Historical and biographical record of Los Angeles and vicinity : containing a history of the city from its earliest settlement as a Spanish pueblo to the closing year of the nineteenth century ; also containing biographies of well known citizens of the past and present, Part 76

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 996

USA > California > Los Angeles County > Los Angeles > Historical and biographical record of Los Angeles and vicinity : containing a history of the city from its earliest settlement as a Spanish pueblo to the closing year of the nineteenth century ; also containing biographies of well known citizens of the past and present > Part 76

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The McGaugh family is of Scotch-Irish ex- traction. Mr. McGaugh was born in Davis coun- ty, Mo., November 16, 1844, a son of James W. and Sarah J. (Edwards) McGaugh, natives re- spectively of Tennessee and Kentucky. In 1850 the family started with a band of emigrants from

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Leavenworth, Kans., and traversed the plains to California, which they reached after a journey of five months over mountains and deserts. The father engaged in placer mining in Grass Valley and other places, but met with no special success, and, losing his wife by death soon after his ar- rival in California, he decided it was best to re- turn to Missouri with the children. The return trip was made via the Nicaragua ronte. He remained in Missouri until the spring of 1857, when he again brought his family to the west, crossing the plains with ox-teams and settling in Yolo county, Cal., where he engaged in farming and stock-raising. After a time he moved to Lake county, this state, where he conducted a stock and grain farm. In 1869 he came to Los Angeles county, and here made his home until he died, April 20, 1892. He was an energetic, hard-working man, who always retained the re- spect of his associates in whatever locality he re- sided.

The education of Philip G. McGaugh was ob- tained principally in the Pacific Methodist Col- lege in Solano county, Cal., where he was a studeut for two and one-half years. In addition he has always been a great reader and close thinker, and so has acquired a broad fund of gen- eral information. When a young man he married Miss Martha E. Speegle, who was born in Cali- fornia. They became the parents of four chil- dren: James P., Laura M., Mary E. and Al- bert S. The present wife of Mr. McGaugh bore the maiden name of Margaret F. Williams and was born in Monterey county, Cal. Her parents were Isaac and Lydia (Patterson) Williams. He first settled at Feather river, in California, in 1843, but returned east in 1847, and came again in 1849. He and his wife died in Santa Ana, Cal.

with Walnut Grove Lodge No. 376, I. O. O. F., at Rivera. The Los Nietos Valley Pioneer Club numbers him among its active members. Among all the pioneers of the valley he stands high as a man of fine principle and upright life, possessing the sterling traits of character so desirable in those who would found new communities and lay the foundation of future commonwealths broad and deep and strong.

HOMAS L. GOOCH. Prior to taking up his residence with the early pioneers of the region around Rivera, Mr. Gooch led a life varied in its undertakingsand varied in wander- ings over different sections of the country. A native of Virginia, he was born January 13, 1846, and is a son of Thomas W. and Mary J. (Lewis) Gooch, natives of Virginia. His paternal grand- father was a soldier in the War of 1812, and served his country with courage and distinction.

The sturdy and independent qualities evinced by young Thomas Gooch were early put to a practical test, for his childhood was anything but the joyous season that we are apt to associate with youth. When but an infant in arms he was taken by his parents to Orange county, N. C., where, in 1854, his young life was saddened by the loss of the best friend he had in the world, his mother. In 1859 his father moved to Pope county, Ark., and after they had gotten a fair start, and were in a way to become enterprising agriculturists in the community, his father fell ill and died in 1862. Thrown thus upon his own resources, he was in a sorry state of mind. The various vicissitudes of the family had interfered with his acquiring even the rudiments of an edu- cation, and the knowledge that he later acquired was the result of constant application and later reading.

In 1863 Mr. Gooch enlisted in Colonel Emery's regiment from Arkansas, under command of Gen- eral Price, the company participating in Price's famous raid in 1864. His services were in the main on the scouting order, and he was also en- The political affiliations of Mr. McGaugh are with the Democratic party, but he has not been active in local politics. His attention has been closely given to the management of his ranch, which it is his aim to maintain at a high state of cultivation, with all of the improvements desir- . trusted with the carrying of important despatches. able in these modern times. At the time the Los Nietos and Ranchito Walnut Growers' Associa- tion was organized lie was one of its charter members, and he has since been connected with it as a director. Fraternally he is connected

In 1863 he enlisted again and served in the war until 1865, after which he went to Dallas county, Tex. After a short time he went to Louisiana, and for a few months engaged as fore- man on a large ranch in the vicinity of Red river,

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subsequently moving to a large farm in Missis- sippi, near Fort Adams, and was thus engaged until December of 1866. Soon after he returned to his farm in Arkansas, where he farmed for himself until 1870, when he went to California, and has since been a resident of the Golden state. His ranch is most complete in its arrangement and management, and fitted with all the labor- saving devices, fine house and outhouses. Every tree on the place was planted by the owner. There are two ranches, comprising in all ninety- six acres, of which seventy acres are in walnuts and the remainder in fruits.

