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 125

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 125

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In 1885, at Joliet, Ill., Mr. Hedstrom and Miss Mathilda Johnson, a native of Sweden, were united in marriage and seven children have come to bless their union: G. Edward is running the Imperial Valley ranch; Jennie M .; Edith and Esther are both teaching school in Orange County; Carl G. took a post-graduate course at the Uni- versity of California and is now teaching in the Anaheim high school. He served in

Hayman &Johnson

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the World War in the Naval Officers Training School at San Pedro and is still a mem- ber of the Naval Reserves; Helen and Grace are both attending the University of Redlands. The family are members of the Baptist Church. Mr. Hedstrom belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America and to the Fraternal Aid Union; is a stanch supporter of the principles of the Republican party and believes in cooperation, holding member- ship in both the Walnut Growers Association and the Orange Growers Fruit Exchange at Anaheim. In every enterprise that Mr. Hedstrom has engaged in he has met with success and he is now enjoying a well-earned rest after many years of toil. He and his family are highly esteemed by all who know them and they have an ever-widening circle of friends. As a progressive citizen and rancher, Mr. Hedstrom tries to make this place a desirable locality in which to invite settlers to help build up the county.

WAYMAN K. JOHNSON .- An experienced and ambitiously aggressive young farmer of much promise is Wayman K. Johnson, who is happily settled on a leased ranch two miles south of Irvine Station, where, having recently married, he is fixing up the buildings, and will soon have a comfortable, attractive home. He was born at Long Beach on June 9, 1900, and from his first year grew up on the famous San Joaquin Ranch. He attended the grade schools at Irvine, and for three years studied at the high school at Santa Ana. He was then compelled to abandon his books. but he has always been a good observer, of studions mind, so that he has already added much from practical experience with the world. He assisted his father on the farm, and when he was only seventeen he was his father's foreman and main assistant.

In 1920 he began farming for himself on the San Joaquin Ranch, and there he is working out his agricultural problems not far from the State highway. He is farming, all in all, 397 acres, sixty being devoted to the making of barley hay, another sixty to the growing of blackeye beans, and 250 acres to the ever-popular lima bean. Taking the greatest care to put into the earth only the best quality of seed, and giving unre- mitting attention thereafter to coaxing from the earth those superior results and fruits such as always gladden the heart of the tiller, it is almost a foregone conclusion that Mr. Johnson cannot fail to evolve crops of which any ranchman might be proud.

On October 6. 1919, Mr. Johnson was married to Miss Jessie Huff, of Santa Ana, and a daughter of Nathan Huff of the same city. Congenial in their tastes and ideas. they are equally interested in making of their experience as Orange County ranchers only what Orange County guarantees to all who will work intelligently, and hope at the same time. Although young, Mr. Johnson seems familiar with most of the many sides of modern California ranching: and what he does not know or at once recall, the helpful intuition of his gifted young, but studious wife is likely at all times to supply.

REV. LOUIS PHILIPPE GENEST .- Among the accomplished and devoted clergy of Orange County who have done so much, through their natural gifts, their industry and unselfish labors, and their high ideals and farsightedness, hoth to make Southern California what it is as a desirable home place, and what it promises to be, more and more, as the golden years roll by, must be mentioned, and among the first, the Rev. Louis Philippe Genest, the pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church at Huntington Beach. He was born at Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, on September 14. 1890, the son of Arthur and Rose de Lima ( Dussault) Genest, born in Quebec, whose parents came fom France to Canada and were pioneers of Sherbrooke, Quebec. Reverend Genest's father was in the employ of the government civil service for many years until he was retired with a pension, and he and his estimable wife, now reside at the old home in comfortable circumstances.

Father Genest was educated, first at the school of the Brothers of the Sacred Heart, and then at the Seminary of St. Charles-Borromee. At the former, he pursued the primary studies, and at the latter he received instruction in the classics and matters of theology, according to the teachings of the Catholic Church. Both of these fine insti- tutions are at Sherbrooke, so that he was able, while studying, to remain amid sur- roundings altogether familiar and helpful in their congenialty to him. On June 29, 1915, he was ordained to the priesthood in the Cathedral at Sherbrooke by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Paul La Rocque, bishop of Sherbrooke, and then he was made assistant pastor of churches, first at Coaticook, then at Richmond, then Weedon, then Ashestos and finally at Wotton. For a few months, also, he was chaplain of Ursuline Convent at Stanstead, Quebec.

