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 191

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 191

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).

The early days of Frederick Mull were passed on the paternal farm near Three Brother moun- tains in the western part of Franklin county, Pa., and a more dreary place it were hard to find. The children were obliged to go to work when very young, and they lived in a log cabin, surrounded by wild animals and few of the civ- ilizing influences of life. November 23, 1833. the night stars fell, and they saw the wolves and bears around the house, and the ground covered with black, rattle and copperhead snakes. They afterwards removed to Path Valley, and im- proved the new farm, rendering it more habita- ble and pleasant than the other. As may be imagined, the children had but meager opportu- nities for schooling, and Frederick received in

1251

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

all but a year's training at the subscription school in the neighborhood. The family finally removed to Huntingdon county, Pa., where the father had one hundred and sixty acres of land, which Frederick helped to improve during the summer time, and worked in the woods in the winters.

In 1850 Mr. Mull removed to Canton, Ohio, and drove a team for a year, thereafter engaging in farming in the vicinity of Cleveland for nearly five years. He then engaged in the livery and omnibus business for five years, and for the fol- lowing sixteen years conducted a profitable grocery, feed and flour business. In 1873 he went to Europe with Prof. James Strong, and during his year's absence from America visited Liverpool, London, Paris and the principal cities in Europe; going thence to Africa, and up the Nile in Egypt; over the Arabian desert to Palestine, Assyria, Asia Minor; then to Greece and Turkey, including also in his return trip the Adriatic, Hungary-Austria, and Bava- ria, Germany. Upon returning to his former home in Cleveland, Ohio, he again engaged in the grocery business, but eventually disposed of the same on account of the trouble with strikers. As a traveling salesman for the Cleveland Elec- tric Company and the Cincinnati Safe & Lock Company, he covered the territory including Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, Illinois and west- ern Ohio, and at the same time dealt in real- estate in Cleveland with considerable success.

In 1891 Mr. Mull located in Pasadena, later taking a trip all over the north, but since prac- tically retiring from active business life. He has dealt extensively in real-estate; has built up several residences in the city, and owns four residences, his home being at No. 727 North Fair Oaks street. In Springfield, Mass., he married Laura E. Livingston, and of this union there were four children: Ella Porter, now Mrs. R. B. Morehead, of Los Angeles, Cal .; Mrs. Stella Porter Smith, deceased; Fred, an elec- trician of Cleveland, who served in the Spanish- American war; and Mrs. Jessie A. Reed, of Cleveland. Mr. Mull is fraternally associated with the Masons and the Odd Fellows, and in political affiliation is a Republican. He is a member of the Universalist Church, of which he is a trustee.

LOUIS HLAVIN. One of the enterprising meat market men of Southern California is Louis Hlavin, who came to this state in 1891, and to Pasadena in 1894. For the first year of his residence in the state he traveled, and in 1892 went into the meat business in Los An- geles with S. Mayer. This association continued for two years, and after coming to Pasadena lie entered the employ of John Bremer, in time becoming foreman of his meat establishment. In June of 1901 he resigned from his seven

years' association with Mr. Bremer to enter upon an independent business, and bought out the old market of R. B. Newby, at No. 130 Colorado street. More recently he has em- barked in business at Ocean Park.

In Pasadena Mr. Hlavin was united in mar- riage with Leah Wood, a native of Portland, Ore., and daughter of New York parents, who crossed the plains in the early days and settled in Oregon. Of this union there is one child. Mr. Hlavin is a member of the Journeyman Butchers' Association, of which he was record- ing secretary for four terms; the Merchants' Protective Association and the Board of Trade. Fraternally he is associated with the Lodge No. 222, F. & A. M., at Pasadena; Knights of the Maccabees No. 2, Los Angeles; the Fraternal Brotherhood; and the Woodmen of the World, of which he is a charter member in Pasadena.

F. X. LINCK. After various experiments of a more or less uncertain character, Mr. Linck engaged in the milling business, and in 1895 bought the site of the Washington street plan- ing mill, Los Angeles, upon which had stood another mill, eventually devoured by flames. After rebuilding, he put in modern machinery, also engines with a capacity of sixty horse- power, and began to manufacture all manner of mill commodities, including sash-doors, mould- ings and general building necessities, as well as furniture of all kinds.

