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 98

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 98
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 98
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 98
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 98

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).

OHN HALL, M. D., was born near Leeds, Yorkshire County, England, in 1819. He was reared and schooled in his native place, and early in life learned the printer's trade. In 1845 he came to the United States and located in La Fayette County, Wisconsin, and, after a visit to New Orleans, was there engaged in the lead mines as a smelter. In 1848 he went to Canada, where lie engaged in work at his trade as a printer in Toronto. He also entered upon the study of medicine in the Toronto School of Medicine. In 1857 he returned to the United States and entered the Western Homeopathic College at Cleveland, Ohio. He graduated at that institution in 1858, and in the same year married Miss Dorothea Stahl, a native of Darke County, Ohio. Mrs. Hall was educated as a physician and graduated at the Homeopathic College in the same class with Dr. Hall. The Doctor and his wife then located at Cincinnati,

631

HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.

Ohio, and entered upon the practice of their profession. In 1860 they removed to New York city, and there continued their calling until 1873. In that year they came to Califor- nia and located in Riverside. Upon his ar- rival, Dr. Hall bought a claim for forty-one acres of Government land about one and one- half miles sonth and east of Riverside, located npon what is now known as Hall's addition to Riverside, while Mrs. Hall continued tu practice medicine for a time in the new colony, and then gave her energies in other directions. He gave up the practice of his profession and engaged in horticultural pursuits. Among his first labors was the planting of two acres of raisin grapes. He was a pioneer in raisin growing and curing, an industry that has since assumed the position of the second horticultural industry in the River- side colony. The Doctor became a thorough practical hortienlturist and devoted mnch atten- tion to experimenting in order to secure the best results from citrus and deciduous fruits. He raised nursery stock, including a large variety of fruits, such as were presnmed to be adapted to the soil and climate of Riverside. Much time and labor were lost in the growth of de- cidnous trees that eventually proved valueless and were replaced by others. His orchards and vineyards are now among the most varied in their productions in Riverside, and their prolific yield well attests the intelligent care the Doctor bestows upon them. The Doctor has led a quiet life in Riverside, but he has been alive to its interests, and such enterprises as have been inaugurated for the development and improve- ment of the colony have received his support and co-operation. He is a member of the Uni- versalist Church and also of the order of Good Templars. In political matters he is a strong supporter of the Prohibition party.

Priestley Hall is the only son of Dr. John Hall (whose sketch precedes this). He is well known as one of the most enterprising and pro- gressive of Riverside's citizens. A brief men- tion of his life and association with the enter- prises that have placed Riverside in the ranks

of the leading cities of Southern California is of interest. Mr. Hall was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1859. In 1860 his father located in New York, and the subject of this sketch re- ceived the benefits of an education in the public schools of that city until fourteen years of age. In 1873 he accompanied his parents to River- side, where he completed his schooling and was engaged in horticultural pursuits with his father. In 1879 Mr. Hall purchased 140 acres of un- cultivated land lying east of the homestead tract of his father. For several years he engaged in general farming upon this land. In the fall of 1886 citizens and others were seeking land in his direction, and he subdivided a twenty-acre tract. This found ready sale, and in the spring of 1887 forty acres more were placed upon the market. He then platted his whole tract and a portion of the old homestead of his father, and formed Hall's addition to Riverside. With his characteristic energy he graded broad avenues, laid out parks, and planted thousands of orna- mental trees. The Gage canal being by this time so far completed as to furnish water, Mr. Hall, in September, 1887, incorporated the Hall's Addition Water Company, of which he was made president and manager, and which office he still holds. A liberal expenditure of money was made; a main pipe was laid trom their reservoir near the Gage canal, two and one-half miles to the lands of the addition, and branch lines laid through the principal avenues, formning a thorough and complete water supply for domestic and irrigation purposes. The capital stock of the company was $100,000, and over $40,000 was expended in perfecting their admirable water system. In June, 1887, Mr. Hall incorporated the Hall's Addition Railroad Company. He has been the president and general manager of the company since its or- ganization. This company built and equipped abont one and a half miles of the street railway leading from the corner of Main and Tenth streets, in Riverside, to a central location in Hall's addition. Mr. Hall has thus placed within rapid and easy communication of the

632

HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.

business center of the city an addition to River- side that for residence and horticultural purposes is unequaled. The soil and climate is well ad- apted for orange-growing, the water supply is complete and ample, the lands are elevated and thoroughly drained, while the location for scenic beanty is unequaled by any in the valley.