Mr. Gooch married Alyde C. Shugg, a native of California, and a daughter of James and Esther C. Shugg, early settlers of the state, having arrived in the'4os. Of this union there are thirteen sur- viving children. Mr. Gooch is variously inter- ested in the different enterprises for the upbuild- ing of his adopted land. He is vice-president of the Los Nietos and Ranchito Walnut Growers' Association, and has given general satisfaction in the performance of hisduties in that capacity. A member of the Independent Order of Foresters at Rivera, he has served as treasurer of the same. In politics a Democrat, he is not an office-seeker, preferring to leave to others the management of the local political offices.

In the estimation of those who are privileged to know him best, Mr. Gooch is a valuable addi- tion to the vast colony of those who have sought better conditions in the far west. He is public spirited, energetic, and devoted to the welfare of his friends and of the community at large.

EWIS W. BLINN. Ranking with the fore- most financiers and progressive citizens of Los Angeles, Lewis W. Blinn is eminently deserving of a place in the annals of this thriv- ing, beautiful city. He has spared neither influ- ence nor means in the promotion of its mauy in- dustries and projects for improvement, and is connected with several of the most extensive business concerns of this section of the Pacific coast. The honorable position which he holds, the esteem and confidence reposed in him by his fellow-citizens, are due to the upright, consistent course he has pursued, and his friends are as numerous as his acquaintances.

Like a large proportion of the men who have risen to prominence in America, Mr. Blinn was born and reared upon a farm. His birth occurred in Dresden, Me., December 22, 1842, and in that locality he continued to dwell until he attained his majority. His father, Francis Blin, was an agriculturist, as was the grandfather before him, and the latter was a soldier in the war of 1812. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Catherine Tarr. Her people followed the sea for several generations, and were long established in the state of Maine. As she died when Lewis W. was young, he knows but little of the maternal side of the family.

Lewis W. Blinn obtained an excellent educa- tion in the public schools of his native village and at the University of Maine. When the Civil war broke out he desired to enlist in defense of the Union, but was not strong enough physically to pass the necessary examination for the service. Partly on account of his health he concluded to try a decided change of climate, and in March, 1863, he settled in San Francisco, where he at once engaged in the lumber business. He con- tinued to live in that city for nine years, at the end of which period he went to Sacramento, and carried on an extensive wholesale and retail busi- ness there for the ensuing eight years, being the manager of the Sacramento Lumber Company. In 1880 he went to Tombstone, Ariz., and there organized the L. W. Blinn Lumber Company, of which he was manager. This company estab- lished branch lumber yards at many points along the Southern Pacific Railroad, the most eastern one being at El Paso, Tex. Mr. Blinn removed to Los Angeles in 1889, but retains a large inter- est in the company just mentioned, and does an extensive business in Arizona, particularly. He has brauch yards in this city and ten years ago became identified with the San Pedro Lumber Company also. He is a heavy stockholder in this enterprise, besides being manager of the company, which controls a vast trade. The mills which supply them are several in number and located in Washington and Northern California. An exclusively wholesale business is carried ou, and shipments are made to points both far and near. The offices of the company are situated in the Douglas block, Los Angeles. Mr. Blinn is vice-president of the West Side Water Company,

ak ward

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and occupies a similar office in the German- Wales, the latter born on the island of Bermuda, American Bank of this city, besides being a di- rector of the Citizens' Bank of Los Angeles.

The success which Mr. Blinn has achieved is truly remarkable, in view of the fact that he was a poor young man, without capital or resources, a stranger in the then but little developed west, barely three decades ago. Had he been willing to devote even a portion of his time to politics, or had he yielded to the frequent urgings of his friends, he might have held numerous official public positions of more or less honor and emolu- ment, but, in the main, he has adhered to his in- dependent business ventures. In 1887 he was elected to the territorial legislature of Arizona, on the Democratic ticket, which party he has al- ways loyally supported by his own ballot, Fra- ternally he is a member of the Masonic order, belonging to the blue lodge, the chapter and the commandery.

