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 77

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 77

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Mr. Smith's marriage, March 14, 1866, united him with Miss Elizabeth W. Wood, the ceremony being performed in Worcester, Mass. The Wood family is one whose history can be traced to the early settlement of New England, the immigrant of the family, Thomas Wood, leaving his native England in 1654, at the age of twenty, and establishing the family in Massachusetts. Great-grandfather Dexter

Wood was a native of Uxbridge, Mass., and from there enlisted his services in the Revolu- tionary war. His son Samuel was also born in Uxbridge, and throughout his active years carried on farming in that vicinity ; his wife, before her marriage, was Rachel Albee. Among the children born to Samuel and Ra- chel Wood was Amos Wood, he too being a native of Uxbridge, where he followed the builder's trade throughout his active years. His marriage to Miss Rozetta Storrs united two old colonial families, and Mrs. Smith's maternal great-grandfather, Major Joseph Storrs, fought valiantly in the Revolutionary war. He also donated one hundred and ten acres to Dartmouth College, in Hanover, N. H. Mrs. Smith's maternal grandfather, Rev. William Storrs, a native of Connecticut, was a graduate of Dartmouth College, receiving his diploma in 1788. As a minister in the Con- gregational denomination he served as pastor of the congregation at Westford, Conn., for about thirty years and for a time was also chaplain in the Revolutionary war. His wife was formerly Abigail Hovey. Two children were born to the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis N. Smith. The son, William Lewis Smith, who is a graduate of Worcester Poly- technic Institute, is now assistant city en- gineer in Worcester; and the daughter, Mary E., died in infancy.

CHESTER B. LOOMIS. When a man with mechanical talents secures not only a thorough general education, but all of the scientific train- ing available at the best engineering schools in the United States, he is in a position to make rapid strides in his profession when he pursues it on practical lines. Chester B. Loomis, who is superintending engineer of the Abbot Kinney Company at Venice, Cal., was born at Three Riv- ers, Mich., a son of Elisha and Lucy (Brown) Loomis, the former a native of New York and the latter of Ohio. The father went to Ypsilanti when a young man and studied under some of the best railroad engineers, and followed that oc- cupation for many years. Later he became a merchant in Ypsilanti, where he and his wife are now living.

The preliminary education of Chester B. Loomis was received in the Ypsilanti public schools and after completing his work there he entered the engineering department of the Uni- versity of Michigan, graduating with the degree of B. S. As he had previously had some years of practical work in engineering lines he made rapid strides in his profession after his gradua- tion from college. His first position was with

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the Western Electric Company of Chicago, then he became a draughtsman and made estimates for the Brooks Locomotive Works at Dunkirk, N. Y., after which he went to Sparrows Point, Md., being employed as erecting engineer and assist- ant chief engineer for the Maryland Steel Com- pany. Following this he accepted the position as chief engineer for the Rockhill Furnace Com- pany at Rockhill Furnace, Pa. Resigning from this place Mr. Loomis came to San Francisco and became draughtsman and estimate man at the Union Iron Works of that city. His first posi- tion in Los Angeles was with the Edison Elec- tric Company, which place he continued to oc- cupy as their engineer until he became superin- tending engineer for the Short Line Beach Com- pany. After finishing their construction work he accepted his present position.

Mr. Loomis is a thoroughly educated man and an expert engineer, and in all of his business un- dertakings he has met with remarkable success. His devotion to his work does not prevent him from taking an active interest in matters of pub- lic import and he is recognized as a public spirit- ed citizen, who is ready to lend a hand in every progressive enterprise. His marriage to Miss B. L. Burck, a native of Texas, occurred in Los Angeles.

