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 169

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 169

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

1544

HISTORY OF KERN COUNTY

torily served as superintendent of the Maricopa 36 and the M. and T. Oil Com- panies. In the latter organization he is a stockholder and serves as a director, while in addition he owns stock in the Maricopa 36. On coming to these fields he was accompanied by his wife, whom he had married at Titusville, Pa., and who was formerly Miss Ethel L. Benn. Their union has been blessed with two daughters, Beatrice and Kathryn.

JAMES A. SPENCER .- Prior to coming to California and taking up his duties as telegraph operator for the Kern Trading and Oil Company at Kerto station, in April, 1912, Mr. Spencer filled responsible positions in telegraphy in various parts of the United States and Canada. He is a native of New York state and was born in Syracuse March 29, 1884, being a son of the late N. H. and Frances (Fowler) Spencer. The father, who died in 1906, had engaged for years in buying stock for the Chicago markets and particularly for the Cudahy Company. The demands of the business tock him through all of the Pacific northwest, although his operations were largely in Montana. As a judge of stock he had few superiors. In his estimates of their values he seldom erred. His wife, who was born in Missouri and now makes her home in San Jose, Cal., is a daughter of Welcome Fowler, a pioneer of California during the gold-mining era and once the proprietor of the old Palmyra hotel at Orange City. Having a firm faith in the future of the state, he speculated in lands in various localities and thus acquired large tracts.

There were three sons and one daughter in the family of N. H. Spencer, namely : Clinton Edgar, who built the Bakersfield street-car system and is now chief engineer for the Stockton Street Railway Company; Lulu, wife of William Cole, a broker in New York City ; James A. ; and LeRoy, an auto- mobile painter employed in Buffalo. The second son lived in Syracuse until he was thirteen and then went to New York City, where he was graduated from the Bronx high school with the class of 1901. From the high school he came to the University of California at Berkeley and there took a course in electrical engineering, but at the end of the second year he left the university and entered the wholesale house of the Brown Hardware Company. After six months in that place he went back to New York City and embarked in the stock brokerage business, at the same time specializing in telegraphy. For some years he engaged as operator on the Stock Exchange in different cities. this being a line of work calling for unusual expertness in telegraphy. For brief periods he was stationed at Atlanta, Ga., Jacksonville, Fla., Tampa, Fla., Miami, Fla., New Orleans, La., and Dallas, Tex. and thence was sent to Havana, Cuba, where he was employed by Moss & Co., a firm later absorbed by B. F. Sheffield, of New York. While engaged in the brokerage business at Denver. San Francisco, Los Angeles and Portland, he was connected with the firm of Logan and Bryan, and also he was with Fred Dorr of San Fran- cisco for a time. Meanwhile he had been connected with the Associated Press and the Canadian Press and in the latter service he had made brief sojourns in Winnipeg. Canada, Toronto, Calgary, Regina, London, Montreal and Quebec.

PETER CATTANI .- Upon coming to America Mr. Cattani did not find the many obstructions toward making his fortune as hard as would some who had not experienced his early toilsome life. Born in Piedmont, Italy, on December 8, 1869, he spent the first nineteen years of his life there, his father being a sawyer and lumber hewer in that locality. At the tender age of six and a half years he worked on a farm, at seven years being a goat herder in the Alps, and later he herded cows and worked in the woods. He would work for an entire year for the small sum of $4 and his board, but as he grew older his wages increased. Small wonder then that the lad looked forward with fond anticipation to the time when he could come to the new country and procure more promising results from his hard labors. Sailing from Havre to New York he made San Francisco his point of destination, arriving there

1545

HISTORY OF KERN COUNTY

in November, 1889, and from there he went to Pescadero, San Mateo county, where he procured work on a large dairy farm. For seven years he worked for wages, but at the time of his marriage in 1896 he rented a dairy and em- barked in the business for himself and for the next eleven years ran a dairy ranch and cheese factory. He then removed to Merced county, where he bought fifty acres of alfalfa land at Walter, which has been steadily increasing in value until it is now worth more than $300 an acre. On his dairy farm he has over a hundred cows. In 1911 he united his interests with Mr. Rodoni, and built and established the now justly celebrated Vineland creamery. Mr. Cattani hás devo.ed his entire time and attention to this extensive business, which is still operated under the name of the Vineland Cheese Factory, (although Mr. Cattani has recently bought out Mr. Rodoni.) In November, 1911, Messrs. Cattani and Rodoni purchased a hundred and sixty acres of land, adding to it an adjoining two hundred acres, and here the cows which supply the dairy are grazed and cared for. The barn is modern and equipped with all conveniences, and under the able management of the proprietor the cheese business has developed until it now is one of the most flourishing firms of its kind in the county. Since relinquishing his interest in the creamery Mr. Rodoni has made his home on a small ranch north of Bakersfield.

