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 91
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in 1888. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Eliza Baker, was born in Ohio and died at Santa Monica, October 11, 1900.
During the residence of his parents in Hen- dricks county, Ind., William L. Witherow was born April 12, 1863. He was six years of age at the time the family settled in Shasta county, Cal. From an early age he has been interested in agriculture, but his specialty is now the rais- ing of walnuts. Without any desire for promi- nence in local affairs, he has never sought official honors. He is a member of the lodge of Inde- pendent Order of Foresters at Rivera, and in religion he is, with his wife, connected with the Presbyterian Church at this place. By his mar- riage to Linda H., daughter of Daniel White, of Ranchito, he has three children: H. Carlisle, Louise and Sydney D.
ASTON, ELDRIDGE & CO. Admittedly leaders in their line is the corporation of Easton, Eldridge & Co., who for thirty years have held a prominent place in the com- mercial and financial interests of California. The home office of the company is in the city of San Francisco and the Los Angeles office is practi- cally its leading branch, but the business in Southern California has become so extensive and important that two of the corporate members per- manently reside in this city. The corporation is unique in its personnel in the fact that its stock is entirely owned by the members of one family, Messrs. Wendell, George and George D. Easton; the president is Wendell Easton, vice-president George Easton, and secretary George D. Easton, the local treasurer being the Merchants National Bank of Los Angeles.
The president and vice-president of the com- pany came from their native state, Massachusetts, to California in 1854 and since that time have been thoroughly identified with the progress and development of this prosperous commonwealth. The secretary is a native of California, born in San Francisco, has always made his home in this state, and is now a resident of Los Angeles.
The interests of the corporation are extensive and are found practically from the northern to the southern limits of the state. Occupying a leading position in their line in San Francisco, it is but
natural that they should build up a similar busi- ness and reputation in Los Angeles, and among their competitors in their particular lines at this end of the state. Here they are managers of ex- tensive estates of non-residents and also operate properties in which they are personally interested. Among these properties is the Sunny Slope ranch at Sunny Slope, where are extensive orchards and vineyards owned by L. J. Rose & Co., of London. Again, at Chino, thirty miles from Los Angeles, the firm controls and operates the celebrated Chino ranch, comprising some thirty-six thou- sand acres, where is located the extensive sugar factory of the Chino Valley Sugar Company, the latter operated by the Oxnard syndicate of New York. In addition to these the firm is largely interested in extensive oil developments in South- ern California.
The success of the firm is due in the intelligent observance of the motto of "doing one thing and doing it well." The policy of the members has for years been this,-that specific propositions properly handled and intelligently worked give a scope for their best efforts and only along these lines is success possible. They employ a high grade and intelligent corps of clerks, and are pre- pared to take up and handle any specific propo- sition that is large enough to warrant giving it the individual time and attention necessary, and the adherence to this rule has been the founda- tion of their success.
A SA DOUGLAS, one of the pioneer settlers and prominent agriculturists of the Colima tract, and secretary of the Colima Tract Water Company, settled on his present ranch in 1892. He is a native of Ionia county, Mich., where he was born January 5, 1868, and is a son of Orrin and Emor (Grove) Douglas, natives respectively of New York state and Ontario, Canada. Orrin Douglas was a farmer for the greater part of his life, and his son Asa was taught to appreciate the soil and its possibilities and the best methods of conducting a well- regulated farm. More fortunate thau many farmers' sons he had exceptional educational advantages, studying first in the public schools and later at Michigan State Normal School in Ypsilanti.
Jana han Barley
Photo by Marceau.
MRS. JONATHAN BAILEY.
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Mr. Douglas came to California from Michigan he was eight years of age his parents, in 1827, in 1890 and moved to Whittier in the fall of the same year, remaining there until February, 1892. He then settled on his ranch in the Colima tract, where he has industriously im- proved his land, until it is now entirely under cultivation.
A Republican in politics Mr. Douglas has no political aspirations. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of the World at Whittier. He is one of the incorporators of the Colima Tract Water Company and is at present acting as its secretary. An active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church he contributes generously to- wards its support.
Mr. Douglas has won the respect and apprecia- tion of the community in which he lives, by his enterprise, broad-mindedness and general interest in the public welfare.
