USA > California > A memorial and biographical history of the coast counties of Central California > Part 44
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Mr. Hartnell is singularly happy in his
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domestic life. He was married in 1877 to Miss Ellen F. Blaine, of Dayton, Ohio, and his family circle is brightened with the pres- ence of two daughters.In his private life, as well as in his official dealings with the pub- lic, it may be said of Mr. Hartnell, that in the courtesy and amiability which character- ize him, together with his direct business habits, he combines the best leading traits of the two nations from which he descended.
SAAC MYLAR, one of the pioneers of California, came to the State in 1850, in company with five brothers, Enoch, Frank, Israel, James L. and Thomas, crossing the plains. They drove full teams, coming via Car- son valley cut-off, reaching the State at Wea- versville, near Hangtown. The subject and one brother are the only ones now living of the six brothers who braved the hardships of pioneer life.
Isaac Mylar was born in Kentucky. His father, James, was a farmer and his mother, Henriette Jet, was a native of Virginia. The subject is the second youngest of the six children born to these parents, being born December 24, 1827. The family resided for about eight years in Utica, Fulton county, Illinois, from which place they made their way to Andrew county, Missouri, and came to California in 1850.
Our subject engaged in mining upon ar- rival in California and continued in the oc- cupation until 1855, when he settled down to agricultural pursuits. In 1847 and 1848 he served in the Mexican war as a soldier of the Third Missouri Volunteers, and is now a Mexican pensioner. For several years Mr. Mylar resided near San Juan, but in 1872 he located in Peach Tree valley, on San Lorenzo
creek, and he has unearthed on his land one of the finest deposits of bitumen that has yet been discovered in the State. It is being shipped to San Francisco by rail for street paving purposes.
In 1849 Mr. Mylar married Miss Talitha Wooley, born in Franklin county, Illinois. They have six daughters and one son, namely: Thomas J .; Josephine, Mrs. Simon Goldwater of San Lucas; Henriette, Mrs. Dr. H. D. Livingston, of King City; Mary J., Mrs. George E. Pullen, living near King City; Emma, Mrs. Frank Hitchcock, of Hollister; Clara and Minnie at home. The family is well known in Monterey and San Benito county for their integrity and hospitality.
OHN FOSTER ROOT, Mulberry, San Benito county, California, is ranked with the pioneers of this State. Of his life and parentage we make the following brief record:
Mr. Root is a son of Jeremiah and Emeline (Davis) Root, whose family in 1849, the time they came to California, was composed of the following members: Alroy, now deceased; Alıniran, of Parrot City, Colorado; George, of Gilroy; Spencer, of Lompoc; Ann, wife of Jacob Roberts; and John F., the subject of our sketch. They entered California via Placerville, and immediately went to Green- wood valley, Placer county, where they built the first hotel in that vicinity. In 1851 the entire family returned to Iowa, where they had lived from 1843 until they came to the far West. After going back to Iowa the mother died and the father married Sophrona (Culp) Near, widow of Christ Near. In 1853, just after this second marriage, he again started with his family for California, coming
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across the plains with ox teams. Arriving here, they located at the village of Haywards, Alameda county, California, and some years later moved to Santa Rosa. At this writing, 1892, the father is still living, having reached the advanced age of ninety-two years, and is hale and hearty.
John Foster Root was engaged in mining until 1866. That year he settled in Monterey county. In 1868 he took up his abode in the beautiful Long valley, being the first settler of that valley. He was instrumental in locating thirteen thrifty families therein. In 1874 he came to his present place at Elvina station, where he has 274 acres of tillable land, adapted to farming and fruit culture.
Mr. Root was married in 1856 to Miss Annie Culp, a native of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Daniel Culp, deceased. They have two sons, George W. and John B.