HOWARD L. SEYMOUR. The planing mill industry of Southern California has had in Mr. Seymour one of its most enterprising ad- vocates, his thorough knowledge of the business and his splendid mechanical ability having mate- rially augmented his success in this line. With his brother, J. E., he is located in Redlands and under the firm name of Seymour Brothers is conducting an extensive enterprise, which in its employment of men and its output of product has proven one of the upbuilding factors of the city and surrounding country. A native of Oneonta, Otsego county, N. Y., he was born January 26, 1849, being a son of Elias Chidsey and Lucy (Loveland) Seymour, both natives of Delaware county, same state. The father was born in February, 1815, and in young manhood learned the trade of cabinet maker. In 1852 he removed to Pennsylvania, following a similar enterprise, and finally locating in Bradford coun- ty, in the town of Troy, he combined with it the work of undertaker and also established a planing mill. He is now a resident of Athens, Pa., being in his ninety-second year. His wife died in Pennsylvania some years since. They had six children, namely: J. E., who served in the First New York Veteran Cavalry during the Civil war, and is now engaged with his brother in Redlands ; Frances N., Mrs. Mettler, of Wash- ington ; E. C., who served in the Civil war and is

now located in Highland, Cal .; H. L., of this review; Lucy, Mrs. Newman of Athens, Pa .; and Josephine, Mrs. Baker, of Canton, Pa.

Howard L. Seymour was reared in Bradford county, Pa., from three years of age, and edu- cated in its common schools and the Troy Acad- emy. He learned the trade of cabinet maker and the planing mill business, working as en- gineer from young manhood, having been in the shops from the age of fourteen years. He re- mained with his father until he was twenty-six, when he went to Elmira, N. Y., spent five years there and then came to Southern California and in San Bernardino valley engaged in the plan- ing mill business for Lenville & Son, and J. J. Whitney, and also established an independent en- terprise under the firm name of Pratt & Sey- mour. Upon the founding of Redlands he estab- lished the first planing mill in partnership with Al Pratt, the firm being Pratt & Seymour. They engaged in the manufacture of lumber for six months when Mr. Pratt purchased the entire interest, and six months later Mr. Seymour established another enterprise in partnership with his brother. J. E. Seymour. The latter was born in Bainbridge, N. Y., and in that place learned the trade of cabinet maker. His work was in- terrupted by the call to arms in 1861, when he enlisted as a musician in the Twenty-seventh Regiment New York Infantry, and served in the Civil war until the mustering out of all musicians. In 1863 he served in the Twenty- sixth Pennsylvania Emergency Regiment ; in the fall of that year he entered the First New York Veteran Cavalry as quartermaster sergeant, and was located in the Shenandoah valley until the close of the war. He received a wound at Wood- stock, Va., but was not long from the field. After returning to civic life he engaged in the milling business in the east until 1887, when he came to California, locating first in San Ber- nardino and a year later in Redlands, where he has since been engaged with his brother in the planing mill business. His marriage occurred in Canton, Pa., and united him with Miss Martha Newman, who was born in the Wyoming val- ley, Pa., and they have two children, Carl, of Redlands, and Emma, wife of F. Cryor, of Los Angeles.

The Seymour Brothers built the second plan- ing mill in Redlands in 1888, it being then a very small affair about 16x20 feet in dimensions, and since that time they have enlarged the enterprise, putting up a building 80x100 feet, two stories in height, and fully equipped with all modern methods-electric and steam power, etc.,-the greater part of the wooden machinery being their own inventions. They have carried on the greater part of the business of the city for many

John D. Stone

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years and are named among the strongest up- building factors of the industries of the section. Mr. Seymour was married in Elmira, New York, to Miss Olive Merrill, a native of Rockford, Ill., and they became the parents of the following children : Sylva, Mrs. Everett, of San Bernar- dino; Nellie, Mrs. Rulin, of San Pedro; Grace, Mrs. Kinzel, of East San Pedro; Olive, Mrs. Rulin, of Kansas City, Mo .; Etta, Ruby, Pearl and Byron at home. Their home is in San Bernardino. Mrs. Seymour is a member of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, and their sup- port is liberally given to its charities. In politics Mr. Seymour is a stanch advocate of the princi- ples embraced in the platform of the Demo- cratic party.

JOHN D. STONE. Southern lineage reach- ing back to the early settlement of our country is represented in the genealogy of the Stone family, whose members were intimately asso- ciated with the development of Kentucky during the nineteenth century. Coleman D. Stone, who was born and reared in the Blue Grass state, be- came an early settler of Missouri, moving there at a period when land was cheap, settlers few and the surroundings those of the frontier. Aft- er establishing his home in the midst of such environments he met and married Louise Keithly, a native of that state, and they contin- ued to reside there during the remainder of their lives. Her death occurred in 1878, at the age of sixty and two years later he passed away at the age of seventy-four. While they were living in Monroe county, Mo., their son, John D., was born in 1841, and in that section of the state he passed the years of youth. The first experience he had of the world outside of his home locality was gained by the journey across the plains to California in 1863, when he traveled via team and wagon with a party of emigrants, bringing four hundred head of mules and fifty head of horses.

