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 112

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 112

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These worthy British-Americans had six sons and one daughter, and Joseph was the second in the order of birth. He was reared near Sheldon, attended the primitive schools of that locality and period, and assisted his father at home until his twenty-first year. Three days before Christmas, in 1873, at Clifton, Ill., he married Miss Nancy A. Karnes, a native of Momence, Ill., who was reared in Illinois, receiv- ing most of her education in Kankakee County, Ill. Her father was John Karnes, while the maiden name of her mother was Mary Reynolds. After marrying, they rented land for three years in Iroquois County, and then purchased and developed eighty acres of prairie land which Mr. Mayhew in two short years made highly productive.

Having rented his farm, Mr. Mayhew in February, 1879 joined the Rinehart family, his wife's adopted parents. and removed to Nebraska. where they located in Seward County, and there for a while again rented land. Then he purchased eighty acres, which he improved and lived upon until the late eighties. About that time, he came out to California and to Anaheim, and what he saw here so favorably impressed him that he decided to remove to the Coast as soon as he could afford to do so. He returned, however, to Nebraska, devoting his time to buying and shipping live stock to South Omaha and Chicago; his headquarters were at Beaver Crossing. Nebr .; here he continued with success until 1907, when he came out to Anaheim for good.

While on a second trip to California in 1893, Mr. Mayhew had purchased forty acres of unimproved land, and on his return he bought a number of town lots and a ranch of fifteen acres east of Anaheim, now rich with full-bearing Valencia oranges. When he started in Nebraska as a young man, Mr. Mayhew had less than ten dollars in his pocket; but by hard, honest work and care to look ahead, he built up a large trade shipping stock and poultry, averaging as much as $13.000 worth a month. Since his advent in Orange County, Mr. Mayhew has speculated a good deal in real estate. and has always been phenomenally successful. Mr. and Mrs. Mayhew are members of the First Christian Church at, Anaheim, and he is a Mason, retaining his member- ship in Prudence Lodge No. 179, A. F. & A. M. at Beaver Crossing, Nebr. A brother of Mrs. Mayhew. John E. Karnes, has been a well-known business man of Santa Rosa.

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY

WESLEY C. HEFFERN .- A far-seeing, well-posted oil man, whose good judg- ment is appreciated by all who have to do with him, is Wesley C. Heffern, who was born near Oil City, Venango County, Pa., on October 6, 1875. His father, George Heffern, of Scotch-Irish descent, was born near Meadville, Crawford County, Pa., and was for some years a farmer and stock raiser engaged in the wholesale cattle business. Then he became an oil man-an oil producer and a contractor in the oil fields, and still later, he took up the wholesaling of cattle again, and made his headquarters at Oil City until he died. Sad to relate, he met his death in a tragic manner, gored by an in- furiated bull. Wesley's mother, Rebecca Bishop before her marriage, was a native of Pennsylvania, having been born near Pittsburgh; and she now resides in Oil City, the mother of fourteen children, thirteen of whom grew up, while eleven are still living.

Wesley was the seventh eldest, and was sent to the public schools of Oil City. From a lad, however, he learned the oil trade, and when only twelve years of age entered the office of the Standard Oil Company, in the beginning running an elevator in their first building in Oil City, and then acting as office boy in the company's offices. Then he went out to work on their lease, beginning with the wells from the bottom up.

In 1902, the company sent Mr. Heffern to Bakersfield, Cal., and for six years he worked for them in this state. He operated, by contract, the pipe lines, stations and reservoirs and tanks between Bakersfield and Coalinga, and also between Bakersfield and Point Richmond for the Standard Oil Company.

In 1908 he left the Standard's service, and struck out into the Lost Hills and other places, where he made several locations which later were demonstrated to be good gas and oil territory. Among others, he located the land that eventually came in as the Lake View Gusher, and tried to interest Bakersfield capital; but they laughed at him and turned him down, and he had to let it go back-could not hold it. He finally succeeded in selling some of his locations, and settled in San Diego, where he bought a residence. He also purchased a ranch in the Imperial Valley, and one near San Diego, devoted to fruit and vegetables.

In 1914. Mr. Heffern went to Texas and leased 110,000 acres of land for oil pros- pecting; hut he could not get capital interested in them, and again he had to let the opportunity and fortune go, for wells are now as thick as peas in that same great field. As early as 1912, he had come to Orange County to look over some oil property for certain San Diego parties; and, becoming especially interested, he made several trips here, and from personal observation and investigation, chose the territory east of Placentia as hest of all for oil prospects.

