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 58

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

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There were seven children in the family. Of these James Henry was second in order of birth and is the only one living in California. Born at St. John's, New Brunswick, June 10, 1853, he was eight years of age when his parents removed to a farm near Gagetown. At the age of twelve years he began to learn the carpenter's trade and four years later, upon removing to Calais, Me., he commenced to assist his father in the building business. After removing to Minneapolis in 1878 he secured employed as foreman for W. H. Haight & Co., a firm of prominent and extensive contractors, with whom he continued for seven years. Coming west in 1885, he began to work at his trade in Portland, Ore., but the following year, in August, he established himself in San Diego, where for seven years he held a position as foreman with J. D. Raymond, and then took up contracting for himself. In the pursuit of his duties he has worked in various sections of San Diego county and everywhere has held a reputa-

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tion for reliability, energy, promptness and ac- curacy.

Decidedly Republican in his political opinions, Mr. Cassidy always has given his support to the principles of the party which he supports, and for years he has been prominent in local affairs. In November, 1904, he was elected to represent the second district as a member of the county board of supervisors, and in January following he as- sumed the duties of the office, which he now fills with conscientious devotion to the welfare of the people. Measures for the development of the county receive his stanch co-operation when once he is convinced of their permanent value to the property owners, but at the same time he does not jeopardize the interests of the taxpayers. The San Diego Chamber of Commerce and the Union League Club number him among their members. While making his home in Minneapolis he mar- ried Miss Nellie Rose, who was born in St. Law- rence county, N. Y., and who always has shared with him the good-will and respect of acquaint- ances. After coming west he was made a Mason in Silver Gate Lodge No. 296, F. & A. M., in which he officiated as master. The Woodmen of the World have his name enrolled as one of the members of their San Diego camp. In addition he is a leading member and past grand of San Diego Lodge No. 153, I. O. O. F., also past chief patriarch of Centennial Encampment No. 54, at San Diego, and likewise identified with the Or- der of Rebekahs.

GUY W. WISDOM. Prominent among the recent energetic, thorough-going business men of Escondido, who, through their own tact, abil- ity and good judgment have attained success in life, is Guy W. Wisdom, a well-known general merchant. A native of Iowa, he was born Oc- tober 18, 1867, in Taylor county, near Block- ton, a son of P. J. Wisdom. His grandfather, John A. Wisdom, removed from Kentucky to Missouri when a young man, from there going to Taylor county, Iowa, where he spent his last years. He was a man of strong patriotism, and during the Civil war served in the Federal Army. His wife was a Virginian by birth, the descend- ant of an old southern family.

Born and brought up in the northwestern part of Missouri, P. J. Wisdom began life as a farmer in Iowa. On the breaking out of the Civil war he enlisted in the Twenty-ninth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and as a soldier rendered his country much service. He subsequently settled near Blockton, Iowa, where for a number of years he was employed in mercantile pursuits. In April, 1904, he came with his family to San Diego county, locating in the Escondido valley, where lie was for two years actively and successfully

engaged in the culture of fruit, having a well- cultivated ranch of twenty acres. This he has since sold and is now senior member of the firm of Wisdom & Co. He is a Republican, a mem- ber of the Grand Army of the Republic, a prom- inent Mason, having attained the Knights Temp- lar degree in Iowa. He was postmaster of Blockton, Iowa, from 1872 to 1884, and from 1888 to 1892. He married Thankful Jane Carter, who was born in Taylor county, Iowa, a daugh- ter of Col. John D. Carter, formerly of Indiana, who served as an officer in the Civil war, com- manding a regiment, and is now a resident of Iowa. Mrs. Wisdom died in 1881, leaving four children, one son and three daughters, Guy W. being the oldest child.

Obtaining the elements of his education in the public schools of Blockton, Guy W. Wisdom sub- sequently attended Parson's College, at Fairfield, Iowa, for two years, after which he completed a business course in the Capital City Commercial College, in Des Moines, Iowa. After his gradu- ation from the latter institution he was in busi- ness with his father in Blockton as a general merchant until 1901, when he sold out, removing to Portland, Ore., where he remained two years. Coming to Southern California in 1903, he was a resident of Los Angeles until July, 1904, when he located in Escondido. Three months later, on the first of October, 1904, he purchased his present store building, which he has enlarged and remodeled, it being now 25x92 feet, and has since established an extensive and remunerative general mercantile business, his stock of goods being one of the most varied and complete to be found in this section of the county, embracing everything demanded by the trade.

