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 181

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 181

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At Fullerton, Mr. Meiser was married to Miss Pauline Schnitger, a native of Wisconsin who had become a resident of Garden Grove. Both husband and wife belong to the Methodist Church of Fullerton, and Mr. Meiser is both a Mason and an Odd Fellow. He also belongs to the ranks of the Republicans; but he is too public spirited to aflow any party preferences to stand in the way of giving his support, in local movements at least, to the best men and the best measures.

E. EARL CAMPBELL .- One of the leaders among the scientific young ranchers of Orange County is E. Earl Campbell, who is also making a marked success, not only as an orange grower, but also in agricultural ranching. Enterprising and well in- formed in all lines pertaining to soils and crop conditions, Mr. Campbell conducts his ranch on modern business lines. Belonging to the third generation of Campbells who have contributed to the development of Orange County, he is the grandson of Robert Campbell, who came here in 1884, settling on the ranch on South Cambridge Avenue, a part of which is now owned by Earl Campbell.

Illinois was the birthplace of E. Earl Campbell and he first saw the light of day on the Campbell homestead, near Peoria, on October 29, 1886. His parents were D. F. and Julia F. (Shaw) Campbell, a sketch of their lives being given elsewhere in this volume. There were ten children in the Campbell family, as follows: E. Earl of this review: Henry S., a rancher near Orange; Roy, a graduate of the University of California, is now an assistant entomologist in the Department of Agriculture; Elma is Mrs. Wood of Covina; Ruby resides in Los Angeles, where she is employed; Ensley is assistant farm advisor of Monterey County and Robert attends the University of California; Margaret is in the Orange Union high school; Hazel and Julia attend the grammar school at Orange.

When E. Earl Campbell was but a year old his parents removed to California, where his father engaged in ranching and citrus culture at Orange. Reaching school age, he attended the grammar school at Orange and graduated from the Orange high school, being a member of the second class to graduate from that institu- tion and of the first class graduated from the fine, new modern building. Later he entered the California Polytechnic at San Luis Obispo, taking a two years' course, and was a leader in his class, especially among the debaters of the college; returning to Orange, in 1908 he began working for his father on the home ranch. In 1909, Mr. Campbell purchased twenty acres of citrus orchard adjoining the ranch of his father, and which was a part of the original tract owned by his grandfather, Robert Campbell. Here he has a fine orange orchard, which he keeps up to the highest state of cultiva- tion. Some time ago he erected a modern ten-room residence, old Colonial style, on his ranch and it is considered one of the finest and most beautiful homes in the locality and on which Mr. Campbell spared no expense.

To insure his orange grove being maintained in the very best condition, free from disease and capable of producing its maximum yield Mr. Campbell employs an expert in tree husbandry to give the trees the benefit of his care. In addition to his horticul- tural interests, Mr. Campbell is engaged in growing barley and beans. At El Toro, where with his partner, E. B. Trickey, he is leasing and operating about 1,000 acres of the Whiting ranch, he has been fortunate in obtaining large yields and successful returns. Besides himself, two men are kept busy on his ranch and for work stock he uses six head of mules.

In December, 1919, Mr. Campbell was married to Miss Dora Truscott of Sacra- mento. Two daugitters have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Campbell, Mavis L. and Helen M. Always ready to help in any movement for the advancement of the com- munity, Mr. Campbell is a firm believer in cooperation, and is a member of the Santiago Orange Growers Association. In fraternal circles Mr. Campbell is active in the circles of the Masonic order, being a member of the Orange Grove Lodge, F. & A. M., at Orange. Despite his busy life and many interests he takes an active interest in politics and is a decided protectionist and Republican.

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HENRY D. MEYER .- Like many others of his native land. to Henry D. Meyer, a prosperous citizen and former rancher of Santa Ana, America beckoned as the land of opportunity, as his immigration here at the age of fifteen testifies. Born in Hanover, Germany, August 26, 1866, he was the son of Henry and Mary (Luering) Meycr. The mother died when Henry was a lad of but eleven years, the father later in life coming to the United States, passing away in Mason County, Ill., in 1892, at the age of seventy-two years.

Henry D. Meyer received an excellent education in the schools of his native land up to the time when he was fifteen years old, when he left his home for the long journey to America. Taking passage on the SS. Oder, he landed at New York March 25, 1881, and proceeded to Mason County, Ill. There he secured work on a farm, and was there employed at small wages in those days, for about five years, getting in two months of schooling in the winter time, and poring over his books whenever the opportunity afforded in order to secure an English education.

