An illustrated history of Southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the peninsula of Lower California, from the earliest period of occupancy to the present time; together with glimpses of their prospects; also, full-page portraits of some of their eminent men, and biographical mention of many of their pioneers and of prominent citizens of to-day, Part 135

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1038

USA > California > Los Angeles County > An illustrated history of Southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the peninsula of Lower California, from the earliest period of occupancy to the present time; together with glimpses of their prospects; also, full-page portraits of some of their eminent men, and biographical mention of many of their pioneers and of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 135
USA > California > San Diego County > An illustrated history of Southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the peninsula of Lower California, from the earliest period of occupancy to the present time; together with glimpses of their prospects; also, full-page portraits of some of their eminent men, and biographical mention of many of their pioneers and of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 135
USA > California > Orange County > An illustrated history of Southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the peninsula of Lower California, from the earliest period of occupancy to the present time; together with glimpses of their prospects; also, full-page portraits of some of their eminent men, and biographical mention of many of their pioneers and of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 135
USA > California > San Bernardino County > An illustrated history of Southern California : embracing the counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the peninsula of Lower California, from the earliest period of occupancy to the present time; together with glimpses of their prospects; also, full-page portraits of some of their eminent men, and biographical mention of many of their pioneers and of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 135

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).

a saw-mill in Calaveras County. He was then a resident of Stockton for a year and a half, and finally moved to Westminster, where he bought land, and has since lived there and bought other tracts of land. He is one of Westminster's most prosperous farmers. He was one of the partners in the co-operative store at Westminster, and has aided every enterprise wisely inaugurated.

In 1865 he married Miss Olive W. Shaw, who was born in Warren County, Pennsylvania. Her father, O. W. Shaw, was a cabinet-maker by trade, and crossed the plains to this State in 1852. He served as a soldier in the last war and helped build the Government barracks at Wilmington, California. Mr. and Mrs. Ste- phens are active meinbers of the Congregational Church, and highly respected as members of society. Their four children are: Bessie, wife Hansler Larter; Hiram Y., Lovisa and Etta; Sadie, the fourth child, and Tiny, the sixth, having both died in Westminster.

OHN HARRIS, of Westminster, was born in Cornwall, England, in May. 1832, and came to the United Sates in 1852. After spending three and a half years in Pennsylvania and Virginia, and one year in Missouri, he came in 1859 to San Franciso, and was in the mines for several years. Afterward he served as Su- perintendent of the Pine Tree mines for John C. Fremont. In 1874, his health failing, he eame to Westminster and purchased 160 acres of land. For several years, in company with his son, Richard T.,-now the sheriff of Orange County,-he was in the general merchandise business at Westminster; for some time past he lias been retired on account of delicate health. He owns a stock-farm, and gives his attention principally to raising horses. For many years he has been a member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church, and is recognized as a true Chris- tian gentleman by all who know him.

The names of his children are: John, de- ceased; Jolin E., Arthur, Richard T., George

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY.

W., deceased; Clara, wife of Jerome Fulsome, of Garden Grove; Eliza A., Frederick, at West- minster; Ernest A., deceased; Albert E., Lora and Joseph.

EORGE H. CARLYLE, one of West- minster's successful dairymen, was born in Woodford County, Kentucky, March 23,

1827. His father moved to Saline County, Missouri, in 1855, and followed farming there until his death twelve years ago. He had nine children. For several years George (or Henry, as he was generally known) was connected with the stage line under Ben. Holiday, froin the Missouri river to Fort Kearney and Salt Lake City. After this he followed farming and the dairy business at Independence, Missouri, until he came to California in 1887. Buying eighty acres of land in the Westminster colony, he is now raising fruits, fine Jersey cattle, and also carrying on the dairy business. Politically Mr. Carlyle is a Democrat, and religiously he is a member of the Christian Church, of which for several years he has been an elder, at Santa Ana.

