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 60

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 60

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

Boyd Moore received his education in the public and high schools after which he entered Judson College, at Hendersonville, N. C. Aft- er completing the course he began teaching and continued this occupation for the period of nine vears, being employed in the grammar grades, high schools and subscription schools, in both the Carolinas. He finally gave up his

educational work, and going to Texas en- gaged in ranching for the next five years, when, December 11, 1893, he came to Cali- fornia. On his arrival he took an inventory and found the extent of his worldly posses- sions amounted to $2.40. Nothing daunted he went to work with the determination and will to succeed and found employment on ranches for two years; then rented a ranch in the vicinity of Norwalk, farmed there for about four years, and then purchased his pres- ent property of twenty acres. After batching it for several years he resolved it was not good for man to live alone, so in 1902 he made a visit to his old home and while there married Miss Carrie Batson, a native of that state and the daughter of Ed. E. and Sallie (Lyon) Bat- son, who are still living in North Carolina. Of the family, Mrs. Moore is the only one in California, she having seven brothers and one sister still living in the sunny south. Mrs. Moore obtained her education in the public schools. She is a woman of much ability and excellent qualities, which endear her to a large circle of friends; and she is an active member of the Baptist Church. Mr. Moore by his energy has improved his place until it has become a very valuable farm with eight acres in bearing walnut trees and eleven acres in one and two year old trees. The balance is devoted to a family orchard with substantial improvements, including his residence, out- buildings and a fine well. From his twenty- acre ranch in 1906 he cleared the sum of $1,700, a very large yield considering eleven acres are in young trees. He is also inter- ested in copper and last year invested $2,000 in copper mines that looks very promising. They are the parents of two children, Vera and Thelma. In his fraternal relations Mr. Moore is identified with the Fraternal Broth- erhood, and also carries insurance in the Etna Old Line Company and the Mutual Life of New York. He is a Republican in politics and while in North Carolina worked for his father in the office of county treasurer. In re- ligion he is a member of the Baptist Church and liberally supports its charities.

ORIN PORTER. Mining has occupied much of the attention of Orin Porter, but he is now spending the evening of his days in the pleasant surroundings of Redlands, engaged in horticul- tural pursuits. He was born in Troy, Orleans county, Vt .. November 11, 1838. a son of Charles Porter, the latter was a native of Cale- donia county, Vt., where the grandfather, Eleazer, of English ancestry, came from Con- necticut and followed farming. Charles Porter

1538

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

died when his son was but nine years old, being at that time employed as a grading contractor on the C. P. & S. Railway. His mother, Electa Hand in maidenhood, was a native of Peacham, Vt., and a daughter of Capt. Charles Hand, a farmer at that place and later in Troy, where he died. Mrs. Porter died in Redlands at the age of eighty years, when making her home with her son. She was the mother of four sons and one daughter, of whom three sons are living.

Reared in Vermont on the paternal farm, Orin Porter received his education through the medi- um of the public schools and the Peacham Acad- emy, which he attended for one term. At seven- teen years of age he came to Iowa and made his home with Arad Hitchcock, in Osage, Mitchell county, where he continued for four years. Re- turning to Vermont in 1859 he engaged in farm- ing for three years, also following the blacksmith trade. In 1868 he removed to Idaho, making the trip by rail to Cheyenne, thence by mule teams and on horseback to Boise basin, Idaho, where he prospected and mined for a time, and then en- gaged in teaming. In Nevada he worked at lum- bering where logs were worth $100 a thousand, and then again took up mining and teaming. He returned to Vermont in 1872 and engaged in the blacksmith trade in Troy, going again to Idaho four years later, where he was occupied in min- ing at Rocky Bar, Alturas county, that state, and assisted in opening the following mines: The Governor Bennett, the Golden Eagle, after which he went to Wood river and engaged with his brother, E. H. Porter, and his partner, J. L. Ma- son, in the lead and silver mines, and. there opened the Red Cloud group as the Red Cloud Mining Company. He worked in that section until the spring of 1890 when he sold out for $250,000, and in the same fall came to Califor- nia and was so impressed with the country that he decided to locate here permanently. The fol- lowing winter he accordingly purchased a ten- acre tract on Wabash street, which he set to oranges, and settling here in 1892 he built a res- idence, barns, outbuildings, and made all neces- sary improvements. Since that time he has added to his original purchase a twenty-acre tract on Wabash, ten acres of which being in oranges, and he also has a ten-acre grove on the Williams tract, thirty acres in bearing.