Feeling that better opportunities still awaited him on the Pacific Coast, Mr. Meyer came to California in 1887, arriving at Los Angeles on August 4, of that year He soon went down to Wilmington and got his start in the dairy business at San Pedro and Redondo Beach, continuing in this line until 1892. In 1897 he located at Fairview, where he engaged in dry farming, meantime acquiring considerable land in the vicinity. Associated with him in his ranching enterprise are his two sons, Irving B. and Victor C., and his son-in-law, Louis. Butterfield. The ranch is devoted principally to beans, sugar beets and grain, the crop yield of the former being very heavy. The raising of cattle and hogs is also an important feature of the ranch. In 1908 he purchased a fruit ranch of 250 acres at Hemet. which is devoted to apri- cots and peaches.

In 1914 Mr. Meyer removed to Santa Ana and built the commodious Meyer Apartments at Third and Spurgeon streets. This is the finest building of its kind in Santa Ana, being a three-story and basement structure of reinforced concrete. modern in every particular and serving the purpose both of a commercial hotel and an apartment house. He makes his home at 1712 North Main Street, Santa Ana.

Mr. Meyer's marriage in 1889 united him with Miss Mary Kohlmeier, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Kohlmeier of Los Angeles, the ceremony being solemnized at Redondo Beach. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Meyer: Irving B., a sketch of whom is given elsewhere in this historical work; Edna L., the wife of Louis Butterfield; Victor C., all associated with our subject, and Florine A. Fraternally a Mason, Mr. Meyer is a Knight Templar and Shriner, as well as an Elk. A man of industry and foresight, Mr. Meyer has always been very energetic, giving the closest attention to every undertaking in which he is interested. Well- deserved success has crowned his efforts and he now stands in the front ranks of Santa Ana's prosperous citizens, who have succeeded by dint of their own well directed efforts.

OTTO MILLER .- The owner of the Miller Garage at 112-14 West Common- wealth Avenue, Fullerton, Otto Miller was born at Utica, Winnebago County, Wis., March 9, 1870. His grandfather, Christopher Miller, was an early settler in Utica, where he bought Government land and broke the prairie with ox teams. converting the virgin soil into a fertile farmi. It was on this farm that our subject's father, John F. Miller grew to manhood, having come there in his early teens, and he, in turn. purchased land and improved a farm. His marriage to Julia Hinz followed this step, which would naturally lead to the establishing of a home. Miss Hinz had also come to Utica with her parents, who were also pioneers of that district, and resided there until their death. Our subject is the third eldest of the seven children who blessed this union and are still living, but he is the only one on the Pacific Coast. A brother, Paul, who was graduated from the University of Wisconsin, is now Commissioner of Education for the United States in Porto Rico.

As a boy, Otto worked on the home farm and attended the public school. At the age of twenty-three he started in the butcher business in Ripon, and later enlarged his business, adding a line of groceries and building up a large trade. It was there that he was married to Emma Leitz, and two children were born to them, Erwin E. and Sarah. While successfully conducting his business, he also operated a farm which he owned, but after twenty-six years he sold out and decided to locate in California, Fullerton being the town of his choice. It was there he purchased the large business building at 112-14 West Commonwealth in August, 1919, and opened business September 26, his son Erwin E. being associated with him in the garage business. Being a splendid mechanic, Erwin, after completing his schooling in his native city, Ripon, where he was born in 1894, took a course in steam and gas engineering at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He learned the garage and

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auto repairing business in Ripon and also worked in the factory of the Four-Wheel- Drive Auto Truck Company at Clintonville, Wis. After he came to Orange County in August, 1918, he worked in the garage of Albert Sitton in Fullerton, as well as other garages in the Valley. When his father purchased the garage property, he joined him in the business and is devoting his time to the mechanical end of it. The Miller Garage is well equipped and their show room and offices have been newly refitted and improved, making it one of the best-appointed garages in Fullerton. Besides doing all kinds of repair work on automobiles, they buy and sell used cars, do welding and carry a full line of Miller Tires in which they specialize, and they have a successful and growing business.

