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 44

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 44
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 44
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 44
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 44

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).

He married Florence Croff, a native of Min- nesota, February 23, 1890.

OHN H. MYERS, the owner of the St. Cloud Hotel, Oceanside, was born in La Salle County, Illinois, December 31, 1834. His father, John Myers, of Illinois, was a mill owner, both saw and flouring mills. His mother was Ellen (Hayes) Myers. They had a family of ten children, of which the subject of this sketch was the fifth. When only four years of age the family removed to Missonri and re- mained there six years, when they returned to Illinois. In 1850, when only sixteen years of age, he came to Ilangtown, Placer County, Cali- 18

fornia. He arrived there August 27, 1850, and engaged in mining, with good suecess, for fonr years. He then opened a little store of miners' supplies. He removed from there in 1884 and went to a place twenty-one miles from Stock- ton, where he located a Government claim of 160 acres of land and built a hotel. In less than a year he sold out and became a teamster for a year. He next went to Tulare County and then went back to the mines. He settled at Fine Gold Gulch, where he engaged in the butchery business and remained there about a year, when he returned to Stockton and became a contractor and worked on the construction of the asylum. Soon afterward he returned to Tulare County, and from there went to Los Angeles County and engaged in buying stock and driving it to Tulare County. He continued in this business until 1880 and then removed to the Sweetwater, fifteen miles east of San Diego, and took a Gov- erninent claim of 160 acres. Then he went to Los Angeles County, and from there to Phoenix, Marecopa County, then to Tombstone. While at the latter place he located another Govern- ment ranch. His nearest neighbor was six miles on one side and fifteen miles on the other. During all this time he was a stock-raiser and mined at intervals. After this he went to Los Angeles and took the contract for sprinkling the streets. In December, 1885, he came to Ocean- side and opened a restaurant and hotel. In 1887 he built his present brick hotel. It is 48 x 50 feet, three stories high. It is substantially built and well designed to accommodate the traveling public. It contains thirty commodions rooms. Both Mr. and Mrs. Myers give it their per- sonal attention, and see to the comfort of their gnests. Mr. Myers was ma. ried to Miss Isabel Stroud in 1875. She was born in Texas in 1858. Her father, Samuel Stroud, was a soldier in the war with Mexico, and was also a member of the Sixteenth Texas Volunteers in the Sonthern army all through the war and received no injury. Mr. and Mrs. Myers have four children: Levi Jackson, born in Los Angeles County, April 25, 1876; Mable, born in the same place, February

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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

8, 1879; Mand, born in Tombstone, Arizona, March 9, 1881, and Lester Allen, Jannary 23, 1890, at Oceanside. Mr. Myers was Sheriff of Mariposa County for one year. and was a mem- ber of the Commnon Council of Los Angeles two years. In 1832 his father was in the Indian war and had the honor of killing the Indian chief, Stallion Panther, which resulted in bring- ing the war to a elose. In 1853, with a party of fifteen, Mr. Myers had the honor of being the first white man ever in Yosemite valley. They followed a party of Indians, and fought seventy- five warriors, bnrned down all their camps and killed twenty-five, driving them all ont of the valley, after which white people settled there. Mr. Myers, when quite a boy, fought and killed a large California lion with roeks while his hunting dog and the lion were fighting. The lion measured nine feet, and his skin was sent to San Francisco for one of the largest drug stores in the city.

MIL H. BOSCHER, of San Diego, is a native of Germany, being born in Urlan, Wnerttenberg, February 26, 1844, a son of Thaddeus B., a physician, and Josephine (Mil- ler) Boscher. In 1859 the family emigrated to America, loeating in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Emil was the second son in a family of three children. In 1861 he went to St. Louis, Mis- souri, and enlisted in the Light Artillery Bat- talion of Missouri Volunteers; took part in the battle of Carthage, Missouri, under General F. Siegel. Returning to Mt. Vernon he was mus- tered ont, on account of expiration of time of service. While he was in the army his father died, and, his mother and sister being dependent on him, he returned to Milwaukee, where he learned the drug business, remaining three years, when he went to Chicago, faithfully serving in his profession also three years. In 1867 he eame to San Francisco and went from there to Portland, Oregon, and remained one year in the drug business there; then returning to San

Francisco, he took charge of one of the most prominent pharmacies in that eity for five years. In 1873 he located in Stockton, California, ear- rying on a snceessful drug business on his own account, for thirteen years. Hearing of the rapid growth of San Diego and its wonderful elimate, he sold his drug store and opened in San Diego, corner of Fifth and H streets, one of the most elaborate and eon:plete pharmacies in the State of California, where, by business in- tegrity and competeney, he is now the leader of his profession.