After a tedious but uneventful journey of six- ty-one days the party landed at Sacramento in June of 1863, and soon afterward Mr. Stone se- cured employment as a farm hand. During the same year he went to Nevada and began to op- erate a stage line, which he continued for six vears, and then worked in the quartz mills on the Carson river. Returning to Missouri in 1869, he visited old friends for a time, and then spent a few years in the Indian Territory and Texas. It was not until 1882 that he returned to California, at which time he settled in San Diego, being led to come hither in the hope that the equable climate might prove beneficial to his failing health. Not only was this hope gratified in the realization of restored health, but in addi-

tion he has prosperously engaged in ranch pur- suits and has acquired a fine ranch of four hun- dred and one acres near Mesa Grande. Almost ever since coming to this locality he has officiated as school trustee and his services have been help- ful in the development of a satisfactory free- school system.

After his return from California to his old Missouri home Mr. Stone married Miss Lucy H. Leach, who was born and educated in Mis- souri and with whom he had been acquainted prior to his first trip to the west. It was in 1870 that they established a home of their own and twelve years later they became residents of California, buying the ranch they now occupy. They are the parents of four children, namely : Carrie Belle, wife of Cleason Ambler, who re- sides in Mesa Grande; James H., also living in Mesa Grande; Imogene, a student in the San Diego Normal School; and Arthur G., the youngest of the family, who is yet at home with his parents on the ranch and assists in the su- pervision and care of the place. Habits of close observation, wide travels and much reading have given Mr. Stone a broad fund of information upon all subjects of general importance and he has formed decided opinions upon questions per- taining to the general welfare, being politically an adherent of the Socialistic party and a firm believer in the doctrines of socialism.

SHASTA AUGUSTUS TRIPP. A ro- mantic interest centers about the name and fortunes of the Tripp family of Riverside county, for it was on the ranch owned by a member of the family that the scene for the famous novel of Helen Hunt Jackson was laid, the goats mentioned in the story belonging to the subject of this review, whose father fig- ured as Judge Wells in the book. The name was established in Southern California at an early date in the history of the state, the father of the present generation, S. V. Tripp, having located here in 1860 and ever afterward proved himself an important factor in the upbuilding and development of this section of the coun- try. For full particulars concerning his life refer to his biography, which appears on an- other page of this volume.

Shasta Augustus Tripp, the subject of this review. was born in the city of Los Angeles, December 22, 1857; the family fortunes being located in San Bernardino county three years later, his education was received in the com- mon schools of that place. In young man- hood he was apprenticed to learn the trade of blacksmith, and this occupation. combined with bricklaying (which he learned with his

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father), has continued his principal employ- ment up to the present time. He has been successful in his work and has built up a repu- tation for excellence in his line, both in River- side and San Diego counties, having spent considerable time in the latter section. His home is now located in San Jacinto and is pre- sided over by his wife, formerly Miss Viola Covington ; they are the parents of eight chil- dren, namely : May Etna, who married W. E. Simpson and has one son, Joseph Augustus; William C. and Charles H., twins; Lillie, Maude, Effie, Jesse H. and Frederick J. Mr. Tripp is held in high esteem for the qualities of manhood which have been demonstrated throughout his long residence in this section, appreciated for his helpful characteristics in both private and public life, for he is a citizen who may always be depended upon to support the best interests of the community, state or nation.

CHESTER G. ARNOLD. One of the most successful young men in the Santa Clara valley is Chester G. Arnold, of Ventura county, who farms his father's ranch of four hundred acres, which is one of the best and most highly improved properties in the state. He was born September 29, 1881, on the place where he now lives, the son of Mathew H. Arnold, a native of Illinois, whose parents, Cutler and Emily (Hough) Arnold, came to California in 1852 by the Panama route. They ranched in the northern part of the state for sixteen years before settling in Ventura county. The father of Chester G. bought this ranch in 1868 and now lives on a farm near Ventura. He is sixty-three years old, has led an active life, taking an interest in all matters of public interest, and at one time served on the board of supervisors of Ventura county. The mother, who was Eliza Jane Perkins before her marriage, is a native of Maine and is also living.

