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 32

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1092

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 32

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whom believed they were being stripped of their rights by the former.

In 1848 Dr. Den organized, at his own ex- pense, a prospecting party, and started north for Sullivan's Diggings, near what is now Angel's Camp, in Calaveras County. The party mined with varying success during that and the following year (1849), when the Doctor, per- ceiving that his professional services were needed on account of the prevalence of inter- mittent and malarial fevers in that district, dis- charged his men and entered into the practice of medicine. He did this, not so much for pecuniary gain as to relieve the sufferings of his fellow-men, a man's purse forming no in- dncement for his services, for he treated all alike, whether they had money or not. Never- theless, it may be recorded that in one day he was paid over $1,000 for medical attendance. At that time gold-dust was the medium of ex- change, being valued at the mines at $5 to $6 per ounce, but was worth in San Francisco $14, the rate at which the Doctor received it. After a few mouths' practice in the mines he went to San Francisco, and while there he was one of the seven original organizers of the Society of California Pioneers. They met in 1850 at the office of William D. M. Howard (wlio was at one time also a resident of Los Angeles), on Montgomery street, in that city. Soon afterward the Doctor returned to Los Angeles.

In 1854 he went again to Santa Bárbara County, where he was engaged some twelve years in looking after the interests of his San Marcos Rancho of eight leagnes, which was stocked with cattle. About the year 1859 he made a conditional sale of this ranch and stock, intending to visit his old home and purchase a place which his ancestors had held for over 450 years before the confiscation; but the sale fell through, and later, during the great drought in California, he lost almost all his stock, over 2,000 head of horned eattle, so that he was forced to indefinitely postpone the trip.

In Jannary, 1866, he moved to Los Angeles,

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where he has ever since lived, practicing his profession.

Dr. Den is averse to becoming involved in any litigation except where his principles are at stake, preferring to relinquish his material interests rather than have his good name sullied by coming in contact with certain minions of the law. His faith in mankind has resulted in the loss of considerable property, brought about by fraud and false testimony, which his sense of right revolts against, as all those who have ob- tained wealth by sneh means have always been scorned by him.

The Doctor ranks among his patients some of the leading men and women of California, both of the past and of the present, and from the period of his arrival in this country has highly distinguished himself as a physician, as a surgeon and as an obstetrician, and all who know him well speak in the highest praise of his many noble qualities. Honor, integrity and lotty-minded strength of purpose, with a sernpulous regard for the true ethics of his profession, are qualities he possesses and holds dearer than anything else upon this earth. Al. though in his sixty-eighth year, the highly pre- served state of his health visibly indicates a long life.

Many of the Spanish people in old times, and some even now, have such faith in Dr. Den's skill that their oft-expressed confidence in him has crystallized into this proverb: Despues de Dios, Doctor Don Ricardo (After God, Dr. Don Richard). The pleasant relations that have ex- isted between Dr. Den and the people of the country, and the trust they have reposed in hin, is fully appreciated. Indeed he cherishes with genuine pride, as he well may, the esteem and kindly regard in which he has been held by the good people of this community during the many years that he has lived in Southern Cali- fornia. Ilis learning and skill, his high sense of professional honor, and his kindly nature, have combined to give him a warm place in the hearts of the old Californians. They fully be- lieve that as a physician he has been the means

of saving hundreds of lives; and only those who are familiar with the affectionate way in which the respectable Spanish people speak of " Don Ricardo," can appreciate how strong is their friendship for him .- II. D. B.

