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 59

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 59

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).

542

HISTORY OF KERN COUNTY

sacrificing labor and toiled early and late to support his family from the products raised on his farm. In the earning of a livelihood he was greatly aided by an appointment as a Swiss road master and when he recently retired from that position, after years of faithful service, he was given a sub- stantial pension by the government. All of his seven children excepting the fourth, Peter, continue to live in Switzerland. They are named as follows: Eva, Mrs. Florian Cojori; Rosa, Mrs. Alexander Joos; Maria, the widow of Albert Ritzzi; Christine, Mrs. Peter Grischott; Jolm, who is employed as a custom house official by the Swiss government; and Elizabeth, who married John Tobler and lives on a farm in her native canton.

Descended from an old Swiss family that also boasted of a pedigree going back to ancient Roman blood, Peter Gilli was born in Graubunden, Grisons, Switzerland, November 24, 1867, and during boyhood gained a comprehensive knowledge of both the German and old Italian tongues. The schools of the home neighborhood were excellent and after he had completed the grammar course he spent two years in a high school, but did not graduate on account of the necessity of earning his livelihood. Early in life he embraced the doc- trines of the German Lutheran Church and since then he has been faithful in devotion to that denomination. After having worked for one year in a store at Zurich, Switzerland, and two years in Hotel Enderlin at Pontresina in the picturesque Alpine region, he came to California, arriving at Bakersfield April 9. 1890. For five years he worked steadily in the employ of Welling Canfield, a pioneer dairyman of Kern county. From 1895 to 1897 he worked for Chris Mattly, a prominent dairyman of this county, who had come from the same village as himself. Later he rented one hundred and sixty acres lying near Lakeside and belonging to Mrs. R. Chubb. On that place he prospered as a dairyman and general farmer and finally he accumulated an amount suf- ficient to justify the improvement of the raw land which he had purchased during 1894. Since then he has given his attention to his own land, which forms one of the valuable farms of the vicinity. In politics he is a Repub- lican and belongs to the Woodmen of the World.

The first trip across the ocean was made by Mr. Gilli during 1890, when on the 20th of March he boarded a trans-Atlantic steamer at Havre, France, and journeyed over the usual ocean route to New York. The next trip was made in 1900, during which year he left California for New York and from there sailed for Europe. En route to Switzerland he visited the World's Fair at Paris and found both pleasure and instruction in that great international ex- position. After a happy renewal of friendships with the people of his native canton he came back to work in California and eagerly took up the battle nec- essary to the securing of financial independence. Again in 1908 he returned to his old home in the Alps. In the meantime his mother had passed away, but there yet remained his father, then about seventy-three years of age.

Mr. Gilli was married at Bakersfield July 2, 1913, to Miss Avis Haworth, daughter of C. N. and Mary A. (Mattley) Haworth, of El Reno, Okla. She was born in Iowa, and went to Oklahoma with her parents when she was four years old.

WILLIAM BRADLEY PECK .- In his native city of Detroit, Mich., where he was born May 23, 1840, he became familiar with the environment of the frontier and tales of the dangers of the west did not daunt his resolu- tion to come hither. At the age of nineteen he crossed the plains with a large expedition of emigrants. The journey, although not without its dangers, came to an uneventful end and the men dispersed to the various mines, Mr. Peck seeking the placer mines of Hangtown. The camp with its throngs of gold-seekers from every part of the world presented a weird spectacle to a stranger, but he soon became familiar with the work of the mines and the customs of the miners. The life, although one of hardship

CH Johnston

545

HISTORY OF KERN COUNTY

and deprivation, was not without its zest of adventure and thrilling exploits, but in time he wearied of the unsatisfactory returns and the lack of permanency, so he turned his attention to the buying of horses and the running of a dairy near Placerville, Eldorado county.

