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 78

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

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Of the eight children born to his parents, four sons and three daughters now surviving, Her- man Seth Philbrook was the sixth in order of birth. From the age of nine years he was reared in California, obtaining his education through an attendance of the public schools of the state. In Simi he secured his first knowledge of bee culture and since his location, in Ocean View district, Ventura county, about fifteen years ago, he has combined that work with general ranching pursuits. He owns a productive ranch five miles east of Hueneme, consisting of one hundred and fifty-seven acres devoted to the raising of beets, barley and alfalfa, stock, and has two hundred stands of bees in Bee cañon, at the foot of the old long grade on the Conejo road. He has met with gratifying success in all his operations and is accounted one of the most progressive citizens

of this section of Ventura county. In spite of his engrossing personal interests he has still found time to ally himself with fraternal and social orders, being a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, of Hueneme, while politi- cally he adheres to the principles advocated in the platform of the Republican party. Mr. Phil- brook is best appreciated where best known, for he is both a man of ability and integrity, and stands high among the citizens of this section of Ventura county.

EUGENE THEODORE ARNOLD. . One of the most interesting men of this state is Eugene Theodore Arnold, of Ventura county, whose life has been spent amid the stirring scenes of west- ern life since the early fifties. He was born April 3, 1848, in DeKalb county, Ill., and when a child of five years was brought by his mother via Panama to Marysville, Cal., where his father was then located, he having crossed the plains in 1849. The father engaged in various enter- prises the first few years of his residence in this state, including mining, storekeeping and in con- ducting pack trains between Laporte and Good- year Bar. Later he went to Contra Costa county, located eight miles from Martinez, and engaged in farming for a time, after which he removed to Sacramento and became proprietor of the Old Eagle hotel. From there he went to Marysville, where he had a pack train, later going to Rabbit creek to conduct a hotel and store. In 1857 he settled in Lassen county, at Susanville, where he erected the third house in that town and en- gaged in merchandising and the hotel business until 1868. He then came to Southern California and located successively near Hueneme, in Santa Barbara county, and then in Ventura county. He became a large land owner, having eleven hundred and sixty acres three miles east of Hueneme, upon which he engaged in grain grow- ing and stock-raising. He had some of the best standard and thoroughbred horses in that sec- tion and owned the fastest trotter in the country at that time. About fifteen years ago he also owned a large ranch in Conejo. Mr. Arnold's mother was Emily Hough in maidenhood, a native of New York; she died in California at the age of seventy-three years. There were eight children in the family, namely : Henry, deceased, formerly postmaster at Hueneme; Leroy, who died at Ocean View; Mathew H., residing near Ventura : Edward F., a merchant in Hueneme ; Emma, the wife of Charles F. Pitcher of Ocean View; George G., a farmer in the San Fernando Valley; Fannie, the wife of Joseph Baxter, of Los Angeles; and Eugene T., the subject of this sketch.

The education of Mr. Arnold was received in

Ihr Stuart

MRS. J. M. STUART

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the public schools at Marysville and Susanville, and during the winter of 1862 he attended Pro- fessor Brighton's college. From 1864 until 1868 he engaged with his father in freighting in Idaho and Nevada, after which he came to what is now Ventura county and became a farmer and stock raiser locating on a farm in Ocean View. In 1878 he removed to Orange county and contin- ued to farm for a time before going to Nevada and engaging in stock ranching. In 1890 he returned to California, locating on a homestead in Los Angeles county near Calabasas, and re- sided there for nine years before he received his patent from the government. He improved it with a residence and other buildings and rents the land for a hay ranch. A natural spring located on the place adds materially to its value.

Mr. Arnold has various property interests, among them being some stock in mines located near Prescott, Ariz. Politically he is a firm be- liever in the principles advocated by the Republi- can party and he served as a juror on the first grand jury held in Southern California. While the place which he calls home is Ventura county he spends the greater part of his time traveling and has seen much of the world. He is a man of pleasing address and makes friends with all with whom he comes in contact, either socially or in a business way.

