USA > California > Los Angeles County > An illustrated history of Los Angeles County, California. Containing a history of Los Angeles County from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 19
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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
resided there until his death, by snicide, No- vember 6, 1859.
William Chard, referred to in the last para graph, did an extensive business here as a butcher, and also sawed some lumber. IIe afterward removed to the Sacramento Valley.
Jacob P. Leese, an American, came to Los Angeles from New Mexico in the winter of 1833, and remained about two years, entering the general merchandise business with William Keith and Hugh Ried. Then he went to Mon- terey and established a house, with Nathan Spear and W. S. Hinckley as partners. In July, 1836, he erected the first building at Verba Bnena, now San Francisco, and opened a store. Ile was the second white settler at that place, and was for many years prominent as the leading bnsi- ness man at that point. In April, 1837, he married a sister of General M. G. Vallejo, at that place, and in 1841 removed to Sonoma.
James Johnson, an Englishman, came to Los Angeles from Sonora by water in 1833, with a cargo of Chinese and Mexican goods. Shortly afterward he purchased the San Pedro Ranch, where he was an extensive cattle-raiser for a number of years; then he removed to Los An- geles, and engaged in the warehouse and for- warding business at San Pedro. Ile died prior to 1862.
Hugh Reid, (or Perfecto IIngo Reid), a native of Scotland, came to Los Angeles in 1935, and was a merchant here in company with William Keith and Jacob P'. Leese. Ile had formerly resided in New Mexico, and disappointment in a love affair is supposed to have soured him. Retiring to San Gabriel, he married an Indian woman, and entered deeply into the study of the aborigines. Ilis description of the Indians and their manners is adopted in this work. At one time he owned the Santa Anita Ranch, and also other large property. He was a member of the first State Constitutional Convention of 1849. Ile died at Los Angeles, December 12, 1852.
William Keith, an American, was a physician, who came from Sonora about 1835, and entered partnership with Leese and Reid in the mercan-
tile business. He returned to Sonora, and to this place again abont 1849, and then went to the gold-mining region.
L. V. Prudhomme, a Frenchinan, arrived in Los Angeles in 1835. IIe was a cabinet-maker and cooper. He married a native lady named Tapia, who was at one time part owner of the Cucamonga Ranch. He died May 8, 1871.
Henry Mellns, a native of Boston, Massachu- setts, came to this coast in the brig Pilgrim, made famous by Richard H. Dana in his "Two Years Before the Mast," 1835-'36. Ilere he finally settled, married a Mexican lady, and on Mr. Dana's return, twenty-four years later, he found his old companion a prominent citizen, and was by him driven around to view the memorable scenes of "hide-droghing times." Mr. Mellus was elected Mayor of Los Angeles in May, 1860, and died while holding that office, on December 26 following his election. He was a brother of Francis Mellus.
Isaac Graham, a native of Tennessee, in early life went to New Mexico. IIe reached Los An- geles in company with Henry Naile about 1835, and remained there until the following year, when he removed to the " Natividad," Monterey County, and (according to Mr. Wilson) "estab- lished a small distillery in a tule hut, which soon became a nuisance owing to the disreputa- ble character of those who frequented it." He was finally arrested (1840) ou a charge of cou- spiracy against the government of Alvarado, and in company with a number of others was sent to Mexico to be tried. Two years later these persons were returned to California, the charges not having been proven, and Mexico was obliged to pay some of them a small in- demnity. Graham died at Santa Cruz. He said he came to California on the recommenda- tion of Daniel Boone.
Charles Ilall, a native of Massachusetts, came to Los Angeles prior to 1836. Ile was a inerchant, but failed, and was subsequently in the employ of John Temple.
John Marsh, a physician, came to Los An- geles from New Mexico abont 1836, practiced
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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
medicine for some years after his arrival, and finally located on a ranch near Mount Diablo, where he was subsequently murdered.
