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 137

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 137
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 137
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 137
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 137

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).

December 23, 1874, is the date of his arrival at Santa Ana, when he at once entered the livery business, which he successfully followed until 1884. His stables stood where now stands the Brunswick Hotel. He sold the property for $14,000, and he owns $12,000 stock in the hotel, and he still also owns the Hickey livery barns, on the corner of Fifth and Sycamore streets. In 1887 he built the Hickey block, on Fourth street,

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY.

a fine brick structure, two stories high, fifty- feet front by fifty feet in depth. He also owns other valnable residence property and business honses. His residence is on West and Hickey streets. He has been prominently connected with nearly every enterprise in Santa Ana, and is a citizen respected by everybody.

In 1866 he married, in El Monte, Miss Julia A. Johnston, who was born in the city of Chica- go, the daughter of McAger Johnston, a native of Tennessee, who came to California in 1852, across the plains. He was a blacksmith, and built the first shop in Los Angeles County out- side of the city. He was killed Jannary 5, 1855. Mr. and Mrs. Hickey have six children.

R. J. S. GARDINER, Postmaster at Ana- heim, was born in Maryville, Tennessee, in 1841. His ancestors were from Scot- land formerly. He received his literary edu- cation at the common schools of his native county. In 1861 he entered the University of Pennsylvania, and continued there during one term. Then the war coming on in 1862, he en- tered the Confederate army. He enlisted April 13, 1862, in Company I, Thirty-seventh Tennes- see State Volunteer Infantry, and served until September 4, 1864, when he was discharged on account of disability. He then re-entered he University and was graduated with the degree of M. D., in 1865. In the fall of this year he began the practice of medicine in Blount County, Tennessee, and continued there until September 1, 1869, when he set out for California, and soon after his arrival here he, with his brother, bought 160 acres of land near Anaheim. In 1870 he began the practice of his profession and continued atit until 1885, when he was appointed Postmaster, which position he holds at this time. October 31, 1876, he was married to Mrs. M. J. Tarver, a native of Alabama, but principally reared in Texas. She was the widow of Charles Tarver, who. at one time was district attorney for Bastrop County, Texas. She and her hus-

band crossed the plains in wagons in 1868. By her first husband she had one daughter, Charles Louise, now the wife of Victor Montgomery, a prominent attorney at Santa Ana. Her union with Dr. Gardiner has been blessed with two daughters, Mary and Jessie, the latter of whom died at the age of eight. Politically Dr. Gar- diner is a strong supporter of the principles of the Democratic party. Socially he is a promi- nent Mason, and has been the secretary of the Anaheim lodge for a period of nine consecutive years. He is also an Odd Fellow, and P. M. of the A. O. U. W. lodge, No. 85.

R. WILLIAM M. HIGGINS, pharmacist on Central avenue, Anaheim, was born in Monmouth County, New Jersey, June 18, 1826. He was educated at Princeton College, at which he was graduated in 1845, with the degree of A. B. He read medicine for a period of two years, and February 22, 1849, started for California on the bark St. Mary. He rc- mained in Rio Janeiro ten months, then went aboard the ship William Brandt, bound for San Francisco, at which place he arrived in July, 1850, having been ship's doctor during the voy age. After his arrival in San Francisco he was appointed apothecary and book-keeper in the City Hospital, after which he engaged in mining for a few years. Then in 1869 he moved to Anaheim and established the drug store on the corner of Center and Lemon streets, and has ever since given his attention to the drug busi- ness. In December, 1870, he was appointed Postmaster, which office be filled with great acceptability for a continuous term of thirteen years. He has been connected with the educa- tional interests of the city for a number of years, having been clerk of the district for six years, and is now chairman of the school board.

He is a charter member of the Masonic lodge, which was organized in 1869. He is also a member of the I. O. O. F. fraternity, Anaheimn Lodge, No. 199. He was a charter member of

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY.

the Abou Ben Adhem Lodge in San Francisco, which lodge he had the honor of naming in 1863.

In 1858 he was married in San Francisco to Miss Alice Boyle, a native of Lowell, Massachu- setts, the danghter of Michael Boyle, an Irish- man and a pioneer to this coast of '49. Miss Alice Boyle was the first graduate of the Cooper Medical College. She then practiced medicine four years, and subsequently took a course at Philadelphia in the Women's Medical College, and was elected an honorary member of the alumni. She was a woman of more than ordi- nary ability, and had made an enviable reputa- tion as a physician. Four years ago she became paralyzed and has since been almost helpless. Dr. and Mrs. Higgins have three children,- two daughters at home, and a son, Charles C., a graduate of the California College of Phar- macy, now a prominent druggist in San Fran- - isco.