Mr. Hall is thoroughly schooled in horticult- ural pursuits, and was for years engaged as an assistant engineer under C. C. Miller, in the construction of the Gage canal. He has been reared from boyhood in the colony, and has a large circle of friends. He is an energetic and straightforward business man, honest and liberal in his transactions, and well merits the success he has acquired in life. He is a consistent member of the Universalist Church. In poli- tics, he is a Prohibitionist. He is prominent in Masonic circles, and is a member of Ever- green Lodge, No. 259, F. & A. M., River- side Chapter, No. 67, R. A. M., and Riverside Commandery, No. 28, Knights Templar.

R. CHARLES W. PACKARD is a well- known early settler of the Riverside col- ony and has for many years been identified with the horticultural interests that have made Riverside so well known. He came to this colony in 1876 and located at Bandini avenue, about one-half mile west of Brockton avenue; his twenty acres formed a portion of the Brock- ton Square. At that time but few improve- ments had been made in that section, but the Doctor entered heartily into clearing and plant- ing his lands. He was one of the first to foresee the future profits in orange-growing, and planted fully ten acres of his tract with seedling oranges: the balance he devoted to grapes and deciduous fruits, which at a later date he replaced with oranges. He was successful as a horticulturist and established one of the finest groves in the colony. In 1882 he sold eight acres from the eastern portion of his tract. He is now the owner of twelve acres which, with the exception

of a small portion planted with deciduous fruits for family use, is devoted to orange culture. He has a representative grove under a high state of cultivation and prolific in yield. Dr. Packard is a native of New England, dating his birth in Abington, Plymouth County, Massa- chusetts, in 1846. In addition to his horticult- ural pursuits the Doctor has been in the prac- tice of his profession during nearly all his years in Riverside. In 1886 he transferred his dental parlors to the city, and now has well-appointed rooms and office in Castleman's block, corner of Main and Eighth streets. He is one of the pio- neer dentists of the colony, a master of his call- ing, and thoroughly practiced and skilled in his work. These qualities, together with his genial temperament and honest business dealings, have secured him not only a liberal patronage, but the esteem of a large circle of friends and ac- quaintances. His interests are identified with Riverside, and he is always found supporting snch public enterprises as advance her welfare. In politics he is a Republican. He is a consis- tent member of the Congregational Church and also a member of the Masonic fraternity, still retaining his membership in the Paul Revere Lodge, of Brockton. The Doctor was married in 1876 to Miss Sarah Delano, of Fair Haven, Massachusetts. Her father, Captain Jabez Delano, was a well-known resident of that place. The two children from that marriage are: Ella D. and an infant daughter.

DWARD J. DAVIS, born in Devizes, Wiltshire County, England, in 1844, son of Robert and Sarah (MacVittie) Davis, natives of that country. The subject of this sketch was reared and given the advantages of a common-school education in his native place, and when fifteen years of age was apprenticed to the trade of a carpenter and bnilder. He served a seven years' apprenticeship and entered life as a journeyman, a thorough master of his calling in all its details, and established himself

A.M. Hall-

633

HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.