Mr. Cattani married in 1896 Miss Henrietta Guerra, who was born at Half Moon Bay, San Mateo county, and they are the parents of five children, James, Katherine, William, Arnold and Madeline. Mrs. Cattani has proved a helpmeet to her husband and a devoted and loving mother. They are popular and well known in their community, and Mr. Cattani holds a high place in the esteem of his fellow citizens.

FRANCIS GUY COLTON .- The late F. H. Colton, an honored pioneer of Kern county and the father of Francis Guy Colton, was born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, received an education both in the classics and the law, and for a time had charge of the public schools of St. Paul Minn. After he had been admitted to the bar he practiced law for a time in Kentucky and won consid- erable prominence in his profession, but with the growing interest attached to the colonization of Kansas he was induced to take up land in that state. While living near Minneapolis, Ottawa county, there was born, March 1, 1871, a son, Francis Guy, to his union with Lydia Ann Tucker. About four years later, in July of 1875, he came to California, the change being made with the hope of physically aiding him as he was suffering with asthma. The day after his arrival in Bakersfield he secured employment with the Livermore Company and he continued with the organization through its subsequent ownership by Messrs. Carr and Haggin, also when finally it was absorbed by the Kern County Land Company, and at the time of his death, which occurred in Bakersfield June 9, 1892, he was filling the position of superintendent of canals for that concern. Meanwhile many responsibilities had been turned over to him. Faithfully and intelligently he had superintended construction work in Kern county that had involved the expenditure of millions of dollars. Nor was his activity limited to his association with the land company, but in addition he had maintained a constant interest in educational matters. His own early identification with the profession of teaching gave him a critical insight into the needs of the educational system of our country. Through a service for years as a school trustee and a member of the county board he endeavored to promote the wel- tare of the schools of the county and to introduce improvements in the matter and manner of instruction. The passing of a man so advanced in thought and so patriotic in citizenship was a distinct loss to the city. Mr. Colton was twice married, his first marriage, which occurred in 1866 in Kansas, uniting him with Miss Lydia Ann Tucker, by whom he had seven

1546

HISTORY OF KERN COUNTY

children. Six of these grew to maturity: Evelyn G. is now Mrs. Joseph Morley ; her husband is a farmer and dairyman on the Kern Island road, Kern county. Francis Guy is second in order of birth. Charles Maxwell is in the educational department of the government at Manila, P. I .; he married Mrs. Lena Skillern of San Francisco. Ward Tucker grew up and married in Bakersfield Miss Hattie Ripley of Caliente, and by her had one child, John H .; he was killed by being smothered in the San Fernando tunnel. Lydia Ann is now the wife of Alfred Clark, an accountant in the First National Bank, situated at the corner of C and Sunset street, Bakersfield. Albert Sanborn, twin of Lydia Ann, is a graduate of the University of California, and is principal of a high school in Siskiyou county. The mother of these died in 1878 at the birth of the twins, at Bakersfield, Mr. Colton was married (second) to Mrs. Miriam L. Shottenkirk, widow of Daniel Shottenkirk and the daughter of Caleb and Elizabeth (Newton) Isbister, both natives of Scotland. Ten children were born to the mar- riage of Mr. and Mrs. Isbister, Mrs. Colton being the youngest child, born at Alleghany City, Pa. She bore her first husband five children, two of whom survive, Florence and Jessie. Florence is the wife of Walter Abbey, of Wasco, while Jessie is the wife of Dr. D. V. Bower, a dentist in Chicago.

From the age of four years Francis Guy Colton has lived in Bakers- field. Attending the public schools until he had completed the regular course of study, he then took up the task of earning a livelihood and after a time became the proprietor of a feed and fuel business, which seemed about to bring him permanent prosperity when the catastrophe of a de- structive conflagration forced him to begin again absolutely without means. However, since beginning in the transfer business he has again established himself upon a stable foundation and there is every prospect for increasing success in the future. August 26, 1896, he married Miss Elizabeth Isbister, a native of Nevada county, Cal., and by this union there are three children, Francis John, Phoebe Louise and Richard Guy. The family hold mem- bership with the First Congregational Church of Bakersfield, in which Mr. Colton officiates as a deacon and member of the board of trustees. Fratern- ally he is connected with the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Woodmen of the World.