OSIAH ROSS, one of the first settlers of Santa Ana, was born in Clinton County, Indiana, in 1844. His parents were Jacob and Elizabeth (Thompson) Ross, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. For a number of years the subject of this sketch has been a quiet but successful tiller of the soil on his fine farm one mile west of Santa Ana. Most of his attention has been given to horticulture, and his well kept orchards show many varieties of deciduous and semi-tropical fruits. He has not cared to take an active part in political mat- ters, but is a supporter in his quiet way of the Democratic party. About eight years ago he erected a fine country residence on Seventeenth street, a mile north of Santa Ana.

He was married in Illinois, January 12, 1865, to Sarah A. Prather, a native of that State. Her parents were Uriah and Sarah (Ritter) Prather, natives respectively of Kentucky and Pennsylvania. Of their twelve children, all are -iving except two, as follows: Uriah J., who

married Miss Hattie Maulsby, and is a success- ful farmer near Santa Ana; Sarah Elizabeth, William H., deceased; Eva Evalyn, Edward Isaac, Christie Belle, George W., David Delmar, Orma Rosanna, Edith Irene, deceased; Elva, Olive and Ethel.

EORGE W. FORD, proprietor of the Santa Ana Nursery, is one of the first settlers of the valley, arriving here in 1876, with only $10. The previous year he had been working by the day in Santa Cruz County. Two years later he purchased five acres of land within the city limits, for $400, and to this he has since added twenty-five acres more, most of which he has cut up into city lots and sold at good prices. In his nursery may be seen all kinds of deciduous and semi- tropical fruits and ornamental trees and shrubs. He has recently erected a fine residence on Ross street, in the northwestern part of the city, which for convenience, comfort, beauty of loca- tion and architectural finish would be an orna- ment to any city.

Mr. Ford was born in Perry County, Illinois, in 1848. His father, John Ford, was a native of Kentucky, and one of the first settlers of Illinois, moving there when it was a Territory. By industry, economy and enterprise, Mr. Ford had worked himself up in the world, and has shown himself worthy of the confidence and esteeni of those with whom he has done busi- ness. He is recognized as one of Santa Ana's most industrious and enterprising citizens, and . is ready to help along any undertaking which has for its object any public good.

UDGE NATHAN BAKER, of Santa Ana, was born in Muskingum ' County, Ohio, March 10, 1817. His parents, Nathan and Mary (Blizzard) Baker, both natives of Virginia,

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY.

had three sons and two daughters. The subject of this sketch, the youngest and only one living, started west at the age of eighteen years, stop- ping first in Washington County, Iowa, and then in Lee County, same State, where he fol- lowed farming nntil 1849. In 1850 he was elected to the State Senate by that county, and at the close of his first term he resigned in order to come to California. He came by way of New Orleans and the Isthmus, and arrived in San Francisco, in May, 1851. The first three months he spent in mining in Shasta County; then was engaged npon a farm near Stock- ton a year, and in the fall of 1853 bought a stock of goods, the first ever taken to Visalia, and there engaged in the mercantile business until 1858, when he bought a ranch in that valley; but this proved to be a bad investment, for he lost all he had by the flood of 1861-'62. Engaging then in public affairs, he was elected County Judge of Tulare County. At the begin- ning of the Rebellion he was the only Republi- can officer in the county. After a four-years term as Judge, he again engaged in ranching, and again lost all he had by floods. He entered mercantile business at Portersville, and contin- ued in the same from 1868 to 1878, when he came to Santa Ana and bought land, which he laid off into city lots and sold at " boom " prices. Some of the avenues and streets bear his name. His residence is beautifully located on Ross street, in the northwestern part of the city. Having been very successful in his deals here, and being now far down the shady side of the hill of life, Judge Baker has retired from active business, and is capable and willing to contribute reminiscences of pioneer days to the historian. He was a Democrat until the break- ing out of the war, since which time he has been a stanchi Republican.

Judge Baker was first married in 1840, to Mary Colwell, a native of Ohio, and they had four children, namely: Robert, Ellen, now Mrs. R. C. Redd; Mary, wife of Captain H. Noble; and Emma, wife of Lieutenant Hepburn. The mother of these children died in the fall of 1849,

and in the fall of 1863 Judge Baker married Mrs. L. P. Taylor, in Sacramento, California.