JOSEPH M. STUART. When reflecting concerning the changes wrought in the aspect of Ventura county since he first identified himself with the ranching interests of this part of Cali- fornia, Mr. Stuart is reminded of the marvelous transformation the years have brought to his locality. It was not until 1884, twenty-two years after he came to the Pacific coast, that he took up a tract of government land in Fairview valley forming his present homestead. His intention was to devote himself to the management of an apiary and with that object in view he brought with him to the new place sixty-four stands of bees, which he has increased to the present num- ber of nearly five hundred stands. The surround- ings were uninviting when he arrived here. The land was covered with brush and to a casual oh- server seemed worthless except for a sheep range, the only purpose to which it had been pre- viously devoted. With only one exception he had no neighbor nearer than the hamlet of Somis, seven miles away, and the nearest school being there his children walked all that distance during the school terms, while all of his water also was hauled from that place. His postoffice town was Santa Paula, twelve miles from his ranch, while he did his trading at Ventura, a distance of twenty-seven miles. Only those familiar with the difficulties attendant upon isolation from

water, schools, mail facilities and stores can realize the hardships of his lot in those pioneer days, yet he and his family worked happily and contentedly, and few complaints were heard from old or young. While many of the early settlers have passed from the scene of their toils, it has been his privilege to survive to witness the development, prosperity and civilization of the twentieth century, and to him together with all of the other pioneers belongs much of the credit for laying the foundation that rendered possible the present fortunate condition.

From the far-away shores of Maine Mr. Stuart came to California ere yet he had attained his majority. Born at Exeter, Penobscot county, that state, September 30, 1844, he was a son of Solomon and Sarah (McOrison) Stuart, also natives of Maine. Both parents were lifelong residents of that state. The father passed away in 1881 at seventy years of age, having long sur- vived his wife, who died in 1855, at the age of fifty-six years. Their son, Joseph M., was only about eleven years of age when death deprived him of a mother's affectionate oversight. After- ward he remained with his father and attended the public schools of Medford, Me., from which place in 1862 he started for California. The journey by the Isthmus of Panama was made without special event and he landed safely at San Francisco in due course of time. From there. he proceeded to Solano county. During 1864-65 he mined at Copperopolis, Calaveras county, and at Eldorado. From 1870 until 1880 he was a resident of Lake county, and during the latter vear removed to Ventura, whence in 1881 he went to Santa Paula, and from there came to his ranch in the Fairview valley during 1884. Shortly after his arrival he set out twenty acres in prunes, thirty acres in olives and thirty acres in apricots, almonds, apples and other fruits. Be- sides making these improvements he erected a neat house and such other buildings as the needs of the place demanded. At this writing he has two hundred and twelve acres in apricots, olives, and blackeye and lima beans, and gives his at- tention to the care of these crops and to the management of his apiary.

A few years after his arrival in California Mr. Stuart established a home of his own. His mar- riage was solemnized in Solano county on Christ- mas Eve of 1866 and united him with Miss Lot- tie V. Campbell, who like himself was born and educated in Maine. They became the parents of six children, namely: William H., who follows the carpenter's trade and makes his home at Nordhoff, Ventura county; Solomon F., also a carpenter by trade, and now living at Buckhorn, Ventura county ; Victor C., who died in 1900, at the age of twenty-five years; Joseph E., who is carrying on a blacksmith's shop at Ventura ; Roy,

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who died at four years of age; and May, who resides on the ranch with her parents and is one of the popular young ladies of the neighborhood. The family hold membership in the Presbyterian Church and contribute to its missionary and char- itable work. While Mr. Stuart has at no time consented to occupy positions of a political na- ture his interest in school work led him to ac- cept the office of trustee of the Fairview school, in which capacity he proved himself to be pro- gressive and intelligent, always alert to pro- mote the interests of the school and the welfare of the pupils.

ALBERT L. PFEILER was born in Oxnard, Cal., January 7, 1877, a son of Louis and Caro- line (Kanfman) Pfeiler, both of whom are still living and make their home on a ranch near Ox- nard. After completing his education in the public schools of Ventura county he took a three-year course in Throop Polytechnic Institute of Pasa- dena, making a specialtyy of cabinet work. He remained at home with his parents until his mar- riage in 1905 to Lydia Fricken, a native of this county, his father at this time starting him in business on the ranch he now occupies. Since making his home on the ranch Mr. Pfeiler has made many improvements to render it adequate for his needs. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Pfeiler, a daughter, to whom they have given the name of Florence. Politically Mr. Pfeiler adheres to the principles of the Republican party, belongs to the Knights of Columbus, and is a communicant of the Catholic Church.