Owing to ill health, brought about by overwork in the devotion to his duty. Father Genest obtained leave of absence and came to California: and on January 1. 1920, he became resident pastor of St. Mary's Church at Huntington Beach. The people from Newport, East Newport and Balboa are also attended from Huntington Beach. Greatly to the satisfaction of the community, he took up the work here vigorously, and

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has endeavored from the first to make its advancement coincide with the expansion of the town itself-now one of the most promising settlements in Orange County. St. Mary's Catholic Church at Huntington Beach was established by and under the charge of Rev. J. A. Reardon of Long Beach. They first rented a building and remodeled it for their use, but in about 1912 they purchased the property they had under lease on the corner of Tenth and Orange streets, Huntington Beach. The first resident pastor was Rev. John Reynolds, then Father M. J. Slattery, and after him Rev. Henry O'Reilly; then came Rev. Francis Woodcutter, Rev. C. Breitkopf and Father Benson until the arrival of Father Genest, who has by his affability, scholarly attainments and kindness greatly endeared himself not only to the members of his congregation, but to all who know him. Aside from his duties as pastor he has found time to accept and fill the position of teacher of French at the Long Beach Catholic high school, a place he is filling with ability. About eighty families make up membership of the church, which is constantly growing, and which, now that Father Genest has put his hand to the helm, will be sure to increase in the healthiest manner.

CHARLES W. OLSON .- The right man in the right place has more than once proven to be Charles W. Olson, the efficient and popular foreman for the Santa Ana Sugar Company, who was born at Denver, Colo., on June 20, 1885, the son of Alfred and Carrie Olson. He was sent to school in Denver, for his parents, who came from Sweden, brought with them as a precious heritage, a high regard for education. They were pioneers in Colorado, and Alfred Olson was an engineer on the old Kansas Pacific. now called the Union Pacific Railroad. Charles W. Olson came to California in 1903, and worked for six months on a ranch west of Santa Ana. Then he returned to Colo- rado, and farmed north of Denver. He had 240 acres devoted to gardening and dairying, and was for ten years superintendent of that farm.

At the time of the earthquake in 1906 Mr. Olson was in San Francisco, and he came down to Southern California to recuperate after the hardships and shock sustained in that harrowing experience. After a six-months' stay he returned to Denver, carrying with him such pleasant memories of the Southland that in 1912 he decided to locate here permanently. Arriving here, he entered the employ of the Santa Ana Sugar Company, from its first construction, and there, his ability and fidelity more and more appreciated, he has been employed ever since. For the past six years, he has been general foreman of the entire plant, which has a capacity of a thousand tons of beets every twenty-four hours; nor could he have found anywhere a more satisfactory corporation to work for. The sugar is marketed through the Los Angeles brokers, the company making beet pulp and other by-products.

Mr. Olson has always taken a constructive interest in everything pertaining to the advancement of the community and is rated as one of its most dependable citizens. In fraternal circles he is a Knight Templar Mason and a Shriner.

WILLIAM J. RICHARDSON .- An engineer of wide and varied experience who has proven to be very efficient in executive work as superintendent of the Orange Water Works, is William J. Richardson, who first came to California in 1908, two years after he had left England, his native country, in the month of April. He was born in Somersetshire, on April 30, 1872, but reared at Bradford, in Yorkshire, the son of William J. Richardson, a teamster of Bradford. There were seven children in the family, but William is the only one now on the Pacific Coast.

He attended the local public schools, and when sixteen years of age was appren- ticed as an engineer and machinist to the manufacturers, the William Ramsden Com- pany. At the end of five years, he entered the service of the city of Bradford, as engineer of the fire department, and later, for four years, he was with the Water-Lane Dye Company, as hydraulic engineer, from which he resigned in order to come to the United States.

Arriving in New York City on May 2, 1906, Mr. Richardson was made master mechanic for the Standard Steel Works at Burnham, Pa., and discharged that respon- sibility until February, 1908, when he resigned and came west to California. In April, attracted by an offer from the Modern Manufacturing Company of Orange to become their die maker, he settled at Orange; and when the office of superintendent of the water works became vacant, he was appointed to the post, and accepted. He has since remodeled the plant, which had become run down, bringing it up to a high standard.

In 1912. the citizens of Orange voted a bond issue of $50,000; and of that sum $30,000 was spent in supplying cast-iron pipe and hydrants, and $20,000 for erecting new reinforced-concrete buildings and installing boilers, as well as for a 2,000,000 gallon pumping engine, and a 600,000 gallon reinforced-concrete storage reservoir. So wisely was all selected, and so successfully installed, that everything in the plant now works to perfection. During the day, the Holley system of direct pumping is

I'm angle

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employed; but at night there is storage by high pressure in two 50,000-gallon tanks. Mr. Richardson devotes all of his time to the responsible work in hand, and so is able to give entire satisfaction.