Mr. Bosher is a member of the G. A. R., Knights of Pythias, Knights of Honor and Ancient Order of Foresters of America.

In 1873 he was married in San Francisco to Miss Ida Weil, a lady of great refinement and culture.

OSEPH JACOB, one of Oceanside's most conservative merchants, is a young man, twenty. five years of age. His life's career is a verification of the old adage that " man proposes and God disposes." He was born in 1865, under the French flag. At five years of age his peaceful childhood was disturbed by the sight of vast German and French armnies, and one year later his father, Alexander Jacob, an old resident, had to swear allegiance to his majesty, the Emperor of Germany. Mr. J. Jacob attended the first German school estab- lished in the conquered conntry, and proved himself always first among his fellow school- inates as a scholar. Under the advice of his teacher he entered the High School of Searburg, where he made rapid strides toward the highest classes, and enjoyed a yearly income (stipend- inm) paid by the Government, for best scholar- ship. All was looking anspieiously, and his ambition was to become soon efficient enough to enter the military school, preparatory to enter- ing the army as an officer of the artillery corps, but the sudden death of his beloved mother forced him to relinquish all future plans, and

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instead of entering the German army of officers he entered the American army of merchants, by landing in June, 1884, in Phoenix, Arizona, washing dishes, cleaning horses, and keeping books, simultaneously, for his uncle, M. Worm- ser, a grain merchant of the above place, who has been engaged in business for the past twenty- five years. After eighteen months' steady work Mr. Jacobs thought best to leave for San Fran- cisco, where he secured a position as clerk and remained there for eighteen months; but, not- withstanding fair wages, his bank account kept shrinking, and hearing of the boom in San Diego left for that city, determined to steer his own ship thereafter. After three weeks in- vestigation he located in Oceanside, a thriving and most inviting village by the sea. In com- pany with D. Jacob, a cousin. residing in San Francisco, Mr. Jacob opened up the first full- stocked general merchandise store in town, and started to do business with a view of staying permanently with the place and to grow up with the country. He has been successful from the start, made money during two years of the boom, and still holds the commanding position of the business in the town. Mr. Jacob speaks English with remarkable fluency; also, French, German and Spanish languages, and his cosmo politan trade appreciates his ability in a substan- tial manner. He is secretary of the Odd Fel- lows lodge of the town, and enjoys the respect of the whole community for his integrity and the successful management of his business.

EORGE H. BRODIE. of Oceanside, was born in London, England, September 14, 1835. His father, Samuel F. Brodie, was English, and his mother Scotch. Both his father and mother died when he was quite young and for a time he lived with his grandmother. What education he received was mostly before he was ten years old. After that age he began to earn his own living as an errand boy in a cork

cutting establishment. He was apprenticed to the baking business in Abingdon, Berkshire, England, for five years, without pay, but de- cided not to stay his time out and went back to London and worked two years in the govern- ment iron works for the arsenal. In 1856 he came to the United States. He landed at New York and soon engaged in work at his bakery business. He was there two years. He then went to Canada, but decided not to remain there and came back and worked in New York city nearly a year. Next he went over to Brooklyn, and then to Newburyport, Massachusetts, and worked there three years. From there he went to Fortress Monroe, Virginia, where he worked in the I. G. Hotel a year, and then went to the Bates House, Indianapolis. In 1869 he went to Independence, Kansas, where he opened and conducted a store for seven years, when he sold out. He then went to Galena, Kansas, and en- gaged in prospecting in the lead mines for two years. In December, 1879, he went to Downey, Los Angeles County. California, and bought a ranch on which he made improvements and lived for four years, when he sold it and came to Oceanside, in April, 1886. The railroad had just been built. He bought lots and built his store and owns and runs the only bakery in the city of Oceanside.

