Historical and biographical record of southern California; containing a history of southern California from its earliest settlement to the opening year of the twentieth century, Part 100

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman pub. co.
Number of Pages: 1366

USA > California > Historical and biographical record of southern California; containing a history of southern California from its earliest settlement to the opening year of the twentieth century > Part 100

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In Pasadena occurred the marriage of Dr. Crank to Miss Jessie Banbury, who was born in Marshalltown, Iowa, and is a graduate of the Pasadena high school. Her father, Col. Jabez Banbury, was born in Cornwall, England, March 4, 1830, and at eleven years of age accompanied his family to America, settling at Gambier, Ohio.

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In the fall of 1851 he went to Iowa City, three years later removed to Marshalltown, and there engaged in the building business and in mer- chandising. July 15, 1861, he enlisted as first lieutenant of Company D, Fifth Iowa Infantry, under Gen. John Pope. December 26, 1861, he was promoted to be captain, and later was commissioned major, commanding the regi- ment during the battle of Corinth. April 23, 1863, he was commissioned colonel of the Fifth Iowa Infantry, and had charge of the brigade at Lookout Mountain. September 28, 1864, he was honorably discharged near Atlanta. For some years afterward he continued to reside in Marshalltown, but December 20, 1873, he and his wife arrived in Los Angeles, Cal. After visiting various points in Southern California, he decided to locate where Pasadena now stands, and purchased an interest in the San Gabriel Orange Grove Association, of which he was a director for eight years. He built the first resi- dence on the colony grounds and moved his family into it March 10, 1874. For four years he was city treasurer of Pasadena, also county treasurer of Los Angeles county, and for two years was a member of the legislature. By his marriage to Sarah Elmira Dunton, who was born in Worthington, Ohio, in 1834, he had three children, of whom two (twins) are living, viz: Mrs. Jessie B. Crank, of Pomona, and Mrs. Jennie B. Ford, of Pasadena. Dr. and Mrs. Crank have two children, Yvonne and Elma: The family are connected with the Uni- tarian Church.

GUSTAVUS BAGNARD. While for two years after coming to Pasadena, in 1888, Mr. Bagnard was employed as foreman on the Ter- minal Railroad and for one season engaged as foreman for the Pasadena Packing Company, his principal work has been as foreman for the Pasadena Improvement Company and as su- perintendent of the Rubio Cañon Land and Water Association. The former organization was incorporated in 1893 and has been the means of securing valuable improvements that have greatly increased the price of real estate in the vicinity. As superintendent he has charge of eight hundred acres of land in Alta- ciena, two hundred of which are in grapes, eighty in oranges and lemons, five in apricots, and the balance in barley. In addition, he is personally interested in horticulture, and has improved about fifteen acres in oranges, lem- ons, grapes, apricots and peaches, making a specialty of fine table grapes. When he came to this vicinity the water company had only two small tunnels, and now they have fourteen, the largest of which is four hundred and twenty-five feet in length. Wells have been dug near the mountains, from the last of which they have twenty-three miners' inchies flow of

water. The reservoirs were useless at the time of his arrival, but the two large ones now in use provide an adequate supply of water, and are connected with miles of piping to the moun- tains. Besides being superintendent of the company, he is secretary and a director in the same.

The parents of Mr. Bagnard, Lambert and Cilinie (Odinet) Bagnard, were born near Sedan, France, and the latter died in Musca- tine, Iowa. The former settled in New York City in 1852, and there engaged in the manu- facture of willow baby carriages. About 1860 he removed to St. Louis, Mo., where he fol- lowed the same occupation. After the war he settled in Washington, Iowa, later going to Lone Tree and from there to Muscatine, in each of which localities he followed farm pur- suits. In 1888 he came to California, since which time he has made his home in Altadena. Of his three sons and one daughter, the young- est, Gustavus, is the only one in California. He was born in New York City June 5, 1853, and attended public schools in the various places where his father lived, but after the age of four- teen years he gave his attention wholly to work, and had no education other than that which is offered by the school of experience. During 1882, when starting a farm for himself, he began to be interested in small fruits, and on his place, two miles northwest of Muscatine, had many fine apple and cherry trees. From there he came to California in 1888 and has since lived in Pasadena and Altadena, where he has been superintendent of the water com- pany since December 15, 1890. In politics he votes with the Republican party and in religion is a believer in the doctrines of the Christian Church. In coming to California he was ac- companied by his wife, whom he had married in Muscatine, and who was Miss Emma Belt- zer, a native of Columbus, Ohio, of German descent. They are the parents of four children, namely: Lionel L., who is engineer for the Rubio Cañon Land and Water Company; Flossie B., Bertie P. and Roy.

