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 80

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 80

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The mother of our subject was Maria An- tonia De la Guerra, who was born in Santa Barbara. After the death of her first husband, she became the wife of Gaspar Orena. She now resides in San Francisco, Cal., but still re- tains valuable property in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, an entire block in the city of Santa Barbara, and real estate in Los Angeles. Of her first marriage were born two children now living: Maria Antonia, at home; and Cae- sar Eugene. Her father, Don Jose Antonio De la Guerra, a native of the north part of Spain and the son of wealthy parents, went to Mexico as a captain in the Spanish army, and in 1801 located in Santa Barbara, Cal., where he mar- ried Miss Maria A. Carillo. From the Mexi- can government he bought a grant to forty- eight thousand acres at San Julian, one hun- dred thousand acres in Ventura county, and Los Pasos Rancho, having in all over fifty Spanish leagues. He laid out De la Guerra square and built the historic mansion, with plaza, around which cluster so many memories of early days. Here he died in 1858.

In Santa Ynez College and the first free

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school in Santa Barbara, the subject of this article received his education. He learned the plumber's trade in San Francisco and for eight years carried on a hardware business on State street, Santa Barbara, but finally sold out to Roeder & Ott. In 1878 he visited the Paris Exposition and spent a year in France and Spain, meantime meeting many relatives he had never before seen. After his return he took charge of the property and ranches, but some years later withdrew and in 1885 settled in Santa Barbara, since which time he has been a notary public and dealer in real estate. He is a stanch Democrat and a worker in the county com- mittee.

DANIEL GIBLER. Horticulture is the principal industry of Pomona, and the raising of oranges and lemons the specialty of most residents. Indeed, this statement is true not alone of Pomona and the adjoining villages of Claremont, Spadra, North Pomona, etc., but of the most fertile sections of the entire county of Los Angeles. One of the successful horticul- turists of the county is Daniel Gibler, whose or- chard lies between Pomona and Claremont. On this place, which is known as Rosemont, he has made his home since December, 1892, meantime busily engaged in the cultivation of the land and the care of his trees. He owns ten acres, a part of which is in oranges, the balance being planted to lemons. He has an- other orchard of fifteen acres of oranges in San Bernardino county, Cal. His methods of cul- tivation have proved successful, as is evidenced by the appearance of his land. Besides the man- agement of his property he has been vice presi- dent and a director in the Indian Hill Citrus Union, but at present is not officially connected with the same.

THOMAS H. BUCKMASTER. This prom- inent walnut grower, builder and contractor, and vice-president of the Home Oil Company, came to Whittier in August, 1894, and has since conducted the various enterprises in which he is interested in a way which reflects credit upon himself and the community in which his lot is cast.

Among the vast number of resources of Cali- fornia may be mentioned the quite recent dis- covery of oil, which has opened yet another avenue of industry and speculation for the dwellers in this state of plenty. Mr. Buck- master became interested in the departure al- most at its inception and was one of the organ- izers and incorporators of the Home Oil Com- pany, and is at this writing vice-president of the same. For the first year he served as man- ager and has since been a member of the board of directors. On his ranch in East Whittier are grown walnuts and oranges, and as an horti-

culturist and walnut grower he has been very successful. Fraternally he is associated with the Ancient Order of United Workmen. With his family he is a member of, and active worker in, the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is re- garded as one of Whittier's reliable and pro- gressive citizens, and during his sojourn here has won the confidence and esteem of all who know him.

W. H. LAYNE. As one of the walnut growers near Saticoy, Mr. Layne has been identified with the interests of the Santa Clara valley since he came here from Texas in 1891. . He was born in Washington county, Texas, August 10, 1850, and is a son of Robert and Martha (Thompson) Layne, na- tives respectively of Missouri and Alabama. In 1836 his father became a pioneer of Texas, set- tling in Washington county and taking up a tract of land, to the cultivation of which he de- voted his remaining years. While he was still a young man his life work was ended. His wife had settled in Texas before the war for Texas independence, and her brother, Ancil Thomp- son, died while a soldier in the Texan army.

