USA > California > San Diego County > San Diego > City of San Diego and San Diego County : the birthplace of California, Volume I > Part 49
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Organized on April 30, 1891, the Episcopal Church of Escondido, then known as the Trinity Mission, was located on the corner of Juniper and Iowa streets where it still is. A rectory and a guild hall are situated on the same lot as the church and all the property is unen- cumbered. The following persons have held the office of priest-in- charge : William E. Jacob, Edmond Walters, Henry J. Camp, Edward E. Johnson, Albert L. Hall, E. J. H. Van Deerlin, Edward W. Flower. Robert B. Gooden, Henry Quinby, William E. Maison, Charles S. Fackenthall, Hector E: Clowes, Frederick A. Juny and George W. Dunlap, who is in charge now.
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The Spiritualist Church of Escondido was built in November, 1911, on the corner of Orange and lowa streets. There was a small debt on the property when built, but that is now entirely paid, due to the efforts of the women's club connected with the church. Mrs. Grace Nichols, Florence Whiting, Katherine Knowland, Mrs. Ferris, Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Cooper and Belle Foster have been pastors of the church. The society has been helped many times by workers from San Diego and Los Angeles.
The Church of Christ was organized in Escondido in 1888 and the present building was built in 1912. The first pastor was J. H. Riddle. He was followed by Robert Hopper. J. C. Reynolds, I .. ... Hussong, A. T. Felix, and W. K. Azbill, the present pastor. Through- out its life the church has maintained a steady growth. It is clear of all debt and in a prosperous condition.
The Free Methodists of Escondido held their first meeting for organization purposes under an oak tree in the open fields a short distance west of the town. The organization was completed in the spring of 1910 under the direction of Rev. David MeLeod. district elder of the Los Angeles district at that time. Fourteen members made up the congregation at the beginning and Rev. John Marshall was pastor. A small building was erected near the oak tree under which the first meeting was held, and that served as a meeting place.
Shortly after, however, services were discontinued in the Free Methodist Church and it remained dormant until 1917 despite at least one determined effort to restore it. In 1917. J. H. Brittain, pastor of the San Diego Free Methodist Church, was asked to or- ganize the church society in Escondido again. This time six members joined and the church began services in a building on Grand Avenue. A year later Reverend Brittian was appointed in charge of the work in both Escondido and San Diego. In that same year, the congrega- tion bought the abandoned church building of the German Adventists, on the corner of Lincoln and Nutmeg streets. The price paid was $600. In the following year, Rev. P. S. Barnes was appointed pastor. and upon his arrival the congregation set to work to remodel a small building, formerly used by the German Church as a school house, into a parsonage.
With the expenditure of $250 and about $200 worth of donated work by members of the congregation, this little building was trans- formed into a neat six-room parsonage. The planning of the pastor's new home was all done by his wife. A well was drilled and a good pumping plant and tank house were built at a cost of $600 in 1920. More donated work aided this construction. Members of the little congregation worked hard to improve the church property. At the present time, with about $1,000 actually spent upon the church and parsonage, the Free Methodist Church owns a property valued at $3,000, and in this place the work of the denomination is going steadily ahead.
The Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church of Escondido is a more recent organization. It was organized and founded on May 25. 1919. by Rev. William Schook of Santa Ana. Before that time members of the Lutheran faith in Escondido were served by several pastors from other towns-among them. Rev. J. W. Theiss of Los Angeles,
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Reverend Meyer of Olivenhain, Rev. F. Leimbrock of San Diego, Rev. J. Kogler of Orange and Rev. N. F. Jenson of Orange. The present pastor of the church, Rev. W. F. F. Hoffman, is the congre- gation's first pastor in the organized church, and was called to the Escondido congregation on July 25, 1920. A new church building was dedicated September 4, 1921. It was purchased from the Meth- odist Episcopal Church of Escondido.
On March 9, 1911, Rev. J. W. Goodwin, district superintendent of the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene of Southern California and Rev. E. M. Hutchins of San Diego went to Escondido to make arrangements for a revival meeting, with the thought in view of later organizing a Nazarene church here. They began meeting March 26, with Rev. I. G. Martin as evangelist. His labors were well rewarded and on April 9, Dr. P. F. Bresee, founder and general superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene, came to organize the Nazarene Church. He asked those to stand who would be willing to stand together in the fight for holiness, and fourteen stood. On the evening of April 21 the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene of Escondido, California, was organized with Rev. E. M. Hutchins as pastor.