In 1868 he married Amie Fackler, of Mis- souri, and a daughter of Dr. J. M. Fackler, of Kansas City. Their children are: Virgie, John, Frankie, Lutie and George Fackler.

S YLVESTER LYMAN, deceased. Ameri- can biography has always been considered to be of the greatest interest, far ontrank- ing in this regard the same study in any other country. The canse of this is the large pro- portion of self made men in our population,- men who have plucked the flowers of success

from the thorns of difficulty. Mr. Lyman, the subject of this memoir, illustrates this fact. He was born at Westhampton, Blandford County, Massachusetts, February 26, 1826. At the age of fourteen years his father moved his family to Shiawassee County, Michigan, where Mr. Ly-

man assisted in the farm work for some years; then taught school. In 1852 he came to Cali- fornia, across the plains, with a party of pioneers; he was exposed to great dangers and endured many hardships. The first ten years he spent in mining in Sierra County, then in its golden boom. When the " gold fever " broke out in Arizona and on Fraser river, he went on a pros- pecting tour to both places; being disappointed with his trip, he returned to Santa Clara County, California, and took charge of a grain ranclio.

In 1864 he was married at Saratoga to Miss Nettie Pollock, of Marysville, Union County, Ohio. They had one daughter-Lutie, who, with her mother, now reside on the old home. In 1875 Mr. Lyman bought 160 acres of land at Westminster, now in Orange County, out of which he made a fine rancho and on which he erected a beautiful residence. He owned land in San Diego, also an interest in Arrow-head Hot Springs, in San Bernardino County, where he was manager at the time of his death, which occurred March 11, 1889. In his home life Mr. Lyman was kindness itself; very social and hospitable. The needy always found a helping friend in him. In his conduct he was strictly honorable and upright, and as a citizen was loved and respected by all.

OSIAH McCOY, Justice of the Peace at Westminster, was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, May 20, 1826. His father was Colonel John McCoy, of Scotch an- cestry; and his mother, whose maiden name was Jane Brice, was a daughter of Rev. John Brice, of West Virginia. They were among the early settlers of Washington County, Pennsyl- vania. In 1850 Josiah McCoy went to Mar- shall County, Illinois, followed farming for a number of years, and subsequently mercantile business some five years at Henry, that county. In December, 1873, he became a citizen of California and a resident of the town of West- minster, where he bought 120 acres of land.

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY.

This he has put under a high state of cultiva- tion, and is carrying on the dairy business and stock-raising. He also owns valuable land near Beaumont, in San Bernardino County. Politi- cally he affiliates with the Republican party and sympathizes with the Prohibition movement; he is public-spirited, aiding in all good enter- prises.

Mr. McCoy was first married in 1854, to Miss Mary L. Noe, a native of New Jersey; their children are: John J., now of Beaninont; Carrie B., a teacher; Jessie A., a student at the Normal School at Los Angeles; Chester M., of Beaumont. Judge McCoy lost his first wife in 1865, and was married again April 23, 1868, at Coshocton, Ohio, to Miss Martha L. Wells, a native of Licking County, that State, and daugh- ter of Chester and Polly (Case) Wells, natives respectively of Chatham and Granby, Connecti- cut. By the latter marriage the children are: Hattie Wells, Mamie Sturges and Wells Brice. Miss Hattie is attending Hanna College, and Miss Mamie is a student at the Normal School at Los Angeles. Mr. and Mrs. McCoy are members of the Presbyterian Church, of which he is an elder.

OHN TURNER, of Westminster, was born in Genesee County, New York, in 1818. At the age of eighteen years he walked all the way to Michigan, where he worked by the day for a year, and then returned to New York. There he married Miss Harriet Hopkins, whose father, James Hopkins, was one of the wealthiest farmers of Genesee County. Mr. Turner went with his wife to Michigan and carved a farm out of the dense forest. In 1852 he came to this State, and for ten years followed dairying in Amador County. In 1862 he moved to Carson City, Nevada, and in 1866 to Healdsburg. So- noma County, where he was engaged in stock- raising and butchering for twenty years. In 1884 he came to Westminster, where he is still engaged in dairying. He also runs a

stage to Anaheim once a day, carrying the Uni- ted States mail. He has had three children : George, Frank, who died at the age of fourteen years, and Charles.

