History of Kern 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, Part 142

Author: Morgan, Wallace Melvin, 1868- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Los Angeles, Cal., Historic record company
Number of Pages: 1682

USA > California > Kern County > History of Kern 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 > Part 142

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JOHN L. SWETT .- Mr. Swett has shown his deep interest in the wel- fare of Bakersfield by contributing of his means and time toward the further- ing of her development. He is the son of Dr. William K. Swett, who was born March 7, 1852, at Newport, N. H., and here he was reared and educated. In 1873 he was married to Elizabeth A. Davis, and together they came to Kern county in 1875, settling at Havilah, where Dr. Swett practiced medicine. Although his career in this region was very brief he accomplished much good and his memory was much revered after his untimely death, at the early age of twenty-four years. Two children were born to Dr. Swett and his wife, John L., who is mentioned below, and William K., who married Edith Fugitt, of Bakersfield, and has one child, Gertrude. The latter now lives in South Fork valley.

John L. Swett was born in San Francisco, August 17, 1874, and was but two years of age at the time his father passed away. Upon the removal of his parents to Kern county he was brought hither and here he has since made his home. He is at present the proprietor of the Monte Carlo saloon, which is located on Nineteenth street, Bakersfield. He married Miss Charlotte Reber, of Selma, Cal., and they are the parents of two children, Dorothy N. and Langdon. Their home is at No. 2210 Nineteenth street. Mr. Swett never loses an opportunity to co-operate with his fellow-citizens toward bene- fiting his city and county. Although not holding public office he interests himself with all civic movements, and is ready to give every aid in his power toward the public welfare.

The mother of John L. Swett, who was, before her marriage to William K. Swett, Elizabeth A. Davis, was born at Wenham, Mass., where her first years were passed. At the age of nine she came with her parents via the isthmus of Panama to San Francisco, landing there in 1863. Her father settled at Visalia, and there she was reared and married in 1873 to Dr. William K. Swett, coming to Kern county with him in 1875, where his death occurred a

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short time later. She later became the wife of N. P. Peterson, and resides at Isabella, Kern county, where Mr. Peterson is engaged in mining and stock- raising, owning a ranch there. By this marriage there were three children : Neal H. ; Walter C .; and Addie E., now the wife of Dick Fugitt, and residing at Isabella.

A proper regard for the pioneer history of the medical profession of Kern county imperatively demands a further mention of Dr. William K. Swett. the father of the subject of this sketch. He was born to his profession, being the son of Dr. John Langdon Swett, of Newport, N. H. Dr. William K. Swett received his earlier education at the New London academy and at the Kimball Union academy at Meriden, N. H. He came to California in 1870, settling in San Francisco at first. He then commenced the study of medicine, reading under the preceptorship of Dr. J. P. Whitney at the latter's office in San Francisco, and later completed the medical course at the Poland Medical College. His professional career at Havilah was marked by signal success.

A. V. BENNETT .- Among the men who are making a success of the dairy business in Kern county is A. V. Bennett, a native of Illinois, born at Adair. McDonough county, February 6, 1880, the son of Jefferson and Sarah (Randolph) Bennett, natives of Indiana and Pennsylvania respectively. On his mother's side the Randolphs are traced back into England, records of the family showing the family extant in the ninth century. Mr. Randolph is a man of public spirit and is much interested and helpful in the development of the town of his adoption.

Mr. Bennett was brought up on his father's farm, attending the public schools in the district. Having accumulated some money he invested it about 1904 in some land at Alspaugh, Cal., which he still owns. He did not come to this state until 1906 and in 1907 he located in Wasco, where he has built up a growing business. As soon as he obtained water for irrigating his seven and one-half acres in town he sowed alfalfa and began the dairy business, serving bottled milk to the customers at Wasco and he also ships a supply of milk to Lost Hills. This necessarily takes a great deal of attention and his time is wholly occupied.

In Adair, Ill., occurred the marriage of Mr. Bennett, with Miss Carrie Hoyle, a native of Fulton county, Ill., and they have two children, Gene and Gordon.