in London. He was also employed on the Gov- erument work at Woolwich, and later on the Paris Exposition building in 1868. In the same year he came to the United States, and after a short stay in New York located in St. Louis aud was there engaged in contracting and building until 1872. In the same year he came to California and located in Riverside, was one of the pioneer carpenters and builders of the colony. In 1873 hie purchased the block bound- ed by Main, Orange, Ninth and Tenth streets, and established his residence there and entered into an active career as a carpenter and builder. Many of the pioneer business blocks were erected by Mr. Davis, among which was the building of the first brick block in the city, occupied by merchants, B. D. Burt & Brothers. For many years he conducted his business as a builder, and also engaged in horticultural pursuits upon his block and in the nursery business. He was successful in his pursuits, and invested quite largely in business property and is now the owner of valuable property on Main street. In 1887 he erected the well-known Powell block on the cast side of Main street, between Ninth and Tenth streets, one of the finest buildings in Riverside. The Rowell hotel occupies nearly the whole of the block, being an imposing three- story brick structure with a frontage of 123 feet on Main street and 100 feet on Ninth strect : the lower story is occupied by spacious stores, four in number, and the large office of the hotel, dining room, kitchens, etc. The upper floor, besides the parlors, contain eighty-four rooms, with ample accommodations for 200 guests. It is one of the best appointed hotels in the city, and a credit to Riverside. Mr. Davis is owner of the block and is also the proprietor of the hotel, which he is conducting with G. V. Frazier as manager. Among his business property is 145 feet frontage on the east side of Main, be- tween Eighth and Ninth streets, upon which he has several well-ordered stores. He has also real-estate interests in West Riverside and other locations. Mr. Davis is a pioneer of this place, coming to the colony in less than two years 40

from its being founded. He has grown up with the city and has been one of the most active and successful business men, prompt to conceive and quick to act. The various public enterprises that have built up the city and developed the resources of the colony have always received a hearty support from him. He has been an active worker in the ranks of the Democratic party, never aspiring to political honors, but seeking to secure the best men for office. He is a mem- ber and senior warden of the Episcopal Church of Riverside and was prominent in establishing that church in the city. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and affiliated with the lodge, chapter and commandery, and also member of Riverside Lodge, No. 282, I. O. O. F., and Sunnyside Lodge, No. 112, Knights of Pythias.

In 1876 Mr. Davis married Miss Grace Cun- ningham, a native of Nova Scotia. From this marriage there are two sons, George Robert and Edward Percy.

M. HOLT was born August 9, 1840, in the town of Sylvan, Washtenaw County, Michigan, near where now stands the town of Chelsea. His parents, natives of Con- necticut, emigrated to Michigan while this was still a Territory. In 1852 the father died at Hillsdale, leaving five children. From the age of fourteen the subject of this sketch depended upon his own resources for maintenance and education. Attending the Hillsdale College from 1856 to 1859, he then went to Iowa, where he learned the printing business in the office of the Eagle, Vinton, Iowa. In 1860 he was married to Miss Libbie J. Graves. Spend- ing three years in teaching he was elected in 1863 Superintendent of Schools of Vinton County, having under his charge over 100 schools during his incumbency in 1864 and 1865.

In 1866 he established the Dallas County Gazette at Adele, Iowa, which he published for one year; then, selling out here, he removed to

634

HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.

Boone, Iowa, purchased the Index, changed its name to the Standard, and published it for somne little time, retiring in the spring of 1868. He was now elected a delegate to the Republi- can National Convention which placed General Grant in nomination for his first Presidential term.

In 1869 Mr. Holt came to financial wreck, in the endeavor to publish a Prohibition news- paper in Marshalltown, Iowa; and in December of that year he removed to California, and locat- ing at Sacramento began work at his trade.

During the years 1872-'73 he was associate editor of the Russian River Flag, a Republican organ published at Healdsburg, Sonoma County. Prior to coming to California Mr. Holt had be- come an enthusiast on the subject of orange culture, thanks to conversations held with President Welsh of the Iowa State Agricultural College, who had brought his interest in this matter from Florida, whose United States Sena- tor he had been during the reconstruction period.

In the fall of 1871 Mr. Holt learned of the founding, by a former Iowa acquaintance, of the town of Riverside, San Bernardino Connty. Accordingly he went thither in January, 1872, and spent four weeks in Southern California. This was abont six months after the first irrigat- ing stream had reached Riverside, and people considered as dear land at $20 per acre, inclnd- ing water-right ! At this time Mr. Holt visited the principal orange-growers of Los Angeles County, and gained all the information possible from the leading horticulturists of that time. Returning to Healdsburg, lie organized a com- pany with a capital stock of $50,000 for the purpose of planting an orange orchard in South- ern California. The stock was all taken soon, and Mr. Holt was made president of the com- pany; but, the stockholders considering him too enthusiastic, they elected a superintendent to proceed to Southern California to buy the land for the orchard. This, by the way, was located four miles northeast of Anaheim, and this is to- day one of the largest orchards of that section.

