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 166

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

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EDGAR W. MOORE .- When the early settlers of California realized the advan- tage and oftimes the necessity of irrigating their crops, they naturally chose the easiest method of accomplishing this-the open-ditch system; but as the country became more thickly settled and the water problem grew more acute, the wastefulness of this primitive means was recognized, and thus the opportunity for a new industry was created, that of the manufacture of concrete pipe. In this business Edgar W. Moore has been successfully engaged since coming to Fullerton in 1914. A native of Missouri. Mr. Moore was born at Knobnoster, in that state, on April 24, 1881. His parents were William P. and Martha (Skaggs) Moore, and of their seven children, Edgar was the third in order of birth. He received his education in the public schools of the locality and in the hard school of experience. At an early age he began working on the farm and this he continued through the years of his young manhood.

In 1907, desiring to seek broader opportunities for advancement, Mr. Moore, accompanied by his mother, came to California, and locating at San Bernardino, became overseer of a large tract of land, remaining there for six years. He then came to Fuller- ton and with his brother engaged in the manufacture of concrete pipe at 202 West Santa Fe Avenue. In 1919 he bought out his brother's interest, and is making a splendid success of his business in which he employs about ten men. He finds a market for practically all of his output in the vicinity; in addition, he also contracts to install the pipe in orchards, as well as doing a general cement contracting business.

On June 6. 1918, Mr. Moore was married to Margaret Wix Haffly, and a little daughter, Mary Margaret, has come to bless their home. The family attend the Baptist Church, and in politics Mr. Moore is a Democrat. He is a member of the Fullerton Board of Trade. With a deep interest in all that concerns the future of Orange County, particularly of Fullerton, Mr. Moore can be counted upon to take an active part in every worthy civic project.

ALEXANDER J. CHRISTLIEB .- A citrus rancher who, through his thorough and exceedingly valuable knowledge of citrus nursery stock, and his scientific experi- ments with trees, has done much to advance horticulture in Orange County, is Alex- ander J. Christlieb, the rancher of West Orangethorpe Avenue, who was born in Long Lake, Minn., on August 1, 1882. His father was I. A. Christlieb, a farmer known for his progressive methods, and he had married Miss Mary E. Clasen. In 1897 he came to Los Angeles to live.

Alexander grew up on his father's farm, while he attended the common schools of his home district, and in 1900 he fellowed his father to California. The latter pur- chased forty-nine acres on Brookhurst Road and Orangethorpe Avenue, and at that time it was vacant mesa land; and Alexander and his brother, B. H., helped to develop the acreage, which is devoted exclusively to oranges. They have a private pumping plant with a capacity of ninety inches of water, and so have already solved the irrigation problem. I. A. Christlieb passed away in 1917, esteemed and lamented by all who knew him.

Mr. Christlieb is also interested with his brother in a half-section of land in the Imperial Valley: it is agricultural land, but at present has no water supply. He expects to prove up on it, however, and had it under what is known as the Relief Act. On his Fullerton ranch he is digging large pits, three to four feet deep, and putting in a heavier soil, and thereby hopes to get orange trees of greater strength and growth. Mr. Christlieb is a charter member of the Knights of Pythias of Anaheim, and the Anaheim Exchange.

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JESSE GOODWIN .- A farmer whose prosperity and good taste are attested by the magnificent home he has recently erected on his ranch at the corner of East Orangethorpe and Raymond, a modern structure, by the way, notable as one of the finest country residences in Orange County, is Jesse Goodwin, who was born near Stockton in San Joaquin County on April 6, 1876, the son of Almon Goodwin, also a native of San Joaquin County, and a nephew of Major Goodwin, the right hand man of General Fremont on his perilous expedition into California. Almon Goodwin was a playmate with Gov. James H. Budd in their boyhood days, and with his brother George took over the ranch of their father, who came from St. Lawrence County in New York State. He married Miss Katherine Vilinger, and became a man notable in Orange County for his association with its rapid development.

