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 52

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 52

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In Beaumont Mr. Smith was married to Miss Catherine Adams, a native of Maine who died in California July 20, 1902. She was a mem- ber of the Episcopal Church and devoted to its interests. Mr. Smith was made a Mason in San Jacinto Lodge, F. & A. M., and in the same place was raised to the degree of Royal Arch. Polit- ically he is a Republican.

GEORGE W. CAMPBELL. A broad-minded citizen and one of the progressive and up-to- date ranchers of this section of Los Angeles county, George W. Campbell is located in the vicinity of Whittier and engaged in the manage- ment and improvement of thirty-eight acres of land, which he purchased about five years ago. He was born in Sheboygan, Wis., April 27, 1868, a son of William C. Campbell, the latter a pioneer of California and for many years pre- vious a frontiersman in Iowa and Kansas, where he endured the hardships and privations of a beginning civilization. For more complete de- tails concerning his career refer to his personal sketch which appears elsewhere in this volume. Taken by his parents to the Iowa frontier, George WV. Campbell spent his boyhood years in Dickin- son county, and later in Mitchell county, Kans., where the father improved a farm in Solomon val- ley. He had engaged with his father on the home farm and also attended the public schools in pursuit of an education, after coming to Cali- fornia in 1890 completing the course in the state Normal school at Los Angeles, and University of California at Berkeley, where he spent two years. He then engaged in teaching and for two years was located at Portersville, Tulare county, Cal., where he built up a reputation for thorough- ness of work and breadth of education. For a time he also labored in San Fernando, the Mill district and Carmenita, pursuing the course which has brought him success in his efforts. In 1902 he decided to locate on a farm, follow- ing the bent of his early training, and he then purchased the ranch above mentioned, consist- ing of thirty-eight acres, of which fifteen acres are devoted to the cultivation of walnuts and

Herman Gekkelkamp

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twenty-three acres to the raising of alfalfa. He has improved his property in every possible way, his home being presided over by his wife, form- erly Miss Ella Newlin, whom he married De- cember 18, 1904. She was born in Indiana, a daughter of J. E. Newlin, a resident of Nor- walk. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell have one son, Chester. They are members of the Christian Church, which receives their most liberal and helpful support. Mr. Campbell is a Republican in politics and it is in this connection that he is most prominent in Los Angeles county as well as the state, serving as county delegate to con- ventions and giving time, means and personal attention to the advancement of the principles he endorses. He is a man of high intellectual attainments, broad in thought and comprehen- sion, and has brought to bear in all his efforts the qualities which bespeak the citizen of worth and helpfulness. He takes the keenest interest in the higher education of the California schools and seeks to promote all movements calculated to advance the standard. He has served for some years as school trustee. All in all he is a citizen whose efforts speak eloquently of his worth.

HERMAN ECKELKAMP. In the vicinity of Norwalk is located the ranch of twenty acres owned and operated by Herman Eckel- kamp, one of the enterprising ranchers of this section. He was born in St. Louis, Mo., June 26, 1847, a son of Henry and Mary (Brinker) Eckelkamp, both natives of Germany, and who came to the United States and finally located in St. Louis, where the father worked at his trade of baker, conducting a bakery and gro- cery in that city. During the war the family moved into the country, the father still con- ducting a general merchandise store, but lost heavily by robbers, who carried away three wagon loads of goods. The father died in 1902, at the advanced age of eighty-two years, the mother having passed away when sixty-four years old. They were the parents of seven children, of whom two died in infancy.

Herman Eckelkamp received a substantial education in the public and high schools of St. Louis. after which he attended the Jonathan & Kelly Business College, where he took a course in bookkeeping. In 1873 he came to California and in San Francisco spent the ensu- ing two years, and while there worked on a pile driver in the harbor and also drove a transfer team. He then returned to Missouri and en- gaged in farming, purchasing a fine farm of forty acres, of which twenty acres was in fruit and twenty acres in vegetables. This he later disposed of but still owns a twenty-acre farm

near St. Louis. In 1905 Mr. Eckelkamp came back to California and purchased his present property, which consists of twenty acres near Norwalk, which is devoted entirely to garden- ing, while he also owns a fine residence in Ar- tesia, being the first to build after the town site was located and platted. Mr. Eckelkamp's first marriage united him with Miss Mary Finn, a native of Missouri, and born of this union were two children : Josephine, wife of Ted Ryan, of St. Louis; and Annie, who died at the age of twenty-two years. His wife died in Missouri, and in 1892 he married Miss Alice Finn, a sister of his first wife, and born of this union are two children : Alice and Julius. Mr. Eckelkamp is associated with the Democratic party in his political affiliations, and in religion is a member of the Catholic Church.