WILLIAM H. ENGLE .- A native of Kern county, Mr. Engle was born near Woody and within three miles of his present ranch, November 10, 1868. His father, David Engle, was born in Dayton, Ohio, and when a youth crossed the plains to California in 1849. He followed mining in different camps but later turned his attention to the cattle business and became one of the early settlers of Kern county. Locating land near the Five Dog ranch, he became a successful cattleman. He married in Kern county Miss Elvira Hig- gins, a native of Oregon, and both died in this county. Of their ten children, eight of whom are living, William is the second oldest, and from a boy he was brought up in the cattle business, receiving his education in the local schools. While working for his father Mr. Engle acquired a small herd of his own, running them on the open range with his father's cattle. He homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres three miles from Granite but later sold it and pur- chased nine hundred and thirteen acres in one body at the head of Rabbit Gulch about four miles above Granite station, where he now engages in the cattle business.

The marriage of Mr. Engle occurred near Woody, uniting him with Miss Lulu Brown, who was born in Illinois but reared in Kern county, and to them were born six children as follows: Lee, Ella, Gladys, William, David and Harry. Mr. Engle began riding after cattle when eight years of age and so lie is well and favorably known throughout the county as one of the oldest

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among the stock-growers. For many years he served as a school trustee, is a deputy sheriff and has served one term as constable. With his wife he is a member of the Christian church at Woody. Politically he is a Democrat.

EDWARD WEIT .- Among the upbuilders of Wasco we find Edward Weit, who was born in Koenigsberg, Prussia, November 3, 1877. His child- hood, however, was spent in Braunsweig, Germany, where he was educated in the local schools, after which he was employed in the office of the salt works and became an experienced bookkeeper. Accepting a position with the North German Lloyd line of steamers it was his privilege to visit different parts of the old world touching all countries but Australia. In 1897 he came to New York City, where for a time he was employed in hotels. Later he traveled throughout the United States, visiting nearly every city of import- ance, and he also made the trip to Alaska.

In 1905 Mr. Weit came to Los Angeles, where he was married to Miss Hedvig, also a native of Germany. For a time he was proprietor of a hotel and restaurant, and later had a grocery store in Ocean Park. In 1910 they came to Bakersfield and in November of the same year located in Wasco and took charge of the Wasco hotel. Later he also had a restaurant. Mr. Weit also started the first meat market in Wasco. Having purchased twelve and one-half acres in the town site he sunk a deep well, installed a pumping plant and laid the first pipes for furnishing citizens with water for domestic use. He has erected a tower house and reservoir, also a plunge, 20x40 feet, covered by a large building which is also equipped with tub and shower baths. Wasco plunge has become a very popular place. After completing the waterworks and plunge he sold his other interests in order to devote all of his time to the building up of his new enterprise. He believes in modern and up-to-date ideas and methods, and was the first citizen in Wasco to use an electric fan. He installed the first private motor and also was the first to use electricity for cooking. Fraternally Mr. Weit is a member of the Woodmen of the World and with his wife is a member of the Fraternal Brotherhood.

FRANCIS M. SNOW .- It was near Springfield, Greene county, Mo., that Francis M. Snow, who now lives near Bakersfield, was born September 24, 1860. He was the son of William S. and Virginia Edmonson, who were born in Tennessee and became farmers in Greene county, Mo. In 1868 they removed to Brownwood, Tex., where the mother died. In his old age the father removed to Roseburg, Ore., where he pasesd away. Of the seven children born to this couple two are living, and Francis M. is the third in order of birth. He was eight years old when he removed to Texas with his parents, and thereafter until he was seventeen he attended the public school near his home. During the four years following he worked for his father on the latter's farm. His first business venture for himself was as a buyer and seller of cattle in association with the Dublin Oil Mill Company of Texas, continuing thus employed until 1883, when he moved to California, and in Lake county engaged in farming and stock-raising. Locating at Santa Rosa in 1898, he was fore- man of a lumber yard there until 1907, when he came to Kern county, leasing one hundred acres two miles and a half north of Bakersfield where he raised grain.

In 1912 Mr. Snow bought the eighty acres six miles northwest of Bakers- field which is now his homestead, a tract of raw land which he has improved and put under cultivation and developed into one of the good farms in this vicinity. It is in alfalfa and is irrigated from the Beardsley canal. As a farmer Mr. Snow has brought to bear upon the problems presented to him an intimate knowledge of soils, crops and climate, which constitute a compre- hensive view of all conditions of production, and he has transacted his busi- ness with his fellow citizens on a high plane of honor that marks him as a man to be trusted. As a citizen he has proven himself public-spirited to a

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remarkable degree, giving his support to every worthy movement for the ad- vancement of the community. He affiliates fraternallywith the Odd Fellows and the Fraternal Brotherhood. August 2, 1898, he was married in Lake county to Miss Flora Hendricks, who was born in that county March 3, 1875, and they have two sons, Ellis and Roger.