Such education as was possible to obtain from local schools Mr. Layne enjoyed when a boy in his native county. However, his edu- cation has been obtained principally in the great school of experience. When starting out for himself, he settled on a ranch of fourteen hun- dred acres, where he engaged in raising sheep and selling wool. From a small flock he in- creased his sheep until they numbered twenty- five hundred head. In 1891 he came to Califor- nia and settled in Ventura county, buying a wal- nut orchard of forty-two acres. The trees which were then a year old, were of the Santa Barbara soft shell variety. Since coming here he has acquired a thorough knowledge of wal- nut-growing, and has been an active worker in the Saticoy Walnut Growers' Association. Much of his time has been devoted to the im- provement of his property. He makes his home on the ranch, where he has a small, but cozy and comfortable house. Water for all purposes is supplied by a private water plant of twenty horse-power gasoline engine, furnishing twen- ty-four miners' inches.

The marriage of Mr. Layne united him with Miss Lulu Goode, who was born in Lake Charles, La. They are the parents of three sons, namely: William Robert, who is a grad- uate of the class of 1900, Ventura high school, and now attends the Mark Hopkins Institute of Art, a branch of the California State Uni- versity; Louis Walker and Edwin Forrest, who are at home.

In educational matters Mr. Layne is active, being now a member of the board of trustees of the grammar school in Saticoy and the high

Henry NRyor

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school at Ventura. Politically he is a Demo- crat. One of the local enterprises with which he is connected as a director is the Saticoy Co-op- erative Store. Fraternally he is a member of Ventura Lodge, F. & A. M. In religious views he is a Presbyterian, and the church of that denomination in Saticoy has the benefit of his services as a trustee.

HENRY N. RYAN. To attain to so hon- ored a place in the community as has Henry N. Ryan is to live worthily and improve the oppor- tunities within reach of one's ability and indus- try. Without doubt the surroundings of his youth had much to do with formulating those principles of truth and honesty which are the keynote of his character and which have helped him in surmounting difficulties and attaining to his desires. A native of St. Charles county, Mo., Mr. Ryan was born in December of 1825, his father, Henry, being a native of Ireland, and his mother, Catherine (Smelser) Ryan, a native of Georgia. Henry Ryan settled in Missouri at a very early day, and after his son's birth the family removed to St. Louis, which at that time was but a little village with no immediate pros- pects of developing into a city. After two years they returned to St. Charles county, Mo., which continued to be their home until Henry N. was about eleven years of age. After removing to Alton, Ill., the parents died, and Henry N., then but twelve years old, faced the problem of self- support. He manfully put his shoulder to the wheel of necessity and applied himself to learn- ing the trade of harness-making, thereafter working at the same until 1847.

In the hope of finding a better field for the future Mr. Ryan removed from Illinois to Inde- pendence, Mo., and was diligently applying his trade when the war with Mexico broke out. As became a loyal youth he enlisted in the war in Company A., Donaldson's regiment, Captain Waldo commanding, and went to Mexico by way of Santa Fe, returning through Texas. While in the service he participated in the battle of Sacramento and several others, and the regi- ment was at El Paso for a month, eventually being discharged at New Orleans. After the war Mr. Ryan returned to Independence, Mo., where he opened a shop, which was sold out before many months in order that he might join a friend in an overland trip to California. Mr. Moody and himself got together the necessary provisions, a wagon and a team of oxen, and started out, their journey being enlivened by meeting a train of emigrants whose destination was similar to their own. However, they left the train behind, and when yet many miles from their goal Mr. Ryan left Mr. Moody and the oxen, came on ahead, worked two weeks for some money with which to defray necessary ex- penses, then walked back a hundred miles to re-

join the oxen and his friend. They staid at Feather river and engaged in mining until 1853, when Mr. Ryan came to Santa Cruz and began ranching, continuing that occupation with good results until 1876, when he settled in Lompoc. In one year alone in Santa Cruz he raised six thousand sacks of potatoes, but was unable to sell a bushel.

In the mean time Mr. Ryan had many times visited Lompoc, and had on one of his trips in- vested in eighty acres of land. This, and later purchases amounting in all to two hundred and twenty acres, in three ranches, is still in his pos- session, although the country property is all rented out. He has a beautiful southern home on the corner of Ocean avenue and L street, Lompoc, built a few years ago, with every idea of comfort and convenience, and he also has an- other house in the town, besides other town property.

