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 34

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 34
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 34
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 34
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 34

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).

law firm of Luce, McDonald & Torrence. Ever since the day of his arrival in San Diego Judge Luce has had an abiding faith in the future of the city. Firm in his convictions on that point he has from the first, as opportunity offered, in- vested in real estate, and he is now one of the heaviest holders of real property. Unlike some other men of like business instincts, the aggre- gation of property has not served to lessen his interest in the growth of the city, but he is to- day as keenly alive to everthing that tends to develop and enlarge its importance as he was ten years ago. He has been identified with every public improvement, and is willing at all times to give freely of his ineans toward the material advancement of San Diego. He has been interested in the mining development of the county, and is a principal shareholder in the Shenandoah mine at Mesa Grande, in this county. He is of the opinion that the future wealth and importance of San Diego will be largely due to the development of its mines. In the past profi- table operations have been retarded by the crude machinery employed in working the ore and in- sufficient means of transportation. With the completion of a railroad to the mining center, and the introduction of new and approved mna- chinery, all this will be changed, however. .

Judge Luce is one of the executors of the trust of the late James M. Pierce, donating $150,000 to the establishment of the Boys' and Girls' Aid Society. He has been president of the Unitarian Church Society ever since its or- ganization. In December, 1870, he was mar- ried, at Bushnell, to Miss Adelaide Mantania of Avon, Illinois, who was at the time assistant principal of the public schools at Bushnell, Illi- nois. Uniting personal attractions and all the female accomplishments to a richly stored mind, Mrs. Luce has proven a worthy helpmate to her husband in the battle of life. Six children have blessed their union, of which four, two boys and two girls, are living; two have died and are buried in the cemetery here.

Judge Luce is six feet in height, slight figure, and a face that has more the look of a student

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than a professional man, or one immersed in business. He has a strong taste for literature, and possesses a well-appointed library. Now that he is getting rid of some of his profes- sional cares he will probably find rest from the demands of business in the society of his books.

HOMAS WHALEY .- There is something at once interesting and fascinating about the life, character and history of the Cali- fornia pioneers. They were, as a class, excep- tional men, strong in most of the qualities that go to make up the typical American character. They were energetic, conrageous and far-seeing. The careers of many were full of incidents, and their life histories read like fiction. Thomas Whaley is a good representative of this noble class of men. He was born in the city of New York, October 5, 1823, a descendant of Revolu- tionary stock, His paternal ancestors emigrated from Ireland to New England in the early part of the eighteenth century. His grandfather, Alexander Whaley, of Bushwick Cross Roads, Long Island, New York, fought under the special command of General Washington, re- ceiving at his hand a reward for brave and dar- ing conduct, an account of which is given in the history of Brooklyn. His maternal an- cestors were of the old English family of Pye, four brothers of which landed in New York about the year 1792, bringing with them his inother, then an infant. His childhood and youth were spent in the metropolis. He had the advantage of the best of schools, complet- ing his course at the age of eighteen, at Washington Institute, New York City, which was named and dedicated by Lafayette, in honor of his friend, George Washington, on the occa- sion of his last visit to this country. In 1842, before the establishment of steamship lines, he went with his tutor, Emile Mallet, to Europe, and for two years traveled over Engand and the continent for instruction and pleasure. Upon his return he was variously engaged in mer- 14

cantile pursuits, and at the time of the breaking out of the California gold fever, he was in the shipping office of George Sutton, owner of a line of packets running to Charleston, South Carolina.

The old ship Sutton, Wardle master, was at this time being fitted out to sail to the coast of California on a trading voyage. The prepara- tions were interrupted, however, by the news of the discovery of gold, and it was decided, in- stead of sending the Sutton on a trading voy- age, to fit her up as a passenger packet to carry emigrants to the New El Dorado. Young Whaley, brimful of pluck and enthusiasm, de- cided to join the fortune seekers, and took passage on the Sutton. The ship had quick dispatch, and on the first day of January, 1849, the Sutton sailed from New York harbor. Snow was on the ground and Staten Island and the Jersey shore were wrapped in a mantle of white. Quite a crowd assembled at the wharf to see the first vessel from New York set sail for the gold fields of California. The greetings exchanged by friends were cordial and mutual and many were the requests for "chunks of gold, some as big as your head."