In 1867 Mr. Bliun married Miss Celia Little, a native of Maine, and they have a son, Irving L. The beautiful home of the family is located on West Adams street, one of the finest residence sections of the city.

A R. EVANS. During the past decade the name of Mr. Evans has been well known among those of progressive horticulturists of Covina. It was during 1890 that he came from Kansas to California and his first place of residence was the northern part of this state, but after a somewhat brief sojourn there he estab- lished himself in Covina. From that time to the present he has been connected with the progress of the place and the advancement of its fruit- growing interests. He is a charter member of the Covina Country Club and is now one of its directors. For six years he had charge of the fruit packing department of the Seth Richards orange grove, consisting of four hundred acres, and situated at North Pomona. In 1899 he be- came identified with Ruddock, Trench & Co., one of the largest firms of fruit shippers in South- ern California, and he has since acted as their Covina agent.

In the city of Baltimore, Md., Mr. Evans was born November 19, 1861, a son of Rev. Frederick and Kate (Perot) Evans, the foriner a native of

and of French descent. With his parents our subject left Baltimore in early childhood, and went to England, where he was reared and educated in Herefordshire. His father was a chaplain in the British Navy and served all through the Crimean war, finally retiring from the service when an old man, and establishing himself in retired life in England, where he died in 1889.

When almost eighteen years of age Mr. Evans, of this sketch, returned to Baltimore, where he secured employment as clerk in a commission house. After a short time he went to Ellsworth county, Kans., where he followed agricultural pursuits for some time, being especially interested in stock-raising. In 1890 he came to California. After spending two years in the northern part of the state he came to Covina, of which he has since been a resident. The ranch which he owns and operates consists of twenty acres, mostly under oranges. On this place he has an attrac- tive home, presided over by his wife, Elma W., daughter of Daniel H. Houser, of Lordsburg. Fraternally Mr. Evans is a charter member of Covina Lodge No. 362, I. O. O. F., and in re- ligious views he is an Episcopalian, belonging to the church of that denomination in Covina. Notwithstanding his boy hood experiences in Eng- land, he prefers the land of his birth, and is a thoroughly patriotic American. In politics he is a believer in Republican principles.

ALTER W. WHITE. One of the best- improved ranches in the vicinity of Rivera is that owned and occupied by Mr. White, and consists of sixteen acres, all but five of which are planted to walnuts, the balance being in fruits. It was during 1883 that Mr. White, with other members of his family, came from Canada to Southern California and settled on the property which he now owns. During the inter- vening years he has witnessed the development of this locality as a walnut-growing region and has himself been a pioneer in that industry, which has proved to be a profitable occupation for many of the residents of Ranchito and the Los Nietos valley.

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In Kent county, Ontario, Canada, Walter W. White was born March 7, 1848, a son of Daniel and Isa A. (Dolsen) White, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Ontario. Daniel White was four years of age when he was taken by his fa- ther, William White, a native of England, to Canada and there he grew to manhood, mean- time attending Canadian schools. . After making his home in Ontario for many years, in 1883 he moved to California and settled at Ranchito, where he still resides. In spite of his advanced age (being about eighty), he is quite active and robust. Of his ten children, eight are now liv- ing, viz .: Mrs. James Broadbent, of Ranchito; Walter W., of this sketch; James J., Solomon C. and Mrs. J. W. Ernest, who are living in Los Angeles; Arthur A., of Rivera; Herbert S., of Ranchito; and Mrs. William Witherow, whose home is in Ranchito.

The public schools of Ontario, supplemented by reading, observation and self-culture, enabled Mr. White to acquire a practical education and fitted him for the responsibilties of life. From boyhood he was familiar with agricultural pur- suits, but since coming to California he has de- voted himself to specialties rather than to general agricultural work. As a walnut-grower he is well known in the Ranchito district. His suc- cess has encouraged others to embark in this in- dustry, which is now no longer an experiment, but an assured success to all who are energetic, judicious and progressive.

