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 33

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

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Mr. Eaches is a Democrat, and as an earn- est and broad-minded citizen gives his sup- port to all movements and enterprises best calculated to advance the general welfare. This characteristic is emphatically borne out by his membership and valuable assistance in two of the town's most active organizations, the Board of Trade and the Business Men's Association.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN FAILOR. What is known as Summit ranch, in the Garapatos canyon, sixteen miles north of Santa Monica, has been the home of Mr. Failor for the past thirteen years, he having located here in 1894 in the hope of recovering his health. Too close application to the profession of law was the beginning of his physical break-down, and thereafter he followed teaching, mining and contracting and building in the order named. in the hope that he would not be compelled to give up work entirely, but in this he was disappointed, and in the year mentioned he

relinquished his business interests in Los An- geles and removed to the higher altitude in the Garapatos canyon. Here he not only en- joys excellent health, but from a financial point of view is meeting with splendid suc- cess as an apairist, having about one hundred stands of bees.

A native of Ohio, Mr. Failor was born in Upper Sandusky September 24, 1853, and un- til he was twelve years of age was reared and educated under the training of his father, whose death in 1865 left him an orphan. He was then taken into the home of his uncle, Major B. M. Failor, who was also his guar- dian, and who had recently served as a sur- geon in the Civil war. Going to Jasper coun- ty, Iowa, with his uncle, he there attended a private academy for about six years, when, at the age of eighteen, he was enrolled as a pupil in Wittenberg College at Springfield, Ohio, remaining there for three years. After one year in a private school in Iowa he began the study of law in the Iowa University, complet- ing his legal training in a private law office in Newton, Iowa. His admission to the bar occurred in 1876, and the same year he be- gan to practice in Newton, later going to Stew- art, that state, and remaining there about two years. Relinquishing his practice in 1879 he came west and for a time engaged in pros- pecting and mining in Montana, Idaho and British Columbia, interspersing this work with teaching, for which he had a special liking and aptitude. When he was sixteen years of age he received a teacher's certificate and for some time he had charge of a school in Iowa. His identification with California dates from the year 1884, at which time he located in San Francisco and for about a year engaged in contracting and building there. Transferring his interests to Los Angeles at the end of that time he there continued contracting until the partial failure of his health in 1894 made it necessary for him to discontinue the business. Thereupon he came to the Garapatos canyon in search of a desirable spot for a country home, and the squatter's right which he then bought formed the nucleus of his present ranch of two hundred and seventy-six acres.

While the year 1884 is memorable as mark- ing Mr. Failor's introduction to the Golden state, it is even better remembered as the year of his marriage, for on January 14 of that year he was united with Mary A. Carroll, who though born in Sacramento was reared in Washington. The only fraternal order to which Mr. Failor belongs is the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being a member of Semi Tropic Lodge No. 371, of Los Angeles. While in college he joined the Greek letter

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society known as Beta Theta Pi, and has since retained his interest in the order, though not an active member. While nominally he might be called a Democrat, he yet retains the privi- lege to vote as he sees fit. Mr. Failor is ap- preciated for his many sterling qualities of heart and mind, his unfailing good nature and general interest in all things that tend to- ward the betterment of his fellowmen.

ALLEN RUSSELL. No state of our great Union affords greater opportunities to the poor man than California, as here an industrious, frugal man has an excellent opportunity to ac- cumulate wealth. It is true that many fail to do so, but the best of our population lay by some of their earnings, make wise investments, and soon find themselves, through their own strenuous efforts, in the possession of a hand- some property. Conspicuous among this num- ber is Allen Russell, familiarly known as "Budd" Russell, who has been in truth the architect of his own fortunes, and is now one of the leading agriculturists of Fallbrook, where he is well known and very popular. A son of Joseph T. Russell, he was born, October II, 1854, in Bu- chanan county, Mo.

