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 23

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 23
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 23
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 23
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 23

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).

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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

adobe house and store; Mr. Jordan and wife, Mr. Webster and family, the two Mr. Estudillo's, Mr. Logsdors and family, Mr. Collins, Mr. Car- roll, Mr. Larson, Mr. Giar, and Mr. Proko A. Kimbo. Mr. Clark took a Government claim of 160 acres, which he lived on and improved, and afterward sold. He then bought. twenty acres and built on it his present home, and planted trees and made other improvements. Hle is now a partner with Mr. Hewitt in the livery business. They have a large stock of good carriages and horses; and in addition to their livery business they are putting in large quan- tities of barley and wheat. More than 1,200 acres is now being sowed by thein.

When Garfield was elected President Mr. Clark was appointed Postmaster at what was then called the Rock House (now Wichita). Ile held the office three years and resigned it in favor of Mrs. Riee. Mrs. Clark is a Meth- odist, and Mr. Clark is a hard working honor- able citizen.

OSE ANTONIO ESTUDILLO, a rancher near San Jacinto. The man who came to California in 1849 is proud to say, " I am a '49er;" the man who was born in California with greater pride can say, " I am a native Cal- ifornian; " but Mr. Estudillo can say, " I amn a Californian of the Californians." His grand- father came from Spain about the time of the founding of the mission, and his father, of the sanie name, was born in Monterey, California, and married in 1825, Victoria Dominguez, who was born in Los Angeles in 1801. Therefore Mr. Estudillo's children enjoy the distinction of being able to say, " We are natives of California; so are both our parents, and so are both our grandparents."

The subject of this sketch was born in San Diego, August 22, 1840. His father, when at San Diego, received a large grant of land at Janal; he was a merchant and stock-raiser, who also owned a magnificent grant from the Mex-

ican government, of the San Jacinto ranel, of 386 acres of rich land at the base of the San Jaeinto range of mountains. On a part of this tract the city of San Jacinto is now built, and two miles west stands the old adobe ranch house which was built in 1854 and occupies a little bend in the foot hills of the San Jacinto range. At that point there are also hot and cold springs of good water. The family also formerly had another adobe ranch house, which was built long before, so long previously that the memory of its origin is lost. The ruins are still visible, standing on the only rise of ground on the whole ranch, nearly five miles north of the city of San Jacinto. It was named Casloma, and was situated on this high ground so that the Cap- tain could look out from it and see his herds of cattle for miles around, and also be enabled to discover the approach of the Indians and defend the place. On this large ranch for many years they raised large herds of horses and cattle. The horses had a small sprinkle of Arabian blood, which made them tough and good travelers; all their stock they sold mostly in San Francisco, and drove from 1,000 to 2,000 head a year, the driving occupying the months of March, April and May. The cattle were of the graded stock. Mr. Estudillo has retained 710 acres of the ranch, and has built a good brick house upon it two miles east of the city, near the old adobe. This residence occupies a sightly position, and from it a very fine view of the country is ob- tained. Mr. Estudillo is still engaged in the business of stock-raising, is a fine horseman and rides like a prince. On the ranch is a fine orchard of nearly all kinds of fruit and nnt trees, bearing, and the proprietor contemplates setting out more orange trees. Mr. Estudillo is a very pleasant gentleman, and is very highly spoken of by all who know him.

In 1868 he married Miss Adelade Robidoux, who was a native of Jurnpa ranch at the point now called Riverside. Her father was from France, and had a store, a mill and a ranch. They have seven children, all whom were born at Riverside, namely: Miguel, born September 20, 1869, now

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attending college; Estella, born May 29, 1873; Guadulupa, born October 26, 1875; Hattie, October 23, 1877; Louis, October 18, 1879; Adelade, October 11, 1881; Frankie, Angust 3, 1884. The family are members of the Catholic Church.