ONATHAN BAILEY. To Mr. Bailey be- longs the distinction of being the first settler of what is now Whittier. As president of the Pickering Land and Water Company he came to the present site of the town in May, 1887, and established his home in the midst of a field of barley, his nearest neighbor being two miles dis- tant. He continued as president of the company for two years and for some years afterward offi- ciated as vice-president, in both of which capa- cities he did much to secure the development of the place and interest people in investing in prop- erty here. Naturally, therefore, he has a wide acquaintance throughout this section of the state. For miles around Whittier no name is better known than that of Mr. Bailey, and no man is more highly respected than he. His standing as a man and a citizen is the just reward of a long and useful life guided by sentiments of integrity, honor and generosity, and his career might well serve as an example for the youth of future gen- erations.
The Bailey family has been connected with the Society of Friends from the time of their settle- ment in America, and Mr. Bailey is therefore by birthright a Quaker. He was born near Peters- burg, Va., February 24, 1819, a son of David and Sylvia (Peebles) Bailey, also natives of the Old Dominion and of Scotch extraction. When
removed to Ohio and became pioneers of Clinton county, where he received a rudimentary educa- tion in local schools and passed the years of youth. In that state, in 1842, he married Re- becca T., daughter of Jonah and Mary (Hadley) Frazier, a native of Clinton county. They be- came the parents of four children, all but one of whom are living. Mariana is the wife of T. C. Hunt, of Whittier; Edwin F. resides in Los An- geles and James W. in Whittier. The golden wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Bailey was celebrated in Whittier and was an occasion of great rejoicing. More than four hundred friends and acquaintances were present at the celebra- tion and united in extending to them congratu- lations and best wishes. Their wedded life was one of mutual helpfulness, and was prolonged for fifty-six years, until the death of Mrs. Bailey, which occurred April 17, 1898.
During the period of his residence in Ohio Mr. Bailey was principally interested in agricul- ture, although he also gave some attention to the buying and selling of real estate. For three years he served as a commissioner of Clinton county, and for a similar period he was a director of the county infirmary. His first trip to California was made in 1875, when he brought an invalid son, E. F. Bailey, to this state, hoping that the change of climate might prove beneficial, and the result proved that the step was a wise one. Four years later he again came to the Pacific coast, re- maining for a short time. His permanent re- moval to the state was in 1885, and for two years he resided in Los Angeles, after which he came to his present home in Whittier. Since then he has been identified with many of the movements originated to promote the welfare of the town. His name is a synonym of honor and upright- ness. His friends are as numerous as his ac- quaintances, and there is none who does not wish him well. The high standing he has attained proves him to be a man of more than ordinary ability, for he had no one to help him in starting out in life and was forced to work his way for- ward without capital or influential friends; but his determination, perseverance and enterprise have brought their own reward. While he has never closely connected himself with politics he maintains an interest in affairs of state, and, in
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national elections, votes with the Republican party. Both by precept and example he favors Prohibition doctrines and has always been strictly temperate in his habits, which accounts in a large degree for his robustness of health at an age beyond the usual limits of physical and mental strength.
HOMAS R. PASSONS, a prominent and successful agriculturist of the vicinity of Rivera, claims among his ancestors many who distinguished themselves while fighting for American freedom. Of Scotch-Irish descent, he is a native of middle Tennessee, and was born De- cember 25, 1828. His parents, Major and Annie (Anderson) Passons, were also natives of Ten- nessee. Major Passons was a courageous soldier in the war of 1812 and fought in the battle of New Orleans under General Jackson. The pa- ternal grandfather was also a soldier in the war of 1812.
Thomas Passons spent his youth and early manhood on the farm in Tennessee, surrounded by the usual influences incident to the life of a southern farmer's son. He early showed an aptitude for everything in an agricultural line, and was therefore of vast assistance to his father in the performance of his many duties. As may be imagined, the opportunities of all descriptions were in those early days iu the south of a very meagre character, and particularly in the matter of education; the sons and daughters of the pio- neers were forced to supplement their scant schooling by later application in the various grooves of acquiring knowledge. In 1875 Mr. Passons started out for himself in the world and went from Tennessee to Washington county, Ark., where he lived for about three years, after which he moved to Moniteau county, Mo., and in 1865 to Cedar county, Mo. In 1874 he saw in California a greater outlook than was indi- cated by his present surroundings, and accord- ingly located there upon land which is now the site of Rivera, moving later to the ranch upon which he now resides. The home ranch com- prises twenty-three acres mostly under walnuts. To this he later added twenty one acres in Ranchito, which is devoted also to the cultiva- tion of oranges and walnuts.
