History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Volume I, Part 98

Author: Vandor, Paul E., 1858-
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1362

USA > California > Fresno County > History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Volume I > Part 98

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Leaving Nebraska and joining his uncle, the Hon. J. F. Wharton, in Fresno, in 1881, Mr. Short secured employment as a compositor on the Fresno Republican. A year later he became the editor of the paper, in which capacity he continued for years, meanwhile becoming a half owner in the plant, his partner being J. W. Shanklin. Together they established the Daily Republican, the first morning paper published in the city. After twelve years the paper was sold and then Mr. Short traveled through California in search of an attractive location, but, failing to find a place that suited him as well as Fresno, he returned to this city. Soon afterwards he assisted in organizing the Republican Publishing Company, of which he was vice- president and a director, and which he promoted through his successful editorial work on the paper. He identified himself with the California Press Association and gained many friends among the leading journalists of the state. With his brother, Frank H., he erected the Short Building on J Street, and other buildings in the city. He served as a member of the Fresno Board of Education, in which position he contributed effectively to the wel- fare of the city schools and elevation of the standard of scholarship. Another position in which he has rendered service is that of a member of the board of library trustees. As a director of the Chamber of Commerce for many years his work was notably practical and effective.

The marriage of Mr. Short united him with Miss Jessie Francis of Calis- toga, Napa County. Mrs. Short was born at Silver Mountain, Sierra County, whither her father, James Francis, had come from Wisconsin during the memorable year of 1849. Of this marriage there are two sons who have grown to manhood: James V., who graduated from the agricultural de- partment of the State University, who is now married and is the principal

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owner in the Modesto Milk Company; and John Douglas, also a graduate of the University, and Hastings Law School, also married, and engaged in the practice of law in San Francisco.

During his long residence in Fresno there has been no movement for community upbuilding which has not had Mr. Short's hearty cooperation, and from the pioneer days to the present time there are few if any more famil- iar with the history of the city and county.

J. E. CARTWRIGHT .- The name of Cartwright suggests characters of history: "circuit riders" of the early days filling many appointments ; men shaping the trend of civilization not only in this country, but in the old world. It is an honorable name and has always stood for progress both of the individual and of the nation.

Born in Coles County, Ill., October 16, 1855, J. E. Cartwright is a son of John Cartwright, also born in Coles County, where he had a small farm and operated a wagon and blacksmith shop. He was a soldier in the Civil War, and J. E. Cartwright remembers the time his father bade the family good-bye when he went to the front. The mother was Martha Ashby, also a native of Coles County. Six children were born in the family, of whom four are living.

J. E. Cartwright was raised on the farm in Illinois, and at the same time worked in the blacksmith shop with his father. At an early age he went with the family to Cumberland County, Ill., where they lived for five years before coming to California. In March, 1869, the Cartwright fami- lies and their outfits left Coles County, Ill., for California. There was a train of thirty-two wagons when they left Platte City to cross the plains, and on August 17, 1869, they landed at Dayton, Butte County, Cal., where they remained for one year. Then they moved to the Sacramento River and set- tled in Butte City, and here the father put up the first blacksmith shop. He took up 160 acres of government land near Princeton, on the east side of the Sacramento River, and later went to Willows, where he rented 900 acres. He built the two first dwelling houses at Willows, and put up the "Star" public hall.

Mr. Cartwright continued in the Sacramento Valley from 1869 to 1885, engaged in farming, having from 1,200 to 1,500 acres in wheat every year. In 1885 the Cartwright families moved to Malaga, Fresno County, where they purchased land from the Briggs estate. Here the father died, and the farm he owned was purchased by J. E. Cartwright and now is his home.

In 1883 J. E. Cartwright was married to Miss Elizabeth R. Bressler, a native of Iowa, but who grew up at Woodbridge, Cal., and at Medford, Ore. On a visit to Willows they met, and the marriage took place at Colusa, the county seat. They are the parents of four children, all boys: William Walter is employed in the shipyards at Wilmington, Cal. ; he married Gladys. Scott, and they have one child. John Stanley was in the St. Helen's ship- yards but is now back at Malaga in his shop, he married Ruth Rice, and they have one child. Eddie is at home on the farm ; he married Helen Johan- sen. Joseph Leslie was in the radio service, United States Navy, but is now at home. These sons have graduated from the Easton High School with high standings in scholarship. They were leaders in athletics. Baseball especially appealed to them, and they are semi-professionals in the game.

