USA > California > San Benito County > History and biographical record of Monterey and San Benito Counties : and history of the State of California : containing biographies of well-known citizens of the past and present. Volume II > Part 20
USA > California > Monterey County > History and biographical record of Monterey and San Benito Counties : and history of the State of California : containing biographies of well-known citizens of the past and present. Volume II > Part 20
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EDWARD F. PEARCE.
Very early in the history of American coloniza- tion the Pearce family became identified with the growth of New England, where many gener- ations followed the sea, making their home mean- while in the seaport town of Gloucester in Mas- sachusetts, where Edward F. Pearce was born in 1834. Descended from a long line of sturdy, sea-loving ancestry, it was natural that he should early display a bent toward a sailor's life and toward other forms of activity demanding the ut- most fearlessness. His father and grandfather had been brave sailors and had taught him a love of the sea that has never left him, although des- tiny turned his steps into the path of a landsman. When only sixteen years of age he started out into the world to seek his own livelihood, his
first venture bringing him to California by way of Cape Horn on the sailing vessel Queen of the Sea, commanded by Captain Knight. After his arrival on the Pacific coast in 1850, he engaged in mining in Eldorado county, but soon turned his attention to the securing of game for the San Francisco markets. In those days game was very plentiful and commanded high prices in the mar- kets, so that sometimes he cleared as much as $150 in a single day from the sale of the game he brought to the markets.
Returning to Massachusetts in 1856, after a short sojourn among old friends Mr. Pearce re- moved to Liverpool, Nova Scotia, and erected a factory where he engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes. While making his home in Nova Scotia in 1857 he married Miss Sarah Eaton, a native of that peninsula. During 1859 his shoe factory was destroyed by fire, and in 1861 he again came to California, this time jour- neying via the Isthmus of Panama. From Cali- fornia he proceeded to Idaho, and engaged in prospecting. He was a member of the party of sixteen men who discovered and developed the Oyhee mines. During the three years he spent in that country there were frequent skirmishes with the Indians and nine of the white men were killed. In spite of its dangers mining proved to be a fascinating occupation and it was profitable as well. Other enterprises besides mining en- gaged his attention, one of these being the found- ing of Silver City, Idaho, which he platted and laid out in town lots.
While living in that wild and undeveloped re- gion Mr. Pearce fell ill with a fever. In order that he might receive medical attention impos- sible there, he was taken in a wagon seven hun- dred miles to Walla Walla, from which point he traveled to San Francisco as rapidly as his strength permitted. His family joined him in 1868 and he settled at Alvarado, Alameda county, but in 1869 he removed to Salinas, Monterey county, where lie conducted a dairy business. Selling out the next year he removed to San Benito county and took up a quarter-section of land near San Juan, where he embarked in gen- eral ranching. For years he retained the entire tract, but more recently he has disposed of a por- tion of the property, having now only sixty-four acres in his possession. About 1903 he moved
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into the village of San Juan, where he is living in partial retirement from active cares, although he still fills the office of justice of the peace, to which he was elected about 1891. For many miles in every direction from his home town Judge Pearce is known and honored as an efficient justice, a patriotic citizen and a man possessing the highest principles of honor. In his family there were seven children, five now living. The survivors are Eliza P., who married Henry Rounds of San Francisco, and is now a widow; Edward; Lillian, who married H. H. Dana, of San Francisco; Arthur; and Minnie, who became the wife of Dr. Patterson, of San Jose.
JAMES R. HEBBRON.