John Reed, a native of Missouri or North Carolina, came to Los Angeles abont 1837 or 1841. While in New Mexico he married a daughter of John Rowland, and on his arrival here engaged in ranching at La Puente. He enlisted in the American army of 1846, and took part in all the battles fought on the march from San Diego to Los Angeles. He died at La Puente, July 11, 1874, aged fifty-six years.
William Wittle may have arrived in Califor- nia as early as 1810, as in 1835 he signed a petition to the ayuntamiento for a town lot, stating he had then been in the country twenty- five years; but Mr. J. J. Warner says he never knew him.
Francis Mellus, of Salem, Massachusetts, fol- lowed his brother Henry to Los Angeles. Ile came here in the employ of Boston merchants, and landed at Santa Bárbara, Jannary 5, 1839. He was for some years a partner of David W. Alexander in mercantile matters (1850-'56), and died in Los Angeles City, September 19, 1863. He married Miss Adelaida Johnson, who survived him, with seven children.
Jolin Rowland came to Los Angeles in the fall of 1841, as leader of a party from New Mexico. He was a partner of William Work- Inan at Santa Fé, and subsequently joint-owner with him of the Pnente Ranch, where he died October 14, 1873, aged eighty-two years.
Benjamin Davis Wilson, one of the most prom- inent citizens of this county from the time of his arrival here in 1841 to the date of his death in 1878, was born December 1, 1811, in Nash- ville, Tennessee. At the early age of fifteen years he went into business for himself at Yazoo City, above Vicksburg, Mississippi. Afterward he was employed in trade and in trapping in Arkansas, Missouri, New Mexico and the Apache country, and late in the fall of 1841 he arrived in California, in company with John Rowland, William Workman, William Gordon, William Wright and others, with a
stock of goods, and a band of sheep they drove with them for food.
In 1845 Mr. Wilson raised a company to assist in the defense of Los Angeles against Micheltorena, and was one of the two embas - sadors who, under a flag of truce, succeeded in winning Micheltorena's American force over to the side of Governor Pico, the result being Micheltorena's abandonment of hostilities and embarkation at San Pedro soon after. Upon the breaking ont of war with the United States, Mr. Wilson was ordered by Governor Pico to raise a company and prepare for active service against the Americans; but this he re- fused to do, on the ground that he was himself an American citizen. Ile was threatened with arrest, but on sending his parole, was allowed to remain peaceably on his ranch. He refused Governor Pico's friendly offer to grant him any large tract of land in the State he might desire, and bore that gentleman's parting compliments to Commodore Stockton. He accompanied the Commodore into Los Angeles (the army fol- lowing in the evening), and not a blow was struck. Commodore Stockton, some days later, handed him his commission as Captain, and detailed him to watch the frontier, and guard against a surprise from the Mexican General, Castro. To aid him in this dnty, Mr. Wilson organized a company of twenty-two Americans. After some time, everything appearing to be safe in that neighborhood, he took his company into the mountains on a hunt, and on their return learned of the revolt by the natives against Lieutenant Gillespie, whom Stockton liad left in charge of Los Angeles. Mr. Wilson now repaired to his Jurupa Ranch, and there received a letter from Isaac Williams, of the Chino Ranch, inviting him and his party there, and promising them plenty of ammunition. While here the Americans were surrounded by a native force under Barelas, who fired the building in which they had fortified themselves, and compelled a surrender of the whole party. From this time until the evacnation of Los Angeles by Gillespie, Mr. Wilson and the other
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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
Americans were held prisoners. After the re- occupation, he performed many signal services for the American commanders, and aided, per- haps more than any other man in Southern California, in restoring peace and good feeling between the Americans and natives.
