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 76

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 76

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The product of the company has been exceedingly high, the receipts for which reached a large figure. The records show that up to May 1 of this year the wells have steadily increased in production, so that the prospects are that the Acme property will go on paying for itself many times over before its wells are pumped dry, which time is variously estimated from ten to forty years. This territory is underlaid with four hundred feet of oil sand, pro- ducing oil of fourteen gravity. Mr. Colm has been manager of the Sacramento Oil Company ever since it was started. This lease covers forty acres, and has ten oil wells and three water wells, and is fast developing to a highly productive point. Under his experienced management there is a splendid future success assured the company.

Mr. Colm married Miss Mary E. Flickinger, of Pennsylvania, and they make their residence in the Kern river oil fields, where they are surrounded by many warm friends.

JAMES HEROD .- On the bluffs above East Bakersfield commanding a most magnificent view of the valley stands an attractive country residence known as Plainview home, which with its complete equipment of modern conveniences, including a private water plant operated by electricity, offers every boasted advantage of the city, together with the many indisputable benefits associated with suburban life. An admirable adjunct of the home is the rose garden, while scarcely less attractive are the groves planted to trees of oranges, lemons and grape fruit.

The Herods come of a very old Kentucky family, whose first representa- tive in Indiana, John Herod, settled on a tract of raw land near Greencastle and developed the claim into a productive farm. The next generation was represented by Baila Herod, born and reared on the Indiana farm, an agri- culturist throughout his active years, but now living retired at Coatesville, Hendricks county, that state. His wife, who also has spent her entire life in Indiana, bore the maiden name of Harriet Minter and comes of an old and honored Virginia family, her mother having been a sister of John Clark Ridpath, the famous historian. There were ten children in the family of Baila Herod and all but two of these attained to maturity, while six now survive. Three live in California, Mrs. Scofield having her home on Chester avenue, Bakersfield, and Lester living on Cedar street in the same city. The next to the oldest member of the family, James, was born on the old home- stead near Greencastle, Ind., October 24, 1858, and received a country-school education. Starting out for himself in 1880 he found employment on a ranch near Wellington, Sumner county, Kan., and there he worked for two years. In April of 1882 he arrived in California, and after a month in Los Angeles came on to Kern county during May. His identification with this county therefore covers a period of more than thirty years.

After having worked first as a day laborer and later as a foreman for Dr. D. O. C. Williams on San Emidio ranch for some time, Mr. Herod resigned in 1885 in order to take up ranching for himself. At first he en- gaged in raising stock in a general way, but later he drifted into the dairy industry, and in it he was very successful. The ranch in the Panama dis- trict which he still owns, comprises one hundred and twenty acres under irrigation and mostly in alfalfa. During November of 1911 he leased the ranch and removed to his present home in the suburbs of East Bakersfield, where he continues the dairy business as a retail dealer in milk. While living on the ranch he assisted in the organization of the First Congregational Church of Panama, and in it he served as treasurer and a trustee until his removal to East Bakersfield, when he and his wife became members of the Pilgrim Congregational Church. For several years he served as a director of the Farmers' Mutual Telephone Company of Kern county, which he

James Herod.

Mary Harrd

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HISTORY OF KERN COUNTY

assisted in organizing and steadfastly promoted in its important work of bringing telephone lines into the entire district. In politics he always has voted with the Democratic party. Fraternally he holds membership with the Woodmen of the World and the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