THOMAS EDWIN OWENS .- The memorable era of gold discovery in California had not only its tales of triumph and success but also its hun- dreds of unwritten tragedies and one of the latter occurred in the Owens family, for the father, David Owens, a Welshman by birth, a blacksmith by trade and during young manhood a farmer near Hillsboro, Jefferson county, Mo., was one of the courageous men who bade farewell to wife and friends and started across the plains during 1849. With ox-teams and wagons the expedition wended its way along the tedious route. Finally the placer mines were reached and the young Argonaut at once began to mine for gold. His letters to his wife were full of hope and cheer. Finally he wrote that he had struck two rich claims and now his only desire was to return to those he loved, bringing with him his little store of wealth. Never again was he heard from and no word ever came as to his fate, but unquestion- ably he was murdered for his gold, a tragedy by no means uncommon in that lawless period of history.

Back in the Missouri home there remained the widow who was form- erly Mrs. Louisa (Williams) Chandler, and the only child of the marriage. Thomas Edwin Owens, whose birth occurred at Hillsboro, Mo., June 17, 1849. The latter attended subscription schools in boyhood and when not . in schools he worked on farms for fifty cents per day. During the winter months he helped farmers to feed their stock. From his earliest recollec-

1547

HISTORY OF KERN COUNTY

tions he was interested in California. Often he would read his father's last let- ter and always it would arouse his desire to go west, so after he had worked for a few years in the Sandy lead mines and also had saved a little money through buying and selling horses, in 1873 he had saved an amount suffi- cient to pay his expenses to the coast. One of his earliest labors in the state was to attempt to find some trace of his father's fate, but the search was unavailing and finally was relinquished as hopeless. After he had traveled via the Southern Pacific road to Bakersfield and by stage to Caliente, Kern county, he found employment in the latter place as a freight handler. Later he engaged in mining and teaming at Havilah, where he married Miss Laura Reid, a native of Visalia, this state. For some years he and his wife have owned and occupied a substantial residence on the corner of L and Twenty- fourth streets, Bakersfield. Of their six children four sons are now living, namely : Charles, an electrician ; Frederick, deputy sheriff of Kern county : Dean, a machinist, and Arthur, a printer. Mrs. Owens is a daughter of Col. John C. Reid, a native of Virginia, who crossed the plains to California and became a pioneer merchant and stockman, who was known as one of the cattle kings of what is now Tulare, Kern, Kings and Inyo counties, the other men sharing with him in this title being Messrs. Dunlap and Stanford. He was county treasurer and tax collector of Tulare county before Kern county was organized. He served in the Mexican war as colonel and died in Bak- ersfield at the age of eighty. His wife, who was Mary Glenn, a native of Tennessee, died in Tulare county.

Upon coming to the vicinity of Bakersfield in 1876 Mr. Owens pur- chased a ranch adjoining Stockdale and later bought property in the city which he still owns. For thirty-three years he has engaged in the liquor business. One of the early fires burned him out and he had to build again. Ever since coming to the west he has been interested in farming and in mining, now owns interests in the Amelia district and was among the first to strike oil in the Devil's Den country, where he aided in the organization of the Pluto Oil Company, the pioneer developer of oil in that region. The Democratic party has received his stanch support ever since he cast his first presidential ballot, and at one time he was nominated for sheriff on the Demo- cratic ticket, but was defeated by only forty-three votes. Fraternally he has held membership and was a charter member of the Eagles. The devel- opment of Bakersfield finds in him a champion. His interests are one with those of the community. When his services are needed in the aid of any project they have been offered promptly and it was in such manner that he consented to serve as deputy sheriff under "Bill" Bowers, a position that he filled efficiently for six years at a time when it was felt that he could thus aid the enforcement of the law in his county.

SAMUEL SWEITZER .- The proprietor of the Sweitzer hotel in East Bakersfield belongs to a family that has been represented in America since a period antedating the war of the Revolution. Both the paternal and the maternal ancestors came to this country from Switzerland and the paternal grandfather, a Pennsylvanian by birth, lived to be ninety-nine years of age, finally passing away in the midst of the scenes in Clarion county that had been familiar to his earliest recollections. Agriculture was the occupation followed by a majority of the male members of the family, although sev- eral engaged in the oil business in the Keystone state, and as a boy Samuel Sweitzer, whose birth occurred in Clarion county, Pa., gained a thorough insight into the oil industry while living and laboring at Oil City, Venango county. The immediate family circle to which he belonged included six brothers and two sisters, but all of these have passed to the beyond with the exception of himself and the two sisters, Mary Emma and Luella Matilda,

1548

HISTORY OF KERN COUNTY

all residents of Bakersfield, the former sister being married to Joseph Everett and the latter, unmarried, is a trained nurse.

