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 79

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 79

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).

Four children were born of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, and of these but two, the oldest child. Charles E., and the youngest, Law-

JAG Schaffen

1677

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

rence, are living. The death of the other two children was a particularly sad incident in the lives of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, who have borne their affliction bravely. It occurred in 1890, while they were crossing the Santa Clara river. The wagon containing Mr. and Mrs. Johnson and their three children was accidentally upset, throwing all of the occupants into the stream. Mr. Johnson succeeded in saving his wife and eldest child, but the two little ones, Archie, two years of age, and Ira, a babe of three months, were drowned. In his political affiliations Mr. Johnson is independent, voting for the best men and measures, and religiously he is a member and a trustee of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which Mrs. Johnson also belongs.

F. A. J. SHAFFER. The real estate interests of Norwalk, Los Angeles county, have in Mr. Shaffer one of their most earnest advocates, whose efforts have been largely instrumental in bringing the notice of people to this section of the county and adding to its material upbuilding and development. He was born in St. Louis, Mo., February 27, 1855, a son of Robert and Elizabeth (Fouts) Shaffer, both natives of Penn- sylvania ; they are now residents of Iowa, aged respectively seventy-four and seventy-three years. The father served in Company H, Eighty-third Regiment Illinois Infantry, then being trans- ferred to Company J, Sixty-first Regiment Illi- nois Infantry, during the Civil war. He is now identified with the Grand Army of the Republic. In religion he is a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, in which he has officiated as stew- ard and class leader. They had six children, all of whom are living, three being located in Iowa, two in Washington and one in California.

F. A. J. Shaffer was taken to Illinois when three months old, living in Fulton and Hancock counties where he received his education through the medium of the common schools. He also took a brief college course, which further fitted him for business life. He began to farm in Illinois after leaving school, and continued there until he was of age, when he went to Iowa, and from there to Kansas, farming in both states, being principally occupied in grain raising in the lat- ter state. He was located for a short time in Nebraska, then after returning to Kansas he went to Oklahoma. A part of this time he had worked as a carpenter and also in excavating. After coming to California November 2, 1902, he worked on ranches for a time, and also conducted the hotel in Norwalk. For the past three years he has been established in his present enterprise, operating in both Norwalk and Artesia, handling city lots and acreage. He has been very success- ful and has accumulated means since coming to

the state, and he has also taken a strong interest in the development of his adopted home.

Mr. Shaffer has traveled extensively and has visited every state in the Union excepting three, namely : Georgia, South Carolina and Florida, and in comparison with all the places that he has seen likes his present location best of all. He is keenly interested in all measures for the pro- motion of the community's welfare. Straightfor- ward in business, he strives to make every trans- action promotive of his customer's good as well as a benefit to the locality. He is active in the Woodmen, admires the principles of that organ- ization. A lover of good horses, he was asso- ciated with the A. H. T. A., a law and order fraternal order, and for one year was organizer, seeing its membership increase from a few indi- viduals to thousands. He takes pride and pleas- ure in telling of the capture and punishing of thieves, and enforcing the law.

In 1876, Mr. Shaffer's first marriage, united him with Miss Mattie Stoneking, daughter of James Stoneking ; in 1881 he married Miss Emma Guss, a native of Illinois. They are the parents of the following children: Charles, Bessie and Willie. Mr. Shaffer is prominently identified with the Woodmen of the World, to which the entire family also belong. He is a Republican politically and through the influence of his party has served as road overseer and school trustee.

SAMUEL NAUMANN. Few men are more deserving of representation in a work of this character than the late Samuel Naumann, of Ox- nard, an industrious, hard-working man, who, during the later years of his life, was actively identified with the agricultural interests of this part of Ventura county. He had a comparatively long and busy career, rich with experiences, and possessed in an eminent degree those sterling qualities of character that greatly endeared him to his family and gained for him the esteem of the community and the confidence and good will of all who knew him. He was born in February, 1836, in Magdeburg, Germany, and died in Ox- nard township, on the home farm, March 16. I905.