For eight years, from 1899 to 1907, Mr. Cartwright served as first deputy in the county clerk's office, and during that time lived in Fresno, but in the latter year he moved back with his family to the home farm, which is operated by Mr. Cartwright and his son Eddie. They also rent and farm other lands and also operate a small dairy in connection with their other interests. Mr. Cartwright is a man who does not say much, but he is a clear thinker on all subjects and what he does say is always to the point. He is a man of high ideals, noble impulses and advanced thought.

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HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

SAMUEL L. HOGUE .- Perhaps there is no resident of Fresno County who has the best interests of the community more at heart, or who has a much wider acquaintance throughout the San Joaquin Valley than Samuel L. Hogue. He was born near Monmouth, Ill., July 21, 1857, a son of Thomas G. and Mary J. (Reed) Hogue, natives of Virginia and Kentucky respec- tively and who were early settlers in Warren County, Ill., where they were farmers. Thomas G. came across the plains to California in 1863, settled in Nevada County where he was engaged in lumbering and mining, which he continued after he came to Fresno County, also taking an active part in Republican politics. He finally located at Fresno where he died, in 1893.

S. L. Hogue attended the public schools in his native county and at the age of fifteen joined his father in California. in 1872. His mother died when he was about seven years old, after which he lived with an uncle. After his arrival here he worked with his father a short time, then began making shakes and had a record of splitting 10,000 shakes in ten hours, at Pine Ridge. He had a desire to complete his education and therefore attended the San Jose Normal, taking a teacher's course, qualified, and was given a certificate to teach, and for five years was one of the popular educators of Fresno County, the last term acting as principal of the Selma school. Mr. Hogue saw oppor- tunities offered a wide-awake hustler in the real estate business and engaged in that line of work in Fresno and Selma and met with well-deserved success during the time he was thus engaged. He also broadened his acquaintance with the people and got a good knowledge of conditions as they existed at

that time in the county. He was elected justice of the peace and served four years in the office in Selma and two years in Fresno, after which he was ap- pointed chief deputy under County Auditor Barnum and for the following fourteen years gave his attention to the increasing duties of that office. In the meantime he had bought some land at North Fork, Madera County, and began to develop an apple orchard on his forty-six acres. The elevation is 4,200 feet, and the soil is especially adapted for growing apples of fine qual- ity. From time to time he has been interested in raising hogs as well. After serving for fourteen years in the auditor's office Mr. Hogue resigned to give his whole attention to his orchard, which he did for eighteen months, then returned to resume his old position in the county office, where he now is em- ployed. He has always been prominent in the ranks of the Republican party and has served as a delegate to nearly all the county and state conventions of his party, since he has been of age. He was appointed and served from 1900 to 1904 as internal revenue collector for a district embracing eight coun- ties in the valley. He was a member of the State League of Republican Clubs ; served as a member of the Fresno Board of Education and did much to pro- mote the cause of education while in that position. He belongs to Fresno Lodge No. 247, F. & A. M., of which he has been secretary : to Fresno Lodge No. 439, B. P. O. Elks : and to the Independent Order of Foresters.

On December 3, 1881, at Ventura, Cal., S. L. Hogue was united in marriage with Miss Effie H. Brown, a native of Yolo County and a daughter of an old pioneer, J. W. Brown, who crossed the plains at an early day in the history of the state. Of this union two sons and two daughters have been born. Lassen E., an employe in the county assessor's office in Fresno: James T., a volunteer in the late war who was graduated from the officers' training school at Camp Pike and received his first lieutenant's commis- sion, and is now in the U. S. Reserves. He is married and has one daughter, Rosalie Jean. Mrs. Hazel E. Powell, a daughter, resides at Long Beach, Cal., where her husband is in the banking business. She has a son, Guy Raymond, and a daughter, Eleanor. Lucille became the wife of C. C. Williams, a dentist in Fresno, and is the mother of two children, Helen May and Charles C., Jr. All the children have graduated from the Fresno High School. The family are members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Hogue is recognized as a high-

MKHarris.

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HISTORY OF FRESNO COUNTY

minded and useful citizen and has been a loyal supporter of all movements for the upbuilding of Fresno County and the advancement of the interests of the citizens.

