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 22

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 22

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

1240

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Connersville. The mother, who died many years ago, gave birth to three children, two of whom are now living. Mr. Hurst spent all of his youthful days on the home farm in Indiana and received his education through the medi- um of the public schools. At the age of twenty, years, being of an ambitious nature and desir- . of the family who ever came to America. He ing to see something of the world, he turned his steps toward the land of the setting sun and arrived in Santa Barbara in 1878. Ap- prenticing himself for three years to a carpen- ter, when he had mastered the trade he went to Pasadena and worked for a similar period. Following this he spent a short time at work in Los Angeles, then spent five years at Ven- tura assisting in building operations. From there he went to San Francisco for a few months, when he came to Oxnard, in the year 1898, and helped to build the third structure erected in the then new town. The following three years he was engaged as contractor and builder, having formed a partnership with J. H. Myers, and at the close of this period went to Arizona and prospected in the mines for six months.

Mining did not prove as attractive and prof- itable as he had hoped it would, however, and upon his return to Oxnard he accepted the position of foreman of the contracting firm of Myers & Abplanalp, retaining the place until the spring of 1906, when he formed a partner- ship with Mr. McAndrew and built the large Dreamland skating rink on C street. The building is a very large and commodious one, measuring 72x120 feet, the fine maple floor covering a space 60x120 feet, the capacity of the floor being sufficient for two hundred skaters. The equipment is of the finest and the skates are the best Spaulding and Union ball bearing. Many high class entertainment feat- ures are given from time to time, including masked parties, dances and races. A regula- tion double bowling alley is also run in con- nection with the rink. Mr. Hurst is interested in other property in Oxnard, among his holdings being two residences in the city. Fra- ternally he affiliates with the Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows' Lodge of Oxnard, and po- litically he is an earnest advocate of the prin- ciples embraced in the platform of the Repub- lican party. He is well informed on social and economic subjects and is a public-spirited citizen, highly respected by the whole com- munity.

JOSEPH FERRERO. A business man of Puente. Joseph Ferrero is engaged in dealing in alfalfa and hav, and managing a fine ranch in the vicinity of this place. Ile is a native of Italy.

his birth having occurred in Piedmont, January 6, 1856, the second in a family of three children born to his parents; his father, Peter, was also born in Piedmont, of an old and distinguished family, and both himself. and wife died in their native country. Joseph Ferrero was the only one

was reared on his father's farm in Italy, receiv- ing a rather limited education in the public schools of his native country, after which he engaged independently in farming operations. Deciding in 1886 to try his fortunes in America he crossed the ocean and came to Los Angeles, Cal., where he remained for five years employed principally on ranches. He then purchased a ranch in the vicinity of Whittier and remained there until 1898, when he came to Puente and engaged in the raising of grain on the Puente ranch, in 1903 purchasing the eighty-five acre ranch which he now owns, adjoining the town of Puente. He has added improvements to the place and brought it to a high state of cultivation, installing a pumping plant, equipped with a twenty-thrce horse power engine, with a capacity of eighty inches. He has set out eight acres in a walnut grove, while the balance is devoted to alfalfa and lıav.

In Italy Mr. Ferrero was married to Carlotta Fea, a native of Italy, where her death occurred. Of their three children, two are living, Peter, a farmer in Puente, and Maddelena, Mrs. Faure of Puente. Mr. Ferrero was married a second time to Dominica Boggetti, a native of Italy, and born of this union are the following children: George, Mary, Joseph, Albert. Dominic, Frank, Vincent, Marguerite and David.

D. E. BOWMAN. Varied occupations pre- sent themselves as a source of livelihood to the residents of Southern California, and not the least important of these is the management of an apiary. Experience has proved that certain sections are well adapted to bee-culture, and availing themselves of this fact a number of men have devoted themselves successfully to the in- dustry. Numbered among the enthusiastic apiarists of Valley Center may be mentioned Mr. Bowman, who owns an apiary of one hundred and nine colonies and at one time had as many as seven hundred colonies. Long experience has given him a thorough knowledge of the busi- ness and there are in the community few men more thoroughly acquainted with the industry than is he. The apiary is situated on his ranch of forty-five acres and forms the principal source of revenue from the property.