In 1916. Mr. Heffern removed from San Diego to Orange County, and now resides on his orange grove ranch southeast of Placentia. It was Mr. Heffern who first selected the location, and interested the Union Oil Company in the Chapman well area. He obtained leases here, and in 1919 formed the Heffern Oil Company, which is now drill- ing for and developing oil on his own property. Having thus run the course of this thirteen years of very valuable experience, Mr. Heffern has become one of the best- posted oil men in the state, and one in whom the small and the large investor may" well have confidence.

At San Diego, Mr. Heffern was married to Miss Pauline Schnepp, a native of that city, and a lady of accomplishment; and they have had three children, Marie, Dick and Margerie. The family attend the Methodist Episcopal Church, and Mr. Heffern in national political campaigns marches under the banners of the Republican party.

CHALMERS T. FOSTER .- One of the attractive ranches for its size in Orange County, which until . 1910 was a mere beet field, is that owned by Chalmers T. Foster, who resides on South Brookhurst near Anaheim, where he cultivates sixteen acres devoted to citrus fruits. The first thing that he did, on acquiring the land, was to set out orange trees of the choicest and most promising variety he could find; and today, in the large yield of the most luscious products, he is reaping the reward of his foresight, confidence and intelligent labor.

He is a native of Indiana, where he was born in 1856, a son of William L. Foster. His mother died when he was an infant. He was reared and educated in Indiana, and in 1903 removed from the Hoosier State to Washington, and there in the Palouse country engaged in mercantile business. Aside from that venture, Mr. Foster has always been identified with farming, or some feature of the agricultural industries. During his stay in Washington, for example, he also shipped veal and poultry to the market, and this added considerably to his experience.

Mr. Foster belongs to that superior, although unpretentious class of farmers who are willing to make some sacrifice to establish themselves on the best basis, and who then take pride in keeping their places in apple-pie order. He has an adequate well, sunk to the depth of 180 feet, with a ten-inch bore, affording seventy-five inches of water, and a first-class pumping plant, easily operated and dependable. He has a full

Mr & Mrs. . JOH barter

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY

complement of machinery and implements, and aims to keep everything in the best of order. He is a member of the Garden Grove Orange Association, the Orange County Produce Association, and vigorously supports any movement for the development of California husbandry, especially within his particular fields.

The marriage of Mr. Foster occurred in 1881, when he was united with Miss Catherine Mcclurkin, a native of Indiana, and three children have blessed their fortu- nate union. They are W. Vern, who assists his father; Rachel, a graduate from the Indi- ana State University and living at home; and Homer Foster, the latter a teacher in the Anaheim high school. He is a graduate of the Washington State College. As a citizen of standards and attainments, Mr. Foster is also a model to others in good citizenship.

THOMAS JOHN McCARTER .- The cultivation of English walnuts and Valencia oranges, now among the important industries of Southern California, giving much promise of further advancement, has been greatly promoted by just such experienced, aggressive and progressive agriculturists as Thomas J. McCarter, who owns and oper- ates two ranches near Santa Ana, one of fifteen and the other sixteen acres, devoted to the growing of the above products. The exclusion of other products is due to Mr. McCarter's conviction that the heavy rich soil of the locality is better adapted to the growing of walnuts and citrus fruits than the general run of deciduous varieties.

Thomas McCarter was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, on July 10, 1850, a son of Joseph McCarter, a native of Scotland, who came to the United States and in this country married Eleanor Jane Reed, who was born on board a vessel on the Atlantic Ocean of Scotch-Irish parents. They had three children, and of these three, our subject and a sister, Mary Jane, survive. Mr. McCarter, the only one of the family residing in California, was reared and educated in Branch County, Mich., having removed there with his parents when quite young. In 1866 the family removed to Monroe County, Iowa, and later to Dade County, Mo., and finally to Cloud County, Kans., in 1872. Here Thomas McCarter homesteaded 160 acres of land and turned the first furrow, but the first crop was destroyed by grasshoppers. Nothing daunted, he persevered and succeeded in improving the place so that at the end of ten years he sold it to advantage. He then purchased eighty acres near Clay Center, Clay County, where he farmed until 1894, when he sold it and returned to Cloud County and hought a 200-acre farm adjoin- ing his old homestead, where he continued general farming.