During all this time he had been heavily en- gaged in merchandising in Los Angeles, as well as in cattle ranching at Jurupa. In 1850 he was a delegate to a convention held at Los An- geles for the purpose of procuring a division of the State-the southern portion to remain as a Territory. This project, however, failed. After organization of the State, he was elected the first county clerk of Los Angeles County, Dr. Wilson W. Jones acting as his deputy and re- ceiving all emoluments of the office. Mr. Wilson was also elected mayor of the city in 1851. In 1852 he was appointed Indian agent for the southern district, by President Fillmore; al.d assisted General Beale in forming the reserva- tion at Fort Tejon. In 1854 he succeeded the widow of Hugh Reid in ownership of large landed interests at San Gabriel. In 1855, he was elected State Senator from Los Angeles, and served the ensuing term; also in 1869-'70. From that time until his death, March 11, 1878, he resided on his Lake Vineyard Ranch in San Gabriel Valley. Ilis first wife having died March 21, 1849, he married Mrs. Margaret S. Hereford, February 1, 1853, who survives him, and still resides at Lake Vineyard with her two daughters.
William Workman, born in England in 1800, and arrived with John Rowland in 1831, and was a partner of F. P. F. Temple in the banking busi- ness at Los Angeles, 1868 to 1875-'76, and the failure of that enterprise so preyed upon his mind that he committed suicide May 17, 1876.
F. P. F. Temple, a native of Massachusetts, arrived in Los Angeles by water during the summer of 1841, and engaged in business with his brother, John Temple, then a leading mer- chant of the eity. IIe subsequently established a stock-raneh near Fort Tejon, and disposed of this in 1868 to engage in banking at Los Angeles,
in partnership with I. W. Hellman and William Workman. He died at his ranch April 30, 1880.
David W. Alexander, an Irishman by birth, came to Los Angeles from Mexico about 1841 or '42. Ile ranched at the Rincon Ranch, San Bernardino County, for a time; kept a store in Los Angeles. He was elected sheriff of the county September 5, 1855, served the ensuing term, and again filled that office in the years 1876 and '77. Now deceased.
Alexander Bell was born in Pennsylvania in 1801, and in 1842 came to Los Angeles. In 1844 he married Doña Nieves Guirado. They had no children, but, according to H. D. Barrow :, sustained the relation of padrinas (godfather and godmother) to more children than any other couple in California. He was engaged in mer- cantile pursuits in Los Angeles until 1854, and built the block of buildings known as "Bell's Row," fronting on Los Angeles and Aliso streets. During the war of occupation he commanded a company as Captain. He died at Los Angeles July 24, 1871.
Henry Dalton, English, resided in Los An- geles prior to 1845, and was a merchant there at the time of the American occupation. Is now deceased. IIe was the owner of the Azusa Ranch.
José Mascarel, French, arrived in Los An- geles in 1844, and has resided there ever since. He was elected mayor of the city in 1865, and served several terms in the common council. He has erected several fine blocks of buildings in the city. Is still a resident.
IIon. Kimball H. Dimmiek was a native of Connectient. At an early age his father removed to Mohawk, Chenango County, N. Y. Ile was a member of the " art preservative of all arts," and was a member of the Bar of the Sixth Cirenit of New York, which, under the venerable Judge Mosely, ranked at the head of the profession. Although a Whig in politics, and having charge of a Whig newspaper in that county when the President of the United States, James K. Polk, called for volunteers for the war, General Dim-
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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
inick, who was then in command of a brigade of the New York State Militia, raised a com- pany and, at its acceptance, was elected Captain. He was repeatedly offered a field office, which he refused to accept, preferring to share the fate of the sons of his neighbors of the county. He sailed from New York in September, 1846, in command of Company K of Colonel J. D. Stevenson's regiment, New York Volunteers, on the ship Loo Choo and landed at Yerba Buena, March 7, 1847, from whence he was ordered with his company to garrison the presi- dio. Wlien peace was proclaimed lie removed to San José, where lie was elected alcalde, an office at that time of more importance than that of supreme judge at present. At the election held in 1849, under the proclamation of General Riley, military Governor of California, he was elected judge of the Supreme Court of the State. He was elected to and attended the con- vention for framing a State constitution for the State of California, and several of the important articles of that instrument were reported by him and adopted without amendment. In 1851 he revisited the East and supposed himself worth a fortune, but by the treachery of pretended friends he returned here to find himself utterly penniless. He then removed to this county, where he held successively the offices of district attorney, justice of the peace, notary public, judge of the county, and at the time of his death, through the partiality of his friend W. H. Seward, he held the important office of at- torney for the Southern District of the United States for California. He died suddenly, of heart disease, in Los Angeles, September 11, 1861.