WILLIAM B. COVINGTON, a successful horticulturist and dairyman of San Bernardino county, was born in Calhoun county, Miss., July 5, 1869, the oldest son in the family of P. H. Covington, a pioneer of Southern California, whose biography is given at length in another part of this volume. But seven years old when he was brought to the state, William B. Coving- ton is practically a Californian, having been reared on the farm where he now lives, and edu- cated in the public schools and the Redlands Academy. In 1891 he married Miss Mattie Reed, a native of Nebraska, and immediately af- terward he began farming this property, then raw land, with no cultivation nor improvement. He built a residence, substantial barns and out- buildings, set out an orchard of peaches and apri- cots, and began an intelligent farming that was soon productive of large returns. He eventually dug out his peaches and apricots and set out eleven acres in an orange grove, which is now in full bearing and produces the fine fruit that this section of the country is famous for. At the present writing Mr. Covington has just sold his orange grove. In 1902 he started the Tremont Dairy farm on his father's place, farming two hundred and fifty acres of the home ranch, and this property he has since bought outright, while he rents eighty acres adjoining, and owns seven- ty-five acres besides. making a ranch of over four hundred acres under his management. He has forty acres in alfalfa, raised by irrigation from the Lower Yucaipe, and also a pumping plant which has been installed on the ranch, while the balance is given over to grain and pasture. His dairy herd consists of ninety head of cows, of Jersey, Holstein and Durham stock, the product being retailed in Redlands and delivered to the customers twice per day. He has a sepa- rator and all modern methods for conducting his

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enterprise. The Edison Electric Co. supply the power for running the separator, pumping plant and various other work to which it can be ap- plied on the premises. The dwelling, barns and grounds are lighted by electricity furnished by same company. All these improvements have been made at large outlay, but have proven a financial success, while making his farm an ideal one.

To Mr. and Mrs. Covington were born the fol- lowing children: Irma; Carl, Henrietta, Ralph and Ibel.

Mr. Covington is a school trustee for the R. R. district. He is prominent fraternally, being a member of the Odd Fellows lodge of Red- lands and the Woodmen of the World, of the same place. Politically he is a stanch Democrat. He takes an active interest in all upbuilding movements of the section and can always be counted upon to further any plan with both time and means. It can safely be said that it was through the influence of Mr. Covington, and his alone, that after six months' negotiating the Edison Electric Co. poled their power into the San Timoteo cañon. At the present writing he is serving as secretary and. treasurer of the Lower Yucaipe Water Company, one of the de- veloping resources of the section.

EUGENE MACLOVE VAN DEVENTER. In his work as an agriculturist Eugene M. Van Deventer has brought to bear a general in- telligence as well as an unusual perseverance and energy, which have resulted in the accomplish- ment of his aims and ambitions and have placed him high among the ranchers of San Timoteo cañon. He is a native Californian, his birth having occurred in Napa county, November 15, 1857. The name is an old and honored one among the Knickerbocker families of New York, where the emigrating ancestor located in 1620 from his home in Germany. His father, Michael F. Van Deventer, was born in Buffalo, N. Y., whence the paternal grandfather, Christopher, removed with his family to Michigan in the early days of that state. Later he went to Louisville, Kans., and engaged as a pioneer farmer until his death. Michael F. Van Deventer was reared in Kansas and there followed his early training and engaged as a farmer; he participated in the Mexican war as sergeant and received a severe wound. In Mexico he met and married his wife, formerly Francisca Diaz, born in Chihuahua, Mexico, and a daughter of Francisco Diaz, one of the old Spanish families. In 1854 Mr. Van Deventer came to California and first engaged in the mines. He finally located on a ranch in Napa county, thence moved to Oak Glenn in 1865, where he entered land which is now the

farm owned by Joseph Wilshire, one of the pioneers of this section. Following this he en- gaged in freighting to Arizona, and in 1868 was attacked by the Indians while crossing the desert, being wounded with two poisoned arrows, from the effects of which he never fully recovered. He managed, however, to stampede the Indians with a gun, and unhitching one horse left the others and rode this one to Aqua Caliente, under attack the greater part of the way and bleeding profusely from his wounds. He located in San Timoteo cañon and engaged as a farmer until his death, which occurred in 1871. His wife survives him and makes her home with her son. They . were the parents of eight children, four of whom are living.