JOSEPH P. WIDNEY, A. M., M. D., a promi- nent member of the medical profession, and one of the leading citizens and literary characters of Southern California, has been a resident of the State for more than a quarter of a century, having crossed the continent in 1862, when a youth just merging from his teens. He is a native of Ohio, born in Miami County forty- seven years ago. He took a partial literary course in Miami University, that State, which he continued in the University of the Pacifie, from which he holds the degree of Master of Arts; and subsequently graduated in medicine at Toland Medical College, which is now the medical department of the University of California. He spent two years as surgeon in the United States army in Arizona; came to Los Angeles in 1868, and has been most loyally and thoroughly identified with the growth and progress of Southern California ever since. Be- sides condneting a large medical practice, Dr. Widney has been actively identified with and a zealous promoter of every public enterprise hav- ing for its object the development of Los An- geles City and county in the past two decades. He was one of the principal organizers of the Los Angeles County Medical Society, which was effected January 31, 1871. To his efforts and innnificent generosity is due the founding and prosperons career of the College of Medicine, a branch of the University of Southern California, of which also he is one of the founders. The College of Medicine was opened for students in the fall of 1885, and graduated its first class in 1888. Its enrrienInm, which embraces and re- quires a graded three years' course of study, is as complete and thorough as that of any medical college in the United States. Its avowed aim is to do only the most thorough work. Dr. Widney has been the dean of the college from its opening, and also holds the professorship of

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theory and practice of medicine. Ile donated a large sum to establish this school, giving the property as it now stands, has made heavy con- tributions from time to time since, and has ar- ranged to give a still larger amount in providing new and more commodious college buildings for permanent occupancy.

In addition to his professional labor, and the energy expended in building up this noble edu- cational enterprise, Dr. Widney has found time to do a large amount of literary and patriotic work in the interest of Sonthern California. In 1876 he, with two other gentlemen, as a com- mittee of three, cliosen for the purpose by the citizens of Los Angeles, wrote the " Centennial Historical Sketch" of Los Angeles County, a work of eighty-eight octavo pages, and involv- ing a large amount of research and labor, and of much historical valne. He also wrote the first sections of the work entitled "California of the South," published by- D. Appleton & Co., in 1887, in which he dealt chiefly with the climatology, physical geography and social questions of Southern California. The clima- tology of the Pacific Coast has been a subject of especial study with him for many years, and he is recognized as one of the authorities in this science for the coast. He has published many articles upon this topic. He was one of the founders, and from the start has been one of the editors, of the Southern California Practi- tioner, an ably conducted monthly medical journal, now in the fourth year of its existence. He has also been a frequent contributor of poetical and literary material, and of scientific, historical and descriptive articles pertaining to the Pacific Coast, and its commercial and race problems, for the columns of current magazines. Within the past twelve years Dr. Widney, act- ing in a representative capacity for the people of this portion of the State, has prepared numer- ous memorials to the United States Congress, dis- cussing the importance of and the imperative necessity for coast and harbor improvements in Southern California; and his efforts, conjointly with the efforts of other citizens, have borne

much good fruit in improvements completed and projected at the port of San Pedro. He has been always an active member of the Chainber of Commerce, and has done much in outlining the railroad, maritime and commercial policy of Southern California. While Republican in gen- eral politics, he is an earnest worker in the canse of temperance, having been placed at the head of the citizens' non-partisan anti-saloon movement. He served the city several terms as a member of the Board of Education, and was for a number of years president of that body. For several years he held the professorship of English Literature in the College of Liberal Arts of the University of Southern California, until, with the establishment of the College of Medicine, he was compelled by lack of time to concentrate his labors upon the latter work. Dr. Widney is withdrawing from the active practice of his profession to devote his time more especially and completely to educational and literary work together with such public duties as fall to him. He was one of the first to discuss the feasibility of dividing the State and establishing the commonwealth of South- ern California, has written much upon the subject, and is one of the ablest and mnost enthusiastic advocates of the new " California of the Sonth." He originated and made the first public movement looking toward the acquisi tion of the Peninsula of Lower California by- the United States. The Doctor is a clear and forcible speaker and writer, and wields a facile and fearless pen in the advocacy of his con- victions.

Dr. Widney was joined in marriage with Miss Ida D. Tuthill in 1869. After her death , he was married, in 1882, to Miss Mary Bray, daughter of John G. Bray, one of the pioneer merchants of San Francisco. His wife is his constant companion and valned associate in his literary work. Dr. Widney and family are mem- bers of and active workers in the Methodist Episcopal Church, having taken part in its growth in Southern California almost from its beginning.

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

MARTIN HAGAN, M. D., one of the leading surgeons and physicians of Los Angeles, for- merly of St. Paul, Minnesota, was born in Tus- carawas County, Ohio, December 28, 1832.