One of the pioneers of the Salinas valley and one. who has been interested in the advancement of the state and county, James R. Hebbron, was born in London, England, August 27, 1828. He left his native country en route for California November 5, 1851. The vessel on which he crossed the Atlantic was shipwrecked and it was four months before New York was reached. He remained there for a few months and then came as far as Panama, stopping there to take ยท charge of a drug business that had been under the management of a nephew, through whose in- fluence he had come to this country. This nephew, Augustus Hogg, came to California in 1849 and being a pharmaceutical chemist was given the oversight of the several stores estab- lished by a New York drug house on the coast. While in this state he. noted the opportunities that offered advancement to ambitious young men and when he made a trip back to England, gave such glowing accounts of the country that Mr. Hebhron and other members of the family decided to come and see for themselves. The store at Panama had been managed by a Mr. Parker, father-in-law to Senator George C. Perkins. Mr. Parker had decided to come to California and when Mr. Hebbron arrived in Panama with his wife and son, Mr. Parker left at once for San Francisco and with him came Mrs. Hebbron and her son James. In crossing the Isthmus to Panama Mr. Hebbron and family were accompanied by the wife of Mr. Parker
and their daughter, now Mrs. Perkins. The vessel that brought them from New York was the United States. After remaining at Panama for a time Mr. Hebbron sent his employers word that he was going to give up his position, and that they should send a substitute, as he was gu- ing to California to join his family. He took passage on the Golden Gate for San Francisco; here he remained for a few months when he took passage on the New World for Sacramento, paying one ounce of gold for fare. He was en route to the gold mines at Mud Springs and from Sacramento he went by stage and team to his destination in Eldorado county. Here he en- gaged in mining, and after he had become es- tablished he went back for his family. He erected the first two-story house in Mud Springs, a hotel, built from lumber that he got out of the native timber with his own hands, and after the building was completed he engaged in the hotel business. He met with success in his mining and hotel and while living here two daughters were born. The Indians were very troublesome and he assisted in several raids upon the Red- men, to quiet them and keep them from doing harm to the settlers; during this time he was witness of several miners' riots. In 1856 he gave up this business and rented some meadow land and from this cut a crop of hay which he sold in Hangtown for $100 a ton. In the fall of this year he took his two-horse team, and with Mrs. Hebbron and the children and such belong- ings as he had, went over the trail to Peta- luma.
While living in this place a son, John J., was born, and it was in this year that he cast his first ballot for John C. Fremont. In January of 1857 he moved to the mouth of Russian river, near Bodega bay, which was then the shipping point for San Francisco. The family settled here and began farming and raising stock. At this place Mrs. Hebbron was three months with- out seeing a white woman, but the Indians, though numerous, were friendly. In 1860 the first convention that Mr. Hebbron knew any- thing about was held in Santa Rosa: this he learned from a man who had been in attendance and as he was on his way home (almost all travel being made on horseback) he rode past the ranch of Mr. Hebbron and notified him that
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
he had been nominated for supervisor on the Re- publican ticket ; on the head of the ticket was Abraham Lincoln, the presidential candidate. As that part of the country was the hot-bed of the secessionists and a Republican was looked upon with as much scorn by them as a criminal, and the opposing party put up an Irishman, there was but little show for Mr. Hebbron's election. In 1861 he moved over into Green Valley, wliere the country was a little more civil- ized and the people were living in comfortable quarters and seemingly in enjoyment of the pioneer times. They had their log rollings, apple bees and other social times. This was very different from the isolation of his own quarters and caused him to move. He had to haul lumber by way of Bodega bay into the val- ley to build his house, things were in a very primitive state and they endured many hard- ships. The years of 1861 to 1865 were full of thrilling episodes. The settlers formed a Union League for the protection of their property and lives, and armed guards were posted every night, for the secessionists had made threats against the "Black Republicans."
The change from agriculture and the stock business to horticulture was not profitable, as Mr. Hebbron came from a family in Durham, England, who were born in the stock business and from them the Durham cattle derive their name. The products of the farm were low in price and the times were hard, so in 1863, at the opening of the Comstock mines in Nevada, Mr. Hebbron decided to haul freight from Sacra- mento to the mines at Virginia City. He paid only sixty-two and one-half cents per one hundred for wheat to be used for horse feed, but the price of sacks was twelve to fifteen cents each. He took on a load of freight and received a "bit" a pound for hauling. Water was scarce and he had to pay a "bit" to water each horse and two "bits" to fill the cask with drinking water. He had the misfortune to lose his way and got stuck out in the desert and was for some time without water for horses or himself. He went to Star City, Hum- boldt county, and spent the season, prospected and packed the ore out on mules. In some of his trips he was accompanied by Dr. Watson, for whom Watsonville was named, and many times
they were in imminent danger from the Indians and wild animals.
