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 72

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 72

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).

1625

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

in the business to his partner, W. P. Wilson, since which time he has had no business inter- ests except the buying and selling of real es- tate.

While living in New York Mr. Mosher was united in marriage, March 20, 1867, with Miss Katherine Ormiston, a native of that state. Three children were born to their union, and the heavi- est bereavement of the married lives came in the loss of the two eldest. The son, William L., died in 1877, when a boy of ten years, and Anna M. died in 1884, at the age of eleven years. The younger daughter, Katherine A., was spared to bless their home with her cheerful presence. The family are identified with the Presbyterian Church, with which Mr. Mosher has been con- nected as an active member since attaining the age of sixteen years. When the Grand Army of the Republic came into existence he affiliated with the post at Gouverneur, N. Y., and is now associated with the Long Beach Post. Frater- nally he was made a Master Mason in March, 1869, and three months later took the chapter degree, at this writing being connected with Long Beach Lodge No. 327, F. & A. M. (of which he is secretary), Long Beach Chapter No. 84. R. A. M., and Long Beach Commandery No. 40, K. T. He is also secretary of the Masonic Temple Association. In politics he supports Re- publican principles. For years he has been a firm believer in temperance work and by his influ- ence has done much to bring to the attention of public-spirited citizens the evils wrought by the liquor traffic.

EDGAR R. REEL. Conspicuous in the pres- ent generation of the active and enterprising citizens of Long Beach is Edgar R. Reel, a young man of mark and of recognized worth, his busi- ness ability being unquestioned and his charac- ter above reproach. A son of James B. Reel. he was born, February 26, 1879, in Maryland, where the first two years of his life were spent.

A native of Maryland, James B. Reel lived there until 1881, when he migrated with his family to Page county, Iowa, where he followed general farming for a few years. In 1887 he came to the Pacific coast, locating first in Pasa- dena, from there going subsequently to Los An- geles, where he lived retired from active busi- ness. He married Josephine B. Reel, who was also born and reared in Maryland ..

Beginning his school life in Page county, Iowa, Edgar B. Reel completed his studies in the pub- lic schools of Pasadena, Cal. At the age of sixteen years he began to be self-supporting, as a farm laborer working in Hynes for ten years. Industrious, ambitious and thirfty, he saved his money, and in 1902 established himself in his

present business in Long Beach, becoming pro- prietor of the Crown dairy, and as a dairy and butter commissioner has an extensive and prof- itable trade throughout Southern California, the products of his dairy being widely and favorably known.

In 1903 Mr. Reel married Bessie A. Anderson who was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and came with the family to the United States in 1895. Her father, John Anderson, a farmer by occupa- tion, lived for nearly eleven years on a ranch in Hynes, Los Angeles county, but is now a resi- dent of Long Beach, being retired from active pursuits. He married Janet Alston, who is the mother of four living children. Mr. and Mrs. Reel have one child, Dorothy Reel. Politically Mr. Reel is a stanch Republican. He has met with excellent success in business, and has built for himself and family a nice home at No. 645 Pacific avenue.

EDWIN L. BARNARD. Occupying a posi- tion of prominence among the foremost agricult- urists of Southern California is Edwin L. Bar- nard, of Ocean Park, who, as head of the firm of Barnard & Oreb, is one of the founders and proprietors of the Santa Monica pepper ranch, the largest ranch of the kind in the United States. Progressive, practical and enterprising, he uses excellent judgment in his operations, and never allows anything to escape his observation which may improve his methods of farming or ad- vance his business opportunities. A son of A. D. Barnard, he was born in Corvallis, Ore., Novem- ber 23, 1862, coming from substantial New Eng- land stock.

Born and reared in Maine, A. D. Barnard came as a young man to California, journeying by the Panama route, and for a time was suc- cessfully employed in mining. Going thence to Corvallis, Ore., he remained there several years. carrying on an extensive and remunerative trade as a merchant. Returning to California in 1868, he located in Ventura, where he was prosper- ously engaged in the lumber and real-estate busi- ness until his death, at the age of sixty-four years. in 1895. Left an orphan when a boy, he made his own way in the world, carving out his own fortune. He was a Republican in politics, and as a man and a citizen was honored and re- spected by all. He married Sarah E. Lehman, a native of Ohio, who now resides in Ventura. Cal., at the age of sixty-six years.