Like many of the original pioneers Mr. Peck has followed various occu- pations, having been at different times a miner, dairyman, rancher and liveryman, and while none of these callings brought him a fortune he has become the possessor of a well-earned competency. During 1864 at San Tose he married Miss Hattie Stiner and his second marriage, which occurred in Reedley, united him with Mrs. Amanda ( Weeks) Burney, born in Fond du Lac, Wis. Of his first marriage there are two daughters, namely : Euphemia, wife of Joseph Stephens, a farmer at Turlock; and Lillian, wife of Alfred Giles, who is employed in a dairy business at Fresno. Of Mrs. Peck's first marriage there were three children, Elgin of Bakersfield; May, Mrs. Carter, of Bakersfield ; and Frank, of New Westminster, B. C. For some time Mr. Peck has made his home on a ranch of twenty acres two and one-half miles south of Bakersfield. This property, which he purchased in 1910, has been improved under his careful oversight.

CHARLES NEWTON JOHNSTON .- The Johnston family long has been identified with New England, where C. N. and his father, John Eldride, were born at Bristol, Me. He was the eighth generation and lineal descendant of Governor Bradford of Massachusetts, the originator of Thanks- giving day. The life of the father was all too brief, but was marked by patriotism and courage. When yet a mere lad he had gone to sea and by slow degrees he rose to be first mate of a vessel. When the Civil war began he offered his services as a member of a Maine regiment of infantry, but soon after he had been accepted he was transferred to the United States navy as an officer on the transport, Potomac, from which he rose to the rank of captain. Upon the expiration of his time of service he received an honorable discharge from the navy, whereupon he resumed his former posi- tion as first mate on an ocean steamer. While yet a young man he passed from earth, leaving an only son, Charles Newton, whose birth had occurred November 14, 1865. The widow, who bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Francis and was a native of Maine, was married again some time after losing her first husband. Her second union was with Joseph Spinney, of Maine, a man of ability and worth, who after bringing the family to California in 1877 settled at Fresno. In that city he engaged in the manufacture of brick and also in the building business as a contractor. Some of the first permanent buildings in Fresno were erected under his personal oversight. Rising to prominence in the city of his adoption he was honored with election to the mayoralty and filled the office for two terms. For some years he owned the I. O. O. F. building in Fresno, which he had erected during the period of his activities as a contractor. After his death, which occurred at Fresno. his widow removed to Point Richmond, Contra Costa county, and con- tinues to live there at the present time.

When about twelve years of age Charles Newton Johnston accompanied his mother and stepfather in their removal from Maine to California, where he completed his education in the Fresno schools. During 1879 he left school to take up blacksmithing as an apprentice to J. W. Williams, whose shop occupied the present site of the Grand Central hotel in Fresno. Until the completion of his time he continued in the same shop, but upon starting out for himself in 1882 he came to Bakersfield, where he began to work in a shop on the corner of L and Nineteenth streets. For a time he was em- ployed by J. E. Smith and later he was under H. H. Fish. being with the two men about twenty years altogether. Buying the shop in 1907, he con- ducted the business there, which was the oldest of the kind in the city. It

546

HISTORY OF KERN COUNTY

was in March, 1913, that he moved into his new building. The site covers an area of 132 x 115 feet on Eighteenth and O streets and the building, which is two stories, is 70 x 90 feet. This has been fully equipped with the most modern and complete machinery for general blacksmithing; woodwork, forg- ings and repairing for automobiles is an important feature, and the heaviest kind of work is handled in the shops. The largest automobile stage in the valley was built here and is used for service on the Oil Center stage line. In the conduct of his business Mr. Johnston is ably assisted by his wife, who has charge of his office.

The comfortable home which Mr. Johnston built at the corner of C and Twenty-second streets is presided over with dignity and grace by his capable wife, who bore the maiden name of Emma Blanche Redstone, and who is a native of Dutch Flat. Placer county, this state. During the era of mining activity her father. Col. A. E. Redstone, with Judge Rhoades and others, crossed the plains in the '50s with ox-teams from Indianapolis to California, and engaged in mining. Having no luck as a seeker of gold, he turned his attention to journalistic affairs and became prominent in newspaper work. For a time he also was employed in the secret service. At this writing he and his wife make their home at Woody, Cal. His wife, who was before

her marriage Mary Josephine Koontz, was a native of Indianapolis, daughter of George Koontz. She was a niece of Rev. Abraham Koontz, the founder of the first Methodist Episcopal Church in Indianapolis. George Koontz was an extensive farmer and left to his daughter the farm that is now the City Park of Indianapolis. Colonel Redstone returned to Indianapolis and served as Colonel of an Indiana regiment in the Civil war. He was a prom- inent attorney, and was very talented. In California he published many works bearing on the labor problem as well as other philanthropic reforms. When a young lady Mrs. Johnston, then Miss Emma Blanche Redstone, was graduated from the Oakland high school, after which she was married to F. R. Kalloch, who died leaving her with two children, namely : Rita, now the wife of Herman S. Dumble, of Bakersfield ; and F. R. Kalloch, contractor and builder of the same city. In Bakersfield March 17, 1902, she became the wife of Mr. Johnston.