In Idaho Mr. Porter was united in marriage with Mrs. Sarah (Rogers) Gregory, a native of Vermont, and they have one child, Ora. Mrs. Porter is a member of the Congregational Church. Fraternally Mr. Porter was made a Mason in Troy Lodge No. 16, A. F. & A. M., and now belongs to Haley Lodge No. 16 in Idaho. Politically he is a stanch Republican. He is interested in the East Redlands Water Com- pany and is serving as a director, and is also act-

ing in the same capacity in the Redlands Orange Producers' Association. He is one of the promi- nent citizens of the town, and is accounted one upon whom public honor may safely rest, every movement looking toward the general welfare being liberally and enthusiastically supported by his efforts.

JAMES BROWN GLOVER. Among the pioneers of Redlands mention belongs to James Brown Glover, who came to California in 1855 and to this location in 1869, and since that time has given his efforts toward the material up- building and development of this section of Southern California. He was born in Warsaw, Mo., near the farm owned by Thomas H. Ben- ton, June 29, 1842. His father, Milton White, was born in Kentucky, a son of Richard, a farmer who lived and died in that state. Milton White Glover became a minister in the Methodist Epis- copal Church South, was ordained in Kentucky and after his location in Missouri in an early day engaged in the ministry of his church. He attended the St. Louis Conference and was ap- pointed to a circuit six hundred miles in circum- ference. He worked at the builder's trade for a livelihood. In 1850 he crossed the plains to Cali- fornia by means of ox-teams and after his ar- rival engaged in the mines of the state and also preached on Sundays as a local preacher. He returned to Missouri in 1855 via the Isthmus of Panama and in the same year brought his fam- ily to California via Nicaragua. After his re- turn to the state he engaged in mining for a time, and finally in 1858 on the formation of the Pacific Conference of the Methodist Epis- copal Church South he joined it and was sent as a missionary to San Bernardino, where he established the first church of this denomination in the county. After serving for three years he went to Los Angeles and preached in the old courthouse, Mr. Harper, the father of the pres- ent mayor of that city, being one of his principal supporters, and with him and Bishop Keener, Mr. Glover purchased a lot on Spring street between Second and Third streets, where the first church of this denomination was erected in Los Angeles. He was later sent to San Luis Obispo and there he formed a church and erect- ed a building, doing. the work with his own hands. Overwork and exposure caused him to lose his health and he was forced to retire from the ministry, and coming to the home of his son at Highland he made this place his home until his death, which occurred in 1878, at the age of sixty-seven years. His wife was Eliza- beth Osburn, who was born near Mt. Wash- ington, Ky .; her death occurred in Los Angeles at the home of the Rev. William A. Knighten.

1539

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

She was the mother of the following children : James Brown, of this review; Sarah Margaret, Mrs. Carter of San Bernardino; Nancy Maria, wife of Rev. William A. Knighten, of Los An- geles; Jasper, a horticulturist of Redlands ; and Newton, who died at the age of fifteen years.

