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 56

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 56
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 56
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 56
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 56

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.

Brinton was only seventeen years of age, small and slender, but he wanted to enlist. The fol- lowing year he was accepted, and. enlisted An- gust 16, 1862, in Company G, One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Pennsylvania Volunteer In- fantry. He participated in the battles of Antie- tam, Gettysburg and Fredericksburg, but after being in the service nine months his delicate constitution sncenmbed to the exposure and the hardships of the soldiers, marches and camp that his life was despaired of, and he was honorably discharged on account of disability, June 23, 1862. He returned home and after a few months' careful nursing at home he partially recovered his health, and with his brother, Joseph, bonght a farm. Soon after this he went to Cleveland and Chicago visiting and seeing the country. After six months' absence he returned to his farm. He then went West again, and was in St. Louis one year and a half, when he went back East and sold his farm. In 1868 he bought wild land near Des Moines, Iowa, and in a short time sold it again. He stopped in Des Moines nine months, during the winter, and in March traveled again. He went to Illinois, Vermont, and then to St. Louis, and from there to Chi- cago, where he studied telegraphy. In the spring he went back to Des Moines, and, the party that purchased his farm not fulfilling his contract, he was obliged to take his farm back. He then went to Polk, where he engaged in the drug business, and after a year he sold this business and went to Des Moines, where he clerked in the hotel where he was boarding. He then went to Omaha, where he bought a hotel, which he ran eight months, when he sold it, having dropped $2,500, and went back to Des moines a wiser man. He then engaged in the insurance business, in which business he continned until January, 1876, when he came to California. He opened a drug store at Or- land and remained in that business until Au- gnst, 1885, when he sold and in November, 1885, he came to San Jacinto. The boom had just started, and he dritted into it. He pur- chased twenty acres of land, now in the city

limits, for $3,000. He has since sold a portion of it for $6,000, and has still some on his hands, for which he was offered a big price. He bought a drug business of Mr. Beeman, and has a nice stock of drugs and fancy goods, and is a competent and obliging druggist. He was married, in 1881, to Miss Bernard, a native of Iowa. They have one son: George T., born in Colusa County, California, October 25, 1883. Mr. Brinton is a Master Mason, and was master of his lodge at Orland, California. He is a No. 1 citizen, and is interested in the welfare and growth of San Jacinto.

M. WARNER .- In Acworth, one of the old New Hampshire towns settled 6 before the Revolution, was the home of the Warners and Sladers. Far back in the early history of the town we find the names of members of these two families frequently oc- curring as town clerks, justices of the peace, selectmen, and representatives to the State Legislature. They came mostly from Massa- chusetts, and among the list of names we find that of Nathaniel Warner, settled in Acworth in 1805, and married to Miss Lucy Slader. These were the parents of the subject of this sketch, Mr. M. M. Warner. He was born in Acworth, October 30, 1830. His parents had a family of three children, of whom he is the only survivor. He was educated in the public schools of his native town, and when old enough engaged in business with his father, who was a merchant of that place. Twenty-five years of his life was spent in that place in the general merchandise business, when he removed to Chapel Hill, Texas, where he engaged in bnsi- ness. His health giving out, and the war coming on, he sold out and returned to his old home, and continued in business there until 1867, when he removed to Fremont, Nebraska, where he continued his mercantile business for ten years. His health giving out, he retired and engaged in the propagation of small fruits

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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

and trees. His health not improving, and be- ing physically a perfect wreck, in September, 1884, he came to San Jacinto, California, and purchased forty acres of land on the mesa, two and one-half miles weet of the city. The land is well located, rich soil, and is easily worked. Here he bnilt his brick house and a good barn, and went to work planting trees. The first year he planted fifteen acres of deciduous trees, and they are now fine, large, bearing trees. There are abont 2,000 trees-pears, peaches and apricots-and they have yielded large quanti- ties of choice frnit without any irrigation what- ever. The second year he planted twenty-five acres more in trees and vines, and he now has a very valnable fruit farm. His health has re- turned, and he has accomplished all this him- self, as he does his own work. Like a good son, he followed in the footsteps of his father, and he, too, married a Slader, a daughter of one of the pioneers of Acworth, her given name being Carrie D., born December 31, 1834. She is an amiable lady. Mr. Warner's close atten- tion to his business during his long life has re- tarded him from holding places of public trust. He is, nevertheless, a competent and agreeable gentleman, and with his energy and skill is showing younger men how to raise tons of grapes and dried fruit. Such a man is a bless- ing to any country.