On June 16, 1911, William Hill and his son George, of San Diego, gave the church $50 which was used in getting an option on two lots on the corner of Pennsylvania and Lime streets as a site for a new church building. While engaged in a tent meeting August 10, $474 was paid in cash to be used in buying lots and beginning a new Nazarene Church. This was begun August 30, 1911. Thursday evening, September 21, thirty members held their first meeting in the new building. The church was dedicated December 10, 1911, Dr. P. E. Bresee, with the new district superintendent, W. C. Wilson, being in charge of the service.
Rev. E. M. Hutchins served as pastor until April 21, 1913, at which time he resigned and Rev. L. H. Humphrey filled the vacancy. The latter, being called to Japan as a missionary, served only until December, 1913. Since that time the following pastors have served : Rev. James Elliot, D. T. Grout, C. W. Welts, J. W. Tuthill, Frank A. Newfeld, William Urschel and Rev. L. F. Metcalf, who is now pastor.
OCEANSIDE
Oceanside, which in "boom" times had gained a reputation as a place of residence and was referred to in the San Diego County Di- rectory of 1886-7 as "the finest seaside resort of the Southwest," came into existence about that time. "One year ago," says that directory's account of the town, "Oceanside had but two or three houses ; today she has nearly sixty. Building is still going on, and different classes of business are creeping into the place. Among her places of busi- ness are a hotel, a livery stable, land offices, saloon, stores, restaurant, post-telegraph, express, railroad and newspaper offices." At that period Oceanside was getting along with well water, but a system of water works, the beginning of the city's municipal system, had been started. It was announced at that time that "the only drawback Oceanside has ever experienced has been lack of fresh water." That condition was remedied long ago, and the city now has an excellent
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supply. In 1886 the Oceanside Water Company was formed to bring a supply from the San Luis Rey River. Capt. M. Tait was made superintendent of the company, and he began operations without delay. In 1887 it was recorded that the first water had been pumped "to the foot of the grade," that the mains had been filled and that the test was "as satisfactory as could be wished." The company's officers were: President, M. Tait; vice president, A. J. Myers ; secretary, J. Chauncey Hayes; treasurer, C. F. Francisco. G. W. Groves was also a director of the company. The place then had a fine new school building erected at a cost of $3,400. D. B. Amick was principal. The school attendance was 71. There were two churches, the Con- gregational, which at the time was erecting its home, and the Chris- tian Church, which finished its edifice in April, 1886. At that time several denominations were using that church building.
The largest "general" store in Oceanside in those days was that of the Oceanside Mercantile Company, the firm being composed of C. F. Francisco of San Diego and C. W. Maxon of Oceanside. John G. Capron of San Diego and F. S. Trumbower of Oceanside had a brick-making plant which made brick for San Diego, San Bernardino. Colton, Riverside, and other places. Reece Brothers (G. H. and O. M.) conducted what they advertised as "The Pioneer Store of Ocean- side," dealing in everything from drygoods to drugs and medicines. They took country produce of all kinds "in exchange for goods." J. Chauncey Hayes, for years prominent in Oceanside, was there at the time, running the Oceanside land office. There was a hotel, the Oceanside, on Broadway opposite the depot, and that was run by J. S. Myers. The Beach Hotel at Broadway and Third Street was run by A. E. Tuttle. G. W. Groves was postmaster, and M. W. Spencer was local manager for the Russ Lumber and Mill Company of San Diego.
Situated forty-one miles north of San Diego at the junction of the Escondido and Temecula Canyon branches of the old California Southern and always, of course, on the main line of the Santa Fe Railroad, Oceanside has held a position of advantage since its forma- tion as a city July 3, 1888. By 1895, when the effects of the boom had subsided and steady growth was evident, it had several hundred enter- prising citizens, five churches and more business houses than before. By that time the Oceanside Blade, whose influence has been felt in county politics for many years, had been started.
Among the early settlers of Oceanside who are still living there and who have contributed to the growth of the city along the "lines of municipal, fraternal, church and school activities are the follow- ing: M. W. Spencer, as lumber dealer, builder and city trustee ; James Carter, builder and city trustee ; James Nugent, merchant and postmaster ; Herbert Crouch, an extensive ranch owner ; J. A. Tulip, agent for the Santa Fe Railroad; G. M. Patterson, city trustee ; J. C. Hayes, dealer in real estate : H. D. Brodie, city clerk for twenty years ; J. M. Jolly, postmaster for nearly a score of years: Dr. W. V. Nich- ols, city trustee and library trustee ; J. E. Jones, hardware merchant and city trustee ; T. C. Exton, druggist and city trustee ; T. V. Dodd, teacher and city trustee : M. Pieper, hotel proprietor and city trustee. J. L. Sharp, prominent resident who recently passed away, was active for many years in Oceanside affairs.