A native of Milwaukee county, Wis., Mr. Linck was born August 31, 1854. and is the youngest of nine children, of whom four sons and two daughters attained maturity, three sur- viving at the present time. One son, Anthony, served in the Twenty-fourth Illinois Infantry during the Civil war, and is now a resident of Claremont, Los Angeles county, Cal., himself and brother, F. X., being the only members of the family in California. The father, Anthony F. Linck, was born in Alsace-Lorraine, France, as was also his father before him, and came of an old family of that part of the country now under German rule. The father was an officer in the French army, but resigned his post to come to America, and located on a farm in Mil- waukee county, Wis., where lie reared his fam- ily and eventually died. He married Mary Seitz, also a native of Alsace-Lorraine, and whose father died in New York City. Mrs. Linck died in Milwaukee county.

In his youth Mr. Linck received the home training and common school education accorded the average farm-reared youth in the middle west, and when eighteen years old was appren- ticed to a carpenter for two and a half years. He then began contracting and building in Bay View, Wis., now a suburb of Milwaukee, and at the end of a year and a half accepted employ- mment with the Milwaukee Iron Company, whose

1252

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

mills were located in Bay View. For six years he was engaged in the roller department and was principally employed at rolling rails. In 1882 he removed to Millbank, Grant county, S. D., where he engaged in contracting and building. In Millbank he was appointed fire warden and building inspector, and took an im- portant part in the county-seat fight which re- sulted in Millbank being the gainer. He erected the bank building and most of the fine resi- dences of the town.

In May of 1888 Mr. Linck removed to Cali- . fornia, and upon locating in North Ontario en- gaged in building and contracting for eighteen months. He invested heavily in real estate, his first assessment being for $10,000. In the end the other parties had the money and Mr. Linck had the experience, a fate all too common with the subsiding of booms. With available assets amounting to grit and determination he started out to again forge his way to the front, and for a couple of weeks swung a pick at a dollar a day. He finally succeeded in getting carpenter work, and at the end of a couple of years began to contract. In 1892 he rented a planing mill on the site of his present business and ran the same for three years, after which he disposed of his interests and built the Los Angeles Ferris wheel. This mammoth novelty was sixty feet in diameter and was first set up at Santa Monica, and after its sale in 1895, Mr. Linck, as hereto- fore stated, bought the site of the burned mill.

The first marriage of Mr. Linck occurred in Milwaukee, Wis., and united him with Mathilda Ewald, who was born in Wisconsin and died in Los Angeles. Of this union there were three children, two of whom are living: Mrs. Joseph- ine Passmore, of Los Angeles, and Grace. In Los Angeles Mr. Linck married Mary Passmore, a native of San Bernardino, Cal., and member of an old family in that town. To Mr. and Mrs. Linck has been born one child, Alexander Je- rome. Mr. Linck is a director of the Hartford White Oil Company. He is a charter-member and vice president of the Los Angeles Planing Mill Association, a member of the Builders' Ex- change, and of the Chamber of Commerce. He is a Republican and a member of the Fraternal Brotherhood.

HENRY NEWBY, cashier of the Pasadena National Bank, is not only one of the most suc- cessful bankers and financiers of Pasadena, but is also one of the city's most honored and up- right citizens. He was born in Spiceland, Henry county, Ind., May 4, 1868, and comes of Quaker ancestry. His father, Albert, was born in North Carolina, as was also his paternal grandfather, the latter being one of the very early settlers of Henry county, Ind. The Newby family came originally from England, and the emigrating members settled in North Carolina.

The mother of Mr. Newby was formerly Car- oline Hubbard, who was born in Milton, Ind., and was a daughter of Richard Hubbard, a minister in the Society of Friends. Richard Hubbard departed somewhat from the time- honored traditions of his church, and cour- ageously lifted his voice in song at a meeting of Friends at Milton, Ind. Being the first to start the innovation, he found himself in dis- repute with the higher powers of the church, who considered his case and misdemeanor at the yearly meeting, and almost disowned him for his tolerance of vocal praise. His example was, however, soon followed by others, and in time the practice ceased to be regarded as other than orthodox. Richard Hubbard was a man of cast- iron habits and unyielding disposition, stern as granite, yet honorable in all his acts. His father, Jeremialı, claimed the distinction of being the largest Quaker minister in the history of the church. He was seven feet high, and stood head and shoulders above everyone else at the yearly meeting. He was a half Cherokee Indian. His father, Joseph Hubbard, was a civil engineer. and while on a government commission to Vir- ginia married Anna Crews, daughter of a chief of the Cherokees. The interest centering around the Hubbard family is thus of two-fold moment, for its members were not only among the great- est and most influential of the Quakers, but have coursing through their veins the blood of the bravest and most enlightened of the red men of the plains. The Hubbards were early pio- neers of Indiana, and were prominent in state as well as church. Mrs. Newby, who is now the wife of Mr. Painter, of Spiceland, Ind., had eight children by her first marriage, two sons and two daughters now living, of whom Henry Newby is the second youngest.