Mr. Richardson was first married in Bradford, England, when he was united with Miss Elizabeth Hannah Holmes. At the Empire Day disaster at Long Beach, on May 24, 1913, she was among those killed when the approach to the Auditorium gave way; at the time she was only thirty-eight years of age and left her husband and two chil- dren, John William, now an engineer in the merchant marine sailing out of San Fran- cisco, and Rose Alice, a graduate of the Orange County Business College, and now with the National Bank of Orange.

At Orange Mr. Richardson was married a second time when he was joined to Miss Marie Stine, a native of Illinois, who with him attends the Presbyterian Church. He was made a Mason in Orange Grove Lodge No. 293, and long ago joined the Republican party, and declared himself for protection.

LEO. M. DOYLE .- Prominent among those broad-minded, large-hearted citizens of high ideals and straightforward ways, whose integrity never was questioned and whose judgment was sought and advice followed must ever be mentioned the late Leo M. Doyle, the banker of Santa Ana, a gentleman esteemed for his thorough knowledge of banking in all its details, and also for his ability to size up and appreciate fellowmen. He was born in Gratiot, Wis., on May 27, 1882, the son of M. M. and Joanna (Quinn) Doyle, who were farmers in that state until they removed to Dakota where Mr. Doyle was a banker. Now they make their home at Hollywood, honored by an enviable circle of devoted friends.

Leo Doyle was reared at Darlington, Wis., where he attended both the grammar and high schools, and when seventeen years of age he removed with his parents to Mitchell, S. D., where he matriculated at the Wesleyan University. Having been graduated from that excellent institution, he took a course at the business college in Mitchell, and on completing his studies, entered the Western National Bank in that town, as teller, both he and his father having become interested in the institution. He was also interested in farming, and grew to be a successful dealer in lands.

At Pierre, S. D., on October 30, 1906, Mr. Doyle was married to Miss Rose Collins, a native of Wakonda, in that state, and the daughter of William Collins, who was born in Dubuque, Iowa, and who had married Miss Margaret Mulvehill. Then they moved to South Dakota, where Mr. Collins was a business man in Wakonda, until his death. His widow, Mrs. Doyle's mother, still makes her home there. After his marriage, Mr. Doyle removed to Letcher, S. D., where with his father he started the Citizens Bank of Letcher, acting as cashier, while Mrs. Doyle was assistant cashier; but in December, 1913, when his father had already removed to California and liked it well, he sold his banking interest and also came out to the Coast. He settled temporarily at Hollywood, and entered the Home Savings Bank in Los Angeles to get familiar with California. Then, after traveling the state from north to south, he selected Santa Ana for his permanent location, and immediately started to organize the Citizens Commercial Savings Bank, associating with him his father, M. M. Doyle and others.

In 1917, the Citizens Commercial Savings Bank was merged into the California National Bank, and Mr. Doyle was elected cashier; and he continued active in the bank's management and on January 1, 1920, was elected its vice-president. Unfortunately, the influenza attacked him in October, 1918, and he had only partially recovered when he went back to work; but although he made his home on his ranch at El Modena, he could not regain his strength. Then he gave up regular work in the bank and went camping in the mountains for a while; but in August he purchased a residence in Mon- rovia and there removed with his family. He tried in vain, however, to call back his old-time strength and vigor, and on March 16, 1920, passed away, widely esteemed and beloved by all who intimately knew him. His body was interred at Calvary Cemetery.

Leo M. Doyle was a devout member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, and was not only one of the organizers of the Knights of Columbus, but was for two terms a grand knight. He was prominent in civic affairs, and was a member of the Merchants and Manufacturers Association and also the Chamber of Commerce, and was active in the bond and other war drives. He was also a popular member of the Orange County Country Club. On the day of his lamented demise, the Santa Ana Register said of him: "Mr. Doyle became well known, and the stamp of his personality has been left upon both business enterprises and in social circles in Santa Ana." Since her hus- band's death, Mrs. Doyle has moved back to Santa Ana where, surrounded by her former friends and endearing associations, she is looking after the large business affairs left by her husband. A devout Christian, she is conscientiously directing the education of her four children-Rosalie, Dolores, Kenneth and Mary Elizabeth, and is a member of St. Joseph's Church and the Altar Society of that congregation.