THOMAS SAMUEL KINGSTON .- At one time owning considerable stock in oil companies, which he has sold, Mr. Kingston has invested in a ranch of forty acres in the old River district, also twenty acres at Panama, Kern county.

The only son and the second child in a family of three children, Thomas Samuel Kingston was born at Massena, St. Lawrence county, N. Y., in 1876, and from the age of ten years has lived in the northwest and the Pacific coast country. His parents, George A. and Emma (Benson) Kingston, were natives of St. Lawrence county, N. Y., where the former engaged in the practice of law at Massena. Eventually removing to Nevada, he practiced his profession in Elko county and at one time held the office of district attorney. After the death of his wife, which occurred in Nevada, he removed to Arizona and there spent his last days. As a cowboy on Dakota cattle ranches Thomas Samuel Kingston earned a livelihood at an age when many are in school. In early life he gained a knowledge of every phase of the oil industry. For a time he worked with a water well contract driller for the Government in the Chey- enne river agency. As a tool-dresser and driller he had employment in various artesian well belts of the Dakotas. On the outbreak of the Spanish- American war he enlisted as a private in Company A, First South Dakota Infantry, which was ordered to San Francisco and from there to the Philip- pines.

He served eighteen months on the islands. When the native rebellion began he was appointed chief engineer on the gunboat Florida and continued to serve as chief engineer on that and other boats for more than one year. After he had been mustered out by special order No. 215 he remained as a civilian employe. Upon returning to the United States after his resignation he was attracted to Bakersfield by reason of recent oil discoveries in the Kern river field. Later he secured employment as a driller in the Sunset field and drilled the discovery well at the town of Maricopa, later spending three years as a driller on the Peerless lease in the Kern river field. Recognized as an oil operator of unusual capability, he was chosen superintendent of the Con- solidated Copper Oil Company on section 2 at Maricopa and later as super- intendent did the first development work on the Pioneer Midway at Fellows, after which he engaged as superintendent of the St. Lawrence Oil Company at Fellows and as superintendent of the Springfield Oil Company at North McKittrick, and he has been foreman with the Honolulu since 1910. He has given his attention very closely to the oil business and has taken no part whatever in politics, in which indeed he is decidedly independent in opinion. By his marriage in Bakersfield to Miss Clara Medill, who was born at Colorado Springs, Colo., and died at Fellows, Cal., he has two sons, Benson and Burns. During a temporary sojourn in New York state he was made a Mason in Massena Lodge No. 513, A. F. & A. M., and took the chapter degree in St. Lawrence Chapter No. 24, R. A. M., at Pottsdam, N. Y., while more re- cently he has been identified with Bakersfield Commandery No. 39, K. T., and Al Malaikah Temple, N. M. S., in Los Angeles.

THOMAS WATSON ATKINSON .- For the past sixteen years there has been associated with the mining interests of Kern county a man whose ex- perience in the work in this and other fields covers a long period.

Born in Fremont county, Iowa, September 23, 1872, Mr. Atkinson was taken to Norton county, Kans., when he was a year old, and there he grew to manhood, attending the common schools and later the Normal, which he

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finished when sixteen years of age. He then went to Colorado and from there to various places until 1889, when he came to California and became interested in mining. In 1896 he landed in Ventura county, where he was employed for a time and later he came to Kern county, and with his father went to work in the development of mines here. These were the Sunshine, the Merced and the IIatchet, and at present he is the sole owner of the Sunshine mine and stamp mill. His other interests are in the Hazleton Crude Oil Company in the Sunset field, where he also has other oil interests.

Mr. Atkinson finds time outside of his business to take part in social affairs, and he is a member of the blue lodge of Masons, also affiliating with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. His wife, who was Ola Pyles, was born in Texas, and they make their home in Randsburg. They have four chil- dren, Farrel, Gertrude, Thomas and Elizabeth. Though occupied with the rearing of their children, they find time to devote themselves to their large circle of friends who ever find a hearty welcome in their hospitable home.

