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 45

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

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ber Company and as assistant manager at Pasa- dena for two years.

In Juniata, Neb., Mr. Nofziger married Mag- gie Yoder, a native of Washington county, lowa. Her father, Stephen Yoder, who is now living in Los Angeles, comes from an old Pennsylvania family, and is a minister in the German Baptist Church. He was a farmer on a large scale in Washington county, Iowa, and in 1880 removed to Shelby county, of the same state, where he continued agricultural enter- prises. Mrs. Nofziger was educated at Mount Morris College, and at McPherson, Kans., and like her husband has had extended educational experience, having begun to teach when six- teen years of age. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Nofziger, J. C., Bennett Ray, and Frances. Mr. Nofziger is a Repub- lican in national politics, and in Redlands was a member of the San Bernardino County Central Committee. He is variously associated with the social and business organizations of Los Angeles and vicinity, and is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Jonathan Club, and the Hoo Hoo's. He is a man of large adapta- bility to the public needs of his neighborhood, and possesses to an unusual degree personal attributes which not only win business success but the confidence of all who know him.

JOHN B. PROCTER. In addition to serv- ing in the capacity of city clerk of Santa Mo- nica and ex-officio assessor for the past two years, Mr. Procter is interested in real estate and insurance, and represents the London As- surance, Liverpool, London and Globe, and St. Paul Companies. Of English birth and lineage, he is a son of Rev. Gilbert and Mary (Gorton) Procter, natives of Lancashire, where the for- mer was a rector in the Church of England. The paternal grandfather, William Procter, was a large landed proprietor and a gentleman of leisure, having no business cares except such as were connected with the management of his estate. The maternal grandfather, Richard Gorton, was also a landed proprietor and a gen- tleman of wealth.

Among seven children (four now living), John B .. Procter was the third son and is the only one in America. He was born in Lanca- shire September 12, 1861, and received a liberal education in Victoria University, Manchester. Since early manhood he has made his home in the United States, where he arrived April 19, 1883. For a time he engaged in farming at Larchwood, Iowa, but in 1887 came to Califor- nia and settled in Santa Monica, which has since been his home. During the entire period of his residence here he has been connected with the insurance and real-estate business, in both of which lines he has gained considerable promi- nence. With the Englishman's inherent love

DR. Willem fly

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

for the recreations that develop the physique and also relieve the monotony of business, he lias found much pleasure in polo, and was one of the originators of the game when it was first started in California, also officiated as cap- tain of the Southern California Polo Club dur- ing its existence. Before leaving England he married Miss Rosetta Machell, who was born at Newby Bridge, and whose father, Capt. Thomas M. Machell, was for years an officer in the Eng- lish armny. The two children of Mr. and Mrs. Procter are James Machell, who is attending school in England, and Gilbert.

The blue lodge of Masons at Santa Monica has Mr. Procter as one of its members, and he is also connected with the Foresters of America. Reared in the faith of the Church of England, he has always adhered to its doctrines, and is now treasurer and a vestryman of the Santa Monica Episcopal Church. Since becoming a citizen of the United States he has given his support to the Republican party.

JAMES R. WILLOUGHBY. That early discouragements and the absence of capital or influence are no bars to success is happily illustrated in the life of James R. Willoughby, owner and manager of one of the largest and finest stock farms in Ventura county. A native of Canterbury, Windham county, Conn., Mr. Willougliby was born October 22, 1831. The family ancestry is traced to England, whence three brothers emigrated in an early day and settled in Connecticut. His father, William F., was born in Windham county and died there in 1849; while the mother, Phoebe, daughter of James Carey, was likewise a lifelong resident of Connecticut. The Carey ancestry is traced to Anne Boleyn, who by her death paid the penalty for the honor of being the wife of Henry VIII of England.

In the family of William F. and Phoebe Wil- loughby there were twelve children, nine of whom reached maturity. Two daughters live in California, and Otis H., who was a California pioneer of 1854, is now a resident of Watson- ville. The oldest son, James R., was educated in the public schools of Connecticut and re- mained on the home farm until he undertook the long voyage to the far west. January 20, 1853, he engaged passage on the steamer Northern Light, Captain Tinglepoe, from New York to San Francisco via the Nicaragua route, but later he boarded the steamer Independence, Captain Sampson, for San Francisco. This boat was doomed to a terrible fate, being botlı wrecked and burned, and two hundred out of four hundred and fifty passengers were drowned. With others, Mr. Willoughby was cast upon the island of Margareta. There were a number of whalers in Magdalena bay and they there found a way out of their difficulties through the barque

Meteor, which carried them safely to San Fran- cisco. Without even a hat upon his head, but none the worse physically for his accident, he started out to face the problem of making his living, and was soon rewarded by securing work by the day at odd tasks, until such time as he could find steady employment. He began to be interested in buying and selling cattle, logs and horses, and in time worked up a large wholesale butchering business in San Francisco, where he remained for twenty-nine years.

