History of Orange County, California : with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its earliest growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 102

Author: Armor, Samuel, 1843-; Pleasants, J. E., Mrs
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1700

USA > California > Orange County > History of Orange County, California : with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its earliest growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 102

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JOHN W. STEELE .- Garden Grove is indeed fortunate to number among its residents so capable a man as John W. Steele, the principal contractor and builder there. A man of ability, force of character and strict integrity, he learned his trade very thoroughly in his native England. As a master workman in his line, that of interior finisher, in point of fineness of work he has few equals in Southern California.

Mr. Steele was born on December 21, 1866, at the little town of Hyde, near Man- chester, England, the son of Jabez and Rebecca Esther (Carrington) Steele. The father, who was a master plumber and contractor, died when John W. was only three years of age. He was the ninth child in a family of ten children and the youngest of six brothers. The death of the father made it necessary for the children to become the breadwinners of the family, so when John was but eight years old he went to work in a cotton mill in Hyde, his small wages going to support his mother, and he continued to work in the mills until he was fifteen years old. In the meantime he had secured a common school education and he now began to learn the cabinet maker's trade, serv- ing an apprenticeship of five years. In England at that time the trade of cabinet making included interior finishing and Mr. Steele became an expert in that line, working on the interior woodwork of several of the fine churches and residences at Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire.

In the meantime Mr. Steele's oldest brother, William Steele, had immigrated to America and was foreman for a large plumbing firm in New York City. On a visit to his family in the old home place in England he related such glowing tales of the opportunities to be found in America that Mr. Steele was enthused with the idea of seeking his fortune here. Accordingly on June 27, 1887, he sailed from Liverpool on the S. S. Brittanica, landing at Castle Garden nine days later. His brother, mean- while, had removed to Cleveland, Ohio, so Mr. Steele was thrown upon his own re- sources. He went to work at West Rutherford, N. J., as a carpenter and builder, also helping do the finishing work on one of the large churches of Passaic, N. J. In the fall of that year he went to Cleveland, Ohio, and remained there for more than a year. Later he went to Salem, Columbiana County, Ohio, and worked at organ build- ing and interior finishing for a period of about nine months, when he returned to Cleveland, remaining there until 1895, working at his trade.

In 1889 Mr. Steele was married in Cleveland, Ohio, to Miss Annie Askin of that place. She was born and reared in Sheffield, England, and came to Cleveland as a young lady in 1885. In April, 1895, Mr. and Mrs. Steele, with their two children, re- moved to California, and after remaining a few weeks at Los Angeles, they came out to Katella precinct in Orange County and there bought ten acres of land. His brother, William Steele, also purchased a ten-acre tract, but went back to New York, where he passed away four years later. Mr. Steele improved his land, planting it to walnuts and building a residence on it, where he made his home for several years. He still

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY

continued, however, in his occupation of contractor and builder, and during this period he became connected with D. M. Donald and Son, leading contractors at Redlands. He removed there with his family and bought three lots on which he erected a cozy residence and made this his home for five years. During this time he had charge of all the interior finish work for all the fine residences in Redlands and vicinity made in the planing mill of Donald and Son.

In 1910 Mr. Steele moved to Garden Grove and built his commodious residence there which has since been the family home. During the ten years he has thoroughly established himself as the foremost contractor and builder of this district, and besides building most of the handsome homes in Garden Grove and the surrounding locality, he has built the two-story brick business block of J. D. Price on Ocean Avenne, the Hardware Store block, owned by A. E. Emerson, the warehouse for the Garden Grove Walnut Growers Association, the Vegetable Unions' warehouse and the Lima Bean Growers warehouse.

Mr. and Mrs. Steele are the parents of six children: Edith is the wife of William Abbott, a rancher living near Garden Grove; Reba is Mrs. Elmer Launders and lives at Garden Grove; Clara is engaged with the Pacific Telephone Company at Santa Ana; Grace E. is now Mrs. Wesley Hien and resides on an orange ranch at Olive; Ruth is also employed by the Pacific Telephone Company at Santa Ana; John is a student at the Santa Ana high school. Mrs. Steele is a member of the Methodist Church at Garden Grove. Miss Sarah A. Steele, Mr. Steele's only sister and relative in America, is a resident of Los Angeles, and follows the profession of nursing.

