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 91

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

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ing first in San Francisco, next in Amador county, then going to Nevada, from there re- turning to San Francisco. His last days were passed in Carson City, Nev., where his body lies buried in the Masonic cemetery. He had been high in Masonry, having all the degrees up to and including the thirty-second and the Mys- tic Shrine. An active member of the Republi- can party, he served on its central committee and received from it election to the state legis- lature. The education of Mrs. Mills was prin- cipally obtained in the Fort Plains high school. Travel and culture have added to the knowledge acquired from books, have broadened her mind and deepened her interest in humanity. Since the death of Colonel Mills she has continued to reside at Mills Views, the homestead of twelve acres, which, under her capable super- vision, has been transformed into one of the most beautiful estates in Monrovia. Fruits of various kinds have been set out. Eighty trees have been budded to Valencia oranges, while the balance of the orange grove is in Wash- ington navels. There are besides a few trees of lemons, plums and peaches. The orchard is irrigated by a private water right of one inch of water with a four-inch pressure, furnishing abundant facilities for keeping the land in ex- cellent condition, and thus solving a problem that is often the most serious a western horti- culturist confronts.

MAJOR BELLE L. REYNOLDS, M. D. Through her paternal ancestors Dr. Reynolds traces her lineage back to Robert I. of Scot- land, and, more recently, to John Alden and Priscilla, of Mayflower fame. Many years ago, during the days of King Robert II. of Scotland, the life of that monarch was on one occasion saved by the presence of mind of Archibald Campbell McKonnochie, of the McKonnochic branch of the Campbell clan. The king was being attacked by a wild boar and his life was in great danger, when the Highlander saved him by shooting an arrow through the animal's head. In recognition of the act, the king gave him the crest which the family bear to-day, and the family name was changed to McKomber, later to Macomber. The crest contains a boar's head rampant, having an arrow of appropriate colors, and with three right hands coupled, hold- ing bunches of arrows. The motto is, "Hc hath sent and he hath rewarded."

Five brothers of the Macomber race came to Massachusetts from Scotland, and from them those of the name throughout the United States descend. Ebenezer Macomber, a farmer of Massachusetts, served in the war of 1812. His son, Kingsley Macomber, was born in Salem, Mass., and became a manufacturer of sewing silk in Northampton, that state. Removing to Iowa in 1855, he settled in Lewis, Cass county,

where he transformed a tract of wild land into a valuable and fertile farm. Meantime he made a number of trips to Pike's Peak and the west, the most of these being made between 1858 and 1861 by mule trains. At the time of his death he was eighty-three years old. He had mar- ried Martha Alexander, a native of Massachu- setts, and a daughter of Elisha and Phila (Cooley) Alexander, both born in that state. The former, who was of Scotch lineage, was a large land owner and capitalist. Mrs. Alex- ander was a daughter of Abner Cooley, of English descent, and who served as a captain in the Revolutionary war. Five children com- prised the family of Kingsley and Martha Macomber, namely: Arabella (Dr. Belle Rey- nolds); H. K., who graduated from a medical college in New York, afterward served in the Second Iowa Cavalry during the Civil war and is now a practicing physician of Pasadena, Cal .; John K., ex-city attorney of Des Moines, Iowa: George, who died in early manhood; and Frank J., an attorney in Lewis, Iowa. It is note- worthy that all of the sons graduated from the Agricultural College at Ames, Iowa. Dr. Belle Reynolds was a student in the Ladies' Col- legiate Institute at Worcester, Mass., having re- turned there from Iowa in order to complete her education.