HOMAS H. RAINEY, M. D., the pioneer physician and dentist of San Jacinto, was born near Belfast, Ireland, May 4, 1842. His father, Robert Rainey, was born in Ireland, and his mother, nee Margaret Dunbar, was born in Glasgow, Scotland. The Doctor received his preliminary education in Dublin, Ireland, and notwithstanding a strong desire, which he had when quite young, to become a physician, he did not see his way clear to continue the study of medicine to the exclusion of other pursuits. Like many others, he is a self-made man and worked his own way, acting in the capacity of teacher in several of the national schools of the country. His father being engaged in the man- ufacture of linen, for which that section of Ire- land is so justly celebrated, the Doctor had while quite young acquired considerable knowledge of the manufacture of fine texture from both wool and flax. In 1866 he came to the United States and accepted a position in the Ypsilanti Woolen Mill. After spending some time there he removed to Morenci, Michigan, and there took charge of a department or section of the looms engaged in the manufacture of fine cassi- meres. From there he went to South Bend, Indiana, and accepted the position of foreman of weaving and designing in a large woolen inill, engaged in the finest woolen mannfacture of the United States. While there he exhibited his cloth at the Industrial Exhibition in Chicago and received first premium for two years in suc- cession on fancy cassimeres and flannels. From there lie accepted a similar position at Baraboo, Wisconsin. After a year there he went to Mishawaka, Indiana, where he ran a mill by con- tract, and while there, in competition with the

mills he had been with formerly, he took the premiumn again on his manufactures. Soon after this he was engaged to go to Springfield, Illi- nois, and take charge of the fine-goods depart- inent of a large manufactory, where, with the latest improvements in machinery, they manu- factured as fine cloths and cassimeres as could be produced. All through these busy years he had not forgotten his chosen profession and in the evenings kept np his reading and study. Here he studied under Dr. W. Hook Davis, a prominent practitioner. He then went to the Cincinnati Eclectic Medical College, at which college he was graduated. He then located in Michigan, near Detroit, and engaged in the practice of his profession. From there he re- moved to Washington Territory, where he prac- ticed for three years. In June, 1885, hearing of the great emigration to California and its ad- vantages, he came to San Jacinto. The town was just starting and there was but one physi- cian in the place, who has since died. The Doc- tor had added dentistry to his studies, and in connection with the profession of medicine and surgery, practices dentistry. He enjoys a wide practice and the relations between himself and his patrons is very satisfactory. The Doctor has taken Horace Greeley's advice, "Go West, young man, and grow up with the country." He is growing up with San Jacinto. In addi- tion to a twenty-acre prune grove that he has had planted, a part of it now commencing to bear, he owns 160 acres of land and has a very cominodious and well equipped office. In 1866 he was married in Detroit, Michigan, to Miss Lettie Campbell. As the fruit of this marriage he has a daughter and a son, of whom he is justly proud. His daughter, Maud L., was born in Morenci, Michigan, October 21, 1868, and his son, Claud L., was born in Baraboo, Wis- consin, July 3, 1871. His daughter finished her education at the Michigan State Normal School, and the son is now at school in Michigan. The Doctor is a member of the I. O. O. F., and also of the F. A. M. He is a talented and pleasing gentleman who takes a lively interest

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in his town and in the profession of his choice. His ancestors were Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, and the historian will not forget that such stock in the United States has reached the upper round of the ladder in nearly every industry, business and profession.

A. DORRIS is a native of Sumner County, Tennessee, born December · 25, 1836. His father, Josiah Dorris, was born in Robinson County, Tennessee, May 8, 1808. He was a farmer, and his death oc- cnrred in 1881. Mrs. Dorris' mother, nee Martha Bridgwaters, was also a native of Robin- son County, Tennessee, and was married to Mr. Dorris in 1828. Their family consisted of twelve children, ten of whom are still living. Mr. Dorris remained at home until twenty years of age, enjoying the advantages of the public schools of his town. He removed to Williamson County, Illinois, in 1858, where he engaged to work on a farm. He remained here one year, until April 5, 1859, when he came to California for his health, and has not been sick a day since. In crossing the plains there were 100 in the company, and they were six months and ten days in going from Williamson Connty, Illinois, to Sonoma County, California. The journey was attended with much danger, as the Indians were very troublesome and aggres- sive, and they had many narrow escapes. At Goose Creek, ten days before they reached there, the Indians had killed and scalped a party of eight. On arrival there they found where the unfortunate victims had been buried by the United States soldiers. Their wagons had been piled and burned, and ten mules lay dead on the plains. He first settled at Petaluma, Sonoma County, where he carried on the dairy business, and followed this business in several counties in the State until he finally went to Monterey County, took up a Government tract of land and bought other adjoining land to the amount 505 acres. He then engaged in farming and