ILLIAM T. RICHARDS, formerly a cattle-dealer, but now retired and living at Orange, was born in the State of New York in 1833. His first employment in that State was as an agriculturist, and then he was a dairyman in Illinois, and later engaged in the dry-goods and clothing trade at Elgin, that State, for fifteen years. He came to California ten years ago, resided at San Gabriel three years and in Los Angeles one year; next he was en- gaged in the cattle business in Texas until three years ago, when he returned to California and purchased the place where he now lives, where he has erected a very neat and comfortable resi- · dence and expects to spend the remainder of his days.

March 8, 1858, he married Miss Mary L. Du Bois, from Newburg, New York; her father was William DuBois, a prosperons farmer in Medina, Orleans County, that State. Mr. and Mrs. Richards are active members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, and worthy members of the best society.

APTAIN H. HALL, one of the prosper- ons orange-growers of Santa Ana valley, has been a citizen of the Golden State for eighteen years. Born at Tiffin, Ohio, in 1838, he was educated there and read law for several years, which study was interrupted by his en- listment in the army in Company H, Thirty- second Iowa Volunteer Infantry. During his service of three years he was commissioned Sec- ond Lientenant and First Lieutenant. At the close of the war, being broken in health, he for a number of years traveled as a commercial agent. In 1876 he came to California and

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY.

bought and improved a ranch one and a half miles north east of Orange.

Socially Captain Hall is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and also a charter member of Gordon Granger Post, No. 138, G. A. R., of which he was first Post Commander.

UDGE S. M. CRADDICK, Justice of the Peace and City Recorder at Orange, was born in Marion County, Iowa. In 1881 he went to Pierre, Dakota, and thence to Man- kato, Minnesota, where he was engaged in the book and stationery trade. In 1886 he went to Chicago and engaged in the real-estate business until, on account of the ill-health of his wife, he had to seek a more genial climate. Coming to Orange, he has since then, by his active busi- ness habits and enterprising spirit, won the con- fidence and respect of all the business men who know him. He was one of the hardest workers for the establishment of the Orange County College. He it was who raised every dollar to purchase the Rochester hotel for the college building. He is also an active politician and labored efficiently for the county division. He is a prominent member of the Orange board of industry, in which body he is chairman of the committee on emigration and advertising.

He was married in Racine, Wisconsin, June 6, 1887, to Miss Lizzie M. Richards, a native of Wisconsin, who died at Orange, March 6, 1890. Mrs. Craddick excelled both in instrumental and vocal music. She was admired and loved by all for her many virtues.

OSEPH BEACH, of Orange, was born in Essex County, New York, August 20, 1816, and for twenty-six years after he ar- rived at the age of inanhood he followed agri- cultural and mercantile pursuits. Then he was a farmer in Calhoun County, Michigan, ten years, until 1873, when he came to California.

Since then he has been engaged successfully in the cultivation of a fruit farm in the Santa Ana valley, until lately, being in his seventy-fourth year, he has practically retired. Being one of the first settlers of Orange, he is respected as a pioneer, an honored citizen and a successful horticulturist. He was united in marriage in the State of New York, in 1837, with Miss Eliza Austin, a native of Vermont and the daughter of Sylvanus Austin. They have three children: George H., a physician of Los An- geles; Charles, of Orange; and Eliza J., now Mrs. Henry Lockwood, also of Orange. Mr. and Mrs. Beach celebrated their golden wedding three years ago, and are still, after a loug and tiresome journey, walking hand in hand down the shady side of life happily together.

