 3, 1876, a son of W. W. Orr, one of the esteemed pioneers of this section whose personal history is given at length in another part of this vol- ifme. His preliminary education was re- ceived through the medium of the public school of Little Lake, after which he attended Wood- bury Business College, of Los Angeles. Re- turning home he remained with his parents until attaining his majority, when he began the cultivation and improvement of a ranch of forty acres on which he resides. This is largely devoted to alfalfa although he has a fine dairy herd of twenty cows, which net him a handsome income. For one year of the time he has spent on this ranch he was in Tulare county, where he went with a large herd of

stock. He is progressive and enterprising and although young in years bids fair to make one of the most successful ranchers of this community. In August, 1901, he was united in marriage with Miss Marinda Sackett, who was born in Artesia, Los Angeles county, a daughter of William A. Sackett, represented at length elsewhere in this volume. They have two children, Emma and William. Mr. Orr is very prominent fraternally, being a mem- ber of Norwalk Lodge No. 315, F. & A. M., and serving as senior warden, while both him- self and wife are associated with the Order of Eastern Star in the Norwalk chapter; he also belongs to the camp of the Maccabees of Ar- tesia, and the Odd Fellows, of Artesia, and self and wife are identified with the Rebekahs of that place. He supports the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which his wife is a de- voted member. Politically he is a stanch ad- vocate of Democratic principles. Mr. Orr stands exceptionally high in the community, respected alike for his business ability so early displayed, and his personal qualities of charac- ter which have won him many friends.

JAMES HENRY LEWIS. In tracing the genealogy of the branch of the Lewis family represented by this influential citizen and horti- culturist of Pomona we find that he is descended from ancestors who came from England with the Pilgrims and landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620, they later settling in Barnstable, Mass. Representatives of the family finally drifted into Connecticut, for it was there that the great- grandfather, John Lewis, was born January 3, 1754. He was a young man of about twenty- one years when the war for independence was waged between England and the colonies, and as one of the soldiers who fought in behalf of the young nation he lived to see the accomplish- ment of their purpose and enjoy the freedom from tyranny and oppression. He died in Con- necticut in 1828. The grandfather, James Lewis, was also born in the Nutmeg state, where he was reared and married, but during middle life he settled as a pioneer in Kane county, Ill., and there rounded out a useful career. His mar- riage united him with Desire Remington, she too being a native of Connecticut. Among the children born to them was Norman Lewis, whose birth occurred in Suffield, Hartford county, Conn., and he too became a pioneer in the newer west. For some years he made his home in Ohio, and it was while the family were living in that state that James Henry Lewis was born. After the death of the wife and mother, which occurred in that state, the father returned to Connecticut, where for a time he was employed

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as a blacksmith in Colt's armory. Coming to the west once more he located in Kane county, Il1., in 1853, and the year following went to Iowa, where he carried on farming until the breaking out of the Civil war. Going to Tama City he opened a general merchandise business which he conducted until the close of the war, and then, in partnership with his son James, engaged in the lumber business in that city. Later he retired from the business and for a number of years prior to his death had been free from business cares. He died in Tama City at the advanced age of seventy-eight years, his loss being deeply felt in his community, for he had been an active citizen and had done much to- ward the upbuilding of the town. He was a member of the county board of supervisors, justice of the peace and was also postmaster of the town. Up to the time of the war he had stanchly upheld the principles of the Democra- tic party, but thereafter he allied himself with the Republicans. From the age of twenty years he had been a member of the Baptist Church, and the teachings of the Christian religion were manifest in his daily life and sustained him in his death. His marriage united him with Lucy Kent, who was a native of Suffield, Conn., and who died in Medina county, Ohio. Four chil- dren were born of this marriage, three of whom grew to maturity, but only one of the number is now living.