Erwin E. Miller's marriage to Miss Ruth Baker took place in Wisconsin and they came to California via the Lincoln Highway in his automobile. Appreciative of the great opportunities afforded men in Orange, who are willing to work, Otto Miller foresees a steady growth and wonderful future for this section of California. Though a strong Republican, he is too broad minded to let party politics stand in the way of any move for the betterment of the locality in which he makes his home.

C. FOREST TALMAGE,-Among Orange County's youngest ranchers is C. Forest Talmage, who is making a decided success for himself as a citrus rancher at his place of ten acres on East Collins Street, east of Tustin Street. Orange. Mr. Tal- mage's native state was Iowa and he was born there January 23, 1900, at Monroe. His parents were Charles F. and Nanna ( Rinemuth) Talmage, natives, respectively, of Ohio and Iowa. The father came from Ohio when a young man and settled at Monroe, and he was well known in that locality as a prosperous farmer and stock raiser, shipping to the Chicago markets from his extensive farm of 348 acres.

In the fall of 1913, Charles F. Talmage brought his family to California, arriving at Orange and soon after purchasing a ranch there. In lowa. C. Forest Talmage attended the schools of Monroe, until his twelfth year, and after the removal of the family to Orange County, he spent one year in the grammar school and three years in the high school at Orange. For the next two years he worked for his father on his ranch and in 1918 purchased from him a tract of ten acres on East Collins Avenue, in the Villa Park district. Here he has developed a splendid orange grove through his scientific management and steady hard work, and it is one of the best producers in the vicinity.

On November 28, 1917, Mr. Talmage was united in marriage with Miss Marjorie Haynes, the ceremony being solemnized at Beaver, Utah. She is the daughter of D. A. Haynes of Long Beach and was a classmate of her husband at the Orange high school. They are the parents of a little daughter, Melba Lucile. Mr. and Mrs. Talmage make their home in their attractive residence which had been built and furnished all ready for their occupancy before their marriage. They attend the Methodist Church at Orange, and Mr. Talmage is a member of the Villa Park Orchards Association and of the Santa Ana Valley Irrigation Company. While young in years, Mr. Talmage has already taken an assured place in the affairs of the community, through his efficiency and depend- ability and he has the prospect of a most successful future before him.

EMANUEL C. H. FRANZEN .- A prosperous citrus grower. who is naturally rather proud of what he has accomplished, through hard work and careful study, is Emanuel C. H. Franzen, who was born in Little Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, in the vicinity of Ballarat, on July 29, 1866-in the midst of the winter in that antipodes. His father, Henry Franzen, was a blacksmith and a native of Schleswig-Holstein; and he had married Tina Kryhl of Denmark. This worthy couple moved to Australia in 1857, and they were getting nicely settled there when Emanuel was born.

On account of the illness of his grandmother, it was deemed best to return to the vicinity of a good hospital so that the necessary operation might be performed: hence, the family returned to Germany in 1868 and Kiel, but all in vain, for she passed away soon after the surgical effort was made to save her life. The Franzens then lived near Flensburg for five years, when they migrated to America and to Illinois. They arrived in Sycamore, Dekalb County, in 1873, and there for a year Henry Franzen followed blacksmithing until 1883. When he sold out, it was to come further west, to California.

At Orange, he purchased ten acres on Walnut Street, one and a half miles northeast of Orange, land owned at present by William Grecht; and Emanuel both worked at farmning and began to learn the carpenter's trade, having attended gram- mar and private schools at Sycamore. The lad began to breathe the milder air of the Golden State when he was sixteen years old, and hy 1893 he was able to purchase seven acres on South Tustin Avenue. a part of his present place. Later, he pur- chased eight acres from the Gathmann ranch adjoining his place on the north, the

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whole making a fine block of fifteen choice acres. He has two acres devoted to Alediterranean sweets and thirteen acres to Valencia oranges, and the land is under the water service of the Santa Ana Valley Irrigation Company, in which cooperative concern Mr. Franzen owns fifteen shares; and all the improvements, including his splendid residence, garage, barn and pumping plant, have been accomplished through our subject's own efforts.