AVID HARROD, San Jacinto, another of the men deserving of note for having jeopardized his life in the defense of his country and to perpetuate its free institutions, was born in Monroe County, Ohio, February 19, 1832. His father, John Harrod, was born in Knox County, Ohio. His mother's maiden name was Matilda Harris. They had five chil- dren living, of whom our subject was the sec- ond child. He was raised on a farm, worked in the summer and attended school in the winter. When he was fourteen years of age he lost his parents, and at nineteen he went to learn

the carpenter's trade, and has been a builder and contractor most of his life. June 12, 1861, he enlisted for three years in Company E, Twenty- sixth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He went to the front, and was in the battle of Stone river. After this he was taken sick, and ex- posnre and poor treatment nearly served him as it did many another poor fellow. From this sickness he was long in recovering, and has never fully recovered from the effects of it. In March, 1863, he was honorably discharged on account of disability. When out of the service and with better care he recovered slowly, and began to do what work lie could.

The following April he was married to Miss Frances Woud, a native of Holmes County, Ohio, born in 1833. They removed to and settled in Cass County, Michigan, and he conducted his business there for a year, when he lost his wife, March 27, 1864. He then went back to Ohio, and in 1866 was married to Mrs. Keziah Means, widow of John Means, who had been a farmer there. She was a native of Ohio. They con- tinned to reside there until 1884, when they came to California and settled at Los Angeles, and in October, 1885, they came to San Jacinto and bonght and built a home when the town was first laid ont. He was made a Master Mason in 1864, and belongs to the G. A. R., J. A. Addison Post, No. 121, of which he is Chaplain. He and his wife are Protestant Methodists. Mr. Harrod was Instice of the Peace three terms in Ohio, and was elected one of the first trustees in San Jacinto. He is in every way a good citizen of the country for which he has all his life suffered so much.

B. WEBSTER, of San Jacinto, was born in Otter Creek, Indiana, in 1818. O His father, George Webster, was a native of Mad River, Ohio; his mother, Rachel (Shelby) Webster, was also a native of Ohio, and her father, David Shelby, a fariner, was one of the pioneers of Circleville. In January,

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1842, Mr. W. B. Webster was united in mar- riage to Miss Mary Neville, born in 1824, and daughter of Judge Neville, a prominent citizen there for many years. After his marriage he took up a Government claim of 160 acres of land in Edgar County, Illinois, and added to this property by purchase until he had 700 acres. Here he lived and prospered for thirty- five years, and here their large family of nine children were born. The oldest son, George H., was born May 1, 1844, is married and resides in Oregon; Charity M., born May 14, 1849, is married to Mr. Rood, and lives with her hus- band in Illinois; Mary E., born August 30, 1851, married Mr. H. O. Morris, and they now live neighbors to the Webster family, in Web- ster Cañon; James M., born September 26, 1855; William B., born January 6, 1857, is married and lives on a large ranch about four miles north of San Jacinto; David Grant, born August 3, 1861, who was named in honor of General Grant's victory at Vicksburg, which occurred on that date. This son is now at home with his mother in charge of the home ranch. Rachel S., born April 10, 1863; Corey T., born October 18, 1865, is married to Mr. Frank Ryan and resides in San Jacinto; and Frederick A., born November 18, 1869. The unmarried chil- dren are still at home with their mother. In 1875 they sold their fine farm in Illinois, and that winter Mr. Webster came to California and bought 500 acres of land at auction in the Cent- mello Ranch. When he came to see it it was so dry that he got them to take it back, and the family spent three months in Compton. He tlien bought an undivided interest in a Mexican graut, his interest calling for 1,640 acres of land, and they moved upon it. The title to the larger portion of this property was found to be fraud- ulent, and after a lawsuit they were beaten out of it all except 185 acres. They have since bought back 2,000 acres of land, covering tlie same property.

In 1877 they took a homestead of 160 acres of land in what is now called Webster's Canon. They moved upon it and here Mr. Webster 23

made improvements and planted fruit trees of nearly all kinds, -prunes, pears, apricots peaches, apples and oranges. All of these trees are now large and in full bearing. The orange trees are loaded with fruit, at an altitude of 1,700 feet above the sea, not only showing the capability of the country, but is a permanent monument to the industry and faith of the man who planted them.