The only representative of his parents' family now living. James Henry Lewis was born in Akron, Ohio, June 13, 1840, and was reared in Ohio until he was a lad of nine years, when his mother having died, his father took the family to Connecticut. His schooling was gained al- most entirely during the five years they remained in that state, for when they came west and settled on a pioneer farm in Tama county, Iowa, in 1854 his services were needed in breaking the soil and preparing the fields for cultivation. In response to the call to arms at the time of the Civil war he laid down the implements of peace and industry and instead shouldered the musket in defense of the principles which he believed were just and upright. In August, 1862, he volunteered as a member of Company E, Twenty- fourth Iowa Infantry, being mustered in at Mus- catine, and in the following October his regi- ment was sent to Helena, Ark., thereafter tak- ing part in the siege of Vicksburg, Champion Hill, Port Gibson, and Black River Bridge. For meritorious service in the latter campaign he was promoted to corporal and with the remainder of his regiment was made a part of the Depart- ment of the Gulf and under General Banks participated in the Red River expedition, among others taking part in the battle at Sabine Cross Roads. By boat they went from New Orleans

to Washington, D. C., and under General Sheri- dan took part in the Shenandoah Valley cam- paign, taking part in the battles of Winchester, Cedar Creek and Fisher's Hill. Thereafter, from January, 1865, until mustered out in July of that year in Savannah he remained on duty in that city and vicinity, having in the mean- time been promoted to sergeant, and as such was honorably discharged from the service in Davenport in August of 1865.

After the war Mr. Lewis prepared himself for commercial life by taking a course in East- man's Business College in Chicago, Ill., and there- after returned to Tama City, Iowa, where for about six years he was engaged in the lumber business. Later he became interested in the agri- cultural implement business, first in Tama City. and later in Traer, following this business until 1879, when he removed to Nebraska and once more took up farming. Near Oxford, Furnas county, he took up four hundred and eighty acres from the government, upon which for the fol- lowing fourteen years he made a specialty of stock-raising. Upon the sale of his land and stock in 1893 he came to Pomona, where for the past fourteen years he has been interested in horticulture, owning among other ranches a ten-acre orange grove known as the San Antonio tract in San Bernardino county.

In Tama City, Iowa, Mr. Lewis was married to Miss Emeline Carmichael, who was born in New York state and died in Pomona in August, 1901. Of the four children who were born to them three are now living, Charles N., having died in Pomona. Sarah L., is at home with her father; Arthur P., who is a graduate of the College of Physicians and Surgeons in San Fran- cisco, is now a practicing physician in Amador county ; and Lucy M., who graduated from the University of Illinois at Champaign, is now libra- rian of the Agricultural College in New Mexico. Mr. Lewis keeps his war experiences fresh in memory by associating with old comrades in Vicksburg Post No. 61, of Pomona, of which he is post commander, and at one time was aide on the department staff. He is an active member of the Baptist Church, in which he is serving as trustee, and politically he is a Republican. While a resident of Nebraska he joined the Odd Fellows and the Ancient Order of United Work- men, being an officer in the latter organization.

WILLIS EARL NEWTON. The success achieved by Willis E. Newton since his residence in Bassett is the result of his own efforts and application, bringing to bear in his work an in- telligent appreciation of the difficulties to be sur- mounted and the best method of laboring. The family is of eastern origin, the grandfather, Mar-

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cellus, a native of New York, having become a pioneer settler of Illinois in an early date in its history. He made his home in the vicinity of Springfield for some time, finally removing to Lake Mills, Wis., where he followed farming for a livelihood. His son, Almond P., the father of Willis E., was born in Illinois and reared in Wis- consin, where in manhood he engaged in a land and loan business. He eventually removed to Denver and engaged in mining and real estate en- terprises in partnership with Eben Smith, a connection which was broken by the death of Mr. Newton. He is survived by his wife, formerly Isabelle Lamb, a native of Wisconsin, and some time after Mr. Newton's death she married J. C. Hutchinson, of Los Angeles, in which city she now resides.

Of the five children born to his parents, of whom four are now living, Willis Earl Newton was born October 8, 1873, in Waterloo, Wis., next to the youngest in the family. He was quite young when the family located in Denver and in that city received his education in the pub- lic and high schools, graduating from the latter, after which he entered the postoffice under Coch- ran and served under him and Jordan in the inspection department until his resignation in 1897. In the last named year he came to Cali- fornia and in Los Angeles secured a position as traveling salesman with the John D. Farwell Dry Goods Company, and for the ensuing six years traveled over the state of California. In 1903 he resigned and accepted a position in the purchasing department of the Dolge Manufac- turing Company, resigning two years later to en- gage in farming. He purchased sixty acres of land at Walnut Center, in the Bassett district, and has since set it out in walnuts and alfalfa, has install- ed a pumping plant which irrigates the entire place and has improved it by the erection of a residence, barns, outbuildings, etc. Equal to his Success in other lines has been that which he has met with in his farming enterprise, and he is to- day numbered among the representative horti- culturists of this section.