S. F. DAVIS, M. D., of Pomona, is a grand- son of George Davis, an Englishman, of re- mote Welsh descent, and for many years a farmer of Connecticut, where he died. Charles L., son of George Davis, was born in Connecti- cut, and during early manhood carried on farm pursuits there, but later settled in Batavia. N. Y., and finally, about 1856, took up land in Tama county, Iowa, after a brief period of resi- dence in Kalamazoo, Mich. Agriculture formed his life occupation and when seventy-three vears old he died on his Tama county form. where also occurred the death of his wife, Polly Ann (Thorp) Davis, aged eightv-three years. The latter was descended from Welsh ancestry and

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belonged to an old-established family of New York. Born in Batavia, she received her edu- cation in the Ladies' Seminary there, of which she was a graduate, and afterward she taught school for six years, and until her marriage. Eleven children were born to her union, all but one of whom attained mature years and nine are now living, S. F. being the sixth. One of the sons, Charles, enlisted in Company C, First Iowa Infantry, and died while serving in the Civil war.

Dr. Davis was born in Kalamazoo county, Mich., December 15, 1854, and received his early education largely in the district schools of Tama county and the Toledo (Iowa) Academy. At the age of eighteen he began to teach, his object being to earn the funds necessary for a collegiate education, and to his credit be it said that his medical education was paid for by his own carefully hoarded savings. In 1876 he en- tered the medical department of the University of Iowa, from which he was graduated March 4, 1879, with the degree of M. D. He began the practice of medicine at Gladbrook, where he continued three years. His next location was St. Paul, Neb., where he built up a good prac- tice among the people of the vicinity, remaining there until 1885, when he removed to Pomona, Cal., his present home. His office is located in the Brady block. He is connected with sev- eral local orders, besides the Southern Califor- nia Homeopathic Medical Society. In addi- tion to his practice he finds time to superin- tend the orange ranch of ten acres which he has improved.

In Gladbrook, Iowa, Dr. Davis married Ida MI. Rice, who was born in Tama county of New York parentage. After completing common school studies she was sent to an Iowa academy, from which she was graduated, and for a time prior to her marriage she engaged in teaching school. Dr. and Mrs. Davis have four chil- dren, namely: Roy C., who is a graduate of the Pomona high school, class of 1902; Pearl A., Helen and Irma.

THOMAS J. DE HUFF. The family repre- sented by Mr. DeHuff, of Pasadena, is of French-Huguenot lineage on the paternal side, while his maternal ancestors were of German origin. His parents, Henry and Mary (Fager) DeHuff, were natives respectively of Lancaster and Berks county, Pa., and the former, who for many years followed the occupation of a locomotive engineer on the Pennsylvania Lines, died in Patterson, Pa., while the latter died in Harrisburg, Pa. Of their eight children Thomas J. and three sisters are living: another son, Hiram, who was a soldier in the Forty- sixth Pennsylvania Infantry, was accidentally killed while engaged as a locomotive engineer. Thomas J. DeHuff was born in Philadelphia,

Pa., April 7, 1853, and at three years of age was taken by his parents to Patterson, Pa., where later he attended the public schools. When eighteen he began an apprenticeship to the plasterer's trade, which he completed in Altoona, Pa. From 1877 to 1879 he followed his trade at Canon City, Colo., where he also engaged in prospecting. For one season he was employed at Buena Vista, after which he worked at his trade in Colorado Springs and from there came to California in 1882. The first twenty months in this state were spent at his trade in Los Angeles, from which city he came to Pasadena, where he bought and built on Green street, later sold there and bought other property, and now makes his home at No. 304 Kensington place. Since coming to Pasadena he has fol- lowed contracting and building, and has made a specialty of cement, brick and plastering, hav- ing had contracts for this work on Elks' Hall, Bentz block, Union Savings Bank, residences of Mrs. Burdette, B. F. Ball, James Clarke, etc .. all of which have been executed with painstaking care and recognized skill.