He was married in August, 1860, to Miss Mary A. Shey, a native of New York city, born in 1837. She was a daughter of Judge Bryant Shey. They had a family of seven children, all living. viz .: Lizzie, born in Port Chester, New York, in 1861, is married to Rev. O. L. Snow, of Santa Barbara; Anna B., born in New- buryport, Massachusetts, in 1864, is married to Mr. Charles Black, a druggist, and resides at Bakersfield, California; George W., born in In- dianapolis, Indiana, in 1866, lives on a ranch near Oceanside; Lillie, born in Indianapolis, Indiana, 1868; Harry, born in Independence, Kansas, in 1871; Freddie, born in Independence, in 1874, and Maud, born in Independence, in 1877. Mr. Brodie was elected one of the first members of the common council of Independ-

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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

ence. He is a member of the Holiness Church of Oceanside.

B. KERBY, one of Murrietta's most reliable business men, was born in

6 Portland, Ohio, March 5, 1856. His father, Thomas B. Kerby, was a native of West Virginia. His mother, Lydia (Bertly) Kerby, was a daughter of J. H. Bertly, also of West Virginia, and was married to Mr. Thomas B. Kerby in 1839. Their union was blessed with seven children, of which Mr. W. B. Kerby is the third. He was educated in Sedalia, Mis- souri, and when through with school learned railroading, and worked as operator and ticket agent for the Missouri Pacific for ten years. August 20, 1887, he came to Los Angeles, Cal- ifornia, where he became bill clerk for the Santa Fe Company. March 6, 1888 he came to Murri. etta and has had charge of the station since that time.

He was married in Los Angeles, September, 22, 1889, to Miss Stella Miller, born in 1869. Mrs. Kerby is taking charge of the newly opened hotel, the Fountain Hotel, of Marietta, which bids fair to become a first-class one, as the house is pleasantly situated, has good rooms and furniture, and Mrs. Kerby knows what con- stitutes a good table and how to serve it. They are young people of promise.

E. HORTON .- It was the boast of An- gustus Cæsar that he found Rome in brick and he should leave it in marble. With more regard to truth might Alonzo E. Horton, speaking in the figurative style adopted by the Roman emperor, remark that he found San Diego a barren waste, and to-day, as he looks down from the portieo of his beautiful mansion on Florence Heights, he sees it a busy, thriving city of 35,000 inhabitants. Probably there is no other instance in the history of our

country, where great cities have grown from in- significant beginnings, where the presence of one man, unaided by abundant capital, has ac- complished such wonderful results as have been achieved by A. E. Horton in San Diego.

To understand and appreciate, however, in its fullest sense, what Mr. Horton has accom- plislied, it is necessary to inquire into the ante- cedents and examine the characteristics of the man.

In the year 1635 the good ship Swallow, after a long and tempestuous voyage across the At- lantic, dropped her anchor in port at Hampton, Massachusetts. Among the passengers, who were all Puritans, was Barnabas Horton, a native of Leicestershire, England. From him, in the seventh generation, is descended the sub- ject of this sketch. Alonzo Erastus Horton was born in Union, Connecticut, October 24, 1813. When he was two years of age his parents re- moved to Madison County, New York. After- wards they took up their residence at Scriba, a few miles from Oswego, on the shore of Lake Ontario. Here his youth and early manhood were passed. During this time he was clerk in a grocery, learned the cooperage trade, and was a sailor on the lake, finally owning and com- manding a schooner, in which he engaged in the grain trade between Oswego and Canada. When he arrived at man's estate he was in quite delicate health, and his physician pro- nounced him consumptive, and said if he wished to prolong his life he must go West. Accordingly in 1836 he started for Milwaukee, landing there in May of that year. This was an era of speculation in the western States; it began several years previously, and ended with the great financial crash of 1837. While in Milwaukee, turning his hand at whatever he conld find to do, young Horton became pos- sessed of the information that the bills of eer- tain Michigan banks would be received at the land office in payment of lands at par, and would be the equal of gold, and consequently command a premium of 10 per cent. He had a cash capital of $300, and, acting on his secret

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information, he hunted out the holders of Michigan currency and was soon doing a brisk exchange business. This enterprise was a finan- cial success. He returned to New York State soon atterwards, but the year 1840 saw him again in Wisconsin. He bought a home in Oakland, and married. After this for three years he was engaged in dealing in cattle and land, steadily adding to his little capital. He bought a large quantity of land warrants in St. Lonis about this time, and located 1.500 acres in Outagamie County, Wisconsin. Here he founded the village of Hortonville, and at the end of two years he sold out his investments at a profit of nearly $8,000.

