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 190

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 190

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In Monroe, Mich., L. W. Stevens was born February 4, 1844, and was the fourth among six children (four sons and two daughters), four of whom are now living. His father, O. P. Stevens, a native of New York, and a pioneer of Monroe, Mich., built the first saw and grist mill in Monroe, for which work he was fitted by a previous experience in building and operating a mill on Swan creek, the present site of Toledo, Ohio. Returning to Ohio, he settled in Cleve- land and engaged in the milling business until his retirement. He died there when seventy- six years old. His wife, Sally R., was born in Bangor, Me., and went with her father to To- ledo, Olio, later to Monroe, Mich., where her father and husband were partners in milling.

When four years of age L. W. Stevens was taken by his parents to Cleveland, Ohio, and there his education was obtained. At the age of fourteen he began sailing on the lakes as a cabin boy, from which he rose to the rank of

seaman. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Com- pany E, One Hundred and Third Ohio In- fantry, and was sent to Kentucky, where he was transferred to the Mississippi squadron, U. S. N., as seaman on the Petrel. He bore a part in the siege of Vicksburg, and afterward was transferred to the Juliet, same squadron, en- gaged in patrolling the river. After being hon- orably discharged at Vicksburg he went to Chi- cago and became mate on a lake boat. Later he was captain and then owner of the Franklin, a schooner in the coasting trade, continuing with the same until the boat was lost by its mate. His next venture was in the fishing busi- ness at Put-in-Bay Island. About 1884 he came to California, and after a year in Los Angeles came to Santa Monica, where he took up tlie fishing business. During 1886 he went to San Diego, where he carried on a confectionery business, and also owned and operated a ranch of one hundred and sixty acres on Bernardo creek. Returning to Santa Monica in 1894, he has continued here in the fishing business ever since, and was the first to introduce gill net fishing for halibut, a scheme that has proved very successful. He is married, his wife hav- ing formerly been Miss M. J. Stebbins, of Cin- cinnati, Ohio. Fraternally he is connected with the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Grand Army Post in San Diego.

JULIUS H. ARDIS. Remotely of Scotch- Irish and German extraction, the more recent representatives of the Ardis family have been allied with the history of the south. The lead- ing attorney of Downey, whose name introduces this article, is of southern birth, having been born at Eldorado, Ark., May 11, 1863. His father, John C., born in Germany in 1823, was reared in that state and Alabama, where in early manhood he engaged in the profession of law, but later entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Removing to Arkan- sas, he took up teaching, which he followed some years. However, the confinement of the occupation proved injurious to his health, and having learned that California was a health- restoring region he came to the Pacific coast July 28, 1868. There was little to attract a permanent settler save the charm of scenery and climate. No improvements had been at- tempted in the vicinity of Downey. Great stretches of land seemed worthless except as pastures for stock. Neither grass nor trees re- lieved the monotony of the landscape. With a keen intuition as to the possibilities of the soil, lie was not discouraged by its appearance, but at once bought twenty-five acres one-half mile west of Downey and set about the improvement of the land, which is now in walnuts. A later purchase comprised thirty acres, but this was soon sold, subsequent to which he bought an-

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

1247

other forty-acre tract at El Monte. Nine years passed busily and happily in his new home, where his life ended, December 24, 1877. Though not spared to old age, he yet accom- plished more than some men to whom longer life is granted. As a practicing attorney, as a mem- ber of the Arkansas state legislature for two years, as preacher and teacher, he lived a help- ful, useful, active life, and rendered many serv- ices in behalf of his fellowmen. His education had been obtained in Emory College at Oxford, Ga., added to which he had a broad mind, fluent command of language and the ready resources of a public speaker, all combined with the high character and deep devotion of a Christian preacher and educator.

The wife of John C. Ardis was Fannie A. Harris, who was born in Alabama, received an excellent education in the Female College at LaGrange, Ga., and still makes her home on the property they purchased in 1868. Like her husband, she has been consistent in her devo- tion to the church. Of her eleven children, the following survive: John D., a rancher at Dow- ney; Isaac L., who lives at Downey, and culti- vates an orchard at Banning; Sallie A., wife of A. S. Gray, a rancher at Downey; Lida T., the widow of William T. Crawford, and who has taught in the public schools of Downey for fourteen years; Julius H., attorney-at-law, of Downey; William M., who is with a wholesale leather house in Los Angeles; and Julia, wife of J. H. Mccullough, a blacksmith and dealer in implements at Downey.