In Santa Cruz, in 1866, Mr. Ryan married Mary Seitz, who was born in New York state, and of this union there was one child, a daugh- ter, who died at the age of nineteen years. In national politics Mr. Ryan is a Democrat, and first voted for Zachariah Taylor. He has never desired political office, his numerous interests taking up all of his time and attention.

FRANK KAHLES. The genial and enter- prising manager of the Crocker-Sperry ranch at Montecito, has had an extended career as an horticulturist, agriculturist and land- scape gardener, and thoroughly understands every department of the work to which he is devoting his life. He is a na- tive of Bavaria, Germany, and in that coun- try learned the art of landscape gardening. Upon immigrating to America in 1871, his serv- ices were utilized by the most exclusive and particular appreciators of his art in New York, and he laid out the grounds for D. A. Kane, afterwards being superintendent for H. Have- meyer on Long Island. This position he filled for ten years, and then came to California, where he was at first employed as head gar- dener for Charles Crocker in San Francisco, having full charge of his grounds wherever lo- cated. In 1895 he came to his present home at Montecito.

The Crocker-Sperry ranch consists of three hundred acres, the greater portion of which is devoted to lemon culture, the whole comprising the largest lemon ranch in Santa Barbara coun- ty. Mr. Kahles is in complete charge of the growing, shipping, packing and selling, and all of the work is done on the ranch. His wide knowledge of horticultural matters has brought him prominently before the public, and has re- sulted in his appointment as president of the Santa Barbara Horticultural Society. His work in connection with the ranch of which he has

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charge has been truly remarkable, for when it came under his management it was very much run down and in a discouraging condition. He has placed it on a paying basis, and trans- formed it into a model of its kind without a superior in the county. He is the inventor of the distillate spray, a device for removing the scale from the trees, and which is now recom- mended by the state board of horticulture.

In fraternal circles Mr. Kahles is connected with the Knights of Pythias lodge of New York, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in San Francisco, the Masonic blue lodge in San Francisco, the Royal Archi Chapter and Knights Templar Commandery at Santa Bar- bara.

JOHN CHARLES FREMONT. The cele- brated "Pathfinder," whose name gained world- wide fame during the nineteenth century, was born in Savannah, Ga., January 1, 1813, being a son of John Charles and Anne B. (Whiting) Fremont, natives respectively of France and Virginia. During boyhood he lived with his widowed mother at Charleston, S. C. From 1833 to 1835 he was a teacher of mathematics on the sloop-of-war Natchez, and later became assist- ant to Capt. W. G. Williams of the United States topographical engineers. In 1838 he ex- plored the country north of the Missouri river. July 8, 1838, he was commissioned second lieu- tenant of the topographical engineer corps. October 19, 1841, he married Jessie, daughter of United States Senator Thomas H. Benton of Missouri. May 2, 1842, he left Washington, D. C., in charge of an expedition to survey be- yond the Rocky Mountains by the south pass, and explored the Wind river mountains. One of the members of the expedition was Kit Car- son.

In May of 1843, with thirty-nine men, Mr. Fremont set out to find a path to the Pacific ocean. September 6, 1843, they came in view of Great Salt Lake. In the depth of winter they crossed into the California valley. Early in March of 1844 they reached Sutter's Fort in Sacramento, and on the 24th of the same month started back, reaching Kansas July 1, 1844. The third expedition in which General Fremont was engaged took place in 1845 and brought him to Monterey, the old capital of California, whence he proceeded to Tiamath Lake. Re- ceiving orders from Washington to defend the United States interests in California and to pro- tect American settlers, he acted so promptly that in a short time he had wrested Northern Cali- fornia from Mexican rule. July 4, 1846, he was elected governor of California. January 13, 1847, he concluded articles of capitulation with the Mexicans by the treaty of Cahuenga, which left the territory in the possession of the United States. In 1849 he was elected United States

Senator from California and took his seat Sep- tember 10, 1850, the day after California was admitted as a state. At the expiration of his term he and his family spent two years in Eu- rope.