The oldest in the family of children born to his parents, James Brown Glover was reared in Missouri to the age of thirteen years, when he was brought to California, the journey being made by way of the Nicaragua route, their pas- sage being on the Prometheus to Greytown and thence on the Uncle Sam to San Francisco. Their landing was made in October, 1855, when they went to Drytown, Amador county. In 1858 Mr. Glover was apprenticed to learn the trade of blacksmith and after two years he went to Sonoma county, and there completed his educa- tion in the public schools of the state. He was married in 1863 to Miss Elizabeth A. McGuire, who was born in the vicinity of St. Joseph, Mo., a daughter of Cornelius McGuire, who brought his family to California in 1852 across the plains and in Sonoma county engaged as a farmer. After his marriage Mr. Glover located in the vicinity of Ukiah, Mendocino county, Cal., and there engaged in general farming. Through the glowing reports made by his father of the climate and opportunities of San Bernardino county he came to Southern California in 1869 and entered land on the Bench (now Redlands) and began the improvement of a tract of one hun- dred and sixty acres. Five years later he proved up on the property, but having no water he re- moved to Crafton and leased a fruit farm, which he cultivated for two years. He was next located in Highland and engaged in fruit cult- ure. Returning in 1878 to his original farm he with other settlers who were now located in this district formed the Sunnyside Company and took out a ditch from the Santa Ana river and began irrigation, later forming the Lugonia Water Company which took out a large ditch, rocked and cemented it. This is still in exist- ence and is now a pipe line. He improved his property and in the fall of 1878 set out fifty orange trees and continued to set out oranges until he had twelve acres devoted to this fruit. In 1890 he sold out this property and engaged in a mercantile enterprise in Redlands, locating on Orange and Central avenues, where he con- ducted a grocery business for the period of six years. In the fall of 1896 he was nominated on the Democratic ticket as supervisor of district No. 3, and was elected by a majority of forty- three votes in a district where the Republicans led by a plurality of five hundred and sixty votes. He was re-elected in 1900 with a ma- jority of one hundred and fifty votes, and re- elected in 1904 by seventy-three votes, with his

district going Republican by a plurality of nine hundred and ninety-one votes. He is chairman of the finance committee, and a member of the hospital committee, for the first eight years hav- ing served as chairman of the board of super- visors and ex officio member of the Law Library of San Bernardino county. From the organiza- tion of the city of Redlands in 1888 Mr. Glover served as a member of the Board of Trustees, and officiated as president of the board. He was a member of the Board of school trustees of the Lugonia district for nine years and served as president, during which time the first school building was erected.

Mr. and Mrs. Glover are the parents of the following children: Ida M., wife of Walter Lawry, of Redlands; Virginia Lee, wife of F. A. Armstrong, proprietor of Eden Springs; Ed- win Milton, operator for the Edison Electric Company at Inglewood, Cal .; and Anna Katie, who died at the age of two years. Fraternally Mr. Glover is identified with the Knights of Pythias and is past chief counsellor of Redlands lodge; and the Uniformed Rank of the K. of P. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and has held every office in the church, having served as trustee and Sunday- school superintendent for the past twenty-six years. He served as delegate to the General Conference held at Birmingham, Ala., in 1906, and during his trip east visited his old home in Missouri after an absence of fifty-one years. He is a stanch Democrat politically. As a member of the Board of Trade and an ex-director he has been instrumental in the material prosperity of the city. Mr. Glover has not been too much engrossed with his multifold duties to entirely ignore his mechanical ability, taking time to in- vent various articles, among them the Glover roadoiler, for oiling streets and roads, a patent for which he secured in 1903. This is used in San Bernardino county, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Santa Bar- bara and Orange, and is justly considered one of the most important achievements in the mat- ter of improvements in Southern California.

IVES E. COBB. Perhaps no man in Venice is better informed on its public affairs and the valuation of property than Ives E. Cobb, who has been a resident of the place since its phenom- enal rise upon the business horizon of Southern California. Natural ability enhanced by educa- tion, experience and contact with the world in all its business forms, has given to him a knowl- edge that he has found invaluable in his work in this section of the state, and putting into prac- tice the quick, unerring decision which distin -. guishes the man equal to progress, he has ac-

1540

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

quired both financial success and a wide influ- ence as a capable man of affairs. His name is associated with practically every movement which has for its end the growth and upbuilding of Venice, in whose future he has unbounded faith.

It is not a matter of surprise that Mr. Cobb is endowed with a mentality of unusual caliber, for this has long been a characteristic in his fam- ily, whose members have distinguished them- selves in professional and business life. His father, James T. Cobb, of eastern birth, was edu- cated at Dartmouth College, where he was a brilliant member of an unusually brilliant class, comprising such men as Phillips Brooks, Digby Bell, George W. Emery (afterward governor of Utah), and others of equal prominence and note. Although a man of advanced years he is con- sidered today one of the best Shakespeare scholars in the United States, for his services along this line having been included by Ignatius Donnelly in his Cryptogram. Mr. Cobb is a resi- dent of Salt Lake City, Utah, where he en- gaged as a journalist on two of the leading papers many years ago. Time has not lessened his ardor in the matter of research or literary criticism, and he is still named among the lights of his home city, where he has acquired a wide circle of friends. His wife, formerly Camilla C. Meathe, a native of Dresden, Germany, is also living. She is a daughter of Professor Meathe, a well-known educator of Germany, and in her young womanhood received a most excellent edu- cation, being a clever linguist and able to both speak and write fluently in three languages.