A native of Berlin, Canada. born in 1839. Mr. Bowman is a son of John B. and Lydia E. (Erb) Bowman, both of whom are deccased. As a boy

Jemer Dimly

1243

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

he was given the best educational privileges the neighborhood afforded, and on leaving school be- gan to teach not far from the old home, where he remained for a considerable period following the profession of a teacher. In 1869 he removed to Lawrence, Kans., and for a few years resided in that city and state, but in 1874 he proceeded west to the Pacific coast and settled at Valley Center, San Diego county, where he soon ac- quired extensive apiary interests. During 1886 he became interested in mining at various mines and for twelve years he devoted himself almost wholly to that occupation, but since 1898 he has given his time to the bee business. His knowl- edge of bees embraces every detail connected with their habits and their needs, and by reason of his long experience and thorough knowledge he is enabled to bring to the markets honey of superior quality and unsurpassed richness of flavor.

After having remained a bachelor for years, in December of 1905 he was united in marriage with Mrs. Jennie Strong, who shares with him the esteem of acquaintances and with him is an attendant upon services at the Methodist Epis- copal Church. Thoughtful reading and a close study of conditions relating to capital and labor have made of him a socialist. In him the poor have a helpful friend, and his sympathies are ever on the side of the unfortunate and op- pressed. The course of a long and active life has brought him a wide knowledge of the human race and of the conditions under which the poor struggle for their daily bread, and this knowl- edge has broadened his outlook as well as deep- ened his sympathies. To the people of Valley Center, where he holds the rank of a very old settler, he has many warm and sincere friends, who have been drawn to him by his earnestness of character and kindness of heart.

JAMES FINLEY. One of the modern and up-to-date residences in Long Beach is Em- erald Cottage, at No. 37 Lime street, which was formerly the home of Mr. Finley, and is still the home of his widow and children. In thus naming his home Mr. Finley perpetuated a name which is dear to all natives of the Em- erald Isle, for he was a native of Ireland, born in County Antrim in 1845, a son of William and Eliza (Hanna) Finley, of Scotch and English antecedents respectively.

During his boyhood James Finley was reared on his father's farm until he was eighteen years old, but the routine of the work was irksome to him and he determined to prepare himself for work in another line. The raising and preparing of flax into articles of commerce is one of the chief industries in

his native country and it was along this line that his inclinations led him. He learned the art of flax dressing and became so expert at the work that before long he was placed in charge of the mill, holding this position for several years, or until resigning in 1867 to come to the United States. Going direct to Painesville, Ohio, he obtained employment with Stores, Harrison & Co., nurserymen in that city, with whom he remained for about one year, at the end of that time coming to California. Locating in San Jose he obtained a position with the Saratoga Paper Mills Com- pany, while there learning the details of the business and finally rose to the position of su- perintendent of the mill. Subsequently he was interested in a tannery in Santa Cruz, but was overtaken by disaster in this undertaking when he had been in it about a year, thus losing all that he invested in it. Going then to Santa Rosa, Sonoma county, he accepted a position as traveling salesman and engineer for Joseph Enright. a large dealer in steam harvesters. Returning to San Jose, it was in 1880 that he entered the fire department of that city as en- gineer, a position which he held for five years, or until March, 1885, when he resigned to ac- cept his appointment as superintendent of the Santa Clara County almshouse. In this as in all other positions which he had filled he gave his undivided attention to the duties that fell to him, with the result that he left a record behind him which was greatly to his credit. After eight years as manager of the alms- house he resigned in 1892 to take charge of his ranch of forty acres near Downey, which he had purchased some years previously. He set out the entire tract as a walnut grove, erect- ing a fine residence and other necessary im- provements, making of it one of the finest ranches in that part of Los Angeles county. After making his home there for eight years he disposed of the property and removed to Long Beach, erecting the residence on Lime street occupied by his widow and children and known as Emerald Cot- tage. Here he lived retired during his latter years, although his death occurred at the California Hospital, whither he had gone for treatment. An operation finally became im- perative, but even this expedient failed to bring desired results and he passed away Sep- tember 25, 1904. He was recognized as a pub- lic spirited man, self-made in every sense im- plied by the term.