The first introduction of Mr. Willoughby to the lower coast regions was in 1865, when he traveled south from San Francisco, purchasing sheep and cattle. During this trip he was so impressed with the advantages of Ventura county that he soon after bought sixty-five hun- dred acres of the old ex-mission and Saticoy ranches. At one time he owned as much as thirteen thousand acres of land, but he has dis- posed of all this except his original purchase. He is extensively engaged in raising rough- fleeced black-faced sheep, Shorthorn cattle, and a standard draft of horses. Many fine records have been shown by the horses raised on this farm, among them being a record of 2:15 by Richmond, Jr. Mr. Willoughby also owned a third interest in Old Richmond and raised the mother of Waldo J. on his farm, together with other fine horses. Besides his farm interests he is active in the affairs of his county and town- ship, was elected county supervisor on the Re- publican ticket, also served for one term as city trustee and has been chairman of the county central committee and a member of the state central committee. Since the organization of the People's Lumber Company, in which he bore a part, lie has been its treasurer and a di- rector.

In San Francisco Mr. Willoughby married Mary E. Holloway, who was born in Tennessee and died in 1881. Of this union there were the following children: W. F., who is a farmer in Ventura county; Abbie, who is the wife of Fred R. Butcher, of Saticoy; G. D., a farmer in Ven- tura county; Charles, who is farming with his father; and James, who is engaged in the in- surance business in Salt Lake City. August 10, 1886, Mr. Willoughby married Rena Roberts, who was born in Minnesota, a daughter of Wil- liam and Mary (Fowler) Roberts, natives respec- tively of Wales and England. The paternal grandfather was born and died in Wales, and married an English woman. The father immi- grated to New York and then settled in Man- kato, Minn., engaging in contracting and build- ing there until 1896, when he came to Ventura county. He served during the Indian wars in Minnesota. His wife, Mary Fowler, was born in England, a daughter of Henry Fowler, who came to America and followed the dental pro- fession at St. Anthony Falls, Minn. To Mr.

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and Mrs. Roberts were born four children, three of whom are in California, Mrs. Willoughby be- ing the youngest. She was reared and educated in Minnesota, and is a graduate of the Mankato Normal School. Of her marriage two children have been born, Rena Sessions and Otis Hunt- ington Willoughby.

PORFIRIO PALOMARES. The Palo- mares family of Los Angeles is descended from Don Francisco de Palomares, governor of the castle of St. Gregory at Oran, Spain. In his family there were six children, namely: Es- teban, who was lieutenant-colonel of the Knights of the Order of Santiago; Don Juan, who became governor of the castle after his father's death; Don Antonio, who was a judge; Don José; Eugenio, who lost his life as a result of his attempts to overthrow the Catholic re- ligion; and Dona Francisca, who married Don Diego Francisco, Knight of the Order of Santiago and governor of the plaza of Oran. The second of the sons, Captain Juan, is re- membered in the history as the officer who led his men in a determined but hopeless resistance against the Turkish troops at Borcha. After the majority of his troops had been slain, not being able to defend himself and the castle, he set fire to the powder house or depository, and blew up the castle, beneath whose ruins the dead bodies of himself and his men were later found.

Tracing the history of the family down toward the present, we find that Don Fran- cisco de Palomares was a well-known citizen of Toledo, Spain. A letter written to his sister and dated Mexico, 1777, states that he was born about 1701 and died in Madrid in 1771. His children were Don Francisco, who was clerk of the city of Madrid and died in 1795; Donicio, Maria Josefa and Juan Leocadio. The last- named crossed the ocean from Spain to Mexico and established a home in Sonora, where he married Dona Maria Antonia Gonzales de Zayas, sister of Father Elias, an influential priest. Their only son, Juan Francisco, was born in Sonora, and became the father of the following children: Herman, Antonia, Juana, Francisca, Procofio, Almara, Tranquilina, Fi- burcio, Manuel, Ygnacio and Jesus. Among the children of Manuel was Juan Leocadio, by whose marriage to Maria Antonia Gonzales was born an only child, Christopher. The latter came to Los Angeles as a sergeant in the Mex- ican army and afterward served as judge of Los Angeles. His residence stood on the present site of the Arcade depot. By his marriage to Beneditia Luisa he had the following children: Concepcion, Barta, Rosario, Francisco. Ygna- cio, Louis, Dolores, Maria Jesus and Josefa. Of this family Ygnacio married Concepcion