In 1873 Mr. Holt left the newspaper business and settled in Los Angeles, where he was made secretary of the Los Angeles Immigration and Land Co operative Association. This company laid out the settlement of Artesia, in Los An- geles County, in the fall of 1874, and by the following spring had sold over $75,000 worth of land there, subsequently buying other 2,700 acres, and laying out and placing on the market the tract where now stands the town of Pomona. The financial panic which fol- lowed the failure of the Bank of California, in 1875, closed all the banks in Southern Cali- fornia, and nearly all in the States, and this association's operations were brought to a close, with the bankruptcy of the stockholders, nearly all of whom had been considered solid men.

In 1875 Mr. Holt was elected superintendent and manager of a company formed at Los An- geles to plant a large orange orchard at Pomona, where he lived for two years, learning while in charge of the orchard the practical part of orange culture, which he had previously studied from a theoretical standpoint. In the spring of 1877 he issued a call to the fruit-growers of Southern California to meet in Los Angeles, to organize a horticultural society. A large meet- ing was held, with the result that the Southern California Horticultural Society was incorpor- ated, with J. de Barth Shorb as president; L. M. Holt, secretary; and Thomas A. Garey, Dr. O. H. Congar, Colonel J. Barbury, T. C. Severance and Milton Thomas, with the officers previously named, as the board of directors. This society held monthly meetings to discuss horticultural questions, particularly orange culture; and in 1876 it appointed a committee, consisting of its president, secretary, and several of its prom- inent members, to visit all sections of Southern California and report upon diseases of the orange and insect pests. The orchards were found in a very healthy condition, and no insect pests of a serious nature were discovered, with the exception of the red scale, which had gained a foothold in the orchard of L. J. Rose, of San Gabriel valley. At that time these insects

635

HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.

were not considered a serious matter, and it was little thought that it would within the next ten years destroy millions of dollars' worth of property, and threaten to entirely destroy the orange culture in Los Angeles County. In 1876 the society established the Southern Cali- fornia Horticulturist, a monthly publication, of which Mr. Holt was made editor. In the fall of that year, after the Horticulturist had been published some three or four months, the society found that the work was extending so as to need the entire time of its secretary, and Mr Holt resigned the position of manager of the orchard at Pomona. and returned to Los An- geles, and up to the fall of 1879 devoted his entire time to building up the Horticultural Society and its monthly periodical. During this time the society held annual fairs, in the fall of the year for the exhibition of agricultural and horticultural products, together with other arti- cles usually found in the pavilion department of agricultural fairs. The society secured a fine lot on Temple street, with a frontage of 200 feet, on which they erected a pavilion for fair purposes. The depressed condition of trade, and the hard times which prevailed from the inception of this society up to the fall of 1879, made it impossible to carry on the work success- fully, the society became involved, and they lost their property for the want of less than $5,000, which it was impossible for them to raise from the fruit-growers of Southern California, or the business men of Los Angeles, and the pavilion the next year was torn down, the material going into residences. The land alone which the soci- ety lost for the want of that assistance, is to-day worth nearly $100,000. The society's publica- tion, the Southern California Horticulturist, was turned over to private parties, its name was changed, and the publication is now known as the Rural Californian.

During the latter part of December, 1879, Mr. Holt, having retired from the Horticultural Society, which soon afterward ceased to exist, moved to Riverside, and bought the Riverside Press, a newspaper which had been established

there a short time previous, taking possession of the same with the first issne in January, 1880; this paper he soon after changed into the Press and Horticulturist, and made it the recognized horticultural paper of Southern California. It soon obtained a large circulation, and was devoted principally to building up the interior valley of Southern California, located in San Bernardino County, becoming recognized an- thority in land and water matters, as well as fruit.

In 1884 Mr. Holt issued a call for a State irrigation convention to be held in Riverside in May of that year. This convention was largely attended by people interested in developing the irrigation resources of the State, and an execn- tive committee appointed by this convention worked for many months to remodel the laws relating to irrigation matters. The second con- vention was held in Fresno in the fall of that year, and the third convention was afterward held in San Francisco. The executive commit- tee went before the Legislature during the ses- sion of 1884 and 1885, with several bills for the improvement of the irrigation laws, among them being one for the formation of irrigation dis- tricts. They failed in their work, and after holding their third convention in San Francisco, an extra session of the Legislature was called, which resulted in such disastrous failure for the canse in the summer of 1886. Afterward this samne bill for the formation of irrigation dis- tricts was taken up by Mr. Wright, member of the Legislature, during the session of 1887; it was somewhat changed by him, and became the law as it stands at present.