In Lewis, Iowa, April 19, 1860, Arabella Macomber became the wife of William S. Rey- nolds, who was born in Springfield, Mass., his father, H. S., having been a merchant in that city. After graduating at Easthampton, Mr. Reynolds engaged in business in his native town, but shortly after the discovery of gold in Pike's Peak he started across the plains with a mule train. However, he soon returned, and in the fall of 1860 settled in Peoria, Ill., where he engaged in the drug business. At the call for troops in 1861 he was one of the first four young men in Peoria to enlist, his first enlist- ment being for three months. Subsequently he was mustered in as orderly sergeant of Com- pany A, Seventeenth Illinois Infantry, for three years, and at a later date was promoted to be first lieutenant in rank, acting as adjutant of his regiment. His last service was as an aide on staff duty. Among his engagements were the following : Fredericktown, Mo., Forts Henry and Donelson, Pittsburg Landing or Shiloh, first battle of Corinth, Iuka, Holly Springs, Milliken's Bend and siege of Vicksburg. From the first Mrs. Reynolds accompanied him in the field. At the battle of Pittsburg Landing she was in camp when the battle began at seven o'clock in the morning, and for one week after- ward she assisted in caring for the wounded in the hospitals and on the boats. A work by Frank Moore, of New York, entitled "Women of the War," has a chapter from her diary. It would be impossible to convey to one not

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familiar with the horrors of war an adequate conception of the hardships she underwent, the sacrifices she was called upon to make, and the quiet heroism she constantly displayed. But all of these hardships she endured uncomplain- ingly, and all of these sacrifices she made cheer- fully, receiving abundant reward in seeing many wounded soldiers made comfortable by her kindly care and the dying moments of many brave lads cheered by her presence.

At the close of that memorable week, Governor Richard Yates of Illinois chartered a boat, Black- hawk, to come south for the wounded. On this boat were many physicians, among them being two surgeons from Peoria, Ill., who were ac- quaintances of Mrs. Reynolds. Being con- pletely worn out, her husband and Dr. Gutlı suggested that she return home, and she con- sented to go, but all the way up the river she continued her ministrations to the wounded men. On her arrival at home every one was eager to meet her and hear from her lips the story of that disastrous battle, from which few had escaped to tell the tale. The suggestion was made that she should receive a commission, and Governor Yates ordered his private secre- tary, John Moses, to make out a commission as major, dated from April 7, presented April 16, 1862, with the governor's signature at- tached. It is noteworthy that she is the only woman who has ever received a commission as major from the governor of any state. After an absence of ten days she rejoined the regi- ment, where she continued doing all in her power to promote the comfort of the soldiers, but wearing neither uniform nor shoulder straps, nor drawing one dollar of pay.

On the expiration of Mr. Reynolds' term of enlistment they returned to Iowa and settled on a farm. In 1870 they removed to San Fran- cisco, Cal., and the following year went to Hong Kong, China, where Mr. Reynolds acted as vice- consul, but returned to San Francisco in 1872. In 1878 she became interested in medicine. This is doubtless an inherited family taste, for one of her brothers and four of her father's brothers were physicians. Entering Hahne- mann Medical College in Chicago she continued there until her graduation in 1880, after which she practiced in Chicago until 1893. During her residence in that city she was an assistant to the president of Hahnemann Medical College, with whom she practiced for ten years. At the same time she was connected with the Chicago Clinical Society, the American Institute and the State Society.

Since 1894 Dr. Reynolds has resided in Santa Barbara, where she has her office on Garden and Sola streets, and carries on a general prac- tice, with a specialty of diseases of women and children. Her military history does not end with the Civil war, but extends over into the

conflict with Spain. In April, 1899, she was sent to the Philippines by the National and Cali- fornia Red Cross Societies, and was the only woman on the ship Senator that carried seven hundred men of the Thirteenth Regiment. After a voyage of four weeks, the vessel landed, and she remained on the islands for one year, acting as distributing agent and at the same time teaching in the government school. In April, 1900, she returned to California on the Sheridan and immediately resumed her prac- tice in Santa Barbara. In the work of the Ladies of the G. A. R. she maintains an interest as an active member. From childhood she has been a stanch Republican. Her family were Abolitionists of the strongest type, and she has always remained loyal to the principles of free- dom and loyalty to country, which have been her creed since childhood. In religion she is an Episcopalian, and while in Manila aided in the work of that church, where her member- ship still remains.