Lopez, and their children were Louise, Teressa, Tomas, Francisco, Manuel, Josefa, Concepcion, Caroline and Maria. The second of the sons, Francisco, at an early age secured employment as assistant on a ranch. Later he became a large property owner and wealthy cattleman. It is said that for years he was the largest land owner in all of the Pomona valley, and over his fields roamed thousands of cattle and horses. Eventually he carried fewer heads of stock, but of a higher grade. On the ground where the home of Mr. Nichols now stands he built a large adobe house, and here the happiest days of his life were passed, in the society of his family and the many friends whom his genial qualities had drawn to him. In those days there was an abundance of rain, consequently the pastures were in excellent condition for the stock. Little land was cultivated. Indians were numerous, but did no damage except to steal cattle occasionally. Wild game abounded, and the sportsman found rare pleasure in hunt- ing the deer, antelope, bears and wolves with which the remote valleys were filled. Little did those pioneers dream of the wonderful trans- formation of the present; some of them lived to witness many of the changes wrought by the incoming of American settlers, and he was among the number. The increase in the values of land caused him to dispose of much of his property, and his last days were spent in retire- ment from business. He was one of the lead- ing Democrats of his day and locality and for some time filled the office of supervisor. In religion he was of the Catholic faith. He died in 1882 when forty-six years of age, leaving a wife and four children. The former was Lugardia Alvarado, a native of Los Angeles, and who died June 14, 1896, at the age of fifty- six years. The children were Concepcion, who married Eduardo Abila; Christina; Francisco, who married Virginia Miller; and Porfirio, who forms the subject of this article.

When the estate was divided Porfirio Palo- mares received seventy-six acres for his share, of which amount he afterward sold twenty-nine acres. At this writing he owns one hundred and ninety-one acres of higher lands where he raises alfalfa for feed. In addition he is the possessor of forty-three hundred acres in San Diego county, the whole forming what is known as the Montserrat ranch. His attention is de- voted to a general farming business and to the management of his vineyard. On his place will be seen a substantial set of buildings, provided with the modern equipments. Like his father, he is a Roman Catholic in religion and a Demo- crat in politics. With his wife, Hortense, daughter of Vicente Yorba of Orange county, he has a large circle of friends throughout Southern California, and is regarded as a worthy descendant of Spanish nobility.

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

JOSE, DOLORES PALOMARES. There is scarcely a resident of the eastern part of Los Angeles county to whom the name of Palo- mares is unfamiliar. Particularly is this true of those who are acquainted with the early history of the county. At a very early day the family became established here, having come from Mexico and originally from Spain, of which country they belonged to the nobility. The representative of the family whose name introduces this sketch and who is a well-known citizen of Lordsburg, traces his lineage to Don Juan Leocadio Palomares, of Sonora, Mexico, who married Dona Maria Antonia Gonzales de Zayas and had an only son, Christopher. As a sergeant in the Mexican army the latter became connected with the military affairs of his native land. About 1771 he identified himself with the pioneers of the then straggling hamlet of Los Angeles, where he served as judge and built a home on the present site of the Arcade depot. When quite advanced in years he passed away, thus closing a career that had been long and intimately associated with the pioneer history of the City of the Angels. By his marriage to Benedita Saiz he had the following-named chil- dren: Concepcion, Barbara, Rosario, Francisco, Ygnacio, Louise, Dolores, Maria Jesus and Josefa.

The fourth member of this family, in order of birth, was Francisco, who was born in 1806 and grew to manhood amid the primitive sur- roundings of his California home. During his entire life he devoted himself to farming, much of the time making his home in San Jose, where he had a ranch with large numbers of cattle and horses. When advancing years rendered manual labor no longer possible he relinquished to younger hands the active work connected with his ranch, but still maintained a supervision of his property interests. At the time of his death he was eighty-three. His wife, Margarrita (Pacheco) Palomares, had died in 1857 when fifty-two years of age. They were the parents of the following-named children: Benidita, Maria Jesus, Christopher, Rosalio, José Dolores (the subject of this article), Concepcion and Francisco.