The first marriage of Mr. Herod united him with Miss Nellie Crocker, a native of Gilroy, Santa Clara county, Cal., and a daughter of J. C. Crocker, a pioneer of Kern county. Mrs. Nellie Herod died on the home ranch, leaving two children, namely: Mrs. Stella G. Hastings, whose husband has leased the ranch owned by Mr. Herod ; and Lester E., who is engaged in the stock business in Breckenridge district. In 1897 in Bakersfield occurred the marriage of Mr. Herod and Miss Mary A. May, a native of Healdsburg, Sonoma county, Cal., and a lady of education and culture. There are no children of this union, but with them lives an adopted son, Roy, born in 1900 and now a student in the public schools. Mrs. Herod is the eldest of the six living children of Frank and Amelia (Alexander) May. natives respect- ively of Pennsylvania and St. Clair county, Ill. During the Civil war Mr. May served as a volunteer in the First Virginia cavalry regiment. At the close of the war he removed to California and settled in Sonoma county, where he married a daughter of Charles Alexander, the honored pioneer of Alexander valley in Sonoma county. In St. Clair county, Ill., where he was born, Mr. Alexander married Achsah Smith, a native of New York. In 1849 he crossed the plains with ox teams. His family joined him in 1852, coming by way of Panama. After mining a while he located in the valley that was named for the family. In 1872 Mr. May came to Kern county with his wife and family, which then comprised two children, four children having been born in Kern county. Settling in the Panama district. he took up a claim and began to develop the barren tract into a productive farm, starting housekeeping in a box house 14x14. Largely through Mr. May's influence the Farmers' canal was constructed and it proved of great benefit to the early settlers. Until his death in 1892 he continued on the same ranch and engaged in the stock business. The ranch is still owned by his widow, who is now making her home with Mrs. Herod at Plainview, East Bakersfield.

FRED. P. BOLSTAD, D. D. S .- Born in Minnesota, March 20, 1878. Dr. Bolstad was educated in public schools of the east. After coming to Cali- fornia he matriculated in the dental department of the University of Southern California, where he took the regular course of lectures and experi- mental work and was graduated with the class of 1909. For a brief period following his graduation he had charge of an office in Covina. January 25. 1910, he arrived in Taft for the purpose of entering upon professional work and here he since has engaged in practice. September 15, 1911, he moved his suite to the Key building, where he now has pleasant quarters and every facility for the satisfactory continuance of professional work. August 22, 1911, he was united in marriage with Miss Grace M. Bursell, and they have estab- lished a comfortable home in Taft, where they are prominent socially.

A number of the fraternities receive the co-operation and assistance of Dr. Bolstad in their philanthropies and social functions, among these being the Woodmen. of the World, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, Camp No. 266, at Bakersfield. Inter- ested in political problems and stanch in his allegiance to the Republican party, he has taken a warm interest in national issues and has kept posted concerning large governmental affairs. Particularly deep has been his interest in local matters. Any measure for the upbuilding of Taft receives his warm support, for he is an enthusiastic booster of the city. After the incorporation of Taft he was elected the first city clerk November 7, 1910. and at the ex- piration of his term he was re-elected April 8, 1912, since which time he has continued to give close attention to the duties of the clerkship, which office he has filled with credit to himself and satisfaction to the general public.

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HISTORY OF KERN COUNTY

LEONARD HOPPER .- A native of Stuart, Guthrie county, Iowa, Leonard Hopper was born November 14, 1881, and was educated in the public and high schools in Iowa. When he removed with his parents to California and located at Fresno he was seventeen years of age. So well has he prospered in this country that he has adopted it as his permanent home, and is one of those who has only the best to say of the west and its environ- ment. In Fresno he worked for two years as a steam engineer, at the same time taking a course in the International Correspondence School at Scranton, Pa. Coming to Bakersfield in 1900 he continued at his trade for two years, when he purchased the Gusher lunch counter. This was located on the present site of the Brower building and at the time he assumed proprietorship boasted only three or four stools. From this small beginning he built up a large business which he sold after three years. In 1906 he bought out the American Towel Supply Co. at Bakersfield, which at the time was doing a small business, the new proprietor increasing it sixfold. After taking a course in Heald's Business College, from which he graduated in 1908, he branched out in the laundry business on a large scale, starting the American Laundry, of which he is the sole proprietor. After starting the enterprise he purchased the site and erected the large and commodious building at No. 2125 I street, and has installed the latest and most modern machinery and other facilities that go to make it up-to-date in every respect. So well has the business pros- pered that today it is the largest one of the kind in the county. Mr. Hopper employs fifty people on an average, of whom sixty per cent are women, and his weekly payroll amounts to $600. Twenty thousand dollars were expended in May, 1908, by Mr. Hopper in the erection of this building and the business.

Mr. Hopper has become most popular in the social as well as the business world of Bakersfield. Fraternally he is a member of the Order of Moose. also the Woodmen of the World, in which he has taken great interest.