The fifth expedition of General Fremont across the continent to California began in Sep- tember of 1853. Three years later he was made the champion of a new political party whose rallying cry was "Free soil, free speech, free- dom and Fremont." At the Republican nation- al convention of June, 1856, he was nominated for president. In 1858 he returned to Cali- fornia. At the outbreak of the Civil war he was made major-general, in command of the west- ern department of the regular army, with head- quarters in St. Louis. In March of 1862 Presi- dent Lincoln gave him command of the moun- tain district of Virginia, Kentucky and Tennes- see. In 1878. he was appointed governor of Arizona, which office he held for three years. In 1890 he was made a major-general of the regular army by act of congress. His death occurred July 13, 1890, while on a temporary visit in New York City. During the same year his widow was granted a special pension by congress. Another gift, indicative of the re- gard in which she was held, came to her from the women of California, being a charming res- idence in Los Angeles, where she still resides.

The memories of Mrs. Jessie Benton Fre- mont extend back to the early days of Wash- ington history. When thirteen years old she attended a dinner at the White House, given by President Van Buren in honor of his son. A year later she attended a great state dinner given by the president in honor of the Russian minister, Bodisco the Splendid, and his sixteen- year-old bride. This marriage between a bride- groom of sixty-five and his young bride was the most gorgeous ceremony Washington had ever witnessed, and Jessie Benton was one of the bridesmaids, Mr. Buchanan (afterward pres- ident) being the attending groomsman. At the age of sixteen she eloped with John C. Fre- mont, whom she married in opposition to the wishes of her father; however, the latter soon relented and welcomed the young couple back to his home and affection. When she decided to join her husband in California in 1848, she sailed from New York for Panama, encountering many perils and hardships. Every sort of unexpected misfortune overtook her, but with splendid cour- age she persisted in her purpose of joining her husband, of whom she had received no news for months. She was more dead than alive when finally she reached San Francisco, where she had the joy of seeing her husband there to greet her. Of California as she found it in those days, she tells entertainingly in a little volume, entitled, "A Year of American Travel." Others of her well-known works are "Souvenirs

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of My Time," "A Sketch of Senator Fremont," "Story of the Guard" and "Will and Way Sto- ries." At this writing she is engaged in the preparation of her autobiography, in which will be fascinating glimpses of a romantic and pic- turesque past.

CRAWFORD P. TEAGUE. As early as the fall of 1878, when the now flourishing town of San Dimas was known as Mud Springs, Mr. Teague, with two of his sons, settled at this place, becoming a pioneer of a new and unim- proved section of country. He was at the time a member of the Mound City Land and Water Association, located at Azusa, which had pur- chased over four thousand acres of the Dalton homestead at Azusa and an undivided one-third interest in the San José rancho; also the addition in the San José rancho, making 13,666 acres. The corporation made the first payment of $35,- 000 on the land, and then, within a year after buying the property, went into liquidation. Be- ing thus thrown upon his own resources, Mr. Teague leased a tract of land at Mud Springs (now San Dimas), on which he remained for some years. In the spring of 1887 he purchased thirty acres, a part of the old San José tract, and to the development of this he gave his at- tention, setting out a large number of citrus fruit trees and paying close attention to their care and growth. Since 1881 he has been a resident of San Dimas.

JOHN LANE. A master workman, Mr. Lane has the reputation of being one of the most practical and successful plumbers in South- ern California. The many intricate phases of his particular occupation, upon which depend the general health of a city and the existence or non-existence of sanitary conditions, have been studied by this artisan, who, with his fellow workers, is entitled to credit for his intelligent comprehension of the occupation.

A native of Cardiff, Wales, Mr. Lane was born December 9, 1858, and is the youngest son in a family of seven children, of whom five are living. His father, Thomas, was born in Bristol, England, and was a chain maker by occupation. In this connection he was asso- ciated with some interesting undertakings, among others being the fact that he manufac- tured the chain which successfully launched the Great Eastern, at the time the greatest craft ever floated upon the waters. He immigrated to America in 1869, and brought his family via Panama to California, where his death occurred at Haywards, Alameda county. He married Elizabeth Spriggs, who was also born in Bris- tol, and who is now living in Oakland, Cal.