Of the original command of General Kearny, Lieutenant Warner was killed at Goose Lake, in the northern part of this State, in 1849, by Indians. Captain William Emory is Major- General, United States Army. Lieutenant Stone- man is on the retired list, with the rank of Brevet Major-General; resides on his farm near Los Angeles City. Lieutenant J. B. Davidson is Brevet Brigadier-General. Major Thomas
Swords, Quartermaster, is retired. Captain A. J. Smithi was a General in and resigned after the civil war. Captain Turner resigned after the Mexican war. Doctor Griffin resignel in 1854. Captain Turner became partner in the banking house of Lucas, Turner & Co., San Francisco- the same house with which General Sherman was connected. James R. Barton, Captain Alex- ander Bell, Daniel Sexton, and John Reed were of the volunteers with Kearny. Sexton resides at the city of San Bernardino. John Reed was First Sergeant of Captain Hensly's company, under Frémont, at the occupation of Los An- geles, August, 1846; he was born in North Carolina; died July 13, 1875, aged fifty-seven years, at his farm, Puente, in this county. He married the only daughter of John Roland; she survives him. John Carl Eschrich, so famil- iarly known to the Californians as " Don Carlos," of Stevenson's regiment, died at the age of fifty-two years, June 10, 1874; he was a native of Germany. Don Miguel de Pedrorena died March 30, 1850, in San Diego County. Don Santiago E. Arguello died in 1859, at his Rancho La Punta, in the same county. A soldier who served out of California, Andra Weinshank, born in Bavaria, died at this city February 16, 1874, aged fifty-four years. He was at Vera Cruz, and all the battles on Scott's line. Elijalı T. Moulton, of the Frémont battalion, resides at Los Angeles. Of the privates of Company C, First Dragoons, are resident at this city : George Washington Whitehorn, born at Pen- nington, Monroe County, New York, 1821; William Burden Dunne, Cork, 1818; and in this county, Michael Halpin, born at Limerick, 1823.
The " Veterans of the Mexican war" were organized into a society, at the city of Los An- geles, September 27, 1873. The name and na- tivity of residents are as follows:
Officers .- President, General George H. Stone- man, New York; Vice-Presidents, Peter Thomp- son, New York, and W. Todd, Illinois; Secretary, J. D. Dunlap, New Hampshire; Treasurer, G. W. Whitehorn, New York; Marshal, Captain William Turner, Isle of Wight.
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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
Executive Committee .- Fenton M. Slaughter, Virginia; Doctor William B. Dunne, Ireland; George W. Cole, Illinois; G. W. Whitehorn, New York; Robert T. Johnson, Tennessee.