C. E. BALLAGH .- The superintendent of the Apollo, 4-Oil and Amaurot Oil Companies in the Kern river field, who is recognized as one of the able men of the business, claims California as his native commonwealth and is justly proud of the fact that he has spent his entire life within the limits of this great state. The ministerial duties of his father, Rev. R. Ballagh, caused the family to be residents successively of a number of flourishing towns in the interior of the state, and it was while they were living at Vacaville, Solano county, that C. E. was born, March 31, 1880, but subsequent changes made him familiar with different villages. During the sojourn of the family at Selma, Fresno county, he attended the high school there and began to earn his own livelihood upon the completion of his educational course. When nineteen years of age he came to Kern county seeking employment. The first job he secured was at McKittrick, where he learned the task of tool- dressing and where he worked with the Eldorado Oil Company for five months. Since 1900 he has been employed in the Kern river oil field in various capacities with different companies. For a time he was retained as field foreman with Green and Whittier, while he also held a responsible position with the San Joaquin division of the Associated Oil Company. During January of 1911 he became connected with the 4-Oil, and as the two other leases are under the same ownership he acts as superintendent of all.

The marriage of Mr. Ballagh took place March 3, 1909, and united him with Miss Myrtle Barker of Bakersfield, a niece of the late Congressman Smith, one of the most distinguished citizens ever identified with the devel- opment of the San Joaquin valley. Since his marriage Mr. Ballagh has occupied a substantial cottage provided by the company on the Apollo lease. Although still young in years, he is one of the pioneer oil men of Kern county and has not only a long, but also an honorable record in the industry.

Leonard Hoffe

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HISTORY OF KERN COUNTY

THOMAS WILEY BROWN .- The justice of the peace of the fifteenth township of Kern county, who likewise serves as city recorder of Maricopa, has been identified with the history of California ever since the '50s and for a number of years has made Maricopa his home, having come to this locality in order to fill a position as foreman for the Occidental (now the Sunset Monarch) Oil Company in 1900. An occasion not to be soon forgotten is a visit with Judge Brown, for he is an interesting conversationalist, possesses a remarkable memory and narrates incidents connected with pioneer days in a manner impressive and entertaining. Notwithstanding his advanced years and arduous life he is as active, whether measured physically or mentally, as many men of fifty, and not only is still an omnivorous reader, but a clear thinker, logical reasoner and forceful debater. The busy round of a frontier existence and the almost utter lack of educational advantages did not dwarf his fine mentality, but in the intervals of leisure on ranch or in mine he has familiarized himself with the best literature of the past and present, has thoroughly enjoyed the works of Charles Dickens and Walter Scott and has been a constant admirer of the brilliant poems of Edgar Allan Poe. With an exact memory that never fails he quotes classical poems in their entirety and shows a wide acquaintance with both English and American writers.

Both the paternal and maternal ancestors of Mr. Brown were living in America prior to the Revolutionary war. His grandfathers Brown and Slocumb were soldiers in the war of 1812. His father. John Hancock Brown, son of Thomas Brown, was born in Louisiana in 1808 and was named in honor of the illustrious signer of the Declaration of Independence. In lineage he was of Scotch-Irish extraction. Excellent advantages were bestowed upon him in youth and he was sent to one of the best schools in New Orleans. He was said to have been one of the best Greek and Latin scholars of his day. In his family there were three children, the eldest being Thomas Wiley, born at Fairfield, Wayne county, Ill., November 4, 1842. The second. George E., of Berkeley, this state, is interested in mining and oil lands. The only daughter, Julia, is the wife of John G. Knox, deputy county clerk of Tulare county. When the father came across the plains to California during the summer of 1850 he left wife and children in Southern Illinois and in 1853 they joined him, coming via Panama. The mother, Caroline, was an own sister of Judge Rigdon B. Slocumb, of Wayne county, Ill .. and a native of Morganfield, Union county, Ky., being a descendant of English ancestors who settled in North Carolina in the colonial era of colonization. In the early part of the nineteenth century the family migrated from the Pedee river region to Kentucky and a later generation settled in Illinois.