A native of Utah. Ives E. Cobb spent the first years of his life in Salt Lake City, where he received his education through the medium of the public schools. Preferring active business life rather than a professional career, at the age of twenty-one years he accepted an opening in a bank of his native city, being first employed as messenger. Promotion was not long in coming to him and from one position to another he was chosen until he became bank teller. Having in the mean time become interested in mining, he resigned his bank position to enable him to give his entire attention to this other enterprise, and for some time thereafter he engineered important deals in this line of work. In 1900 he came to California and in the southern portion of the state became identified with real estate opera- tions, finally locating in Ocean Park, and thence opening an office in Venice, where he was in- strumental in the organization of the Venice In- vestment Company, of which he became presi- dent. He is also serving at the present writing as president of the Venice Amusement Company, and is thus closely identified with every move- ment for the improvement of the place, stand-

ing close to the master mind that has conceived and with the help of invaluable lieutenants has executed this gigantic plan.

In spite of his engrossing business affairs Mr. Cobb has found time to ally himself with social organizations, being a valued member of the Country Club. Politically a Republican, he sup- ports the men and measures of his party and seeks to advance the best interests of the country ac- cording to the principles he endorses. That he is a loyal citizen has been demonstrated, for at the call of his country during the Spanish- American war he enlisted in Company One, Utah Volunteer Cavalry, in the capacity of sergeant, although to do so he was compelled to resign a lucrative position.

DR. FREDERICK C. SHELDON. On both sides of the house the late Dr. Sheldon of San Diego descended from ancestry prom- inent in the public affairs of New England, the states of Vermont and Massachusetts profiting by their participation in the upbuilding and de- velopment of that section. The only child of his parents, Dr. Sheldon was born September 13, 1860, in Boston: his father, Leonard R. Sheldon, a native of Vermont, was a prominent physician of that city, where his death oc- curred in 1872. His mother was formerly Anne M. Cartwright, of Boston, whose father, Charles W. Cartwright, the representative of an old Quaker family, was a successful bus- iness man in banking and railroad circles and acquired considerable wealth before his death. She died in 1866 in the family home in Boston.

Dr. Sheldon was the recipient of every ad- vantage in youth, besides inheriting the force- ful characteristics of his New England ances- tors being trained in the best schools afforded by his native city. Following his first im- pressions in life he took up the study of med- icine and graduated from a college of physi- cians and surgeons in Burlington, Vt., hav- ing been capable of graduation at the age of nineteen years, but was refused his degree until just three months before attaining his majority. He then took a course in Bellevue Hospital in New York City, from which he also received a degree. Being taken ill with pneumonia he sought a milder climate, and in the fall of 1882 came to San Francisco, whence he went to San Jose and practiced medicine for one year. Pasadena was his next location and there he remained for three years, during which time, in addition to practicing his pro- fession he also established the first drug store of that place. While there, too, he also be- came interested in horticulture, setting out an orchard and also developed several pieces of property. From November, 1885. Dr. Shel-

I & Libby

1543

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

don dated his residence in San Diego, at that time making a visit to the city on the old steamer Orizaba and becoming so favorably impressed with existing conditions he de- cided to make this her permanent home. He at once engaged in the development of the prop- erty which he had purchased on Sixth street, known as the Sheldon Block, and in December of the following year beginning the erection of the magnificent residence at the corner of Eleventh and D streets, which is now the home of his widow and children. This was com- pleted in March, 1887, and became their home at that time, and on the 14th of June of the same year the death of Dr. Sheldon occurred. The illness which caused his death-typhoid pneumonia-was contracted through exposures during a trip to the vicinity of Ensenada in the gold excitement of the previous May, dur- ing this experience enduring many hardships and privations.