H. MOESSER, one of the early pioneers of Southern California, who was a wan- derer for many years over several States of the Union, began life in the city of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, February 21, 1835. His father, Frederick H. Moesser, was born in Hesse- Darmstadt, town of Altheim, Germany, and was a dry-goods merchant, baker and butcher, at different times. He moved with his family -a wife and two children-to Ohio, where he remained a few years; then he moved to Mis- souri and subsequently to Nauvoo, Illinois. He died at Warsaw, Illinois, in 1853. His mother, Magdalena (Gundel before marriage) Moesser, was born in Pennsylvania.

Mr. Moesser, the subject ot this biographical notice, left Nauvoo in July, 1846, leaving his father there, whom he never saw but once after- ward. April 1, 1886, after being in the West forty years less three months, never having been east of the Rocky mountains in all that time, he re-crossed the plains to make his visit in the East. Coming West the first time, he crossed the Mississippi river: in a skiff and the State of Iowa in a wagon, arriving on the west side of Missonri river, the place was known as Winter Quarters, where he remained over winter, suffer- ing many hardships. In June, 1847, he with others started for the great Salt Lake country, with ox teams. Fort Bridger at that time was the only house in Utah Territory. Bridger offered to give $1,000 for the first bushel of wheat raised in the Territory, where since then it has proved to be one of the best wheat countries in the United States. Mr. Moesser was in the second company that ever entered the Salt Lake valley. At that time buffaloes were so numerous on the North Platte river that the caravan of the party had many times to halt in order to allow the large hierds to pass out of the way, and fre- quently kept two or three men ahead of the

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train driving the buffaloes out of the way. The Indians at that time were peaceable, the whites frequently camping near large camps of them, and never were molested by them. Mr. Moesser can relate many incidents of adventure which are very interesting to the reader of modern history and travel. For instance, he drove two yoke of oxen and one of cows from the Missouri river to Salt Lake for one pound of flour a day, and boarded himself. In 1848 he drove three yoke of cattle, breaking prairie, for one pound of flour per day and was boarded. In 1849, when the California gold excitement occurred, every article of supply was as plentiful as it had been before scarce.

Early in June, 1847, they started for the Elk- horn river, where they organized in companies of ten, fifty and 100, with a captain over each. Peregrive Sessions was captain of the fifty of whoin Mr. Moesser was one. After 556 wagons had been ferried over the Elkhorn river on a raft made of dry cottonwood timber, they started up the Platte about July 4, and arrived in the great Salt Lake valley in the latter part of Sep- tember, 1847. In 1848, while they had to work laboriously, they lived upon greens (a kind of thistle) and roots. Once a week they had bread. Mr. Moesser was compelled to work in his bare feet, reserving his Indian moccasins for extra occasions; and thus they raised their first crop. He tarried in Salt Lake City about nine years, and in Springville city, Utah County, two years. During this time he was in several Indian raids and two or three battles. In one of these bat- tles eleven men were attacked by 150 warriors at 10 o'clock at night. One man was wounded and several head of stock were killed. In the morning the company picked up 150 poisoned arrows. Mr. Moesser was also in the United States service, fighting Indians, for which he received a land warrant, but no pay as yet.

The " Walker war"-so called from the name of the Indian chief-cansed the loss of more lives and property than any other ever occur- ring in Utah Territory. Mr. Moesser, with about fifty picked men, all young, and ready

and willing to take sealps, left Salt Lake City in the summer of 1852 or '53 and went south as far as Manti, guarding small settlements. Fourteen of the men were detailed to take 176 head of cattle and about fourteen head of horses to Salt Lake City for safekeeping. The proceeds of these cattle all went into the church fund, never returning to their owners. During the first three or four days they traveled day and night, until they stopped at Seven-mile creek, near a small town named Salt Creek, now Nephi. They camped abont 10 o'clock A. M., tired ont and sleepy. During the following night they pnt their stock in a large corral, at a point where a small town had been destroyed by fire by the Indians. About 10 o'clock that night a volley of guns and arrows from about 150 Indians broke upon the camp, mingled with the terrible war-whoop, as of 1,000 devils. Never can one of that party ever forget that night, as the red savages charged within eleven steps of the whites in a half circle, with orders from their chief not to cease until they had tomahawked every man! The whites, mostly armed with the old flint-lock musket and plenty of cartridges, lustily responded, bring- ing the Indians to a halt; but still the arrows and bullets fell around the campers like hail, and the war-whoop continued as hellish as ever. At the end of an hour and a quarter-which seemed a week-the reds ceased firing, think- ing that the whites had been reinforced. The fact was, seven of the whites, including Mr. Moesser, were stationed at the southeastern corner of their corral, while the other seven were at the northwestern corner, so arranged that they could shoot npon all sides of the corral without moving from their places; this indeed was the only safe plan. Several cattle and a few horses were killed and one man wounded. The Indians shot too high. But the next morning revealed the fact that several of the Indians had been killed or wounded, as there were pools of blood here and there. Mr. Moesser says he has never been since that time so anxious to raise Indian scalps, and