Although about eleven years of age at the time of coming to the west Judge Brown had attended school only three months in his whole life, nor were his school advantages in California any more satisfactory, but fortunately he had the opportunity of learning from his father, who was teacher, preceptor and companion to him. The work of earning a livelihood was strenuous, but a little leisure was always found for study and of this he availed himself to the utmost. While still quite young he engaged in placer mining in Eldorado. Calaveras and Tuolumne counties. Familiar with both placer and quartz mining, he has devoted much of his life to the work, but never has met with the success his efforts justified. Besides mining all through the west he even went into Old Mexico. At one time he owned land now in the heart of Porterville, this state, and Phoenix, Ariz., but he sold it before its value was known; he now owns valuable residence property in East Bakersfield. Throughout his entire life he has been consistent in his allegiance to the Democratic party and since coming to Maricopa he has served as the first city recorder, having turned over to the city $2783.50 as fees of his office during the first year.

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HISTORY OF KERN COUNTY

The marriage of Thomas Wiley Brown and Miss Cornelia Glass was solemnized March 11, 1867, and was blessed with two children. The sole survivor, Russell, of Maricopa, married Miss Stella Dunlap of Bakersfield and they have one child, Thomas Calvin Brown. Mrs. Brown was a daughter of Robert and Jane (Miller) Glass, natives respectively of Virginia and Alabama, but residents of Texas from childhood. The Glass family originally came from Ireland, while the Millers were of German ancestry. The parents of Mrs. Brown were married in Texas and lived there for many years after- ward, her birth occurring in that state. During 1853 they joined an expedition composed of seventy-five families and crossed the plains and deserts through New Mexico and Arizona into California. When near the present site of Deming, N. M., the expedition camped to rest their teams. All around them were Indians and one of the braves seized Mrs. Brown, then a babe of eight months, and endeavored to escape with her in his arms. Evidently the intention was to extort a ransom. The dastardly act was seen by J. P. Ownby, who took aim and fired at the Indian, thus saving the life of the child. No other event occurred to imperil the lives of any and at last they safely landed in Los Angeles, where Mr. Glass bought ten acres one block from the present site of the Downey building. Having no thought of its future value, he sold it later for a small sum.

When Mrs. Brown was nine years of age the family removed to Tulare county and settled six miles south of Visalia, where the father took up land and engaged in ranching. Through intelligent and unwearied industry he became well-to-do. His death occurred in California at the age of sixty-nine. When the mother was about seventy-six she went to New Mexico to visit her daughter, Mrs. J. P. Ownby, and during the course of her sojourn there she was taken ill and died. There were seven daughters and two sons in the family. Amanda married J. P. Ownby and they were early settlers of Bakersfield, but eventually located in New Mexico, where Mr. Ownby engaged in raising sheep and also carried on a hotel business until his death ; his wife also has passed away, leaving three children. Laura and her husband, Solomon Slinkard of Los Angeles, are both deceased and left nine children. Corley, of East Bakersfield, is engaged in contract teaming. Dora married E. S. Baalam, who has an orange grove at Lemon Cove, Tulare county. Cornelia, the fifth in order of birth, spent her girlhood principally in Tulare county and there married Mr. Brown. Sarah and her husband, J. C. Turner, formerly a carpenter in Bakersfield, are both deceased and left six children. Barbara Ellen, deceased, was the wife of M. C. Purcell, a sheep- man living at Bakersfield, and at her death she left six children. William is a teaming contractor in Bakersfield. The youngest member of the family, Louisiana Beauregard, married Henry Muller and lives on a ranch six miles east of Bakersfield.

JOSEPH BENSON FRY .- One of the self-made men active in the recent history of Bakersfield, Kern county, was Joseph Benson Fry, who was born in Iroquois county, Ill., July 28, 1852, and died at Bakersfield, May 26, 1911. He was a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Frazier) Fry. His father, a native of Ohio and a pioneer in Illinois, passed away in the latter state : his mother, who also was born in the Buckeye state, died in Indiana. His father's brother, John Fry, a member of an Illinois regiment which served in the Civil war, died in 1873 as a result of hardship and exposure in Libby Prison at Richmond, Va.