Jesse Goodwin was four years old when his parents came to Southern California; he grew up on the farm and attended the public schools at Tustin and Santa Ana. From a lad he assisted on the ranch and became an adept at farming. In 1897 he en- gaged in raising sugar beets near Buena Park, but that year proved a dry season, and he decided to discontinue the venture. From 1898, for a year and a half he was em- ployed by the Buena Park Creamery, after which he came to Orangethorpe and began his career as a citriculturist by improving a nineteen-acre orange grove now in full bearing. However, he has disposed of all but nine acres fronting on East Orange- thorpe Avenue devoted to raising Valencia oranges, having brought the grove to a high standard as a producer both as to quantity and quality of the fruit, ample water for irrigation being obtained from the Anaheim Union Water Company. The elegant residence already referred to was completed in December, 1919, where the family generously dispense the old-time California hospitality.

In November, 1897, Mr. Goodwin was married at Buena Park to Miss Rose Hickey, born near Montgomery, Ala., and the daughter of Richard and Jane (Weathers) Hickey. They came to California when Mrs. Goodwin was ten years old, so that she almost regards herself as a native daughter. Six children have been granted Mr. and Mrs. Goodwin. Ina graduated from the Fullerton high school and, marrying, became Mrs. Jesse C. Michaeli of this vicinity; Almon is also a graduate of the Fullerton high school. while Alice I. is still a student there. The other children, Herbert, James and Donald, are pupils at the grammar schools. Mr. Goodwin was made a Mason in Fullerton Lodge No. 339, F. & A. M., and was exalted in Fullerton Chapter, R. A. M .; he is also a member of Santa Ana Council, R. & S. M. and the Fullerton lodge of Odd Fellows, being a past grand in the latter. With his wife he is a member of both the Eastern Star and the Rebekahs. Mrs. Goodwin is a member of the Methodist Church in Fullerton while Mr. Goodwin is a firm believer in protection and naturally a decided Republican.

LORON W. EVANS .- The prominent citizen and prosperous rancher, Loron W. Evans, whose property lies about one mile north of El Modena, is not only a good horticulturist, but a most excellent manager. His thrift and progressive ideas make him a leader among El Modena's citizens, and in the seventeen years of his residence in this locality he has prospered and is now enjoying the fruit of his arduous labor of past years. His home ranch comprises sixteen and one-half acres, and this in con- junction with the ranch of his sister, M. Lulu Evans, makes thirty-five acres under his care. With the exception of two acres Mr. Evans set out the entire thirty-five acres to citrus fruit, starting his groves from the seed and afterward budding them to Valencia oranges and lemons, of which latter he has five acres.

Mr. Evans is a native of Iowa, having been born near Ackley, August 8, 1870. His father Owen, was born in Reading, Pa., and his mother, who in maidenhood was Emily L. Andrews, was a native of Southern Ohio. His parents were married in Iowa and the father followed the occupation of a house painter, decorator and carriage painter. The paternal grandfather, Owen Evans, who was a native of Wales, was an iron worker and foundryman, and built one of the first blast furnaces ever erected in Pennsylvania. He was married in his native country to Annie Peregreen. Mr. Evans is the second child in order of birth in a family of five children, namely, M. Lulu, Loron W., Jessie M., Frank Uriah, and Myrtle, the latter three being deceased.

Loron W. was four years of age when his parents removed to Firth, Lancaster County, Nebr., in 1874, and the family shared incidentally in the vicissitudes that came to that section of country through the grasshopper scourge in those years. The elder Evans followed his trade of house and carriage painter at Firth, and when. Loron was a lad of fourteen the family moved to Dawes County, Nebr., 170. miles from the railroad, and homesteaded a piece of land. Loron helped turn the virgin sod of Ne- braska and attended the district schools, later becoming a student in the State Normal at Peru, Nebr. He passed the teachers' examination and taught school in Dawes County, Nebr., and in 1903 accompanied his father, mother and sister to California,

Jesse Goodwin.

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settling in El Modena precinct, on the east side of Alameda Street. The father pur- chased twenty-one and a half acres of land and later added to this by the purchase of another twenty acres. The father died at El Modena in 1908, aged sixty-three; the mother was sixty-seven at her demise in 1914. In 1901-2 Loron W. made a trip to Oregon and engaged in the vocation of carpentering at Corvallis, remaining there a little over a year. He returned to Orange County when his father purchased the present home place, February 19, 1904. His marriage in 1907, united him with Miss Rosa B. Robinson, daughter of Fletcher Robinson of North Carolina, in which state Mrs. Evans was also born. She came to California about the same time that her hus- band came to the state. Two children have been born to them-Norol Owen and Richard Fletcher by name.