A native of Tennessee, Joseph T. Russell was a pioneer settler of Missouri, and while yet a young man cleared and improved a farm from the wilderness. In 1866, before the days of rail- roads, he went to Dallas, Tex., where he pur- chased cattle that he drove back to Missouri, and was subsequently there employed in general farming and stock-raising until his death, while yet in manhood's prime. He was born August 14, 1829, and died May 4, 1869, being in the fortieth year of his age. December 5, 1850, in Missouri, he married Mary E. Russell, who was born in North Carolina, February 7, 1835, and died at Clearwater, Kans., October 29, 1899. He was the youngest of a family of nine chil- dren, of whom but one, Elijah Russell, of Miami county, Kans., is living. The latter is now a venerable man of over four score years. Of the eighteen children born to Joseph T. and Mary E. Russell fifteen are living, a large and note- worthy family.

The early educational advantages of Allen Rus- sell were limited to a brief attendance at a pri- vate school, and at the age of sixteen years he became a cowboy in Texas. After spending five years in that occupation he returned to Missouri, and for about a year and a half was employed as a tiller of the soil in Buchanan county, the ensuing two years being similarly engaged in Holt county. Removing from there to Miami county, Kans., he remained there until 1886, when he came to Fallbrook, Cal., where he car-

ried on general farming about four years. Not quite satisfied with the result of his labors, he went back to Kansas, purchased land in Miami county, and after farming there two years dis- posed of his interests in that section and re- moved with his family to Oklahoma county, Okla., where he purchased a claim, on which he resided two years.

June 9, 1895, Mr. Russell started for Cali- fornia overland. Leaving Oklahoma City, he came with a train composed of five wagons drawn by horses, in the party being Mr. Russell, wife and six children; his brother, Lee Russell, and his wife; and A. J. Russell, wife and four children. Following the southern panhandle route, the little band passed through Texas, thence by way of White Oaks to Fort Sumner, where they camped a number of days. Contin- uing along the trail to Fort Craig, the river at that point being too high to cross, the party had to go up stream one hundred and fifty miles to get on the other side, and return to Fort Craig. From there, by way of Mule Gap and Hudson Hot Springs, they crossed the Colorado at Yuma, thence by way of Palm Springs and Banning they came to San Diego county, arriv- ing in Fallbrook after a long but pleasant trip, the California line having been crossed on Octo- ber 27. At once taking up the independent oc- cupation to which he was reared, Mr. Russell has been very fortunate in all of his undertak- ings, and has attained a noteworthy position among the most prosperous and most intelligent farmers of Southern California. Arriving here without pecuniary resources of any kind, he has labored perseveringly, conquering all obstacles, in his square and just dealings with all men ob- taining a fine reputation for honesty and worth, his word being considered as good as his bond at any time.

October 16, 1881, in Miami county, Kans .. Mr. Russell married Mary A. Chilson, and of their union nine children have been born, name- ly: Joseph Oliver, who is married and lives at Pomona ; Hartwell Cook; Myra, who is the wife of Ernest Hiller, and lives on the home ranch ; Dollie, attending the high school; Mary R., at- tending the district school; Esther E., also a school girl; Candace Lee; Allen George; and Alice Treat. Politically Mr. Russell is a stanchi Democrat; fraternally he belongs to Fallbrook Lodge No. 317, F. & A. M., and to Fallbrook Lodge No. 339, I. O. O. F .; and is a supporter of church work.

CHARLES MANVEG. The influences which tended to mold the character of Charles Manveg in early boyhood were such as clus- tered around the province of Alsace-Lorraine,

J. Robert Johnson

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while it was still a French dependency. He was born February 24, 1861, to the marriage of Emil and Mary Manveg, who like their son were natives of France: Both of the parents are now deceased.

The public schools of his native locality sup- plied all of the book learning which fell to the lot of Mr. Manveg to enjoy and formed the sub- stantial foundation for the later knowledge gained by extensive travel. The restless spirit of adventure and craving for life upon the high seas, took possession of him when was litttle more than a child in years, for he was only ten years old when he boarded a vessel in France, bound for New York City. Although he land- ed in that metropolis with the ship's crew, the voyage on the outgoing ship was awaited with keen interest, and from 1871 until 1882 he was on the water continuously, anchoring at many of the largest seaports in the world. In the year first mentioned he landed in the harbor of San Pedro, Cal., but at that time was not sufficiently attracted by its appearance to give up the sea for the life of a landsman, although after eleven years of sea-faring he again came to San Pedro, in 1882, and until 1901 was engaged as seaman on the wharves. In the mean time, from 1890 to 1892, he was interested in seal-fishing, an oc- cupation which took him into Alaska and other Arctic countries. From San Pedro he came to Wilmington in 1901, carrying on a saloon here for about four years, or until embarking in the real-estate business April 1, 1905. He has be- come the owner of considerable property, both improved and vacant, in the disposition of which he is meeting with the success which his energy deserves. He is also interested in mining prop- erty near Mexecala, Mexico, Lower California.