The second child in the family of his father, Eugene Maclove Van Deventer was reared on his father's farm in Southern California and educated in the public schools until he was thir- teen years old, when by the death of his father he and his older brother took charge of the home farm of one hundred and sixty acres. He remained at home until his marriage, which took place May 17, 1881, uniting him with Miss Martha Jane Singleton, a native daughter of San Bernardino county; he then purchased his present property, consisting of one hundred and fourteen acres adjoining the James Singleton property, and on this made all the improvements, set out an orchard of six acres in prunes and two acres in apricots, ten acres were devoted to alfalfa, and the balance of the ranch, since in- creased by eighty acres, is given over to the raising of grain and hay. His ranch is located eleven miles from Redlands, where he has an excellent market for all his produce. To himself and wife have been born three children, Cyrus E., who graduated from the high school in 1905 ; Arthur, who will graduate in 1908; and Grover, who will graduate in 1909. He takes a keen in- terest in educational affairs, and has served for years as a trustee of the San Timoteo district, officiating for a time as clerk of the board. Fra- ternally he is a member of the Woodmen of the World, and in politics votes the Democratic ticket. Mrs. Van Deventer died November 6, 1903.

JOHN TERRIBILINI. As proprietor of the Live Oak dairy in the Yucaipe valley John Terribilini is one of the successful and enter- prising citizens of Riverside county. He is a native of Tessini, Switzerland, where he was born May 12, 1873 ; his father, Joseph, was born there as was also his mother, Julia (Garbani) Terri- bilini, and there both passed away, the father having engaged all his life as a farmer and merchant. They had four children, of whom

& D Mosher

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

two are living, the only one in California being John, the subject of this review. He was reared in his native county and educated in its com- mon and high schools, after which, in the spring of 1889, he came to California. He located in Winchester (now in Riverside county), and secured employment in a dairy, and followed a similar employment in the Martin dairy of Riverside. Two years later he went with H. D. Noland, and there managed his employer's dairy for seven years, after which he purchased the interests of Mr. Noland, who retired from business. He followed this business for a num- ber of years and built up a large dairy, having as many as one hundred and twenty cows at a time, the product being retailed in the city, and also utilized in the creamery which he estab- lished, where he manufactured butter

and cheese. In 1903 he sold this enterprise and lo- cating in the Imperial country entered three hundred and twenty acres of land, placed it un- der irrigation, and began the raising of alfalfa and the conduct of a dairy. Leasing his ranch in October two years later he returned to River- side county and purchased the Bonita dairy, which he conducted until July, 1906, then sold it, and in August sold his farm in Imperial, and in Riverside county purchased a ranch of one hundred and twenty acres, where he has a pump- ing plant, a twenty horse-power gasoline engine, with a capacity of one hundred and sixty inches. This ranch is devoted exclusively to the raising of alfalfa. He also owns business property in Long Beach, where he has invested for future profits. In January, 1907, he leased the Live Oak dairy in the Yucaipe valley and here has one of the largest enterprises of its kind in this section, milking one hundred and seventy-five cows, and retailing the product in Redlands.

In Riverside Mr. Terribilini was united in marriage with Miss Bonnie Woolfolk, a native of Texas, and born of this union is one son, John Horace. Fraternally Mr. Terribilini is identi- fied with the Odd Fellows and the Woodmen of the World, of Redlands, and politically he is a stanch Republican.

EZRA DAVIS MOSHER. A career which began in Bradford, Pa., February 3, 1837, and closed in Pomona, Cal., June 20, 1897, rep- resented a life of over sixty years of busy use- fulness, of which four had been spent in the latter city. His father, Erastus Mosher, was a native of the Empire state, but during his younger years he removed south into the ad- joining state of Pennsylvania, where a num- ber of his children were born. It was in 1848 that with his wife and children he removed to Wisconsin, settling on a farm near Argyle.

Lafayette county, where he later died, as did also his wife, formerly Polly Smith, she too being a native of New York state. Two of their nine children sacrificed their lives in their country's cause, Frank and Dallas dying on the field of battle.