In the sketch of Porfirio Palomares, on an- other page, will be found further mention of the family genealogy and a record of the de- scent as traced from the governor of the castle of St. Gregory, at Oran, Spain. José Dolores Palomares was born in San José, Cal., March 24, 1841, and was reared to a knowledge of farm affairs. Selecting agriculture for his life work, he turned his attention to farming in the Calaveras valley and also had ten years of ex- perience in ranching in Santa Clara county. A later venture was the real-estate business, which occupied six years, and afterward he spent three years carpentering at Contra Costa.

Since 1876 he has made his home in Lords- burg, where he owns a valuable farm and gives his attention to a supervision of his interests. In 1882 he erected a commodious house and barn, planted fruit trees of various kinds and a vineyard, since which time he has improved and sold considerable of his property, although still retaining important village possessions. Like the majority of the Palomares family, he favors the Democratic party and is a Roman Catholic in religious views. By his marriage to Sarafina Macias, daughter of Estaban Macias of Mexico, he has nine children, namely: Porfirio, Maggie, Chonita, Francisco, Arturo, Emilia, Rosa, Issavel and Ernestine.

CAPT. SAMUEL F. REBER. For the ını- portant position he now holds, as quartermaster and commissary of subsistence at the Pacific Branch National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, Captain Reber is admirably qualified by reason of his long and successful experience as a soldier in the Civil war. This appointment, tendered him through the recommendation of Senator Foraker of Ohio, forms a fitting climax to the patriotic spirit manifested during the days of our country's need, when as a volunteer he eagerly sought for an opportunity to fight for the Union, braving hardships and perils in order to aid in securing victory for the stars and stripes.

The ancestry of the family is traced to John Reber, a German, who in 1742 immigrated to Berks county, Pa. From him descended Ber- nard, whose son, Jolın Reber, was a native of Berks county, followed farm pursuits, and died in Lewisburg, Pa. Next in line of descent was Samuel, also a native of Berks county, and who removed to Illinois in 1852, settling on Yellow creek, near Freeport. The next year he died at his new home. In Berks county he had married Mary Ritter, whose father, Jacob Ritter, was born in that county, of an old Pennsylvania family. In 1859 she removed to Dayton, Ohio, and there died in 1879. Of her sixteen children who grew to years of maturity three daughters and three sons are now living. Imbued with a patriotic spirit, five of the sons enlisted in the Union army and served with meritorious valor. Levy, who was for three years a soldier in the Forty-sixth Illinois Infantry, died in Nebraska in 1896; Martin, who was for three years in the same regiment, is now living at Eldorado Springs, Mo .; Samuel F. was a soldier in the Twenty-fourth Ohio Infantry for three years of the war; Henry, who was a member of the Ninth Iowa Infantry, died in Dayton, Ohio, in 1869; and James, who as a sixteen-year-old boy enlisted in the One Hundred and Thirty-second Ohio Infantry, is now cashier of Winters Na- tional Bank of Dayton, Ohio.