Among the passengers were A. C. Taylor, W. R. Wadsworth, George D. Puffer, Chas. S. Palmer, Chas. H. Strybing, A. Kuhner (the en- graver of the great seal of California), Moseley, father and son, and Dr. Johnson and his neph- ew, Tom Grant. In all there were fifty-four passengers. They had rather a rough time of it after they got into the Gulf Stream, and all the way down to the line they experienced more or less heavy weather, so that it was found necessary to put into Rio Janeiro for repairs. Here they remained for three weeks, aud dur- ing that time Whaley stayed on shore, having quarters at the old Hotel Ferrou. There were at least 1,700 Americans in port from different ships, all bound for California, and many pleas- ant acquaintances were formed. Repairs being completed, Captain Wardle hoisted the " blue peter," and the Sutton was once more under way. They were a month doubling Cape Horn,

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having lost their reckoning and being unable to get an observation during that time. A sad. accident occurred after rounding the cape. A number werc, against the orders of the captain, in the stern boat, fishing for "gonies." Owing to the weight, the boat broke away and a dozen or more were precipitated into the water. All were rescued except one shoemaker, who disap- peared, battling with the gonies, who had picked into his brain, thus rendering effort use- less. The sea was rongh, the waves running high, and the man sank before help could reach him.

They stopped a week at Valparaiso for recrea- tion and to obtain fresh provisions. On the 22d of July, nearly seven months after leaving New York, they neared the California shore, and passing within the Golden Gate came to anchor amidst the fleet of vessels that had been more fortunate. Mr. Whaley remained on board the ship until the erection of a tent on the cor- ner of Jackson and Montgomery streets, near where the old Pioneer Hall stands. Their goods were landed at the foot of Washington street, which then extended about 100 feet below the corner of Montgomery. Whaley, with his friend Puffer, leased a portion of the store be- longing to George S. Wardle & Co., erected a short time after his arrival in the city, and en- gaged in the mercantile business. In the fall of 1849 he leased a piece of land from Colonel Stevenson, agent of Henry Gerke, on Mont- gomery street, opposite to George S. Wardle & Co.'s, for which he paid $450 per month; he sub-let a portion of this for $400 per monthi and erected a two-story building containing ten rooms up stairs and two stores below, and leased one of the latter and occupied the other for his business. When Montgomery street was graded this building was fifteen feet below the grade established. This proved disastrous, as all of Whaley's tenants left him. and his business was destroyed. He then bought property on Rincon Point and erected a dwelling house abont op- posite to where the United States Marine Hos- pital now stands. He engaged in business as a

broker for awhile and afterward became a coffee merchant.

In the summer of 1851 Lewis A. Franklin and George H. Davis chartered a vessel, and with a cargo of goods started down the coast on a trading voyage. Whaley, who had an interest in the venture, remained in San Francisco as their agent. Franklin and Davis stopped at various ports, finally at San Diego, and liked the prospects so well that they decided to locate. They wrote to. Whaley and he came down, ar- riving here in the month of October, 1851. He then formed a partnership with Franklin, and together they opened a store on the plaza in Old San Diego, which they christiened Tienda California-California store. The following April their partnership was dissolved, and in connection with Jack Hinton, Whaley succeeded to the business of R. E. Raymond, in the Tienda General-general store-also at Old San Diego. They remained in partnership for one year, and during that time cleared $18,600 over and above expenses, a very large snm for such a business. În April, 1853, Hintou retired, and E. W. Morse entered the firm. Whaley returned to New York about this time on a mission at once pleasant and romantic.

On the 14th of August, 1853, he was mar- ried to Anna E. Lannay, of New York, a de- scendant of the De Launay and Godfrois fam- ilies, of pure French extraction. He then returned to San Diego, bringing his bride with him. They took up their residence in Old San Diego, which was then a thriving town, though primitive in its appearance and containing a mixed population of Spaniards, Mexicans, In- dians and whites. The change from the bust- ling metropolis to this quaint old town was novel and delightful, and the time spent with the hospitable people was particularly enjoy- able.

In 1856 Morse retired from the business and Whaley continued alone, at the same time en- gaging in brick-making in Mission valley, near Old San Diego. He also erected a large brick building in 1856, the first built on the coast

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snoth of San Francisco. In 1858 he was en- gaged in the mercantile business with Walter Ringgold, a son of Major George H. Ringgold, paymaster United States army, but in less than a year this store on the Plaza, Old Town, was destroyed by an incendiary fire.

