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 18

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 18
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 18
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 18
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 18

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).

Mr. Holcomb inherits the literary traits of

his father, O. M. Holcomb, of Ohio, who has given a life-time to editorial work, and the sub- ject of our present sketch devoted much of his leisure time to literary work.

Mr. Holcomb was married at San Francisco, March, 1885, to Mrs. Mary Jane Buchanan, a native of Wisconsin and a lineal descendant of William Roberts, a celebrated Welsh musician. They have one daughter.

Mr. Holcomb is a member of the Knights of Pythias and is a charter member of the tribe of Improved Order of Red Men at San Diego.

USTAVUS WITFIELD, the pioneer drug- gist of San Diego, was born near Cologne, Prussia, January 27, 1825; was carefully educated and studied chemistry at the Univer- sity of Bonn. He emigrated to America in 1848, first visiting Paris and Havre, and landing at New York in April of that year. He then went to New Orleans, where he was employed in a drug store for one year. In 1849, he started for Cal- ifornia, induced by the gold excitement of that year, going by the Isthmus of Panama, and ar- riving at Monterey, by a sailing vessel from Panama in March, 1850. With great enthusi asm started for the mines, visiting Mariposa County, Calaveras County, Tuolumne County, and going as far north as the Fraser river, al- ways led on by enthusiastic reports, but never realizing the great bonanzas which were ever reported to be awaiting the enterprising miners. After ten years of prospecting, he returned to San Francisco, to resume the profession which he had learned in his youth. He entered a large wholesale drug house, remaining until 1862, when he went to Panama and opened a large commission honse in drugs and chemicals, for several English houses, trading very exten- sively in indigo. In 1866, he made a business trip to London, and in 1867 severed his con- nection at Panama and returned to San Fran- cisco. He then journeyed south, stopping at Los Angeles two months and then going to Old

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Town, where he located and started in business. In 1869, he came to New Town, and as the present city was established he bought a lot on Fifth street between E and F. He then built and established the first drug store in San Diego. In 1878, he removed his entire stock of drugs to Tucson, Arizona, moving by three wagons across the desert. He stopped there six years, doing a good business. In 1884, he sold out his entire business and returned to Germany to see his family and friends. After an ab- sence of six months he returned to San Diego, but has never resumed active business except in the care of his several interests.

Dr. Witfield is a member of the San Diego Lodge of Masons, No. 35; also lodge of Perfection, Scottish rite thirty-second degree at Tucson, and of the society of San Diego pioneers.

EORGE SCRIMGEOUR, of San Diego, a pioneer of 1859, was born in'Scone, Scot- land, December, 1832, being the second son in a family of eight children, four sons and four daughters, all of whom are still living in 1889, the eldest being a daughter of sixty-six years of age, and the youngest a son of forty-five years of age. In 1848 his parents emigrated to Strat- ford, Ontario, Canada. His father being a car- penter and contractor, George learned the trade working with his father until June, 1859, when he became restless under the California excite- ment, and emigrated to that State by way of the Isthmus of Panama, arriving in San Francisco July 10, 1859. He followed his trade until May, 1860, then going to Westminster, British Columbia, and up the Fraser river, prospecting during the summer and returning in the fall. In the spring of 1861, in company with friends, he went to the Cariboo mines, meeting many hardships but no success. On returning he went into partnership with Mr. Graham, in building and contract work, building a large hospital and other prominent buildings. He was a partner in the first saw-mill on Buzzard's inlet, now the

terminus of the Canadian Pacific Railroad. In 1866 he returned to San Francisco, and worked at his trade until 1869. He then came to San Diego, and in partnership with Mr. Graham again began building and contracting, but busi- ness being rather dull he went to San Francisco in 1872, and there engaged first as foreman and then as contractor, remaining until December, 1886, when he returned to San Diego. He bought two lots on the corner of A and Column- bia streets, each 50 x 100 feet, adjoining; they are now fully improved with store, butcher shop and residence. In the summer of 1889, Mr. Scrimgeour returned to Ontario, to visit his family and friends after an absence of thirty years. His parents are deceased, but his broth- ers and sisters are still living. His brothers have a large sash, blind and furniture manufact- ory at Stratford, and his youngest brother has been mayor of the city.

Mr. Scrimgeour, being a bachelor, resides with his old and tried friend Mr. Graham, at the cor- ner of Sixth and Ash streets, and though fifty- seven years of age he is in full enjoyment of all the pleasures of life.