ELCOME FOWLER, proprietor of the Palmyra Hotel, Orange, is one of the pioneers of 1849, and a history of his life since that time is full of interesting inci- dents. He was born in Jackson County, Ten- nessee, in 1818. His father, John Fowler, was born in July, 1767, in Virginia, and died in December, 1867, being therefore in his 101st year. He had married Lucinda Usury and had ten children. May 25, 1849, the subject of this sketchi left Atchison County, Missouri, with an ox team for California and arrived in Sacra- mento October 25. He immediately took a load of goods to Grass valley, built the first log house in that place and followed merchandising and mining for a year. In 1854, having re- turned to Missouri by way of the Isthmus, he came again to California overland, with an ox team, starting April 25 and arriving in Butte County Angust 1, bringing also a drove of cattle with him. He spent one winter herding them at Woodland. From 1855 to 1867 he was en- gaged in the cattle and dairy business, and in farming at Vallejo. After this he raised sheep and followed agriculture for six years in Mer- ced County. In 1872 he moved to Tulare

HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY.

872

County, where he was engaged in the live-stock business and in farming until 1883, and he pursued the same callings for five years in Ventura County. In 1888 he came to Southern California, and the next year purchased the Palmyra Hotel, which he is now successfully conducting. Politically he was always a Demo- crat, nntil seven years ago, when he became an enthusiastic Prohibitionist. For many years he has held the office of deacon in the Christian Church.

February 13, 1850, in Atchison County, Missouri, he married Matilda Jane Jamison, from Kentucky, and they have had nine child- ren, named Frances, Maria, Lucinda, Mary, Henry, James, Newton, Martha and Clara. All of these are married except three.

D. SCHOLL, of Tustin, was born De- cember 25, 1807, a son of Jacob P. and Elizabeth Scholl, natives of Pennsyl- vania. His father, a blacksmithı by trade, moved to New York in 1815, and died there in 1835; then the subject of this sketch, the eldest of the nine children in his father's family, returned to Pennsylvania and learned the mill- ing business with his grandfather. In 1834 he went again to New York State, married Miss Lucy Rowell, a native of Massachusetts, and the next year moved to Goshen, Indiana, where he engaged in the furnace and machinery business until 1849, when he crossed the plains to Cali- fornia, returning again to Indiana in 1852. After this he followed milling until 1861,when he recrossed the plains to California with his family, with horse teams. The first seven years in this State he followed farming in Solano County; then was a resident of San Francisco eight years, in Vallejo seven years and finally moved to Tustin, Orange County, where he lias since occupied a fine fruit ranch in the beautiful Santa Ana valley. Politically Mr. Scholl is a Democrat. He has seen many of the hardships of pioneer life, but by industry and economy

he has succeeded far better than many who have been more favored with opportunity.

Mr. and Mrs. Scholl have reared a family of seven children: Amelia, wife of N. Vanderlip; Maria, now Mrs. George Ellsworth; Fidelia, wife of John W. Ballard; Orlando, a grocery- man of Tustin. The others are now all deceased.

- AMUEL ARMOR, a Supervisor of Orange County froin the fourth district, came to California in 1874, and located on a frnit- farm, giving what time he could spare from the ranch to the carpenter trade. He subsequently taught school in Orange for three and one-half years; then clerked in a store, and five years ago began the mercantile business in his own name. He carries a full line of stationery, fancy articles and boots and shoes. He has contributed to the architectural beauty of Orange by erccting a fine brick block on the corner of Chapman street and the plaza, and has taken an active part in building up the city.

He was born in New York State, gradnated at Oberlin college, Ohio, in 1871, and married Miss Alice L. Taylor, who was a graduate of the same class. They both taught school for two years at White Earth, Minnesota, on the Indian reservation. After this they taught to- gether in Dakota, and subsequently came to California. Mr. Armor started in business here with only $250 capital, and in five years has increased it to $7,000. Although a success- ful teacher, his qualifications seem to fit hitn for business rather than for literary work. He was elected Supervisor July 17, 1889.