One of the most interesting men the visitor meets at Oxnard is Albert L. Pfeiler, who is farming a hundred acre ranch devoted to the cultivation of beets and beans, and the possessor of one of the most scientific and up-to-date poul- try ranches in the west. The poultry business is conducted in connection with his other affairs and for the pleasure it gives to one who loves poultry and has studied their characteristics and habits so closely as to be able to appreciate to a nicety the fine points of each individual fowl. An intelligent consideration of the good points of the various breeds has convinced Mr. Pfeiler that the Black Orpington is the best all-purpose class of poultry to be found, and on this ranch one finds some of the finest specimens of that variety. It is not as a fancicr alone that he considers poultry, but he recognizes that the commercial capabilities are very important to the poultry grower and the Black Orpington besides being one of the heav- iest in weight of the various breeds ( single birds weighing as high as twelve pounds) is also a very large egg producer. Mr. Pfeiler has brought to his flock some expensive birds purchased in the east and has as near a perfect foundation

stock as it is possible to get and with these birds to work with, is by careful breeding succeeding in creating a strain of egg producers that it will be hard for anyone to beat, as he proposes to get all out of his fowls that it is possible for fowls to produce. His methods are highly scientific and while it would require considerable space to fully explain every detail in regard to the breed- ing of poultry to eliminate from the stock all weak and objectionable points and enhance all strong and desirable ones, some of the more im- portant points will be of interest.

The Black Orpington is an original combina- tion of the Plymouth Rock, Black Langshange and Black Minorcas, inheriting from them qualities of superior merit, unexcelled beauty and a strong constitution which enables them to endure the strain of heavy egg production for which the breed is noted. The one objection which some raise against the Black Orpington is its black pin feathers, but in Mr. Pfeiler's opinion this is really an advantage, for since pin feathers are not easy to see when white there is no excuse for the black ones being found on the properly dressed fowl. As to egg production he believes that in this variety will be ultimately secured the three-hundred-egg per year hen for which poul- try breeders are now striving. And this is what Mr. Pfeiler is working for with his strain, and, by adopting the trapnests and carefully marking each hen and keeping track of her record, he knows that he is advancing toward that mark rapidly, some of his hens having already passed the two hundred mark. In Mr. Pfeiler's estima- tion it does not pay to raise mongrel fowls, for it costs much to keep them and the money value of their production is only about a third as much as that of the pure-bred fowl.

On his twentieth century poultry ranch every convenience is found to facilitate the handling of the mated fowls, and upon this one point of in- telligent selection of hen and cock, and the most careful consideration of the records of the fami- lies from which each springs is hinged the suc- cess of producing a "bred-to-lay" pullet. The painstaking care is sure to bring its reward, how- ever, as Mr. Pfeiler has proven with entire satis- faction to himself and to the admiration of the numberless people who delight to visit his plant and have explained to them the methods em- ploved. for the owner takes just pride in the plant and is always willing to pass on to those who may be interested the valuable information which he has gained in his years of poultry breeding. But heavy egg producing qualities are not the only thing to take into consideration; the show room must not be forgotten, and in requiring of the an- cestors of both male and female birds egg rec- ords, the standard marks must also be in evi- dence. Shape and color are important points

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and also the vigor of the fowl; for the latter rea- son too close inbreeding must be avoided, so the practice of line breeding is adopted. This is a system of inbreeding, but brothers and sisters are never mated, and in mating mother and son the greatest care is taken to have the male bird of strong constitution, for the female bird being bred on her record as an egg producer must re- ceive vigor from the male in her offspring. When the necessity for the introduction of abso- Intely new blood into the flock is apparent it is the best policy to secure male birds from other flocks which are of the same strain.