Mr. McCarter and his wife had always had a desire to make their home in Cali- fornia, so in February, 1903, they arrived in Orange County and were so delighted with the country that they sold their Kansas farm the next month. Having $4,000 to start with, he made a payment on thirty acres of raw stubble land on Ritchey Street, south- east of Santa Ana. By hard work, close application and economy, and aided by his wife and children, he has become a substantial and well-to-do man. He sold half of the acreage, so has fifteen acres left, which he has improved and beautified and now he has a comfortable home, which with its surroundings is just such a homestead as has always been a show place for those wishing to see what California can do for the - settler. He also owns sixteen acres on McFadden and William streets, both places being devoted to raising walnuts and oranges. Aside from his present places Mr. Mc- Carter bought and improved forty acres on the Newport Road, also twelve and a half acres on East McFadden Street, as well as improving half of his first ranch, which were sold at a good profit. In addition to the above, Mr. McCarter owned and im- proved about 100 acres located ten miles northwest of Fresno, where he resided with his family for about two and one-half years, setting it to figs and erecting a comfortable residence as well as other necessary buildings. However, having a decided preference for the climate in Orange County he sold the fig garden at a good profit and retired to his homestead in 1919.

In Dade County, Mo., in 1872, Mr. McCarter was married to Miss Mary Ellen Dunn, born in lowa, the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Tedford) Dunn, natives of Pennsylvania and Tennessee, respectively, who spent their last days in comfort with Mr. and Mrs. McCarter in their California home. The father died in October, 1919, at the age of ninety-two and a half years, the mother preceding him, having passed away in 1916, at the age of eighty-six. Thirteen children blessed the happy union of Mr. and Mrs. McCarter as follows: James Ira, who is residing in Fresno County; Etta Dell, deceased; Thomas R. of Whittier; John G., deceased; twins, who died in infancy; Ida May is Mrs. Binkley of Fresno; Frank of Santa Ana; Eugene L. of Tustin; Eliza- beth M. is Mrs. Hatch, who lives near Tustin; Mary, who assists her mother in pre- siding over the home; Irving of Fresno; while Albert, the youngest, is manfully assist- ing his father to care for and enhance the value of their ranch property.

Mr. and Mrs. McCarter never regret having selected Orange County for their permanent home, for it has made life more pleasant to them and has not only crowned

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their efforts with success, but has enabled them to secure for their children the educa- tion their ambitions bad planned and desired. Mr. McCarter and his family have always endeavored to stand for the highest and best in social and civic life and are among those whose influence for good in any community is of the most desirable, for it affects not only the generation in which they live and move, but also posterity coming after and inheriting the good or the evil sown by those who have gone before. A Covenanter-that is, a member of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Mr. McCarter has also been a prohibitionist of the most pronounced type and has never swerved when called upon to do his duty in the councils of the church and state. Santa Ana could not felicitate itself, therefore, with more assurance and satisfaction than in the coming to Orange County of this fearless and broadly progressive pioneer.

THOMAS R. MORRIS .- Ten years' experience in the business of poultry raising has given Thomas R. Morris, of Cypress district, a thorough knowledge of this voca- tion, yet, withal, experience has taught him that there is always something to learn in the business.

His ranch, situated about one mile west of Cypress, comprises ten acres, and he owns in addition eight acres in another place. His hens, single-comb White Leg- horns, are first-class layers, and number 1,800, with sixty males. He buys his feed by the carload, does his own grinding and raises his green feed, as well as some corn. His houses cover an area of 5,000 square feet. He sells eggs and does hatching for commercial purposes.

Mr. Morris, who is a native Kentuckian, was born on February 23, 1883, and is the only child of Allen G. and Henrietta Morris. He acquired his education in his native state, and has since been engaged principally in agricultural pursuits. He came to Orange County, Cal., in 1904, and in 1910 was happily united in marriage with Miss Juliett Hobbs, a native of Texas. Two children, Virginia and Marion by name, have blessed this union. Mr. Morris's love for the work in which he is engaged has played an important part in bringing the success which he has deservedly won. He is among the progressive poultrymen of his district and enjoys the full confidence and esteem of his fellow-citizens.