Educated in the public schools of his native land, Samuel Naumann subsequently learned the trade of bricklayer in Magdeburg, and there fol- lowed it for awhile. In 1873 he married Rosine Wilke, and three years later he came across the Atlantic with his family, locating first in New York City, from there going hy boat to Galves- ton, Tex .. where he was engaged in farming for several years. Coming to California in 1893, he purchased land in Chino, San Bernardino county. began the improvement of a ranch, and lived there three years. Selling out in 1896 he rented

1678

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

land in Santa Clara county for five years, and then came to Ventura county, settling on the ranch now owned and occupied by his widow and chil- dren. He bought two hundred and forty acres of land, and with the energy and thrift character- istic of his countrymen, at once began its im- provement, in his labors meeting with well- merited success. Since his death his sons have continued the improvements previously inaugu- rated, and are managing the home estate with great ability, each year adding to its value and productiveness.

Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Naumann seven children were born: Herman, born in Germany in 1874, is single and lives at home ; Mrs. Louisa Young, is a resident of Oxnard; Emma is at home; Paul and Otto, twins, born November 4, 1879, are both at home ; Gustavus, born May 12, 1884, is living at home, and Martha is also at home. The family are all members of the Luth- eran Church at Oxnard, in the building of which Mr. Naumann took an active part, and of which he served as a trustee until his death, when he was succeeded by his son Herman. He was a Republican, and his sons are all loyal to the po- litical faith in which they were reared.

CARL LUNDQUIST. That the Scandi- navian element forms a most desirable ac- quisition to American citizenship is every- where conceded, and nowhere more than in San Diego, some of whose most enterprising and resourceful residents trace their lineage to long lines of Scandinavian ancestry. Be- longing to this class is Carl Lundquist, who ranks among the pioneer business men of San Diego and whose residence in this city dates from October of 1887. A native of Sweden, he was born in Goteborg, February II, 1849. and was the youngest child of John and Anna Lundquist, the former at one time a property owner of Goteborg, but now deceased. Sur- viving him are seven of his eight children, two being in California, namely: Carl, of Sån Diego: and Lorenz, a contracting painter of Los Angeles.

After having received common-school ad- vantages Carl Lundquist was apprenticed to the painter's trade at the age of fourteen and two years later he crossed the ocean to America, in 1866 settling in Chicago, where he completed his trade and later followed the occupation. For a consid- erable period he worked in the employ of others, but in 1878 he took up contract paint- ing and opened a store on Halsted street, where he carried a line of wall-paper, paints, oils, glass, etc. At length he decided to re- move to a more desirable climate and in 1887

he disposed of his interests in Chicago, from which city he crossed the continent to San Diego. Shortly after his arrival he purchased a lot on the corner of State and B streets and erected a two-story building, 50x70 feet in di- mensions. At this location he has since car- ried a full line of paints and paper. Without exception he has the oldest business of the kind in San Diego, there being no other paint store which has remained in the hands of the same proprietor for eighteen years or more. While carrying on the store he has taken con- tracts for painting and has had charge of the painting of many of the finest residences of San Diego, also the Leland block. St. Joseph's sanitarium, Pierce & Morse block, and other structures. In addition he has been interest- ed in buying and selling real estate and has erected cottages on a number of lots, later selling the same.

During the period of his residence in Chi- cago Mr. Lundquist married Miss Mary John- son, who was born in Alvistad, Sweden, and from there removed to Chicago in 1867. They are the parents of three children, namely : Helma, wife of A. G. Edwards, of San Diego; Elenora, who married Henry G. Jones, also of San Diego; and Carl Edward. The family hold membership in the Lutheran Church and Mr. Lundquist has been a generous contribu- tor to religious work and charitable move- ments. While living in Chicago he joined both the lodge and encampment of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows and on his re- moval to the west he transferred his member- ship to Sunset Lodge in San Diego, with which since then he has been connected. A .study of the political issues of his adopted country led him to ally himself with the Republican party, whose candidates and principles he supports at all general elections.