ON. N. A. DORN .- This gentleman, who now fills the responsible position of Superior Judge, is a native of Coun- cil Bluffs, Iowa, born May 27, 1852. When almost a year old he crossed the plains to California with his parents, and hence is not far removed by age and circumstances from the distinction of being a "Native Son." On arriving in California, the family first located near Watsonville, in the Pajaro val- ley. Most alluring tidings of the fortunes so readily acquired in the mines reached the new immigrants, and again they were on the move, pushing forward to the mines of Mari- posa county. After spending nearly four years in this exciting pursuit, the family went to Visalia for a short time, then to Los Angeles, and finally took up their abode near
Marysville. At the latter place they remained eight years, young Dorn making himself use- ful on the farm and inuring himself to that sturdy labor, to which, no doubt, he is greatly indebted for his fine physique. On leaving Marysville, he accompanied the family to Santa Cruz, where he passed one year. After that they located permanently at Pajaro, Monterey county. During nearly all of this period of unsettled habitation, the subject of our sketch was availing himself of every op- portunity for instruction by attending such schools as the various localities could afford, or when work on the farm would permit of his attending them. With a keen desire for knowledge, stimulated perhaps by his chagrin at the sparse opportunites for obtaining it, he set himself diligently to the task of self- instruction, reading whatever he could find in his spare moments, so that on reaching his majority he passed an examination as teacher, and was employed for two years as teacher in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.
Through all these years young Dorn's chief aspiration was to become a lawyer. With this end in view, he entered the office of Judge Lawrence Archer, of San José, and after a course of study was admitted to prac- tice by the Supreme Court of the State, ()c- tober 13, 1874. Thus fortified by his chosen profession, he came to Salinas and waited for business. He was not, however, obliged to wait long, for clients came, and so successful was he with the cases intrusted to him that he was chosen District Attorney in 1875, and for a second term of the same office in 1880. Retiring from this position with a record, of which any young practitioner might be proud, he associated himself with Judge W. M. R. Parker, of Salinas, in the practice of law, a partnership which continued till he was elected Superior Judge of Monterey county in 1890,
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defeating Hon. John K. Alexander, and strengthening the forces of the Republican party by the popularity of his name at the head of the county ticket.
In 1873 Judge Dorn was married in San José to Miss Josephine McCusker, and has a promising family of six children.
LLEN L. LUCE, a leading citizen of Pacific Grove, and for many years the trusted keeper of Point Pinos light- house, is a native of Georgia, born May 8, 1844. His father was a jeweler by trade and occupation; was a native of Martha's Vine- yard; lived at Macon, Georgia, where he pur- sued his calling, and died, his death occurring when Allen was an infant. His mother, who, by maiden name was Sarah A. Brent, was born in Louisiana, a daughter of the Hon. William M. Brent, an eminent member of the Louisiana bar, and a leading and success- ful politician, having several times represented his State in the United States Congress. After Mr. Luce's death the widow and son removed to New Bedford, Massachusetts, and there, in 1853, she married George H. Bodfish, Esq., and came to California. She survives him, and is a resident of Pacific Grove.
Allen L. Luce received a liberal education. His first experience in business was as a mer- chant, which occupation he followed at Kern- ville, Havilalı and White Pine, in Kern county, during the mining excitement in 1863 to '69. After about two years spent in Nevada mining districts, and, later, some time at Gilroy, California, he received the appointment of keeper of Point Pinos light- house, which position he still occupies.
Mr. Luce married, in 1875, Miss Fannie L. Perry, daughter of Captain Richard Perry,
of San Felipe, for many years a resident of Hollister, San Benito county. They have two sons, Raymond Allen and Richard Perry. A daughter, Emma, died in 1881, aged three years.
Allen Luce has perhaps more than any other one man in thie vicinity interested himself in the cause of education. He was one of the first to move in segregating the old Monterey school district and organizing the Pacific Grove district. He was foremost in a movement to vote bonds and build the present elegant and commodious school build- ing, which is without exception the finest and most complete of all in the county. The position Mr. Luce has so many years held with the Federal Government, and the esteem with which he is regarded in Mon- terey county, mark him as a man of excellent parts.
RS. M. E. LAWREY is truly one of the pioneers of California. She is a daughter of Gallant Duncan Dick- enson of whom much is related in published books on California history. Mrs. Lawrey is also the widow of Amos G. Lawrey, who came to California in its early and palmy days. Mr. Lawrey was a mason by trade and a native of Ohio, where he was born May 2, 1818, Jefferson county being the section of the State in which he first saw the light. In early life he pursued his trade, at the same time devoting much time to his studies, thereby gaining a practical education and thorough knowledge of books. Mr. Lawrey came to California, overland, as early as 1846, passing the Dickenson party coming west- ward on the east slope of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Seeing that the party was quite destitute he hurried on to California, obtained
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employment at Johnson's camp, where he earned the means to purchase supplies. These he packed on mules, ten in number, and re- traced his steps to rescue the Dickenson party.