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In practically all the period since "boom" times Oceanside has had a weekly newspaper, the Oceanside Blade, which in 1921 was in its thirty-second year. It was started as the Herald and when A. Bert Bynon bought it from James Martin its name was changed to the present one. For some years the Blade has been edited by WV. L. Spencer.
Oceanside's schools have kept pace with the growth of the city. The grammar or grade school, built in the late '80s at a cost of only $3,400, has received additions from time to time. In 1921 construction was well advanced on a new structure to cost $32.000. At the same time the Oceanside district had outgrown its new U'nion High School and a new assembly hall was projected to be erected in addition to the main building. The school attendance of Oceanside in 1921 had passed the 300 mark.
HIGH SCHOOL, OCEANSIDE
The Oceanside Water Company's plant was taken by the city from A. J. Myers in 1891. Later a new location for the plant, about a mile farther up the San Luis Rey River, was bought from Herbert Crouch : new wells, reservoirs and mains were constructed and. with a new pump, this reconstructed system formed the beginning of the municipal system, which has been enlarged from time to time to meet the demands of the community. The original plant took its supply from the surface flow, but deep wells in the lower gravel strata have taken the place of that system. Citizens of Oceanside believe that the water obtained from this system is the cheapest pumped water obtained by any city in California. The supply has been extensively used in the last few years in irrigation of winter vegetables, an in- dustry especially fitted to Oceanside's climate and soil. The capacity of the main plant now is about 1.500.000 gallons of water a day. . 1 secondary plant can be depended on for more water, but increased demands will result in enlargement of the plant in the near future. it is believed.
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Thirteen years ago Oceanside had no sidewalks. Today the city is well provided for in this respect, and two important links in the highway systems of the state and county have been built within the city. One of these is part of the coast highway running north and south ; the other, Second Street, is a connecting link for the inland highway from San Diego by the way of Riverside.
Oceanside's long pier has been for years an attraction to visitors. Provided in recent years are tile plunge, tent city grounds on the beach and a municipal camping ground for automobilists.
One of the greatest ranches in California, the Santa Margerita, is in the Oceanside district. Owned by Richard O'Neil, it contains 225,000 acres, extending from El Toro in the north to the San Luis Rey River in the south, and stretches into three counties, San Diego, Riverside and Orange. The ranch house on this vast domain is on the Fallbrook branch of the Santa Fe Railroad, about ten miles north of Oceanside, and is one of the oldest in Southern California, having been built by Governor Pico in 1838. Its walls are three feet thick.
The Oceanside library was started with 250 volumes by the W. C. T. U. and was created a city department on December 13, 1904. It has grown with the rest of the community throughout the years.
With a present population of 1,400, the assessed valuation in Oceanside is $932,000. It is rated as a city of the sixth class. The city trustees are : C. D. Merrill, C. G. Borden, E. W. Fairchild, Victor Magee and J. F. Martin. Harry D. Brodie is city clerk and assessor ; George E. Byron is marshal and street superintendent : E. Chanroux is treasurer. The city owns the municipal water system and the ocean pier. Beans, winter vegetables and cattle are the principal products of the country around the town. The fine bathing beach is an object of constant admiration by strangers and a source of constant pleasure for the residents of Oceanside.
The chamber of commerce was reorganized in 1919 in its present form. The past presidents have been M. W. Spencer, Dr. R. S. Reid and B. C. Beers. J. F. Martin and Thomas Bakewell are now president and secretary, respectively. Most of the business is done at the weekly luncheon of its members, but it has also a board of directors who are kept busy. The membership in the fall of 1921 was about 300.
Oceanside's only' bank is the First National Bank, which was started in 1906. In 1915 it took over the Bank of Oceanside, and now owns its building, a two-story structure at Hill and Second streets. The capital stock in 1915 was $25,000, and since has been increased to $40,000. Deposits amount to $400,000. The officers are : B. C. Beers, president ; J. E. Jones, vice president : Laurie Porteious, cashier ; A. H. Huchting, J. F. Martin, J. E. Jones, B. C. Beers, C. M. Pilgrim, directors. Several times in the last few years the bank has been an important factor in assisting the farmers with their seed barley, winter vegetables and other crops.