Like all up-to-date poultry raisers Mr. Pfeiler uses incubators for hatching purposes and the separating and marking of the chicks is in itself no inconsiderable task. Heretofore he has not entered his birds in the show room, for it is his ambition to win blue ribbons with them from the first exhibition he enters, and so he has patiently waited until his flock has been brought up to the very highest standard before entering them in competition. Anyone who has noticed the beauti- ful carriage and color and perfect markings of his Black Orpingtons knows that other exhibit- ors will find them hard to beat. Free alfalfa range is given to the poultry on this ranch, and while every beneficial contrivance in the equip- ment of a modern poultry ranch that could be found on the market has been purchased, Mr. Pfeiler has found it to his advantage to invent his own improvements on many of them and so one observes here many contrivances which no other establishment of a like nature could show. Mr. Pfeiler is an affable gentleman to meet and while he is very apt to "talk chickens" when one is viewing his poultry and plant, he is fully in- formed on all subjects of public interest and fills an important place in the community in which he lives.

JAMES DOUD. In Southern California are many extensive and prosperous agriculturists who bring to their calling rare business skill and excellent judgment. Some of the most progres- sive and enterprising of this class of men may be found in Ventura county, and ranking high among these is James Doud, whose fine and well- cultivated ranch lies near Oxnard. He is a self- made man in the highest sense implied by the term, has ever made the best of his opportunities, keeping his eyes open to what was going on around him in the world, and these qualities, in connection with his natural industry and perse- verance, have been dominant factors in winning for him success in life and placing him among the substantial citizens of this valley. A native of Ireland, he was born March 24, 1873, in Longford, where he spent his boyhood days. His

father, Michael Doud, is still living in Ireland, and there his mother, whose maiden name was Ann Cloyne, spent her entire life, dying in 1878.

When fourteen years of age James Doud im- migrated to the United States, an active, ener- getic boy, full of ambition and enthusiasm. Ar- riving in New York city he made his way straight across the country to Los Angeles, where he subsequently completed his education, attending Woodbury College. Entering then the employ of Donlon Brothers he worked near ()x- nard for a number of seasons. Thrifty and eco- nomical, he accumulated considerable money, and in 1902 purchased his present home ranch and built the residence which he now occupies. He has two hundred acres of good land, and is rais- ing beets and beans on an extensive scale, having one hundred acres of each.

In Oxnard, April 29, 1903, Mr. Doud married Josephine McGrath, a daughter of Dominick Mc- Grath, of whom a brief sketch may be found else- where in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Doud have two bright and interesting little children, Robert and Genevieve. Fraternally Mr. Doud is a mem- ber of the Knights of Columbus, and religiously both he and his wife are members of the Catholic Church.

PETER BURFEINDT. Energetic, industri- ous and persevering, well equipped both mentally and physically, Peter Burfeindt is a fine repre- sentative of the rising young agriculturists of Pleasant valley, being prosperously employed in his chosen vocation near Camarillo. Thrown upon his own resources early in life, he began his battle with the world at the foot of the lad- der of attainments, and by sturdy toil and praiseworthy perseverance has steadily climbed upward, by his own efforts earning an assured position among the successful men of his com- munity. He was born December 18, 1863, in Germany, and in its common schools acquired his early education. His parents, Claus and Catherine (Wiebusch) Burfeindt, were life- long residents of Germany, and there reared a family of thirteen children, of whom Peter, the subject of this sketch, and one daughter, are resi- dents of California.

Becoming familiar with the many branches of general farming in the Fatherland, Peter Bur- feindt made up his mind while yet a lad that his native country afforded but meagre opportuni- ties for a poor man, and that in America only could he rise to a position of affluence and com- fort solely by his own efforts. Having arrived at his conclusion, he left home at the age of sev- enteen years, crossing the Atlantic to New York City, where he was for a short time employed as clerk in a grocery store. Coming from there

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to Los Angeles he was for a number of years associated with the N. W. Stowell Company, working on cement pipe. Receiving good wages, he accumulated money, and in 1896, determin- ing to make a change of occupation, he came to Ventura county, where he has since been actively and profitably employed in ranching. He now operates two hundred and eighty-five acres of leased land, one hundred and twenty acres being planted to beans, one hundred acres to beets and sixty acres to barley. In the management of his farm he has all the requisite machinery and ap- pliances, and keeps busily employed fourteen head of work horses.