In 1894, in San Pedro, Mr. Manveg was mar- ried to Catherine Gangnear, who was also born in France, and three children have come to bless their home, Amele, May and Charles, Jr. Fraternally Mr. Manveg belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen, holding member- ship in the lodge at Gardiner, Ore., and also be- longs to the Eagles at San Pedro, being one of the charter members of the latter order. Since becoming of age Mr. Manveg has studied the principles of the two great political bodies to satisfy himself as to their respective merits, and the fact that he now supports the Democratic party shows the result of his investigation.

JOHN ROBERT JOHNSON. An enterpris- ing, wide-awake rancher of San Diego county, near Wynola, is John Robert Johnson, who is a native son of the state. having been born in Contra Costa county. The father, who also bore the name of John R., was a native of England.

and from the time he was quite a small boy dis- played a predilection for sea-faring, finally be- coming a full-fledged sailor. This life brought him in contact with people from all over the world and enabled him to keep himself informed on all current happenings. Probably none of the re- ports which came to him from other countries was as alluring as that resulting from the dis- covery of gold in California. Suffice it to say that the year 1849 found him in the state bus- ily engaged in delving for the hidden treasure. In addition to mining he later took up cabinet- making, a calling which appealed to him more strongly perhaps than mining, for he was of a mechanical turn of mind. He died in San Luis Obispo in 1894, at the age of sixty-six years. His marriage was celebrated in California and united him with Miss Antonia Troll. She was born in Germany in March, 1834, and was christ- ened in the Roman Catholic Church in Baden. She has no personal recollection of her native land, having been brought to this country when only one year old. At the age of seventy-three years she is in the enjoyment of good health and makes her home with her son, J. R., in San Diego county. By her first union six children were born and by her second marriage, with the late Robert Reed, four daughters were born.

Born in Contra Costa county, Cal., May 9, 1856, J. Robert Johnson can recall the removal of the family to San Luis Obispo county in 1861, an event which the child of six years enjoyed to the fullest extent. Going to Los Angeles county six years later he became a pupil in the common school of Downey, and the period which he spent in this temple of learning represented his entire school life. Reading and observation in later years, however, have given him a broad and comprehensive knowledge, and all who know him either in a business or social way unite in praise of his breadth of mind, steadfast principles of honor and uniform courtesy towards all. He first came to San Diego county in 1873, and until 1874 had charge of the store at Warners ranch, on the Julian road. In the latter year he became interested in mining in Mesa Grande, and was later similarly occupied at Julian, and although the miner's life is more or less subject to danger, he was fortunate in escaping any serious injury. It was in 1902 that he settled down perma- nently to the life of the agriculturist, purchasing his present ranch of four hundred acres which forms one of the representative enterprises in this part of the state. The raising of stock and growing of grain form his chief source of income, although his orchard of ten acres also yields abundantly, and what is raised over and above that used for home consumption is readily dis- posed of at good prices.

Unlike his father, who was a Democrat in his

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political belief, Mr. Johnson is a Republican, and in him his party has a stanch ally. His interest in fraternal affairs is shown by his membership in San Diego Lodge No. 153, I. O. O. F., and Court Julian Banner No. 8522, A. O. F., at Julian. Mr. Johnson possesses in a large degree those sterling and reliable traits which are bound to win appreciation in any community, and his success and enterprise are matters of no ordinary pride with his many friends and associates.