After completing the course at the Academy at Spiceland, Ind., Henry Newby spent a year at the Maryville (Tenn.) College, thereafter re- turning to his former home in Indiana. He came to California in 1887, and soon after entered the First National Bank of Pasadena in an humble capacity. By perseverance and application he soon worked his way to the front of the bank's interests as assistant cashier, which position lie maintained with distinct credit for three years. August 31, 1900, after being with the bank thir- teen years to a day, he resigned his responsi- bility to accept the position of cashier and man- ager of the Pasadena National Bank. When he came to the bank the deposits amounted to $120,000, and at the present time they are over $600,000.

Many additional interests in Pasadena have claimed the attention of Mr. Newby, prominent among these being the East Pasadena Land & Water Company, of which he is one of the or- ganizers and a director. This company is de- voting its energies and funds to the develop-

1253

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

ment of water, and to the general improvement of the eastern part of the city. Mr. Newby is also one of the organizers, and was a member of the first board of directors, and the first treasurer of the Los Angeles County Mutual Building & Loan Association. He is a member of the Pasadena Board of Trade, and of the Twi- light Club, and in political preference is a Re- publican. He is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks; and with his wife is devoted to the church of the Society of Friends. He is treasurer of the Corona Masonic Lodge; a member of the Pasadena Chapter; Pasadena Commandery No. 21; and Al Malakiah Tem- ple, N. M. S., of Los Angeles.

In Pasadena Mr. Newby married Minnie Pearl Berry, born in Cadiz, Ind., a daughter of A. J. Berry, a native of Kentucky. Mr. Berry settled in Cadiz, Ind., at an early day, and there reared fine horses and thoroughbred stock. He came of an old Kentucky family, and married Mary Bond, also a Kentuckian by birth. Mr. Berry was accidentally killed in Knightstown. To Mr. and Mrs. Newby has been born one daughter, Marjorie Berry.

A. L. PHILLIPS. A business experience covering many years has converted Mr. Phillips into one of the sound financiers and successful business men of Chatsworth. He was born in Marshall county, Iowa, in 1860, a son of Alpheus Phillips, a native of Vermont, and by occupa- tion a farmer. He has five brothers living and two sisters. His education was acquired in the public schools of Iowa, and terminated with his graduation from the high school, after which he engaged in educational work for two years. His first business venture was undertaken in part- nership with his brother at Vancleve, Iowa, at which time each bought a half interest in a mercantile establishment, which was later re- moved to St. Anthony, where they continued to do business for six years. The brothers then separated their interests, A. L. conducting the business alone for three years, and then sold out, after which he lived on a farm for two years; meantime the brother removed to Omaha, Neb.

In the spring of 1890 Mr. Phillips came to California and lived for two and a half years at Pasadena, and a part of that time was employed as a bookkeeper for Breiner & Crosby. While thus employed he traded off his Iowa property for property here. He and his family attended the World's Fair at Chicago, and upon his re- turn he attended to the management of his or- chard at Chatsworth, where he put up a small store building and laid in a stock of general merchandise. From this insignificant beginning he was enabled to branch out to meet the grow- ing demands of the population, until at the pres- ent time he has a very large store, with a con-

plete stock, reaching to all possible requirements in a general way, and including agricultural im- plements. The business is conducted in partner- ship with his brother-in-law, M. H. Pierce, and so successful has been the management of their concern that branch stores at Norwalk and Lan- caster have proved satisfactory investments and additional sources of revenue. Mr. Phillips oversees all three of the stores, buys the goods, checks up the stock, and is general overseer. In addition, he manages his orchard of deciduous fruits, and attends to the multitudinous obliga- tions incurred by reason of his ability. For the past five years he has been postmaster at Chats- worth, and lias attended to the affairs of the office in a highly creditable manner. Before coming to the town he was for five years cashier of the St. Anthony Bank, and during the latter part of that time was manager as well as cashier. He also served as township clerk two terms and was candidate for county recorder, but was de- feated at the primary.