Martin Hagan completed his literary educa- tion in Columbia College, New York City. He attended lectures in the Medical University, New York, and Starling Medical College, Co- lumbus, Ohio, graduating from the latter in 1856. After practicing eight years at Port Washington, Ohio, in Angust, 1861, he entered the military service as Assistant Surgeon, Fifty- first Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Army of the Ohio. He was present at the battles of Fort Donelson, Perryville, Stone River and Chattanooga. Owing to failing healtlı he re- signed his commission, and after a rest of a few months hereturned to the service as surgeon of the One Hundred and Sixty-first Regiment, Volun- teer Infantry. which was sent to the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, being a part of the time with General Sheridan. He participated in the bat- tles of Harper's Ferry, Maryland Heights and Winchester, and frequently acted as brigade surgeon, and had charge of hospitals succeed.ng battles. After being honorably discharged, at the expiration of his term of service, in the fall of 1864, he returned to Ohio, and during the same fall was elected county treasurer of his native county.

During the winter of 1866 and 1867, after serving his term as county treasurer, he at- tended the hospitals and course of medical lect- ures in New York City, and graduated at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in February, 1867. In Angust of that year, having finished his medical education, he went to St. Paul, Min- nesota, where he engaged in the practice of his profession with eminent success for fourteen years. In 1881, his health becoming impaired by close attention to his extensive practice, he contemplated a tour to the Pacific Islands. Leaving St. Paul in June, 1881, accompanied by his wife and children, he sailed from San Franciseo to Honolulu, Australia, New Zealand and the South Sea Islands. In 1882 he was

placed in medical charge of the Asylum for the Insane on the Hawaiian Islands by appointment from the king. Resigning two years afterward, he returned with his family to California and became a resident of Los Angeles, where he is at present engaged in the practice of his pro- fession.

As a physician and surgeon the Doctor has a high standing. He is a diligent student and believes in progression. He is an able writer upon medical science, and has contributed extensively to medical journals and to the per- manent literature of the profession-books, pamphlets and magazine articles. Among these is a work on the " Diseases of the Stomach and Indigestion," published in 1867; an artistically illustrated pamphlet on " Leprosy in the Hawaiian Islands;" articles on matters pertaining to the public health in his annual reports as health officer, etc .; and he has also furnished interest- ing papers descriptive of his various travels, which have been extensive both on this conti- nent and abroad. He is a member of the Min- nesota State Medical Society, and has been its president; he is also a member of the St. Panl Medical Society, of the Minnesota State His- torical Society, of the St. Paul Academy of Science, of the American Medical Association, honorary member of the Ohio State Medical Society, of the California State Medical Society, and of the Los Angeles County Medical Society.

On becoming a resident of Los Angeles in 1884, he at once took an active part in the growth and progress of the city, and invested largely in real-estate. In 1886 he was one of the incorporators of the Southern California National Bank of Los Angeles, and was chosen one of its directors. In 1887 he was elected health officer for the city of Los Angeles, for which position he was specially fitted by the close study he had for many years given to sanitary science. Thus he rendered important service during the small-pox epidemic of 1887- '88, and through his prompt action and strin- gent hygienic measures effectually checked it. In fraternal relations he is a Master Mason

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and a member of the order of Odd Fellows. He was married in October, 1861, at Port Wash- ington, Ohio, to Miss Rose Armstrong, of that place. They have two children.

HENRY H. MAYNARD, M. D., one of the most eminent physicians and estimable gentlemen in Southern California, was born on the banks of the Olentangy River, in Franklin County, Ohio, September 6, 1835. When he was a lad nine years of age his father, Stephen Maynard, moved fram the Buckeye State to the then new country of Iowa and settled near Iowa City, in Johnson County. There the subject of this sketch grew to manhood, received his literary education and studied medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. Frederick Lloyd in Iowa City. IIe attended Rush Medical College, Chicago, in 1861, and in Angust, 1862, entered the army as assistant surgeon of the Eighteenth Iowa Infantry. In November of that year he was detailed by Gen- eral Schofield as ward surgeon in the hospital at Springfield, Missouri, and served till the fol- lowing spring. The onerons duties of the posi- tion and contact with fever patients so impaired his health that he was compelled to take a leave of absence for two months at home. On his return to duty Dr. Maynard was promoted to surgeon in chief of the hospital, having the entire superintendence. Springfield being the distributing depot for a large area of country north and west, a great many troops reported there. Dr. Maynard had charge of the hospital till the fall of 1863, when his regiment was ordered Soutlı, and he soon after followed and rejoined it. Being detailed to Dardanelle, Arkansas, to examine new recruits for the Union army, he remained there until the whole com- mand was ordered North about the holidays. During their march to Fort Smith the memor- able storm and sudden change of January 1. 1864, occurred, which caused great suffering among the men. On arriving at Fort Smith he went on duty with his regiment, practically for the first time, but it was destined to be of short duration, for in two weeks he received an order from General Steele, commanding at