The marriage of Mr. White united him with Emily Holmes, a native of Ontario, and by her he has four children: Charles E., William E., Edith E. and Carrie E. Mr. White is partic- ularly interested in educational matters and has endeavored to promote the welfare of the local schools; for three terms he has served as a trustee of the Ranchito school district, a position that he has filled with characteristic efficiency and tact. He is connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and in fraternal relations is a member of the Independent Order of Foresters Lodge at Rivera. Being a stanchi believer in Prohibition principles, he has identified himself with that party and does all in his power to create a sentiment against the liquor traffic. He is a member of the Los Nietos and Ranchito Walnut Growers' Association, incorporated, which has

the distinction of being the largest organization of walnut growers in the United States. He has found the company an aid in the advantageons disposal of the products of his rauch.

ILLIAM T. EAST. Reared to agricul- tural pursuits, and with a natural aptitude for developing and cultivating the various products of the soil, Mr. East has transformed his original apparently worthless soil into a con- dition of ntility and resource. His ranch near Downey consists of fifty-one and a-half acres, largely given over to the raising of English wal- nuts.

Having resided in California since July 5, 1866, and in the meantime accomplished much towards benefiting the general welfare, Mr. East is re- garded as a typical pioneer of the early days. Of Scotch descent he was born in Copiah county, Miss., April 15, 1831, and is a son of Josiah and Nancy (Nix) East. Josiah East was a success- ful agriculturist and a valiant soldier of the war of 1812. In his youth his son William had little opportunity for acquiring an education, having to work hard on his father's farm. During the winter months, when the duties around the place were lessened, he used to go to the early sub- scription schools, and this schooling, added to later research and a fondness for reading, con- tributed to make him a well-informed man.

In 1858 he married Mary L. Long, who was born in Louisiana and is a daughter of George E. and Mary (Hendricks) Long, natives respectively of Georgia and Louisiana. George Long was a typical "forty niner" and spent the latter years of his life in Los Angeles, where he died Febru- ary 28, 1888. He had previously lived in Tulare county, Cal., where for years he had been snc- cessfully engaged in cattle-raising, and in con- nection with which he had carried on a large farming interest. In Los Angeles he was a prom- inent and influential citizen, and was for years a member of the city council and board of education. In politics he was a Democrat. To Mr. and Mrs. East were born five children, three of whom are living: George E., Edwin T. and Berta L. Charles and Robert are deceased.

In 1850 Mr. East left Mississippi and moved to Louisiana, where he engaged in general farming

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until 1861. He then enlisted for the war in the First Louisiana Cavalry, C. S. A., under Gen. John Scott, and later under General Forrest, and fought in the battle of Baton Rouge, siege of Vicksburg, siege of Port Hudson, battle of Cor- inth and many minor skirmishes. After a serv- ice of four years he was discharged and returned to his farm in Louisiana.

In 1866 began a memorable trip for the family to California. They started from New York City June 11, setting sail for Aspinwall, and crossing the isthmus, where they took steamer for San Francisco, arriving July 5, 1866. They first located in San Luis Obispo county, where they carried on general farming and stock-raising and in 1871 came to Los Angeles county, and for five years resided in the San Antonio district. In 1877 hesettled on his present ranch near Downey. Here he has earnestly labored to make it one of the best of its kind in the county, and his success is unquestioned. He is large-hearted and en- terprising and is esteemed by all who know him. In politics he is a Democrat. He is a member of the Los Nietos and Ranchito Walnut Growers' Association.

AMUEL A. BRYSON is a member of one of the influential and prominent families of Los Angeles, and is a son of Hon. John Bryson, ex-mayor, to whose biography upon another page the reader is referred for an account of the family history. He has been a resident of this city dur- ing the larger part of his life, and is consequently familiar with local progress and in close touch with local commercial enterprises. As manager and agent of the Bryson block he is at the head of one of the finest office buildings in the west, and by his careful judgment and keen oversight he has made the property a fruitful source of revenue.

The birth of Mr. Bryson occurred in Buffalo, Muscatine county, Iowa, June 15, 1854. In youth he received the best educational advan- tages that local schools and advanced institutions of learning afforded. His early occupation was that of assistant to his father in the lumber busi- ness at Essex and Red Oak, Iowa, after which he managed the Bryson Gem opera house for two years. Coming west in the fall of 1881, he lo-

cated in Los Angeles, where he assisted liis father and two brothers, William and John, Jr., in the lumber business. Next he managed a fruit ranch at Alhambra, Cal., for two years. On his return to Los Angeles he became manager of the Bryson block. Since he assumed this posi- tion the work has required his undivided atten- tion, giving him little leisure for outside interests, although he has kept in touch with topics of cur- rent importance and is well informed regarding the problems our nation is called upon to solve.