In the year 1847 Mr. Lawrey and the Dickenson party removed to Monterey and he associated with Gallant Duncan Dicken- SOD, in 1848, in the making of bricks. They erected the first brick house in California, which still stands in a good state of preser- vation. This house was built for Mr. Dick- enson and he occupied it with his family.
About this time gold was discovered and Messrs. Lawrey and Dickenson spent six months in the mines, after which they located on the present site of Stockton, with Captain C. M. Weber, the founder of the town. It was in this embryo city that Mr. Lawrey, October 29, 1849, married Miss Margaret Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of Gallant Duncan Dickenson, and was the first marriage solemnized in the place. Mr. Lawrey was an expert in· his line and did much fine work, contracting for jobs. He spent several years in San Diego, and with Mr. Horton, its founder, platted the city. Mr. Lawrey finally located at San José, where he died, April 24, 1881, aged sixty-four years.
Of the four children of Mr. Lawrey, three are still living, namely: Beatrice L., wife of Walter M. Hollenbeck, a lady of rare intel- lectual accomplishments and executive ability. For a period of nineteen years she was a tutor in the public schools of San José, and was the first of her sex to receive an appoint- ment to a principalship of the public schools in the city, which position she retained for seven years. Mrs. Hollenbeck is an accom- plished vocalist, and as such is known, not only in her own city, but her fame has reached San Francisco, where she has many admirers and friends. Mr. Hollenbeck hecame her
husband, at San José, in 1871, and since 1887, has been one of the enterprising and active business men of Pacific Grove. The second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrey, is Miss Lola, an accomplished pianist. The third child an only son, Edward, a mechanic, is married and settled in the same town.
Mrs. Lawrey inherited many of her dis- tinguished father's traits and has true business instincts and great force of character. She has borne with great fortitnde the responsi- bilities and cares incident to a busy life, made none the less hard on account of the total blindness of Mr. Lawrey during the last ten years of his life. In 1888, Mrs. Lawrey located in Pacific Grove, where she owns valuable productive real estate. In the city of her choice, Mrs. Lawrey is universally es- teemed for her many sterling traits of char- acter and true womanly qualities.
EORGE W. GORDON, was born in Dorchester, New Hampshire, October 16, 1836, son of John and Hannah Gordon, natives of New Hampshire. His father was a millowner. When George W. was eight years old his parents moved to Maine, and there located. He, however, re- mained in New Hampshire with his uncle, Jacob Gordon, until he was twenty years of age. He then spent one year in Maine, at- tending school.
On account of poor health, Mr. Gordon came to California in 1859. He spent one season on a dairy ranch near San Francisco, and at Point Reyes he conducted the same business for abont five years. Then, coming to Monterey county, he located in Corral de Tierra, and operated the Laporte ranch of 4,500 acres. He is now the owner of 185 acres of
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the finest soil in the corral, on which he eon- dnets diversified farming.
He married Miss Julia M. Nason, by whom he has one daughter eight years of age. He served his district on the County Board of Supervisors four years, with ability and to the entire satisfaction of his constitu- ents.
ANUEL BRUNO, who is successfully conducting a dairy business on the Laguna Seco ranelio, situated on the Salinas road leading out from Monterey, is a gentleman worthy of appropriate inention in the history of his county.
Mr. Bruno was born on the Azores Islands in 1839, of Portugal parentage. His father, Antone Bruno, was a wine producer. At the age of eighteen years, the subject of our sketch came to America, landing at Cape Cod. From there he made five extended whaling cruises, shipping from Provincetown. In 1861 he came from New York eity to San Francisco, via Panama, and then abandoned the sea. His first employment in California was herding sheep in San Luis Obispo county. He has since lived at Wilsonville and at Castroville. He chose for his wife, a Spanish lady, Miss L. Espenosa, a daughter of Josefa Espenosa. She is the owner of landed estate. They are the parents of fourteen children.
YLVESTER WILCOX, an honored pio- neer of California, for forty years a suc- eessful farmer and stoek-raiser of San Benito county, near San Juan, erossed the plains, via Salt Lake, in 1851. He stopped en route at Hangtown, in Greenwood valley, where he worked in the mines for a year.