In the years 1884 and 1885 Mr. Webster was ill for about five months. The doctors pro- nounced his disease to be a tumor. He was able to be around most of the time until five days before his death, which occurred June 11, 1885. He was an excellent citizen, a good husband and father, a most excellent provider, and his loss was most deeply felt by his family and the county in which he lived. His son, William, took charge of the place the first year, but since that David G. has had charge of it. They have added to this homestead 160 acres more adjoin- ing it, and they are sowing barley and wheat and raising alfalfa. On the other ranch they are engaged quite extensively in raising horses and cattle.

Mrs. Webster is now sixty-five years of age, and, notwithstanding her very busy life, is still able to do her own work, and is a capable and intelligent lady. She is a Presbyterian in religious belief. She has raised a large family carefully and lovingly, and has lived to see them settled, many of them near her. They are all people of integrity, and are among the first citizens of the community in which they live.

T. MORGAN, a son of the golden West and a business man of San Jacinto, was born in San Bernardino, California, July 12, 1863. His father, J. T. Morgan, Sr., was a native of Illinois, and his grandfather, Thomas Morgan, was a pioneer of that State. Mr. Mor- gan's father married Miss Elizabeth Mee, by whom he had two children, but one of whom

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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

the subject of this sketch. survives. The other, a daughter, died when quite yourg. Mr. Mor- gan was educated in San Bernardino, and spent a year in Arizona, where he learned bis trade- butchering and the meat-market business, which he has followed ever since. He came to San Jacinto in 1887, and owns the only two mar kets in the place-one in Old, or South, Jacinto. His market occupies a fine brick store on the business street, and is a well equipped market. He is doing a very nice business. Mr. Morgan is a Knight of Pythias and a member of the Independent Order of Foresters, and a nice, young business man of good ability.

ILLIAM B. WEESTER, one of the leading stock- raisers and ranchers of San Jacinto, was born in Perris, Illi- mois, January 6, 1857. (For his parentage see his father's biography in this book). He came with his father and family to California in 1874, when seventeen years of age. On the site of their present ranch, four miles north of San Jacinto, they first bought 1,644 acres of land, but advantage was taken of a defective title and they were dispossessed of all but 185 acres. For this claim they got 445 acres and afterward bought 2,000 acres of land adjoining it of the San Jacinto Land Company, for $5 per acre. They have built on this land a frame dwelling- house and three large barns. They raise hay and grain, but their principal business is raising Lorses, mules and cattle. Mr. Webster has his youngest brother, Frederick A., and they are sowing 500 acres of grain, They use a five and a six gang plow with eight fine horses ot their own raising on each plow. They ride, plow and drag all at the same time, putting in about fifteen acres each day. There is now on the ranch abont 350 head of grade American cattle, and 100 head of horses and mules. They are breeding a Norman and Belmont horse. (He is half of each.) Mr. Webster is practically well informed on the business in which he is

engaged, having been actively engaged in the business since coming into the State. He was married December 22, 1887, to Miss Myers. She was born in Missouri and is an estimable lady. Mr. Webster has been a member of the I. O. O. F. for ten years, and has to all appear- ances a long and successful lite before him.

MELIO ORTEGA was born in Ventura County, California, September 21, 1851. His father, Francisco Ortega, was a resi- dent of Ventura County. His mother's maiden name was Cordelia Dominguez. They had four children, two boys and two girls, of which family but two survive, the subject of this sketch and his sister. He came to San Jacinto in Decem- ber, 1874, and after he had been here ten years be purchased 320 acres of land on which he has built a good house and bain and has planted trees and will soon have a nice place. He is sowing 600 acres of grain this year for his own use on his ranch for his stock. He has six horses and abont seventy head of cattle, and with a partner has about 6,000 head of sheep. He was married in 1882 to Miss Birginia Estn- dillo, and they have three children: Francesco, born June 9, 1883; Reducinda Neguila, born May 16, 1886, and Amanda Rosaria, born May 29, 1889. Mr. and Mrs. Ortega are nice people, and belong to the Catholic Church. They are going to have the children go to English schools to get an English education.