Of the four children in the family, Chester G. Arnold is next to the oldest. He received a pre- liminary education in the public schools of Ven- tura county, then graduated from the Ventura Business College, after which he completed a course in the Woodbury Business College of Los Angeles. When his education was finished in 1901 he returned to his home and took charge of the ranch which he now conducts. His crops are principally beets, beans and alfalfa. He is interested in the raising of fine stock and has on the place some fine hogs of the Poland-China and Berkshire breeds, while his standard-bred horses, especially the G. W. Mckinney and Silver Coin colts, are his pride, for he is a great ad- mirer and good judge of horse flesh. The ranch has on it a splendid twelve-inch flowing well, and

is provided with all kinds of necessary buildings and other modern improvements.

Mr. Arnold is a Republican politically, and fraternally he affiliates with the Modern Wood- men of America and Royal Neighbor lodges of Hueneme. His marriage to Miss Daisy Emma Korts, a native of Hueneme, occurred at Ocean View. As a liberal and enterprising citizen he takes a leading interest in all public matters of social and economic interest and is now doing his share in developing this section of the state.

CHARLES ENGEBRETSON. During the period of his residence in San Diego Mr. Engebretson has shared the city's experiences of mingled adversity and prosperity, for not only has his builder's trade proved more prof- itable in times of local prosperity, but in addi- tion his real estate investments have brought him more satisfactory returns. When he came to San Diego in the fall of 1886 he found con- ditions favorable for a carpenter, hence de- cided to remain and work at his chosen occu- pation. With his earnings he made invest- ments in property, but when the financial de- pression depreciated land values throughout all of Southern California he found himself $1,000 in debt with the passing of the boom. Since then, however, he has not only repaid all that he owed, but also has accumu- lated a competency through unwearied appli- cation to his business affairs.

Near the rock-bound shores of Norway, where Bohus bay juts into the mainland, lies the village of Skien, and there for years a carpenter, Engebret, and his wife, Karen Jen- sen, made their home and reared their family. Of their eight children three sons and four daughters are now living, and the youngest of these, Charles, who was born at Skien, April 21, 1864, is the only one who settled in Cali- fornia. When he was yet a small boy he learned every detail of carpentering under his father's oversight and at sixteen he began to work for wages, soon gaining a local reputa- tion for skilled work and devotion to duty. On coming to the United States in 1883 he secured employment in Chicago and remained there for three years. . but in the spring of 1886 came to the Pacific coast to establish his home. After six months in San Francisco he settled in San Diego, where he has since en- gaged at his trade. With the exception of three weeks during 1889, when he prospected with little luck in Lower California, he has continued uninterruptedly at carpentering and contracting, having taken up the latter work in 1892. In addition he draws plans for build- ings, when so desired. Among his contracts

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may be mentioned those for the Sefton block, Fox & Heller block, Williams building, Coro- nado pavilion, the residences of Mrs. Garrett- son, Rev. Mr. Mills, Messrs. Hawley, Herbert, Nason, Carroll, Heffelman, etc., besides a num- ber of the buildings at Fort Rosecrans. At various times he has built ten houses on his own lots and seven of these he still owns, in- cluding his family residence at No. 1120 Twenty-first street.

The first marriage of Mr. Engebretson took place in Chicago and united him with Miss Dora Gundersen, who was born in Christian- sand, in the southern part of Norway, and died at San Diego, leaving three children, Es- ther, Francis and Paul. In San Diego, De- cember 6, 1894, occurred the marriage of Mr. Engebretson and Miss Ida Carlson, who was born in Smaland, Sweden. Two children bless this union, Ralph and Carl. The father of WIrs. Engebretson is Carl Carlson, a railroad inspector, who with his wife still survives, as do all of their seven children. One of the sons, Axel, resides in New York, while two of the family, Mrs. Engebretson and Gustav Carlson, are making San Diego their home. The family are identified with the Lutheran Church and interested in its progress.