EDMUND F. BOWEN. It is a fact of gen- eral recognition among the people of the little town of Ramona that Mr. Bowen has accom- plished much in behalf of commercial, educa- tional and civic progress and has given freely of his time toward the development of move- ments for the general welfare. While busily engaged in the management of his meat mar- ket, the supervision of his large stock ranch and the charge of his slaughter-house, he finds leisure to aid any measure helpful to the peo- ple and has maintained an especial interest in educational affairs. For six years he held of- fice as trustee of the grammar school and at this writing is one of the high school trustees, in which capacity he has proved efficient, prompt, intelligent and resourceful. Another movement which commands his time is that of the public library and he is now acting as a member of the library board of trustees, be- sides which he is one of the town trustees.

A native of Wisconsin, born in Green coun- ty, on the 4th of July. 1859, Edmund F. Bow- en is a son of Jared and Lucy Ann (Fleek) Bowen, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Virginia. As early as 1844 his father be- came a pioneer of the then wilderness of Wis- consin, where he was among the first settlers of Green county and took up a tract of raw land from the government. All of the arduous labors of pioneer existence fell to his lot, but gradually he brought the land under cultiva- tion and was in a position to enjoy the labors of a lifetime of agricultural activity. On the old homestead he remained until his death, which occurred in 1886, at the age of sixty- four years. He is survived by his wife, who makes her home at Broadhead, Green county, and remains physically robust for one who has reached the age of eighty-one years.

The country schools of Green county af- forded Edmund F. Bowen fair advantages and he attended the same at such times as he could be spared from farm work at home. On starting out for himself he entered the occupa- tion in which he had been reared and settled near the old homestead in Green county, re- maining in that locality until 1891, when he

removed to California and established himself in San Diego county. Soon after his arrival he took up a homestead near Mesa Grande and later added to the tract by various pur- chases, until now he is the owner of a stock ranch of nine hundred acres. The land is suit- able for pasturage and therefore meets the needs of one desiring to keep constantly on hand a supply of young and growing stock for the later demands of the market.

Some years before leaving Wisconsin Mr. Bowen established a home of his own through his marriage to Jennie Stanton, a native of Indiana, who became his wife at Broadhead, Wis., October 5. 1887, and has since minis- tered to his comforts with housewifely skill. Ever since girlliood she has been interested in religious activities and has attended services at the Congregational Church and contributed to the work of that denomination. The family consists of two children, namely: Max, who was born December 15, 1888; and Verne, who was born May 6, 1890.

CHARLES L. HOLLIDAY. One of the large land operators and ranchmen of the county of San Diego is Mr. Holliday, whose identifica - tion with this region began a number of years ago and has continued prosperously up to the present time. At his present home in the San Pasqual valley he leased and occupies a ranch comprising six hundred and fifty acres of land adapted to the grazing of stock, besides which he has a farm of one thousand acres near Lajolla. Both farms are devoted to the raising of cattle, horses and hogs, and on his home ranch he en- gages in the dairy business, milking about thirty cows and selling the produet in the local markets. While he is an exceedingly busy man, he vet finds leisure to keep in touch with national is- sues and county affairs, and few men in his community are better posted than he nor are there many more fond of good literature as the sine qua non of mental development.

During the residence at Rock Island, Ill., of J. L. and Anna (Baker) Holliday, natives of Indiana, their son. Charles L., was born Feb- ruary 9, 1871, and he was a boy of seven years when the family came to California, settling at Byron, Contra Costa county. For many years the father engaged in the stock business in that portion of the state, but in 1895 he came to San Diego county, where now he makes his home at Lajolla. Supplementary to a common school ed- ucation Charles L. Holliday was sent to the Normal Institute and Business College at Stock- ton, and upon leaving school he took up agri- cultural pursuits in Linn county, Ore., where he remained for five years busily engaged in the

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routine work of farm life. At the expiration of that time he removed to San Diego county and es- tablished himself on a stock ranch at Lajolla, where he stili retains interests, although for some years he has made his home in the San Pasqual valley. The demands made upon him in the dis- charge of his duties as a stock raiser and large landed operator leave him little leisure for parti- cipation in politics, in which, indeed, he takes no part aside from voting the Democratic ticket. His pleasant home is brightened by his two chil- dren, Charles L., Jr., and Laura M., and blessed by the presence of a devoted wife and mother. Mrs. Holliday was formerly Marion M. Thresher and was born in Chicago, Ill., but at an early age came to California and at the time of her mar- riage, in July of 1898, was making her home in San Diego, where she has a large number of warm personal friends.