At St. Anthony, in 1885, Mr. Phillips married Phoebe A. Pierce, daughter of Anthony R. and Charlotte (Bivins) Pierce. Mrs. Phillips, who died in December of 1899, was the mother of three boys and one girl. The ages of her sons at her death were: Clifford M., nine years; An- thony Leo, five years, and Earnest J., ten and one-half months; Gracie C. died with diphtheria at the age of four years, just after their arrival in California. Mr. Phillips has been able to keep his children together, having a woman to help him care for them. In national politics Mr. Phillips is a Republican, and cast his first pres- idential vote for James G. Blaine. The parents of Mr. Phillips died in 1897, his mother, for- merly Miranda Kelly, living but five days longer than his father, and he was called from California to administer the estate. Mr. Phillips is entitled to great credit for his success in life, for many obstacles have come his way and have been met with fortitude, not the least of his troubles being the inconvenience caused by a crippled limb, the result of a severe illness in childhood.

JAMES J. JEFFRIES. The champion heavy- weight of the world was born near Carroll, Franklin county, Ohio, April 17, 1875. and is a son of Alexis C. Jeffries, mentioned elsewhere in this volume. When six years of age he was brought to Los Angeles by his parents and set- tled on the ninety-acre ranch which has since continued to be the family home. In the devel- opment of this ranch he assisted during boy- hood, and also attended the public schools and Los Angeles Business College. At an early age he was apprenticed to the boiler-maker's trade with the Lacy Manufacturing Company and on completing his time engaged at the occupation as a salaried assistant For about six months of the year, however, he devoted himself to

1254

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

hunting, and spent his time in the mountains of Southern California, a mode of living which he especially enjoyed. It was through the outdoor life, the long walks in the open air and the bracing effects of the mountain atmosphere that be developed a physique remarkable for power and endurance. He stands six feet and two inches in height and is a Hercules in build, training down to two hundred and twelve and two hundred and eight pounds. Yet, though he is as strong as an ox, he is as light of foot as a schoolboy, and it is this combination of strength and agility which has won him pre-eminence in the ring.

While Mr. Jeffries was still a boy, his friend, Charles Murray, induced him to enter the ring and arranged a match between him and an old fighter, Griffin. Though the younger man lacked the skill of the older one and had not been in training at all, yet he came out the winner, and, indeed, his record is the remarkable one of never having suffered defeat. In a con- test with Van Buskirk he won in two rounds, and this victory brought him local notice, for Van Buskirk was considered the heavy weight champion of the Pacific coast. In his next ex- perience he was pitted against Henry Baker, of Chicago, and won in about the ninth round. Later contests were with Gus Ruhlin and Joe Choynski, the latter of whom was then at the top notch of his fighting skill. Tom Sharkey was his next logical opponent and a match was arranged between them, but was called off by the authorities. In a match with Joe Goddard, the Barrier champion, he won in four rounds. This was February 28, 1898. During the same year Jeffries fought with Peter Jackson, Peter Everett, Tom Sharkey and Bob Armstrong. The three-round bouts with Jackson and Ever- ett came in March and April, and that with Sharkey followed in May, giving Jeffries the victory after twenty hard rounds. During the same year he spent some time in New York, with "Billy" Delany, his manager. On his re- turn to Los Angeles he took up boiler-making again, but the next year found him back in New York, with William T. Brady as manager.

June 9, 1899, Jeffries won the championship of the world from Robert Fitzsimmons, getting in his knockout blow on the eleventh round. Contrary to precedent, the champion did not rest long on his laurels after winning them. No- vember found him fighting with Sharkey once more. The twenty-five rounds of that fight are said by many to have put their mark on the sailor for the rest of his career, but Jeffries was none the worse for the encounter. April 6, 1900, he won in the first round with Jack Finne- gan at Detroit. His next battle was with Jim Corbett at Coney Island, and the former cham- pion made a valiant struggle to regain the honors, but was defeated in the twenty-third

round, falling before the same blow that had vanquished Fitzsimmons. The Lewis law put- ting a stop to fighting in the east, Jeffries re- turned to California. During the next year, September 17, he won from Hank Griffin in four rounds, and a week later won from Joe Kennedy, after which, November 15, he van- quished Gus Ruhlin in the fifth round. His lat- est achievement was the match with Robert Fitzsimmons July 25, 1902, at San Francisco, when he won from his opponent in eight rounds, thus once more proving his right to rank as the champion heavyweight of the world.