But six years of age when he came with his parents from Oregon to California, Edwin L. Barnard was educated in Ventura, attending the public schools and the commercial college. Re- maining at home until attaining his majority, he assisted his father on the ranch and later began

1626

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

farming on his own account in Ventura, his father giving him financial assistance, and in that county made quite a success of raising chili peppers. In 1901, forming a partnership with Frank Oreb, of whom a brief sketch may be found elsewhere in this volume, he came down to Los Angeles county, locating not far from Santa Monica, where he purchased the ranch now owned by himself and Mr. Oreb, with whom he had previously been associated in Ventura county. Here these gentlemen are carrying on a substantial business, raising lima beans and chili peppers, making a specialty of the latter indus- try. They have every convenience for success- fully carrying on their work, having erected dryers, and having all other modern appliances. Their land is rich and fertile, and being well improved and well cultivated is worth, at a con- servative estimate, $1,000 per acre, making their ranch of one hundred and eighty-five acres one of the most valuable estates in this part of the state.

In February, 1890, Mr. Barnard married Hat- tie Mandeville, a native of Chico, Cal., and they have one child, Austin Mandeville Barnard. Po- litically Mr. Barnard is a Republican, and re- ligiously he was reared in the Presbyterian faith, but is not a member of any church. He resides in Ocean Park.

CHARLES A. FREEMAN. Very early in the history of American colonization the Free- man family became established in New England and several successive generations lived and died in that region. John, Jr., son of John Freeman, Sr., was a native of Maine and spent his entire active life as a farmer in that state, where he passed away at the age of four score years. In- terested in public matters and political affairs, he was a local leader of the Whigs and accom- plished much in the interests of his party in the home neighborhood. In early manhood he mar- ried Sarah Doe, who was born and reared in Maine and died there at the age of eighty-four years. The genealogy of the Doe family is traced to Scotland, whence Mrs. Freeman's grandfather migrated to the new world. Little is known of his history, but the family records state that he was a man six feet and eight inches tall, a giant in stature, and physically well pro- portioned.

On the home farm in Kennebec county, Me., Charles A. Freeman was born August 10, 1841, being a son of Jolin and Sarah (Doe) Freeman. After having completed common-school and sem- inary studies he gave his help to his father, whom he aided in paying for the homestead and in securing a competency. Then, starting out for himself with $200 of borrowed money, he went to Montana, where he worked in the mines for

several years. On his return to Maine he be- came interested in dealing in horses and in cul- tivating the home farm, but after seven years he again came to the western regions, this time settling in Washington. For four years he en- gaged in freighting from The Dalles, Ore., to what is now Ellensburg, and in that work he utilized six horses which he owned. At the ex- piration of four years he gave up the business and in 1880 came to California, hoping that a change of climate might prove of benefit to his wife's health. Settling in Santa Monica, he car- ried on a lumber yard for two years, and then engaged in the transfer business for twenty years, meeting with fair success in the enterprise. In 1901, his health preventing further continu- ance in business, he removed to a ranch for which in 1881 he had paid about $35 an acre, and which is now valued at $500 per acre. This property comprises fifty acres and is situated near Palms, Los Angeles county.

The marriage of Mr. Freeman took place Oc- tober 18, 1864, and united him with Laura B. Bean, who was born in Maine and received her education in the schools of that state. The chil- dren born of their union are as follows: John W., who is employed in Brooklyn, N. Y .; Annie and Frederick, who died respectively at nineteen and twenty years; Elliott, who died aged eight months; Edward, who owns the transfer busi- ness at Santa Monica established by his father ; Margaret, Mrs. C. Olsen, a resident of Santa Monica ; Marian, wife of Thomas Peterson, of Santa Monica : William V. and Dwight, both of whom are living in Santa Mo- nica ; and Frank, who resides with his pa- rents near Palms. In addition to the home place Mr. Freeman owns a residence and sev- eral unimproved lots in Santa Monica. While living in Maine. he was initiated into the blue lodge of Masonry at Vassalboro, Kennebec county, but has not been active in the order since coming to the Pacific coast. In politics he has been a warm adherent of the Republican party, which he supports with his ballot and his influ- ence.

THOMAS F. McLOUGHLIN. Prominent among the younger generation of agriculturists in Ventura county is Thomas F. McLoughlin, who had wisely chosen to follow the occupation to which he was reared, and is now actively and prosperously employed in general farming. The representative of one of the old and respected pioneer families of the El Cajon valley, he is also distinguished as a native-born son of California, his birth having occurred, December 9, 1873, in Ventura county, on the ranch owned by his father, Mark McLoughlin. Further parental and an-

P FSchanel

1629

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

cestral history may be found elsewhere in this volume, on connection with the sketch of Mark McLoughlin.