In San Jose, November 24, 1881, Mr. Finley married Sarah E. McGary, who was born in Yamhill county, Ore., four miles north of Mc- Minnville. The McGary family was for many years well known in the south, especially in

1244

, HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Kentucky, where the grandparents of Mrs. Finley, James and Martha (Thomasson) Mc- Gary, were born and reared and there spent their entire lives. Their son, Garrett W., was born near Frankfort, Ky., and continued to inake his home there until a few years prior to the rush to California as the result of the find- ing of gold. Leaving Kentucky in 1847 he crossed the plains by means of ox-teams and arrived at his destination in Oregon six months later. The Cayuse Indian war broke out soon afterward, and with the other settlers he did his part in quelling the disturbances, serving as lieutenant of his regiment. He came to the west with the idea of settling down as a farmer, and the first property which he owned was in Polk county. Subsequently disposing of this he purchased a half-section of land near McMinnville, which was the home of the family at the time of the birth of his daughter. In 1868 he located near San Jose, Cal., where he carried on a farm until 1884. when he removed to Downey and engaged in wainut-growing. He died on the ranch which he had established there December 20, 1897, at the age of seventy-five years and six months, firm in the faith of the Christian Church, of which he was a member. The wife of Garrett \V. McGary was before her marriage Catherine Sparks, a native of Surry county, N. C., and a daughter of Mathew and Sarah (El- mer) Sparks, both also natives of North Car- olina, and the latter of English descent. From North Carolina Mr. and Mrs. Sparks removed to Lone Jack, Mo., but later, in 1851, brought their family across the plains to Oregon, two sons having preceded them to California in 1849. Settling on a farm in Polk county they there passed the remainder of their lives, hav- ing become the parents of ten children, of whom seven are living. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Finley, all of whom are residents of Long Beach, and with the excep- tion of the eldest, who is married, are still at home with their mother. Named in order of their birth they are as follows: Bessie, Mrs. W. W. Brady ; William J., Edward Ayer and James Robert. During his earlier years Mr. Finley was a Republican in his political belief, but during later years took sides with the Pro- hibitionists. Religiously he was a member of the Holiness Association, while Mrs. Finley is a member of the Christian Church of Long Beach.

WV. A. WICKERSHAM. As a progressive and successful ranchman Mr. Wickersham of San Diego county is ranked among her leading citizens. By the exercise of thrift and good

business judgment he has become the owner of two very fine ranches, although he is vet a young man. His birth occurred December 10, 1872, in Kansas City, Mo., his parents, Joshua J. and Damearis (Hipes) Wickershanı, botlı being natives of Indiana. The father was a con- tractor and builder by trade, a Republican in politics, and an adherent of the Quaker sect in religion. His death occurred at Rainbow, Cal .. at the age of sixty-eight years. The mother, who is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, makes her home with her son. W. A., he being one of three children. With his father Mr. Wickersham came to California when ten years of age, receiving his education in the pub- lic schools of San Luis Obispo and Los Angeles. At the latter-named place he learned the printer's trade, although he followed it for a short time only. Later he came to San Diego county and filed on a piece of government land comprising eighty acres, and also bought twenty- five acres. Starting with fifty swarms of bees, he engaged in the production of honey, his gain for the first season being $165. He has eight acres of ground devoted to the raising of raisin grapes, while on the homestead he cultivates hay and grain crops.

Mr. Wickersham's marriage to Ada Z. Cole- mian, a native of Kansas, occurred in 1899. Roy Walter, the only child born to them, died in infancy. In 1891 Mr. Wickersham also suffered the bereavement of his wife. He leans toward the religious opinions of the Methodist Episco- pal denomination and politically is a strong ad- herent of the Republican party, at present fill- ing the office of deputy clerk of San Diego county. He is one of the most highly esteemed citizens of the community in which he resides.