MILUS KING HARRIS .- Prominent among the distinguished mem- bers of California's bar must be mentioned Milus King Harris, a native of the State of Tennessee who, taking up his residence in the Golden West, has risen to the position of a Judge of the Superior Court, with forty years or more of background experience as an attorney and a reputation for unim- peachable integrity. He was born in Sumner County on March 31, 1853, the son of Isaac W. Harris of Tennessee, a farmer who married Miss Martha K. Hassell, also of that state; and through them he descended from sturdy ancestors who hailed from Kentucky and Virginia. The lad's boyhood, therefore, was spent in the pleasurable and profitable environment of country life.

Having graduated from the University of Kentucky at Lexington in June, 1873, young Harris engaged from 1873 to 1877 in teaching at St. Elmo, Ky. Then he matriculated at Vanderbilt University, at Nashville, from the law department of which he was graduated in 1878, receiving his parchment in June. In August of the same year he came West to California and hung out his shingle as an attorney at Fresno. At that time the city had a popu- lation of less than a thousand; and while not one of the first pioneers of the county, he was early enough to know all those who had already cast in their lots here as foundation-builders.

On December 3, 1884, Mr. Harris was married to Miss Julia Tyree, daughter of Edward and Elizabeth Tyree and also a native of Sumner County, and a niece of William B. Bate, who was a major-general in the Confederate Army, was Governor of Tennessee from 1883 to 1886, and for the terms beginning 1887, 1893, 1899 and 1905 was United States Senator- dying in office in 1905. In 1912 Judge Harris and his wife traveled abroad extensively. Always popular in social circles, they have been lifelong mem- bers of the Christian Church. Judge Harris is a member of the University Club.

On March 11, 1887, Mr. Harris, already a well-known Democrat, was appointed by Gov. Washington Bartlett, shortly before the latter's death, Judge of the Superior Court; and the following year he was nominated by both the Democrats and the Republicans, and there being no opposition, he was elected, receiving within one hundred of the total number of votes cast by the electors of Fresno County for both Harrison and Cleveland. While he was serving as Judge, many notable cases were tried before him, includ- ing some relating to water rights, and that of the state against the notorious train robber and bandit, Chris Evans, who terrorized this section of Califor- nia for a year or more and killed three or four men in his various battles with officers. In 1894 Judge Harris was renominated by the Democrats; but this time he was opposed by the combined votes of the Republicans and the Populists, and was defeated. In 1908, he was chosen a delegate to the Na- tional Democratic Convention at Denver. In 1912 he was unanimously chosen president of the State Bar Association, and served the nisttal term of one year.

Since the middle nineties Judge Harris has devoted himself to private practice, enjoving a large and highly creditable clientage, especially among corporations, including the Raisin Growers' Association, the Bank of Central California, and the Consolidated Canal Company. He was president of the Board of Freeholders that framed the charter for the City of Fresno in 1899. and he was also president for many years of the Traffic Association of Fresno. In fraternal matters. he is a Mason.

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MRS. FRANCES T. BARKER .- A native daughter of the Golden State who has wielded an influence in the educational affairs of Fresno County, both in the capacity of an instructor and as assistant county superintendent of schools, is Mrs. Frances T. Barker, of Fresno. She was born in Eldorado County and is a daughter of Heth P. Kinch, one of the early pioneers of this state who came around the Horn, from New York State, when the gold ex- citement was at its height. That was the time when the lucky gold seekers would wander into the different camps with their tales of discovery of ledges, nuggets and wonderful strikes or near-strikes of pay dirt. Mr. Kinch was closely identified with the life of Eldorado County and it was in that county that his wife passed to her reward, when her daughter Frances was a girl of seven1.

As a girl Miss Kinch attended the public schools of her native state and after her mother's death she became a resident of Merced County, and it was there that her first school was taught. In 1884 she came to Fresno County and four years later she began teaching in the elementary schools of this city. Her ability won for her the appointment, in January, 1907, of deputy county superintendent of schools under the very efficient superintendent, E. W. Lind- say, with whom she remained until January, 1919, when Mr. Lindsay's term expired and he did not again seek the position. During the intervening years Mrs. Barker was his chief deputy and gave her entire time to the discharge of the duties of the position. When she retired it was with the satisfaction of a work well done and with the good will of a host of close friends.

Mrs. Barker is the mother of a daughter, Mrs. Elsa Signer, now of San Francisco.