OHN H. KELLOM, of Tustin, was born in Washington County, New York, in 1818, a son of Isaac and Eliza (Healy) Kellomn. He graduated at Williams College in 1842. taught school four years in Georgia, studied law two years at Auburn, New York, taught

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY.

school again until 1856, and then went to Omaha, Nebraska, and engaged in banking. Two years afterward he was elected State Super- intendent of schools for a term of two years; he also served as United States Assessor; was clerk of all the courts of Nebraska for four years; was Postmaster at Omaha one year un- der President Grant, etc. He next organized the high school of Omaha, and was principal of the same for three years. In 1880 he aban- doned public life and came to California to live retired. He owns one of the finest orange or- chards in the Santa Ana valley, situated at Tustin, from which he realized a profit of $6,000 in 1889.

He was married at Syracuse, New York, in 1849, to Miss Harriet Newell, of Springfield, Massachusetts, and they have but one child- Clara, now Mrs. William L. Adams, her hus- band a prominent railroad man of Nebraska.

ON. WILLIAM H. SPURGEON, founder ofthe city of Santa Ana, and the principal factor of its subsequent growth, is a native of Henry County, Kentucky, born October 10, 1829, his parents being Granville and Levina (Sibley) Spurgeon, the latter a native of Vir- ginia, the former of Kentucky. The Spurgeons, of English origin, chose for their first location in this country, North Carolina. From those of the family who afterward removed to Ken- tucky, our subject springs. When he was but a year old, the family removed to Indiana, and ten years later they settled in Clark County, northeast Missouri. When he was but twelve years old his father put him in a dry-goods store, so that he had the opportunity to learn business methods at a very early age, which served him in good stead in the later years. In 1852 he joined the tide of emigration directed toward California, making the trip via New Orleans, Havana and Panama. From New Or- leans to the Isthmus he made the trip on the steamer Philadelphia, and on the Pacific side 55

he was a passenger on the New Orleans. He landed at San Francisco, but soon afterward proceeded to Oregon, where he was engaged in ranching during the summer of 1852, in the Willamette valley. He spent the fall and winter of that year in the Siskiyou mines, of what is now Josephine Connty, on the Althans creek. He mined in that region and through- ont sonthern Oregon until 1856, with fair suc- cess. During the last two years of that time, however, his attention was only partially di- rected to mining, as he had charge of a trading post for a part of the time just across the line in California. For a portion of the time while he was up there the natives were hostile, and he put in one campaign against the Rogue River Indians, in the commands of General Joc Lane and Captain Williams.

In the spring of 1856 he started to go back East, and while on the way arrived in San Fran- cisco, during the reign of the vigilance com- mittee, and saw Casey and Cora hung. After two or three weeks at San Francisco, he re- sumed his way eastward, and going back to Missouri went into business at Athens, twenty- five miles west of Alexandria. He was in business either there or at the last named place until the fall of 1863, when he sold out, and in the following year returned to California. This time he made the trip overland, via Council Bluffs and South Pass, proceeding into Califor- nia by the Reese river ronte. He had driven thirty or forty mules and some horses across, and during the winter of 1864-'65 he kept his stock at the head of Napa valley. In 1866 he went to Monterey County, and in the following year, on account of his wife's ill health, he again re- mnoved to Los Angeles, where, about the first of January, 1868, death claimed his companion. Her name was Martha Moreland, and he mar- ried her in Missouri in 1860. Mr. Spurgeon then went back East, and in the fall of 1869 he again returned to California, locating at what is now Santa Ana. His choice of location was partially due to some conversation he had lad in Los Angeles, in 1867, with an engineer who

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY.

had assisted in the partition of the rancho, and spoke very favorably of the locality. Ten days' looking around convinced him that what he had heard of its advantages was correct; hence his settlement here. He laid out the town of Santa Ana, named it, and started in business on the northeast corner of Fourth and West streets. In 1875 he erected a frame building on the corner of Fourth and Sycamore streets, and moved into it. In 1880 he moved that structure, and in its place erected the handsome brick business building known as the Spurgeon block, which has a frontage of 137 feet on Fourth street, and two'stories in height, and is a credit to the city.