C. MERRILL, superintendent and stock- holder of the Southern California Coal and Clay Co., manufacturers of sewer pipe, water pipe, fire brick, fire-proof building ma- terial. John Dolbeer is president of the com- pany; William Mugan, secretary, and George Gray, vice-president. The works are at Terra Cotta, three and one-half miles southwest of Elsinore. This plant cost $50,000, and was put in operation in January, 1888. They now run three kilns; capacity of each kiln, $600 When running at full capacity they run ten kilns per month. They ship to Los Angeles, San Diego, and all the towns of southern Cali- fornia. The coal which they have discovered will be opened within 300 yards of the factory. The product of their factory is termed Vitrified Salt-Glazed Pipe. Mr. Merrill was born in

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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

Akron, Ohio, in 1849. His father, C. J. Mer- rill, made the first sewer pipe in Ohio, and is now the oldest manufacturer living in the United States. He is also the inventor of the machinery used in its manufacture. His father was a native of Ohio, and his mother, Fanny L. (Follett) Merrill, also. The subject of this sketch was raised in this business, and is well informed on all matters in connection with it. He was the superintendent of the pipe works at Los Angeles, the clay for which is got at Elsi- nore. Mr. F. F. Merrill, a brother of Mr. C. C. Merrill, is now superintendent of the California Pipe Works at Los Angeles. Mr. Merrill was married in 1870 to Miss Einma J. Le Sure. She was born in Alton, Illinois. They have four children, two boys and two girls, viz .: Ed- ward L., C. C., Jr., Florence L., all born in Al- ton, Illinois, and Emma Blanche, born in Mount Pulaski, Illinois. Mr. Merrill, when twenty- one years of age, made application to become a Master Mason, and was accepted. He was secretary of his lodge while he resided in that part of the country. He is a very active busi- ness man, of fine ability.

S. MASON is the owner of a very excellent seventy-acre ranch on the sonth side of Lake Elsinore, about six miles from the city of Elsinore. It is a choice location, pictur- esque in the extremne, backed by the Santa Rosa mountains, the land falling in a gentle slope to the lake. The whole lake and adjoining country, together with the city of Elsinore and the distant mountains, form a most attractive landscape, which is so full of beauty that one will always delight to behold. This property is supplied with a pure stream of clear cold water. running from a tunnel made 150 feet in the mountains by Mr. Mason. It comes into the land just where wanted and is of immense valne. Mr. Mason has improved the place with a neat small house, and shrubs and trees, and is about to plant ten acres of oranges, for which the land is

well adapted. He has fifty acres under improve- ment, of which twenty-five acres are in trees, sixteen in figs and the remainder in plums. He has made a study of tree, fruit and raisin culture, having spent the most of his life in that bnsi, ness. He was in the Ininber business in Ala- bama, Florida, and in the northern counties of California He also raised considerable grain in Plumas County, and engaged in mining. At one time he superintended the planting of the largest raisin vineyard in the world,-800 acres in El Cajon, San Diego County, California. In a very short time he will have a place to feel proud of. In addition to the care of his own property Mr. Mason has charge of Mr. Balfour's grove of oranges, figs and almonds, fifty acres in all, all doing very nicely under his care, on lands adjoining his own. Since he has been in this valley he has dealt some in lands on his own account, and has been quite successful. Mr. Mason was born in Indiana, May 30, 1847. His father, Edson Mason, was a native of Syracuse, New York, and his mother, Mary A. Nelson, was a native of Pennsylvania. L. S., the fourth of a family of six children, was raised in Michigan, where he was edu- cated in the public schools. He has been in California fifteen years, and at Elsinore five years. He is still a single man and of strict business habits.

HARLES J. FOX, C. E., San Diego. No man has been more closely identified with San Diego County during the past eighteen years, and no name is better known to the early settlers and later residents, than that of Charles J. Fox. Mr. Fox was born in Boston, Massachusetts, October 12, 1834. He comes of a noted family and can trace his lineage back to 1640, when his ancestors settled in Massachusetts. Five generations back on his mother's side, Wheelock, the head of the family, was the founder and first president of Dartmouth College, where his por- trait hangs in the art gallery, and Mr. Fox's

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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

father, grandfather and great-grandfather were gradnates of that famous institution of learning.