GUSTAF STROMEE. During the progress of the Swedish-Franco war the Strome family became transplanted from its original French soil to the bleaker land of Sweden. Carl Strome, a blacksmith, served in the Swedish army; his son, Carl Frederick, not only engaged in blacksmithing, but also followed the trades of gunsmith and coppersmith, and was in many respects a man of inventive genius. The wife of Carl Frederick Strome was Christine Catherine Manson, who was a member of an old Swedish family and died in Los Angeles, Cal., at seventy- two years of age. Born of their union were seven children, of whom a daughter died in Swe- den and a son died in New England. Four daughters and one son are living, all of whom but one daughter reside in California. The only surviving son, Gustaf, was born near Linkoep- ing, Westaharg, Ostergötland, Sweden, August 9, 1845. Since attaining his majority he has changed the family name from Strome to Stro- mee, in order to secure an accuracy of pronunci- ation that had been previously impossible.

When thirteen years of age Mr. Stromee was apprenticed to the painter's trade at Askersund, under an uncle, with whom he remained for five years, meantime learning every department of painting and decorating. Following the expira- tion of his apprenticeship he worked as a jour- neyman painter. In June, 1867, he came via Hull to New York on the steamer City of Lon- don. Proceeding at once to Chicago, he fol- lowed the carriage painter's trade as foreman for a large house in that city. In 1869 he went still further west, spending a short time in Republic county, Kans., and thence going to Junction City, where he joined Custer's command as a teamster in the expedition against the Chey- ennes and Arapahoes. Following the route of

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the troops, he was in the Indian Territory and Texas, and witnessed the battle of Camp Sup- ply on the Canadian river, as well as other bat- tles and skirmishes through that region and in Kansas and Nebraska. At the expiration of six months, the campaign having closed, he was discharged. The experiences of those days will always linger in his memory as among the most interesting and thrilling of his life, and there is no portion of his eventful past which he recalls with greater pleasure than that period with Cus- ter on the frontier. Settlements were few; little effort had as yet been made to cultivate the land and open up farms. The broad stretches of prairie offered no signs of life save the herds of buffalo, which were then numerous, but which, through the thoughtless cruelty of sportsmen, have since become practically ex- tinct.

After a short time as a contracting painter in Juction City, Mr. Stromce went to Abilene, Kans., where he had many narrow escapes dur- ing the days of Wild Bill. Two years later he returned to Junction City, and afterward, with a partner, followed contracting in that city as well as Abilene, later being similarly occupied in Council Grove, Kans. The great fire of Chi- cago in 1871 made an opening for workmen in that city, and he went there in January of the following year. For two years he followed con- tract painting at Highwood and engaged in business in various suburbs on the Northwest- ern Railroad, returning to Kansas in 1878 and settling in Newton, thence going to Wellington, Sumner county. January of 1882 found him in San Diego, Cal., and during June of the same year he came to Los Angeles, where he is not only the pioneer contracting painter, but also the pioneer Swedish gentleman. Among his contracts have been those for many large public buildings, including the Byrne, Hellman, Brad- bury and Bryson blocks. Sign work has been one of his specialties and his success in it has been noteworthy. His business location is No. 605 S. Spring street, while his residence is at No. 1547 Council street. While living in Chicago he was married, in the suburb of Highwood, to Miss Mathilda Seline, who was born in Brook- lyn, N. Y., of Swedish descent. They have two sons, Karl Otto and Leo Albin.

From the time that lie cast his first presi- dential vote for U. S. Grant in Chicago, in No- vember, 1872, up to the present time, Mr. Stromce has been a pronounced and stanch Republican and a believer in every plank of the party's platform. The Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, which has been such an impor- tant factor in the growth of this city, numbers him among its members. On the organization of the Builders' Exchange he became associated with it as a charter member. While living in Kansas he was initiated into the Independent

Order of Odd Fellows at Wellington, and is now connected with Los Angeles Lodge No. 35, also with the Veterans' Association of Odd Fellows of Southern California. Personally he is a genial, companionable man, who has a host of warm friends among his associates, and whose life has been such as to win for him the confidence of acquaintances.

HON. MEREDITH P. SNYDER. The Snyders settled in North Carolina during the colonial era. Meredith P. was born at old Lex- ington Court House, in that state, October 22, 1859. Through his own efforts he secured the means necessary for a collegiate course and at- tended college for a time. but did not graduate. In 1880 he came to Los Angeles, where he has since made his home. After clerking in a furni- ture store for a time, he accepted a position with the B. F. Coulter Dry Goods Company, and for four years was in charge of the drapery depart- ment. He then turned his attention to the real- estate business, in which he engaged for eight years. Afterward, for a similar period he was at the head of the M. P. Snyder Shoe Company, a business that is still successfully carried on, though under different management.