EWIS W. CRAIN, one of the many sons that old Kentucky has furnished California, was born in Mason County, Kentucky, May 9, 1843. His father, John S. Crain, was born in Fleming County, same State, in 1819. His grandfather, Lewis Crain, was born in Vir- ginia and was of Scotch ancestry. Mr. Crain's mother, Florinda (Markwell) Crain, was born in Virginia, as was also her father, Lewis Mark-

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HISTORY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY.

well. His father came from England. Mr. Crain was the first born of nine children, and was educated at his home in Washington, Mason County. When throngh with school he be- came a farmer. In 1864 he removed to Platte County, Missouri, where he remained ten years. Then he came to Arizona and mined for two years. In 1887 he came to San Diego County and took a quarter section of Government land on the San Jacinto mountains, and a quarter section of timber culture near Winchester. . His present large ranch is on the east end of Menifee valley, where he has a good home. He has planted trees, has a good well and windmill, and is sowing 200 acres of wheat and barley. In 1854 he married Miss Catherine Barnes, a native of Platte County, Missouri, by whom he had one daughter, Florence Nora, born Septem- ber 23, 1874, in Johnson County, Kansas. He lost this wife, and in June, 1887, was married to Miss Alice Graham, of Illinois. Mr. Crain has held the office of Constable of his township and has also been railroad master and deputy county clerk, and is a man who stands high in his com- munity.

EORGE P. ORR .- On a beautiful spot at the foot of the Santa Rosa mountains, on the southwest side of Lake Elsinore, fonr and one-half miles from Elsinore, overlooking the lake and the pleasant homes on its banks, with Elsinore surrounded by hills and San Ja- cinto mountains, and the San Bernardino range in full view, making a magnificent landscape, stands the neat and commodious ranch of Mr. George P. Orr. Mr. Orr came to California on a visit and was so favorably impressed with the country that he bought the fine ranch of ninety acres on which he now resides, and has decided to make this his permanent home. In front of his residence stands a nice grove of bearing orange trees, and he is about to plant ten acres inore. There is a nice flowing spring on his property. He designs to make this a still more

beautiful home place. Mr. Orr is the son of Scotch parents and was born in Glasgow, Scot- land, August 10, 1849. In 1859 he came to the United States and settled in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and for twenty-two years divided his time and attention between oil interests and locomotive engineering. In 1869 he was mar- ried to Miss Lottie McCombs, of Kittaning, Pennsylvania. She is the daughter of Mr. J. H. McCombs. They have one danghter, Leola. He belongs to the B. of L. E., the A. O. U. W. and is a F. & A. M. Mr. Orr has only recently moved into his new home, but will be found to be a valuable accession to this part of the conn- try in which he has elected to reside. He has been in the United States thirty years and is as much of a lover of the United States and her free institutions as any of her sons.

A FAYETTE YATES, of Elsinore, is a native of the State of Alabama, born in Coosa County, Jannary 1, 1844. His father, Aaron H. Yates, was born in Athens, Clark County, Georgia, and was of Welsh and English descent. His mother, Elizabeth Dick- enson, was a native of Alabama. Her grand- father fought in the Revolution against the English, and was a personal friend and ac- quaintance of La Fayette, and in this way the name came into the family, he having named his son after the general. The subject of this sketch was the first-born of ten children. When he was seven years of age the family removed to Arkansas, where he was raised and educated. When the war broke out he enlisted in Com- pany B., Eighteenth Arkansas Volunteers, and served to the close of the war. The first fight- ing he saw was at Fort Pillow, and next at Shiloh. At the battle of Corinth he was de- tailed with others to carry off the wounded. When this battle was over they were permitted to recuperate and were then sent to Fort Hud- son, where they were besieged from November, 1862, until July, 1863, when the fort sur-