In Oskaloosa, Iowa, Mr. Wisdom married Mittie A. Nelson, who was born in Wayne county, Iowa, and they are the parents of three children, namely: Gail L., Eva Marie, and Alta Marguerite. Mr. Wisdom taeks an active in- terest in the welfare of his adopted city, being very public-spirited and doing his full share towards advancing its material and business pros- perity. He is a member of the Chamber of Com- merce and of the school board of the Escondido High School District. Politically he is a sound Republican, and religiously he belongs to the Baptist Church, and is assistant superintendent of the Sunday-school.

WINFIELD SCOTT KEEN. Among the prosperous and enterprising citizens of Whittier, Los Angeles county, especial mention may be made of Winfield Scott Keen, who is carrying on a successful business in teaming and grading. and is an important factor in advancing the in- dustrial interests of the community. A son of

Torre Lapeyre_

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the late George Washington Keen, he was born, November 12, 1863, in Baltimore, Md., being lineally descended from an early colonial family of that state. His grandfather, Edward Keen, a life-long resident of Maryland, was a success- ful farmer and fruit grower.

A native of Maryland, George W. Keen was there reared and educated. Becoming a farmer from choice, he was first employed as a tiller of the soil near the home of his youth, remaining there until about 1872, when he removed with his family to lowa. Buying land in Marshall county, he continued in his free and independent occupation the remainder of his life. In Balti- more, Md., he married Eliza Smardon, who was born in England, and died in Iowa.

But nine years of age when he accompanied his parents to Iowa, Winfield Scott Keen com- pleted his early education in the public schools. While on the home farm he was well trained in the various branches of agriculture. Following in the footsteps of his honored ancestors, he en- gaged in farming for himself as soon as he be- came of age, owning a good ranch of fifty acres in Marshall county. In 1897 he came with his family to the Pacific coast, arriving in Whittier December 9. After ranching for two years he changed his occupation, and has since that time been actively engaged in teaming and grading, having established a large and profitable business. He has seventeen teams, and a complete grading outfit, one of the best in this vicinity, and keeps several men constantly employed. Industrious, thrifty, and a man of sterling character, he is highly respected, and occupies an assured posi- tion among the valued citizens of his adopted town.

While a resident of Iowa, Mr. Keen married Nellie Willets, a native of Iowa, and they have now six children living, two sons and four daugh- ters, namely: Walter S., Blanch C., Maria E., George Willets, Mary E. and Dorothy May ; all at home. Politically Mr. Keen is a stanch sup- porter of the principles promulgated by the Re- publican party, and fraternally he belongs to Whittier Lodge No. 315, I. O. O. F.

PIERRE LAPEYRE. A large landholder, and one of the most active and prosperous farm- ers of Ventura county, Pierre Lapeyre is meet- ing with excellent success in his labors, accumu- lating wealth and distinction. A man of pleas- ing address, cultured and talented, his geniality invites acquaintance, while his intelligence and kindly manners inspire respect and friendship. He was born March 9, 1862, in sunny France, where he received excellent educational advantages. His father spent his entire life in France, and his widowed mother, whose maiden name was Mary

Minvielle, still resides in that country. He has two brothers in the United States, one of whom lives with him in California.

On leaving school, Pierre Lapeyre began work- ing on a farın, and while there became somewhat acquainted with the science of agriculture. Just before becoming of age he immigrated to the United States, landing in New York City. Stay- ing but a short time in the east, he came to Southern California, and for ten years resided in Los Angeles. Locating in Ventura county in 1890, he was at first engaged in sheep raising. In 1891 he bought his present home ranch, near Moorpark, and has since been employed in gen- eral farming. His ranch, which he purchased from the Simi Land and Water Company, con- tains six hundred and sixty-five acres of land, a large part of which he uses for pasturage, de- voting two hundred and fifty acres to grain. In the management of his place he uses sound judgment and wisdom, his land being well im- proved and productive, bringing him in a hand- some annual income. Not affiliated with any po- litical organization, Mr. Lapeyre has the cour- age of his convictions, voting independently for the men and measures that are most likely to advance the interests of town and county.