For many years Mr. Evans has been associated with the John T. Carpenter Water Company, which furnishes water for irrigation. He was first a stockholder in the company, then became a director and in 1908 was elected its president, in which capacity he has served continuously ever since. The company served about 1,100 acres of citrus land and obtained the water from Santiago River wells. Mr. Evans is a trustee from El Modena precinct on the Orange Union high school board, and has served on the election board and as juryman in the district court at Santa Ana. He is a stock- holder in the National Bank of Orange, is a member of the Central Lemon Growers Association at Villa Park, is director and vice-president in the McPherson Heights Orange Growers Association and also a director and president of the Orange County Fumigation Company from its organization. Politically he is a Republican in national issues, but in local matters is governed by principle and votes for the man he thinks best qualified for the public office. Mr. and Mrs. Evans are members of the First Methodist Church at Orange.

ANTONE BORCHARD .- This enterprising, successful rancher was born near what is now Oxnard, where the well-known sugar beet factory is located, on September 6, 1883, the son of Casper Borchard, a native of Hanover, Germany, who is still living and resides at Newbury Park, Ventura County. His wife, who was Theresa Maring, also a native of Hanover, died when Anton was in his fourteenth year. The father never remarried, but he divided his lands among his children, and now has the satis- faction of seeing all of his family useful, prosperous and honored citizens. He and his good wife were hard-working, frugal people, and they became large landowners in Ventura, Madera and Orange counties.

When Casper Borchard first came to California, the livestock business was the one great occupation which engaged nearly all of the white settlers in the state, and he soon began to raise cattle, horses, mules, some sheep and even goats. He was from the beginning well supported by his five sons and three daughters, the boys caring for the cattle on the hills of Ventura County from the time they were old enough to ride a horse. For a while, Casper had a herd of about 900 cattle, and he became the owner of more than 3,000 acres in Ventura County, and of about as wide a stretch in Madera County. He came down to Orange County, and with his excellent judgment of soil and farming lands bought extensively in the Gospel Swamp south and east of what is now Huntington Beach. He added to his original purchases from time to time, until he became one of the large landowners in Orange County, while he also retained his large holdings in Ventura and Madera counties.

These worthy parents reared eight children. Rosa is now the wife of Silas Kelley, the rancher of Ventura County, and resides at Newbury Park; Mary presides over her father's house; Leo was an extensive rancher near Huntington Beach, now retired in Santa Ana; Casper, Jr., is a rancher near Newbury Park; Antone, the fifth in the order of birth, is the subject of this review; Frank P. is another large landowner residing in Santa Ana; Charles is a rancher at Fairview, Orange County; and Theresa is the wife of Ed Borchard, a rancher at Newbury Park.

Antone Borchard began riding the range with his father, making himself generally useful about his father's extensive grain and stock farm, and so well did he early learn to handle horses that he was able to drive two, four, six, eight or, finally, even thirty- two horses on the great Holt combined harvester and thresher used by the Borchards in reaping the golden grain of Ventura County. He saw the establishing of the great Oxnard Sugar Factory; and as the Borchard land was well-suited to the growing of sugar beets, they became interested in that industry and took rank among the leading beet growers, as they had previously led in the livestock and grain farming industries.

When twenty-two years of age, in partnership with his younger brother, Frank P. Borchard, he rented his father's grain ranch of 3,000 acres in Ventura County, and for four years, or until he married, the brothers farmed it successfully together. In 1911 Mr. Borchard was married in that county to Miss Anna Kellner, a young lady of German birth who has proven a most excellent wife and helpmate. She was born in

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the ancient town of Duderstadt, Hanover, the daughter of John and Amalia (Adler) Kellner, farmers who also had a bakery and a restaurant, and who because of their industry and enterprise, became prosperous. Her father had been a schoolmate with Casper Borchard; and when the latter returned to California from a visit to Germany in 1906, Miss Kellner and several other young women and men of Duderstadt accom- panied him. Her parents both lived and died in Germany, and she still has four sisters and two brothers living in that country. They duly landed in New York after an un- eventful voyage across the Atlantic, and on August 24, 1906, reached Oxnard. Since her advent in the Golden State, Mrs. Borchard has thoroughly adopted American and Californian ways, and she is in perfect accord with their institutions. Physically and mentally well-endowed, she is among the busiest of women, caring conscientiously for her household and her four children-Vincent, Frances, Bernice and Wilma.