The winters of 1851 and 1852 were passed east of Stockton, in San Joaquin county, in the vicinity of two brothers, one of whom Mr. Wilcox had not seen for several years. In the fall of 1852 he came to San Juan, near which place he engaged in bis present business, which he has since successfully pursued.
Mr. Wilcox was married in San Ber- nardino, to Miss Sarah Moore, an estimable lady, born in Palo Alto connty, Iowa, Janu- ary 3, 1828. Her father, Matthew Moore, deceased, erossed the plains to this country in 1851.
Mr. Wilcox has demonstrated what indns- try and perseverance can accomplish in Cali- fornia. He has not only accumulated a competenee, but has done so in an honest and praiseworthy manner.
OHN HENRY CREAMER, a resident of San Benito, is a typical California pioneer. He came to the State as early as 1848.
Mr. Creamer was born twelve miles west of Detroit, in Wayne county, Michigan, No- vember 17, 1842. His father, Henry Creamer, a farmer and wagon-freighter, came to this coast across the plains with horses, in 1850, and here he was engaged in freighting from Sacramento into the mining districts. His wife died in Sacramento in the spring of 1852. The subject of our sketch had pre- ceded his parents to California, having been brought out by Dr. King, a distant relative of Mrs. Creamer and a personal friend of the family. He was, however, returned to his parents in the East, and crossed the plains with them in 1850. His youth and early manhood days were spent on the mountain
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trails, as conductor of pack trains and as a freight teamster; "Fiddletown," in Amador county, being for a time his base of opera- tions. He was the first man to ride on the. pony express between Sacramento and Salt Lake, and was the first to haul rocks from the Virginia mines. He caîne to San Benito valley in 1872 and engaged in farming, and in 1874 located his present home, a mile and a half south of San Benito. He owns 800 acres of tilled lands, his land being among the very best in San Benito county.
In 1874 Mr. Creamer was united in mar- riage to Miss Lucinda Gammon, a native of Nova Scotia. Although advanced in years, he is hale, hearty, sociable, and as buoyant in spirit as a man at half his age.
O'HARA, a California pioneer of 1860, now residing near Paicines, San Benito
6 county, was born in Sligo, Ireland, in 1839. He resided in his native city until October 23, 1854, when he embarked for America. He remained in central New York until 1860, when he came, via the isthmus of Panama, to California, whence Mrs. O'Hara followed two years later, landing in San Francisco, February 26, 1862.
Mr. O'Hara has always been engaged in farming and stock-raising. In October, 1869, he located on Tres Pinos creek, San Benito county, where he remained until 1880, when he removed to his present farm on Los Mertus creek, near Paicines. Here he has a flourishing farm of 320 acres, well stocked and provided with valuable improvements. He has a substantial farm residence, and commodious barns for his grain and stock, the whole place bearing an air of honest thrift.
Mr. O'Hara was married in Skaneateles, Onondaga county, New York, to Miss Brid- get May, an intelligent lady, born in Ire- land, November 9, 1843. She was a dauglı- ter of John May, a prosperous farmer, who removed with his family to New York in 1848. She was rcared and educated in Mott- ville. They have four children: Kate, Will- iam, Murray F. and Thomas Anstin.
Thus has industry and perseverance been rewarded by a competence, while uniform uprightness of dealing has gained for Mr. O'Hara an enviable reputation wherever known.
AMES N. HUBLER, an honored pioneer of California, now residing in Mulberry, San Benito county, was born in Pine township, Northumberland county, Pennsyl- vania, May 12, 1828. His parents were Moses and Sarah (Newberry) Hubler, both natives of the Keystone State, the former of Pennsylvania Dutch parentage. The father was a weaver by trade, which was his princi- pal occupation, although he engaged at times in general mechanical work. They were the parents of six sons and six daughters, all but one, a son, living to maturity, of whom the subject of this sketch is the only one residing in California.
James N. Hubler, whose name heads this notice, learned the blacksmith's trade in Youngstown, Ohio, which occupation he has followed for forty-two years. He came to California via the Isthinus, landing in San Francisco, June 17, 1854; on the 18th he went to Sacramento, and on the 19th com- menced work at his trade. He was thus occupied in that city for two years, and then went to Tehuantepec, Mexico. He followed ,his trade exclusively until 1882, but has since
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divided his time between farming and black- smithing. He now owns 160 acres in San Benito county, nearly all of which is tillable land. He has made many improvements, and has, altogether, a very valuable piece of property. Although too busily occupied to take any very great interest in politics, yet his constituents have shown their apprecia- tion of him as a citizen by electing him to the office of Constable, which position he filled to the entire satisfaction of all con- cerned.