Mr. Hebbron bought property in Star City and from this investment was getting about $300 a month. In the fall he came back to California but times had not brightened any and so in the spring of the following year he took another load of freight, steel and powder, for the Sheeba inines. In this second trip he was not successful, for the ore of the mines had proven to be "refractory" and consequently the bottom dropped out of the mining boom all over that section. The property that had been bringing in a good income was worthless and he returned to California, sadder, wiser and "broke."
Arriving in Sonoma county he had friends that would assist him, but he was determined not to get into debt. Renting a ranch and two hun- dred and fifty cows he engaged in the dairy busi- ness; their facilities were of the smallest; he did all that he could, as did his wife, and as they made it pay, bought articles to aid in making their work lighter and to better handle the busi- ness. In three years he got a foothold and made money. He was informed of advantages to be found in Monterey county, and in 1866 came to the Salinas valley. He had met the late David Jacks in San Francisco and was offered the Chualar ranch for $1.75 per acre, but did not accept the offer. While in the county he bar- gained for one thousand acres, but upon investi- gating, found the title was insecure. In 1867 he had decided to come here and so packed up his belongings, and driving his stock, came across the country via Benicia, San Jose, Gilroy and San Juan into this county. He arrived at the half way house, the present site of Salinas, in a driving rain. The land he had arranged for was at Hilltown, where he rented one thou- sand acres and upon which he stayed one year. Then he rented the Laguna Seca rancho. In 1868 he bought an undivided interest in the Los Ver- geles rancho, which consisted of about three thousand acres and remained here for five years, and in 1873 purchased one thousand two hun- dred acres near Natividad, a sightly place, and this he fully improved. In 1876 the Los Ver- geles was partitioned and he received the portion near the lake and then moved back to his old place. Throughout his life in the county he has.
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
been interested in the development of the inter- ests of schools, churches, and all other move- ments that had for their object the advancement of the moral and social welfare of the citizens, as well as the development of the agricultural and live stock interests. He made this ranch his home for twenty-five years and in 1883 sold out and moved to Salinas. He has been interested in the building of the roadways. At the time of the division of the county he was opposed to the plan and was the candidate on the anti-division ticket for the assembly, but was defeated, as the part now San Benito county went solid for division. He wanted the county seat moved to Natividad, where it would be easy of access by people of both counties. It was in this year that two of his daughters were married, Alice M. to Duncan Mckinnon, and Ida C. to John Walker. The ranch adjoining the one owned for twenty- five years by Mr. Hebbron was the scene of the battle between Fremont's forces and the native Californians. He was a candidate on the ticket with Governor Markham in 1889 as a member of the state board of equalization and elected by a large majority. He assisted in the organiza- tion of the first agricultural association of the county and was its first vice-president. This was brought about through the generosity of Eu- gene Sherwood, who donated the park and the race track to the city. At another time Mr. Hebbron was proffered the nomination for as- semblyman, but was defeated by Thomas Reni- son. He was offered a third time, but suffered defeat. He was elected delegate to the national convention held in Chicago. He is a member of the American National Live Stock Association and was a delegate to Portland; again was of- fered the chance to go to Denver, and in 1909 was delegate to Los Angeles, but on account of excessive rainfall making the roads impassable, was unable to attend. He went to Washington, D. C., at his own expense in the interest of the cattle men of the state and labored to have the quarantine line removed to the northern part of the state in order that the cattle could be sent to other parts of the state for grazing, as the dry years had made feed scarce and stock was dying by the hundreds. Through the influence of Sen- ator Perkins, S. M. White and Secretary Wilson at the capitol he had this done. He has always
been interested in raising good horses and cat- tle, exhibiting them at the various'fairs held in the state, and has taken many premiums. His horses were the Nutwoods, Hambletonians and Percherons, roadsters and draft animals, and thoroughbred cattle. He and his sons lease thirteen thousand five hundred acres upon which they conduct an extensive stock industry. Mr. Hebbron owns property in San Jose, and in San Benito and Monterey counties.
In 1850 occurred the marriage of James R. Hebbron and Eleanor Noice; she is a native of England and though two years the senior of her husband, is hale and hearty and has been a great help towards the success attained by him, for she has endured many hardships in assisting to build up this state and in the rearing of her large family of children. In 1900 they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. Their chil- dren are as follows: James, who died in San Francisco in infancy ; Mrs. Ida C. Walker; Mrs. Alice M. Mckinnon, deceased; John James, of Salinas; Frank L., on his father's ranch; Will- iam, in Mexico; Arthur, in Salinas; Edward Lincoln, in Salinas; Belle, Mrs. A. C. Mayers ; and Florence, the wife of Charles Blanchard. All were born in this state and educated in pub- lic schools and business colleges.