October 5, 1876, Mr. Bryson was united in marriage with Miss Alice Rebecca Buck. They are the parents of three children, Bessie Viola, Joseph Sentman and Samuel Albert, Jr.

12 AVID H. ETTIEN. Many of the men who have contributed to the upbuilding of South- ern California are those who had, previous to removing west, gained financial success in professional or commercial activities in regions east of the Rocky Mountains. They are of a class at once aggressive yet cautious, and ener- getic yet judicious. They possess the attributes necessary to success. It is these men who, com- ing to the Pacific coast after years of successful labor elsewhere, have identified themselves with this region and contributed to the development of its resources. To the high character of its settlers California owes much of her greatness. This is especially true of Pasadena, one of the garden spots of the country, and whose scenic and climatic attractions have drawn to it people of the highest class. Among these men we pre- sent the name of David H. Ettien, who was for- merly one of the best-known attorneys at the Kansas City bar, but whose recent years have been devoted to the development of his large fruit ranch and to his duties as a director of the North Pasadena Land and Water Company.

A son of John and Susan Ettien, the subject of this article was born in Dauphin county, Pa., July 21, 1846. When he was three years of age his parents moved to Burlington, Iowa, and he grew to manhood in that city, meantime attend- ing the high school there and the Burlington Baptist College. On completing his education he began the study of law. In 1872 he was ad- mitted to the bar of Iowa and opened an office in

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Creston, where he built up a good practice and remained for thirteen years. Finally, however, he felt the need of a larger field for practice. In 1885 he moved to Kansas City, Mo., and became general attorney for the Lombard Investment Company, with whom he continued in that ca- pacity until they closed out their business in 1897. Meantime, in May, 1894, he purchased ranching property in Pasadena and his family settled here, he joining them in 1897. He owns seventy-five acres of land planted to oranges, lemons, almonds and English walnuts. Of this land fifty-five acres are in Duarte. Much of his time is given to horticultural work, in which he has been successful.

By the marriage of Mr. Ettien to Miss Rosa Folsom, of Winterset, Iowa, Mr. Ettien has three daughters, the eldest of whom is the wife of Brax Lawrence, of Kansas City; the second is the wife of William Johnston, of Santa Monica, this state, and the youngest is with her parents.

It has been Mr. Ettien's aim throughout his life to fulfill every duty as a citizen. He keeps posted concerning politics, and gives his support to the Republican party. During the Civil war he was for twenty-nine months a member of Company M, Ninth Iowa Cavalry, which en- gaged in skirmishing among the guerillas. For a time he was under General Steele, and later with Gen. A. J. Smith, whom he accompanied in the campaigns through Arkansas, Texas and the Red river country.

L RTHUR G. WELLS. Without doubt the general superintendent of the Santa Fe Pacific, Southern California and San Fran- cisco & San Joaquin Valley Railroads at Los Angeles is one of the most popular railroad officials in the west. He possesses vast experi- ence in his chosen calling, and may be said to have literally grown up in the business, for from his earliest recollections he has been familiar with railroading in a practical form. His father, who was a man of great ability and zeal in his line of endeavor, was employed by the Grand Trunk Railroad for many years and gave his son his first ideas in relation to the proper construction and operation of railroads.

vember 18, 1861, and there his boyhood passed quietly. He received the benefits of a high- school education. In July, 1876, he started out upon an independent career. His first position was in St. Joseph, Mo., in the machine shops of the Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs Railroad, where he served an apprenticeship of nearly five years. He was then offered a posi- tion in the office of the purchasing agent of the Mexican Central road at Chicago. Later he en- tered the service of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad as clerk to the superintendent at San Marcial, N. M. From June, 1882, until September, 1885, he was chief clerk of the gen- eral superintendent of the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad Company at Albuquerque, N. M. In 1885-86 he was employed as trainmaster of the New Mexico division of the same railroad.

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Historical and biographical record of Los Angeles and vicinity : containing a history of the city from its earliest settlement as a Spanish pueblo to the closing year of the nineteenth century ; also containing biographies of well known citizens of the past and present, Part 76

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918 Publication date: 1901 Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 996

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 996