WILLIAM E. CASE .- The proud owner of a fine twenty-acre walnut grove on Euclid Avenue, between Garden Grove and Anaheim, William E. Case is one of the early settlers in this locality, and he devotes his entire time to producing the best of nuts from his grove, having set out the trees with his own hands, as well as having made all the improvements seen on the ranch.

Mr. Case was born at Oaks Corners, Ontario County, New York, on April 10, 1844, and was a lad of twelve years when his parents moved to Defiance County, Ohio, consequently he was privileged to attend school in both states. At the outbreak of the Civil War, then a young man of eighteen, he demonstrated his patriotism by enlist- ing in the service of his country, in 1862, for a short term, in the Eighty-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was taken prisoner at Harpers Ferry, but was soon paroled, and as soon as his parole expired he again enlisted, this time with the Ninth Ohio Cavalry, Company I, for "three years or for the duration of the war." He par- ticipated in many skirmishes and some sharp engagements, was with Sherman on his famous March to the Sea, and at the close of hostilities was honorably discharged at Lexington, N. C., in 1865.

After his discharge he returned to Ohio, where he spent the winter, then went to Chicago, where he was engaged in various lines of activity until 1880, when he removed to Boone County, Nebr., and followed farming until 1890, when he first came to California and spent a year. So pleased was he with conditions as he found them here that he returned to his home in Nebraska, raised two crops from his farm, which he had broken from the original prairie sod, made arrangements to sell out, and in the spring of 1894 again landed in California and settled in Orange County. The ranch he bought was a barley field, and at that time property hereabouts was selling at the high price of from $100 to $150 per acre. At considerable expense he has improved his holdings until he has one of the best walnut groves in his locality, with a fine well which he uses for domestic purposes.

In Chicago, Ill., on November 2, 1870, occurred the marriage of William E. Case with Miss Catherine Spellacy, a native of Ireland. They have had five children, four now living: Mrs. Alice Reynoldson, of Albion, Nebr .; Mrs. Lonisa Irene Clark, of Puente, Cal .; John B., deputy state oil inspector, with headquarters at Taft, Cal., and Mrs. Loretta Farris, of Baldwin Park, Cal.

As a man, citizen and friend, no one stands higher in the esteem of all who know him than does Mr. Case. . For many years he was a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, but is now demitted; he is an esteemed member of Sedgwick Post, No. 17, G. A. R., at Santa Ana, and in political views votes with the Republicans. He makes friends wherever he goes and retains them as well, and though over seventy-six years of age, his years rest lightly upon him, and he is to be found in active management of his productive ranch and wide-awake to anything that tends to benefit his community. In all his operations he has had the active cooperation of his good wife, who has shared his joys and his sorrows for half a century. Now in the evening of a life well- spent they can look back upon the years that have passed with but few regrets, for they have lived by the golden rule as nearly as it has been possible.

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY

DRUCE BROTHERS .- The poultry ranch of Druce Brothers at Stanton is widely known for its production of the finest White Leghorn fowls in Southern Cali- fornia. Their strain of chickens is produced from the best laying hens and finest male birds, which have been carefully selected from a large assortment of White Leghorns. Their selected hens have a record of 280 eggs per season, this being far in excess of the general average and is evident proof of the splendid care that Druce Brothers give to their flock of 2,000 to 3,000 fowls.

The firm of Druce Brothers consists of Sidney H. and Campbell H. Druce, natives of England. Sidney H. Druce, the older brother, was born in London, England, on August 6, 1872, the son of Herbert and Louise (Reeve) Druce. He emigrated to the United States in 1889 and settled in California. For four years he operated a nursery of five acres at Fullerton and for eight years filled the important position of dairy inspector for Los Angeles. He was united in marriage with Miss Gertrude Fitz Henry, who passed away in 1912.

Campbell H. Druce was born in London, England, on March 20, 1878, and left his native land in 1903 for America, coming directly to Orange County, where he has continued to reside ever since. In 1915 he was married to Miss Emma Waters, a native of Illinois, and they have been blessed with one daughter, Mary L.

Druce Brothers are members of the Southern California Poultry Producers Asso- ciation and the Garden Grove Farm Bureau, Sidney Druce having been a director of the former. They have facilities for hatching 5,000 baby chicks and brooders to accom- modate 3,500. Their plant consists of four houses with cement floors; one is 120 hy 20; another 110 by 20; a smaller one, is 50 by 18 and another 20 by 40 feet. These furnish shelter for 3,000 chickens. The brothers do their own grinding and also raise their green feed. Their ranch is situated in the city of Stanton, where it has been located since 1908 and it is one of the most important enterprises of the community.