His paternal grandfather was a soldier of the Revolutionary war, and Mr. Fox has in his possession a book written and published by him, entitled, "Fox's Revolutionary Adventures." He was taken prisoner by the British troops and confined for some months in the old Jersey prison ship, in Wallabout Bay, in Long Island Sound.

Charles spent his boyhood days in Boston, and at the age of seventeen graduated from a scientific school, where mathematics and engi- neering were specialties. He had a natural taste for these pursuits, and the first work he did after graduation was as a member of a rail- road survey party in Pennsylvania in 1851. In the spring of 1853 he went West, and until 1869 was engaged on different railroads through- ont the western States and Territories.

In the spring of 1860 he crossed the plains to where the city of Denver now stands, and was one of the first settlers of that place, there being at that time but few honses, and they mere shanties. Most of the summer was spent in California gulch, now the site of Leadville, in mining, prospecting and surveying. During a recent trip to the East he stopped at Lead- ville and saw the remains of a log honse which he helped to build in the summer of 1860. During 1864 and 1865 he was in the United States Engineer service, having charge of the reconstruction of the Memphis & Charleston Railroad from Memphis to Corinth.

He continued to be engaged in railroad busi- ness in the South until his health failed, and in the spring of 1869 he came to California. After prospecting different parts of the State for six months, he finally selected San Diego as his future residence, being attracted by the beanties of the climate and what he foresaw of its future commercial importance.

Having invested all his available funds in San Diego real estate, he opened an office for surveying and engineering, and has ever since devoted his best abilities to aid in building up

the city and county. In pursuance of this ob- ject he took an active part in the organization of the San Diego and Fort Yuma turnpike road, 200 miles in length, which was the first good road across the county to Arizona, and opened up a good deal of trade and travel. In 1875 he established a large apiary at Fallbrook, and the following year organized the Bee Keep- ers' Association, of which he was president, and established agencies for the sale of honey in various Eastern cities.

fle was one of the incorporators of the San Diego Society of Natural History, and for ten years its treasurer; also one of the stockholders of the Masonic Building Association, and a director for several years; also one of the char- ter members of the San Diego Lodge, Knights of Pythias, serving a term as Chancellor Com- mander. He was in charge of surveys for tlie Memphis & El Paso Railroad, the San Diego & Los Angeles Railroad, and the Texas & Pacific, being the first engineer to call attention to and survey through the famous Temecula canon, now occupied by the California Southern.

Having for several years explored the county, including the Colorado desert, he obtained an extensive and minnte knowledge of the country, and was generally called on by new-comers for information, which he always cheerfully gave. He was active in protecting the rights of the settlers from the greed of land monopolists, and was several times elected county surveyor and city engineer, and filled these situations to the satisfaction of all. In connection with his part- ner, Mr. H. I. Willey, afterwards State Snr- veyor-General, he prepared and published the official and only map of San Diego County.

By appointment of the Judge of the Superior Court, he served as commissioner in the parti- tion of most of the Spanish grants, including the ex-Mission grant of 52,000 acres, surround- ing the city of San Diego.

He is now owner of considerable real estate in the city, and a good deal of county land, in- cluding a tract at Linda Vista, where he was the first to make improvements on Government

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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

land; and he also owns a large interest in the Junipero Land and Water Company, of which he is the president.

He has always been active and liberal in sup- port of every important public measure, espe- cially during San Diego's dark days, and has the respect of all the old settlers.

Mr. Fox married, in 1880, Mrs. A. A. Cosper, of San Diego. They have no children.

SAAC NEWTON VAIL came to Lucerne in September, 1888. He purchased a ranch, is planting a nursery and raising orange trees, French prunes, apricots and grapes, and nearly every variety of tree and shrub. His native place is eastern Ohio, and he dates his birth from January 31, 1840. He was educated in West Town Friend's College, in eastern Pennsylvania, and is a graduate of that institu- tion. After graduating he taught for three years as assistant principal, and then four years as principal. After this he was principal of the Eastern Ohio Normal School for three years and was county teachers' examiner.

Mr. Vail is a leading geologist. He began this study when a boy and has made it a specialty and a life study. He has written and published several works on this and kindred subjects, his most important work being " The Story of the Rocks." He is the author of the "Annular Theory," which is that the earth has a ring system similar to that which Saturn now has. This theory has its foundation in the claim that annnlar formation is a necessary re- sult of the evolution of worlds from their prim- itive state; hence the earth at one time had an annular system as one step in its formation, which accounts satisfactorily for all the geolog- ical formations of the earth. It gives the true canse of the glacial epochs and furnishes a philosophical and satisfactory canse of all or- ganic evolution, and gives a philosophic cause for the Noachian deluge.