It was in 1851 that Mr. Horton made his first journey to California. He spent a few months in the mines, but he soon found that he could make more money trading in gold dust than digging for it. In this traffic his profits were quite large, during the last quarter of 1854 reaching as high as $1,000 a month. As the gold dust business, however, got a little dull, he engaged in an ice speculation. Lo- cating some fine fields in the mountains, he eut and disposed of 312 tons, which returned him a profit of $8,000. He now had a comfortable fortune for those days, and he determined on going back home to his family. Accordingly in the spring of 1856 we find him a passenger on the steamer Cortez, for Panama. A few hours after the Cortez landed her passengers at Panama, the terrible riots broke out, in which the natives attacked foreigners wherever found, killing and plundering all who came in their way. Two hundred persons from the steamer were dining in the hotel when that building was attacked by the mob. A general rush was made for the upper story, where they hoped to escape their assailants. Among all the passen- gers only three had fire-arms, and one of these was Horton. By common consent he was elected to command the garrison. The natives, who by this time had become crazy with rage and rum, attempted to carry the staircase lead- ing to the upper story by storm, and several of

the leaders darted up the narrow passage. At the head of the stairs stood Horton, a revolver in each hand, perfectly cool and collected. In the room behind him were ten-score per- sons, including women and children; below were 1,000 demons, thirsting for their blood. It was a trying moment, but Horton did not hesitate. Those behind urged the foremost of the assailants forward; the leader mounted an- other step; there was a flash, a report, and he fell back dead. Two others took his place, but they dropped lifeless: Now the reports grew quicker and the flashes from the revolvers told of the sharp work being done. Horton had emptied his own weapons and had discharged inost of the barrels of another that had been handed to him before the rioters fell back. Eight of their number were dead and four were seriously wounded. But the dangers of the be- sieged were not at an end. Although the inob had been repulsed, they were not dispersed, and they were still vowing vengeance upon the passengers. The only place of safety was the steamer. Getting his little band in compact order, Horton, distributing the revolvers to those whom he knew would use them judi- ciously, started on the retreat to the landing. This was reached in safety, though the mob followed them closely, and had it not been for the rare generalship displayed by Horton in getting the party embarked on a lighter instead of allowing them to rush, pell-mell, as they at- tempted to, on a small tug, many must have lost their lives. As it was, the lighter was towed ont to the steamer, and all were taken on board in safety. Mr. Horton's baggage, con- taining 810,000 in gold dust, was lost, having fallen into the hands of the rioters. He saved $5,000, which he had tied around him in a belt.

Mr. Horton remained in Wisconsin until 1861, when he again started for the Pacific coast, going with a party overland to British Columbia. He spent a season in the Cariboo mining district, and at first made money, but their claim, which had been considered a very

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valuable one, "petered out," and they finally disposed of it for $200 and started south. Mr. Horton then came to San Francisco, where he engaged in business of different kinds with varying degrees of success. In the early part of 1867, at a private literary gathering one evening, San Diego, its climate and harbor, was the topic of discussion. He was greatly im- pressed with what he heard. Here was the site of a great city of the future; nature had done her share; all that was wanting was for a man to develop it. The voice of fate seemed to call to Horton that this was his opportunity. He sold out his business in three days' time, and started on his pilgrimage southward. It was the 6th of April, 1867, that Mr. IIorton reached San Diego. The few people that were settled here then lived at Old Town, but Mr. Horton, after looking the ground over, concluded that the true place for the city of the future, his ideal city, was farther down the bay. He first began the agitation of an election of city trustees. Candidates were nominated and elected. There was no opposition. Then Mr. Horton had surveyed 880 acres which he de- sired to purchase. The property was advertised and sold at auction. There was but one bidder (Mr. Horton), and he bid it all in at 26 cents an acre. This property is now the main portion of the city of San Diego. Mr. Horton then had his "addition" platted, and started to San Fran- cisco to dispose of it. At first he met with but indifferent success; people were suspicions of "Sandyago," as ." John Phœnix" had dubbed it; the general impression was, it was very hot and was a place very congenial to the rattle- snake. But Mr. Horton was never discouraged; he had faith in the future. In 1867 his receipts were $3,000; in 1869 they had increased to $85,000. Since then the appreciation of his property has been steady until the last two years, when the increase has been phenomenal. When we come to look at what Mr. Horton has done for the city of his creation, we cannot deny but that he has been a faithful and de- voted parent. He has expended over $700,000