SANFORD C. WING. One of the promi- nent and highly esteemed citizens of High- land Park is Sanford C. Wing, who was born at Glens Falls, Warren county, N. Y., Jan- uary 1, 1867. The father was a native of the same place and as a young man became a clerk in a general merchandise store, but soon established an independent business of his own in Glens Falls, where he lived his entire lifetime. The mother was also a native of Glens Falls, and at the time of her death, Jan- uary 23, 1906, was eighty-one years old. Of their family of seven children one died in in- fancy and the rest are still living. The oldest daughter, Minnie D., has never married and is now living at Minneapolis, Minn. : Lucy W. DeForest lives at Fort Edward, N. Y .: Fred

1679

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

is purchasing agent for the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railroad Company at Minneapolis ; William H. is a traveling salesman for the St. Joseph (Mo.) Wholesale Millinery Company, and resides at St. Joseph ; George B. is man- ager of the Security Warehouse Company of New York City.

Sanford C. Wing is the youngest child and the only member of the family living in Cali- fornia. He received his early education in the common schools and at Glens Falls Academy and after the completion of school work went to Kansas City, Mo., where he secured a po- sition as collector for the city water works company. In a short time he was promoted to the office of cashier and remained with the company in that capacity for ten years. He then decided to come to California to locate and organized the Foster-Wing Typewriter & Supply Company, of Los Angeles. Subse- quently he sold his interest in the business and became a bookkeeper in the Union Bank of Savings, continuing as such for two years. Following this he was general manager of the United Typewriter Supply Company for a like period, and then formed a partnership with W. F. Poor in the real-estate business. This was in 1902, and in the short period since then they have established a large and profit- able business at Highland Park and are con- sidered one of the most reliable firms in the business. The company is now incorporated with a paid up capital of $25,000.

Before her marriage Mrs. Wing was Lila B. Colby, a native of Cambridge, Mass. Two children have been born to them : Harold, thir- teen years of age, and Dorothy, nine, both of whom are attending school. Both Mr. and Mrs. Wing are members of the Presbyterian Church of Highland Park, of which Mr. Wing is an elder, and Mrs. Wing is active in social and church matters, being a member of the Ebell Club and treasurer of the Ladies' Aid Society. Fraternally Mr. Wing is a member of the Royal Arcanum, and politically he affili- ates with the Republican party, in the prin- ciples of which he is a firm believer.

L. A. LORBEER. Pomona is one of the most active and enterprising towns of its size in Southern California, its prosperity and growth being due to the energy and ability of its early settlers, who proved to be men of good judgment and wise forethought. Prominent among these early settlers were (). W. and J. B. Lorbeer, who about 1888 came to Pomona and started the nucleus of what in later years has become one of the largest laundry enterprises in the Pomona valley. It was in 1895 that L. A. Lorbeer added

his name and co-operation to the enterprise, and ten years later, in 1905, the business was incor- porated as the Lorbeer Brothers Company, O. W. being president, L. A. vice-president, and J. B. secretary and treasurer. The Lorbeer family is of German origin and the grandfather, J. G. Lorbeer, was the first to represent the name in the new world. Among his children was an- other J. G., who accompanied his father to the United States, and like his father he too was a farmer by occupation. For many years the father made his home in Iowa, owning a large farm in Humboldt county, but he is now living retired in Pomona, Cal. By his marriage with Emma M. Wickes six sons and two daughters were born, of whom four sons and the two daughters are living, and with one exception all of the sons are included in the firm of Lorbeer Brothers. T. L. Lorbeer is a physician of Hemet, Cal.

L. A. Lorbeer was born on the parental home- stead in Humboldt county, Iowa, March 24, 1867, and his entire early life was associated with that locality. His education in the public schools was supplemented by a course in Humboldt Acad- emy, and thereafter he put his knowledge to use by teaching school for two years. His iden- tification with the west and with Pomona in par- ticular dates from the year 1890, at which time he established himself in the feed and fuel busi- ness on Main street. Misfortune overtook him twice by way of disastrous fires, but each time he rebuilt upon the ashes, having as his part- ner in the enterprise George A. Carter, the firm being known as Lorbeer & Carter. Finally, in 1895, he sold his interest to his partner, and as has been previously stated, during the same year associated himself with his brothers, who were proprietors of a thriving laundry industry in this town. Fire had destroyed the plant in 1894. but it was immediately rebuilt and new machin- ery installed. In point of equipment it is unex- celled by any like enterprise in this part of the country, and occupies two floors 50x165 feet. Power is furnished by two seventy-five horse power boilers and one seventy-five horse power engine, and electric irons are used entirely. · All of the water used in the business is furnished by the company's water plant. A better idea of the scope of the business carried on from the central office, which is located at the corner of Palomares and Bertie streets, may perhaps be gained when it is said that eight teams are in constant service and that a portion of their patronage comes from Monrovia and Etiwanda. The firm also have established laundries in Ocean Park, in Santa Monica, Ontario, and are interested in the San Bernardino Steain Laundry Company. In connection with their plant in Pomona they have established a steam roller mill for the