When the family came to California, Julius H. was four years of age. In 1884 he was sent back to the south, entering Emory College, of which his father had been a student years be- fore. From that institution he was graduated in 1888, with the degree of A. B., under Dr. Isaac Hopkins. Instead of returning to Cali- fornia, he entered a law office in Atlanta, Ga., where he studied Blackstone for a year. Going thence to Sheffield, Ala., in 1890, he remained for a year in professional work, and then came to Downey, where he has since built up a grow- ing and important practice in all of the courts. In addition to the management of an extensive clientele, he has been prominent in the Demo- cratic party, and in 1901 served as chairman of the county convention. Chosen as his party's nominee for the legislature in 1896, he made a splendid run, but a split in the party caused the success of the opponents. Besides his pri- vate practice, he acts as attorney for the Arroyo Ditch and Water Company, and also for the Los Nietos Valley Bank of Downey. Frater- nally he is connected with the Foresters, Ma- sons, Eastern Star, Knights of Pythias, Frater- nal Brotherhood, and Maccabees.

Through his marriage to Miss Mamic Hay- good, Mr. Ardis became connected with one of

the leading families of the south. Mrs. Ardis is a daughter of the late Bishop Atticus G. Hay- good, who was born at Watkinsville, Ga., No- vember 19, 1839, and at twenty years of age was graduated from Emory College at Oxford, Ga. Immediately after graduating he was licensed to preach in the Methodist Episcopal denomination, and entered upon ministerial work, in which he achieved noteworthy success. In 1876 he was called to the presidency of Emory College. He found his alma mater, which was an old Methodist institution, estab- lished in 1838, suffering from the effects of the Civil war, with only one hundred and ten stu- dents, and carrying the burden of a heavy debt. With an energy characteristic of the man he at once began the task of reducing the work to a systematic basis, and so notable was his suc- cess that, when he resigned in 1884, the institu- tion had three hundred and fourteen students, all of the burdensome debts had been lifted, many improvements had been made and a large endowment fund had been raised. Meantime from 1878 to 1882, he also acted as editor of the Wesleyan Christian Advocate, a leading de- nominational paper. In 1882 he was raised to the office of bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, in the general conference at Nashville, Tenn., but not wishing at that time to leave the college, he declined the honor. Again, in 1890, at the conference held in St. Louis, Mo., the same honor was tendered him, and he accepted, serving as bishop until his death, in January, 1896. In 1885 he was ap- pointed general manager of the John F. Slater fund of $1,000,000 for the education of the col- ored youth of the southern states. In spite of lis varied duties as editor, educator, manager of trust funds, bishop, etc., he still found time to write for the press and also to prepare numer- ous works for publication. Wielding a ready pen and having a message for the people, some of his happiest moments were spent in his study, in literary work. Among the works of which he was the author may be mentioned "Our Broth- ers in Black," "The Monk and Prince," "Ser- mons and Speeches," "Jack Knife and Brani- bles," "Our Children," "Pleas for Progress" and "The Man of Galilee," which latter has been translated into Spanish and Japanese and is used extensively by missionaries as an aid to Gospel teaching. During much of his life lie mnade Oxford, Ga., his headquarters, and always considered it his home, although the duties of his work often called him away for long periods. and from 1891 to 1893 he was a resident of Los Angeles county. Cal., having come here for his wife's health. Without any doubt he was one of the brightest lights the south has ever produced, and the amount of good he ac- complished for that portion of the country can- not be overestimated.

1248

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

In addition to receiving the advantages of a collegiate education, Mrs. Ardis was given a thorough education in music and became an ac- complished vocalist. Born of her marriage to Mr. Ardis are five children, namely: Ethel, Ruth, Dorothy, Atticus Haygood and Lida Crawford.