LEBBEUS SCOFIELD. Several genera- tions of the Scofield family have been identified with lumbering interests. Some have owned tracts of timber and have rafted the same down rivers to sawmills; and others have been con- nected only with the sale of lumber, having no connection with its manufacture. Many years ago a farmer of Dutchess county, N. Y., bear- ing the name of Lebbeus Scofield, operated a sawmill at Fishkill and manufactured lumber for the local needs. A son of this pioneer miller, Jerome, followed the lumber business all through a very active life and was still interested in the industry at the time of his death, which occurred at Clinton, Iowa, at seventy-eight years of age. Surviving him, at the old Clinton home- stead, is his wife, now eighty-nine years of age, and who bore the maiden name of Ann Van Voorhis, being of Mohawk Dutch lineage.

In the family of Jerome and Ann Scofield there were two sons, James T. and Lebbens, both of whom were soldiers in the Civil war. Leb- beus enlisted at Clinton, Iowa, August 15, 1862, and served as sergeant in Company K, Twenty- sixth Iowa Infantry until the end of the war. In the memorable march of General Sherman to the sea he bore a brave part, and later it was his privilege to participate in the Grand Review at Washington. Though he was with his company in almost the entire number of battles in which his regiment participated, he was never wounded,

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nor did he fall a prisoner in the enemy's hands. The other son, James, was a member of the Brooklyn Zonaves, Fourteenth New York In- fantry, known as the Henry Ward Beecher Regi- ment ; less fortunate than his brother, he re- ceived severe wounds while serving in the battle of Gettysburg.

A native of Dutchess county, N. Y., born September 2, 1838, Libbeus Scofield received his primary and common-school education princi- pally in Brooklyn, N. Y. At sixteen years of age he went to Buffalo, where also he attended school. After two years he moved to Clinton, Iowa, and learned the carpenter's trade, from which later he drifted into the lumber business. From his father he inherited a sawmill at Du- buque, Iowa, and logging interests above La- Crosse, Wis. The timber was cut from the for- ests and then the logs were rafted down the Mississippi river to Dubuque and Clinton, where they were converted into lumber, and finally shipped to the markets of the west. About 1870 Mr. Scofield disposed of his interest in the busi- ness and moved to Crawford county, in western Iowa, where he leased a tract of three hundred and twenty acres. Later he became postmaster of Westside, a village in Crawford county, where he held office for two years under Presi- dent Cleveland. There he also bought and op- erated eighty acres of land.

On resigning as postmaster . Mr. Scofield came to California in 1887 and settled in the Santa Maria valley, where he carried on a hotel for some eight months. Next he worked at his trade in San Diego. During April of 1888 he came to Los Angeles and secured a position as manager of the yards of the Ganahl Lumber Company, later being in charge of the lumber yard of A. H. Carey. For ten years he was superintendent of the Los Angeles Lumber Company. On resigning from their em- ploy he became connected with the San Pedro Lumber Company in San Pedro, later was transferred by the company to Compton, and in December, 1901, he came to Whittier as the company's manager at this point, where he still remains in charge of their business. While living in Iowa he married Alice Santee, who was born in Pennsylvania, and by whom he has four children, Jerome, Helen, Harold and Florence. In fraternal relations he is connected with the Masonic Order and the Grand Army of the Re- public.

S. D. RYNEARSON. Not infrequently those who have passed years of busy activity in the sterner climates of the north and east, after gain- ing competencies as the result of their wise judg- ment, seek the genial sunshine of the Pacific

coast and in our equable climate establish a home for the twilight years of existence. Such is the experience of Mr. Rynearson, formerly an exten- sive stock-raiser in Iowa, more recently a busi- ness man of Nebraska, and now a resident of San Diego, whither he came in the fall of 1895 for the purpose of enjoying, in the midst of at- tractive climatic surroundings, the leisure so amply earned by previous years of application and endeavor.

Descended from a colonial family originally from Holland, Mr. Rynearson was born in Ohio near the city of Cincinnati, and was the third son of Jacob and Phoebe (Sharp) Rynearson. The paternal grandfather, John Rynearson, and also the maternal grandfather removed from New Jersey to Ohio in a very early day and engaged in the development of farm land in the then frontier. Jacob Rynearson was born after the re- moval of the family to Ohio and in 1834 he re- moved to Illinois, where he spent a year in Pe- oria county and then bought land near Farming- ton, Fulton county. On the farm he there im- proved, he remained until his death in 1846 .. His wife was born in New Jersey and died in Illinois. They were the parents of four sons and two daughters, of whom two sons and one daughter survive. One of the surviving sons is S. D., who was born Januery 16, 1827, and at the age of seven years accompanied his parents to Illinois, where he had such advantages as the subscrip- tion schools afforded.