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY.

that that battle " took a good allowance of fight out of him." It was indeed one of the hardest- fought battles ever waged in Utab. The same band of Indians attacked 150 men a short time before that.

In 1859 he started out across the plains to California, withi ox teams, arriving in San Ber- nardino County December 24, that year; and since that time he has crossed between Califor- nia and Utalı eleven times, nine times driving oxen and mules, and twice on the cars, and twice across the continent. While in San Bernardino County he teamned for a period of twelve years, and owned a small farm south of Base Line. He early crossed the plains. The first railroad that he ever saw was the short line running from Los Angeles to San Pedro, twenty-one miles in length. In 1873 he moved into Santa Ana valley and bought land near Newport, known as the Gospel Swamp. For fourteen years he managed this ranch, and three years ago moved to the city of Santa Ana, where he has retired from active business life. Since settling there he has done his share toward upbuilding the new county seat. A brick block on Fourth street, between Main and Sycamore streets, stands as a monument to his enterprise. He also owns other business and residence property in different parts of the city. He is now vice-president of the Santa Ana Val- ley Fruit Company. Mr. Moesser and Dr. R. Cummings were the first to sell a part of a town lot by the foot in the town of Santa Ana on Fourth street. Some people said that they were "robbing " the parties; but while they sold at the rate of $1.50 per foot, to-day, ten years after, the same ground is worth $200 per foot and even more!

As a politician Mr. Moesser has been rather prominent. He was one of the Supervisors of Los Angeles County, and served as clerk of the school board at Newport for thirteen years. He is a Republican in his political views. Is a mem- ber of the A. O. U. W., Santa Ana Lodge, No. 82. and also of Santa Ana Lodge, No. 236, I. O. O. F., of which he was a charter member.

Mr. Moesser was married in Springville city, Utah County, Utah Territory, August 17, 1856, to Miss Lucy B. Clyde, a native of New York State, the ceremony being performed by Bishop Aaron Johnson, who had ten wives, and four of these were his brother's daughters! To Mr. and Mrs. Moesser have been born the follow- ing named children: Henry A., Lucy E., wife of John Avas; Cynthia L., wife of G. W. Page; George E., Frederick A., Ulysses S., James W., and Clyde Earl, who died at the age of six years, two months and two days.

UDGE GEORGE E. FREEMAN, Recorder for the city of Santa Ana, was born in Hal- lowell, Maine, in 1829, and at the age of twenty-one years left his home for California, coming by steamer and landing in San Fran- cisco November 16, 1851. For seventeen years he engaged in mining and Inumbering in El Do- rado County. In 1869 he moved to Alameda County, where he worked at contracting and building for a number of years, and in 1877 he moved into the Santa Ana valley and followed his trade there until abont four years ago, since which time he has been a citizen of the county seat. He has held the office of Justice of the Peace for eight years. In April, 1889, he was elected Recorder of the city. He is a Republi- can in his political principles, and he is a mem- ber of the I. O. O. F., and of the A. O. U. W.