1680

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

grinding of barley, an innovation which is great- ly appreciated by neighboring ranchers, for whom the enterprise was established, as they handle no grain of their own.

In Pomona L. A. Lorbeer was married to Miss May Snow, who was born in Illinois. She is a devoted member of the Congregational Church and one of its active workers, and toward the support of its various benevolences her husband contributes. Mr. Lorbeer is interested in a ranch near Chino which is planted to alfalfa, and is also superintendent of a ranch of one hun- dred and sixty acres near San Dimas, which is owned by the Laurlette Park Company, and conducted as a pleasure resort. It is beautifully located in the foothills, about eight miles from Pomona, and has an abundant supply of the purest mountain water. Mr. Lorbeer is also a director in the Pomona Building and Loan As- sociation and holds the same position in the Home Telephone Company. He is a member of the Board of Trade and politically is a Republi- can, and belongs to the Woodmen of the World.

FREMONT LOVELAND. Among the thriving, well-to-do agriculturists of Bonsall, Fremont Loveland occupies a good position, and as an enterprising and faithful citizen is per- forming his full share in advancing the highest interests of town and county. The son of an early pioneer of California, he is a native and to the manner born, his birth having occurred No- vember 19, 1853, in Santa Clara county. Like the majority of the business people of this state, he comes of eastern stock, his father, Cyrus C. Loveland, having been born, reared and edu- cated in the Empire state, in Cooperstown, Ot- sego county.

When old enough to choose a trade, Cyrus C. Loveland was bound out to William M. Tweed, later known in political circles as "Boss" Tweed, and under his instructions learned, in New York City, the trades of a painter and cabinet-maker. He subsequently enlisted in Company K, First New York Regiment, and during the progress of the Mexican war came with his commander, Colonel Stevenson, to California, sailing around the Horn, and landing at San Francisco March 4, 1847. After serving as a soldier for two years he was honorably discharged in 1849, and im- mediately started for the mines, where he was fortunate enough to strike a paying claim. Re- turning east then by way of the Isthmus of Pan- ama, he disembarked at New Orleans, from there proceeding up the Mississippi river to Mis- souri. Buying there a bunch of cattle and horses, he came with his cattle across the plains in 1850 and settled in Santa Clara county, where he was afterwards for many years extensively

engaged in stock breeding and raising. Going east on a visit in 1885, he died in New York. He was a man of high character, honest and just in his dealings, a member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and a Republican in politics. He married Catherine Davis, a native of Chillicothe, Ohio, and they became the parents of six chil- dren, all of whom are living in California. The mother died in May, 1905, in this state.

After leaving the grammar school, Fremont Loveland received an excellent training in the various branches of agriculture on the home farm, thus becoming well fitted for his future occupation. Starting in life on his own account before attaining his majority, he continued in the independent calling of his ancestors, and in 1877 bought a ranch in the San Luis Rey valley. Subsequently selling that, he entered one hun- dred and sixty acres of government land near Bonsall, and has since been here profitably en- gaged in ranching and dairying. At the present time he keeps but six cows, although he has at times a very much larger dairy. He raises hay and grain, and as a general farmer is meeting with marked success. He also runs the Bonsall creamery, which was purchased in 1902, handling now, in the dull season, about six hundred pounds of milk daily, an amount which is in- creased to two thousand pounds a day in busy times, shipping the cream to San Diego.