Mr. Passons was married in November, 1850,
to Susan J. Douglas, a native of Tennessee, and of this union there are six children: Louise, tlie wife of Joseph Eady, who lives in Los Angeles county ; Bird B .; Mrs. P. D. Robinson, of Ontario, Cal .; Ada, who is the wife of Harry Moss, of Rivera: Elijah F., in Los Angeles; Thomas B., at Ranchito; and James W., who is deceased.
Mr. Passons claims allegiance to the Demo- cratic party. He has served as school director and trustee of his district. In the Los Nietos and Ranchito Walnut Growers' Association, in- corporated, he holds membership, and he has been associated for many years with the Los Nietos Valley Pioneer Club. He has been iden- tified with many of the enterprises for the up- building of the community in which he resides, and is respected for his many excellent traits and abilities.
W. HUDSON. From the time that he first came to Los Angeles county, in January, 1867, until the present time, Mr. Hudson has been identified with a number of its import- ant interests, notably those pertaining to agri- culture. In his own portion of the county it is doubtful if any citizen is better known, and cer- tainly none stands higher in the general esteem. His ranch, where for many years heand his fam- ily have resided, comprises more than two thou- sand acres of land, as choice as can be found in the whole Puente valley. The location of the property adapts it especially for grazing pur- poses, and we find that Mr. Hudson has for years made a specialty of the stock business, in which he has met with gratifying success.
A son of J. W. and Sarah E. (Wells) Hudson, natives of New York state, Mr. Hudson was born in Oswego, N. Y., February 18, 1844. His fath- er was born and reared in Boston, Mass., and followed the cooper's trade throughout active life. He died in Napoleon, Ohio, in 1894. His wife was of Welsh ancestry and was a native of Connecticut; she died in Napoleon, Ohio, in 1892. Their children were named as follows: Amarette, Sarah E., Lottie, Mary, Susan and J. W. The last-named received his education principally in the "old red schoolhouse," and in boyhood met with the usual adventures and experiences of the youthis of his day. In 1860, at the age of sixteen
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years, he left home and started out to make his own way in the world. For a time he was em- ployed in Allamakee county, Iowa, but the out- break of the Civil war changed the current of his life. At the first call for soldiers he enlisted in the three months' service, but before going to the field the time was changed to three years. He became a private in Company K, Fifth Iowa In- fantry, under Colonel Worthington, and after a few months in Missouri, was assigned to the army of the Tennessee. The regiment took part in the battle of Iuka, where, in killed and wounded, they lost one-half their force. This was their first baptism in blood, and although the results were serious for them, it proved their devotion to duty. The command also suffered severely in the battle of Corinth. They then took part in the siege of Vicksburg and the capture of Jackson, also the campaign for the relief of Chat- tanooga. Owing to illness, caused by hard service and exposure to inclement weather, Mr. Hudson was transferred to Company C, Fourth Regiment of Veteran Reserves, and engaged in guard duty at Rock Island. He was honorably discharged in Chicago, July 18, 1864.
After a month in Peoria, Ill., Mr. Hudson re- turned to Iowa, but went back to Peoria in the spring of 1865 and joined a party for the over- land trip to the Pacific coast, driving an ox-team via Salt Lake to Virginia City. On his arrival in the west he turned his attention to mining. With other prospectors he went to the Big Horn mountains, returning via Salt Lake City, and afterward engaging in a venture in southern Utah. For several years after 1867 he spent his winters in Los Angeles county, while during the summer he engaged in mining in Montana, Idaho, Utah and Colorado. His experiences as a miner were many and varied. As with most miners, sometimes luck was his and at other times he had reverses to meet. But, possessing a great deal of determination, he did not allow discouragements to daunt him, and persevered where another, less hopeful, might have aban- doned the effort. He has been connected with a number of enterprises in Los Angeles county, notably the sinking of one of the first artesian wells here. In agriculture, as in mining, he has shown himself to be energetic and resolute; in fact, in whatever occupation he has engaged, he
has thrown so much of determination and indus- try, that a certain measure of success was invari- ably his.