Members .- Province of Maine-Nelson Will- iamson, Joseph R. W. Hand. Maine-Stephen C. Foster, Albion C. Libby. New Hampshire- David M. Main. Vermont-Myron Norton. Rhode Island- Lewis 1. Wilmot. New York- Edward E. Ilewit, George Carson, James B. Caywood, Gabriel Allen, George Davis, James Il. Stewart, Abrahamn Maricole, Albert Clark. Pennsylvania-Henry C. Wiley, James F. Wil- son. Maryland-Jonathan Knott, Ephraim For- bush, Joshua Talbott, John J. Mills, Thomas B. Wade, John F. Staples. District of Columbia George Smith, George Diggs. Virginia-Doetor John S. Griffin, Thomas Enroughty, James W. Spratt, Archer C. Jessie, Pleasant Byas, Will- iam W. Brown. North Carolina-Robert C. Dobson, William C. Hughes, Lewis G. Green. Tennessee-Thomas J. Ash, Robert T. Johnson, Joseph Bridger, John T. Davis, William T. Henderson, F. H. Alexander, Benjamin .D. Wil- son, James M. Smith, Anderson Wright. Ken- tueky-Charles M. Benbrook, James HI. Easton, Pinckney C. Molloy, Shapley P. Ross, James Thompson, James W. B. Davis. Ohio-Wilson Beach, Charles Chaney, Isaiah Smith, Gracia C. Norris, Marcus Serrott, Augustus C. Chanvan. Illinois - Andrew J. Cole, Charles O'Niel. Georgia-Clement C. Goodwin, John P. II. Chew, Panldo G. Rushmore. South Carolina- Allen W. Neighbors. Mississippi-Edward J. C. Kewen, Edward H. Cage. Indiana-James W. Taggart, F. M. Matthew. Ireland-Mat- thew St. Clair Gardner, David W. Alexander, Paul Ryan, Nicholas Keating, Michael Halpin. Canada-Elijah T. Moulton. England -- John Roach, John V. Moore, William O. Baxter, Robert W. Allen. Germany-August Ehlers, John Shumacher, Augustus Tipple, Valentine Mand. Austria- Gotfried Voight. Russia - Alexander Saurwied. Prussia -- Augustus W. Timms. Philipine Islands- - William P. Rey- nolds.
Deceased members in 1876 were: Johan Carl Escrich, Andra Weinshank, John Reed, and Thomas Standifer-the last dying June, 1875.
Of the actors in scenes through which some yet living have traveled, some are lost to sight: Don José Sepúlveda, Don Manuel Requena, Don Andrés Pico, Don Ignacio Alvarado, Don Agustin Machado, Louis Vignes, Isaae Will- iams, Andrew A. Boyle, John Rowland, Will- iam Workman; others, many, whose names are dear to affection, and whose good deeds are treasured in universal respect. A. A. Boyle died February 9, 1871, aged fifty-four years; John Rowland, at the age of eighty-two years, August 13, 1873; William Workman, born with the century, died May 17, 1876. Com- panions of a hundred dangers and toils, Row- land and Workman sleep together, at La Puente, in the church-yard of the little chapel, which both designed many years ago. Don José Sep- úlveda, born November 30, 1804, died at Mex- ico, April 17, 1875. Don Andrés Pico, born November 30, 1810, died February 14, 1876. A brother, Don Pio Pico, was born at San Ga- briel May 5, 1800. Don Manuel Requena, born on the Peninsula of Yucatan, died in this city, aged seventy-four years, June 27, 1876. Don Andrés Pico and Don José Sepúlveda were born at the old presidio of San Diego. Isaae Will- iams, born in Wyoming Valley, Pennsylvania, September 19, 1799, died at Chino Ranelio, September 13, 1856; he came to California in the year 1832. Aged ninety-one years, Louis Vignes died January 17, 1862; at near the same age, September 25, 1858, Don Ignacio Abila, and more recently Don Julio Verdugo. John Goller died July 7, 1874. Don Agustin Machado died May 17, 1865, at seventy-seven years of age. One of a company-the others, Felipe Talamantes, Tomas Talamantes, and his own brother, Ignacio Machado-who in 1839 received a grant of the Rancho of La Ballona. Don Ignacio Palomares, born February 2, 1811, died November 25, 1864.
The first three American families who perma- nently settled in the eity, in 1850, were those
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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
of J. G. Nichols, J. S. Mallard, and Louis Granger.