In 1890 he was elected a member of the police commission, and was re-elected at the expiration of his term. Two years later he was elected to represent the second ward in the city council, where he took an active part in movements for the benefit of the town. So high did he stand in the city and such was his prominence in the Democratic party, that its members nom- inated him for the office of mayor in the fall of 1896 and he was clected by a large majority, taking his seat in January, 1897, and serving efficiently for one term, at the close of which he re-entered the real-estate business. In 1900 he was again elected mayor. His record as mayor has been an excellent one. While exercising a controlling influence in local affairs, this influ- ence has been used only for the best purposes and for the good of the municipality. He be- lieves in good government, and in the exercise of his personal power as mayor he has never be- trayed the best interests of the city, but has proved himself cool-headed, courageous, ener- getic and indefatigable as an official. Beyond question his administration has contributed to the progress of the city. His reasons for polit- ical action have always been based upon sound common sense. When he vetoed the freight- carrying franchise whereby the electric compa- nies might have carried freight through the heart of the city, he did not veto the measure because the people wanted him to, or because he felt any desire to injure those corporations, but because he did not think that any city should grant such extensive powers to any one, cor- poration, individual, or any public body. This

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is but a single instance taken to illustrate a cer- tain phase of the mayor's career, and yet it is illustrative of the entire character of the man. He met the issue fairly and squarely, and de- cided it on a basis of sound common sense.

FITCH C. E. MATTISON, M. D. Since establishing himself in professional practice at Pasadena in 1898 Dr. Mattison has gained a reputation as a skillful and reliable physician, who combines accuracy of diagnosis with promptness of treatment. Always ambitious to keep at the fore front of the profession, in 1900 he returned east and took a course of lectures in the Johns Hopkins Medical College. At the same time further opportunity for professional research was given him through his appointment as a delegate from the American Medical As- sociation to the International Medical Congress in Paris, to which city the Paris Exposition was at the time drawing thousands of visitors. While in Europe he had the privilege of spend- ing some time in hospitals and clinics both in Paris and London, where he became familiar with the work of the foremost surgeons of the world. As his tour was a pleasure trip as well as a professional opportunity, he traveled through Germany, Italy and France, and vis- ited points of interest in the British Isles, re- turning to the United States after five and one- half months abroad.

The founder of the Mattison family in Amer- ica came from Scotland to Baltimore, Md. His son, Capt. John J., who was born at An- napolis, Md., became a captain in the trans- Atlantic trade. Next in line of descent was Samuel J., a native of Baltimore and for years a merchant on Broadway, that city. Removing to Kentucky, he shortly returned to Baltimore, where he engaged in business until his retire- ment. During the Civil war he was a lieutenant in the First Baltimore Light Artillery, C. S. A., and was twice wounded in battle. He married Catherine C. Jennings, who was born in Phila- delphia and now makes Baltimore her home. Her father, Richard Jennings, a native of Eng- land, followed the gunsmith's trade in Phila- delphia, and before and during the Civil war was in charge of the government arsenal at that city. Subsequent to the war he conducted business in New York City and Staten Island. His death occurred in Cleveland, Ohio, when lie was eighty-five years of age. The lady whom he married was a native of England and a cousin of John B. Gough, the famous tem- perance orator.

In the family of Samuel J. Mfattison there were two daughters and eight sons, of whom one daughter and seven sons are now living. The oldest son, Fitch C. E., was born in Louisville, Ky., May 4, 1861, and received his education in public and private schools of Annapolis and

Baltimore. Until 1881 he assisted his father in business, but during that year he went to Chi- cago and became interested in a drug business, also began the study of medicine. In 1885 he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons, from which he was graduated in 1888, and since that time he has taken several post-graduate courses in Chicago. For ten years after grad- uating he had his office in Hyde Park, Chicago, but climatic considerations induced him to settle in Pasadena, which decision he has had no oc- casion to regret. While in Chicago he married Miss Helen H. Blake, who was born in Chicago and died in Pasadena in 1899, leaving a daugh- ter, Bessie E.