HARRY JENTGES .- The enterprising proprietor of the cement pipe works at Garden Grove, Harry Jentges, is a man whose force of character and determination has overcome many obstacles in reaping the success in life that is deservedly his. Born in the grand duchy of Luxemburg, he learned to speak, read and write the French and German languages in addition to the vernacular of his native country. His father, Peter Jentges was a farmer in the old country, owned a twenty-acre farm, a large amount of land for one person to own in Luxemburg. His mother was Mary Ann Engels before her marriage and both parents were born, married, lived and died in Luxemburg.

Harry grew up on his father's farm, on which he worked until he was twenty- five years old; then his mother, who had been a widow eight years, died, and thinking to better his condition by coming to America, where his brother Jack had preceded him, he sailed from Antwerp via England, crossed that country and embarked on the White Star line for the new world, landing at New York City May 25, 1907. He brought $900 with him from the old country, $700 of which was his inheritance from his parents' estate. After stopping at Le Mars, Iowa, for two years, where he was employed as a farm hand, he came to Orange County, Cal., in 1909, and joined his brother Jack at Westminster. He worked for his brother three months, and when the celery season came on loaded celery into box cars for the Celery Growers Association. He worked out eighteen months, then rented the old Trevoli place of sixty acres at Wintersburg, in partnership with C. C. Johnson. They planted eight acres to celery, twenty acres to sugar beets, twenty acres to lima beans, and put the remainder in hay. After the first year their landlord raised the rent, and they moved to Los Alamitos and rented and farmed ninety acres there for three years, putting the entire acreage into sugar beets. Mr. Jentges came to Garden Grove in 1916, and purchased the old Paulson place, two miles north and one mile west of Garden Grove. Here he encountered his first reverse; his well gave out, water for irrigation failed, and he spent $2,000 to deepen the well and get water. Going into debt, he was forced to trade the place for 160 acres at Barstow.

Through this misfortune he figures that he lost $10,000. He then began to work for his brother Jack in the cement business, and in 1918 bought the business from his brother. In time Mr. Jentges paid the last of his debts, paying one hundred cents on the dollar. He does a large business, is prospering, and employs from twelve to twenty men, keeping seven steadily the year around. He takes contracts from the farmers to put in irrigation pipe lines, the cement tiles of which are his own make. In 1918 he laid about four and a half miles of pipe; in 1919 he laid seven miles of pipe and the prospect for 1920 looks as if this year would be the banner year. He is also a general contractor, and builds cement walks, foundations, porches, etc. He has a cement mixer, power for which is provided by a Fairbanks-Morse gasoline engine, moulds and cores, and the necessary appliances for making the various sizes of cement pipe, and

John Ziegler

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owns a G. M. C. two-ton auto truck for hauling the pipes. The trenches are dug by hand labor and his excellent work satisfies his many customers, one job always bringing another. Despite reverses Mr. Jentges has made a success of the chances offered him on the coast, and it is to men of his intelligence, indomitable courage and perseverance that our country is largely indebted for its prosperous condition. Fraternally he is a member of the Odd Fellows lodge at Westminster. A naturalized citizen, he takes an active interest in the welfare of the country and the community in which he lives.

JOHN B. ZIEGLER .- In the passing of John B. Ziegler on July 17, 1919, Ana- heim suffered the loss of one of her most valued citizens-one who was ever ready to give of his time and talents in any worthy undertaking that would aid in the upbuild- ing of the community. His death brought to a close a life of usefulness, which reflected credit not only upon himself, but one which had done much for the betterment of his fellow-citizens. Born on May 1, 1863, in Alsace-Lorraine, when the tricolor of France still waved over that little country, his boyhood days were spent there. After the Franco-Prussian War, when this territory had unwillingly passed into the hands of the Germans, Mr. Ziegler received his education in the German schools established there. However, when he had reached the age of seventeen he decided to seek his fortune in the New World, and the year 1880 found him in New York. Here he entered the restaurant business in Maiden Lane, a thoroughfare famed throughout the country for its association with the jewelry trade. Later Mr. Ziegler established himself in the same line of business at Paterson, N. J., the family making their home at Jersey City Heights, where they lived for a number of years.