stock-raising, and still owns this ranch. From there, in 1884, he came to San Diego, and en- gaged in the hotel business, and bought the lots on the corner of Third and F streets, where he built the new Carlton Hotel, and with the able assistance of Mrs. Dorris he is now keeping this nice, centrally located honse. Mrs. Dorris is a most accomplished and agreeable landlady. She was the widow of Mr. Charles Morgan, of Clevc- land, Ohio, and was united in marriage to Mr. Dorris in 1868. She is the mother of nine children,-four by her first husband and five since her union with Mr. Dorris. Three of the last named are still living, and were all born in Montercy Connty. Their names are: Nellie, Charles and Jennie. Mr. Dorris enlisted De- cember 14, 1864, in Company E, Second Regi- ment California Volunteers. Their service was mostly in Arizona, among the Apache Indians, and he participated in many skirmishes with them. He was mustered ont in May, 1866. He is an Odd Fellow and a member of the G. A. R., belonging to Heintzehnan Post, No. 33, of San Diego.

ON. JAMES McCOY .- The pioneer resi- dents of San Diego were a marked body of men. Many of them are living here to-day, and the positions they occupy among their fellows denote that they possess quali- fications that would make them leaders in any community. They were generally self-made men, who, by reason of their native force of char- acter, succeeded in surmounting obstacles before which less heroic material would have been over- whelmed. These were the men who, when San Diego's future greatness was in embryo, sprang to the front, and with their push and determi- nation started the young city on its progress to- ward commercial supremacy. One of the fore- mnost among this class is the subject of this sketch.

James McCoy was born in County Antrim, Ireland, August 12, 1821. He lived with his

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parents and worked on a farm for the first twenty years of his life. Then he began to yearn for that land of liberty beyond the sea, and in the summer of 1842 he took passage in the ship Alexander, for the United States, landing at Baltimore on the ninth of July. Here he found employment in a market garden, and afterward in a distillery. In these occupations he re- mained seven years. In 1849 he enlisted in the regular army, in Captain Magruder's Battery, which was under orders for the Pacific Coast. They sailed from Baltimore, January 27, 1850, and landed in San Francisco on the tenth of August. They remained in that city abont ten days, and then sailed down the coast for San Diego, which was to be their station. There was at that time considerable trouble with the Indians, and McCoy was sent, as a non com- missioned officer, with twelve men to San Luis Rey mission, about forty miles from San Diego. He remained at this post for two years and a half, and during that time his small force was often called upon to aid the settlers from Indian attacks. After leaving San Luis Rey he was sent with fourteen men to Jacumba, a station for keeping express horses and for mail carriers on the road to Yuma. He remained there for about eleven months, until, his term of enlistment having expired, he was honorably discharged from the service. While at Jacumba he was often threatened by the Indians, and for better security he built a small fort. Here he was at one time attacked by a band of five hundred Indians, but his party were all picked men and trained to Indian fighting, and they succeeded in beating off their assailants. He then went with a surveying party on the Colorado Desert to lay out townships. He was engaged in this business for two months and a half, and then was employed in the Government service driv- ing teams between San Diego and Fort Yuma. He continued at this work for a little over two years, and then entered the employ of the San Antonio and San Diego Mail Line. He had charge of the mail between San Diego and Yuma, and afterward between Yuma and Tuc-

son. This was quite a hazardous service, and he had many narrow escapes from the Indians, besides suffering untold hardships in crossing the desert through which his route lay. In his trips from Ynma to Tucson he made some very rapid time. IIe once rode the distance of three hundred miles in three days and eleven hours, and changed mules only twice. The man who rode with him, S. A. Ames, now lives at River- side. In the latter part of 1859, while carrying the mail, he was elected Assessor of San Diego County, and in 1861 he was elected Sheriff. He was re-elected five times, and remained in the office until he was elected to the State Senate, in 1871, when he resigned. In 1859, while As- sessor, he became interested in raising sheep, and continued in that business until 1868. Mr. McCoy prides himself that he has raised the best flock of sheep in San Diego County. In 1867 he bought the San Bernardo, a four-league ranch, for $4,000, and still owns a part of it. It is situated about thirty miles from San Diego. Mr. McCoy served one term of four years in the Senate, his term expiring in 1875. While in the Senate he used his best efforts to arrange for offering subsidies to induce the building of a railroad to San Diego. It was mainly through his efforts that the right of way was granted to the Texas l'acific. He also succeeded in having a bill passed authorizing the city to issue bonds to buy the San Diego and Gila Company-an old organization formed in early days. This company had succeeded in having two leagues of land granted them by the Legislature for the purpose of building their road. The bonds of the city were issued for the purpose of buying up the rights of this old company, as well as for purchasing the right of way for the Texas Pa- cific.