R. D. ADAMS, M. D. The inducements of climate that brought Dr. Adams to Monrovia in 1893 have made him a permanent resident of the town, where he owns an attractive home on the corner of White Oak and Primrose streets. Dr. Adams is of eastern lineage, his parents having been born in New York. At one time his ma- ternal grandfather, Jonathan Russell, owned all of the land now occupied by the city of Auburn; by trade a jeweler, he engaged in the manufac- turing business and also carried on a retail trade. About 1826 W. R. Adams, father of Dr. Adams, removed to Michigan, where in the midst of the then pioneer surroundings and in a locality but sparsely settled he carried on a gen- eral store, of the type belonging to the past generation. In 1868 he retired from business and removed to Illinois, where he died the fol- lowing year. His son, R. D., was born at Walled Lake, Oakland county, Mich. Being given better opportunities than fell to the lot of many boys in Michigan about the middle of the nineteenth century, he was sent to New York, where he took the regular course in the Syra- cuse high school. His studies were interrupted by a service of two years as hospital steward in the United States navy, after which he took a course in the Michigan State University at Ann Arbor. His medical education was acquired in the Long Island College Hospital, of which he is a graduate.

The first practical experience in professional work which Dr. Adams gained was in Skiddy, Morris county, Kans., where he opened an office in 1873. After a short time he secured a foot- hold in the profession and his services came into demand for many miles around. From there in 1885 he went to Council Grove, Kans., but the climate proved in many respects objec- tionable, and in 1888 he came to California, establishing himself at Alhambra, from which town he came to Monrovia. Dr. Adams was married in Bloomington, Ill., to Miss Ellis, a native of Ohio. The children born of their union are as follows: Jennie: Charles, a tele- graph operator; Alice; and Frank, a graduate of the Monrovia high school in 1902. The fam- ily attend the Baptist Church and are identified with its work. The Republican party has se- cured the allegiance of Dr. Adams ever since it was organized, and his faith in its principles is unwavering. Before coming to California he was active in politics and at one time was elected

to the Kansas state legislature, where his serv. ice won the approval of his constituents.

EDITH WHITE. Among the artistic tem- peraments which have reached their highest de- velopment in the inspiring atmosphere of Cali- fornia, and whose reproductions have found their way into homes and cities in different parts of the country, none is regarded as worthier of the appreciation bestowed upon extraordinary talent than is Edith White, flower and landscape painter. Especially as a delineator of flowers, Miss White is noted for the fidelity with which she immortalizes these transient delights of man; for her exquisite understanding of effec- tive arrangement, and her wonderful production of transparent color effects. Her landscapes have atmosphere, ideality and truth, but her rarely beautiful rose productions have been handled not only masterfully, but with rever- ence.

Years of patient toil in her delightful field of effort have preceded the present unchallenged position of Miss White in the art world. Her ancestors were among the original settlers of Massachusetts, and afterwards settled in Con- necticut, where her great-grandfather was born in 1769. When he was nine years old he moved with his father's family to Newport, N. H., where occurred the birth of her paternal grand- father, Nathan, a merchant and traveler. Her father, Elon, was born at Newport, N. H., and when nineteen years of age started west to Iowa, where he engaged in the hardware business, and where his daughter was born near Decorah, Winneshiek county. The father in 1859 took his family across the plains with ox-teams and wagons, encountering many dangers on the way to the far west, fording rivers and streams, and otherwise suffering from the deprivations and hardships incident to the four months' trip to Nevada county, Cal. For a time lie engaged in mining, with indifferent success, and finally went into the hardware business in Nevada county. In 1884 he came to Los Angeles, Cal., and in 1885 settled in Pasadena. In 1901 he removed to San Diego, Cal., where he still lives. His wife, formerly Mary Stanton, is a native of In- diana, and a daughter of Thomas Elwood Stan- ton. Mr. Stanton came of old Virginia stock, which claimed also Secretary Stanton, of Civil war fame, and which were one and all members of the Society of Friends. He settled in In- diana, and then removed to Winneshiek county, Iowa, from which state he crossed the plains in 1849, returning east later. In 1859 he again came west, and later died in Montecito. In politics he was a Republican. Besides their daughter, Edith, there was born to Elon White and his wife a son, Nathan, who is at present a business man and inventor in Pasadena.