In 1905 Mr. Ziegler came to Anaheim, hoping to improve the health of his son John, but this was, unfortunately, unavailing, for the son later died. Soon after locat- ing in Anaheim he purchased the southeast corner of West Center and Lemon streets, on which the Commercial Hotel stood. After conducting it for a number of years, he tore down the building in 1915 and on the same site erected the beautiful new Valencia Hotel, the finest hotel in the county, which opened its doors to the public on April 1, 1916. This hotel, which has for its slogan, "The only first-class hotel between Los Angeles and San Diego," was erected at a cost of $75,000. It is a modern four-story brick structure, which would be a credit to any city, and has been a great factor in the rapid growth of Anaheim in the past few years, and was the impetus that started the town a rolling, and since then others have built and patterned after it. Mr. Ziegler was also the first to build a residence in the Deutch tract, and now it is already well built up. He was a prominent member of the Chamber of Commerce, and was popular in the lodge of the Eagles, while politically he was an ardent Republican.

Always far-sighted and progressive, Mr. Ziegler was the first man to build when Center Street was widened, and then others followed his lead. Keenly alive to the importance of improving and beautifying the city, especially in the business district, he was the leader in every civic movement that had this for its aim; he was the first man to advocate the use of the cluster light system on the east side of Center Street, in the business district. The beautiful hotel he erected will always stand as a monument to his memory.

While living in New York City, Mr. Ziegler was married to Mary Murer, who was born in Paris, France, where she was reared and educated, and they became the parents of four children: Lucy, now the wife of Frank M. Anderson of Placentia; John, who is deceased; Elsie and Mabel.

GLEN E. HUNTINGTON .- A mile and an eighth east of Garden Grove is located the orange ranch owned by Glen E. Huntington, an energetic young man of superior business qualifications. Although a native of Owosso, Mich., born February 19, 1890, his life has been spent in California whither his parents, Frank and Cora ( Faylor) Huntington, brought him at the age of nine months, settling at Redlands. His parents who were natives of Illinois, were married in Michigan. When Glen E. was seven years old his mother was called to the Great Beyond, and the father, who still resides at Redlands, married again and Glen's boyhood days were clouded by the unduly harsh treatment of a stepmother.

Relief from oppression came in the friendship of Lewis Dezendorf, now deceased, who befriended the lad and saw that he had the advantages of schooling. He attended the Redlands schools in his boyhood days and later Mr. Dezendorf paid his way to Woodbury's Business College at Los Angeles, afterwards helping him secure a posi- tion, and as a bank clerk he held important positions with the Citizens National Bank and the American Trust and Savings Bank at Los Angeles, and also with the Hollywood National Bank at Hollywood. The warm friendship of Lewis Dezendorf for Mr. Hunt- ington was evidenced by the will he made bequeathing his young friend twenty acres

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of land, the ranch upon which Mr. Huntington settled when he came to Garden Grove in 1912. He is a member of the Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce and the Farm Center, and was appointed deputy constable under Constable Clark of Garden Grove. He keeps in touch with all movements for the betterment of Garden Grove and Orange County in general and is one of the leading and progressive citizens among the younger men. He is planting and making substantial improvements upon his property and will soon have a valuable Valencia orange grove.

Mr. Huntington's marriage occurred at Los Angeles in 1911, and united him with Miss Louise Nusser, who was born at Lankershim, and two years of whose school days were spent in Garden Grove. They are the parents of two children, Glen E. Jr., and Lewis Sydney. His wife is a social favorite and shares his popularity and success.

FRITZ RUHMANN .- In the passing away of Fritz Ruhmann, on September 3, 1917, Anaheim lost one of her earliest settlers, as he had been associated with this district since 1875. The youth of Mr. Ruhmann was spent in his native town of Etzehoe, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where he was born February 5, 1838, his father, Henry, a gardener by occupation, being a native of the same place. His mother was Louise Noritz before her marriage. In Germany the family name was spelled Ruehmann, but the "e" was omitted by Mr. Ruhmann on coming to America.

When scarcely twenty years old, Mr. Ruhmann left his home and went to sea on a sailing vessel which plied between English and German ports. In 1860 he again shipped on a sailing vessel, the Lorenzo, bound for San Francisco by way of Cape Horn, and at the expiration of this journey set sail, this time on an American craft which rounded the Horn and finally reached New York City. After that he became interested in the coasting trade along the West Indies and was in Galveston, Texas, from 1866 to 1868. Shortly after this he returned to Germany for a visit with his relatives, remaining there for more than a year. On his return to America he came to Hoboken, N. J., and while there he was shanghaied aboard a sailing vessel bound for San Francisco. For a time he was employed in Los Angeles, and during the latter part of the year 1875 he located at Anaheim, and with Max Nebelung was associated with the Anaheim Lighter Company as a freight clerk, helping to load and unload steamers that came to Anaheim Landing on the river. Following that Mr. Ruhmann worked on a bee ranch for some time and in 1877 he opened up a liquor store on North Los Angeles Street and called it "Germania Halle," and operated it until 1906, when he sold out to J. D. Heitshusen, and retired from active business.