Of his parents' large family Ezra D. Mo- sher was the third in order of birth, and could clearly recall the interesting journey which brought the family from Pennsylvania to Wis- consin, he then being eleven years of age. He attended the common schools of the latter state and to prepare himself for business life he learned the carpenter's trade. It was in 1860, when twenty-three years of age, that he struck out for himself independently, remov- ing that year to Neosho Rapids, Lyon county, Kans., following his trade there for some time. Subsequently he put to practice his knowl-, edge of agriculture. He began in a modest way with only forty acres, adding to it .from time to time as his means would permit, until he finally laid claim to four hundred acres of the finest land in the state. As he was a carpenter as well as a farmer it goes without saying that his buildings were of the best, and taken all in all he had one of the finest farms in the state. During the Price invasion in that part of the country he assisted in the restoration of peace and quiet as a member of the state militia.

After thirty-three years of successful farm- ing in Kansas Mr. Mosher sold out his entire holdings in that state and removed to Cali- fornia, coming at once to Pomona, where the remainder of his life was passed. Two miles south of the town he purchased a ranch of fifty-five acres which he devoted to raising al- falfa and otherwise improved the property, making it one of the fine estates for which this part of California is noted. In the fam- ily residence which he erected at the corner of Palomares and Holt avenues his earth life came to a close June 20, 1897, when in his sixty-first year, and when it would seem that many years of usefulness yet lay before him.

In Neosho Rapids, Kans., Mr. Mosher formed domestic ties by his marriage with Miss Sarah Jane Harper, the ceremony being performed October 28. 1866. She was born near Madison, Ind., the daughter of George R. Harper, who was born in Crawford county, Pa. The grandfather. George Henry Harper, was also a native of that state, and throughout his life followed farming and stock-dealing, first in Pennsylvania, later in Indiana, and still later in West Union, Iowa, where he died. His son. George R. Harper, was a merchant in that place until 1857. in which year he re- moved to Neosho Rapids, Kans., where as

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

captain of a local militia company he did val- iant service during the border ruffian difficul- ties, taking a prominent part in the Quantrell and Price raids. After relinquishing his mer- cantile interests in Neosho Rapids he removed to Hartford, where his death occurred at the age of sixty-two years. In his young man- hood he married Miss Mary Jane Mccullough, who was born in Ripley county, Ind., the daughter of John McCullough, a native of old Virginia. Removing from the south he took up farming in Indiana, later was likewise en- gaged in Iowa, and finally removed to Lyon county, Kans., and there both himself and wife passed away. Of the nine children born to Mr. and Mrs. Harper six are living, Mrs. Mosher being the next to the oldest of the family. She was educated in Kansas. Of the thirteen children born to Mr. and Mrs. Mosher we mention the following: Achsa Jane became the wife of Arthur Roach and they reside in Pomona ; Ella Dora is a teacher in Glendora; George Erastus is a graduate of dental surgery and is practicing his profession in Pomona; Emma Nora is the wife of Frank W. Johnson and resides in Pomona; Mabel May is the wife of Ernest Morgan, they mak- ing their home in Honolulu; Orra Ruth mar- ried Charles Carter, of Pomona; Eva Laura, with her husband, Arthur Waters, lives in Ontario: and Maude E., Blanche O., John A., Ezra Davis, Frank R. and Helen Elaine are still at home with their mother. Mr. Mosher was an active member of the Christian Church, with which his wife and family are also as- sociated, and like him too Mrs. Mosher is a liberal contributor to all noble causes which tend toward the uplifting of mankind. With her six youngest children she makes her home on the ranch on the corner of Philadelphia avenue and Reservoir, and in its management carrying out the wise policy maintained by Mr. Mosher during his life. A kind husband and father, his death was deeply lamented, and though he has been gone from their midst nearly ten years, his memory is still held in the deepest reverence.