In November, 1879, Mr. Hudson married Vic- toria R. Rowland, the youngest daughter of John Rowland, and they have since lived near the home where Mrs. Hudson was born. They are the parents of three children, William R., Josiah W., Jr. and Lillian. Fraternally Mr. Hudson is connected with Pentalpha Lodge No. 202, F. & A. M., in Los Angeles. He has always been in- terested in educational matters, and his school district, organized in 1888, was named Hudson district in his honor. Politically he is a Silver Republican.
OHN ROWLAND, a pioneer of Los Ange- les county, was born in Maryland and in early manhood settled in New Mexico, where, as a partner of William Workman, he engaged in mining at Taos. In 1841 he and his partner set out for California, in company with John Tete, Santiago Martinez, Thomas Belarde and others. The next year they returned to Taos for their families. On coming to California the second time they were accompanied by B. D. Wilson, D. W. Alexander, John Reed, William Perdue and Samuel Carpenter, all of whom became resi- dents of Los Angeles county. Rowland & Work- man obtained a grant of La Puente rancho, com- prising forty-eight thousand acres, and there they settled and spent the balance of their lives.
The first wife of John Rowland was Doña In- carnation Martinez, by whom he had the follow- ing-named children: John, Jr., Thomas, Robert, Nieves (Mrs. John Reed), Lucinda (Mrs. James R. Barton), and William R. After the death of his first wife he married Mrs. Charlotte Gray, whose husband had been killed by the Indians while crossing the plains. By her first marriage she had a daughter, Mary A., who married Charles Fortman, of Los Angeles. The children of Mr. Rowland's second marriage are Albert and Victoria, the latter being the wife of J. W. Hudson.
In 1869 Messrs. Rowland and Workman di- vided their rancho and about a year afterward Mr. Rowland settled up his estate and divided the ranch among his heirs, giving to each about
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three thousand acres of land and one thousand head of cattle. His last years were spent on the ranch, and he died at the old homestead, October 14, 1873, aged eighty-two years.
OSEPH H. BURKE. Linked with the his- tory and development of Los Angeles coun- ty are the names of a few whose great and natural force of character and indomitable en- ergy have seemed to push to a successful termin- ation the various enterprises and institutions planned for her progress. Aside from their rat- ing as citizens and general promoters of the pub- lic good, they have in the minds of the people an added interest, growing out of an existence crowded with incidents of a more or less ad- venturous nature. That the early pioneers of California endured many hardships and sur- mounted many difficulties no one doubts, and the life of Joseph H. Burke was no exception to this rule. His memories of the early days are replete with thrilling episodes; his position as a member of the vigilance committees during the '50s and '6os furnished material for many a drama, in which the lawless desperadoes of the coast were the chief actors, and he and his friends the instigators of necessary "neck-tie" affairs.
Joseph H. Burke was born in East Tennessee, April 14, 1831, a son of Milton and Phoebe (Hartley) Burke, natives of Virginia. His grandfather, John Burke, married a daughter of Nathaniel Osborn, who was a soldier in the Rev- olutionary war and in the war of 1812, taking part in the battle of New Orleans, at the close of the latter conflict. He had thirteen wounds, and received a pension for each wound. He lived to the unusual age of one hundred thirteen and one-half years. The subject of this article remembers to have once seen, in Tennessee, an affectionate meeting between Gen. Andrew Jack- son and Nathaniel Osborn. Milton Burke also lived to be an old man, and was eighty-eight at the time of his death.
After spending the first ten years of his life on his father's farm in Tennessee, Joseph H. Burke accompanied his parents to Pulaski county, Mo., where his mother died. In 1844 he returned to Tennessee and two years later started out in the
world for himself. His first venture was as an employe on a cotton plantation in Alabama. In 1849 he went to Arkansas and for a time lived near Little Rock, but in 1852 went to Fort Smith, that state, and undertook to learn the trade of wagonmaker and blacksmith. In the fall of 1852 he went to New Orleans and there boarded a steamer for Galveston and Matagorda Bay, and from the latter point traveled by stage coach to San Antonio, Tex., the trip occupying about one week. In 1853 began the memorable journey to California, which stands out so vividly in the minds of all who crossed to the coast in the early days. In this particular instance there were seventy-seven men, but no women in the party. They crossed the plains with ten large wagons, one thousand five hundred head of Texas steers and two hundred and eighty mules. The oxen were worked to the wagons as far as El Paso, and from there to Los Angeles the mules were brought into service. The journey was interesting from many standpoints and cov- ered exactly five months.