Upon starting out for himself at the age of twenty-two years Mr. Rynearson went to Lee county, Iowa, and settled thirty miles north of Keokuk. The country was new, settlers few and improvements almost wholly wanting. In the transformation of the primeval region into a finely improved farming country he bore his share and reaped the reward which comes with the increased value of land. During 1870 he re- moved to Red Oak, Iowa, where altogether he improved about thirteen hundred acres of land and conducted an extensive business in the buy- ing. feeding and shipping of cattle and hogs. Often many carloads of stock were shipped to the markets from his farm at the same time. In common with other stock-raisers he experienced reverses and successes, gaining large profits when the fluctuations of the market brought high prices for stock, and on the other hand suffering losses when a depression occurred in prices. In 1888 he disposed of his stock interests in Iowa and removed to Nebraska, where he engaged in business at South Omaha and also bought farm lands in Saunders county. From Nebraska he came to California in the fall of 1895 and settled at San Diego, where he now owns a comfortable residence with pleasant surroundings. While he has been interested in local enterprises in every

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place where he has resided, yet he has never been prominent in politics nor has he sought the offi- cial positions which a man of his ability might command. Both in religion and in politics he has maintained independent views and has not allied himself with any organization.

The marriage of Mr. Rynearson took place in Lee county, Iowa, September 25, 1855, and united him with Miss Rebecca Townsend, who was born near Richmond, Ind., being the only surviving member of the family of Jonathan and Mary (Long) Townsend, natives respectively of Ohio and South Carolina. Her paternal grand- father, John Townsend, was a member of a Quaker family and in an early day went from Pennsylvania to Ohio; her maternal grandfather, John Long, who also was a member of the So- ciety of Friends, became a pioneer farmer of In- diana. The former was a soldier in the Revolu- tionary war. At an early age Jonathan Town- send began to assist in the task of transforming raw land into fertile farms, and at different times he helped to clear three farms in Indiana. In that state he was married, but some years later he removed to Iowa, where he continued to make his home until death. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Rynearson consists of two daughters, both of whom have left the parental home for homes of their own. The elder, Cora, was graduated from the University of Iowa with the degree of B. S., and was valedictorian of her class; later she became the wife of Prof. C. M. Wirick and now resides in Chicago. The younger daughter, Minnie, the widow of Dr. F. L. Breed, is at home.

NICHOLAS HERKELRATH. A well- known citizen, Mr. Nicholas Herkelrath is liv- ing in San Bernardino retired from active busi- ness life and enjoying the fruits of his labors. He is a native of Germany, his birth having oc- curred in Bavaria, February 5, 1838, the son of John and Anna Baum Herkelrath. His father was a baker by trade and emigrated to America in 1848. He landed at New Orleans from there making his way up the river to Belleville, St. Clair county, Ill., where he remained for sev- eral years. From there he went to Peru, and La Salle county, but remained only a short time when he decided to go still further west and lo- cated in Nicollet county, Minn., near St. Peter on the Minnesota river.

Nicholas Herkelrath commenced his business career by clerking in a general store in Minne- sota, after which he went to Chicago and en- gaged in the railway business. After several years employed in this capacity Mr. Herkelrath decided to change his location and occupation and removed to Ortonville, Minn., engaging in gen-

eral merchandising for six years, after which he sold out his business and went to St. Peter, Minn. In 1893 Mr. Herkelrath came to Cali- fornia to spend the winter and was so well pleased with the climate and conditions that it became a practice with him to come to this state when the cold weather set in at his northern home. In 1898 he became a permanent resident of California, making his home in San Bernar- dino, where his residence is on South E street. In politics he is independent.