An enumeration of the organizations with which Dr. Mattison is identified includes the Los Angeles County Medical Society; the Southern California Medical Society, in which he has been honored by election as president; the Pasadena Medical Association ; American Medical Asso- ciation; also the Cook County and Illinois State Medical Societies, with which he was actively identified prior to coming to the Pacific coast. In social organizations he holds membership in the Valley Hunt and Twilight Clubs. Since coming to Pasadena he has been made a Mason in Corona Lodge and is also connected with the chapter and commandery in this city, be- sides which he is associated with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks.

L. F. WEBSTER is one of the enterprising citizens of Ventura and a well-known contractor and builder. His biography records the life efforts of a man who has attained prominence through the exercise of those substantial traits of character which are the fundamentals of re- liable citizenship, and which enable their owners not only to grasp, but also to create, oppor- tunities. He was born in Oberlin, Ohio, No- vember 17, 1842, and lived in his native state until 1851. His father, LaFayette Webster (named after the immortal General LaFayette), was born in Utica, N. Y., and became a farmer near Oberlin, Ohio, where terminated his in- dustrious career. The paternal grandfather, Miles, was born in Connecticut, and while a soldier in the war of 1812 was wounded at the burning of Buffalo. His years of activity were filled with the combined occupations of farm- ing and school teaching, and his principal places of residence were Utica, N. Y., and Elyria, Ohio. The mother of Mr. Webster, Emeline (Holly) Webster, was born in Ohio, her parents having removed there from Washington county, New York. She was of English descent, and died in Ventura in 1898, at the age of eighty- four years. Of the four boys in the family, L. F. is the second; La Roy died in Ohio; La Torry is a farmer at Carpinteria, Cal., and served in the Civil war in Company B, Second Iowa In-

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fantry; and La Omri is a farmer at Put-in-Bay, Ohio.

The greater portion of the early education of L. F. Webster was acquired in Wisconsin, his father having removed to the vicinity of Madison in 1851. He attended the public schools and the University of Wisconsin, from which institution he decamped at the breaking out of the Civil war, having neglected the for- mality of stating his intentions to his superiors. In September of 1861 he volunteered in Com- pany B, Second Wisconsin Infantry, and served in the army of the Potomac until July of 1862, when he was mustered out for physical disabil- ity. After a return to Ohio lie re-enlisted at Columbus in 1863 in Company M, Third Ohio Cavalry, and was through the entire campaign of Sherman with the McPherson corps, and served until July 22, 1864. On this well-remem- bered day himself and three others on advance guard ran into a couple of rebel regiments and were captured and sent to Andersonville, where they remained for over nine months, or until April 1, when they were taken to Vicksburg and paroled. He then returned home and was mus- tered out at Columbus, June 26, 1865. In direct contrast to the horrors of his imprisonment at Andersonville was the escape from the impend- ing doom of the Sultana, the ill-fated explosion of which was heralded all over the country. From Vicksburg he was expected to go on this boat, but instead was sent on board a hospital ship, and thus was spared for future years of usefulness. His death, however, was chronicled in the press of the day, and his friends supposed him to be a victim of the catastrophe.

With the restoration of peace Mr. Webster re- turned to Ohio and engaged in the grape indus- try at Put-in-Bay Island, and also engaged in educational work. While here he married, Oc- tober 27, 1869, Harriet Brackett Haskin, who was born in Hannibal, Oswego county, N. Y. Mrs. Webster, who is one of the prominent women of Ventura, is of English descent, and comes of a family who were political refugees from England to Wales. They eventually set- tled in New England, some of them removing to Vermont, where the paternal grandfather, Heman, was born. He was a farmer in later years in New York, and also a merchant tailor, and married in his young manhood Nancy Wel- ler, daughter of Dan Weller, one of the soldiers of the Revolutionary war. The great-great- grandfather Weller was also a soldier in the Revolution. The father of Mrs. Webster, Dan Weller Haskin, was born at Fort Ann, Wash- ington county, N. Y., and became a farmer in Oswego county. In 1862 he removed to Co- lumbia county, Wis., and died at Fall River, Wis., in 1871. Ile married Hannah Brackett, who was born in Pittsfield, Mass., a daughter of James Brackett, also a native of Massachu-

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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 91

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