Upon the organization of the first volunteer fire department in Bakers- field many years ago, Mr. Johnston became a member and at different times he served as foreman of the Eureka Engine Company, also for one term he served as chief of the fire department. Before the incorporation of the city he was chosen a fire commissioner and served as such for two terms. being honored with the chairmanship of the board for one term. Recogniz- ing the imperative need of fire protection, he cheerfully gave his services as long as funds were lacking for the payment of a regular corps of workers. From the time of attaining his majority he has voted the Republican ticket at all national elections, but he is independent in local affairs. After coming to Bakersfield he was made a Mason in Bakersfield Lodge No. 224. F. & A. M., and was raised to the Royal Arch degree in Kern Valley Chapter No. 75. R. A. M. Later he joined the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias, and with his wife is a member of Sunset Temple No. 16. Pythian Sisters. Mr. Johnston is an influential local worker in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a member of the encampment.

THADDEUS M. McNAMARA, M.D .- The McNamara family is of Anglo-Saxon origin and was founded in America by William M. McNamara, for years a farmer in Illinois. The next generation was represented by T. M., born on the home farm near Elgin, Ill., but from young manhood a resident of California. The eldest of his three children. Thaddeus M., was born at Visalia. Cal .. August 1, 1880, received his early education at St. Ignatius College in San Francisco and then matriculated in St. Mary's

& N. In : Millen

549

HISTORY OF KERN COUNTY

College in Kansas, from which institution he received the degree of A. B. upon his graduation in 1901. On returning to California he entered the Cooper Medical College in San Francisco, where he took the regular course of lectures, graduating in 1905 with the degree of M. D. and with an excellent record for scholarship. Indeed, it was largely due to his capability in clinical work that he received an appointment as interne in the city and county hospital. where he remained for sixteen months. Valuable experience also was gained through a service of eight months as resident physician in the emergency and general hospital at Los Angeles. Important professional knowledge was further acquired while acting as interne in the Lane hos- pital of San Francisco. After he had filled that position for ten months he was promoted to be resident physician in the same institution, where he continued during the following year and then resigned in 1909 in order to engage in practice in Bakersfield. In this city for a time he had the advantage of an association with Dr. A. F. Schafer, but since the latter has concentrated his attention upon an important professional specialty, Dr. McNamara has succeeded to their private practice. Besides the private practice and hospital activities he has been prominent in the work of the Kern County Medical Society, and is now filling the office of vice-president : he is also a member of the State Medical Society and American Medical Association. Since coming to Bakersfield he has associated himself with the Knights of Columbus and the Fraternal Brotherhood. While making his home in San Francisco he met and married Miss Lillian Price, who was born in Stockton and is a graduate of the Lane hospital training school for nurses. Two sons bless their union, Thaddeus M. and Joseph, the elder representing the third generation to bear the same name.

JOHN HENRY McMILLEN .- Not alone as a son of that honored pio- neer, Joel McMillen, but because of his own worthy achievements is John Henry MeMillen, of Wasco, entitled to prominence in this work. Joel Mc- Millen, a native of Cape Elizabeth, Me., born February 22, 1833, was educated in public schools near his boyhood home and early acquired a practical knowl- edge of the ship-joiners' trade. In 1849, when he was sixteen years old, he came to California with the Simpson brothers, around Cape Horn on a sailer to San Francisco, Simpson brothers becoming successful lumber manufac- turers and dealers in that city. Mr. McMillen was for some years employed at teaming, but eventually engaged in contract work. From San Francisco he moved to Nevada, where he employed himself profitably in teaming and hauling, chiefly in the mining districts. He followed the mining booms here and there in Nevada until 1879, when he came to Kern county and bought a section of land near Poso ranch and engaged in general farming and stock- raising on a large scale. He died December 3, 1896, on his homestead and his wife passed away October 5. 1902. He married Henrietta Matlock, a native of New York City, who accompanied her parents across the plains to Cali- fornia when she was six years old, settling at Placerville.