THOMAS BELL. The Bell family has been established in Los Angeles county since 1858, when W. C. Bell crossed the plains to California and on the 20th of October of that year arrived in El Monte, where the name has since become prominent in agricultural circles as well as in the general upbuilding of the community. W. C. Bell was born in Washington county, Pa., Sep- tember 17, 1832, the second in a family of five sons and two daughters, of whom five are now surviving. His father, William Bell, was also a native of Pennsylvania, who in 1850 removed to Richland county, Ill., where he engaged as a farmer and millwright. His wife was in maiden- hood, Jane Caldwell, also a native of Pennsyl- vania. W. C. Bell was reared in his native state until he was fifteen years old, when he came as far west as Ohio, where in Concord, he learned the trade of shoemaker. It was in 1852 that he first started to California, taking passage on the old steamer Saluda, which blew up at Lexington, whence he walked to Independence and thence to St. Louis. He then went to Clinton, Ill., and followed his trade, and subsequently was vari- ously located until 1857, when he went to Texas, thence the following year to California by the southern route. He was a member of the train commanded by Captain Coffee. Upon his arrival in El Monte he engaged in freighting to Arizona by the Owens river, and continued this occupa- tion for fifteen years, after which he located permanently in the El Monte district and en- gaged in farming. He is now retired from active cares and makes his home in El Monte. He has held various public positions. among them that of road overseer under Martin two years, and under Cook four years. He was married in El Monte in the spring of 1859 to Mrs. Rebecca Ann (Fears) Cundiff, a native of Clinton, 111.,

who came to California in 1858 across the plains and died in El Monte in 1901. They became the parents of the following children: Thomas, of this review; Charles M., in Arizona; John, in Los Angeles; Susie, wife of George Wandling, of Los Angeles, and Annie, Mrs. Baker, of Ocean Park.

Thomas Bell was born in El Monte October 5, 1859, and in this place was reared to young manhood, receiving his educational training in the public schools of the place. Upon attaining ma- turity he engaged in general farming for himself, leasing the old Temple place, where he conducted a dairy farm, having four hundred acres of pas- ture land and from twenty-five to thirty head of milch cows. He met with success and accumul- lated sufficient means to enable him to purchase his present property, which consists of twenty acres located two and a half miles south of El Monte, which he cleared from tules and willows, and this peet land he now rents for gardening purposes. He continued his dairy enterprises until 1904. when he sold out and built a resi- dence in El Monte, put out walnut trees and otherwise improved his property. He is enter- prising and progressive, seeking to upbuild the general interests of the community, while he at the same time carves out his own fortunes. Fra- ternally he is identified with Lexington Lodge No. 104, F. & A. M., and politically is a stanch adherent of Democratic principles.

HENRY C. BEASLEY. Fidelity to duty may be attributed as the keynote to the success which has always followed the efforts of Mr. Beasley. formerly as a stationary engineer, and latterly as a rancher in Ventura county. The six hun- dred acres over which he has control forms a part of what is known locally as the Las Posos grant, and in the cultivation of the same MIr. Beasley is interested especially in the raising of beets, beans and barley.

A native of the state in which he has made his life-long home, Mr. Beasley was born in Mendocino county, Cal., and is a son of David T. and Martha Polly Beasley, natives of New York and Massachusetts respectively. Both of the parents settled in the Golden state during the days of its carly history, and before the dawn of the present prosperous conditions which ex- ist throughout the length and breadth of the state, the father was called hence, his death oc- curring at the age of seventy years. By trade he was a blacksmith. He was a man who took con- siderable interest in the affairs of life, a fact which was demonostrated nowhere no more strongly perhaps than in the Masonic Lodge of which he was a member. His widow is still liv- ing, at a good old age, making her home in

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Texas. Throughout her life she has been an ac- tive member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

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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 33

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