To the energy and progressive spirit of Dr. Sheldon is due much of the development of San Diego, for although he was a resident but a brief time he gave every effort toward the upbuilding of the section in which he had de- cided to make his home. In the year of his death he completed the fine Sheldon block at the corner of Sixth and F streets and had made many other improvements on property which he owned. Among other holdings he owned five hundred acres of musselbeds upon which Ocean Beach now stands. Since his death his business undertakings have been ably carried on by his wife, who was before marriage Em- ma Bancroft. She was born in Vermont, a daughter of George Bancroft, a farmer and lumberman, whose death occurred in Febru- ary, 1888, in San Diego, as did that of his wife in 1896, she being Caroline Sheldon be- fore marriage, and a native of Vermont. The Bancrofts were members of the same family which gave to the world the famous historian. Mrs. Sheldon was the only child in her parents' family, and in her girlhood received every ad- vantage, being a graduate of the high school at St. Albans, Vt. She is the mother of two children, George Bancroft, who is preparing himself for the medical profession ; and Anna Cartwright. Since her husband's death Mrs. Sheldon has improved her property with hand- some flat buildings and bungalows, and she also built the Richelieu, a rooming house, which she has since sold. She is a member of the Congregational Church and is active in its development in every possible way, but being particularly interested in missionary work. Dr. Sheldon was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and gave his support liberally to all its charities. In poli-

tics he was a stanch adherent of the principles advocated in the platform of the Republican party and fraternally was a Master Mason. The name of Sheldon is justly accorded a place among the upbuilders of San Diego, honored remembrance being given to Dr. Sheldon for his participation in public enterprises and a place of prominence is accorded Mrs. Sheldon for her active work of to-day.

CHARLES S. LIBBY. Prominent among the ambitious, energetic and progressive agri- culturists of San Diego county is Charles S. Libby, one of the largest landholders of San Luis Rey, and one of its most extensive stock-raisers and dealers. He has been an important factor in developing and promoting the farming inter- ests of this part of the county, and is numbered among its most enterprising and public-spirited citizens. Coming from substantial New England stock, he was born November 27, 1857, in Good- hue county, Minn., a son of Jacob Libby.

Jacob Libby was born in Lebanon, Me., Feb- ruary 24, 1825, and died in San Luis Rey Febru- ary 22, 1902. Following the occupation in which he was reared he carried on farming and for many years was successfully engaged in his chosen occupation in Minnesota. In 1887 he came to San Diego county, locating in San Luis Rey, where he purchased a ranch of four hun- dred and sixty-five acres, on which he resided until his death. He married Rebecca Bliss, a native of Maine, and of the five children born of their union two died in infancy, and three grew to years of maturity. He was a man of sterling character, and both he and his wife were valued members of the Baptist Church.

Having acquired a practical education in the district schools of Goodhue county, Minn., Charles S. Libby went to Iowa, settling there as a farmer. Removing from there to Gage county, Neb., in 1880, he remained there three years, in the spring of 1883 locating in Platte county, where, having purchased four hundred and forty acres of land, he was successfully engaged in general farming and stock-raising for ten years. In March, 1893, he came to San Diego county, locating first in San Luis Rey, and buying a half interest in a ranch lying two and one-half miles from the village. Going then to Bernardo, he was employed in gen- eral ranching for five years. Returning to San Luis Rey he subsequently bought his present large ranch of one thousand acres, and in its care and management has met with eminent success. He carries on general farming and stock-raising on an extensive scale, paying especial attention to the breeding and raising of horses and cattle. A man of keen foresight and excellent judgment he has accumulated a large share of this world's

1544

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

goods, and in addition to his realty in San Luis Rey owns valuable residence property at Ocean- side.

Mr. Libby's first marriage was solemnized in Nebraska in 1884, uniting him with Susan E. Lat- termire, who died October 20, 1900, leaving four children, namely: Edna May, wife of C. G. Borden, of Carlsbad, San Diego county; Victor S .; Clarence M .; and Gladys L. In February, 1902, Mr. Libby married May Watson. Politi- cally he was formerly identified with the Repub- lican party but is now an ardent Prohibitionist. Fraternally he is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, with which he united when twenty-nine years of age. Religiously he and his wife belong to the Christian Church.

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

A history of California and an extended history of its southern coast counties, also containing biographies of well-known citizens of the past and present, Volume II, Part 60

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