At the breaking out of the Indian war in 1852, Whaley joined the Fitzgerald volunteers. There was a general rising of the Indians be- tween Los Angeles and San Diego. Martial law was proclaimed in San Diego, and until their suppression by the capture and execution of their leader, Antonio Garra, the times were quite lively.

About January, 1859, Whaley went to San Francisco, and in March was appointed com- missary storekeeper, under Captain M. D. L. Simpson, United States army, in which employ, under successive commissaries, he remained for several years. He then engaged in the ship- ping and commission business for nearly two years. After that, under Colonel G. H. Weeks, Quartermaster, in charge of the clothing depart- ment, he was appointed storekeeper, and there remained till Colonel Weeks was relieved by Captain Sawyer, military storekeeper.

About this time the Russian Possessions, purchased at the instance of William H. Sew- ard, were to be turned over to the United States. Troops were to be sent up to Alaska under the command of General Jefferson C. Davis, with Colonel George H. Weeks, Quartermaster and acting Commissary of Subsistence, who pro- cured an order for Whaley to take charge of the three Government transports, with stores, on their arrival at Sitka, as Quartermaster's agent. He proceeded on one of these transports and ar- rived at his destination September 26, 1867. The steamer John L. Stephens, Captain Dall, with General Davis and command, arrived Oc- tober 10, and a few days thereafter the United States steamer Ossipe, having on board the com- missioners. Within an hour after their arrival the territory was turned over to the United States by Russia. Whaley, in company with others, assisted in raising the American flag on

the island of Japonski, opposite Sitka, simnl- taneously with the lowering of the Russian en- sign, and the hoisting of the stars and stripes over the Governor's house at Sitka. Whaley remained in Alaska as commissary storekeeper and clerk until March, 1868. He was elected with Samuel Storer, W. S. Dodge, Lugerville, and one other Councilmen of the town of Sitka, and helped to frame such civil laws for the gov- ernment of the people as were permitted by General Davis, the military governor of the territory. Whaley returned to San Francisco and then with his family went to New York. With the proceeds of a partial distribution of his father's estate invested in a stock of goods, he returned to San Diego and again engaged in business at Old Town. This was shortly after Father Horton had started his new town of San Diego, known as Horton's addition. Every- thing then was booming in the Old Town. There were twelve stores, some of them carry- ing large stocks, particularly J. S. Mannasse & Co., fifteen saloons, four hotels, two express offices, the post office, besides being the county seat. To secure a good location, in the spring of 1869, Whaley bought out his old partner Morse, who was doing a good business on the Plaza, and, in company with Philip Crosthwaite, continued business then till February, 1870, when it became evident that new San Diego was to be the point where the city of the future would be established, and the firmn resolved to move their stock there; but the connection from beginning to end was a disastrous one to Whaley. In 1873 he again went to New York, and re- mained there nearly five years, variously en- gaged. During this time he settled up the estate of his father, which, owing to the panic of '73, realized but the tithe of what he had ex- pected. In 1879 Whaley returned to California. After passing a few months in San Francisco, he reached home, San Diego, in the latter part of 1879, poorer than ever he had been before. In the fall of 1880 there were prospects of a railroad, and a boom for San Diego. Whaley inade a proposition to E. W. Morse to go into

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the real-estate business, which was accepted, and shortly afterward they admitted Charles P. Noell, the firm being Morse, Noell & Whaley, till February, 1886, when Mr. Noell sold his interest to R. H. Dalton, the firm being Morse, Whaley & Dalton, till February, 1887, when Mr. Morse retired, leaving the firm Whaley & Dalton. Mr. Whaley bonght considerable prop- erty in and around Old Town and at La Plaza, the greater part of which he still retains. He has also acquired an interest in other property, known as firm property in different parts of the city, some of which, the Fifth street property, is being improved from the sale of outside prop- erty belonging to the firm. He retired from active business last February to pass the few years remaining in peace and happiness with his wife, surrounded by loving children and grandchildren, dispensing the surplusage of his wealth for the relief of suffering humanity.

With the exception of being City Trustee in 1885, City Clerk in 1881 and 1882, Notary Public for the county of San Diego for six years, and Conncilman for Sitka, Alaska, Wha- ley has never held any public office.