ANDREW O. PORTER. Referring to the life record of this pioneer of Pasadena, we find that he was born in Lawrenceburg, Ind., being a son of Capt. Thomas Porter, who was an offi- cer in the war of 1812. The latter was a native of Kentucky, his father having gone there from Pennsylvania. In early manhood he became a farmer of Indiana, where he settled in the midst of a raw and unimproved farming region. After having for some years engaged in forwardingand shipping merchandise between Cincinnati and New Orleans, in 1852 he came via Panama to California and engaged in mining on the North Fork of the American river. In 1858 lie re- turned to Indiana via Panama and became pro- prietor of a flour mill at Shelbyville on the Blue. Many years were quietly spent in the pursuits of a business career. Through all of this time, however, he never forgot his years in California, nor did his love for the far west languish.

The year 1873 found Mr. Porter in Los An- geles, where he was one of the organizers of the San Gabriel Orange Growers' Association. Buying property in Pasadena, in 1874 he erected a cottage on Columbia, opposite the south end of Orange Grove avenue. The fifteen acres of his home place were put under fruit culture and carefully superintended, besides which he im- proved several ranches. One of his most impor- tant enterprises was the buying and selling of real estate. During the boom days he laid out fifteen acres as A. O. Porter's subdivision. In the founding of the State Bank (which subse- quently was merged into the First National Bank) he took an interested part. He was among the organizers of other companies and business concerns associated with the develop- ment of the resources of the region.

Until 1884 Mr. Porter voted with the Repub- licans, but he then joined the Democratic party and afterward adhered to its principles. On the organization of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Pasadena he was a charter member and afterward assisted in its upbuilding. His death occurred January 18, 1888, before much of his work had borne fruit in the development of this ideal western city. In the home which he built in 1874 his widow now resides. She

1255

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

was formerly Anna Green, and was a native of Rush county, Ind. With her is her only sur- viving son, Don Carlos, the older son, William, having died when ten years of age. Don Carlos Porter was born in Shelbyville, Ind., December 6, 1870. His early education was acquired in Parker's Academy, after which he carried on the studies of the University of Southern Cali- fornia until the senior year. In December, 1893, he took up the study of law in the office of A. R. Metcalfe, and in 1895 was admitted to the bar. In 1899 he formed a partnership with Mr. Sutton, under the firm name of Porter & Sut- ton. For a time they had their office in the Stowell block, but are now located in Mr. Por- ter's former quarters in the First National Bank building, where a general practice is conducted. Ever since he was admitted to the bar he has hield the office of city attorney of South Pasa- dena. In politics he is a Republican. His mem- bership is in the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Pasadena, of which his father and mother were early members. In addition to his professional work he superintends his five-acre ranch on Columbia avenue and Orange Grove Drive. He aided in the organization of the Pasadena Savings Trust and Safety Deposit Company and the Los Angeles County Building and Loan Association, and has since been a di- rector in both concerns.

JOHN F. SCHWARTZ, county treasurer of San Diego county and a resident of the city of San Diego since 1887, was born in Prague, Aus- tria, in 1860, being a son of Frank and Mary (Bech) Schwartz, natives of the same locality and of German descent. In 1861 the family came to the United States and settled in Chi- cago, where the father died in 1874. The mother is now living in San Diego. There are two sons in the family, John F., of San Diego, and A. D., of Chicago. The earliest recollections of John F. Schwartz are associated with Chicago. At nineteen years of age he entered the employ of the Fort Wayne Railroad (now the Pennsyl- vania line) as a clerk in the freight department at Chicago. During 1883 he went to Flagstaff, Ariz., as assistant agent, and later held a similar position at Williams, where he also managed an eating house for the company. On his return to the north he was made assistant agent at South Chicago.

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 191

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