BENJAMIN MORRIS ATKINSON .- Educated in the public schools of Vanwert county, Ohio, B. M. Atkinson's birth occurred September 18, 1840. When fourteen years old he left school and a year later went to work for him- self, clearing land and farming. In 1858 he moved to Kansas, where he took up a claim, the following year going to Iowa and remaining for eighteen months. The spirit of travel by this time had caught him and he started for California, but he did not go further than Salt Lake City, deciding instead to go to Montana. He remained there from 1863 to the fall of 1867, when he returned to Iowa. In the spring of 1871 he moved to Nebraska, later returning to Kansas, where he took up a homestead in Norton county. Disposing of this he in 1878 moved to Colorado, stayed there until the fall of the next year, and then started to California by way of New Mexico with teams. Sick- ness, however, compelled them to remain during the winter in New Mexico, and then he came on to California, settling first in Ventura county, where he engaged in farming.

On April 3, 1896, Mr. Atkinson came with a partner and two burros to Randsburg, Kern county, with the intention of going into the mining business. They prospered for a few months in what is now the Stringer district. In this district they first located Poor Man's mine, which is now operating, and on June 30, 1896, located Sunshine mine which they developed and which is now in a good state of production. This mine has a stamp mill on it, and Mr. Atkinson also has a cyanide plant there. He at present holds four claims, having recently bought the Bully Boy and Rose mines, all now in operation. Mr. Atkinson's future seems well assured as he has been most successful in the choice of business undertakings, which have already proved most profitable.

On December 18, 1868, the marriage of Benjamin M. Atkinson and Ma- linda E. Ferrel took place, she being a native of Lloyd county, Ind., born there in 1849. They became the parents of nine children, as follows : Elmira Caroline, Thomas W., Mary E., Jessie C. (died in New Mexico), Lindie J., Ina M., William M., Edward C. and Sylva Lenora. Mr. and Mrs. Atkinson have been tender, loving parents and have reared their children to become rep- resentative citizens and a credit to the name. They are well-known and highly respected by all who have acquaintance with the family.

FRANCISCO APALATEA was born in 1850 in Tucson, Ariz., the birth- place also of his father Guadelupe, who brought his family to California in 1864, so that from a lad of fourteen Francisco has been a resident of this state. The year 1871 found him in Visalia and in 1873 he came to Kern county, where he has chiefly been engaged in mining, mostly on Piute mountain. He has opened many mines, some of which he has sold. He discovered and developed the Bryan mine, which he afterwards sold for five thousand dol-

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lars. Since 1902 he has resided with his family on a one hundred and sixty-acre ranch, three miles north of Kernville, but he still follows mining and has several good claims. Mr. Apalatea has been three times married, his first two wives being deceased. His present wife was before her marriage Rosa Rice, and was a native of South Fork. Of their union have been born five children, and by his former unions there are eleven children living. Mr. Apalatea has had much experience in mining and is well posted concerning the mineralogy of the county. Politically he is a Republican.

PETER BLAETTLER .- The Blaettler brothers, Melchoir and Peter, of the Town ranch in the Weed Patch of Kern county, have been closely iden- tified with the dairy interests in this section. The younger, Peter Blaettler, was born in Unterwalden. Switzerland, on September 6, 1872, and his life and career have been so closely interwoven with those of his brother Melchoir, who was also born in Unterwalden, in 1870, that their histories read almost alike, they having shared both hardship and success in all undertakings.

In the year 1881 the brothers came to America and made their way to the state of Missouri, settling at St. Louis, where for several years they were engaged in a planing mill. After seven years in Missouri they decided to make their way west and accordingly in 1888 they came to Salinas, Monterey county, Cal .; where they engaged in dairying. For nine and a half years they ran the large dairy ranch known as the Cowell ranch of eighteen hundred and fifty acres. Their success here led to the offer of the management of the Mallerin ranch of a thousand acres, which extensive duties kept them closely occupied for a time until in July, 1911, when they came to the Town ranch, over which they today are supervisors and managers. In 1911 this ranch was subdivided and sold off, the J. H. Menke Dairy Company becoming the pur- chasers of six hundred and forty acres, that being the particular section on which the buildings stand.

The ranch has on it the buildings erected by Mr. Town, the former owner, and the general up-to-date appearance and the hygienic condition of its buildings evidence the unequalled management and the care taken by those who are handling the details. One hundred and fifty cows are daily milked here, the cream is separated by the modern method and sold to the Peacock Creamery at Bakersfield. The Blaettler brothers are Catholics.

JEAN L. PHILIPP .- A native of the county which has been his life- time home, Jean L. Philipp was born in Bakersfield on July 27, 1891, the son of Jean Philipp of East Bakersfield, of whom a sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. In the city of his birth the son was reared and educated, com- pleting his studies by a course in the high school. The young man's first insight into business affairs was received while filling the position of assistant bookkeeper in the office of Fairbanks, Morse & Co., in 1909, and it was by the knowledge and experience there gained during three months that he paved the way and made possible the larger opportunities that came to him in the years that have intervened.