From earliest youth Edith White studied

1249

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

flowers and skies and colors, and as a little child used to draw and paint. She was educated pri- marily in Nevada county, Cal., and later gradu- ated from Mills College, Alameda county. For a year she studied at the old School of Design in San Francisco, under Virgil Williams, and in 1882 she came to Los Angeles, where she opened a studio and worked with success. In 1892 she went to New York, and visited her father's old birthplace in Newport, N. H., dur- ing her visit in the east making many sketches of interesting places in New England, and study- ing for a year at the Art Students' League in New York City. In 1893 she opened a studio in Pasadena, and from this city have gone forth many gems in color, not only to the remotest corners of the United States, but to different parts of Europe. Miss White is a member of the Universal Brotherhood, and is intensely in- terested in all that elevates, brightens and de- velops.

T. J. ROYER, chief engineer of the United Electric Gas and Power Company, was born in Ashland county, Ohio, July 22, 1872, a son of A. J. Royer, a native of the same county. The great-grandfather, Christian, was born in Penn- sylvania, where he also died, his career made noteworthy by service in the war of the Revo- lution. The grandfather, Samuel, was born near Reading, Pa., and settled in Ashland county, Ohio, where he built a fine mill on the Mohican river, and successfully managed the same until his removal to near Oshkosh, Wis., where his death occurred. A. J. Royer was a farmer in Ohio for twenty years, and then crossed the plains with ox-teams to Santa Fe, and from there came to Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura, settling in San Francisco in 1849. After engaging in mining for five years, hic returned to Ohio, via the Nicaragua route, and bought a farm in Ashland county, upon which he lived until 1897. He then sold his property and came to Los Angeles, where he is now liv- ing. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity. He married Martha Peterson, a native of Ash- land county, and daughter of Thomas Peterson, a native of Maryland, and an early settler of Ashland county. Mrs. Royer, who was the mother of nine children, died in Ohio.

F. J. Royer was reared on his father's farms in Ashland and Richland counties, and in 1883 accompanied the family to Newton, Kans., from where they returned to Ohio after three years. He was educated in the public schools, and in 1892 began to shift for himself. About the time of the World's Fair he remained in Chicago for eighteen months, and meanwhile managed to pick up the machinist's trade. In 1894 he came to Los Angeles and engaged in oil well drilling. In 1898 he was placed in charge of the pipe line of the Pacific Oil Refinery & Supply Com-

pany, in Los Angeles, and attended to the pump- ing and general management for eighteen months, when he resigned to accept a position with the United Electric Gas & Power Company at Long Beach. The plant was in the worst possible shape, but Mr. Royer entered heartily into the plan of keeping it in order until more power could be gotten from Santa Monica. In 1900 he was transferred to Santa Barbara as chief engineer for the company, and was given charge of both of the old plants, at the same time superintending the erection of the new plant of one thousand horse power. Mr. Royer has a fine library of technical and mechanical books, which he has thoroughly studied. He married, in Los Angeles, Sarah Rogers, a native of Texas. Mr. Royer is a member of the Na- tional Association of Stationary Engineers.

O. D. WILLIAMS. Although a compara- tive newcomer to Pasadena, Mr. Williams has demonstrated, to the satisfaction of all con- cerned, his ability to run a first-class hotel, and tactfully cater to the migrating public. Upon coming here in October of 1901 he purchased the Los Angeles House, since changed to the Williams Hotel, an excellently managed and popular hostelry.

As the name suggests, the cradle of the Wil- liams family was in the prosperous little country of Wales, and the ancestor, in search of larger opportunities in a new land, settled presumably in Virginia. In the Old Dominion state the paternal great-grandfather. William, was born, and during the Revolutionary war served in the colonial army. He became one of the pioneer settlers of Kentucky, removing thither with Daniel Boone. His son. Oliver, the paternal grandfather, who was born in Virginia and be- came a large land owner in his native state, later removing to Kentucky, where his son, Oliver. the father of O. D., was born. The second Oli- ver became an extensive stockman in Kentucky and Indiana, and died in Ladoga, Ind., when his son, O. D., was twenty-one years of age. He married Maria Allen, a native of Kentucky, and daughter of William Allen, born in Virginia, and an carly settler in Kentucky, where he owned large landed possessions. Of the nine children born of this union, six are now living, O. D. being the youngest in the family.