The first marriage of Samuel Sweitzer took place in Pennsylvania and united him with Miss Frances Wood, while his second marriage was solemn- ized at Ventura, Cal., and united him with Miss Emma Pierson, a native of Sweden. Of his first marriage there are four sons, Jesse Edwards, Adelbert Wood, Harry and Ralph. The first and third sons are living in Los Angeles and the second makes his home in Seattle, Wash. Coming to California during 1893. Mr. Sweitzer first settled in Los Angeles and engaged in busi- ness as a plumber. From the first he has been optimistic concerning the west and has entertained a profound faith in its future growth and pros- perity. During 1899 he removed to Bakersfield, where he since has bought one-half interest in the Majestic at No. 1927 Chester avenue. In addition he owns the Sweitzer hotel, the largest lodging hotel in East Bakersfield, and his possessions are further enlarged by the ownership of a ranch of forty acres situated on the Rosedale road, where he resides.

One of the chief pleasures Mr. Sweitzer has found in life has been in hunting expediti ns and in travel. Fond of sport of all kinds, he is popular among sportsmen and has a host of warm friends among the men who, in days past, have been his comrades in his hunting trios. His travels have taken him as far as the countries of northern Europe and there hangs on the walls of the Majestic the mounted head of a large moose. The heads of other animals, commemorating other hunting expeditions, are also to be found in the same place and are preserved by him with zealous care. In politics he has been stanchly Democratic from young manhood. Fraternally he has been actively associated with the Owls and Eagles. Frequently he has been chosen a delegate to their conventions and is past president of the Eagles in Bakersfield.

JOSEPH ESPITALLIER .- Although he left France at a very early age and since then has been identified with Kern county, Mr. Espitallier has not forgotten the sunny climate or the picturesque scenery of that far-distant land. There lived and died his parents, Francois and Antoinette (Ducere) Espitallier. humble tillers of the soil at Ancil near Gap, department of Hautes- Alpes. and there too he was born March 19. 1877, being the third among seven children. all but two of whom are still living. The family were poor, the struggle for a livelihood was keen, and hence he had meager chances to acquire an education, for he has been self-supporting from early years. Coming to America during 1900 and proceeding direct to California, he found employment with a sheep-raiser in Kern county. Although the language was strange to his ears and the customs of the people different from those of his native land, he was adaptable and eager to learn, therefore soon proved himself a capable assistant in the sheep business. During 1004 he bought a small flock of sheep and embarked in the business for himself, afterward ranging the drove in Kern and Invo counties along the mountains and in the valleys. The venture proved fairly successful and he began to prosper financially. but a desire to have an established home and to escane the hard- ships incident to following the range led him to dispose of his flock in 1910. when he bought and named Hotel des Alpes at No. 723 Humboldt street. East Bakersfield. Mr. Espitallier is still engaged in the sheep business.

The marriage of Mr. Espitallier took place in East Bakersfield October 9. 1909, and united him with Miss Leah Grimeaud, a native of Hautes-Alpes. France, and a lady of skill in the domestic arts, hospitality in the home and efficiency as an assistant in the hotel, which under their able management has been enlarged and remodeled to meet the demands of the increasing busi- ness. In fraternal relations Mr. Espitallier is connected with the Druids and Loyal Order of Moose.

1549

HISTORY OF KERN COUNTY

JEAN EYRAUD .- The second eldest of his parents' children, Mr. Eyraud was born May 12, 1863, at LaMotte, in the province of Dauphine, France, son of Jean and Appolone (Meyer) Eyraud, the former of whom was a shoemaker and farmer there all his life. He spent his early years at home with his parents, attending the public schools and aiding his father on his farm. But he had heard reports from acquaintances who had gone to America that California was a good field and he concluded to come hither. In 1880 he secured a passport, which was signed by his parents and the mayor, and set out. On November 15, 1880, Mr. Eyraud landed at New York, whence he came on an immigrant train to California, arriving at San Francisco No- vember 30. He then made the trip to Bakersfield, consuming four days in the trip. Mr. Eyraud's energy and willingness to work was made evident in the fact that on the day of his arrival here he procured employment with John Jamison, roadmaster of county roads between Sumner and Bakersfield, to chop the sage brush, and he aided in building the first road in the county, for which he received a salary of $5.00 per day. He was obliged to sleep cutdoors on the ground and pay $2.00 a day for his meals. A short time later he entered the employ of a sheepman for a year, and then obtaining on credit a lot of sheep valued at $4,000, he engaged in the sheep business on his own account.