SMITH LEEDOM. Since 1902 Smith Lee- dom has been engaged as a liveryman in San Ber- nardino where he is well known as the proprie- tor of the Santa Fé stables located on D street. He was born in 1837 near Ricksmill, in Musking- um county, Ohio, where his father followed the occupation of farmer. Educated in the public schools, when he grew to maturity he resolved to continue in the work to which he had been trained through his boyhood and engaged in agricultural pursuits. On June 24. 1863, he was united in marriage with Miss Annie E. Humph- rey, born near Cumberland, Ohio, her father. Thomas Humphrey, having been a native of the same state and the son of parents who claimed Virginia as their native home. Mr. Humphrey was a successful farmer, drover, stock dealer and business man, who, after a life of useful- ness, died in Ohio, mourned by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance. Mrs. Leedom's

Non White

1247

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

mother, who was Louisa Ann Harlan before her marriage, died when her only child was but two years of age.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Leedom operated a farm for about two years near Ricks- mill, afterward locating near Cumberland and following the same business until 1888. In that year they removed to California, settling in Col- ton. Two years later they removed to Redlands locating on Ninth and State streets, and after- ward bought an orange ranch west of Redlands. known as the Barton tract. Mr. Leedom engaged in ranching for a number of years in this locality and in 1902 purchased the livery business in San Bernardino, which he now conducts. Of the ten children born to Mr. and Mrs. Leedom we men- tion the following: Allen H. and Walter are successfully engaged in the automobile business in Colton ; W. T. is in the same business in Red- lands; Jennie, Mrs. Littlefield, resides in San Bernardino, where her husband is a plumber ; O'Dell is also engaged in the automobile business in Colton; Etta became the wife of John Bost- wick, who is successfully following the painter's trade in Colton ; Harry, a lather and shingler by trade, lives in Los Angeles ; Orra died in Colton at the age of nineteen years; Clarence died in Redlands when ten years old; Mary became the wife of Willie Gillogey, who is a carpenter by trade and owns a residence in Redland's. Mrs. Leedom is a member of the Baptist Church. Po- litically Mr. Leedom is a Republican and frater- nally is a Mason, having attained the master's degree. As an enterprising and progressive citi- zen he is held in the highest esteem by all who know him.

WILLIAM WHITE. Prominent among the early pioneers of Sherman was the late William White, who during his thirty years of residence in this locality was known and re- spected as an industrious and worthy citizen, a kind neighbor and a loving husband and father : and his death, which occurred January 24, 1904, at the homestead where he had long resided, was a cause of general regret. He was born August 12, 1822, in Harrisburg, Ky., where he grew to man's estate.

Going to Trenton, Grundy county, Mo., in 1845, while yet a young, single man, William White laid a soldier's warrant on a tract of land, and purchased an adjoining tract, ob- taining title to many acres. He subsequently served as an officer in the Mexican war, for which he was entitled to a pension from the government, the papers having arrived at his home just four days after his death. At the close of the war he married and settled as a carpenter in his Missouri home. In 1862, hear-

ing glowing descriptions of the lands to be bought for a song farther west, he, accom- panied by his wife and two small children, went across the plains with ox-teams to east- ern Oregon, locating near the present site of Baker City, where he took up land on which he lived and labored for a year. Forced to leave there on account of ill health, he located in the Willamette valley, near Eugene, Ore., where he bought eighty acres of land. Renting his land, he afterwards followed his trade in that vicinity until 1875. Selling out in that year, he came to Los Angeles county, settling near the present site of Sherman, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of wild land, which he partly cleared and improved, al- though not doing quite as much as he would had he been physically more able and strong. When he came here, neither railways nor tele- graph or telephone wires spanned the country, and the native Indians and the wild beasts had not fled from the advancing steps of civiliza- tion. He lived, however, to see the country well settled and himself the owner of a good ranch, fairly well improved, and yielding good crops.

On July 14, 1850, Mr. White married Mar- tha F. Blew, who was born November 17, 1833. in Huntsville, Randolph county, Mo., and they became the parents of four children, namely : Robert M., of Hollywood, Cal .; William O .. who died at the age of thirty-three years; Thomas L .. owning a part of the old home- stead : and Charles R .. also owner of a portion of the old home farm. Since giving up pos- session of the ranch to her sons, Mrs. White has lived in the village of Sherman, where she owns a small house. Politically Mr. White was a zealous supporter of the princi- ples of the Democratic party, and for one term served as constable. He joined the order of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons when young, and in 1855 both he and his wife united with the Christian Church. Although he was in poor health for many years, he was confined to his bed but two days before death relieved him from his sufferings, the end coming sud- denly in the midwinter of 1904.