In 1888 Mr. Burfeindt married Lena Otte, who was born in Germany, and they have one child, Fritz, four years of age. In politics Mr. Burfeindt earnestly supports the principles of the Republican party, and in religion both he and his good wife are faithful members of the German Lutheran Church.

CHARLES H. JOHNSON. Conspicuous among the industrious and enterprising men who have been active and prominent in devel- oping and advancing the agricultural resources of Ventura county is Charles H. Johnson, of Ox- nard. Purchasing a tract of land that was in its pristine wildness, he has labored persistently and wisely, bring it to a condition of excellent cultivation, and it stands today a monument to his good management and business qualifications. Besides his home ranch of fifty acres he owns fifty acres of land lying one mile southward, which he has acquired by the investment of his surplus capital, and in addition to successfully op- erating these two farms he rents another tract of fifty acres, which he cultivates. A son of the iate Henry B. Johnson, he was born, April 9, 1850, in Onondaga county, N. Y., where the first two years of his life were passed.

About 1852 Henry B. Johnson removed with his family to Wisconsin, locating at Rural, Wau- paca county, where he was a pioneer farmer. Going from there to Minnesota in 1863, he con- tinued there as a farmer for about twenty years, when, in 1883, he came to Ventura county, lo- cating on the ranch now conducted by his son, Charles, and here resided until his death, at the age of sixty-six years, in 1889. He married Harriet H. Walker, who was born eighty years ago, in New York state, and now makes her home with Mr. and Mrs. Johnson.

Educated in the public schools of Wisconsin and Minnesota, Charles H. Johnson early be- came inured to the hardships of pioneer life. his boyhood days being full of incident and danger. In the new townships in which his parents set- tled the families were widely scattered, and the

Indians were plenty and oftentimes troublesome. He assisted his father in improving a ranch from the forest covered land, remaining at home until 1876. Coming then to California, he worked by the month for five years, after which he began farming on rented land. Meeting with encour- aging success in his undertakings, in 1889, he bought the farm which he now owns and occu- pies. It was then a raw, uncultivated tract, with no improvements. He has since brought the land to an excellent state of tillage, erected a substantial house and barn, and as a general rancher is exceedingly prosperous. As time has passed he has bought additional land, and with the fifty acres that he rents is carrying on an extensive business in the raising of lima beans and beets, an industry that is proving quite re- munerative.

November 24, 1881, Mr. Johnson married Minnie Alexander, who was born on California soil, a daughter of the late Thomas Alexander. A native of Ohio, Mr. Alexander was there born in 1819. At an early age he followed the trail of the emigrant westward to Iowa, where he engaged in the pioneer labor of improving a farm. In April, 1853, he came with his family to California, journeying with ox-teams across the dreary plains. Arriving in Nevada county the last of August, he located at Grass Valley, and for some time was engaged in freighting from San Francisco and Sacramento through north- ern California and into Nevada. He subse- quently built a sawmill just north of Nevada City, where he was engaged for a number of years in the manufacture of lumber. Removing to Ventura county in 1870, Mr. Alexander lo- cated north and west of Oxnard, buying land on the Colona grant. Subsequently selling out, he removed to near Compton, Los Angeles county, still later selling his ranch and buying a home in Garvanza, where he resided until his death, at the age of sixty-nine years, in 1888. Mr. Alex- ander married Sarah Shockley, who was born in Ohio, in April, 1824, and is now living in Los Angeles with her youngest daughter. Mrs. Cline. Fifteen children were born of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander, nine of whom grew to years of maturity, and seven are now living, namely : Mary, wife of John Conrad, of the San- ta Clara valley; William L., engaged in the real- estate business at Los Angeles ; Celia I., wife of John H. Thompson, living near San Luis Obis- po; Minnie, wife of Charles Johnson ; Robert, engaged in farming near Downey; Effie, wife of William Rodgers, of Garvanza: and Edna, wife of William Cline, of the Los Angeles Pioneer Carpet works.

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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 78

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