It was in Lodi, Sacramento county, Cal., that John Henry McMillen was born August 11. 1877. His parents brought him to Kern county in 1879. when he was about two years old, and he remained at home until after the death of his mother in 1902. He attended school until he was sixteen years old. then took a commercial course in Heald's Business College, San Fran- cisco, from which he was graduated in 1897. Then returning to Kern county. he associated himself with his mother on the old farm. carrying on general farming and stock-raising on a large scale. Mr. McMillen also engaged in breeding and handling for the market horses, mules, cattle and hogs, con- tinuing this until 1900. when he took up contracting. teaming and hauling. together with general grading, the construction of roads and the laying of

550

HISTORY OF KERN COUNTY

pipe lines, operating extensively in different parts of the state. For six months he was engaged in teaming and hauling at Coalinga and for three years in the building of levees in the Tulare Lake district and he was busy for a time in the construction of roads at McKittrick. In 1910 he took up his residence at Wasco, since which time he has continued in the general con- tracting business and has done the hauling for all the pipe lines constructed out of Lost Hills. He began contracting in a small way and his business has steadily increased until he owns two hundred and fifty mules, which are kept busy the year round in his contract work in different parts of the state. Mr. McMillen has lately sold his farming as well as his cattle interests, to devote · all of his time to his business of general contracting. His corrals and head- quarters are at Wasco, where he has two large warehouses for the storage of hay and grain for his stock.

Mr. McMillen was married in El Monte, Los Angeles county, July 15. 1911, to Miss Mabel James Lambert, who was born in Illinois and came to California with her parents when she was a child. She was educated in the public schools of Pasadena and graduated at the Los Angeles State Normal School, after which she was engaged in educational work for ten years.

REV. LOUIS KUEFFNER .- St. John's German Lutheran Church of Bakersfield, under the efficient ministrations of Rev. Louis Kueffner as pastor, is now making the most gratifying progress in its brief but meritorious history and in its spiritual helpfulness is evincing the source and secret of its numerical growth. In the early part of the twentieth century a few people of that faith decided to promote the establishment of a congregation. The beginning was as a grain of mustard seed, insignificant and unpromising. The few faithful members held occasional services in the old Justice of the Peace hall on I street, opposite from the old court house. It was impossible to support a regular pastor and dependence was placed upon the helpfulness of visiting brethren. Rev. Mr. Norden, who established and first ministered to the congregation, was followed by Elders Baur and Denninger. Later the congregation enjoyed the occasional ministrations of Rev. Mr. Grunow, of Visalia. and still later Rev. Mr. Berner, of Terra Bella, preached for them twice a month. During the spring of 1911 the congregation completed their house of worship and an adjoining parsonage, on the corner of Twentieth and C streets, and September 17, 1911, Rev. Louis Kueffner became their first resident pastor.

From his earliest recollections Rev. Louis Kueffner had been familiar with the doctrines of the German Lutheran denomination, for he was instructed wisely and thoroughly by his devoted father, an ordained minister of the church. With such an environment in boyhood and with such talents as he possessed, it was natural that he should follow in the footsteps of his father and consecrate his all to the service of the Lord. Born in Fairbank, Iowa, August 22, 1886, he was reared in Illinois and still has hosts of warm friends in that state. His father, Rev. Christian Kueffner, a native of Joliet, Ill., received exceptional advantages in preparation for a ministerial carcer. After he had graduated from Concordia College in Fort Wayne, Ind., he took the complete course of study in Concordia College at Springfield, Ill., and was graduated with honors, following which he was ordained to the ministry of the German Lutheran denomination. With the exception of three years in Iowa his entire period of ministerial service was confined to Illinois and he died at Plainfield, that state, while his widow. who bore the maiden name of Anna Wilding and who was born in Illinois, is now a resident of Aurora. same state. Seven children formed their family and all but two are still living. The eldest. Louis, was educated primarily in parochial schools. At the age of fifteen years he matriculated in Concordia College at Milwaukee, Wis., where he completed the study of the classics. Next he attended Con-