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JAMES THOMAS STOCKTON .- Born in Jacksonville, Texas, May 8, 1862, James Thomas Stockton was a son of Richard and Sarah (Bugg) Stockton, members of old Southern families and successful farmers. The mother died in Texas in 1867, the family moved to Washington County, Ark., and later to Ozark, Ark., where his father died. James was next to the youngest of the children of this union and was reared a farmer's boy and attended the public school in his district. When twenty-two years of age he began farming for himself.

At Ozark, Ark., December 29, 1887, Mr. Stockton was married to Cener A. Hadley, who was a native of that place, a daughter of John and Agnes A. (Miller) Hadley, natives of Alabama and Tennessee, respectively, who were early settlers of Arkansas. Later they came to Santa Ana, where the mother died. The father went to Wagner, Okla., where he died in December, 1902. There were three children born of this union: Cener, Mrs. Stockton; Minnie, Mrs. Johnston of Whittier; and L. B., a large celery grower on Jersey Island, Cal. Cener Hadley received her education in the public schools of Arkansas.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Stockton started farming and a year later, in 1888, removed to Polk County, Ark., and homesteaded 160 acres, making the improve- ments and proved up on it. After nine years, in 1897, they came to California and located in Orange County. They purchased twenty acres near Talbert and a few months later sold it at a profit. Next, they bought thirty acres on the Mesa near Wintersburg from Mr. Draper and later traded twenty acres of this for twenty acres adjoining the Draper twenty acres, making forty acres in a body, where they raised alfalfa and corn. Later they sold the original ten acres at a good profit to a Mr. Preston; then they bought fifty acres across the road from their home, making them ninety acres. In 1910 they sold the original Draper twenty acres to Walton Blaylock and afterwards the other twenty acres to a Mr. Pond. In the fall of 1910 they moved to Santa Ana and bought a residence on Parton Street and resided there over one year, in 1912 selling the Parton Street residence and purchasing fourteen acres on West Fifth Street, west of Santa Ana; later they bought twenty acres more across from their place on Fifth Street. In 1913 they sold the twenty acres at a profit and soon after- wards also sold the fourteen acres and bought a residence on North Bush Street, where they resided until the fall of 1914, when they sold and bought a residence at 709 South Birch Street and there they resided until the fall of 1916, when they sold it and moved back to the ranch and bought ten acres adjoining it on the north and there they were farming when Mr. Stockton died, September 14, 1919.

Mr. Stockton was indeed a progressive and enterprising man and was the first rancher to raise sugar beets in that section. With his brother Newton he raised the first crop of lima beans in his section; it was threshed on the ground and tramped out with horses pulling a disc harrow over it. In this way they showed what could be raised. He was also one of the early celery growers and was a good and successful farmer. Since her husband's death Mrs. Stockton manages the sixty-acre ranch with the assistance of her son, Everett; she also owns 320 acres in Nevada. She has lately moved to Santa Ana, where she bought a comfortable bungalow at 801 South Sycamore Street, which she sold in August, 1920, when she made a trip to Oregon and Wash- ington and on her return purchased her present bungalow, 506 South Garnsey Street, where she now makes her home. Mr. and Mrs. Stockton had five children: Everett A. is running the home farm; Effie, Mrs. H. J. Lamb of Santa Ana; Minnie, Mrs. E. R. Porter of Glendora; Eunice T., Mrs. J. H. Sewell of Berkeley; and Gordon Maurice is still at home. Mr. and Mrs. Stockton were members of the Church of Christ, of which she has been a member since she was fourteen years old and is still an active member.

ADOLPH T. HAMMERSCHMIDT .- Some very interesting pioneer history is recalled in the story of Adolph T. Hammerschmidt and his family. He was born in Lombard, Du Page County, Ill., on April 29, 1883, the son of William H. Hammer- schmidt, a farmer and the proprietor of the Lombard Brick and Tile Company, as well as president of the Elmhurst Chicago. Stone Company, who had married Miss Elizabeth Burdorf. Adolph was the eldest of eight children and while staying with his father on the home farm, he attended first the common schools of Lombard and then the North- western College of Naperville, Ill., where he took a business course. After that for two terms he pursued the manual training course of the Lewis Institute in Chicago.