Arriving in Los Angeles, Mr. Burke applied himself to his trade of wagonmaking, and subse- quently engaged in mining for a short time at Santa Anita, on what is a part of "Lucky" Baldwin's estate. A more lucrative position was soon offered him at Fort Tejon, where for parts of the years 1854 and 1855 he made wagons for the government. In the fall of 1855 he inter- ested himself in the mercantile business at Fort Tejon, going later to Los Angeles, where he worked at his trade until the fall of 1864. With the money thus acquired he bought a tract of land near Downey, upon which he lived from 1864 to 1885. During the latter year he settled near Rivera, where he has since made his home. For some years he engaged in the manufacture of wine, but since 1890 has devoted himself al- most exclusively to the cultivation of walnuts and oranges. His land comprises four hundred and fifty acres, devoted mainly to walnuts and oranges, in the raising of which he has been quite successful.
Mr. Burke married Mary Hunter, who was born in Greene county, Ill., a daughter of Jesse and Keziah (Brown) Hunter. Jesse Hunter was captain of a volunteer company in the Mexi- can war, and accompanied Generals Steveson and
alfred James
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Cook, overland, to capture California. They joined their forces with those of Commodore Stockton, U. S. N., and captured Los Angeles, as is recorded in history. Later Captain Hunter was appointed Indian agent, but resigned, and, driving a herd of cattle to Northern California, engaged in the stock business. His family, con- sisting of wife and five children, came west in 1849 and settled in Sacramento, Cal., but in 1852 they removed to Los Angeles. Here Cap- tain Hunter died in 1877. He owned part of the Verdugo ranch, and had altogether thirty- seven hundred acres at the time of his death. His wife also died on the home ranch. They were the parents of the following- named children: William, deceased; Asa, Mary, Jesse, Samuel, Martha and Elizabeth (the latter born in Cali- fornia). Asa and Samuel live on the homestead, three miles north of the courthouse. The chil- dren of Mr. and Mrs. Burke are: Frank, Osborn, Mrs. Arthur White and Mrs. John Shade, all liv- ing in this county. One son, Henry, is de- ceased.
In politics Mr. Burke claims allegiance with the Democratic party. He is one of Rivera's in- finential and prominent citizens; a man whose fine and engaging personality has won for him hosts of friends, not only in his home neighbor. hood, but throughout the state.
ON. ALFRED JAMES is a native of Marion, Ohio. He left New York for California, with his brother, I. E. James, November 10, 1852, and after a somewhat eventful voyage via Nicaragua, reached San Francisco January 6, 1853. He sailed from New York on the United States steamship Star of the West, which carried between five and six hundred passengers, all bound for the land of gold. Upon arriving at Greytown, Nicaragua, the company without de- lay or notable incident, made its way up the San Juan river into and across Lake Nicaragua to Virgin bay, and thence twelve miles to San Juan del Sur on the Pacific, where after a delay of two weeks they embarked on the steamship S. S. Lewis. This vessel was an old and unseaworthy craft and incapacitated for the accommodation of so large a number of people. The voyage to San Francisco absorbed about twenty-two days. But
the strain on the frame of the ship was too great and she sprang a leak and dipped on one side to an angle sufficient to throw water into the fur- naces and put out the fires. They lay sixty miles off the head of San Francisco harbor for two days, flying signals of distress, and with about nine feet of water in the hold. Finally they were rescued by a tug which towed them into harbor.
After landing in San Francisco Mr. James left on the following night on the steamer Camanche, for Sacramento, only to encounter another mis- fortune. The Camanche collided in Suisun bay with a river steamer, known as the John Brag- don, and went to the bottom. A number of pas- sengers were drowned and Mr. James and his brother narrowly escaped the same fate.
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