After coming to San Diego Mr. Engebret- son was initiated into the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and further has been actively connected with the Woodmen of the World, in addition to being a charter member of the Scandinavian Society, of which he now acts as treasurer. The San Diego Chamber of Commerce numbers him among its members. On the organization of the Master Carpenters' Association he becanie one of its charter mem- bers and now is serving upon its board of directors. Loyal to his adopted country, a voter in the Republican party, a contributor to local enterprises as his ability permits, so- licitous for the development of his home town and county, he represents that class of for- eign-born residents who have added so mate- rially to the progress and present standing of California and have proved their progressive spirit by their practical management of af- fairs.

CHARLES P. LITTLEPAGE. Occupy- ing a picturesque location on a mountain in San Diego county and affording a splendid view of the surrounding country, the ranch home of Mr. Littlepage possesses unusual at- tractions by reason of its unique environment. The property has been in the possession of the family for a long term of years, their pat- ent coming to them from the government.

At the time it was acquired by its present owner the homestead comprised only one hun- dred and twenty acres, but he has added to the original tract from time to time until now his possessions aggregate seven hundred and sixty acres. Owing to the mountainous character of the farm it is well adapted to stock-raising, and the owner's specialty is the raising of grade cattle and the carrying on of a dairy business with about twenty cows in the dairy.

The Littlepage family is of Virginian ex- traction, and William W. Littlepage left the Old Dominion to seek a home in the then frontier regions of Missouri, later going soutlı to Texas and eventually crossing the desert and mountains to California. While making his home in Blanco county, Tex., a son, Charles P., was born February 4, 1864, and at the time of coming west this son was only four years of age ; hence his early recollections cluster around the county of San Diego, where the family were pioncer ranchers in Ballena district. One of his childhood's recollections is that of the building of a house of hewed logs in 1870, and he recalls how the logs were hewed by the older members of the family and then hauled by ox-teams to the site of the home. The building was constructed in a substantial manner and its roof is as good to-day as when put on nearly thirty-seven years ago. For some years the house has been used for the colonies of bees kept by the owner.

When a boy Charles P. Littlepage was sent to the Ballena school and acquired a knowl- edge of the "three R's," but at the age of four- teen years he was obliged to stop school and take up the serious responsibilities of life. This step was rendered necessary on account of an accident to his father, who had fallen from a scaffold and broken a leg. The fourteen-year-old son was given charge of the farm in order to meet the emergency, and bravely he set himself about the task, which he discharged with devotion, energy and wise judgment. At the age of nineteen years he bought out his father and acquired the prop- erty, which forms the nucleus of his present possessions. While working with arduous and unflagging zeal in the care of his place he has neglected none of his duties of citizen- ship, but on the other hand he has proved himself to be public-spirited, prompt to aid all worthy movements, interested in enter- prises for the benefit of the community, and ardent in his devotion to the Democratic party, in whose faith he was reared from child- hood. Educational matters command his ready sympathy and generous aid, and since 1897 he has rendered efficient service as a

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member of the board of school trustees of his district.

The marriage of Mr. Littlepage was sol- emnized January 20, 1887, and united him with Mary Blanche Bergman. Though a native of California, Mrs. Littlepage is of German par- entage, her father, Jacob Bergman, having been born in that country. When a small boy he came to the United States and aided the American cause at the time of the Mexican war, serving as a private in the ranks. Later he became one of the pioneer settlers in the American occupancy of California, where at an advanced age he died in Riverside county. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Littlepage con- sists of the following children: Frank E., Ar- thur M., Ethel Blanche, Eli S. and Omar L., all of whom yet remain beneath the home roof.

HERMAN SETH PHILBROOK, farmer and apiarist of Ocean View district, Ventura county, was born in Normal, Ill., January 5, 1869, a son of Ignatius Philbrook. The latter was a native of Ohio, whence he located in McLean county, Ill., and there conducted the Normal shoe store. He came to California in 1878 and settled at Duarte, Los Angeles county, where he set out an orange orchard; four years later he disposed of this interest and in the Big Simi valley en- gaged in bee culture, which occupied his atten- tion for the ensuing ten years. He was next located in Conejo in the management of a hotel, after a period of five years coming to Ventura county and in Ocean View district purchased a farm upon which he made his home for four years. In Mariposa county, engaged as a farmer, he spent his last days, his death occurring in 1903. He is survived by his wife, formerly America Morgan, a native of Indiana, whose home is now in Ventura.

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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 77

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