MAAG RANCH .- Whoever is looking for a "show place" in Orange County will find himself well rewarded by a visit to the famous Maag Ranch, jointly and equally owned by the three brothers, William H., Joe A. and George W. Maag. widely known as belonging to the most progressive and most representative of South- ern Californians. It lies four miles north of Olive, on the Santa Ana Canyon Boule- vard, and includes 124 acres in the Santa Ana Canyon.

Joe A. Maag, the eldest of the three enterprising young men, was born a native son, proud of his association with the Golden State, and of whom California may well be proud, at Orange, on June 20, 1890, attended the usual schools in Orange, and completed a course at the Orange County Business College. He spent his boyhood days at home, and contributed his full share to the "life" of the community in which be grew up. He could not fail to attain social popularity, and he is a popular member of the Santa Ana lodge of Elks.

William H., his brother, was also born at Orange, bis birthday falling on Feb- ruary 6, 1894, and having attended the grade schools of Orange, he also went to and completed a course at the Orange County Business College, having in the mean- while snatched at and secured fame in athletic sports. He ranched with his father until 1915, and on July 11, 1917, was married to Miss Katherine Kramer, a native of Illinois, wbo is a fine musician. This fortunate union has been blessed with one child, a little girl, Edwina Mary. Mrs. Maag's parents are residents of Santa Ana, and her father, M. Kramer, is a builder and carpenter of acknowledged ability.

George William Maag was born at Orange, and enjoyed the same educational advantages as his two brothers, and he also belped at home until he was twenty-one years of age. All three of these "good fellows" are valued members of the Knights of Columbus in Santa Ana.

Fifty of the 124 acres of the Maag Ranch have full-bearing Valencia orange trees, while forty acres are planted to full-bearing lemons. The wide-awake brothers, who believe in the old motto, "In union there is strength," have succeeded because they understand modern business methods, share the burden of all responsibility, and link their experience with hard work. Successful disposition of their crops is obtained through the Olive Heights Citrus Association at Olive. The remaining thirty-four acres of their beautiful farm is on the Santa Ana River, and is used for general farming. An interesting feature, and a very profitable one, is the source of their irri- gating water. This is obtained from three wells, situated about fifteen to eighteen feet apart, and sunk near the river, which gives a never-failing supply lifted in a steady

V.W. Hannum

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY

stream of seventy-five miner's inches, by a Gould suction pump, an indispensable part of the farm plant that is kept in action throughout the summer months. Then the concrete pipe line running throughout the citrus groves evenly distributes the water. Besides two head of horses and two mules, the Maag Brothers use a couple of up-to-date tractors.

William H. Maag lives in a beautiful modern bungalow, nicely located on the north side of the Santa Ana Boulevard, with a yard that is laid out symmetrically, and is an ornament to the place. A well there supplies the best of water for domestic use.

Orange County is fortunate in such progressive, aggressive young citizens as the Maag Brothers, with their ambition to attain only the highest results in their field, and to contribute something worth while to the development of the state in which they live and thrive.

VARD W. HANNUM .- A well-trained and thoroughly efficient public official is Vard W. Hannum, the city electrician aud superintendent of the Municipal Power House at Anaheim. He was born in Hart, Oceana County, Mich., on June 28, 1883, and reared and educated there, duly graduating from the local high school. Then he went to New York City and took the excellent courses at the New York Electrical School; and from 1910 he was employed in the electrical department of the Union Carbide Company at Sault Saint Marie, Mich., after which he was a year with the Algoma Steel Company on the Canadian side.

In the fall of 1911, Mr. Hannum came to California and entered the service of the Pacifie Eleetrie Railroad Company, Los Angeles, giving them a year in their electrical department, in installation work at the substation. On August 12, 1912, he came to Anaheim and commenced to work for the municipality. He began in a somewhat sub- ordinate capacity, as one of the engineers, then as foreman, and gradually and properly worked his way up to his present responsible post, to which he was appointed in February, 1917.

Mr. Hannum has charge of the operation of the power plant, and is also respon- sible for electrical inspection of the city so that, with the necessity of keeping thoroughly apace with the last word of science and mechanics, and the actual labor of installing, repairing and renewing parts of the system, it will be seen that he is a very busy man. Fortunately for the city of Anaheim, he had years of most valuable experi- ence before he came, to which his day and night labors are constantly adding, and he is fond of hard work, and both mentally and physically able to hear the strain.