In 1906 he made a trip to California, and at Fullerton, on August 8, 1907, he was married to Miss Marie Burdorf, the daughter of Henry and Dorothy (Wohler) Burdorf. Her father was one of the earliest settlers of Orange County, and came from Hanover, Germany, in 1866 via the Isthmus of Panama to San Francisco. He then came down to Orangethorpe and purchased 100 acres south of Fullerton now adjoining the southern city limits, and he built the first house outside the fence at Anaheim, when the embryo

J. J.Stockton

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town had two sections of land fenced in and it was decidedly a pioneer venture to build in the "wilds" outside the paling, there being no Fullerton at that time. Since then Mr. Burdorf has divided the 100 acres, so bare when he first acquired them, among his sons and daughters; and then ten acres Mr. Hammerschmidt is now living on were given to the latter's first wife. Mrs. Hammerschmidt was thus reared and educated at Orangethorpe.

After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Hammerschmidt returned to Illinois and lived for a year and a half on a farm near Lombard, but his wife could not stand the more severe climate, and they came back to sunnier California. They settled on the ten acres at Orangthorpe near Spadra, and improved the land by setting out trees. They planted an acre and a half to Navel oranges, three and a half acres to Valencias, and three and half acres to walnuts; and a quarter of an acre they devoted to various other kinds of fruit, and in 1908 built a handsome residence. Mr. Hammerschmidt cultivates with an All-Work tractor and markets through the Fullerton Mutual Orange Growers Asso- ciation. He has a seven-inch well 175 feet deep with a Johnson Marine pump which yields forty inches of water.

On June 20, 1913, Mrs. Hammerschmidt died, the mother of four children-Doris, Leonard, Marie and Richard. Mr. Hammerschmidt's second marriage united him with Miss Annie Gerken of Santa Ana, the ceremony occurring on August 6, 1914; she was a native of Minnesota, and the daughter of John and Alvina ( Eck) Gerken, who came to California when she was a little girl. Three children have resulted from this second marriage, and they bear the names of George, Bernhard and Clara. With his family he belongs to the German Lutheran Church of Anaheim of which he is a trustee, and they are pre-eminent in patriotic work for the upbuilding, as well as the building up, of the community.

In 1913, Mr. Hammerschmidt entered the U. S. mail service and assumed charge of Rural Free Delivery Route No. 2 leading out of Fullerton. This covers twenty-eight miles, and it is known to be the heaviest rural ronte in the state, requiring Mr. Hammer- schmidt to handle over 30,000 pieces of mail a month. Not every man, perhaps, conld hope to cope with the problems here presented, but Mr. Hammerschmidt thus far seems to have given satisfaction to everybody.

HARRY F. DIERKER .- Fortunate in a past record of varied and enviable experi- ence, successive, continued successes, and definite, pronounced progress, Harry F. Dierker has easily risen to prominence and influence in the short time in which he has again been a resident of the Anaheim-Fullerton district, and one of the most active workers for the upbuilding, as well as the building up, on broad and permanent lines, of Orange County. He was born at Monterey, Nebr., the son of Henry Dierker, the well-known pioneer whose interesting life story is given elsewhere in this historical work, and when seven years of age came to California with his parents. He attended both the grammar and the high schools at Orange, and was graduated from the Orange County Business College at Santa Ana, thereby topping off an unusually thorough preparation, at home and in the classroom, for a winning tussle with the exacting world.

As a young man, Harry, who from boyhood had been lucky in his helpful friend- ships, went into Los Angeles, where he became the office boy of the Pacific Tank Company, and later mastered the ins and outs of manufacturing wooden tanks. and two years afterward, while still advancing with that concern, he was transferred to their San Francisco office. When he had served them well for five years, the company sent Mr. Dierker to Washington, to establish their factory at Olympia; and having been made general manager, with the oversight of 200 men or more, he proved his capability in executing several contracts, some for as high as $50,000 and $60,000 worth of work, installing complete water systems where wooden tanks and piping were used. After four years in Washington Mr. Dierker returned to Los Angeles, and for the same period of time assumed the management of the Los Angeles branch of the tank-making enterprise; and continuing to meet with success, giving entire satisfaction to both the company's patrons and to his employers, he firmly established himself in the business world. Mr. Dierker next spent a year in the North Yakima country, in Washington, developing part of some land he had previously hought, and engaging in stock raising; but eventually disposing of all his holdings save forty acres, he returned to Los Angeles and organized the Chapman-Dierker Company, for the building of fine homes in the Wilshire district, in Los Angeles, and he also associated himself with the Chas. C. and S. J. Chapman Company, as superintendent of their operations in building, which have had such a marked effect on the development of the renowned Wilshire district and contributed so rapidly and effectually toward making the West End of Los Angeles one of the most desirable residential districts in all California. This experience alone,

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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 125

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