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 53

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

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In Beaver City, Utah, December 7, 1863, Mr. Parrish was united in marriage with Miss Susan M. Merchant, who was born in New South Wales, Australia. Her father, Richard Mer-

chant, was born in England and became one of the first settlers of New South Wales, making the trip to Australia on one of the first ships that carried free citizens to that country. He leased land and engaged in farming and im- proved property, making that place his home until his death. He married in Australia Eliza- beth Barnes, a native of England, and after the death of her husband she brought her family to America in 1856. They located in San Ber- nardino and in December of the following year went to Utah, where she resided until her death, which occurred in June, 1863. Of the family of twelve children born to her parents Mrs. Parrish was among the youngest ; she was reared to the age of twelve years in Australia, after which she accompanied her mother on the boat Jennie Ford to America, coming via Honolulu to San Pedro, where they landed in August, 1856. Since her husband's death she has re- sided on the old home place, and has continued to add to its improvements, the land being ir- rigated by running water. A large apple orchard contributes to the income from the place, where they deal largely in the raising of potatoes.

She is the mother of the following children : Esther M., wife of Stephen Covington, of Beau- mont; Ezra K., teaming in Redlands; Charles H., a carpenter of Redlands; William E., of Dixon, Cal. ; Maude S., wife of Hugh Livingston, of Redlands; John Chester, a farmer of Yucaipe ; Frank M., in charge of the home place. Two children, James L. and George R., died aged respectively twenty and thirteen years.

JOHN N. SMITH. A pioneer of Los Angeles county and one of its successful ranchers and fruit growers, John N. Smith holds a high place in its citizenship. He is a native of Ohio, his birth having occurred in Cuyahoga county De- cember 21, 1832, his parents being John G. and Nancy (Burnside) Smith, natives respectively of New York and Ohio, the mother a cousin of the famous General Burnside of Civil war fame. A more complete history of the Smith family will be found in the biography of James A. Smith. which is found elsewhere in this volume. In the common schools of Ohio John N. Smith re- ceived his education and then went to work with his father in a steam sawmill. During the six years in which he was so occupied he also learned the moulder's trade, and followed it for a time in Ohio, and later in South Bend, Ind., eventu- ally returning to the sawmill business and giving that the greater part of his attention. He finally became interested in farming and was located for a time in Ohio; going to De Kalb county, Ill., he rented land for four years, and then went to Nebraska and took up a homestead of one hun-

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dred and sixty acres. He improved this prop- erty and farmed there for eleven years, raising broom corn extensively, the first car of this prod- uct shipped from the state being from his farm. He finally decided to locate on the Pacific coast, and accordingly came to California and in Sacra- mento engaged in ranching for two years, and in 1879 located in Norwalk. In the same year he returned to Nebraska and sold out his inter- ests in that state and with the proceeds purchased his present ranch in 1881, originally consisting of eighty acres, of which twenty acres have since been given to his son. The property was a sheep camp without improvements, and this part of the work has devolved entirely upon Mr. Smith, who has built a residence, barns and outbuildings, and set out trees for shade and fruit. He now has thirty-five acres in a vineyard and has his own winery, in 1906 turning out nine thousand gallons of wine. The balance of the property is devoted to the raising of grain, corn and alfalfa.

In 1860 Mr. Smith was married to Miss Ase- nath Cooper, a native of Ohio, and they have three children, namely: Nelson A., married ; Theron; and Nancy, wife of John Clanton, of Norwalk. In his political affiliations Mr. Smith is a stanch adherent of Republican principles.

WILLIAM DUNFORD. A name well known in Perris valley is that of William Dunford, who until recently conducted a six hundred acre ranch there, raising hay and grain, and owning a stack- er and other haying machinery. In November, 1906, however, he sold out his holdings there and removed to Riverside, where he has associated himself with John Garner in the raising of hogs.