of his own capital in the improvement of San Diego. He built the first wharf, which was afterwards sold to the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, who in turn disposed of it to the present owners, the Pacific Coast Steamship Company. He gave to each of the religious denominations a lot for a church edifice, and some of them are now very valuable. The lot on which the Methodist Church building now stands, on the corner of D and Fourth streets, is valued at $60.000, and when the members of the congregation look upon it they are con- stantly reminded of Mr. Horton's munificence. If the real estate that he has given away was valued at the prices selling at this time (April, 1888), it would reach at least $1,000,000. In the days of the city's infancy he gave land to every one who he thought would improve it. The promises made to him by the recipients of his bounty were not, however, always fulfilled. He gave a fine block of land to a man to build a hotel on, but the hotel was not built. He gave a block to a gentleman who now occupies a high position in the federal service, and two years afterwards bought it back for $4,000. He gave a block for a flour-mill, and donated the block on which the court-house stands, to the county. In all he gave away fourteen blocks and innumerable lots, for the purpose of building up the city. For three years, when every one but him had grown discouraged, Mr. Horton carried the town on his own shoulders, paying salaries of officials and all the expenses of the corporation. He was ready to help every one who asked it of him. and married men could always get work from him to earn a living and support their families, when all other employers failed them.

Personally Mr. Horton is one of the most genial of men. He is easily approached and is always as willing to give an attentive hearing to the man who earns his daily bread by the sweat of his brow, and if necd be lend him a helping hand, as to listen to the schemes of the capitalist. Somewhat above the medium height, with a portly frame, he is in robust health, and

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his clear eye and pleasant countenance bear tes- timony to the fidelity with which lie has com- plied with the laws of health.

R. W. A. WINDER .- Few residents of San Diego are better known or more highly respected than Dr. W. A. Winder. A veteran of two wars, his life has been an adven- turous one. He was born in Baltimore, Mary- land, December 5, 1824. His father was an officer in the regular army, and the greater part of his early boyhood was passed with his parents at the different inilitary posts between North Carolina and Maine. Up to the time he was nine years of age he attended school in North Carolina, and then went to Baltiniore, where he continued in school until sixteen years old. Having a fondness for medicine lie now began to study it, and fit himself for practice. He attended lectures in Philadelphia. When the Mexican war broke ont lie volunteered his services, and just after the battle of Buena Vista was commissioned a Lieutenant of Artillery. He served during the rest of the war and con- tinned in the service for eighteen years, resign- ing at the close of the civil war. Just after the Mexican war, in 1848, he was sent withi part of his regiment to Florida, to assist in quelling the outbreak of the Seninole Indians, and he re- mained there thirteen months.

In 1854 he sailed from New York with his regiment, the Third Artillery, for California, on board the ill-fated steamship San Francisco. Thirty-six hours out of New York, when in the Gulf streanı, the ship was caught in a hurricane and disabled. For fourteen days she drifted about on the ocean in a helpless condition. There were 750 soldiers and thirteen officers, some of whom had their families, besides a num- ber of civilian passengers. During this time cholera broke out on board and nearly 100 died from that dread disease. Perhaps the most terrible of their misfortunes occurred during the height of the storm, when an immense sea

struck the ship and carried away the upper saloon, on which were crowded over 200 soldiers. Finally, when hope had well-nigh given way to despair, a vessel hove in sight, and in answer to their signals of distress replied that she would stand by them. The following day the sea liad gone down sufficiently to permit the transfer of mno: t of the passengers to the vessel, which proved to be the Scotch bark Three Bells, of Glasgow. Another vessel also came to their assistance, and all were rescued before the doomed steamer sank beneath the waves. For his heroic conduct during those dreadful days of trial on board the San Francisco, and the part he took in securing the safe transfer of the women and children to the Three Bells, Lieu- tenant Winder was accorded a vote of thanks by the Legislature of his native State, Mary- land.

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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