Mr. Hebbron is a member of Salinas Lodge No. 614, B. P. O. E., and for several years was president of the Elks' Hall Association, and was one of the promoters of the same. He is presi- dent of the California Cattlemen's Association and of the Monterey County Stockmen's Asso- ciation. At the age of eighty years he rode for fourteen hours on horseback without getting off his animal but twice.
GEORGE F. MITCHELL.
Illustrative of the opportunities afforded by California to men of resolute ambition is the ca- reer of George F. Mitchell, one of the leading horticulturists and prosperous residents of San Benito county, the owner of a ranch that will bear comparison with the finest fruit farms of the en- tire state and that bears improvements indicative of the progressive spirit of the owner. Intense application to the work in hand is the secret of
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
his success. Painstaking care has been evident in all of his farming operations. A leader and not a follower, he has hewed a path in horticulture for others to follow and has proved the adaptabil- ity of the soil of this section to some of the finest varieties of fruits. The constant devotion to the improvement of his property which characterized his earlier years has given place, to some extent, to an enjoyment of an accumulated competency in later days, and now many of his leisure hours are happily passed in his 1909 model Rambler seven-passenger touring car.
Born at Woodstock, Windsor county, Vt., June 24, 1832, George F. Mitchell passed his early days in Vermont and attended the common schools, where he acquired a fair education. When twenty years of age he started out to earn his own livelihood. He worked at the trade of carpenter at Woodstock, Vt., Lowell, Mass., and Temple, N. H., and then went to Wilton, N. H., and for six years he engaged in the building busi- ness at Clinton, Mass., where he gained a repu- tation as one of the most efficient contractors of the period and the place. In the taking and fill- ing of contracts he visited many parts of New Hampshire and Massachusetts. November 17, 1858, at Antrim, N. H., he was united in mar- riage with Miss Sarah E. Buswell, who was born and reared in New Hampshire. They became the parents of five children, namely. Helen, who died at the age of eleven; Mrs. Ninnette Scott; Kate, wife of L. F. Nisbet; Isabel, who married Roy L. Allen ; and Georgia, deceased.
While meeting with fair success in the east, Mr. Mitchell was not entirely satisfied with the climate and commercial conditions, and accord- ingly he closed out his interests and removed to California, where he arrived on the 22nd of Feb- ruary, 1877. Coming to San Benito county, he was employed on a ranch near San Juan. Later he took charge of a large dairy for the owners of the ranch. In the management of this industry he had charge of three hundred milch cows. Under his supervision the dairy was built up, a growing business established, and money was made for the company as well as himself. For twenty-seven years he continued in the same posi- tion and his long retention as manager is in- dicative of the possession of traits at once force- ful and steadfast. Meanwhile, however, he had
become interested in the purchase of land and in 1883 he bought two hundred and seventy-five acres of land three miles from Hollister, where he now resides. It is universally accepted that this is one of the finest ranches in the county. Eighty acres are in peaches, prunes, apricots, almonds, English walnuts and silver prunes. All of the fruit trees, embracing several thousand in number, were planted under his personal over- sight. In addition he superintended the erection of an irrigating plant and a pump with a capacity of sixteen hundred gallons per minute. The property is further improved-by a large and well- appointed drying yard, through which run tracks for the hauling of the fruit. A sulphur plant and large storage sheds add to the perfection of the appointments and aid in making his equipment one of the most complete in the state. Eighteen hundred trays furnish every facility for the dry- ing of the apricots, while eight hundred boxes are utilized for packing the fruit. During the four years prior to 1909 the almond trees on the ranch produced an annual crop of fifteen tons of almonds, which sold at high prices, thus bringing a gratifying return to the proprietor. Having devoted his attention closely to his farm, Mr. Mitchell has had little leisure for participation in social or political affairs, but he keeps posted con- cerning current events and is a well-informed man. Fraternally he is identified with the Masons and is a Knight Templar. He has held the office of high priest of the chapter.