John Lane came to America with the rest of the family, and upon settling in California, re- ceived his education and home training at Hay-

wards. At the age of fifteen he was apprenticed to a plumber and tinsmith for three years, and afterwards continued to work for the firm for four years. He was then employed by the Pa- cific Improvement Company, that built the Southern Pacific Railroad at Salida, and as teamster worked all the way down to King City. He was then sent to Saugus as teamster for a month, and in 1881 located in Los An- geles in the employ of the plumber, A. H. Lang- ley. In 1885 he located in Ventura in the plumbing business, and has ever since had charge of all the principal city work in his line. He was for a time engaged with Charle- bois & Co., as foreman of their plumbing de- partment, but resigned that position in 1900, and started the business of Lane & Brown, with offices located at the corner of Santa Clara and California avenues. The firm have charge of all the sewer work of the city, and have man- aged the plumbing in the large buildings and principal residences.

In Los Angeles Mr. Lane married Lucy E. Tappiner, a native of San Francisco. Of this union there is one child, Bessie. Mr. Lane is associated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Independent Order of For- esters, in which latter organization he is a past officer. He is a member of the board of trade, and of the State Association of Master Plumb- ers. He owns considerable property in Ventura, and has just finished building his fourth resi- dence. His efforts and admirable traits of char- acter have gained for him many friends, and the good will and esteem of the community in which he lives.

ROBERT McFADDEN. Although a many- sided projector, the commercial standing of Mr. McFadden is best gauged by his interest in the lumber business, in the pursuit of which the greater part of his life has been spent. As the general manager of the Newport Wharf & Lumber Company, of which he was one of the incorporators and chief promoters, he exerts a wide influence upon the trade throughout the region affected by his jurisdiction, and is one of the best informed men on the subject in the state. His first experience in the line was ac- quired at a comparatively young age in his na- tive state of New York, where he was born in Delaware county August 25, 1845. Of Scotch ancestry, his parents, John and Effie (Lamont) McFadden, were natives of Scotland, and were successful, well-to-do people in the country of their adoption.

After removing to California Mr. McFadden was for a number of years a member of the firm of McFadden Brothers, lumber dealers and shippers, and later on engaged independ- ently in the luinber business. While in partner- ship with his brothers the firm facilitated their

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· business by building the steamer Newport, which was used for many years as a freighter plying between Newport and San Francisco, and was known as a reliable and safe seagoing craft. During his residence in Santa Ana Mr. McFadden has at times been interested exten- sively in real estate, particularly during the early growing years of the town. In further- ing the interests of the town he became one of the incorporators and builders of the New- port Railroad, running between Santa Ana and Newport, and from the latter place to what is now Smeltzer Station in the peat lands. Of this railroad company he served as a director and vice-president for several years. Interest- ing to note is the fact that this pioneer lumber- man of the region bored the first artesian well in what is now Orange county, which at the time was justly regarded as an important ad- vance in the development of the limited water supply. The well is located two miles south of Santa Ana, and was the forerunner of many similar borings through erstwhile baked and parched soil.

Scarcely an opportunity afforded in Orange county seems to have escaped the practical at- tention of Mr, McFadden. He is a scientific horticulturist, and besides oranges, raises Eng- lish walnuts, and owns a productive vineyard. A dairy is among his well-managed and profit- able ventures, as well as a farm devoted to gen- eral agriculture. In a city where beautiful homes are the rule rather than the exception, his own residence is one of the finest and most attractive.

MAJOR GEORGE H. BONEBRAKE was born in Eaton, Preble county, Ohio. His early years were spent upon the ancestral farm, and lie attended the village school two or three months each winter. When seventeen he en- tered the Otterbein University at Westerville. After six years of hard study he was gradu- ated, and so proficient was he in Latin and Greek, German and French, that he was imme- diately elected professor of languages in an academy in a neighboring town. A man not possessed of great ambition would have found enough in the duties of his position to absorb all his energies. Prof. Bonebrake found time simultaneously to study law. In 1862 he volun- teered as a private in an Indiana infantry regi- ment. By the close of the war the private had won his way to be major of his regiment, with the brevet of lieutenant-colonel.

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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 80

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