Little Rock, to report at Springfield, Missouri, to muster as surgeon of the Second Arkansas Cavalry, a regiment composed of loyal men from Arkansas, Missouri and Texas, officered chiefly by Northern men. Dr. Maynard was mnustered as surgeon of that regiment on January 17, 1864, and accompanied it to Northern Arkansas, where it was sent to guard against raiding parties being sent up into Missouri. A few weeks later, in February, the Doctor was ordered to Cassville, Missouri, to establish a post hos- pital. Having completed that duty he was or- dered by General John B. Sanborn, sometime in March, back to Springfield, Missouri, as medical director and medical purveyor of the district of Southwest Missouri. In that capacity he furnished all the troops in that region with medical and surgical supplies, having hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of goods in his hands at a time. In the fall of 1864 Dr. May- nard accompanied his regiment against the rebel General Price who had invaded Missouri; and during that campaign, from Jefferson City to Newtonia, some of the most remarkable and fatiguing marches of the entire war were made. His regiment was thirty-four days and nights in the saddle riding or fighting. Sanborn's com- mand, of which it was a part, marched 102 miles in thirty-six hours, reaching Newtonia in time to save the day and win the battle. On arriv- ing there Dr. Maynard was compelled to take charge of the entire surgical work, the other surgeons of the command not having arrived, notwithstanding he had been without food for twenty-four hours previous while on the forced march. Simply taking time to hastily swallow a tin-cup of strong hot coffee he entered upon the duties of attending to the wounded. Re- turning from Newtonia to Springfield, his regi- ment was then ordered to Memphis, Tennessee, where the Doctor joined it after a brief leave of absence. Reaching that place about the 1st of January, 1865, he served a short time as sor- geon in chief of the district of West Tennessce, after which he resigned the command at La- grange, and remained there on duty as brigade

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surgeon until he was mustered out of service August 20, 1865.

On retiring from the army Dr. Maynard married the daughter of Brigadier-General John Edwards on September 5, 1865, and settled down to practice medicine in Tipton, Iowa. In 1874 he went to New York City and spent the winter in Bellevue Hospital Medical College, taking the ud eundem degree from that institution in the spring of 1875. Closing out his business after seventeen years of successful practice in Iowa, Dr. Maynard moved his family to California in November, 1881, stopping six months in Santa Ana Valley, and then settled in Los An- geles, where they have since resided and where he has achieved a large and lucrative medical practice and attained to the front rank in his profession in this part of the State. He fills the chair of Professor of Principles and Practice of Surgery in the College of Medicine of the University of Southern California.

Dr. and Mrs. Maynard have a family of three children, viz .: Maud, who graduated with the degree of A. B. from the Ladies' College in Los Angeles; Rea Edwards, a freshman in the Rose Polytechnic Institute at Terre IIante, In- diana, with a view of becoming a civil engineer; Frederick Gray Maynard, the youngest, is at- tending the city public schools.

Dr. Maynard's father, Stephen Maynard, was born in Massachusetts in 1791 and moved to Ohio in 1806, where he married Lnrenda Humphrey, a native of Connecticut, who came to the Buckeye State in the same year her hus- band did. In 1844 they removed to Iowa, bc- ing pioneers in both States. Mrs. Maynard died in 1872, and Mr. Maynard followed her across the dark river two years later. The sub- ject of this memoir was their staff and support in their declining years.