For four years Antone farmed with his brother, Frank P., and then for four years he was in partnership with another brother, Casper, Jr. After his marriage, the partnership was dissolved; but Antone continued to operate one-half of the Borchard holdings in Ventura County until 1914, when he came down to Orange County, where the father, Casper Borchard, already owned much land, and bought the Ed Farnsworth ranch of 245 acres. This he has well improved by building a beautiful country resi- dence in bungalow style, with barns, water wells, a tank house and other desirable accessories. It is commandingly situated on the east side of the county highway, running from Santa Ana to Greenville, about four miles south of Santa Ana.

Mr. Borchard has never been afraid of hard work, and is never idle, and he has certainly succeeded in the raising of livestock, grain farming, and the cultivation of sugar beets, as well as lima beans. His land is exceptionally adapted to the latter, and produces as many as twenty-two sacks to the acre. In 1918 he helped to organize and is an officer in the Greenville Bean Growers Warehouse. The company has erected a fireproof cement warehouse, on the line of the Pacific Electric at Greenville, and they have installed up-to-date machinery for cleaning and sorting the beans, and are handling approximately half a million dollars' worth of beans annually.

Although a man who has succeeded beyond the majority of men, so that he is now a man of wealth and affluence, Antone Borchard still actively farms his own place, and can be seen any day superintending the place and doing what is necessary to be done around the ranch, where he is constantly making improvements.

HERBERT ANDREW. FORD, D. D. S .- The distinction of being a native Cali- fornian, and the son of a California pioneer belongs to Herbert Andrew Ford, D. D. S., of Fullerton. He was born at Fullerton, Cal., June 27, 1895, and is the son of Herbert Alvin and Carrie (McFadden) Ford. His father, who is deceased, followed the occu- pation of ranching during his lifetime. The mother is still living, and Herbert A. is the youngest of her three children.

He received a good public and high school education, which was supplemented with a professional course in the dental department of the University of Southern California, from which he graduated in 1918 with the above degree. He saw service in the Medical Corps of the U. S. Army, stationed at Camp Greenleaf, Ft. Oglethorpe, Ga., and upon being discharged he opened his practice in Fullerton. He is a young man of fine characteristics, standing on the threshold of a promising future, and has become substantially identified with the dental profession at Fullerton, in which he has built up a lucrative practice. He is a member of Los Angeles County Dental Association, Southern California Dental Association and the National Dental Association, and also of the Delta Sigma Delta Fraternity.

He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Fullerton; politically he is nonpartisan; and fraternally he affiliates with Anaheim Lodge 1345 of Elks; is a member of the Fullerton Club and the Hacienda Country Club of La Habra as well as the Board of Trade, and takes a warm interest in the general welfare of Orange County.

PLEASANT B. LEE .- One of the enterprising ranchers of Orange County, Cal., engaged exclusively in growing lima beans and deeply impressed with the great possi- bilities of the soil and climate is Pleasant B. Lee, a native of Tennessee, where he was born at Cookville, Putnam County, February 26, 1884. His parents Nathaniel and Millisa (Myatt) Lee were also natives of Tennessee, and of their family of nine children, seven are living. Pleasant B. is the eldest and the only one of the family in California. The other children are: William, Eldridge, Alfred, Everett, Clinton and Naomi.

From a lad Pleasant B. cheerfully learned the tasks necessary for making a suc- cess of farming as carried on in Tennessee and meanwhile obtained a good education in the grammar school in his neighborhood. He assisted his parents on the home farm until he came to Orange County, Cal., in 1906. For three years he was in the employ of Mr. Zemeau, a retail oil merchant in Santa Ana, then for two years with the Pioneer Truck Company after which he had a position with the Standard Oil Com-

Julia a. Welch ThoseWelche

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pany until he resigned in 1915 to become foreman on the present ranch of W. A. Cook until 1919, when he took over the lease of 200 acres, which he devotes to raising lima beans. He is an energetic and progressive young man of the type that makes a suc- cess in life. He established domestic ties by his marriage in Santa Ana, February 14, 1907, to Miss Margaret L. Matthew, a native of Santa Ana and a daughter of Oscar and Cora (Ratcliffe) Matthew, born in Forest Hill, Cal., and Bellefontaine, Ohio, respec- tively, who were married at Downey, Cal., where they were farmers; they now make their home in Santa Ana. Mrs. Lee is the eldest of their five children and received her education in the public schools. Mr. and Mrs. Lee are consistent members of the Christian Church and fraternally Mr. Lee is affiliated with the order of Maccabees.