Born August 29, 1872, in St. Joseph, Mo., the son of E. J. and Mary (Shields) Dunford, Will- iam Dunford spent his younger boyhood days in his native city. His father was a native of Georgia and his mother of Indiana, and Missouri was one of the frontier states when they re- moved there in 1853. The senior Dunford was engaged in the hotel business and for many years was proprietor and manager of the Dunford house. In 1883 he removed with his family to Washington county, Kans., and six years later, in 1889, came to the western coast, locating in Perris county, Cal .. and adopting the occupation of ranchman. He lived to be a trifle more than four score years, his death occurring December 19. 1905, at the age of eighty-one. His wife sur- vives him and now resides in Perris valley, being at the present time fifty-eight years old. It was in the public schools of St. Joseph, Mo., that William Dunford received his education, and when his father removed to California he came with him, the two being partners in a ranching enterprise until the death of the father. For al-

most a year thereafter the son continued the busi- ness alone, when, as previously stated, he sold the ranch in November, 1906, and removed to River- side, where he is associated with John Garner in the raising of hogs.

May 23, 1899, William Dunford was married in Los Angeles to Miss May Reynolds and they have become the parents of one child, Edna, who is four years old. The family attends the Con- gregational Church and liberally supports the charitable and benevolent enterprises of the com- munity in which they reside. Politically Mr. Dunford is an advocate of the principles em- braced in the platform of the Democratic party, and all public social and civic interests receive his intelligent co-operation in their furtherance.

CHARLES HENRY THOMAS. Among the residents of Santa Monica conspicuous for their ability and worth is Charles Henry Thomas, a practical millman and an expert machinist, who is carrying on an extensive and lucrative busi- ness, employing in his shop from three to five men daily, increasing the number in busy times. A son of the late Samuel Thomas, he was born in Ogle county, Ill., being the oldest of a fam- ily of five children.

The descendant of a Welsh family of note, Samuel Thomas was born and reared in Hagers- town, Md. A young man of high ambitions, he resolved to take advantage of the sale of cheap lands in the then distant west, and in 1845 made his way overland to Illinois, settling near Oregon, Ogle county, where he improved a good homestead, and in addition worked at the trade of a cabinet maker and joiner. Soon af- ter locating in Oregon he married Susan C. Hess, whose parents settled in that vicinity as pioneers in 1839, and there both he and his wife spent their remaining days. He died November 12, 1905, at the age of eighty years, and she died July 23. 1905, aged seventy-seven years.

Having completed his early education in the educational institutions of Ogle county, Charles Henry Thomas went to Maryville, Nodaway county, Mo., where he followed various oc- cupations, and after reading law for a time was admitted to the Missouri bar. For a number of vears he practiced his profession most success- . fully, but gave it up to engage in newspaper work, which, owing to an unfortunate partner- ship, was not a financial success. Coming to Los Angeles county April 27, 1887, just as the memorable boom was at its height and the beaches were humming with its real-estate opera- tions. he and his father, who accompanied him on the trip, took contracts for building and car- ried on a successful business in carpentering. Mr. Thomas also purchased land, becoming

I Dommengoni

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

owner of a house and lot on Tenth street, where he has now a valuable homestead. Giving up carpentering when the boom burst, he entered the employ of the Santa Monica Mill & Lum- ber Company as foreman, and for eight years had charge of a planing mill. The ensuing six years he was connected with the United Electric Gas and Power Company, and was afterwards associated with the Edison Company. While with the Electric Gas and Power Com- pany he had charge of some very important pieces of work in this county, installing gas plants in many of its cities and towns. An ex- pert mechanic, he embarked in his present busi- ness in June, 1905, starting with two partners, both of whom he has since bought out. He has been very successful in the management of his shop, and is fast building up a large business, his patronage being extensive and well-paying.

In Maryville, Mo., Mr. Thomas married Anna Williams, and of their union five children have been born, three of whom are living, namely Charles Henry, Ruth Emma and Paul Denslow. Politically Mr. Thomas is a Democrat, and is now serving acceptably as chief of the local fire department of Santa Monica. Fraternally he belongs to the order of Free and Accepted Masons, and is a member and the secretary of both the Royal Arcanum and of the Independent Order of Foresters.

ANGELO DOMENIGONI. The possibili- ties afforded by California to those seeking a livelihood within its boundaries find illustra- tion in the life of Mr. Domenigoni, who left Europe so poor that he was obliged to leave his family behind and to borrow the money necessary for the paying of his expenses to the new world. Without friends or money he landed in Southern California, where since he has achieved noteworthy success. The val- ley in Riverside county which bears his name and of which he was the first settler has been his home since the year 1880, when he took up a large tract of government land as yet un- surveyed. The necessity of an immediate sur- vey led him to hire the work done at his own cost, thus entaiiing an expense of $300. The year following his arrival he was appointed the first postmaster at Winchester and for four years he filled the office. Meanwhile his farming interests rapidly increased in im- portance, and from time to time he has added to his property until his ranch now embraces three thousand acres, besides which he owns fifteen hundred acres in the San Rafael valley in Lower California.