551

HISTORY OF KERN COUNTY

cordia Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Mo., and after his graduation in June of 1911 he was ordained to the ministry, since which time he has been resident pastor at Bakersfield and supply pastor of Zion Church at Terra Bella. Returning to St. Louis, Mo., in 1912, he there married Miss Clara Binger, who was born, reared and educated in that city and who assists him most graciously and effectively in his ministerial work. Throughout his denomination he has become well known, with the promise of growing influ- ence with ripening years and added experience. As a member of the Califor- nia district of the Missouri synod and also of the Northern California con- ference, he has been identified with organizations for the upbuilding of his denomination and has added the weight of his labors and influence to the development of denominational work.

WILLIAM G. WHITE .- The sturdy Scotch-Irish element, which has been so important a factor in the permanent upbuilding of American civiliza- tion, appeared in the ancestry of William G. White of Bakersfield, whose paternal forbears established themselves in Pennsylvania during the colonial period. Both his father. Thomas, and grandfather, James White, were natives of Mercer county. Pa., and engaged in general farming in that part of the state. The former married Mary Miller, whose ancestors, forced to flee from Scotland on account of religions persecution, found a harbor of refuge in Ireland and thence crossed the ocean to the new world. The most ilhistrions member of the family was Hugh Miller, the Scottish geologist and writer of the nineteenth century.

One of eight children comprising the parental family, William G. White was born in Mercer county, Pa .. June 7, 1876, and passed the years of boyhood on a farm eighty miles from Pittsburg. In addition to attendance at public schools he was sent to the Grove City College. Although reared to a knowl- edge of farming and from the age of fifteen until seventeen practically in charge of a farm, with the supervision of stock and field work, he had no inherent fondness for agriculture and at seventeen he left home to serve an apprenticeship to the trade of bricklayer in Pittsburg. For three years he remained with a Mr. Donovan, an expert in the trade. On the completion of his trade he began to work as a journeyman. From taking small jobs and doing day work he soon rose to contract work and made a specialty of fur- naces and boilers. Meanwhile he had married in his native county Miss Harriet Fisher, who was born and reared in that county and was a member of one of its old families. They are the parents of four children, Gladys Emmalynn, Milan Tadema, Mary Gould and Helen Rowena.

The ill health of his wife and the desirability of seeking a change of climate in her interests led Mr. White to remove to the west in 1902. during which year after having traveled over the coast he settled in San Francisco and took up contracting and building. About that time he had charge of the building of the First National Bank of San Jose. Meanwhile his own health had become impaired and he was obliged to remove from San Francisco. Starting with his family for Arizona in 1910, he chanced to stop at Bakersfield, and believing that the climate would agree with him he decided to engage in business here. Since that time he has enjoyed fair health and has been ener- getically engaged in the filling of contracts. While he is regarded as especially successful in brick and cobble-stone work, he has not limited his attention to these specialties, but does building of all kinds. Among his contracts were those for the Brown building in Kern, the Gardner building, the brick work in Mercy Hospital and Scofield building in Bakersfield, and four brick buildings in Wasco, also the Brix apartments in Fresno. He has taken a complete course in architecture and drafting under Miller & Campbell and is able to design a private or public building as well as erect the same. One of his chief ambitions has been to secure ordinances for the safety of builders and workmen ; another ambition has been to improve the standard of the finishing

552

HISTORY OF KERN COUNTY

of buildings. With keen alertness he watches every advance made in his chosen occupation and is himself foremost in promoting the welfare of the building business. Upon the organization of the Builders' Exchange (in which work he assisted) he was placed upon the directorate of the same and also acts as a member of the arbitration board. He is identified with the Woodmen of the World and interested in the Presbyterian Church, of which his wife is a member.

SAMUEL A. WILLIAMS .- The Williams family to which belongs Samuel A. Williams is an old established and well-known New England one, the American ancestor coming from England at an early day, and it is highly represented in California in the personages of Samuel A. Williams and his sons William A. and Elmer E. Williams, the well-known proprietors of the Greenfield grocery, with headquarters about eight miles south of Bakersfield.

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 59

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