GEORGE W. FRAZER. A man who has al- ways had the best and highest interests of hu- manity at heart and has done much work in the promotion of elevating influences throughout the state is George WV. Frazer, of Colton, whose profession is that of horticulturist. He was born January 29, 1831, in Greenhrier county, Va .. and when a child of three his parents removed to Will county, Ill., where he spent his boyhood days and was educated in the public schools.

1248

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

At a tender age he was deprived of a mother's loving care. The father, John Frazer, was a native of Virginia who settled in Illinois in 1834 and continued to reside in that state until the time of his death in 1864. He was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and an enthusiastic class leader and Sunday-school worker and surrounded his family with every elevating and refining influence at his command.

From Illinois Mr. Frazer went to New Orleans and Texas, remaining for one winter, after which in 1852 he came to California across the isthmus via Nicaragua route, landing in San Francisco July 14. His experiences on this trip came near to proving disastrous. The sail- ing vessel which he boarded, after leaving the isthmus port was becalmed in midocean for six- ty-seven days with only twenty-five days' rations, and when help reached them crew and passen- gers were nearly famished. Arriving in San Francisco he left shortly for the mines, but his healthı being very poor, he soon left that employ- ment and went to Contra Costa county, where he engaged in ranching until 1858. The following twenty years were spent in Salano county in the cattle business. In 1861 he settled on a piece of government land there and the succeeding year was married to Miss Eliza Root, a native of Indiana, a family of eight children blessing their union : Albert, Alice, George, Guy, Lulu, Fred, Adele, and Jessie. The mother's death occurred when she was forty-four years of age.

In 1888 Mr. Frazer located in Southern Cal- ifornia and was a fruit dealer in Monrovia for two years, and in 1890 he came to Colton where he has bought a fine home and expects to spend the remainder of his days. Since 1860 Mr. Frazer has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and has always been an en- thusiastic worker in religious circles. He is a stanch Prohibitionist and at one time was very active in the Good Templars lodge in which he held office many times. In Contra Costa county he was state lecturer for the Grange organiza- tions there, and served that county officially as deputy sheriff and constable. He is a broad- minded man of strong principles and is held in the highest esteem by all who have the pleasure of his acquaintance.

D. N. DODSON. Probably no man in San Diego county is better acquainted with real life in the west, southwest and northwest than D. N. Dodson, the well-known editor and proprietor of the Ramona Sentinel, who has lived in many states and has had a varied experience. Learn- ing the printer's trade at the compositor's case, he has since been more or less identified with journalistic work, and as owner of the Sentinel

for the past four years has greatly increased its literary excellence and its circulation. Public- spirited and enterprising, he has endeavored through its columns to promote all progressive civic movements and to further advance the edu- cational, business, social and moral welfare of the community in which he resides and whose welfare he has at heart. A son of John H. Dodson, he was born, August 31, 1851, in Du- buque, Iowa.

The grandson of one of the earliest settlers of Ohio, John H. Dodson was born and reared in that state, and during his earlier life was there a farmer and hotel keeper, and subsequently a merchant, dealing exclusively in boots and shoes. Going from there to Wisconsin, he was for a short time employed in lead mining, but without stifficient success to continue there. Removing to Iowa. he bought land near Dubuque, and for awhile was engaged in tilling the soil. Locating then in Texas, he carried on general farming and stock-raising until his death, at the age of seventy-one years. He was a man of much in- fluence in the places in which he lived, being active in the Republican party, a Mason and an Odd Fellow, and a valued member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. He married Mary Ann Noleman, who was born in Ohio, and died, at the age of fifty-five years, in Texas. She was a woman of rare personal worth, and a consistent member of the Baptist Church. Of the six sons born of their union, three are residents of San Diego county, namely: J. H., a rancher in the El Cajon valley, now serving as justice of the peace; A. E., of San Diego, an insurance and government land lawyer; and D. N., the special subject of this sketch.

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

A history of California and an extended history of its southern coast counties, also containing biographies of well-known citizens of the past and present, Volume II, Part 22

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