Of Swiss birth, Mr. Domenigoni was born in the canton of Ticino December 21, 1851, be-

ing a son of Anton and Dominica (Gartni) Domenigoni, also natives of that portion of Switzerland lying near the Italian border. The father, though ninety years of age, is re- markably robust and during the year 1906 made the trip to the Alps, walking around and up the mountains a distance ot twenty-five miles or more. The mother died in 1873, at the age of forty-five years. After having completed his education in the schools of his native can- ton, Angelo Domenigoni at the age of seven- teen years took up the stone-mason's trade, at which he served an apprenticeship, and later worked as a journeyman in many of the countries of Europe. These travels broad- ened his mind and were the direct incentive leading him to emigrate·from Switzerland to America. May 1, 1874, he landed in New York City, from which point he traveled west- ward to California and secured work near Stockton. For five years he acted as superin- tendent of a large dairy in that locality and from there removed to Riverside county, where he embarked in the dairy business at Temecula Station in 1879. His dairy herd comprised fifty head of cows, and the prod- ucts were sold in the city market. After one year on that place he came to the vicinity of Winchester, where he now owns three thou- sand acres, improved with a neat ranch-house and substantial barns.

The raising of wheat and barley and the carrying on of a dairy form the principal in- dustries in which Mr. Domenigoni engages. He has three thousand acres in grain, yielding an average of seven sacks per acre from year to year. The year 1906 was exceptionally fav- orable, the crop averaging much larger than usual. The grain is cut with a combined har- vester of thirty-six horse-power. About fifty head of horses are utilized in caring for the crops, and all of these he raises himself. be- sides which he frequently sells stock to others. In addition to his grain land he has three thou- sand acres of pasture land, on which he keeps five hundred head of cattle, and each year re- duces his herd by the sale of about one hun- dred head. The Helvetia creamery, of which he is proprietor and which is located on his ranch, comprises seventy cows, and the out- put (several thousand pounds of butter per an- num) finds a ready sale in the Los Angeles markets. In addition to his other enterprises he has a vineyard of five acres and from the grapes manufactures wine for family use.

On coming to the United States Mr. Dom- enigoni left his wife and two children in the old country. There he had married, Novem- ber 10, 1870, Mary A. Gorbani, a native of

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Switzerland. In May, 1882, she joined him in his new home, and they have since labored earnestly and intelligently in the accumulation of their property and the rearing of their six children, Anton, Peter, Jack, Margaretta, Serefina and Sunday. The family are identi- fied with the Catholic faith and aided gen- erously in building the church of that denomi- nation at San Jacinto. In 1893 Mr. Domeni- goni visited the World's Fair at Chicago and from there proceeded to his old home in Switzerland, where he enjoyed a pleasant visit among old friends. His father and grand- father for many years served as members of the legislature in Switzerland, but he has never cared to participate in political affairs, pre- ferring to devote himself to the development of his ranch and the management of his busi- ness interests. The only office which he ever accepted is that of president of the board of trustees of the Helvetia school district. The organization of this district was due to his ef- forts, and in order to place the work upon a permanent hasis he consented to serve as the first president of the board, an office that he filled for nine years, meanwhile grading the school, improving the property and intro- ducing the best text-books to be obtained for their varied purposes. Every movement for the benefit of the valley and the county re- ceives his quiet but steadfast and stanch sup- port, and he has accomplished much as a rancher, dairyman and grain-raiser, proving by his own success that diligent application and constant labor will bring their own meas- ure of prosperity.