Thomas F. McLoughlin received excellent ed- ucational advantages when young, attending first the public schools of his native county, after which he entered the commercial department of St. Vincent's College, at Los Angeles, where he was graduated in 1892. Returning home, he has since devoted his time and attention to general ranching, and has proved himself a master of his calling, being skilful, practical and progres- sive, in every way capable of managing his busi- ness affairs.

November 8, 1899, Mr McLoughlin married Anna Leidel, a daughter of Michael Leidel, and they have four children, namely : Mark, Margaret, Frances and Anna. Politically Mr. McLoughlin is a democrat, and religiously he and his wife are members of the Catholic Church at Oxnard.

Michael Leidel and his wife, Monica (Miller) I.eidel, were born, reared and married in Ger- many. Immigrating to the United States, they settled first in Iowa, from there coming, to Los Angeles county in 1883. Taking up land near Palms, Mr. Leidel has since been prosperously employed in cultivating the soil, and is now liv- ing on the ranch which he improved, being now seventy-eight years old. His wife died on the home farm, December 17, 1905, aged sixty-seven years. She was a faithful member of the Catholic Church, to which Mr. Leidel also belongs, and towards the support of which he contributes generously.

PETER F. SCHANIEL. As a member of the board of public works and as president of the Master Carpenters' Association, Mr. Schan- iel for years has been intimately associated with the material development of his home city of San Diego and through his able service in both capacities, as well as through his skill as a car- penter and builder, he has been of the greatest assistance to the building interests of the place. His residence in San Diego he dates from Octo- ber 7, 1887, and during much of the intervening period he has engaged in taking contracts for the erection of private residences and buildings of a public nature for commercial, religious and other purposes. For three years he engaged in business with Thomas Jobbitt as a partner and after they had dissolved their connection he and his brother. Nicholas, formed the firm of Schan- iel Brothers, still engaged in the building busi-

ness. Among their contracts may be mentioned those for the San Diego Congregational Church, the Keating and Cole blocks, the Los Banos baths, and a large number of residences.

The Schaniel family originated in Germany, whence Peter Schaniel, Sr., immigrated to the

United States at the age of eighteen years and settled in Wisconsin. Later he engaged in farm- ing in Effingham county, Ill., and from there re- moved to Champaign and thence to Decatur, same state, but in 1888 he removed to California to spend his last days in the mild climate and attractive surroundings of the coast. While still making his home in Illinois, in 1878 his wife died at Decatur, she was a native of Germany and bore the maiden name of Annie Willcome. Ten children were born of their union and seven survive them, namely: Mary, living in San Diego; Anna, who remains in Illinois; Susie, of San Diego; Charles, who makes his home at Trinidad, Colo., and Theresa and Peter F., and Nicholas, all residents of San Diego.

While the family were living at Eden, Fond du Lac county, Wis., Peter F. Schaniel was born December 4, 1855, and from there he ac- companied his parents to Illinois at the age of eight years, settling in Effingham county. The following year he went with the family to Cham- paign, Ill., and there completed the studies of the grammar schools. When he was sixteen he removed to Decatur and there served an appren- ticeship to the carpenter's trade, which he fol- lowed in that town as a journeyman. A trip to Florida in 1881 gave him an opportunity to fol- low his trade in the south, but in 1882 he re- turned to Decatur and resumed his trade in that city, remaining there until he removed to Cali- fornia during the fall of 1887. In the spring of the following year he formed a partnership with Thomas Jobbitt in contracting and three years later, on dissolving that connection, he became interested in the building business with his younger brother. He has built a number of houses for himself and has sold them as oppor- tunity offered, and now owns and occupies the property at No. 2358 Columbia street. With his brother in 1901 he became interested in the Im- perial country, where he owns three hundred and twenty acres of land. While he manages the build- ing business his brother manages the ranch, mak- ing his home there and superintending its im- provement.

Under appointment by Mayor Sehon in the fall of 1905 Mr. Schaniel became a member of the board of public works and has since rendered efficient service in that position. In national poli- tics he votes with the Democratic party. On the organization of the Master Carpenters' Associa- tion he became a charter member and during the greater part of the time since then he has held the office of president. Fraternally he holds mem- bership with the Sons of Herman and the Wood- men of the World, and is a member of the board of managers of the latter order in San Diego, be- sides which he is an honorary member of the Women of Woodcraft.