THOMAS BLACKLOCK WELCH .- For many years well known in the Eastern markets through his association with the mercantile business, Thomas B. Welch has spent the past ten years of his life as a citrus rancher. Mr. Welch was born at Bots- ford, Westmoreland County, New Brunswick, April 21, 1850, his father being the Hon. E. A. Welch, a prominent attorney, who was also interested in agriculture and lumber- ing. His mother was Jean (Blacklock) Welch. They were natives of Ecclefechen, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, and were members of old Presbyterian families who were prominent in Scotch history. Mr. Welch was the eldest of eight children, only three of whom now survive. He was educated in the pay schools of his home locality and assisted on the home farm and in lumbering. When a young man of sixteen he apprenticed to the dry goods business serving three years, when he joined an im- porting house in St. John, New Brunswick. In 1877, the city of St. John suffered a disastrous fire and Mr. Welch had the misfortune of seeing his home and interest in the business wiped out. The following year he brought his family to the States, and settled at Boston, Mass. For many years he was foreign buyer of fine fabrics, linens and laces for a number of exclusive importing firms in Boston, then St. Louis, then Chicago, where he was with Mandel Bros. for nine years, then New York City with Lord and Taylor, continuing for thirteen years. He made numerous trips abroad in this connection and traveled extensively throughout all the large European countries.

In 1910, Mr. Welch retired from active commercial life and came with his family to California, and on April 21 of that year he purchased a tract of twenty acres at Yorba Linda which he named the Valley View ranch. He at once began experimenting in citrus culture and in this he has been very successful and his ranch is now one of the most attractive places in the district. When he settled at Yorba Linda, ten years ago, there were only a couple of houses in sight and Mr. Welch has taken a leading part in the development of this thriving place. He was instrumental in organizing the Yorba Linda Chamber of Commerce and served as its president for the first two years of its existence. As president of the Yorba Linda Water Users Association he was one of the most active in their litigation, and finally won out in the courts over the investment company that was endeavoring to float a bond issue. An enthusiast on the subject of goods roads, he was an earnest supporter of the bond issue to build the boulevard in that locality.

In Halifax, Nova Scotia, on November 18, 1875, occurred Mr. Welch's marriage, when he was united with Miss Julia A. Crook, a native of St. John, N. B., the daughter of Capt. Isaac and Maria (Canton) Crook, the father being interested in a number of merchant vessels sailing out of Halifax. Mrs. Welch was reared in Halifax and given an excellent education in the Misses Crawford's School. She spent many interesting days on board her father's vessels, while on their cruises. Since coming to California, Mrs. Welch has taken an active interest in all the community affairs at Yorba Linda, was president of the Woman's Club, and it was through her instrumentality, associated with Mrs. Carl Seaman, that the custom of holding the beautiful Easter sunrise service there was established and it was she who had the cross erected on the hill where this service is held.

Mr. and Mrs. Welch are the parents of five children: Jessie M. is the wife of Frederick B. Murlock, superintendent of the Memorial Hospital at Richmond, Va .; Edward A. is owner and manager of the Medford Wholesale Grocery Company at Medford, Ore .; Emma V. is the wife of Nelson P. Young of Los Angeles; Edith G. is the wife of Charles R. Selover of Yorba Linda. It was through Mrs. Selover's initiative that the Yorba Linda Public Library was started, and she supplied the first books for the shelves. The youngest son, Harold C., is the manager of a ranch of eighty acres at La Habra. Mr. Welch is devoted to the land of his adoption and gave freely of his time and means in all the Red Cross work and loan campaigns during the recent war. In politics he is a stanch adherent of the Republican party. The family are members of the Presbyterian Church and their comfortable home is a center of hospitality for the community.

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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 166

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