On August 3, 1893, Mr. Franzen was married to Miss Mary Gathmann, a sister of John Gathmann, and a native of Fond du Lac, Wis., and the daughter of John and Gesche Gathmann, old settlers in that state. She came to Orange with her parents in 1882, and her father purchased property to the north of and next to Mr. Franzen's. Her education began in Wisconsin, and was finished at Orange. Mr. Franzen belongs to the First Presbyterian Church of Orange, and takes an active part in the many valuable movements there; also participating actively in the war drives. Six children-five of whom are still living-blessed the happy union of Mr. and Mrs. Franzen. George H. is living on the old Slater ranch on North Tustin Avenue. Edward J. is at home with his parents. Emma J. also enjoys the life of her parents' home; she is a graduate and a post-graduate of the local high school, and is employed by the Guarantee Title Abstract Company in Santa Ana. Della M. is taking a general course at the junior college in Santa Ana, and Mabel D. is at the Orange high school. Lois died on May 27, 1918.

Mr. Franzen stands for principle every time in politics, and his family share his rugged honesty. Two of his sons sacrificed something in the late war for the sake of the same worth-while ideal. George H. served in the aviation department, having enlisted in March, 1918. He served at North Island and at March Field, and had the care, as a mechanic, of the planes. After being honorably discharged, in the spring of 1919, he returned to civilian life. Edward J. enlisted in the Navy; went to the training school at Gulfport, Miss., in June. 1918, and served as landsman and machinist's mate. And he was busy there until he was retired as a reservist on January 16, 1919.

HUGH J. HEANEY .- An industrious, enterprising and successful native son of whom California may well be proud is Hugh J. Heaney, head of the Los Angeles Divi- sion of Railroad Telegraphers. He was born at Los Angeles on July 25, 1893, the son of John W. and Mary (McDonald) Heaney. His father came west with his parents from St. Louis and was graduated from the Los Angeles high school; and later, as a mechanical engineer, he has served several firms for years in Los Angeles, and acted as road engineer for the fire department. He has also been active in various movements in the City of the Angels for the improvement of the community. Mrs. Heaney came to Los Angeles from Nova Scotia, in company with a brother and a sister; and she was married soon after settling here.

Hugh Heaney finished the usual courses in the grammar school and then studied for a year at the Los Angeles Polytechnic; but the progress of his studies was inter- rupted when his folks moved to Elsinore. When seventeen years of age, he became absorbed with telegraphy, and at Elsinore he served an apprenticeship of eighteen months under Oscar Ray, the station agent and telegrapher. Then he went on the road for the Santa Fe Railroad Company, as extra relief agent and telegrapher, and served in the Los Angeles division, which now extends from Barstow to San Diego.

On June 17, 1917, Mr. Heaney came to Santa Ana, and took up the duties of an operator in the Santa Fe office. He has also served as telegrapher at various stations on the road, including Elsinore, Mentone-both of these resorts-Placentia and National City, and also at Redlands. Inasmuch as the telegraph played an important role during the war, in the movement of troops, Mr. Heaney, as well as all other operators, was placed under control of the Government. In 1918, also, he became a member of the Order of Railroad Telegraphers, Los Angeles Division, of which he has been made local chairman. He also belongs to Lodge No. 583 of the Elks at Redlands, and to the Knights of Columbus; and in national politics he is a Republican.

On July 3, 1916, Mr. Heaney was married to Miss Grace Callaghan, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. B. Callaghan, fruit growers of Redlands, whose ranch at present comprises some twenty-five acres. Her parents were pioneers in Redlands, and in that city she was born on September 16, 1898. Two children have blessed this union: Mary Eliza- bethi was born on October 18, 1917; and Grace Loretta on February 11, 1919. Mr. Heaney has two sisters living. The elder is Mrs. H. C. Taber of Los Angeles, the wife of a well-known member of the Los Angeles fire department; the younger is the wife of J. E. Fenton, an instructor in mechanics in the Southern Pacific Railroad shop. Mrs. Heaney has two brothers and a sister. Bernard J. is a sophomore at Berkeley: John J., a salesman, is proud of his military record; and Mary E. is a student at the Girls' College at San Francisco.

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MACK HENRY MORRISON .- A man who has had a share in various building enterprises in and around Santa Ana, and has thereby helped to construct one of the most beautiful of Southern California cities, is Mack Henry Morrison, who was born a native son in Hornitos, Mariposa County, on January 3, 1867, the son of a sturdy pioneer, Mack Henry Morrison, who crossed the plains and mountains from Little Rock, Ark., to California in 1850. He located in Mariposa County and married Miss Susan Titchenal, the daughter of William H. Titchenal, an early settler of Santa Ana. Five of Mr. and Mrs. Morrison's children still survive, and Mack Henry is the third son among them.