1630

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

FRANK OREB. In no country are greater opportunities afforded the poor man than in our own free land, where many a foreign-born citizen of industry, frugality and enterprise has accumu- lated wealth and attained a position of influence and affluence in the community in which he set- tles permanently. Prominent among this number is Frank Oreb, one of the owners of the noted Santa Monica pepper ranch, and a partner of Edwin L. Barnard, whose sketch appears on an- other page of this work. Coming to this country poor in pocket, but rich in ambitions, he has made diligent use of his faculties, and is rapidly mak- ing his way to the top of the ladder of attain- ments. A native of Europe, he was born, Att- gust 31, 1841, in Austria, where he grew to man- hood, married, and lived for many years.

Immigrating with his family to the United States, Mr. Oreb settled in Ventura, Cal., on June 20, 1891, and for some time thereafter ran a lodging house and a restaurant in that city. Having acquired a good knowledge of agri- culture in his native land, he subsequently formed a partnership with E. L. Barnard, and in Ventura county began the business of raising chili peppers. Succeeding beyond their expecta- tions in their venture, Messrs. Barnard & Oreb purchased their present ranch of one hundred and eighty-five acres, lying near Santa Monica, and have since continued their profitable busi- ness. Their ranch is the largest of the kind in the United States, and with its many improve- ments of value is yielding large crops of chili peppers, and also of lima beans.

January 7, 1878, Mr. Oreb married Antonia Marcovich, also an Austrian by birth and breed- ing, and they are the parents of three children. namely: Frank, of Los Angeles; and Peter and Antonio, of San Francisco. Politically Mr. Oreb is a Republican, and religiously he is a Catholic.

FREDERICK E. SCHUEDDIG. The family represented by this well-known manufacturer and leading citizen of Los Angeles county comes of German ancestry, and he himself is of Prus- sian birth, born February 19, 1849. His father, Frederick, a native of the same country, and a confectioner by trade, served for twelve years in the Prussian army and during a part of that time he filled the office of orderly sergeant. Ac- companied by his family, in 1851 he came to the United States and settled in St. Louis, Mo .. where he followed the confectioner's business. Immediately after the outbreak of the Civil war he assisted in organizing the Fourth Missouri Volunteers and was chosen captain of Company C. with which he served until the expiration of his time, three months. Later he enlisted in the Sixteenth Illinois Cavalry and was chosen first

lieutenant of Company I, with which he served through the period of his service. Exposure while in the army injured his vision and eventu- ally caused the loss of his sight. The blind old soldier is passing his last days in East Los An- geles, and is now (1906) eighty-eight years of age. For a time after the war he worked in the quatermaster's department at Oak Hall under the government employ, but the work proved too trying for his eyes and he was obliged to re- sign. In 1880 he came to California and since has made Los Angeles his home. Fond of mili- tary affairs, he enjoys in his old age recounting the experiences of the past, when in the United States army and also when serving in the army of his native land.

The earliest recollections of the gentleman whose name introduces this sketch are associated with St. Louis, for he was only two years of age when the family located in that city. He well remembers the excitement occasioned by the out- break of the Civil war and recalls the fact that his father was one of the "Black Hunters," who contributed their own arms, ammunition and clothing, and wore uniforms distinguished by a skull and cross-bones as an emblem and with hats adorned with waving ostrich plumes. Later the lad worked in the United States arsenal in St. Louis, where he was the first to operate the bullet gauge invented by a Mr. Ingalls. After completing his education in the Jones Commer- cial College of St. Louis he went to Franklin county, Mo., with the home guards and for sev- eral months engaged in helping to guard the railroad bridges, his associates in the work being men who were either too old or too young to enlist in the army. Emulating the example of his father in business as well as in military af- fairs, he began to learn the trade of a confec- tioner with one of the leading firms of that line in St. Louis. The owner was a personal friend of the youth and not only taught him the busi- ness and helped him in acquiring his first knowl- edge of chemistry, but also encouraged him to endeavor to develop his talents. However, on account of trouble with his eves he could not follow the trade and later he took up frescoing and paper-hanging in his home city.