INGVART TEILMAN .- A man of forceful character and fine profes- sional attainments, Ingvart Teilman, chief engineer of the Fresno Canal and Land Company, is another of Denmark's sons who have sought a home and made a name for themselves in the state of California.

He was born at Ribe, Denmark, February 15, 1860, and is the son of Hans Nielsen Teilman and Dorthea Katrine Teilman. His parents were farmers and owned a small farm in the old country. Ingvart Teilman grew up in his native country and was educated in the common schools. After coming to America he supplemented his education by a course at Van Der- Nailen's engineering school at San Francisco, and graduated July, 1883, as a civil engineer. He was engaged in surveying and engineering for a number of years, and in 1887 became city engineer of the city of Fresno. Shortly afterward he became associated with J. C. Shepard, a civil engineer graduate of Ann Arbor, Mich. They constructed the first sewer system for Fresno City, and became engineers for the leading land and water corporations, em- ploying a number of engineers to lay out additions and colonies during the boom days of 1888 to 1890. During the stringency of the money market of 1892 to 1895, the partnership was dissolved, Mr. Shepard going to South America. In 1896 Mr. Teilman became engineer for the Fresno Canal and Irrigation Company, and engineer also for Mr. L. A. Nares, the English representative of the owners of the canal systems and the large grant, com- prising 60,000 acres of land, known as the Laguna De Tache. From the date that Mr. Nares got control of the canals and the grant, the development of the country began. The canals were put in shape to serve the public with an abundance of water and the grant reclaimed and the land sold to settlers on easy terms at low prices.

It was under Mr. Teilman's directions that the Laguna De Tache was surveyed and irrigated, and also the holdings of the Summit Lake Land Company, the Laguna Lands, and the San Joaquin Valley Farm Lands Com- pany (formerly the Jefferson James ranch) comprising 73,000 acres.

The most important engineering project planned by Mr. Teilman is the Pine Flat project, which contemplates the building of a dam across the Kings River, forming a reservoir out of Pine Flat impounding 600,000 acre

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feet of water, which will produce 40,000 horse power from the fall of water going over the dam. This water project will put under irrigation and pro- vide drainage for over 1,000,000 acres of land tributary to Kings River in the central San Joaquin Valley.

Mr. Teilman is a director of the Fresno Canal and Land Company and the Consolidated Canal Company, and also manager and chief engineer of the two companies.

He was married at Fresno, September 27, 1887, to Miss Annie Katrine Holm, and they are the parents of four children, namely: Ingyart Holm Teilman, who married Elmina Gardner, February 24, 1917; Maren; Dora; and Henry Nelsen Teilman.

Since 1882 Mr. Teilman has been a member of Fresno Lodge No. 186, I. O. O. F., of which he is a Past Noble Grand. In his church associations he is a member of the Danish Lutheran Church. Politically he affiliates with the Republican party, and he is a member of the Commercial Club of Fresno.

Mr. Teilman is a man of broad caliber, possessed of a quiet dignity, kind and courteous to all, generous and public spirited, moving in the best finan- cial, professional and social circles of Fresno. It is as an irrigation engineer that he is most widely known, having made a place for himself among the foremost engineers of the Pacific Coast. He resides with his family in their beautiful residence on Kearney Boulevard, Fresno.

WILLIAM CARUTHERS .- Californians will never cease to honor the pioneers, through whose self-denial and real hardships the foundations of the great commonwealth were laid; and among the builders of the Golden State, the name of William Caruthers, popularly known as Billy Caruthers, will not soon be forgotten. He was born in Vermont about 1840, and in that sterling old Yankee corner was reared on a farm. He came to California a young man and engaged in the sheep business in Fresno County, taking his sheep into the mountains in the summer time and bringing them back to the valleys in the winter. He became the owner of the southeast quarter, Section 7, Township 16, Range 20 (which is now the home-place of John G. C. Sinclair), and three whole sections in the neighborhood of Caruthers, including Section 18, where the present town of Caruthers is located. He gave the Southern Pacific Railway Company a half section of land for a town site, with the understanding that as the lots were sold, half of the proceeds should go to him. Mr. Caruthers also owned 1,200 acres on the Kings River, southwest of the bridge, known as the Kingsburg Picnic Grounds. He owned in all seven sections of land, all excellent soil, and some of it is now the most valuable in the county. He bought the land at Caruthers from the State, and as it was regarded as desert land, he paid only $1.25 an acre, a price astonishingly small compared with its present valuation.