In December, 1912, Mr. Hannum was married to Miss Bessie L. Palmiter of Hart. Mich., a charming lady capable at all times of creating for herself a desirable circle of devoted friends, and herself devoted to others, and ready for any good work. Mr. Hannum belongs to the Wigton Lodge No. 251, F. & A. M., at Hart, Mich., and to Anaheim Lodge No. 1345 of the Elks.

THEODORE GREGER .- A valued employe of the Pacific Electric Railway for many years who, by improving a grove of Valencia orange trees until it is now one of the finest for its size in the county, has proven himself a successful man in another field. is Theodore Greger, who was born in West Prussia, Germany, on May 13. 1870, and, after the death of his parents, came to America at the age of nine, accompanied by his little sister, then only seven years of age. His father, Arthur Greger, had followed farming, and was killed in a distressing accident when a load of hay toppled and the tine of a fork entered his body, so that he died a year later, in 1879, from the wound. The very next year after this disaster befell Mr. Greger, his wife died from a fall. These worthy people had five children; and as Theodore and Bertha were the youngest, they were sent to an uncle, the other three coming later.

They arrived in Baltimore in January, 1881, and then traveled on to Milwaukee. and there they were received by their uncle, August Greger, who lived at Ripon. Wis. They found a good home there, helped what they could by day, and went to school at night. At the end of six years, when Theodore was in the middle of his teens. he came on to Washington and found work in a sawmill. Then he clerked in a grocery store at Tacoma, and after that went back east to Augusta, Wis., and worked for a year as a elerk.

His next move was to Milwaukee, where he became a motorman on the Milwaukee Street Railway; and for twelve years and a half he gave them his best service, and was lucky in not having a single accident. In 1907. he swung away from his Wiscon- sin moorings, and reached Los Angeles, where he found no difficulty in obtaining a post as motorman on the Pacific Electrie Railway. After six years, he was made assistant depot master at the Main Street station; and that additional responsibility he met to the satisfaction of everyone for two years.

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY

On May 1, 1917, Mr. Greger resigned, to give all his attention to the ranch of eight acres he had bought in 1909, and had since handsomely improved. It was located at the corner of Olive and Sunkist avenues in East Anaheim, and was raw land when he first took it. He had it leveled and set out Valencia orange trees, put in a cement pipe line and otherwise improved it, and during his busy railroad life, he never lost a tree. He built a residence, and was soon envied by his friends on account of his trim little estate. He also owned a residence at the corner of West Forty-eighth Street and Second Avenne, in Los Angeles. In addition, he owns another five acres near his place, which he also set out to Valencia oranges, and ten acres on North Street with Valencia orange trees six years old.

At Cooperstown, Wis., Mr. Greger was married to Miss Hulda Voeltz, a native of that city, and their fortunate union was blessed with the gift of four sons. Henry is ranching on his father's place; Arthur is a conductor on the Los Angeles Street Railway; William is office man for Richards' Express, in Los Angeles; and Elmer also assists his father.

Mr. Greger is a Lutheran in his preference for congregational worship, a Repub- lican in matters of national politics, and a member of the Independent Foresters of America in Milwaukee; and first, last and all the time, he is an American, who finds his highest pleasure as a citizen in standing for American institutions, and in boosting Orange County and California.

MRS. OTTILIE HENNING .- A very interesting woman of exceptional business ability who has unlimited faith in the future of Orange County is Mrs. Ottilie Henning, a daughter of Rev. Adolph and Juliana (Dinkler) Weinknecht. Her father was for nineteen years a minister in the German Lutheran Church. Although a comparatively young man, he had attained some reputation for unusual ability, and his death, when our subject was about three years of age, was widely deplored. Three of his children grew to maturity, and among them Ottilie was next to the youngest. She was reared at Hertzfelde near Berlin, Germany, and early had the hest of public school educational advantages, and in 1899 came to California and Anaheim, where she met and married Louis Henning. Seven children resulted from their union, and each has won a place in the hearts of those knowing them. Walter assists his mother in the problems and work of ranching. Of the twins, Henry is in the Anaheim high school and Martha assists her mother to preside over the household; Otto is also a student at the Anaheim high school; and there are Arthur, Annie and Richard. Mrs. Henning belongs to the Anaheim Lutheran Church, and is active in the Ladies' Society of that congregation, and she is also a Republican with strong Protectionist views.

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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 112

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