Mr. Vail has been engaged a part of his time

in horticultural pursuits at Barnesville, Ohio, and shipped to and sold his berries in Chicago. His principal business in 1890 is the improve- ment of his ranel and looking after the sale of his books. He was married to Miss Rachel D. Wilson in 1864, and was blessed with two chil- dren: Alice J. and Lillie C., both born near Barnesville, Ohio, and now residing in Califor- nia. Mrs. Vail died in 1877, and his second inarriage occurred in 1880, to Mary M. Cope, who was a native 'of Fayette County, Pennsyl- vania. Mr. Vail's grandfather,. Benjamin Vail, and great-grandfather, Abraham Vail, were na- tives of New Jersey.

W. THOMPSON, one of San Diego's re- spected citizens who was directly instrn- mental, through his telephone system. of connecting the business interests of all San Diego County, was born in Pontiac, Oakland County, Michigan, in April, 1842. He was one of a fam- ily of three children, all of whom are living, he being the only son. His two sisters, now wid- owed, reside in San Diego. His father was a newspaper man, being editor and publisher of the Pontiac Gazette; he was also quite a poli- tician, and was a delegate at the Baltimore Whig Convention, which nominated General Scott for President in 1852. In 1853 the family removed to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where his father died in 1854, the family removing soon after to Omaha, Nebraska, the subject of this sketch being an eye witness to the erection of the first honse at Omaha, July 4, 1854. A legislative hall was soon built, and he was then appointed page to the first Nebraska Legisla- ture. He was in the vicinity of Omaha until 1861, getting an education, which he had to work for as opportunity afforded. During the years 1859-'60, he was employed at the trading store of the Omaha Indian Reservation. In 1861 he began the study of telegraphy at Omaha, in the office of Colonel Clowry, then superintendent, but now vice-president of the

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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

Western Union system. On completion of the first overland telegraph, in the fall of 1861, on the line of the old stage route, Mr. Thompson came across the plains locating telegraph sta- tions, which took about two years, and on his arrival in California he opened the first tele- graph office at Petaluma, Sonoma County, in 1863, and then located offices through Oregon ar.d Nevada. In the winter of 1866 he went to Yreka, Siskiyou County, California, as superin- tendent, remaining until 1874.

Mr. Thompson was married in 1873, at Yreka, to Miss Hortense Eubanks. In 1874 he came with his wife to San Diego as manager of the Western Union, holding the position until 1886. He was also manager of the Military Telegraph running to Arizona and New Mexico, which has since been abandoned. In 1878 he was ap- pointed agent for the Wells-Fargo Express Com- pany, holding the appointment until February, 1887. In 1881 Mr. Thompson started the San Diego Telephone Company, and began laying wires the same year. He is still president. They have suspended over 600 miles of wire, and cover Oceanside, Campo, El Cajon, Stone- wall, and all the western part of the county. They have about 350 subscribers, which is said to be the largest number of subscribers to the average population of any office in the country. In January, 1889, he organized the Diamond Carriage Company, doing a livery and hack business, and controlling the hack system of the city; they have forty horses, nineteen hacks, and an outfit valued at $35,000, situated on First street, between C and D. He is also president of the Excelsior Paving Company, macadam system, having a plant near Sweet- water dam, and supplying the broken rock for all the concrete work of the city. He owns a large amount of improved property, and occu- pies a handsome residence at 1,457 Fourth street. They have five children, all of whom are living at home.

Mr. Thompson is Past Master of San Diego Lodge, No. 35, and Past High Priest and Sec- retary of San Diego Chapter, No. 61, R. A. M.,

and Past Chancellor of Knights of Pythias. Mr. Thompson is a mnan of great enterprise and keen foresight, very progressive, and is ever ready to advance systematic development.