JACOB STERN. One of the largest general merchandise establishments in Orange county, Cal., is that owned by Mr. Stern and his partner, Mr. Goodman, and located in Fullerton. They make the claim of handling anything from a pin to a threshing machine, as well as from a canary bird to milk cows and other live stock, and from a town lot to a multitudinous parcel of acres. Starting in business in 1889 in an unpretentious way, they first carried a small stock and occu- pied a building with a frontage of twenty-five

feet. Seventeen years of activity has worked a wonderful change in the aspect and no one would recognize their present emporium as having any relation to the humble beginning. As the growth of the business demanded, additions have been built to the nucleus, until the store now has a frontage of two hundred and seventy-five feet, and the amount of capital involved is $500,000. Mr. Goodman takes entire charge of the store in Fullerton, while Mr. Stern has under his su- pervision the hay and grain business and the real estate business, and makes his headquarters at No. 404 Huntington building, Los Angeles. Three-fourths of the hay and grain business of Orange county passes through Mr. Stern's hands. Much of the real estate handled and owned by the firm lies in Orange and Los Angeles counties, also some outside property located in the east, north and west. Personally Mr. Stern owns land in Imperial, San Diego county, also considerable property in the northern part of the state, and with that in other towns in Orange and Los An- geles counties aggregates over twenty thousand acres. He also owns several buildings in Los Angeles, and is interested in the firm of Stern Brothers, Anaheim, being associated with his brother in the merchandise business. Besides the interests already enumerated the firm owns a store building in Placentia, and oil wells in Olin- da, Orange county, where they also conduct a general merchandise business.

Jacob Stern is a native of the Fatherland, born in Saxony September 20, 1859. Consider- ing his parents' circumstances, he was given a good education, attending first the common schools and later a business college in his native country. From the time of leaving school until reaching his twentieth year he assisted his parents on the homestead farm, marketing the livestock and produce. In 1884 he determined to emi- grate to America. Embarking from the German port of Hamburg, in June, 1884. in due time his vessel dropped anchor in the harbor at New York. Making his way to Cleveland, Ohio, he obtained a position in the wholesale clothing store of Lehman, Richman & Co., filling it for five years, at the end of which time, in 1889, he came to Fullerton and formed the partnership with Mr. Goodman, as previously stated.

In Los Angeles, in 1891 Mr. Stern was mar- ried to Miss Sarah Laventhal, a daughter of E. Laventhal, a pioneer settler in the county. Dur- ing the earlier years of their married life Mr. and Mrs. Stern made their home in Fullerton, Mrs. Stern's native city, but in July. 1904, they purchased Colonel Northam's beautiful home in Hollywood on the corner of Vine and Prospect streets, where the family have since lived. Four children add brightness and cheer to the home, as follows: Harold, Elsa, Helen and Eugene.

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

Mr. Stern joined the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Fullerton an is also identified with the Fraternal Aid, while in his political prefer- ences he is a Republican. Mr. Stern is a fair representative of the men that have accomplished so much in the advancement of all the enterprises of this great western country-energetic, force- ful, progressive. Starting out in this new world a total stranger and with little means, what Mr. Stern has accomplished in the meantime is little short of marvelous and displays the quality of his mettle as no mere words can.

ENOCH K. PARRISH. The late Enoch K. Parrish is remembered as one of the upbuilding factors in the life of San Bernardino county, to which section he came in the pioneer days of the state. He was born in Brownsville, Jefferson county, N. Y., August 6, 1835, a son of Ezra and Susanna (Sherwin) Parrish. The father was born in Jefferson county, N. Y., May 4, 1804, and there grew to manhood, becoming a ship calker at Sackett's Harbor and also followed farming. He eventually removed to Missouri, thence to Illinois and to Council Bluffs, Iowa, from there crossing the plains in 1852 to Salt Lake City, where he engaged as a farmer. His last days were spent in California with his son, his death occurring at the age of seventy-nine years. The mother was a native of the same place in New York state and a daughter of Azariah Sherwin. She died in San Bernardino at the advanced age of eighty-six years. They became the parents of seven children, of whom three are now living.

The youth of Enoch K. Parrish was spent in Missouri, Illinois, Iowa and Utah, in all of which he attended the public schools in pursuit of an education. Early in the '5os he crossed the plains to Salt Lake with his parents, and re- mained at home until 1857, when he came to San Bernardino by mule-teams and engaged in farm- ing on Mill street. In December, 1867, he pur- chased the property now owned by his widow. and in March of the following year he located with his family in Yucaipe. He improved the place and built a residence, barns, etc., and also homesteaded a place, and added by purchase until he owned three hundred and twenty-seven acres. His death occurred in Redlands July 5, 1904, removing from the community a helpful and practical citizen and one whose efforts were always given toward the upbuilding of the country. He was a Democrat in politics and gave his influence to support this party.

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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 52

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