He attended the common schools in Mariposa and was reared on a farm of three hundred twenty acres, five miles northeast of Hornitos, Cal., where his father raised stock and grain, the nearest market being Merced. In 1883, he was sent to Santa Ana to attend school, after which he returned to his father's farm. Then he worked ont, saved his earnings, and in 1889 came back to Santa Ana and Orange County, and soon thereafter entered the employ of Frank and George Heil as a brickmason.

On October 2, 1888, Mr. Morrison was married, at Snelling, to Miss Ida Hamilton, daughter of Joel and Sarah Hamilton, of Snelling, Merced County. She came to Cali- fornia as a girl with her parents from Moberly, Mo., and it was not long before she had thoroughly caught the California spirit. For seven years, Mr. Morrison farmed for himself in Merced County before coming to Orange County to make his home in this thriving locality.

In 1896, the happy couple located on the old Neal Place on Bristol Street, in Santa Ana, and then, for a year, he went to El Modena and the Hot Springs. After a while, he purchased a ranch at 1120 East Washington Street-a home place with three acres of walnuts and a good family orchard, where he now makes his residence. Meanwhile, he is an employee at C. H. Chapman Lumber Yards in Santa Ana. He has other important financial interests besides those of his ranch, so that, with his daily labor, he is a busy man indeed.

Six children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Morrison: Crystal is the wife of Dyas Kenner, a rancher, at Tomato Springs, and the mother of a child, Alieen; Loftus B. is at home, with a fine record as a graduate of the Orange County Business College and as a soldier; Marvin, a graduate of Pomona College and at present the athletic director, football coach, and professor at the Santa Ana high school, also has a military record, receiving the commission of ensign; he married Miss Cecil Wood, of Beverly Hills: Orval is in the fire department at Portland, Ore .; Rosalind attends the Lincoln school; and Evelyn is in the Santa Ana intermediate. The family worship at the Methodist Episcopal Church South, at Santa Ana. Mr. Morrison, who is a Demo- crat, has always supported prohibition. He is an active member of the Maccabees.

JOEL BRUCE HANDY .- Even as a boy the inclinations of Joel Bruce Handy were in the direction of agricultural pursuits and at the early age of sixteen he started ranching on his own account. A native son of Orange County, he has grown to man- hood in his home environment and has been a liberal contributor to modern ideas on the subject of vegetable growing, particularly of the Monstrous variety lima beans.

The next to the youngest of four children born to Owen and Mary (Parker) Handy, Joel B. Handy was born December 5, 1881, on Handy Street in Orange, Cal. His schooling was received in the schools of Villa Park and he was always a leader in athletics during his school days, being very proficient in all kinds of sports and games. In 1897 he decided to start out on his own responsibility, although but a boy, and he began the growing of vegetables. At first he grew only small produce, such as peas, beans, corn, etc., marketing his produce at Los Angeles and San Francisco. He was the pioneer in the growing of small vegetables in the Villa Park district and was one of the founders of the Orange County Vegetable Association, with headquarters at Villa Park. Mr. Handy was always very successful in his work and soon became purchasing agent for the large commission firms of Quadroos and Joseph, and Jacobs and Malcolm, both of San Francisco. He was also the representative of the Aggeler- Musser Seed Company for some time and proved up on the Monstrous lima bean here and at Laguna Beach, which has proved the biggest bearer of all lima beans. For about seven years of this time he also had a nursery, raising orange and lemon trees.

For the past fifteen years Mr. Handy has been manager of the Handy ranch of thirty acres, which is situated at Villa Park, devoted to oranges and lemons. In addi- tion to his extensive activities as a vegetable grower he has also become interested in citrus culture, and is the owner of an orchard of seven and a half acres at Villa Park, half Valencia oranges and half lemons, and here the family make their home. He is a member of the Central Lemon Association and Villa Park Orchards Association.

On February 10, 1904, Mr. Handy was united in marriage with Miss Esther May Johnson. born in Michigan, who came to Orange, Cal., in 1902 with the family of her

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uncle, G. J. Stock. She is the daughter of Wm. M. and Elizabeth (Stock) Johnson. Her father is dead, while her mother now makes her home at Anaheim with a younger brother, Estel Johnson. A sister of Mrs. Handy, Mrs. J. H. Gunnett, resides at Long Beach. Mr. and Mrs. Handy are the parents of three attractive children: Zelda Eliza- beth, in Orange Union high school, and Owen William and Bruce Johnson.

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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 181

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