In Spokane, Wash., Mr. DeHuff married Miss Emma Edith Rosch, who was born in Sterling. Ill., and by whom he has two sons, Paul A. and Kenneth E. In Pasadena Lodge No. 272, F. & A. M., Mr. DeHuff was made a Mason, and he is still active in the work of the same, besides which he is connected with the Knights of Pythias and the American Mechanics. The First Christian Church of Pasadena has in him one of its most earnest supporters, and through his services on the board of trustees and the board of deacons he has been instrumental in advancing the cause of the church as an agency for the spiritual upbuilding of its community. Politically he supports the Republican party.

W. STANTON NEWTON. The Newton family was established on Long Island in a very early day and many generations continued to reside in Suffolk county. Sanford Newton, father of W. Stanton, was born in Smithtown, and made his home there until 1881, when he settled in Lena, Stephenson county, Ill. The following year he became a pioneer horticultur- ist of Pomona, Cal., and the sixty acres here that he brought to a high state of cultivation were ultimately sold at a fair profit, and there- after he lived retired. He was called to his final reward March 2, 1902, aged seventy-eight years, and was buried in Smithtown, his old home. He married Anna, daughter of Richard Gould, a farmer of Long Island. She was born at Smithtown and died there in 1875, leaving two sons, Harry and W. Stanton, the former of whom remains at Smithtown.

The first fifteen years in the life of W. Stan- ton Newton were passed at Smithtown, where

S. M. Davidson

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he was born November 9, 1866. His education was such as the local schools afforded. Having early acquired an excellent knowledge of the mercantile business, when he went to New York in 1881 he readily secured employment as sales- man in a wholesale store. In 1883 he joined his father in Pomona, Cal., and assisted in bringing the ranch under cultivation. Three years after coming here he bought a livery business on Sec- ond street and from a very small beginning built up an established trade. After seven years in the same location his success justified him in the purchase of a new building, the City stables, on Main and First streets. The entire structure is of brick, with a fine front on Main street, and the interior arrangements are conducive to a satisfactory and systematic management of the business. All kinds of vehicles are kept in the livery, and it is the proprietor's constant aim to conduct the business in such a manner as to win and retain the patronage of the people of Po- mona. He is a member of the Board of Trade, in politics is a believer in Republican principles, and as a citizen favors all worthy public-spirited projects. The Fraternal Brotherhood of Los Angeles numbers him among its members.

The marriage of Mr. Newton took place in Pomona and united him with Nellie Fowler, who was born in Woodland, Yolo county, Cal., her parents having crossed the plains from Missouri in 1851 and settled in the county where she was born. In religion she is of the Unitarian faith. The two children of this union are named San- ford and Theresa.

STEPHEN M. DAVIDSON. Unusual in- terest is attached to the lives of the California pioneers of the '50s, and to this class belonged the late Stephen M. Davidson of Los Angeles. He was mostly of Scotch and English origin, and more directly of southern ancestry. He was born in Johnson county, Tenn., June 8, 1830, the youngest among the nine children of Thomas and Nancy (Ingraham) Davidson, natives of Tennessee. In an early day his father removed, with the family, in a "prairie schooner," to Johnson county and later cleared and improved a large farm on the Missouri river, where he engaged in raising grain and hemp. The mother was kidnapped when only three years of age and though her parents spent their fortune in trying to find her they did not succeed until after she was married and had three children. As a girl her lot in life had been an unhappy one and her experiences un- pleasant. Her maturer years were filled with the cares of a large family, whom she en- deavored to train for positions of usefulness in the world.

Reared in Missouri and receiving only such advantages as the pay schools, infrequently held, afforded him, Stephen M. Davidson owed his

subsequent success to no peculiar opportunities which his early days offered. After the death of his father he continued on the farm with his mother, but in 1852 started out in the world for himself. During that year he, Mr. Mitchell and family started across the plains, with ox-teams and cattle. After he had gone one hundred and fifty miles west of Kansas City he met a party crossing the plains to the coast, and among them were Rev. Joab Powell and his daughter, Mary. Meeting under these unusual circumstances and attracted to each other by qualities of honor, nobility and uprightness, Mr. Davidson and Miss Powell soon became engaged, and on the 5th of December, of the same year, they were united in marriage near Scio, Ore.