Mr. Hubler was first married in 1854, in Sacramento, to Miss Engenie Laurant, an in- telligent lady of French parentage. This happy union was dissolved by death in 1864, the de- voted wife leaving one son, Eugene William, now a prosperous blacksmith, residing near Oakland, California. Mr. Hubler remained sin- gle for three years, and then married Cayatana Peñia, an estimable lady, who was born and reared in Durango, the capital of the State of the same name, Mexico. They have had nine children, eight now living.
Thus in brief is outlined the life of a man of the purest morality, strictest toil, and un- bounded good-will toward his fellow-men.
ILTON SHERWOOD, an intelligent and well-to-do farmer of San Juan valley, California, whose ranch is situated two miles south of San Juan and six and one-half miles from Hollister, was born in Wyoming, New York, September 27, 1830. He has thus put a continent between himself and his birthplace, seeking, like many others, a place most favorable for his financial growth. John Sherwood, his father, was also born in the Empire State, which has given birth to so many of our bravest and best citizens.
The subject of our sketch was in Kane county, Illinois, in 1861, whence he turned his steps in that year toward the setting sun, his destination being the Golden State. He journeyed via the Salt Lake route, by the North Platte and Humboldt rivers, thence over the mountains to Sacramento, California. Arrived in that city, he farmed in the vicin- ity for two years, when he returned to his home in New York State, going via the Panama. He returned to California by the same ronte, bringing with him his wife and six children. A child was afterward born in the West, where one also died, leaving six now surviving.
Mr. Sherwood's wife was formerly a Miss Sarah Pease, a native of Cattaraugus county, New York, and daughter of David Pease, still living (1892) in Illinois, aged ninety- two years.
Honorable, industrious and persevering, Mr. Sherwood has acquired a competence and gained the respect of all who know him.
AMES S. ROWE, a California pioneer of 1854, now residing near San Juan, in San Benito county, was born in Dor- chester, Grafton county, New Hampshire, April 27, 1833. In 1854 he left home for California, going via the Isthmus of Panama, arriving in due time in San Francisco. He was engaged for the first five years in mining in Placer, Tnolumne and other counties, but finally entered the wood business, which he followed in San Joaquin county and San Juan, near which latter place he now farms eighty- five acres. He has prospered and now has a competence for himself and family.
He was married in December, 1873, to Miss Sarah Twitchell, an intelligent lady, and
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daughter of a widely known resident of this State. There are nine children: Jasper Twitchell; Harrison H .; Sarah E. Roe; Nancy J., now Mrs. Norman Berry; Jasper Abra- ham; Clarinda, now Mrs. A. Rotha; Elijah, Lettie and Amanda.
RTHUR BRANNAGAN, an industri- ons and successful farmer and stock- raiser near Mulberry, San Benito county, California, was born in Ireland. In 1845 he came to America, landing in Boston, where he remained four years. In July, 1849, he sailed from that city for San Francisco, going via the Isthmus of Panama. Before locating in California, however, he tried mining in Nevada. He continued to work in the mines until April, 1870, when he located on his present farm, where he has 2,000 acres of land, part of which is used as a range for his stock. He has, by careful management and continued industry, been very successful, and is numbered among the prominent agricult- urists and stock-raisers of this vicinity.
He was married in San Francisco, in 1863, to Miss Fannie Bride, a highly esteemed lady. They have three children: Richard, Annie and Arthur.
AMES S. KERR, a thriving business inan of Hollister, California, was born in the province of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, August 29, 1848. He was reared a farmer, which occupation he followed during his earlier years. In 1862 he came from New Orleans to Sacramento, California, where he worked a farm for about six years. He then went to the mines in Calaveras county,
and worked at mining for five years. Thence he removed to Santa Cruz county, where he followed teaming in the Redwood Inmbering district. He afterward went to Los Banos, in Merced county, and there followed farm- ing for about ten years. From there he came to Hollister, San Benito county, in 1890, where he bought his present home and other rentable property, and is successfully engaged in the real-estate business.
He was married in June, 1889, to Miss Alice Newton, a highly esteemed lady and a native of Missouri. They have one son, Earl C.
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