In Lewisburg, Pa., Samuel F. Reber was

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

born in 1843. His childhood years were passed principally in Illinois, but in 1859 he removed from there to Dayton, Ohio. In 1861, at the first call for volunteers, he enlisted in the service, but the quota being full, he was assigned to the Twenty-fourth Ohio Infantry, and was mustered in at Camp Chase. As orderly sergeant he proved himself efficient and won promotion to drillmaster of the non-commissioned officer. Among his early engagements were those at Greenbrier and Cheat Mountain, W. Va., after which his regiment and the Sixth Ohio were sent to Kentucky and assigned to Nelson's division of the ariny of the Ohio, organized by General Buell. Shortly after the commission of lieutenant was tendered him, he commanded his company at Shiloh, all of the commissioned of- ficers being either disabled or killed. Having proved himself an efficient leader he was offered promotion to captain, but being only nineteen years of age he considered himself too young to accept the responsibility. Among his engage- ments in 1862 were those of Woodbury, Perry- ville and Stone river. In October he was as- signed to the pioneer corps and made assistant quartermaster and impressing officer of the army of the Cumberland, where his duties af- forded a splendid scope for the display of his unusual ability. Meantime he had accepted an appointment as first lieutenant, and in January, 1863, was sent to Washington, D. C., to receive instructions in a new system of telegraphy. Re- turning to the army in April, he was in time to participate in the Chattanooga campaign which culminated in the battle of Chickamauga. While the army was stationed at Chattanooga he was in active service on Waldron's Ridge and in the Sequache valley, returning in time for the bat- tles of Lookout mountain and Missionary Ridge. In the latter engagement he sent and received all of General Grant's messages. In the winter of 1863-64 he had charge of a signal station of observation on Lookout mountain. During the Atlanta campaign he was chief signal officer of the Twentieth Army Corps and was with General Hooker in every engagement of the campaign. The term of service having expired, his regiment was discharged, but he was retained by special order of the war depart- ment and remained until Atlanta was captured. The news of the capture he signaled to Vining Station, nine miles from Atlanta, where a tele- graph office had been established. He was mustered out October 13, 1864, and at once be- gan recruiting volunteers in Dayton. In March. 1865, he was tendercd a commission as licuten- ant-colonel by the governor of Ohio, but all indications pointed to a speedy close of the war, and so he declined the honor. He was also commissioned a lieutenant in the regular army and still retains the commission in his posses- sion, but decided he would prefer business pur-

suits. During all of his service, working side by side with him, was Burch Foraker, a brother of Senator Foraker. It is worthy of note that their promotions were simultaneous, even in- cluding the signal service, and thus was formed a friendship between the two that continued un- til Captain Foraker died in 1875.

When the war had closed and men began to settle down to the ordinary pursuits of civic life, Captain Reber went to Portsmouth, Ohio. where for years he carried on an insurance busi- ness. In 1883 he removed to Minneapolis, Minn., where he carried on a building business until 1900. While there he served as health in- spector, having been appointed under a Re- publican administration, he being a pronounced and active Republican. His marriage, in Lan- caster, Pa., united him with Miss Sarah B. Kieffer, who was born in that city. Four chil- diren comprise their family, namely: Burch Foraker and John Charlton, who are connected with the St. Paul road in Minneapolis; Samuel Kieffer, who is associated with the Fresno Democrat in Fresno, Cal .; and Walter W., also an employe of the St. Paul in Minneapolis. While in Dayton, Ohio, Captain Reber was in- itiated into Masonry, and for years has held membership in the blue lodge at Portsmouth. During the period of his residence in Minne- apolis he was adjutant of Plummer Post, G. A. R. In 1900 he came to California to visit his son in Fresno and was so pleased with the climate and the country that he decided to re- main, hence the appointment as quartermaster at the Soldiers' Home, which was tendered hin September 20, 1901, proved most happily in ac- cord with his own tastes and preferences, and on the Ist of October he entered upon his duties, to the efficient discharge of which he has since devoted his time and thoughtful attention.

J. C. RUST. A resident of Pasadena since 1884, Mr. Rust has been identified in various ways with the growth and progress of this city. He was born at North Vernon, Ind., January 19, 1857, and is a son of Abraham and Sarah (Boner) Rust, who make their home in Pasa- dena. His father, who was a native of Ohio, spent a portion of his earlier life in that state and Indiana, but later engaged in farm pursuits in Kansas, returning from there to Indiana, and finally settling in California. In the family there were twelve children, but five are deceased.

Until eighteen years of age J. C. Rust lived in Indiana. From there he went to Illinois and began farming in Jackson county. Five years later he removed to Kansas and took up a tract of farm land in Riley county. Not feeling satis- fied with the limited education he had received, he applied some of his savings to the broaden- ing of his education, for which purpose he at- tended the State Agricultural College at Man-

of f Beckwith

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

hattan. However, when ready to enter upon the senior year he left the college in order to take up the study of medicine. For a time he read under Dr. Paddock of Nelawaka, Kans., and later was with Dr. Cope, of Vernon, Ind., but on his return to Kansas gave up his intention to become a physician, and instead went to the mines of Silver Reefe, Utah. A year later, in March, 1884, he arrived in Pasadena. His early undertakings in this city were along the line of real-estate investments. On the corner of Illi- nois and Garfield avenues he laid out two acres, forming the J. C. Rust addition to Pasadena. In addition he laid out five acres, comprising the Rust subdivision of Whittier; also another five- acre tract, the Rust & Landreth subdivision of Whittier; and the Rust, Baldwin & Landreth subdivision of Whittier, ten acres.

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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 45

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