For several years Mr. Holt saw the necessity of advertising Southern California in the Eastern States, and frequently advocated sending a cit- rus fair back to some of the Eastern cities. In the spring of 1886 he opened negotiations with the officials of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, to see if they would carry to Chicago material for a citrus fair He desired twelve car loads of material, fruit and trees, together with sixteen men to take charge of the same, to be sent to Chicago by the railroad company

636

HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.

free of charge; they finally replied to him, that their company would take six car- loads of freight, and eight of the men, free of charge to Chicago, if the Santa Fé would take the other half, to which proposition the Santa Fé officials readily consented. Mr. Holt then associated with him, J. E. Clark, of Pasadena, and C. Z. Cnlver, of Orange, and a Mr. Rust, who agreed to assume the responsibility of conducting the fair in Chi- cago; fruit-growers responded with fruit and trees, and other products, and early in March the managers were in Chicago with a large ex- hibit, which was put up in Battery D Armory, on Michigan avenue, and opened to the public. This building was 140 by 160 feet in size, and it was full of exhibits, which constituted the finest citrus fair ever held up to that time on the American Continent. Several car-loads of orange and lemon trees, in fruit and in bloom, were placed on exhibition, together with hun- dreds of boxes of the choicest varieties of oranges and lemons, and other products of Southern California. This fair was kept open five weeks, during which time it was estimated that it was attended by 75,000 people from all parts of the great northwest. The great boom of Sonthern California during the years 1886 and 1887 was the result of three canses; the Chicago citrus fair, the completion of the Santa Fé system to Sonthern California, and the rate war, which had a run of several weeks at the same time the cit- rus fair was in progress in Chicago.

The business connected with the publication of the Press and Horticulturist made it neces- sary for the publisher to establish, in 1886, a tri- weekly edition of his paper, and this was changed to a daily a few months later.

Owing to an accident in Jnly, 1888, in which Mr. Holt had his hip broken and was laid np for several weeks, he sold his paper, on Septem- ber 1st of that year; but a few months later he bought the San Bernardino Daily Times, which in February, 1889, was consolidated with the Daily Index, under the name of the Daily Times-Index, which is published by a company, of which Mr. Holt is managing editor.

Mr. Holt is recognized as an anthority on his special topics. He is a firm believer in the natural virtues and advantages of Southern California, and a devoted and enthusiastic worker for his faith. He is full of energy, earnest, patient, and indomitable, and to him is due much of the advancement and enterprise manifested in the development of the citrus- fruit industries in Southern California.

- AON. ELMER WALLACE HOLMES is the accomplished editor of the Riverside Daily Press and Weekly Press and Hor- ticulturist. He has been identified with the growth and prosperity of Riverside since 1875, and it is safe to say that there are few men in the community who have done more to advance the horticultural and other industries of that city, and show to the world its possible resources and productions of its prolific lands than Mr. Holmes. The subject of this sketch came to Riverside, broken in health and seeking a de- sirable home and quiet pursuits. He early saw the possibilities of horticultural enterprises in Riverside, and in July of that year, purchased a twenty-five acre tract in Brockton Square, at what is now the corner of Brockton and Jurupa avenues. There were scarcely any improve- ments in that locality at that early date, but Mr. Holmes commenced his horticultural pur- suits by planting his land with orange and lemon trees, and a large variety of deciduons fruits. He was also one of the earliest to grow the raisin grape. He has proved himself a practical and successful horticulturist, and now has one of the finest orange groves in Riverside. In 1882 he sold off a portion of his land, re- serving some seventeen acres as his home. Mr. Holmes has devoted both time and money, not only in producing some of the best results in orange growing, but in placing those results before the world. He was one of the original members of the Riverside Citrus Fair Associa- tion, and was a delegate accompanying the

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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