IRA B. REDFERN.
The beauties of California have been a favorite theme for the pen of the poet and the brush of the artist. On the other hand, practical business men and resourceful farmers have been attracted hither by the favorable openings for men of their callings. To the latter class belongs Ira B. Red- fern, whose first impressions of the west, formed during a visit made in 1889-90, lingered with him on his return to his eastern home and ul- timately caused him to change his residence to the Pacific coast. Establishing his home in Monterey county, he has been identified ever since with the agricultural development of this part of the state.
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Henry county, in the southeastern part of Iowa, is the native home of Mr. Redfern, and September, 1864, the date of his birth. His father, John Redfern, was one of that innumer- able throng of gold-seekers who during the sum- mer of 1850 crossed the plains to California. Not finding the fortune in the mines he had hoped for, he returned to a farm in Iowa, took up agricultural pursuits and thenceforward led a busy but uneventful existence on his home- stead. It was in the midst of such surroundings that Ira B. Redfern passed the years of boyhood and youth. After leaving school he engaged in general farming and soon made a specialty of raising cattle. As previously stated, he traveled through the west in 1889-90 and spent some time in Monterey county, whose possibilities attracted him from the first, although at that time it was not practicable for him to remove to the coast country.
When finally he closed out his eastern inter- ests and settled in California, Mr. Redfern bought property at Pacific Grove. In 1904 he bought at $35 an acre the old George Gordon ranch comprising three hundred and fifty acres. Since then needed buildings have been erected. Dur- ing 1906 modern methods of draining low lands were utilized by the owner in the laying of two miles of tile on the ranch. The property is leased by Japanese, but Mr. Redfern maintains a general oversight and keeps up the improve- ments. One hundred and twenty acres are de- voted to truck gardening, for which Monterey and Salinas furnish convenient markets.
While living in Iowa Mr. Redfern married Miss Clara E. Griffel, who was born and reared in that state, and by this union there are three children, Ruby, Charles and Robert. With his family he shares in the warm regard of personal friends.
M. H. HARKINS.
For the past twenty-one years Mr. Harkins has concentrated his efforts on his present prop- erty in the Salinas valley, upon which he is mak- ing a specialty of the raising of beets, a com- modity which averages nineteen tons to the acre. He is of Irish birth and parentage, born in County Leitrim, Ireland, in 1843, but so much
of his life has been passed in the United States that in everything but birth he is an American. He had received a fair education in the common schools of his native country before leaving her shores at the age of sixteen years, and after reaching the United States he gave his attention. wholly to securing employment. From New York, where he landed from his ocean voyage, he went to Brooklyn, and there found employ- ment in a distillery. In the meantime war be -. tween the north and the south had been de- clared, and naturally during its progress Mr .. Harkins became interested in the cause which had led up to this condition of affairs. This in- terest finally led to his enlistment in the navy in' 1864 under Admiral Farragut, at Gertrude Sta- tion in Mobile Bay. Under this famous naval leader he served faithfully for two years, and in 1866 he received his honorable discharge at: Philadelphia. For about four years thereafter he was engaged in steam-boating between Hav- ana and New Orleans, and also engaged in the coasting trade to some extent.
After about ten years spent in the east and south Mr. Harkins came to California in 1869. making the trip by way of Panama. He landed in San Francisco with only $5 in his pocket, and' with this he paid his fare to Gilroy, Santa Clara- county, where work awaited him on a dairy farm. Altogether he continued in Santa Clara county about five years, during which time he had saved his earnings and was enabled to start in business for himself. Coming to Monterey county in 1874, he rented from David Jacks twelve hundred acres of land which he devoted' to grain raising and to dairy purposes. The ven- ture proved a success from the first, and with the passing of years he laid by sufficient means to enable him to purchase property. In 1890 he bought a tract of one hundred and sixty-seven acres in this county, for which he paid $95 per acre with improvements. To this he continued to add until he owned three hundred and thirty acres. For seventy-six acres of this he paid $17,500, and for fifty-four acres he paid at the rate of $250 per acre. From the first Mr. Har- kins has been especially interested in the culti- vation of the sugar beet, and by thus specializ- ing his efforts has succeeded far above the aver- age rancher. In addition to raising this com-
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