DR. AARON SenLoss, physician and drug- gist, whose office and store are on the southwest corner of Downey avenue and Hellman street, East Los Angeles, has been in business at that location since coming to the city in November, 1886. Ile enjoys a prosperons and remnuer-

ative professional practice, and also has a good drug trade. Dr. Schloss is an Indianian by birth, and is twenty-seven years of age. He was left an orphan in early childhood, his mother having died when he was two years old, and his father four years later. Though but six when he lost his father, he provided for himself from that time on. Descended from a family of phy- sicians (both his grandparents and two of his uncles on his mother's side were doctors), he inclined from boyhood toward that profession as his life-work, and at seventeen years of age --- having completed the High-School course-he began the study of medicine in Columbus, In- diana. He graduated at the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania in 1883, and after spending a few months at home, came to California and commenced practice in Watson- ville, Santa Cruz County. Three years later he moved to Los Angeles. The Doctor employs a graduated pharmacist to conduct his drug store, which has a fine retail trade, chiefly among reg- ular family customers.

In June, 1885, Dr. Schloss married Miss Adella Tuttle, in Santa Cruz County. She was born in Iowa. The Doctor was a member of the Santa Cruz County Medical Society, and is now a member of the Los Angeles County Medical Society. Dr. Schloss's maternal grandfather practiced medicine till ninety years of age, and his grandmother, until she was eighty years old.

DR. W. A. BROWN, of Downey, has been a citizen of this county for several years, and during that time has worked up an immense practice in Downey and the surrounding country for a radins of ten miles. He was born near Macon, Georgia, July 27, 1817. His father was a native of Edinburgh, Scotland, and came to America with his father, who settled near Petersburg, Virginia, and served as a Captain in the Revolutionary war. The subject of this sketch received his literary education at the Uni- versity of Nashville, from which he received four diplomas, representing as many different degrees. Ile gradnated in 1837, and subse- quently studied chemistry under the celebrated

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chemist, Paul F. Eve. In 1853 he took a de- gree in science and also in medicine. Previous to this, however, he had practiced medicine for several years. After receiving his degree he went to Southern Georgia and practiced two years. From there he went to Fort Valley, Georgia, where he remained until 1854. In December of the latter year he moved to Texas, where he was very successful.

Dr. Brown was married in 1841 to Miss Sa- lina J. Jenkins, daughter of Robert and Hannah (Shields) Jenkins, both from England. She is a niece of Charles J. Jenkins, who represented the State of Georgia in the Senate for several years. The Doctor himself is first cousin to Joe Brown, who was Governor of Georgia for three terms, and also Chief Justice of Georgia. During the late war Dr. Brown was postmaster at Cunninghams, Texas. He was for two years chemist and mineralogist in Georgia with Dr. Cotting, under the geological survey. At the beginning of the war he was appointed to make a topographical survey of the southern half of Texas, with Dr. Duvall. The war coming on, and Duvall having died, the survey was never ınade.

The Doctor and his excellent wife have reared an interesting and intelligent family. Imme- diately after their marriage he and his bride rode each a pony a distance of eighty miles in two days, through the Creek Nation of Indians, making but one stop. Dr. Brown was a very wealthy man in Texas, but lost heavily during the war. Since coming to California he has built up a large practice, and is recognized as a physician of great ability. He is a Mason in the thirty-second degree, and a member of the I. O. O. F. fraternity.

DR. ANDREW STEPHEN SHORE was born at Canton, Ohio, April 12, 1837. IIis father, Adam Lechner Shorb, came from Little York, Pennsylvania, to Ohio, and was of German ex- traction. Dr. Shorb spent most of his minority and commenced studying medicine in Ohio. Afterward he went to Vinton, Iowa, in 1854, and then returned to Ohio, still continuing his

studies in Columbus, Ohio, during the war, and graduated at the Cincinnati Pultey Medical School. He went to Topeka, Kansas, where he practiced his profession three years. In 1871 he came to California; first he went to Vallejo, but soon came to Los Angeles, where he settled in the practice of his profession, and where he has resided ever since. He married his first wife in 1860, who died, leaving one son, who is a resident of Los Angeles. In 1868 he married Martha L. Blanchard, at Newark, Ohio, by whom he has one child, a daughter.

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Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1092

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1092