OHN SHIRLEY, one of Santa Ana's mnost respected citizens, is a native of Hancock County, Ohio, born in 1835, and his par- ents were Daniel and Annie (Crow) Shirley, natives of Virginia. His father, a farmer and blacksmith, moved to Jackson County, Iowa, in 1850, and died there in 1872. When a lad the subject of this sketch drove an ox team across the plains to this State, and for the first several years here he followed mining at Placerville and

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY.

other places till 1864, when he came with the soldiers to Southern California and Arizona. He enlisted in Company K, Seventh Regiment, California Volunteer Infantry, and served two years. He returned to Iowa and went to Clay County, Nebraska, where he erected the first good grain elevator in the county, and speculated in land and grain for a period of seventeen years. Having been very successful, and desiring a more congenial climate, he sold out his interests in Nebraska, in October, 1887, and came to the Golden State, selecting Santa Ana as his home. He bonght a lot on Ross and Orchard streets, where he erected a neat and commodious resi- dence. He has held some important offices, among which are those of justice of the peace in Clay County, Nebraska, for twelve years; chairman of the council four terms; associate judge with Judge Keyser, 1861-'62. As an evidence of his popularity, it may be stated that he was nominated for County Judge of Clay County, Nebraska, in 1887, even though he was at the time in California. He has trav- eled a great deal, crossing this continent eight times. Since locating in Santa Ana he has been engaged as a money broker.

He was married in Nebraska, in October, 1876, to Miss Mary V. Crow, a native of Vir- ginia, and their children are John, Anna, Geor- gia and Mamie. Mr. Shirley is a member of the G. A. R , in Santa Ana, and also of the I. O. O. F.

J. HOWE, M. D., of Santa Ana, was born in Vermont in Jannary, 1850. His father, Philip Howe, M. D., is still living in this city. He moved to Illinois when the subject of this sketch was only four years old, locating in Macoupin County, where he re- mained until 1863. He then made a three months' trip across the plains to this State. Dr. Howe graduated at the State Normal School in San Francisco in 1870, and subsequently taught school in several different counties in

this State, and at the same time prosecuted medical studies. In 1873 he graduated at the Medical College of the Pacific (now Cooper) at San Francisco. He served for two years as resident surgeon in the United States Marine Hospital, San Francisco, and then he came to Santa Ana. During the winter of 1880-'81 he took a post-graduate course in Chicago medi- cal colleges and hospitals, and since then has been one of Santa Ana's most successful practi- tioners. His wife, whose maiden name was Willella Earhart, and to whom he was married in San Francisco in 1874, is a graduate of the Hahnemann Medical College at Chicago, of 1886; and in 1888 -'89 she took a special post- graduate course of instruction under the cele- brated Dr. R. Ludlam, of Chicago, a specialist for the diseases of women. Since living in Santa Ana, Mrs. Willella Howe, M. D., has built up a large and lucrative practice. In this family there are two children, Lulu F. and Ethel C. The Doctor has recently erected a very fine, commodious residence at the corner of Seventh and Bush streets. He has been a member of the City Board of Health, and for a year and a half was president of the city council.

T. HARRIS, the first Sheriff of Orange County, was born in Richmond, Virginia. His father, John Harris, a native of Cornwall, England, moved from Virginia to California in 1860, settling first in Mariposa County, and then in Santa Clara County, where the subject of this sketch clerked in a store and received a good education. In 1876 he located in Westminster, in the Santa Ana val- ley. For six years he engaged in mercantile business there, and also was assistant Postmas- ter. At the first election of officers ever held in the county of Orange, Mr. Harris was chosen Sheriff by over 1,700 majority. His two depu- ties are T. C. Hull and James Buckley.

Mr. Harris was married July 3, 1888, at

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Westminster, to Miss Maria Larter, a native of Canada, and they have one child, whose name is Geraldinc. Their residence is on the corner of Third and Lowe streets, Santa Ana.

Q. WICKHAM, the first County Clerk of the new county of Orange, was born in Hancock County, Ohio, January 31, 1855. He is by trade a printer, and by pro- fession a teacher, and followed said avocations alternately in Iowa, Dakota and Nebraska, from 1872 to 1887, when he came to California and engaged in the real estate business at Santa Ana, and resided at Garden Grove. When the movement was revived for the organization of a new county, he joined in with zeal and pushed the matter along. He was appointed by Gov- ernor Waterman one of the commissioners on organization, and was by that body made its secretary. That his services were appreciated was evidenced by the large vote he received for Clerk, receiving 1,714 to his opponent's 916 in the first election, which was entirely non-parti- san. He is a Republican in his political prin- ciples, and an accommodating and popular officer.

ROF. JOHN P. GREELEY, County Super- intendent of Schools of Orange County, was born in Swanville, Maine, in 1860. Was educated in the commnon and high schools of his native place. Graduated at the State Normal School at Castine in 1883, standing second in a class of forty five. Before gradu- ating he taught in his native town six years. Had charge of the graded schools at Searsport for two years, and in Belfast two years.

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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