It was in August, 1909, that a store was opened in Taft by G. P. Louthain, district manager of the Fairbanks, Morse & Co., the equipment consisting of oil well supplies, gas engines and electrical attachments and supplies. A local manager was found in Jean L. Philipp, who had come to Taft on November 1, 1909, and has been a resident here ever since. Genial and enter- prising, Mr. Philipp is well fitted for the position of local manager of this well-known enterprise, and has built up a patronage which is a credit to himself and is proving a stimulus to the growing town of Taft.

FRED CLEMENT .- Identified with the oil industry for considerably more than a decade Mr. Clement has meanwhile risen from the humble capacity of a day laborer to the position of production foreman, having

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charge at the present time of the plant owned by the Colloma Oil Company, whose output averages about eleven thousand barrels per month.

The son of a worthy pioneer couple in Illinois, himself a native of Spring- field, that state, born August 27, 1871, Fred Clement was third in order of birth among five children and was given such educational advantages as the means of his parents rendered possible. At the age of sixteen he became self- supporting and ever since then he has made his own way in the world unaided. Different occupations engaged his attention prior to his first association with the oil industry. Until twenty years of age he worked in a box factory. Upon leaving the factory he went to Texas and secured employment on a railroad as brakeman. After two years he went north to Iowa and found work as a farm laborer, continuing as such until he was twenty-seven years of age. Next he secured employment with the Cudahy Packing Company in the smoke-house department and by gradual promotion rose to be a general manager with the company, having charge of the departments at McAllister, Okla., also at Colgate, Fort Smith and Arkansas City.

Upon resigning the position with the packing house Mr. Clement came to California in 1900 and made a brief sojourn at Santa Ana. For six months he worked in the old Los Angeles oil fields and there gained his first insight into the oil industry. From that district he came to the Kern river field and engaged with the Independent Oil Company in a minor capacity. Going next to the west side he worked for three years in that field, meanwhile being successively with the Globe, Exploration, Associated and American Oil Companies, after which in September of 1912 he returned to the Kern river field and became foreman with the Colloma Oil Company. He owns forty acres in Tulare county and the family home in Bakersfield at 1715 Blanche street, which is presided over by Mrs. Clement, formerly Miss Lyda Jamieson. There is an only child, a son named Warren. While spending his week-ends at home in the society of his family and the enjoyment of intercourse with friends, Mr. Clement necessarily spends the larger part of his time on the field and may usually be found on section 31, township 28, range 28, where the Colloma Oil Company has its holdings and operates its valuable and productive wells.

CHARLES BOWMAN .- Varied experiences have come to Mr. Bowman during his long association with the oil industry. Having worked in many of the oil regions of the country he is well posted concerning each, realizes their possibilities, understands their drawbacks and has faith in their future, especially in the future of the Kern river fields, where now he is stationed as superintendent of the Homer Oil Company, a position he fills with credit to himself and satisfaction to the employing company.

The youngest of the four children of the late Henderson Bowman, a contractor in Ohio, Charles Bowman was born in Lima, Allen county, that state, August 31, 1880. The eldest of the family, Sylvia, is the wife of Kirby White, a grain dealer at Harrod, Allen county, Ohio. The second daughter, Ida, married W. M. Neely, an oil operator, and the older son, Homer, formerly ·an oil contractor, is now engaged in the furniture business. The youngest of the family, Charles, attended the public schools of Allen county between the ages of six and fourteen, after which, in July of 1894, he began to work for the Standard Oil Company as a pumper, running four wells. Later he spent eighteen months as a pumper with Pyle and Roberts and nine months with W. M. Neely, his brother-in-law. After a brief experience as tool-dresser he began to drill at the age of nineteen years and in the December after he had reached the age of twenty he became an independent operator in Allen county, where he drilled a large number of wells. Fortune smiled on him for a time, but later he met with reverses and sold his tools.

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History of Kern 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, Part 142

Author: Morgan, Wallace Melvin, 1868- [from old catalog] Publication date: 1914 Publisher: Los Angeles, Cal., Historic record company Number of Pages: 1682

Author: Morgan, Wallace Melvin, 1868- [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1914
Publisher: Los Angeles, Cal., Historic record company
Number of Pages: 1682