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rendered and he was taken prisoner, and was sent to the hospital to take care of his brother, who was wounded by a piece of shell that had torn away a portion of his thigh. The hot weather and the wound overcame him and he soon after died, July 8, 1863. Mr. Yates was then paroled and went home, but July 1, 1864, he returned again to the army. He was then mounted and took part in guarding the Missis- sippi river. They were sent back to Camden, Arkansas, and had a fight at Poison Spring. Then they were sent to intercept General Steele's provision train. They rode all night and suc- ceeded in capturing the supply train at Marks' Mills. Then under General Fagan they were sent on the Camden and Little Rock road to cut off General Steele's retreat. On the second day they engaged General Steele's forces and had a hard fight and suffered much loss. In the fall they were sent to Lewisburg, where they went into winter quarters, and later were sent to Mar- shall, Texas, where they were informed of Gen- eral Lee's surrender, and Mr. Yates was glad that the trouble was over. Then he returned to his home and engaged in the cultivation of cotton, as he had been doing before the war. He was in that business from 1865 to 1871, when he came to San Diego, California, and en- gaged in farming and fruit-growing. Then he lived a year at San Jose, and in 1874 returned to his farm in San Diego. In 1876 he traded it for a ranch in El Cajon, and again traded for a farm in South Chollas valley, and in 1885 traded for his place at Elsinore. On this pleas- ant place he is growing fruit, vegetables, alfalfa and general farming. He has peaches, pears, plums, prunes and nectarines, all in bearing. In May, 1869, he was married to Miss Mary M. Brown, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, and daughter of Mr. Thomas Brown, who was a Pennsylvanian. They have eight children: Ma- bel and La Fayette, Jr., born in San Diego; Olive, born in El Cajon; Wilby, Irving, Corlish, Ivy, Amy and Ernest Emerson, born in San Diego, and Sarah Horton, born in Elsinore. Mr. Yates is Noble Grand of the I. O. O. F.,

and is a member of the A. O. U. W. Mr. Yates' paternal grandfather was a Baptist min- ister, and his father was also a Baptist minister for over thirty years,-twenty-five years in one town, where he was much beloved. His life was one of great activity in the cause of the Master, and he was a prominent leader in the denomi- nation. One of his brothers is also in the Bap- tist ministry. Mrs. Yates is a Unitarian in belief. Mr. Yates was brought up in the Bap- tist belief. Their married life has been a happy one. They are interesting people and have a nice family.

C. PENROSE, the first settler in the now beautiful village of Wildomar, was born in Chesterfield, Morgan County, Ohio, in 1835, and was raised and educated there. He learned the mercantile business in his father's store. His ancestors were from England, the first of them coming over in the Mayflower. Nearly all the Penroses spring from that Puri- tan stock. His father, Thomas Penrose, was born in Pennsylvania, but removed to Jefferson County, Ohio, and was one of the first settlers there. His mother, Maria (Clendening) Pen- rose, was a native of New Jersey. Their family consisted of six boys and one girl, of whom the subject of this sketch was the third son. He removed from Ohio to Iowa, where he engaged in farming, and from there removed to Cedar County, Iowa, where he engaged in the inercan- tile business. After being in business there for somne time, he sold out and went to southwest Kansas, where he engaged in sheep-raising, and continued in that business for six years; then he sold ont, and in 1885 came to California and bought thirty-two acres of land at Wildomar, and has the honor of building the first house in the place. His lot on which he lives is nicely improved with hedges, shrubbery and trees. It was the choice of the town, as it over- looks the town and valley.

He was married in 1856 to Miss Mary Jane

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Naylor, a native of Morgan County, Ohio, and danghter ot Abraham P. Naylor, who now re- sides in Des Moines, Iowa. They have had six children, of whom tonr are still living, viz .: Anna M., born in Chesterfield, Ohio, married to Mr. C. A. White, and residing in Riverside, California. The following were born in Iowa: Susan Eva, married Mr. Elmer L. Chambers, and resides in Riverside; Hannah Tommae, mar- ried to Mr. W. W. Wilson, of Elsinore, and Jennie May, now residing at home with her parents. Mr. Penrose has also the honor of being the first Postmaster of Wildomar, under the administration of President Cleveland. In his political views he has always been a Repnb- lican. The family are all members of the Society of Friends.

OHN JOHNSTON is a leading business man of Wildomar, born in Pittsburg, Penn- sylvania, December 25, 1843. His father, Wilson Johnston, and his grandfather, Benja- min Johnston, were both born in the State of Pennsylvania, and his great-grandparents were boru in Ireland. His mother, Martha (Boggs) Johnston, was born in Pennsylvania. They had eleven children, eight of whom still live -- seven sisters and Mr. Johnston. His only brother, James.B. Johnston, died in the Union army. He also enlisted, but was rejected on account of being to young. He was educated in the pub- lic schools of Pittsburg and learned the ship- carpenter's trade, and began business as such, and for twenty two years he was a ship-bnilder and contractor in Pittsburg. In 1885 he went to Omaha and engaged in the dry-goods and notion business for three years. He then sold out and came to California and settled in Wil- domar in 1888, and built his store and filled it with dry goods, millinery, boots, shoes and drugs. They also have another similar store at Elsi- nore. He has a ranch, which he is going to plant to orange trees.

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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