Taking up and improving a tract of land, Mr. Davidson engaged in the cattle business and farming. As prosperity came to him he in- creased his holdings, until his ranch was a very large one. In addition to its management, for four years he owned and operated a sawmill and manufactured lumber. Ill health, resulting from overwork and exposure, obliged him to seek a change of climate, and in 1868 he settled in San Luis Obispo county, Cal., and bought four hun- dred and forty acres five miles from Cambria, where he raised stock and general farm produce. Out of this land he evolved one of the finest farms along the coast, and for many years he found pleasure and profit in the supervision of the property. On selling out in 1882, he came to Los Angeles county and became a large pur- chaser of land, including a farm of eighty acres near the city limits of Los Angeles, another farm of eighty acres three-quarters of a mile from the limits. and one-half interest in a third farm of one hundred acres in the same vicinity.

Especial credit belongs to Mr. Davidson for his connection with the dairy business. In 1876 he brought from Missouri the finest herd of Jersey cattle that had as yet been introduced into San Luis Obispo county, and thus he founded a dairy unexcelled in all that county. His cattle he brought with him to Los Angeles county, and in this way proved a benefactor to the dairy industry here. Besides dairying, he raised fruits and farm produce. In 1891 he bought a residence on Eleventh and Figueroa streets, and there his death occurred, April 14, 1897. When only nine years of age he was converted and after about sixteen he was an active member of the Baptist Church. He was a charter member of Central Baptist Church of Los Angeles and prominent in its upbuilding, serving for years as a deacon. At the time of his demise he was church treasurer, and his last day of life was partly devoted to the raising of funds for the church work. Denominational educational institutions received his stanch sup- port, particularly the Baptist College near West

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Lake, which he assisted in founding and build- ing up.

Near Independence, Mo., Mrs. Davidson was born, a daughter of Rev. Joab and Annie (Beeler) Powell, natives of Tennessee. Her grandfather, Joe Powell, was a descendant of English ancestors who settled in Virginia, and was himself a planter of Tennessee and a pioneer of Jackson county, Mo. Farming was the occupation which Joab Powell followed for a livelihood, but much of his time was devoted to preaching the Gospel and the good that he accomplished can never be estimated. Cheer- fully he gave his services to the cause of the Baptist Church, asking for no money, but con- tent if he saw souls brought closer to the Lord through his patient efforts. Many owed to him their first start in a Christian life. In 1852 he started with his family across the plains and after a journey of six months, to a day, arrived at his destination, immediately beginning to carry on a stock and grain farm and also to do missionary work for the Baptist Church. Many congregations were organized in Oregon through his efforts, and many churches, now in excellent condition, owe much to his pioneer ministrations. When seventy-two years of age he entered into his reward. His wife, who was a daughter of Adam Beeler, of German descent, died in Oregon at seventy-two years of age. They were the parents of fourteen children, all but two of whom attained maturity and six are now living. One of these was Mrs. Davidson, who was a young girl when she made the event- ful and fatiguing trip across the plains. Born of her marriage were the following-named chil- dren: Jennie N., Mrs. Clark, who resides near Fullerton, Cal .; Theodosia, Mrs. Lillard, living at Norwalk; Ellen, Sarah, Julia and Lydia, who are at home with their mother; Peter, who died July 20, 1893, and Stephen, who died August 16, 1892, both of whom were promising young men ; and Rosa, Mrs. Shumate, who died in Los Angeles December 30, 1893. Since the death of Mr. Davidson. his wife has maintained a supervision of the property interests and has maintained a warm interest in the Baptist Church, to the promotion of whose success he gave so freely of time, influence and means. The family are connected with this same congre- gation and take an active part in many of its benevolences and societies.

SAMUEL HAZARD HALSTED. The president of the Pasadena Ice Company, shortly after his arrival in Pasadena, organized the com- pany of which he is now the head, the same be- ing incorporated in January, 1901. Under his supervision was erected a building 100x200, with a daily capacity of forty tons of ice and a cold storage capacity of fifteen car loads. The plant is located on South Broadway, from which

point a switch furnishes means of transportation to the Santa Fe Railroad, thus ensuring ease of shipment.

In an early day the Halsted family came from England and settled at Hempstead, N. Y. Among their relatives were the Spencers and Ogdens, who, like their own family, took the part of the colonies in the Revolutionary strug- gle. George W. Halsted, who was born at Elizabeth, N. J., became a merchant at Hunts- ville, Ala., whence, returning to the north, he removed to Philadelphia, Pa. His son, Walter Kerr Halsted, was born in Alabama and reared in Philadelphia, where he engaged in the dry- goods business, later following the same occupa- tion in Cincinnati, Ohio. His home is still in Cincinnati, and he is junior warden of the Episcopal Church in the suburb of Glendale. Politically he affiliates with the Republicans.