Mr. Ruhmann was very active in the upbuilding of Anaheim. He owned the block on North Los Angeles Street from Chartres to Cypress Street and on this property he built a row of stores which Mrs. Ruhmann still owns. He also built three brick store buildings on North Los Angeles Street between Center and Chartres, but these were afterwards sold. Generous and charitable, he gave freely to the Lutheran and Catholic Churches, and gave much help to the poor and needy.

In 1897, Mr. Ruhmann was married to Mrs. Helena Boege, a native of Brooklyn, N. Y., whose maiden name was Krein. Mrs. Ruhmann is a daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Messer) Krein, who passed away in New York. Helena Krein had an uncle living in Los Angeles, so she came to California in October, 1874, and there she married Henry Boege and they located in Anaheim in 1876. Mr. Boege was a painter by trade and did the painting on the homes and business blocks in the early days and was a prominent man until his death in 1888. Mrs. Ruhmann, who is an active member of the Catholic Church and of the Altar Society, relates many interesting incidents of the pioneer days of Anaheim, when the streets were lighted with lamps and there were no pavements nor sidewalks. Since her husband's death she continues to reside at the old home surrounded by her many friends, and is looking after the affairs left her by her husband, and being a good manager she is giving a good account of her stewardship.

FRANK E. LAUNDERS .- As pioneers of the Southland, Frank E. Launders and his wife have lived at Garden Grove since 1893. Their ten-acre ranch lies a quarter of a mile south of Garden Grove, and its well-kept acreage, devoted for the most part to the culture of lima beans, grown between the rows of their orange trees, be- speaks the ability and energy of its owner.

Mr. Launders was born at Fond du Lac, Wis., April 15, 1864, and is the son of Samuel Launders, a carpenter and builder by trade, and Maria (Cobb) Launders, a niece of Silas Cobb, the Chicago pioneer and millionaire street railway man. Mr. Launders' grandfather Cobb, was a pioneer of Wisconsin, and the courageous spirit that is the heritage of the sturdy pioneer is manifest in Mr. Launders. As a child he accompanied his parents when they removed to Sauk County, Wis., and thence to Mitchell County, Iowa, where the father farmed and where young Frank attended the

Fritz- Buhmann

Helena Buhmmm

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common schools, grew to young manhood, and from Mitchell County went to Des- plaines, Cook County, IIl.

On December 6, 1885, he was married at Norwood, Ill., to Miss Lena Blass of Niles, Ill., where they lived until coming to Garden Grove in 1893. In 1892, her father had purchased twenty acres on which they lived until they sold the west ten acres in 1909. Mrs. Launders acquired the property from her father upon his death. Mr. and Mrs. Launders are the parents of nine children who are living. Two of their children died in infancy. Raymond is married and has four daughters and follows the former trade of his father, a lather, and lives on a five-acre ranch south of Garden Grove; Clarence is single, lives at home and is a lather by trade; Elmer, a carpenter and builder, is married and lives at Garden Grove; Myrtle is the wife of George Hobbs, a carpenter and builder who resides at Santa Maria, they have two children; Mildred married Robert McDonald, a machinist, and they live at Garden Grove, they have one son; Maimie is the wife of Chris Kortner, and they live at Santa Maria, Cal., and have one daughter; Mabel is at home and is attending the Orange County Business College, at Santa Ana. Mina and Marjorie, students in the grammar school, are at home. In 1915 Mr. Launders built an attractive bungalow on his ranch, and there the family have since made their home. Politically he is an adherent of the principles advocated in the platform of the Republican party. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America at Santa Ana, and he and his wife are members of the Fraternal Aid Union. The family are highly respected in the community in which they live.

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History of Orange County, California : with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its earliest growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 102

Author: Armor, Samuel, 1843-; Pleasants, J. E., Mrs Publication date: 1921 Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1700

Author: Armor, Samuel, 1843-; Pleasants, J. E., Mrs
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1700