In Whittier, Mr. Newton married Miss Jennie Tyler, a native of El Monte, Cal., and daughter of Mrs. Tyler English, located on Villa street, Pasadena. They have one daughter, Majorie. Mrs. Newton is a member of the Presbyterian Church and her culture and refinement add much to the social circles of El Monte.

CHARLES FINNEY RUGGLES. While Oxnard was vet a small village Mr. Ruggles became identified with its commercial devel- opment and remained one of its earnest and devoted citizens up to the time he sold out his interests there and removed to Ventura. For

some years he was the owner and proprietor of the largest laundry in Ventura county. The business was conducted in a building specially erected for the purpose, consisting of a main structure, 25x80 feet, with two additions, each 20x20 feet, also a boiler room with a boiler of twenty-four horse power and an engine of twelve horse power . The building was equipped with machinery of the latest pat- tern and adapted for its special purpose, the whole being arranged so that work could be turned out with dispatch and yet with scrupu- lous care. Water was furnished from an ar- tesian well on the premises, and in addition Mr. Ruggles manufactured distilled water for sale, shipping the same to Santa Paula, Nord- hoff and other neighboring towns.

Of eastern extraction, Mr. Ruggles is a son of William M. and Hannah (Hoke) Ruggles, natives respectively of Illinois and West Vir- ginia. The maternal grandfather, Jacob Hoke, was a member of the F. F. V's and removed from Virginia to Illinois, settling upon a farm. Being a man of means and culture, he was solicitous to give his children the highest ad- vantages, and his daughter was sent to col- lege at Oberlin, Ohio. One of his sons, Hon. J. T. Hoke, held office for years as district judge of Kings county, Va., and now fills the position of American consůl at Halifax, Nova Scotia. After having cultivated a farm near Dixon, Ill., for some years, William M. Rug- gles removed to Iowa and settled in Jones county near Mechanicsville, where he took up farm pursuits. Later he removed to Cherokee county, Iowa, and transformed a raw tract of land into a cultivated farm. Eventually he became a pioneer farmer of South Dakota and now resides in Beadle county, that state, where he is a county commissioner and a man of large influence and acquaintance.

Of the family of William M. Ruggles three sons and one daughter have passed from earth, and two sons and two daughters are now liv- ing. The eldest of the family was Charles Finney, who was born at Jackson, Wis., Feb- ruary 10, 1860, and passed the years of boy- hood on a farm in Jones county, Iowa. After having completed the common-school studies he attended Mount Vernon College, the State Agricultural College at Ames and Hillsdale College, leaving school at the beginning of his senior year. The expenses of his collegiate course he had paid by teaching eight terms of school, following the occupation in Iowa, In- diana, Michigan and Ohio. After leaving col- lege he settled at Coldwater, Branch county, Mich., where he engaged in the insurance busi- ness, held office as city clerk, acted as pen- sion attorney and also served as deputy coun-

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ty clerk. Leaving Michigan in 1889 he came to California and in 1890 assisted in surveying the colony of Dos Palos in the San Joaquin valley, working with the agent of the land department of the Southern Pacific Railroad. As he made a careful study of the land he de- cided that it was less adapted to orchard pur- poses than a strip three miles distant, there- fore he bought land in the locality he preferred instead of in the colony itself. On his prop- erty he set out a vineyard and orchard, and had the satisfaction of seeing the vines and trees start most auspiciously. Meanwhile the colony was found to be planted on land affect- ed by alkali and therefore not adapted for orchards, so afterward the colonists moved to the district he had preferred, and he built the first store building in Dos Palos.

Coming to Ventura in 1892 Mr. Ruggles bought eight and one-third acres on Ventura evenue and set out a lemon orchard, which he still owns, and which he has occupied since disposing of his interests in Oxnard. While that town was still in the incipient stages of its development he located there, erected a store building on the Plaza and engaged in the mercantile business, but later turned his at- tention to the laundry enterprise previously mentioned. After coming to California he was married at Los Angeles to Miss Asenath R. Waite, who was born in Michigan, received an excellent education, is a lady of culture and a member of the Universalist Church. While in Coldwater, Mich., Mr. Ruggles was initiat- ed into Masonry and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is past chief patriarch of the encampment. For eight years he held the commission of lieutenant-colonel of the First Regiment, Patriarch Militant, also was iden- tified with the canton. At this writing he is connected with Oxnard Lodge, I. O. O. F., of which he is past noble grand. Politically he favors Republican principles and votes with that party. For several years he was a mem- ber of the Iowa State Militia and later joined the Michigan State Militia at Coldwater. serving altogether for twelve years.