The wife of Walter Kerr Halsted was Eliza- betlı Hazard, who was born in Philadelphia and died in Covington, Ky. Her father, Samuel Hazard, was a man of literary ability, and, by appointment from the governor, assisted in com- piling the archives of Pennsylvania. He also compiled the "Annals of Pennsylvania." Dur- ing the Civil war his son and namesake was a captain of a Pennsylvania company. The father of Samuel, Sr., was Ebenezer Hazard, president of the Insurance Company of North America, and postmaster-general of the United States under the continental congress and also under President Washington. He in turn was a son of Samuel Hazard, one of the organizers of the First Presbyterian Church on Wall street, New York, and a leading business man of the city.

Of a family of three children Samuel Hazard Halsted alone survives. He was born in Cov- ington, Ky., October 16, 1857, and until thirteen was reared principally in Philadelphia and Ger- mantown, Pa., removing from there to Cin- cinnati and attending the Avondale school. At the age of sixteen years he entered the employ of a dry-goods commission house of Cincin- nati, for whom he later traveled. With his father he built up the knitting mills of S. H. Halsted & Co., of Cincinnati, manufacturers of knit goods. A later venture was as a manufac- turers' agent, first in Cincinnati, and from 1896 to 1900 in New York. Meantime he had mar- ried Miss Louise Taylor, daughter of S. Leslie Taylor, an old and prominent merchant of Cin- cinnati. The failure of his wife's health caused him to come to California in 1900, since which time Pasadena has been his home. He is a member of the board of trustees of Throop Polytechnic Institute and also auditor of the same. In the work of All Saint's Episcopal Church he is interested, and aids the same through his services as church treasurer. The Pasadena Board of Trade numbers him among its members. In politics he is a stanch sup- porter of Republican principles. Since coming

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to Pasadena he has entered the ranks of the Masonic order, being a member of Lodge No. 272, F. & A. M., and he holds membership in the New York Chapter, Sons of the Revolution.

C. D. MANNING. Since the spring of 1899 Mr. Manning has filled the position of road fore- man of the Sierra Madre road district, extending from the city limits of Pasadena to the vicinity of Monrovia and covering almost one hundred and fifty miles of road. So constant and judi- cious have been his efforts to improve the condi- tion of the roads in his charge that it is fre- quently remarked that his roads, in the suburbs of Pasadena, are in even better condition than those of the city, excepting of course the paved streets. About twenty-five miles are in oil, the use of which he was among the very first to adopt.

Near Toronto, Canada, Mr. Manning was born October 24, 1847, a son of C. L. R. and Jane (Baker) Manning, natives respectively of Ontario and New York. His paternal grand- father was born in the north of Ireland, of Scotch descent, and settled in Ontario. The father, who was a saddler and harnessmaker, took his family to Rockton, Ill., in the early part of 1848, and there followed his trade until he died. His wife, who also died in Illinois, was a daughter of Rufus Baker, who was born in Vermont, of English descent; and served in the war of 1812. In young manhood he re- moved to New York state, and from there went to Ontario, Canada, finally locating on a farm near Rockton, Ill., where he died. Fraternally he was connected with the Masons.

In the family of three sons and one daugh- ter, C. D. Manning was the only one to come to California. When an infant he was taken to Rockton, Ill., where he attended the public schools. Before his schooling had been com- pleted hie enlisted, in January, 1863, in Com- pany I, Ninth Illinois Cavalry, and was mustered in at Belvidere, Ill., afterward joining the regi- ment in Memphis, Tenn. Among the numer- ous engagements in which he took part were those of Pontatock, Tupelo, Hurricane Creek, Franklin and Nashville, Tenn. In July, 1865, he was mustered out at Cairo, Ill., after a service of two years and six months. Afterward he attended the Soldier's College at Fulton for a year, and then for two years assisted his father in the harness business. On leaving home he went to Clinton, Mo., and for almost two years carried on a farm, but returned to Rockton to assist his father once more. In 1882 he and a brother, under the firm name of Manning Broth- ers, opened a harness shop in Rock Rapids, Lyon county, Iowa, and they continued together until he was elected county treasurer, on the Republican ticket, in 1889, at which time he dis-

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Historical and biographical record of southern California; containing a history of southern California from its earliest settlement to the opening year of the twentieth century, Part 100

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918 Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago, Chapman pub. co. Number of Pages: 1366

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman pub. co.
Number of Pages: 1366