Mr. Caruthers married Miss Ellen .Wilson, the eldest daughter of old "Tobacco" Wilson, the pioneer cattleman of this section. He raised sheep until about 1888, and then he changed to grain-farming and the raising of cattle. The Southern Pacific Railway had graded a line from Collis, which is now Kerman, in 1886, and the iron was laid in 1891 ; so that when the rail- way began operations Mr. Caruthers had his three sections here in wheat, and had been raising wheat here for three or four years. This looked good to those who came to see the town site, and it attracted prospective settlers.

Billy Caruthers was a man of positive convictions and a strong Repub- lican, whose influence was felt in the councils of the party at that time. He continued to prosper and was highly respected. An unfortunate litigation, however, occurred about 1888. when a slander case in which he was the defendant was tried, and ended disastrously to him. Owing to his loss of this suit, together with the court costs and costs of litigation, he was prac- tically ruined, and he was forced to place a mortgage upon all his lands in favor of the San Francisco Savings Union (Bank), to the amount of twelve dollars per acre, the hard and panicky times of the early nineties forcing him

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eventually to sign it over to the bank. After that he rented lands from the old Jeff James Ranch, but he never regained his prosperity and prestige.

He later went to Hanford where he farmed his wife's land until he died, about 1911, about seventy-one years of age. He was certainly a progressive spirit in the improvement and advancement of Caruthers and Fresno County. He was associated with the late Timothy Page, capitalist of San Francisco, in the building and extension of the Fowler Switch Ditch, and encouraged the building of the railroad and starting the town of Caruthers. He was the person who first successfully grew Australian white wheat and introduced it into the San Joaquin Valley in 1888, and exhibited some of the wheat at the Chicago Exposition in 1893, when he took the gold medal.

PERRY C. and ELIZABETH PHILLIPS .- Among the highly honored pioneers of Fresno and Tulare Counties are Perry Commodore Phillips and his most estimable wife, Elizabeth (Hildebrand) Phillips, pros- perous ranchers and wealthy landholders, who for nearly sixty years have resided on their home place, known as the Woodlawn Ranch, situated one mile south of Laton and lying south of the Kings River. Their ranch was formerly in Fresno County but since the recent change in the boundary line the ranch is now located in Kings County.

Great honor is due the courageous pioneers of the Golden State, and in view of the great hardships they experienced, the perils they braved and their untiring efforts in the development of the country's resources, their names should be perpetuated in the history of both state and county, and prominent on such a list will be the names of Perry Commodore and Eliza- beth Phillips. The exact date of their arrival in Fresno County was October 23, 1860, and their first purchase of land consisted of eighty acres located near Kingston. In those early days their muniments of title were recorded at Millerton, which was then the county seat of Fresno County.

Perry Commodore Phillips was born April 7, 1838, near Princeton, Gib- son County, Ind., a son of Robert and Celia (Melbourne) Phillips. The father was a native of South Carolina, who migrated to Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Rob- ert Phillips were the parents of four sons and four daughters, Perry C. being the sixth child. His early education was received in the public and subscrip- tion schools of that day, and was somewhat limited for at the age of fourteen his father died and afterwards he was obliged to work on farms. Perry was possessed of a great desire to see more of the big world so he decided to leave his native state and made his way to Missouri, and in 1854, accom- panied by his brother William, joined an ox-team train composed of Illinoians bound for California. After safely crossing the plains and arriving in the Golden State, Mr. Phillips located at Grizzly Hill, Nevada County, on the Yuba River north of Nevada City, where he was engaged in mining for five years, and where sometimes he, with his helper, took out as high as $125 worth of gold in a day. Later he was engaged in gold-mining on Beaver Creek, Siskiyou County where he remained until 1859, when he removed to Solano County where he was employed on farms and for a short time attended school. Perry C. Phillips possessed those indispensable traits of character so necessary to success-industry and economy- and by the time he had decided to discontinue his search for gold he had laid up $3,000.

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History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Volume I, Part 98

Author: Vandor, Paul E., 1858- Publication date: 1919 Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company Number of Pages: 1362

Author: Vandor, Paul E., 1858-
Publication date: 1919
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1362