ILLIAM JORRES -Prominent among the older residents of San Diego is William Jorres. Mr. Jorres is a native of Hanover, Germany, where he was born on the 24th of August, 1824. After attending school he learned the carpenter's trade and fol- lowed it in the city of Hamburg until 1846, when he started for Monte Video. There he worked at his trade for about six months, when he went to Buenos Ayres, where he remained three years. While he was at Monte Video the port was blockaded by the combined French and English fleets for several months. In the latter end of 1849 he left Buenos Ayres on a ship bound round the Horn for San Francisco, where he arrived May 4, 1850. The first week after his arrival he went to the mines at Spanish Dry Diggings, on the Middle Fork of the American

river. Then he went to Bear creek, and pros- pected that section pretty thoroughly for a year. After the second fire in 1851 he went down to San Francisco, worked at the carpenter's trade for awhile, and then started in for himself as a contractor, a business he followed with excellent success until 1869, when he came to San Diego. During his residence in San Francisco, Mr. Jorres in his business as a contractor superin- tended the erection of a large number of fine buildings. He put up four brick houses on Washington street, between Kearny and Mont- gomery, in 1852-'53; he built the large brick building on the southwest corner of California and Front in 1855, which is still stending; also the orthodox Jewish synagogue on Mason street, between Post and Geary. Most of his build- ings, which were scattered abont in different parts of the city, were substantial structures and are still standing.

After his arrival in San Diego, Mr. Jorres formed a partnership with S. S. Culverwell and built the Culverwell & Jorres wharf, situated at the foot of F street. This was the first wharf started in New San Diego. It was not com- pleted so soon as the Horton wharf, as it was twenty feet wider and required more time to build it. It was made wide enough for carriages to be driven out to meet passengers from the steamers, who were landed at the end of the wharf. The cost of the wharf was $28,700. For the first year they ran it themselves, and then leased it, and Mr. Jorres again went into business as a contractor. This was in 1871, and the first contract he took was for the build- ing of the present court-house on D street. In 1873, after he had completed the court-house, he took the contract for putting up the build- ing for the Commercial Bank of San Diego, now occupied by the Consolidated National Bank, on the corner of Fifth and G streets. He next put up the Central Market on Fifth street, between F and G. It was 200 x 60 feet, and was fitted up with stalls, etc., for a market. After being used for this purpose a year, it was leased by Charles S. Hamilton & Co., and has

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since been occupied by them as a general mer- chandise store. He continued his business as a contractor here until 1877. when he went to Los Angeles. where he built the First National Bank, on Spring street. In the year 1872 Mr. Jorres bought out the interest of Culverwell in the wharf at the foot of F street, and engaged in ballasting vessels and other business in con- nection with the wharf. He has recently begun the extension of the wharf, and it will, when completed, be one of the best wharves on the water front. Mr. Jorres was for seven years County Treasurer, retiring from office in 1885. He was elected on the Democratic ticket. During his residence in San Diego he has always been alive to the interests of the city, and has done his full share towards its material advancement. He was an earnest advocate of the railroad, and did all in his power to have it brought here. Mr. Jorres owns considerable city property, and has a very comfortable residence on the corner of Union and B streets, which he built in 1869, previous to the arrival of his family from San Francisco.

Mr. Jorres was married in 1854, in Hanover; to Miss Sophie Kliengibel. He had gone to the old country from San Francisco to visit his parents, and while there met and was married to Miss Kliengibel. They came to San Fran- cisco, arriving here in Angust, 1854. They have six children living, one son and five daugh- ters; they have lost three sons. Their son, George W., was for two years postmaster, but resigned to accept the position of assistant cashier in the San Diego National Bank.

B. FERRELL, a rancher near Menifee, was born in Norwalk, Huron County, Ohio (just ten miles from where the illustrious President, James A. Garfield, was born), Jan- nary 31, 1829. Mr. Garfield when a boy of sixteen, worked with Mr. Ferrell, then abont eighteen years of age, and Mr. Ferrell allndes to the fact of his acquaintance with Mr. Garfield