Twelfth in order of birth of his parents' fourteen children, three of whom are living. Joseph B. Fry was reared on a farm in Illinois and educated in public schools near his boyhood home. When he was about sixteen years old he went to Girard, Kans., and found employment on a farm near by. Sep- tember 29, 1872, he married Miss Joanna Banks, who was born near Quincy, Adams County, Ill .. the daughter of Willis Banks, a native of Kentucky, who

J. B. fry

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HISTORY OF KERN COUNTY

came with an ox-team caravan across the plains to California in 1850. Later Mr. Banks returned cast to bring out his family, but being fearful of Indian attacks he gave up the idea of coming to California and in 1861 located at Girard, Kans., homesteading land, a part of which is now within the city limits. During the war he was burned out by bushwhackers, who drove his cattle away and he was compelled to go to Marmaton to reclaim them. After the war he returned to his home in Girard and later located eight miles from that town. In 1880 he came to Bakersfield and in 1881 died at the home of his daughter. Mrs. Fry. His wife, who was Miss Eveline Thomas, was born in Kentucky, a daughter of James Thomas, who removed to Illinois and later to Kansas, where he died and where his wife also passed away. Of their seven sons and seven daughters, six of whom are living, Mrs. Joseph B. Fry was the next to the youngest child and the youngest daughter. She was ten years old when her parents took her to Kansas, where she was cdu- cated in the public schools.

Until 1876 Mr. Fry farmed ; then he came to Trinity county, Cal., where he worked six months in the mines. In July, 1877, he came to Bakersfield as foreman on Poso creek for the Kern County Land Company. After an unsuccessful attempt at farming at Fresno, he returned to his work as fore- man for the Kern County Land Company at Bakersfield. Next he tried again to farm near Paso Robles, but did not win out and again returned to Bakers- field and engaged in general contracting and heavy teaming. In this business he was very successful and was soon able to build his fine residence at No. 925 Eighth street, on a property of one and one-third acres which was also his business headquarters. Eventually he acquired four other residences and a store in Bakersfield, all on Chester avenue, the store being on the corner of Eighth street. His business grew so large that he came in time to give em- ployment to a large number of men and teams. He had the contract to lav the pipe line for the Standard Oil Company from the oil fields in Kern County to Point Richmond, which occupied a year in building. Since his death his widow has had his business interests in charge, and is looking after her property also. In politics he was a Republican. Socially he affiliated with the Elks and the Independent Order of Foresters. Mrs. Fry is a member of the Christian Church and of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. She has five children : Bertha. Mrs. W. W. Ramage of Bakersfield; Charles H., a well known rancher in Kern county ; Hattie, Mrs. Freal Neighbert, of Bakersfield : Arthur Delano, a bookkeeper in the employ of a local concern ; and Lola, Mrs. Floyd Busby, of Bakersfield.

WILLIAM ALBERT LAVERS .- David Lavers, pioneer, father of William Albert Lavers, was born in Nova Scotia, in January, 1831, and came to California in 1852, when he was about twenty-one years old. For a short time he was employed in the mining regions, but soon took up farming in San Jose and in 1855 settled at Glennville, Kern county, taking up a government claim on one hundred and sixty acres of land. The story of his success is briefly suggested in a statement that he is now the owner of three thousand acres of land, sixty acres of this under cultivation, three acres in orchard. and he is extensively engaged in breeding horses, cattle and hogs. For several years past he has been in practical retirement from active life and his business interests have been in charge of his son above mentioned. Miss Anna Cook, born in New Brunswick, March 6. 1848. became his wife. They had five children named as follows: Morton .1 .. Mattie A., Minnie S., William A. and Fred D. The two daughters have passed away.

It was on the old Lavers homestead near Glennville that William Albert Lavers was born November 12, 1886. He was educated in the public schools - at Linn's Valley and learned the carpenter's trade at Wilmerding school in San Francisco, graduating in 1905. After leaving school he returned to

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HISTORY OF KERN COUNTY

Linn's Valley to take charge of his father's extensive land interests, and so successfully has he handled them that he is recognized as one of the fore- most of the younger business men of his community.

PAUL CHATOM .- Born April 4, 1863, in Canton Ticino, Switzerland, Paul Chatom is the son of Michael and Maria (Magnaghi) Chatom. Michael Chatom had varied experiences in the gold fields of Australia, where he made a small fortune, and upon returning to his native Switzerland, built up a tannery and butcher shop, which he continued to operate successfully until his death in 1868, when his son Paul was but five years of age. His widow still survives, at the age of seventy-three, making her home in Switzerland in the old home. Four sons and one daughter were born to Michael Chatom and wife, viz .: Albert, Paul, Michael, Jack and Fannie (who was a sister in the convent in Genoa City and is now deceased).

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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 76

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