STEPHEN C. FOSTER is a native of Machias, Maine, where he was born in the year 1820. He graduated from Yale College in the class of 1840. He first engaged in teaching, after graduation, in Virginia, and then in Alabama. From thence he went to New Orleans, where, in 1844, he attended a course of lectures at the New Orleans Medical College. In 1845 he started for California, via Santa Fé and El Paso, and went as far as Oposura, Sonora, where he first heard of the breaking out of the Mexi- can war. He returned to Santa Fé, where he worked awhile as a clerk in a store. In October, 1846, he entered into a contract to serve as in- terpreter for Captain Cooke, commander of the Mormon Battalion of Missouri Volunteers, then on its way to California. After many hard- ships he arrived, with the battalion, in Los Angeles, March 16, 1847. He was appointed alcalde of Los Angeles January 1, 1848, by Colonel R. B. Mason, and served in that capacity, and as interpreter, until May 17, 1849.
Governor Riley, under instructions from Washington, on the 3d of June, this year, issned a proclamation to the people of Cali- fornia to elect delegates, to meet at Monterey, September 1, 1849, to form a State constitution, and Captain H. W. Halleck, Captain of En- gineers, U. S. A., wrote to Mr. Foster, request- ing him to use his influence to have the people of the Los Angeles district hold an election of delegates. The election was duly held, and Abel Stearns, Manuel Dominguez, Pedro Car- rillo, S. C. Foster and Hugo Reid, natives respectively of Massachusetts, California, Maine and Scotland, were chosen, and at the appointed time they were on hand, and assisted in form- ing a constitution, under which California was rescued almost from a state of anarchy, incident to a change of government and the derangement caused by the wonderful gold discoveries that occurred immediately thereafter, and under which she prospered for nearly thirty years. Mr. Foster has held various other positions of
trust, including those of prefect, mayor and State senator. Being an accomplished Span- ish scholar, his services became very valuable in many ways, in a community where a large pro- portion of the people spoke only that language, and where the laws and ancient archives were wholly Spanish. His wonderfully retentive memory and his intimate acquaintance with public affairs, make him a perfect cyclopedia of information in regard to persons and events of the past of our section. In 18: he married Doña Merced, daughter of Antonio M. Lugo, she being then the widow of Juan Perez, deceased. From this union there are two sons, now men grown, who, with their families, reside near their parents, near San Gabriel River, on a por- tion of the magnificent San Antonio Rancho of Mrs. Foster's father.
WILLIAM WOLFSKILL, the pioneer. A Doctor William Wolfskehl, of Germany, came to San Francisco, via Australia, on his return to Ger- many in 1870 or 1871. Later, his son came from Berlin with other scientific men, to inspect the Northern Pacific Railroad with Villard. Dr. W. said his grandfather, or great-grand- father, was one of seven brothers of whom Frederick the Great impressed six into his Potsdam regiment of tall men, and that he was the only one of the six who escaped from the wars, and the Wolfskehls of Germany are his descendants.
Dr. W. said further that the seventh and youngest brother came to America, and from then on they (the Wolfskehls of Germany) lost track of him. Dr. W. and his son believe that the Wolfskills, of California, and of Missouri and Kentucky, are descendants of this younger brother.
William Wolfskill, the early pioneer of Cali- fornia, and the founder of the Wolfskill family of this city, and of its various collateral branches, now quite numerous, was born near Richmond, Kentucky, March 20, 1798, or two years before the commencement of the present century. Ilis Grandfather Wolfskill was a native of Ger- many. Ilis father, with his family and a few
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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.
neighbors, moved from Kentucky in 1809, whilst William was yet a boy, and settled in what is now Howard County, Missouri, then in the heart of the Indian country. Governor Clarke, of Missouri, refused to guarantee them protection against the hostile savages, and they were compelled to protect themselves.
They built a fort, and cleared and fenced a small tract in common. The Indians were so bad during the year 1811 that the men were obliged to carry their arms at the plow. It was only by the most unceasing watchfulness that the brave little band of pioneers, and builders of a State, in fact, were able to hold their own against their hostile neighbors all through the war of 1812. But, though weak in numbers, they were strong in courage; though their long Kentucky rifles were few, they were sure and deadly, and they themselves, from long school- ing on the frontier, had come to be more wily then the red inan.
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