In 1883 occurred an episode in Mr. Eyraud's life which he has never for- gotten. Colonel Morrow had come to the town of Lone Pine from Chicago to inspect Mt. Whitney and other high peaks, and he engaged Mr. Eyraud as guide on his expedition, paying him $500 for ten days' service, and it was on Mt. Whitney that Mr. Eyraud drank his first champagne in the United States. Returning to his sheep business he continued to make that his occu- pation until 1887, when he went to Los Angeles and was married, on April 19, 1887, to Miss Constance Marin, who was also born in Dauphine, France. Mr. Eyraud traveled over Southern California looking for a good place to locate, but noticing so many nickels and pennies in use he became disgusted and returned to Sumner where he bought the lot where he has his saloon and restaurant. This place was nothing more than a shack, but he immedi- ately started to remodel and rebuild it. It is located opposite the depot, on Sumner street. His residence is at No. 503 Humboldt street.

Mr. and Mrs. Eyraud are the parents of two children, Henry and John. Mr. Evraud is a charter member of the Druids, which he joined in 1983, also a charter member of the Order of Fagles, and the Foresters of America. He is Democratic in political sentiment.

JEAN PHILIPP .- Coming to America and to Kern county during 1883. Mr. Philipp, who was born August 18, 1866, at Gan, Hautes-Alpes, France, a son, and youngest of four children, of Fermin Philipp, a farmer, entered the em- ploy of a sheepman and for three years worked as a herder in the surrounding ranges. In 1886 he bought a small band of ewes and these he ranged near Delano. The flock increased in numbers and he was prospered in the work. but sold the band in 1889, since which time he has engaged in the hotel business in East Bakersfield. At the time of settling here the town was called Sumner and later the name was changed to Kern, but finally the present title was adopted upon annexation with Bakersfield. During 1889 he erected the Universal hotel on Humboldt street near Baker. In 1898 the building was destroyed by fire, after which he built the present structure. Among traveling men he is very popular as "mine host." Courtesy and affability win for him the good will of those who make his hotel their headquarters. His popularity further extends to the members of the Eagles and Druids, in both of which organizations he is a member. Politically he votes with the Republican party. His first marriage took place in Bakersfield in 1890 and united him with Miss Mary Eyraud, who was born in Hautes-Alpes, France,

1550

HISTORY OF KERN COUNTY

and died in Kern county, leaving three children, namely : Jean, Jr., Marcellu and Auguste. Some time after her demise he was united with Miss Mary Louise Bellocq, who was born in Basses Pyrenees, France, and by whom he has one daughter, Jeannette. Liberal in spirit, enterprising in temperament and generous in disposition, he forms a valuable addition to the French-Amer- ican element so closely identified with the development of Kern county.

PERFECTO CORONADO CASTRO .- Born three miles south of Bak- ersfield, Kern county, on April 18, 1870, he was the son of Thomas and Con- cepcion (Coronado) Castro, pioneers of that county. He was educated in the public school at Bakersfield until he was sixteen years old, and he was scarcely seventeen when he took up the battle of life as an employe of Mil- ler & Lux. In time he was entrusted with the management of the firm's sheep-shearing department. Later he worked for a year for the Kern County Land Company. For several years, in the sheep-shearing season, he went north to various places and worked at his trade, employing himself between times to the best possible advantage and acquiring a little capital with which he eventually bought a saloon in Bakersfield. This he conducted until 1911, when he moved to Lost Hills, where he opened an establishment of the same kind which, however, he soon disposed of. He then started the stage line between Wasco and Lost Hills, continuing until that was sold, and he is now a member of the firm of Jewett & Castro, of Wasco. Mr. Castro was also for many years interested in the cattle business on Mount Breckenridge. As a citizen he is public-spiritedly interested in every movement which in his opinion promises to benefit any considerable number of his fellow citizens. He married Annie Rameriz, a native of Los Angeles. Fraternally Mr. Castro is a member of the Owls and Moose.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 169

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