MRS. COLLISTO WILLARD SCOTT, of the firm of C. WV. Scott & Co., of Ocean Park, Cal., is a native daughter of the state, being a daughter of Alexander Hamilton Willard, Jr., a pioneer of 1849, and Mary A. (Wake- field) Willard, his wife. Alexander Hamilton Willard, Jr., was one of the sons of Alexander Hamilton Willard, Sr., and his wife, Eleanor (McDonald) Willard, the elder man being one of the Lewis and Clark men of 1804. (See his- tory of that expedition.) His name will be found on the roster and in the original rec- ords of that expedition on file at the Smith- sonian Institute, and in other historical works. He was one of the nine picked men who left St. Louis with Lewis and Clark, selected for his fine physique and known courage and hardihood. After returning from the expedi- tion he married Eleanor McDonald, of Ken- tucky, and born of this union were five daughters and seven sons. He was actively engaged in the Indian war of 1811 with Te- cumseh and was selected by General Clark to carry his despatches from St. Louis to Prairie du Chien, which he did with many hairbreadth escapes and much suffering. He, with four of his sons (George, Austin, Royland and Ham- ilton, Jr.), fought in the Black Hawk war. In 1852 he again crossed the plains, this time to California, with other members of his own family, where he joined his son, Hamilton, Jr .. and other members of the same family who had emigrated to the Sacramento valley in 1849 and had acquired part of a large Span- ish grant on Cache creek, near Sacramento. He was born in New Hampshire in 1778 and died in 1868, and is buried in Georgetown, near Sacramento, Cal. He had one brother by the name of Joel Willard, who remained in New Hampshire ; and two sisters who married men by the name of Willard. He was a de- scendant of the two Harvard presidents, Sam- 11el and Joseph Willard, who were descended from Simon Willard, one of the founders of Concord, Mass., in 1634, and whose ancestry has been traced for eight hundred years on English soil. The late Frances Willard, the

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

noted temperance reformer, is a descendant of the same family.

Alexander Hamilton Willard, Jr., was born in Missouri in 1812, and died in California in 1870. He married Mary A. Wakefield, a daughter of Judge John A. Wakefield, and to them fourteen children were born, most of whom grew to maturity in California. Judge John A. Wakefield was born in South Caro- lina in 1795, his mother being a member of the celebrated Barnwell family. When seven years of age his parents removed to Ken- tucky, and he there attained manhood, and during the war of 1812 served as a member of the battalion of mounted rangers, and also served through the Black Hawk war, attain- ing the rank of major. In later life he wrote a history of the Black Hawk war which has always been standard. He came of Revolu- tionary stock, his father and several uncles being members of Mariona's "Immortal Band." He was also a pioneer in the states of Illinois, Minnesota and Kansas, having served several terms in Illinois legislature, being a fellow member of Stephen A. Doug- las, between whom a warm friendship exist- ed. Judge Wakefield entered the legal pro- fession when a young man and acquired a noteworthy success in this line, being a schol- ar as well as a good financier, having accumu- lated a large fortune in lands and stock. He also wrote several books and from Judge Wakefield's library in Galena, Ill., Abraham Lincoln received his first instruction toward an education, and in the home of the judge found a trusted and valued friend. Judge Wakefield married Eliza Thompson, with whom lie lived a long life and reared a large family. He was distinguished for his energy of character and high sense of personal honor, and was one of the men who helped to make the history of this country.

G. W. NEULS. Although he has been a per- manent resident of San Bernardino county, but little more than a year, G. W. Neuls succeeded in establishing himself in one of the extensive lum- ber dealing and manufacturing enterprises in that section of the county, being a director and former- ly secretary and general manager of the San Ber- nardino Lumber & Box Company.

G. W. Neuls was born November II, 1857, at Scranton, Pa., where he received his education in the public schools, and early went to work as a mechanic for the Dickson Manufacturing com- pany, under direction of his uncle, Mr. Dupree. He remained at this employment for three years, then became manager of a furniture factory, after which he accepted a position in the brush handle

factory of Holgate Brothers & Co., at Daleville. In 1881 he went to Mexico to install machinery for a large manufacturing plant, and after that work was completed came to California, locating at San Francisco for a short period, later accept- ing a position with L. Shover, a lumber merchant of San Rafael. In 1885 he returned to Pennsyl- vania, intending to spend six months with the Holgate firm, which had removed to Kane, Pa. He became general manager of the factory, and in 1889, when the firm was incorporated as Hol- gate Brothers Company, Mr. Neuls was made vice-president and general manager. He set about to develop the business into one of much more importance than it had been and succeeded in building up the capacity of the factory from an enterprise demanding the labor of twenty-five men to one which employed two hundred hands. He invented many machines to be used in the manufacture of brush handles and ultimately the factory became the largest in the world in that line, manufacturing one thousand seven hundred different varieties of brush handles, handling eighty-five per cent of the trade in the United States and securing large export orders. Mr. Neuls had been carrying the whole responsibility of the business and detail work at the factory when realizing that his duties were undermining his health he resigned the position.

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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 58

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