HON. ELI T. BLACKMER. The family represented by this prominent pioneer of San Diego springs from English progenitors and the first record of their settlement in America dates back to 1650, when Peter Blackmer identified himself with the sparsely settled regions of Cape Cod. From him the line of descent is traced through Peter, Jr., Solomon, John and Lewis to Eli T., the latter represent- ing the sixth generation in the new world. John and Lewis Blackmer were born in the vicinity of Warren, Mass., where for a time they engaged in farm pursuits, then took up shoemaking, and later resumed farming, fol- lowing this occupation until their deaths. The lady whom Lewis chose as his wife was also a member of an old family of the Bay state and was Miss Nancy Keep, a native of Wor- cester county, where her father, Chellis Keep, followed the blacksmith's trade. Her death occurred in Connecticut when she was eighty- nine years and five months old. Of their

twelve children, six sons and six daughters, four sons and six daughters grew to maturity, and three sons living in California, and three daughters in New England. The. eldest son, Eli T., was born at New Braintree, Mass., February 14, 1831, and from the age of three years was reared at North Brook- field, also in Worcester county, Mass. There he was a pupil in the grammar schools and also attended the high school, after which he learned the shoemaker's trade and then worked at Chicopee, Hampden county, in the employ of the Ames Manufacturing Company.

. During a short period of the Civil war (from July, 1862, to November of the same year) Mr. Blackmer was a volunteer in Com- pany A, Thirty-seventh Massachusetts Infan- try, of which he was elected and commissioned first lieutenant, but after a brief service he was obliged to resign his commission owing to the failure of his health. As soon as he was able to resume work he became identified with a musical organization traveling from New York, and from there in 1866 he removed to Indianapolis, where he engaged in the music business. A year later he went to Chicago and opened a music store, but this he soon sold and turned his attention to the tuning of pianos. In 1873 he came to California for the benefit of his wife's health, and on the 12th of October arrived in San Diego, com-, ing from San Francisco on the old Orizaba, commanded by Captain Johnson. In 1874 he opened on H street the first music house in San Diego and this he conducted until Febru- ary of 1888, when he sold out. Meanwhile he taught voice culture, trained choruses, gave lessons on the violin, etc., acted as instructor of music in public and private schools and was director of the Philharmonic Society for six years. This was the beginning of the present standing of San Diego as a musical center. Later he made a specialty of tuning and rent- ing pianos, but in 1894 retired from that busi- ness and has since had no business interests aside from the management of his property holdings. In his family there were two chil- dren. The daughter, Nettie, married F. M. Lewis and resides in Philadelphia, Pa., and the son, Leon, makes his home in Gardner, Worcester county, Mass.

The Republican party has received the sup- port of Mr. Blackmer ever since its organiza- tion. In 1879-80 he served as superintendent of the schools of San Diego county. As a member-at-large from San Diego county he attended the constitutional convention in 1880 and served as member of the committee on education and as chairman of the committee on amendments. For five years he filled the

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office of library trustee. Personally he is a man of admirable attributes of character. A love of travel, as well as the management of his business affairs, led him to make frequent trips to the east, and he has a record of four- teen trips across the continent. To one of his genial, warm-hearted qualities, the fraternities present the attractions of comradship and con- genial association, and for years he has been active in various organizations of such a na- ture. Among these is Heintzelman Post No. 33, G. A. R., of which he served as command- er at one time. In San Diego Lodge No. 35, F. & A. M., he was made a Mason and served as master, besides having been secretary of the lodge since 1896, and since 1898 has served as secretary of the board of relief. For three terms he officiated as high priest of San Diego Chapter, R. A. M., and for years was an officer of the Grand Chapter and in April of 1898 he was elected grand high priest of the Grand Chapter of California. With the Scottish Rite bodies he is identified as follows : Lodge of Perfection, in which he has officiat- ed as venerable master since 1896; Chapter of Rose Croix, in which he acts as master of Ceremonies ; Council of Kadosh, in which he is second sub-preceptor : and the Consistory, in which he served as minister of state. In addition, he has been chosen Knight Com- mander of the Court of Honor, and is also identified with the San Francisco Command- ery of the Loyal Legion.

THOMAS VINCENT COONY. Among the skillful mechanics and energetic business men of Ocean Park conspicuous for their ability and integrity is Thomas Vincent Coony, one of the leading plumbers of the place. Paying strict attention to his business, he has met with en- couraging success since locating here and has built up an extensive and remunerative patron- age. A son of Alfred Coony, he was born in Edina, Knox county, Mo., where his grand- father, Patrick Coony, was an early pioneer, set- tling there in 1846, when the country was in its original wildness.

Born in Ohio, Alfred Coony accompanied his parents to Missouri, and when ready to start in life for himself established himself as a merchant in Edina. In 1901 he came with his family to California, giving up farming, in which he had previously been engaged for a few years, and is now living retired from active pursuits in Santa Monica. He married Harriet Winterbottom, and they reared a family of ten children, of whom nine are living, seven sons and two daughters.