Mr. McCoy was one of the organizers and di- rectors of the Commercial Bank of San Diego, and is now a director of the Consolidated Bank. He was also one of the organizers and a director in the San Diego Savings Bank. He was one of the organizers of the Commercial Bank of Los Angeles, since reorganized and now known

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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

as the First National Bank, in which he is a stockholder. He has been a city trustee for fourteen years. There has been no public mnove- ment looking to the advancement of San Diego that has not had Mr. McCoy's active countenance and assistance. He owns considerable city prop erty, and 1,920 acres of the San Bernardo Ranch, adjoining Escondido. He resides in Old San Diego, where he has a fine residence, erected eighteen years ago. Mr. McCoy was married in Old San Diego, May 17, 1868, to Miss Wini- fred Kearney. They have no children.

EONARD L. LYNCH, was born at Har- rington, Washington County, Maine, Sep- tember 27, 1828; his parents were natives of New England. The family consisted of four children, only two of whom survive. The edu- cational facilities of the time and place being limited the subject of this sketch was only per- mitted those of the common school. At the early age of thirteen years he went on board ship as a common seaman, coasting between New York and other eastern ports. He followed this business several years; also spent one season on the fishing banks at Labrador. About 1845 he sailed from Boston to the Mediterranean Sea, on the bark Elvira, Captain Gorham, of Cape Cod, in command. He took over an assorted cargo to Malta, and then såiled to Palermo, Sicily, and brought back a cargo of fruit. In 1846 and 1847, he went out as first mate of the Clarissa, a square-rigged brig from Rockland, Maine, to Wilmington, North Carolina, then took a cargo of naval stores to New Orleans, during the Mex- ican war. He was there taken sick and left the vessel. On recovering he sailed as mate on the brig Lawrence for Havana, then to Sisal, Laguna and Tabasco, taking a cargo of logwood and mahogany back to Havana, where the vessel was sold for a slaver and was sent to the coast of Africa. Mr. Lynch returned to New York in the spring of 1848, and made a voyage to Jack- sonville, Florida, and the West Indies, and in

the fall sailed on the Gen. Lincoln, and was wrecked on the Duck Ledges near Rockland, Maine. The vessel went to pieces, they all got on the ledge from head of main top gallant mast but two, who were frozen before they could be taken off. They were exposed sixteen hours, midst terrible suffering. Mr. Lynch there lost all his charts, maps and instruments, of which he had a very valuable assortment, and was per- fectly capable of taking all reckonings and ob- servations, having sailed as master out of New- buryport, Massachusetts. After several voyages to the West Indies, September 5, 1849, he sailed before the mast for California, many of the crew being mates and captains. It enabled them to reach California during the year of the great gold excitement. They were on the ship Albatross, of Boston, and mnade but one stop, at Valparaiso for water. They carried an assorted cargo and forty passengers, and were 180 days on the voyage, arriving at San Francisco Feb- rnary, 1850. In the summer of that year he ran a steamboat on the Sacramento river, and in the fall went to Rhodes' diggings near Folsom, Sacramento County, and there opened a grocery store and did some mining at Negro Bar, now Folsom. He remained until 1853, when he returned to Sacramento and built the Union Hotel, paying $300 per 1,000 feet for green lumber. He continued in this hotel until the fall of 1858, when he sold out and went East, going and returning by the Isthmus of Panamna. He was absent sixteen months, visiting his family and friends in Maine. He returned in the fall of 1859, arriving in the spring of 1860. He went to Sacramento and again opened a hotel called the Philadelphia House, in which he continued about twelve years, selling ont in 1873. In 1875 he came to San Diego, and took up a ranch of 160 acres at Poway, and began honey-bee culture, which he still carries on with good snccess, also cultivating his ranch. He has a fine orchard of six acres, set out with a variety of fruits, and fifteen acres of raisin grapes, all bearing, and has several horses and a large number of fowls.

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Mr. Lynch has never married. By integrity, economy and strict attention to business, he has lived a life filled with incident and marked witlı success, and though at the age of sixty-one years is still active, alert, and conditioned to enjoy many years of usefulness.