In 1881 Mr. Loveland married Lottie Sander- son, who died April 18, 1901. Of their union seven children were born, one of whom died in infancy, and six are living, namely : Ralph W .. Ethel V., Arthur S., Florence R., Floyd F. and Roswell P. Mrs. Loveland was a woman of fine character, highly esteemed by all, and a valued member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically Mr. Loveland is a steadfast Repub- lican, and fraternally was identified with the Masonic order in by-gone days.

EDMUND C. ROBINSON. Probably one of the most productive fruit belts in Southern California is in the vicinity of Pomona, and those who have bought land here and culti- vated orchards are counted fortunate indeed. Since 1892 Mr. Robinson has been engaged in fruit raising on his twenty-acre ranch in this vicinity and has recently purchased another ranch of like size which he expects to set out exclusively to oranges, to which the greater part of his present ranch is devoted.

Mr. Robinson is a descendant of good old New England ancestry, and on both sides of the house his forefathers can be traced to the historical Mayflower. During the residence of his parents in Washington, D. C., Edmund C. Robinson was born September 8, 1875.

ANTONIO J. SOUZA

1683

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

When he was about four years old the family removed to Texas, remaining there about six and a half years at that time, thence going to Fort Union, N. Mex. In the latter place Ed- mund C. gained his first knowledge of books at the post school, which was presided over by a soldier teacher, and upon returning to Texas two years later he attended the public school at El Paso. Further training was re- ceived in the schools of Oakland, Cal., whither his parents removed, later attended Throop Polytechnic Institute at Pasadena, and com- pleted his school life in the high schools of Pomona and Denver. Since 1896 he has been a permanent resident of Pomona and in the years which have since passed marvelous changes have taken place both in the town and upon the ranch of which he is the pro- prietor. As one of the live and progressive ranchers of the Pomona valley he has done considerable to promote the cause of horti- culture in this section of country, and judging from his past success much still is in store for him, for he is a young man, with life as yet before him. For the past eight years he has been a director in the Indian Hill Citrus Union and since 1905 he has been vice-president. He is also a director in the San Antonio Fruit Exchange of the Pomona Valley.

In 1902 Mr. Robinson was married to Miss Myrtle Deck, a native of Kansas, and one child, Margaret Estelle, has been born to them, Politically he is a Republican, and fraternally he is a Mason, belonging to the blue lodge and chapter of Pomona.

ANTONIO J. SOUZA. As one who i maintaining a high standard of agricultural suc- cess and among pleasant surroundings pursuing his chosen calling, A. J. Souza represents the stable and promising element in Santa Barbara county, where his valuable ranch of three. hun- dred and fifty acres is located in the vicinity of Santa Maria. In his prosperous neighborhood Mr. Souza exerts an influence in common with men who have risen from lowly conditions, and who, in consequence, possess rational, practical and useful ideas. He is especially prominent among the Portuguese citizens, who place un- questioned reliance upon his judgment and busi- ness sagacity.

Mr. Souza was born in Flores, the westernmost of the Azores or Western Islands, June 10, 1862, a son of M. J. and Mary (Urcela) Souza, na- tives of the mother country of Portugal. His mother died when he was five years old, and his father lived to be seventy-two years old. Five of the eight children in the family are living, and two are residents of California. A. J. re-

ceived a grammar-school education in Flores, and at the age of seventeen marked out his fu- ture career as a landowner and agriculturist of California. With him to plan was to accom- plish, and upon arriving on the Pacific slope he began to save money and store up experience as an employe of ranchers in the Santa Maria val- ley. Eight years later he invested his money in his present ranch, which he lias occupied for the past ten years, and which has enabled him to realize in large measure the ambition which led him from the Azores. Two hundred and seventy acres of his ranch are under cultivation and of these two hundred acres are under beans, and seventy acres under hay, corn and general pro- duce. A variety of stock graze upon the eighty acres of pasture. In adding to the improvement of his ranch Mr. Souza has shown marked con- sideration for the comfort of the dumb creatures under his care, as well as practical forethought for the protection and economic disposal of his crops. He has introduced the finest labor saving devices of the times, and on every hand are in- dicated thrift and regard for the comforts and refinements of existence.

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 79

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