With a population of 1,164 (census of 1920), the City of Ocean- side has five churches. Three of these, Grace American Church, the Christian Church and the Baptist Church, are located on Hill Street, a part of the Los Angeles and San Diego highway ; and two on Dith- mas Street, the Roman Catholic and the Methodist.
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Grace American Church was founded in the spring of 1886 by the Rev. William E. Jacob, an Irish clergyman, with the co-operation of Maj. Frank E. Earle, the first warden, and his wife, under the supervision of the Rt. Rev. William Ingraham Kip, D. D., L.L. D., first Episcopal bishop of California, who organized and named the mission March 6, 1889.
Nine clergymen have been in charge of the mission under the direction of the Rev. William Ford Nichols, D. D., 1890-95, bishop of California ; and since July, 1896, of the Rev. Joseph Hosfall John- son, D. D., S. T. D., bishop of Los Angeles ; the Rev. William E. Jacob, 1890-97, and again, 1911 to May 1, 1913; Edmond Walters, 1898-1901 : Charles Paine, 1902-1904: the Rev. Mr. Walter ; Schert Ludwig Hall, Sidney H. Woodford, 1904-06; E. T. H. Van Deerlin, D. D., 1907-08 : Arthur Cope Dodd, 1909-10; and in temporary charge. Canon Edward Daniels, June 22 to November, 1913. a Canadian clergy- man. The present priest-in-charge began his duty March 1, 1914, the Rev. Percival Hall Hickman, B. S. ( University of Pennsylvania ).
The first services of the church were held in halls, shops and in the Baptist Church. The site of the church, next to the public park on Hill Street, was given by Mr. and Mrs. Frank S. Earle. A paint shop, remodeled for church services, was placed on the lot and later moved to the rear and re-arranged for a parish house. The corner- stone of the present church was laid June 13, 1906, while Rev. Sidney H. Woodford was in charge. The building is a stucco one. ()11 July 28, 1918, the church was consecrated by Bishop Johnson. The architect was Henry Lord Gay, brother of Mrs. John Johnston. The altar ornaments are a memorial of Mr. Charles Sidney Bradley, given by his friends here and in England. On January 1, 1921, the mission reported twenty-five communicants to the annual convention. Oscar Gabriel is the warden.
When, in 1888, the Methodist Church of Oceanside was organ- ized, the congregation worshiped in various halls and in the Christian Church. The Congregational Church, a brick building, was later acquired in exchange for a Methodist church at La Mesa and by the payment of a mortgage of $400. The first pastor was the Rev. Gowen. Twelve ministers have followed him: Rev. T. D. Ashley ( five years). Richmond, Downs, Williams, Ross, Crossdale, McGovern, Cocking, Orr, Kent, Branton, and the present pastor, Rev. C. B. Allen M. D. ( Johns Hopkins University ). The church is self supporting and reported in September, 1921, that it had about fifty members.
The First Baptist Church of Oceanside was organized October 8, 1887, at a meeting in the home of T. C. Bunker. Of those present on that occasion, three are still living: Mr. and Mrs. M. W. Spencer and Wilbur S. Spencer. A church building was completed and occu- pied January 31, 1889.
The church edifice was moved to its present location on Hill Street in 1907 and dedication services were held October 15, 16, 17. of that year. The officers at present are: Rev. Ililgore, pastor ; Mrs. G. Stevens, treasurer: George Newham, clerk. Pastors who have served since 1900 are: W. W. Casherwood, Il. J. Powell, W. W. Gal- braith, C. Minard. C. W. Basset. E. Maley. A. R. Lenton, G. M. E. Clouser.
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The Franciscan Mission of San Luis Rey sends a priest for services in frame chapel of the Catholic Church, Third and Dithmas streets, every Sunday and Friday of each week. Its history is in- cluded in that of the San Luis Rey Mission.