Until his twelfth year O. D. Williams lived in Kentucky, whither his family had taken him as a baby from his native town of Ladoga, Mont- gomery county. Ind., where he was born August 2. 1853. When the family fortunes were again shifted to Indiana, he continued to live on the paternal farm near Greencastle until the death of his father. He was educated in the public schools and at Bainbridge Academy, and at the age of eighteen began teaching during the win- ter season in his home district. When nineteen

1250

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

years old he still continued to make the home stock farm his headquarters, but at the same time engaged as traveling salesman for Adams, Osgood & Williamson, of Indianapolis, for two or three years. He then removed to Emporia, Kans., and embarked in business as an exporter of walnut lumber and logs, shipping his goods to many foreign ports, including London and Hamburg. He continued to be thus employed until 1901, although in 1893 he took up his residence in Chicago, Ill., and bought, through his nephew, the lumber coming from Kansas, Missouri, Indian Territory, Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas. Upon disposing of his walnut business he came to Los Angeles in 1901, and from the first became interested in mining, in time assisted in the incorporation of the Black Horse Copper Company, of which he is vice- president, and which operates in Acton, Los An- geles county. In the fall of 1901 he came to Pasadena to engage in the hotel business, in which he has since been successful. He is a Democrat in politics, and is a member of the Universalist Church. While living in Emporia, Kans., he was made a Mason, raised to the Chapter, and to Commandery No. 8.

The marriage of Mr. Williams and Joanna Dickerson was solemnized in Indiana, and of this union there are three children: Mamie, who is now Mrs. Higby, of Chicago; Blanche, who received her musical education in the Chi- cago Conservatory and is considered one of the finest pianists in Southern California; and Ger- aldine. Mr. Williams is possessed of a genial and optimistic disposition, and of those forceful and reliable characteristics which not only win friends but success.

ROBERT H. GAYLORD. Pasadena is for- tunate in the citizenship of a large number of cultured young men, who may be looked upon as the leaders of her advancement and hopeful future. Prominent in this class stands Robert H. Gaylord, a resident of this city since boy- hood, and the owner and occupant of an attrac- tive modern residence at No. 96 North Los Robles avenue. Though so much of his life has been passed within the charming environ- ments of Southern California, he is of eastern hirth, and was born at New London, Conn., March 9, 1876, being the only child of Dr. Charles H. and Marie (Palmer) Gaylord, natives respectively of Connecticut and Georgia. The Gaylords are an old-established family of New England, and Dr. Gaylord engaged in practice there during all of his active life.

Excellent advantages for obtaining an educa- tion were given Robert H. Gaylord, and of these he availed himself studiously, though he realized then far less than he does now that knowledge is power, and that they achieve the most in life who bring to their work the most careful train-

ing and preparation of mind and body. For à time he studied in private schools, and later took a course in electrical engineering in the Throop Polytechnic Institute. Since leaving college he has devoted his attention wholly to the care of his large estate, with its many attendant and important responsibilities. Included in his pos- sessions are real-estate interests in Connecticut which he inherited from his parents; also stocks and bonds in New York City; and a brick block, with a frontage of twenty-six feet on Colorado street, Pasadena.

The marriage of Mr. Gaylord and Miss Eliza- beth Emory was solemnized in Pasadena and has been blessed by a son, Emory Stafford. Mrs. Gaylord is a daughter of Hiram A. Emory, who spent his entire life in Bay City, Mich., and was for years one of the leading and most suc- cessful lumbermen of that region. Both Mr. and Mrs. Gaylord are members of and contribu- tors to the First Presbyterian Church of Pasa- dena. Fraternally he is a Knight Templar and Mason of the thirty-second degree, while in poli- tics he is a stanch Republican.

FREDERICK MULL. During his eventful life Mr. Mull has invaded many avenues of ac- tivity, has traveled in many lands, and has stored up a fund of information which renders him one of the most companionable of men. His career offers vast encouragement to the youth who deplores a lack of opportunity, for it has been his good fortune to create chances where none was supposed to exist. Of conservative Ten- tonic ancestry, he was born near Chambersburg, Franklin county, Pa., February 3, 1827, a son of Paul and Catherine (Everett) Mull, natives of the vicinity of Manheim, Wurtemberg,Germany. His father settled in Franklin county, Pa., upon immigrating to America, where he engaged in gardening, and where he died in 1883, his wife surviving him until 1885. They were the par- ents of seven sons and one daughter, of whom four sons are now living. Adam and Oliver served in the Civil war in a Pennsylvania regi- ment.

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

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 190

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