with pleasure and just pride. Mr. Horatio N. Ferrell, the father of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Pennsylvania, and was of Ger- man descent. His mother, Pamelia (Gordon) Ferrell, was a native of New York, and her parents were Scotch. Mr. J. B. Ferrell was the oldest of five children. At nineteen years of age Mr. Ferrell removed to New Bedford, Bureau County, Illinois, and for twenty years he was a sawyer in the pineries of Wisconsin. He helped build the mills and then ran them. Then he removed to Lewis, Cass County, Iowa, where his father's death occurred in 1856. Mr. Ferrell remained in Iowa in 1873 when he came to California on account of his wife's poor health. They stopped at San Benardino and went into the mountains where he engaged for sawing for three years. He then opened a gro- cery store in San Bernardino with his son Edgar as partner. He continued in this business for three years and in 1881 became interested in mines worth $350,000, but was beat out of the most it by adverse titles. He was there from 1881 to 1887. When he left San Bernardino he sold his San Bernardino property to Governor Wa- terman. In 1887 he came to Menifee and bought a homestead claim of 215 acres, and now has 413 acres. In June, 1887, he built his house with his own hands and hauled the lumber from San Bernardino by wagon. The house contains six rooms and the barn is thirty- two feet square with a shed on both sides. One of his wells is fourteen feet deep and the other twenty-four feet. The farm has a nice home- like appearance from the highway. Mr. Fer- rell is turning his attention to breeding Jersey and Holstein cattle and blooded horses. He is an enthusiastic horseman. His Kentucky Clay horse that he is now breeding to is a very fine animal. His sire is a half brother to Lady Thorn, and American Girl and Lucy are his full cousins. He raised one colt, Valentine, that trotted in 2:20 and sold for $4,000. Sev- eral of his colts have traveled in 2:30 and he now owns a three-year-old colt that is very choice and promising. Mr. Ferrell was mar

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ried in Illinois, in 1855, to Miss Sarah E. Her- rick, born August 9, 1839, in Ithaca, New York. She was the daughter of Mr. Milton Herrick of New York. Both her father and brother died of consumption, but since coming to California her health is much improved. They have had a family of nine children, six of whom are still living: E. J., born July 9, 1856, in Lewis, Cass County, Iowa; he is married and is in business in San Bernardino. Sarah L., born in Lewis, Cass County, Iowa, Aug. 7, 1858, was married and had three boys; she died in San Bernardino in 1886. Byron, born in Lewis. Cass County, Iowa, February 8, 1863, is married to Miss Lula Kahley, born in Cin- cinnati, Ohio, May, 10, 1872; Ella M., born in Lewis, Cass County, Iowa, July 31, 1865; Grace, born in Lewis, Iowa, April 27. 1871; Roy W., born in San Bernardino, California, December 24, 1875, and Jamie E., born in San Bernardino, April 12, 1880. Mr. Ferrell was made a Mason in Lewis Lodge, No. 137. He is a very hard-working and reliable man.

B. TEEL, one of the straight-forward good farmers of Menifee, was born in Dent, 0 Texas, September 14, 1855. His father, E. A. Teel, was born in Jackson County, Ten- nessee, in 1829. His grandfather, Peter Teel, was born in Illinois. Mr. E. A. Teel was mar- ried in 1852 to Miss M. A. McNeal. They had eleven children, ten of whom are still living, Mr. Teel being the third child. When a boy he attended the common schools of his native State and finished his education in Wilson Col- lege, Los Angeles County. In 1870 he came to California across the plains with his father and family. They were eleven months on the journey. They stopped at Balsa, and from there removed to Orange, where his father bought and settled there for two years. They then removed to Garden Grove, and bought there. Mr. Teel was married in 1877 to Miss Nancy Keziah Kirkpatrick, daughter of R. C. Kirkpatrick, a

merchant and native of Tennessee. She was born in Gainsborough, Jackson County, Ten- nessee, in 1857. They have had five children, viz .: Lela A., born November 8, 1878, in Los Angeles County; Benjamin F., born March 2, 1881, in Wilmington; Alma P., born July 9, 1883, in Menifee; John Harvey, born March 23, 1885, in Menifee. and Robert Clay, born January 8, 1888, in Menifee. After their mar- riage they lived a year at Garden Grove, then removed to Wilmington, where they remained two years, and on November 1, 1882, they re- moved to Menifee and took np a Government homestead of 160 acres, and bought eighty acres of railroad land. The soil is red sandy loam. This property under Mr. Teel's manage- ment is fast becoming a very choice place. He has built a nice house and barn and planted trees and shrubs. This year (1889) he is sow- ing 220 acres on his own land and eighty acres on other lands. He runs a six-horse plow and sows about seven acres per day. The place has the appearance of comfort. Mr. and Mrs. Teel are members of the Methodist Church Sonth and are also Good Templars. They have been very helpful in the construction of their church edifice. Such people are a real blessing to the country in which they settle.

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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