EORGE W. BOWLER .- Among the members of the San Diego Pioneers' Asssociation we find the name of George W. Bowler, who at the early age of four years began his pioneer course. In leaving Kansas City, Missouri, the home of his nativity, being with his parents, he traveled by wagon to the less civilized country of Montana, and at the age of eight years they again started on their pioneer course by wagon for San Diego, Cali- fornia, which at that time, January, 1868, was a wild, unsettled country. He was born in Kansas City, Missouri, August 24, 1860. His father was then in the employment of the Gov- ernment as engineer of the roads across Kansas, New Mexico and that vicinity. The subject of this sketch was third in a family of six children, only four of whom survive; he received only a common-school education and then learned the trade of printing, and, feeling that the "pen was mightier than the sword,"-though having received but a common school education him- self,-he would aid in enlightening others through the medium of the press: and as com- positor he was connected with the San Diego News from 1875 until 1880. He then went to Colorado, and for eighteen months was secretary of the Lady Franklin Mining Company at Silver Cliff. He was then employed by the Colorado Coal and Iron Company as agent and weigh- master for five years, traveling through the State. Returning to San Diego in 1887, he entered into the real-estate business, in which he is still employed. His father died in 1871, but his mother is still living, and is a member of his family.

Mr. Bowler was married at Williamsburg,

Fremont County, Colorado, August 24, 1882, to Miss Mary Woodside, a native of Alton, Illi- nois. They have two children, both of whom are still living: Gertrude and William.

R. OTTMANN is one of the most active, obliging and competent business men of San Jacinto. He was born in Lower Silesia, Prussia, November 26, 1851, and came with his parents to the United States in 1860, and settled in New York. They afterward re- moved to Hoboken, where the family resided for twenty-two years. When thirteen years of age the subject of this sketch went to work for a wholesale house in New York city, and re- mained with them for thirteen years. He then accepted a position with a New York import- ing house and traveled for them both in the Western States and also throughi France and Germany, having crossed the Atlantic Ocean nineteen times, transacting the business of his house in a highly satisfactory manner. June 17, 1882, he went to San Francisco to accept a posi- tion as manager of the cloak department of a large wholesale house. After a terin of two years with them he went to Los Angeles, and accepted a position in the City of Paris. While with them he had charge of their cloak department; then he was floor-walker, and the last year, of a term of three years, he traveled for them, which enabled him to see all California, Arizona and New Mexico. On June 10, 1887, he en- tered into an engagement with Mr. Hewitt, of San Jacinto, to take charge of his books and act as business manager, in which position he has ever since been engaged.

Mr. Ottmann was married February 25, 1889, to Miss Mattie J. Cook, a native of Yardley, Pennsylvania. They have settled in San Ja- cinto, where they have bought and built a very pleasant new house, and as the young trees flowers and shrubs grow it will become an or- nament to the town. Mr. Ottmann has invest- ed in other houses and property, and is making

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other improvements, which will aid in the de- velopment and growth of the town in which he has chosen to make his home. His business experience since his boyhood, and the activity of his mind enables him to dispatch business with rapidity; nor does he seem to have to con- fine himself to one thing at a time, but, with ont any seeming inconvenience, can look after several things at once, or do business with two or three at a time. He is a member of the German Turner society. During the war his father was employed in the service of the United States Government making gun carriages. He was accidently killed while engaged in roofing a building in Chicago just after the great fire. His mother and the rest of the family reside in Hoboken, New Jersey.

OHN H. KOOP, a native of Germany, and a son of a German farmer. We recognize the unfailing success of the laboring man, if, with persevering industry, are connected the elements of integrity and economy, all of which are so eminently combined in the subject of this sketch, who was born February 25, 1842, and was the eldest in a family of five children, only two of whom survive, his brother being a resident of New Jersey. Mr. Koop came to the United States in 1860, by a sailing vessel from Bremen to New York, where he was employed as clerk in a grocery store for eight years. February, 25, 1868, he sailed for California, by the Nicaragua route, arriving at San Francisco March 28, 1868; after a brief engagement he went to San Diego, where he accepted any line of honorable labor, working in a brewery for two years, and in markets about five years. He then received work inside of the court-house about two years, and then ran the county hos- pital one year. He next received the contract to board the city prisoners, holding the contract five years, or until January, 1887. He then received the contract to clear the right of way for the San Diego Flume Company, which took

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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