0 G. HAVERMALE, a man of great versa- tility, successful in both church and State, who now occupies the most beautiful resi- dence in San Diego, corner of Seventh and Ash streets, was born October 15, 1824, in the obscure village of Sharpsburg, Maryland, now become the renowned battle field of Antietam. His parents were natives of the same State. He was second in a family of eight children, seven of whom are still living, one brother having been killed in that terrible railroad accident on the Wabash railroad, near Chatsworth, Illinois, where lives were sacrificed to such a terrible degree. His father was a weaver by trade in youth, but in later years was devoted to the interests of farm- ing. In 1833 he moved to Montgomery Coun- ty, Ohio, where he purchased a small farm. Here the subject of this sketch received his pre- liminary education, which was finished at the Rock River Seminary, at Mount Morris, Illinois, where he also studied for the ministry. He was educated in the Methodist faith, and began the active work of the ministry in 1852 in Northern Illinois, and for twenty-one years labored in that particular field, and, being a man of genial temperament and loving disposition, was beloved by all and was very successful in his ministry. In 1873 he was appointed Pre- siding Elder of a district in Washington Ter- ritory and Oregon, whither he had been trans- ferred from Illinois, and moved his family to Spokane Falls, from which parish he traveled over his district, which covered an area of some 40,000 square miles, and embraced a pastorate of twenty five parishes. In 1879, at the age of fifty-five years, feeling that the hardships and exposures of travel were too great, he resigned his charge, after an active pastorate of twenty-

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seven years, the last six being on the frontier, and exceedingly burdensome.

In 1875 he took up, by pre emption, the second Government claim of 160 acres at Spo- kane Falls, there then being but two houses at the place. This land was subdivided and be- came the center of what is now a city of 22,- 000 inhabitants, enterprising and progressive. Here, after retiring froin the ministry, he built a flonring mill, which was the first full roller inill in the Territory, which he operated witli great success for five years, selling out in 1887, that he might seek a more temperate climate in southern California, coming direct to San Diego to enjoy the accumulations of his business pros- perity in a balıny atmosphere and amidst con- tinuous sunshine. He soon invested in im- proved property, and is now the owner of the Richielien and Bon Ton blocks on D and Fifth streets, and completed the purchase in October, 1889, of the most beautiful residence in South- ern California. Mr. Havermale has taken no active part in politics while in San Diego, but at Spokane Falls was president of the first city council, and continued a member thereof for many years.

Mr. Havermale was married November 1, 1849, at Elizabeth, Jo Daviess County, Illinois, to Miss Elizabeth Goldthorp, a native of illi- nois. They have three children, two of whom are residents of San Diego, California, and one resides at Spokane Falls, State of Washington.

Mr. Havermale belongs to a family of marked longevity. His parents died at the ages of eighty-nine and ninety years, and were buried in the same grave.

AMES H. STEWART, one of the enterpris- ing and capable trnit ranchers of Elsinore. He has forty acres of very choicel and on the west side of the lake but not bordering it, so it is out of the way of ever being overflowed. It is a little over two miles from Elsinore and has a fine view of the lake and surrounding country. He

has ten acres of raisin grapes and five acres of fruit trees of nearly all kinds. He also owns town lots and a house and lot in Elsinore. Mr. Stewart was born in Pittsburg, Pennslyvania, April 14, 1852. His father, William, was also a native of the same State and was in the grocery and provision business 'in Allegheny City for twenty-seven years. Mr. Stewart's grandfather, Joseph Stewart, was a Scotchnian. His mother, Mary Jane (Andrews) Stewart, was a native of Pennsylvania. Mr. Stewart is the eldest of a family of five children, the others being William, Jolın, Mary Jane and Einina .. He was raised and educated in the first ward of Allegheny City and learned the grocery business in his father's store. He learned the moulder's trade and worked nine years for Fuller, Warn & Co., of Troy, New York. He then removed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, and for four years was engaged in transferring goods; he had contracts with the largest houses there. In 1888 he camne to Elsinore and built their present honse. No- vem ber 10, 1880, he was married to Miss Martha E. Coon, of Troy, New York. Her father, Mr. Andrew Coon, was in the linen collar and shirt manufacturing business in Troy for many years. She was but eight months old when she was left an orphan, and she was brought up by her inother's father, Ranson D. Warner, a pioneer of Minneapolis. Their union is blessed with fonr children: William Ransom and Edwin Warner were born in Troy, New York; Walter James in Minneapolis and Ransom Darins in Elsinore. Mrs. Stewart is a member of the Methodist Church, at which they both attend services. Mr. Stewart is a member of the A. O. U. W., and Mrs. Stewart is member of the Baptist Church.

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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