ROBERT G. LIVINGSTON. In Robert G. Livingston is found one of the finest types of the California pioneers who crossed the plains in 1853, a man who has been identified with the business and social, public and private interests which have tended toward the highest develop- ment of the state ever since. He succeeded in amassing a comfortable fortune and is now enjoying the fruits of his labors, having re- tired from active business some time ago. The Livingston family is one of the oldest in

America and one of the ancestors of this branch, Robert R., was a chancellor of England who came to America before the days of the Revolu- tion and had the honor of administering to Wash- ington his oath of office upon his election to the presidency. The grandfather of Robert G. Livingston fought in the war of 1812, and the father, George, was born in old Virginia and became a pioneer of Ohio, moving to a farm near New Lisbon with teams, where his death occurred. The mother was in maidenhood Sarah McClure, her native home having been in Vir- ginia. The family consisted of eleven children, nine of whom grew to maturity, but only two of whom are now living, and Robert G. is the only one who came to California. He was born Sep- tember 20, 1830, at New Lisbon, Ohio, where lie spent his boyhood days, receiving his education in the public schools at that place.

In 1848 he went to Adams county, Ill., locat- ing on a farm near Quincy, but in the spring of 1853 decided to push on further west. In com- pany with three companions he purchased four yoke of oxen and crossed the plains, traveling by the way of Council Bluffs, Salt Lake and Beckwith Pass. The five months' trip was ac- complished without important incident and the journey was ended at the point which is now Quincy, Cal. For some years he engaged in placer mining and tunneling on the Feather, Yuba, American and Consumne rivers, meeting with good success. In 1860 he went to Contra Costa county, locating near what is now Danville and engaged in farming. Continuing there un- til 1865, he then went to Lake county and farmed for four years, or until 1869, when he removed to Southern California, locating at Hueneme, where he engaged in the mercantile business for twenty-five years. His other property interests embrace the ownership of a two hundred acre ranch located four miles southeast of Hueneme, which he rents for beet and grain farming pur- poses. It is well improved with all necessary farm buildings.

December 3, 1863, Mr. Livingston was married to Miss Hannah V. Palmer, a native of Trenton. Tenn., and a daughter of William Palmer. Her father was a native of South Carolina. who in his young manhood taught school in his home state and later removed to Bloomfield, Mo., be- came a farmer and died there. Her grandfather. who was also a native of South Carolina, was a patriot of the Revolutionary war. Her mother, before her marriage Pamelia Miller, was born in Virginia, and died in Missouri. Mrs. Livings- ton is a member of a family of twelve children, the most of whom are deceased: She came to California in 1859 with her sister, Mrs. Flippin. and settled in Contra Costa county. She is a very fine woman and has done much active work

W.C. Lowkens

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in the cause of Prohibition, in which she is in- tensely interested, and is now president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union of Hueneme. Mr. and Mrs. Livingston are the parents of four children, of whom they are just- ly proud. They are Charles, a traveling sales- man with headquarters at Portland; William, a graduate of the American College of Physicians and Surgeons, and who is now practicing his profession at Oxnard: May, the wife of Dr. Broughlan of Oxnard ; and Lottie, a graduate of the Cumnock School of Expression of Los Angeles, and now a teacher of physical culture and elocution at Pasadena. Both parents are members of the Pioneer Society of Ventura county and Mr. Livingston is also a prominent Prohibition worker, being a member of the ex- ecutive committee of the Anti-Saloon League of Southern California. Fraternally he was made a member of the San Ramon Lodge, F. & A. M., became a charter member of the Ventura Lodge, then master of Hueneme Lodge and is now a member of the Oxnard Lodge, F. & A. M. He also belongs to the Order of Eastern Star. He is a man who. is interested in every business or social interest that has a beneficial and elevating influence and is highly esteemed and respected by the whole community.

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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 20

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