Educated in the common schools of Missouri and western Kansas, Thomas V. Coony subse-

quently went to Denver, Colo., where he learned the plumber's trade, which he followed for a time in that city. Coming to Los Angeles in 1895, he remained there a year, and then went to Mexico. From there he returned to the United States, and after visiting in New Mexico and many of the principal cities of the western states, including Omaha, Kansas City, Salt Lake City and San Francisco, he spent a year in Topeka, Kans. Re- turning then to California, he worked as a jour- neyman plumber in Los Angeles until 1902, when he established himself in business in Ocean Park, opening a shop of his own, which he has con- ducted successfully from the start, his record as a skillful workman being above reproach.

In Los Angeles, Cal., Mr. Coony married Katherine Kennelly, a native of New York state, and they have one child, Thomas E. Politically Mr. Coony is independent, voting as his con- science dictates, without regard to party restric- tions.

ALBERT ARTHUR THOMAS. The chief of police of San Diego is a member of an old southern family descended from Welsh progenitors. Of Virginian birth, his father, James B., removed to Ohio at an early age and then settled at Springfield, Ill., where he fol- lowed the occupations of millwright and build- er. Becoming a pioneer of Iowa in 1844, he took up the difficult task of clearing a farm and supporting his family in the midst of frontier surroundings. During the fall of 1856 he removed to the frontier on the Des Moines river near the Minnesota and Iowa state line, where he had large herds of cattle on the plains. Indians were numerous and hostile and the while settlers fortified their cabins in preparation for attacks. Early in the year 1857, at the time of the massacre at Spirit lake, Mr. Thomas helped to defend the white people from the onslanghts of the savages and lost an arm in the fight. One of his sons, William, was shot on the doorstep of their home, and after the family had hastily fled for Fort Dodge, Iowa, an infant daughter died en route from exposure. As it seemed unwise to again establish the family so far from civilization, he settled in Marshall conn- ty, Iowa, and opened a mercantile store at Marietta. Later he became interested in farming, and that occupation he was follow- ing when he died in 1865, at the age of fifty- five years. After settling in Illinois he mar- ried Irene Clark, daughter of John Clark, and a native of Illinois, but now a resident of Marshall county. Iowa.

In a family of nine children, six of whom survive, Albert Arthur Thomas was next to

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the oldest and is the only one to settle in Cali- fornia. Born in Springfield, Ill., September 2, 1844, his early recollections are associated with the frontier of Iowa and the primeval conditions then characteristic of that country. Early in life it was necessary for him to aid in the support of the family and, while work- ing on the farm, he learned lessons of thrift, self-reliance and perseverance, of inestimable value to him in later years. In addition to public-school alvantages he enjoyed a course of instruction in the Lutheran College of Al- bion, Marshall county, Iowa, and afterward clerked in his father's store and worked on the home farm. In 1862 he offered his services as a volunteer in the Union army, but was re- jected. However, he was more successful when in June of 1864 he again volunteered in the defense of the Union. At Davenport he was mustered into Company G, Forty-fourth Iowa Infantry, and went with his regiment to the south, serving principally in Tennessee, where he was promoted to be a corporal. At the close of the war he was mustered out at Muscatine, Iowa, and returned to farm pur- suits.

The marriage of Mr. Thomas took place in Marshall county, Iowa, March 14, 1867, and united him with Miss Harriet A. Hixson, who was born in Jamestown, Greene county, Ohio, being a daughter of Dr. O. F. and Elizabeth (Dawson) Hixson, natives of Harpers Ferry, W. Va. Her maternal grandfather, John Dawson, removed from West Virginia to Ohio and followed the tanner's trade at Jamestown. Dr. Hixson also removed from West Virginia to Ohio and settled at James- town, where he engaged in the practice of medicine. Eventually he became a resident of Marshall county, Iowa, and there remained until death. Long before the outbreak of the Civil war he espoused the cause of anti-slav- erv and was a stanch abolitionist in the days when that word was used as a term of re- proach and contempt. Among his nine chil- dren there were three sons, John, Erasmus and George, who served as Iowa volunteers in the Union army, and John rose to the com- mand of a company.

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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 53

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