The Central Christian Church of Oceanside owes its origin to the Christian Church at San Luis Rey. That was started in 1876 with about fifteen members and this "household" organization met for more than thirty years, for communion service and Sunday school, in the schoolhouse at San Luis Rey, almost in the shadow of the old Cath- olic Mission. A Christian Church had been established at Oceanside in the boom days of the late '80s, but it disintegrated, and its building was used by other congregations. In November, 1907, A. N. Glover, then of Orange, held a meeting of two weeks at Oceanside under
VIEW OF SAN LUIS REY MISSION
direction of the state board of the church. It was decided then to transplant the San Luis Rey Church to Oceanside. The property of the former church at Oceanside was obtained, and soon after that the Rev. Oscar Sweeney took charge. There were only twenty-three members of the congregation then. A new church was built, being dedicated in December, 1908, by which time the church membership had grown to more than forty. The church is now in a prosperous condition and is free from debt. Pastors following Mr. Sweeney have been J. M. Jolly, J. C. McReynolds, J. Clarence Read and Willard Learned, the present pastor.
FALLBROOK
Fallbrook is the terminus of the southern county branch line of the Santa Fe Railroad, and is on the inland highway between San Diego and Los Angeles, sixty-two miles from San Diego. It has a
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population of 400, most of whom farm the productive land in and near the town. Citrus fruits, hay and grain are the principal crops. Some vegetables are raised. An olive works and a cannery are lo- cated there. The town, which officially became a town site in 1888, was named after Fallbrook, Pennsylvania.
The Fallbrook banking institution is the Citizens' Commercial Bank which was organized in October, 1910, with a capitalization of $25,000. The directors included John M. Mack, William E. Gird, T. J. Shipley, H. Smelser. W. M. Smelser is president now and C. L. Morris is cashier. The bank owns its own building in the center of the business district. Deposits total $181.000.
W. M. Smelser was president of the Chamber of Commerce when it was organized in 1910. H. V. Alexander was secretary. The present officers are : R. H. Blackledge and R. W. Moody, president and secretary, respectively. The membership numbers 100. Among early settlers of this district are F. W. Bartlett and T. B. Scott.
Rev. Henry Jay Camp of De Luz organized the St. John's Mis- sion in Fallbrook and Rev. William E. Jacob raised the funds for the erection of the church, a frame building which stands in a euca- lyptus grove. An English colony then lived in Fallbrook. The mis- sion was admitted into union with the convention April 30, 1891. The priests-in-charge have been Rev. William E. Jacob. 1891-96; Henry Jay Camp, 1897-99: Albert Ludwig Hall, 1902; Robert B. Gooden, 1908, and Henry Tumcley, 1907, and William Emott Mason. 1908, all three of Escondido; Rev. Arthur C. Dodd, 1909-10, and Rev. P. H. Hickman, since March 1, 1904, both of Oceanside. In 1909 Rt. Rev. Joseph H. Johnson, D. D., S. T. D., granted the use of St. John's Church on the third Sunday morning of each month. for a period of ten years, to the Franciscan Fathers of San Luis Rey. Evening prayer is said on the fourth Sunday of each month by the priest-in-charge of Grace Church, Oceanside. George A. Harkleroad. principal of the high school, is the warden.
Fallbrook has one of the oldest church organizations of the dis- trict, in the First Baptist Church of Fallbrook, which was organized in 1884. The church building was erected in 1887-8. Rev. G. 1. Travis was the first pastor of the Fallbrook Church. He was followed by Rev. M. B. Shaw, who later resigned, went as a missionary and then returned to the Fallbrook congregation. Other pastors have been : Rev. J. B. Thomas, Rev. V. S. Linsey, Rev. Paul Kinsey, and Rev. H. E. Marshall. The present pastor. Rev. Francis M. Pitman. is serving there only temporarily. The church still occupies the old building begun in 1887.
The Fallbrook Enterprise, the local newspaper, was started in April, 1911, by Henry V. Alexander, and later was owned and edited by George G. Campbell. In 1921 it was sold to C. C. Bentley, the present owner.
Among some of the early business ventures that are still doing business are the Fallbrook Hardware Company, and the Fallbrook Mercantile Company ; also, the large forty-nine-room hotel originally known as the Hotel Naples and since sold and renamed the Hotel Ellis.
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Fallbrook is famed for its excellent climatic conditions, being neither hot nor cold. The fact that it is a citrus belt without smudge pots is advanced as evidence as to its freedom from disastrous freezes.
Fallbrook points with much pride to its citizenship; it is purely a white town, and the English language is the only one used, and its patriotic and educated people look for other things in their home town than mere money. That fact that three church organizations exist in this community is one which has gained for Fallbrook much praise.
From a fraternal point of view, Fallbrook ranks well with a well established lodge of the Masonic order, as well as an active lodge of Odd Fellows: both these orders own their own halls, clear of all debt, and with substantial treasuries.
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