Coming to Los Angeles in 1882, Mr. Schued- dig followed his trade until 1893, when he be- came deeply interested in the eucalyptus oil. After special and long-continued study he pro- duced a' quality of oil that has never been sur- passed, and this he manufactured in Los An- geles until I901, when he removed to Palms and built a new plant for the manufacture of the product. The sales of the oil have extended all over the country as far north as Canada. as far south as New Orleans, and as far east as New York, and even to Europe, and without doubt

1631

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

the business will have a steadily increasing de- velopment, both in our own land and in foreign countries. As an authority of eucalyptus trees and oil, Mr. Schueddig has been called upon frequently to prepare articles for magazines and to lecture before chemical and medical associa- tions. When he first embarked in the business, it was necessary for him to plan all of the ma- chinery to be used, for no one was able to tell him how the machinery should be constructed and he was obliged to depend upon his own ingenuity and talents.

As is generally known, there are many adul- terated oils on the market and some of these have no medicinal value whatever. Often Mr. Schueddig has been approached with solicitations to adulterate his oil, the claim being made that sales would be much larger if the oil were cheaper, but he has insisted upon manufacturing pure oil only, and has no difficulty in disposing of the same, although obliged to ask higher prices than the oils are sold for which contain adul- terations of alcohol, turpentine, petroleum, etc. The oil has many uses. In cases of burns, cuts and bruises, it heals immediately. As an anti- septic some claim that it is superior to carbolic acid. Externally it is applied for chronic skin affections. It has even been known to be suc- cessfully used in cases of tapeworm. Many other diseases yield readily to treatment with the pure, unadulterated oil, hence in the development of the oil industry and in his rigid enforcement of his decision regarding the manufacture of pure oil only, Mr. Schueddig has been a benefactor to the human race. In order to keep up the source of supply he is making every effort to in- duce holders of acreage to plant the trees.

The marriage of Mr. Schueddig took place April 25, 1872, and united him with Miss Bar- bara Zepp, who was born in St. Louis, Mo. Her father, Philip Zepp, came from Bavaria to the United States in 1830 and engaged in gardening and dairying on the present site of Concordia College in St. Louis, later serving in the Civil war as a private in a company of artillery. The two sons of Mr. and Mrs. Schueddig are Fred- erick L. and William H., the former of whom is employed as chemist with the Los Angeles Ice and Cold Storage Company. The sons inherit a love for military affairs and during the war with Spain they enlisted in the Seventh Regiment, but after they had been stationed for some time in San Francisco, it developed that no more troops would be needed in the Philippines, so they were honorably discharged without seeing active service. In politics Mr. Schueddig is a Republican and votes that ticket in national elec- tions, but in local affairs considers the man rather than the party. Fraternally he is identi- fied with the Maccabees and the Independent

Order of Odd Fellows, and has been an office- holder in the latter lodge.

When it is considered that Mr. Schueddig lost his mother when he was only nine years of age and that he started out for himself when little more than eleven years old, credit is due him for the success he has gained and the high standing he has achieved. Self-educated and self-disci- plined, he was prepared for success in life by the development of those self-reliant traits which make toward a man's highest achievements, and the fact that he now stands as a recognized au- thority in his chosen occupation proves that the active years of his life have been busily and worthily passed.

HERMAN C. SCHMIDT, LL. B. A man of fine education and thorough business methods is Herman C. Schmidt, who is engaged in a mer- cantile business at Hemet, Cal. He was born December 5, 1873, in New Ulm, Minn., the son of Carl M. and Sophie (Pankow) Schmidt, both of whom were natives of Mecklenburg, Ger- many, the father's birth having occurred in 1835. Following the calling of his ancestors for many generations back, he was a flour-miller by trade, having a mill in Strelitz. He immigrated to America in 1857, when a young man, and settled at New Ulm, Minn., following his trade, and later building a mill of his own in New Ulm, installing both burr and roller machinery. The full roller process was ultimately adopted, how- ever, and having formed a partnership with a brother and two other men, business was con- ducted under the name of the Empire Roller Mill Company, Mr. Schmidt being the manager until the time of his death in 1887. The plant had a capacity of but fifty barrels daily when first established, but grew to be a mill of two hundred and fifty barrels capacity. In those early days when the Schmidt family first became residents of New Ulm the country was infested with Indians and they were in the famous Sioux Indian massacre which occurred in 1862. The town was besieged for several days and the set- tlers who were barricaded in the brick buildings fought off the savages until assistance arrived from Mankato and St. Peter, one-half of the town having been burned before help arrived. Mr. Schmidt served in a militia company under Capt. John Belm, which pursued the Indians until they were captured. Mrs. Schmidt resides at Hemet with her son Herman C., who is the only one of her family now living.

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 72

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