In 1870 he was appointed Postmaster of Santa Ana, and held the office until 1879. He cansed the location of the postoffice here, a box in Anaheim having offered the only previous mail facility for the community. The stage line, running between Anaheim and San Diego, left Santa Ana two miles to one side. He sub- sidized the stage company, and built a road from Santa Ana intersecting the old stage route mentioned. He put in watering facilities in front of his store, where the stage horses were watered after they commenced running here, and after the line commenced operating he secured the location of the postoffice. In 1877, while yet Postmaster, he was elected a Supervi- sor of Los Angeles County. In 1887, being abont to retire from mercantile business, he allowed his name to be put forward as a candidate for Representative in the Legislature of Califor- nia for the Seventy-eighth district. As a proof of his popularity it may be stated in this con- nection that, though he is a Democrat, he over- came a Republican majority of about 360. In the Assembly he served on the committees on Irrigation, County and Township Government, and Viticulture.

He took an active part in securing the parti- tion and separate organization of Orange County, with Santa Ana as the county seat, and at the first election of the new county, held July 17, 1890, he was elected a Supervisor, and on or- ganization made president of the board.

He is a stockholder in the Santa Ana Valley Irrigation Company, of which he was for five years a director and three years its president. He is a director of the Santa Ana Land and Im- provement Company, and also of the Newport Wharf and Lumber Company. He is a director and one of the incorporators of the Santa Ana & Newport Railroad Company. Heis also President of the First Natianal Bank of Santa Ana. There has never been a movement giving promise of material benefit for Santa Ana that has not had the benefit of his assistance and enconragement as an aider and leader. Truly the people of Santa Ana may look upon him as a public bene- factor, and his memory will live as long as the city he founded exists.

Mr. Spurgeon's present wife, to whom he was married in Santa Ana, April 17, 1872, was formerly Miss Jennie English, a native of Mis- souri. They have five children, viz .: Grace, Lottie, Mary, W. H., Jr., and Granville Robert.

ENRY YOUNT, of Tustin, was born in Platte County, Missouri, December 11, 1845, his parents being Henry and Deb- orah (Doherty) Yount,-the former a native of Indiana and the latter of Pennsylvania,-who moved to Missouri in 1832, locating upon a farm, and there the senior Yount died in 1845, when his son Ilenry was but two weeks old. His inother subsequently married Abraham Van Vranken. May 5, 1865, Mr. Yonnt started for California with an ox team; and after arriving he followed farming the first year in Santa Clara County; then he was a wheat-raiser in San Joaquin County four years; next he was five years in Stanislans County; and in 1872 he came to Los Angeles County and continued agricultural pursuits for one year at Compton, and next he was engaged in wheat-farming again in Tulare County. Returning to Comp- ton, he remained there until 1881, when he became a citizen of Santa Ana Valley, locating at Tustin. He bought an improved property

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY.

there, making a neat and comfortable home. He has given his whole attention to horticulture since his arrival here, and he has served the people as Deputy Assessor for the years 1887- '88-'89; is an active Republican.

In 1872 he married Miss Mary A. Wootten, from Illinois. They have two children: Dora E. and Frank. She died in Tulare County, September 19, 1875, and in March, 1880, Mr. Yount married Alice A. Troombly, from Kan- sas, and by this marriage there are John H., Augusta, Charles E., Benjamin, deceased, and Harriet.

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Author: Lewis Publishing Company Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : The Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1038

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1038