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 57

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 57

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GEORGE CLINTON MORROW .- To come into a new country and successfully grow with it, is a record of which any one might be proud, and George Clinton Morrow can claim such, being one of the real pioneers, having first come to California in 1863. He was born in Richland County, Ohio, May 31, 1835, the son of William and Maria ( Potter) Morrow. William Morrow was born in the north of Ireland in the year of American Independence, and came to America when a young man, settling in Ohio, where he died in 1855. His marriage had united him with Maria T. Potter, a native of New York State, who came to California to reside some time after the death of her husband and passed away at San Antonio, San Bernardino County in 1871. On attaining his majority, George Morrow determined to seek his fortune in the West, so left his Ohio home, going first to Cass County, lowa, where he remained for six years. Continuing his westward journey across the plains with horses and wagons, he arrived at Cache Creek, Yolo County, Cal., in 1863, where a year passed. In 1864 he came on to Los Angeles, then but a small settlement bearing no indication of its present metropolitan proportions, and he could have purchased then the present site of the Los Angeles County Court House for $1.25 per acre. He and his brother drove a freight team from Los Angeles to San Pedro. The next year he set out with a ten-mule freight team for Helena, Mont., and when they reached Salt Lake City his employer grew short of funds and sold his outfit to a party of Mormons with whom Mr. Morrow continued to Helena. From there he and his twin brother, Thos. Benton, took the stage. The driver had bronchos and could not manage them, so George C. and his brother being good horsemen, drove them through to Ft. Benton on the Missouri River, taking a steamer from there to Council Bluffs, Iowa.

For the next four years Mr. Morrow remained in Iowa, coming back to Los Angeles over the new line of the U. P. and C. P., which had recently been completed, being accompanied by his wife. They resided at Downey and he drove the stage for Wright and Seeley between Anaheim and Los Angeles. After a year and a half, he and his wife again returned to Iowa, where he owned a farm with his brother, and farmed from 1872 till 1879. After these varied migrations, when he returned to California in 1879, it was with the intention of making it his permanent home and he has never regretted his decision, for he had traveled extensively over all the western part of the country, and in none of his travels had he found anything that could compare with it. His faith in its possibilities is shown by the fact that he purchased a tract of seventeen acres, five miles northeast of Orange for twenty-five dollars per acre. It was virgin soil, completely covered with cactus, and he at once set to work to develop it, first planting grapes and when they died, he planted it to oranges, peaches and apricots and also raised barley and beans. The splendid income he enjoyed from it in after years, substantiated his firm belief in its productivity. They have refused $4,000 an acre for the tract.

In 1869, at Indianola, Warren County, Iowa, George C. Morrow was married to Sarah Jane Hutchins, who was born in Noble County, Ohio, her parents, Hezekiah and Sarah (Wheeler) Hutchins, being natives of Maine. After an eventful life of more than fifty years together they are both still living, Mr. Morrow now being in his eighty-fifth year, while Mrs. Morrow is seventy-six. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Morrow: Thomas Benton married Miss Mabel Bostwick, who died in July, 1910; George Clinton, Jr., is now a resident of Huntington Beach; Maggie May.

S& morrow

Sarah & Morrow

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Mrs. William Boden, died here in 1913; Lovena Madge married C. B. Christenson and they live at Orange; Nellie B., who married Harry Fenton, died in Nebraska at the age of twenty-one; Anna T., Mrs. Frank Wheeler of Orange; Sylvester W., mentioned elsewhere in this work; Charles William married Miss Mable Stutheit. Rich in reminiscences, of the early days, Mr. Morrow has frequently written for publication concerning his many and varied experiences while freighting and stage driving, and there are indeed few of the county's residents who have been privileged to take such an active part in the various stages of its transformation.

GEORGE B. SHATTUCK .- The lines in the life of George B. Shattuck were cast in pleasant places when his lot in life brought him to the beautiful and fertile section of Orange County in which Tustin is located. He is among its foremost citi- zens, and occupies the important position of secretary and general manager of the Golden West Citrus Association. Born at Hillsdale, Mich., July 26, 1868, he is the only son of L. B. and Julia B. (Reed) Shattuck. His father was a captain of Company F, Thirty-fifth New York Regiment, Volunteer Infantry, in the Civil War. His parents came to California in 1906 and both are now deceased.

George B. Shattuck was educated in the public and high schools of the city of Chicago, Ill., and afterward entered the University of Michigan, from which he gradu- ated, receiving the degree of LL.B. in 1890, and the degree of LL.M. in 1891. From 1890 to 1906 he practiced the legal profession in Chicago, and in the latter year came to California, where he purchased the Tustin Packing Company, which he successfully operated until the fall of 1917. He was instrumental in organizing the Golden West Citrus Association, and assumed the position of secretary and general manager of the association, his present position. Under his competent management the company has been successful, and occupies modern, up-to-date buildings built in March, 1918. He also has charge of the 1,400-acre Marcy ranch, about 400 acres of which is devoted to the culture of citrus fruit. Always interested in the upbuilding of Santa Ana, he was one of the promoters and is a trustee of the new Santa Ana Tourist Hotel; is president of the Santa Ana industrial fund, which is to be used to induce manufactories and industries to locate here.

Mr. Shattuck's marriage, on June 2, 1898, united him with Miss Jennie Otis, of Chicago, whom he had the misfortune to lose when death's portals closed her earthly career in 1900. He was at one time president of the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce and a member of its board of directors, and was one of the founders of the Orange County Country Club, of which he is secretary and director. In politics he sustains the principles advocated in the Republican platform, and fraternally is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is a member of the military order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, and is also a member of the Sigma Chi.

MISS NINFA SERRANO .- The name of Serrano is one well known in Southern California, where the family was identified with its early history and among its largest land owners. The youngest of the family, Miss Ninfa Serrano is the danghter of Joaquin and Encarnacion (Olivas) Serrano, the father having been born at Los An- geles and the mother at San Diego. Grandfather Jose Serrano owned the original Rancho Cañada de los Alisos, afterwards Rancho del El Toro, a great tract of 11,000 acres which was sitnated on Aliso Creek. For many years the family lived on this extensive estate, maintaining the old Spanish mode of life and dispensing the liberal hospitality of those days of abundance, but the old rancho has in past years been sub- divided and sold and is now the property of others.

Joaquin Serrano, a capable, industrious rancher, bought the land comprising the present Serrano ranch, a tract of 393 acres lying about seven miles east of El Toro and here his children cooperate in the cultivation of this estate, which has grown to be a valuable property. Joaquin and Encarnacion Serrano were the parents of the following children: Frank J. married Juana Olivares; Joaquin F .: Cornelius; Leandro; Jose; Alphonso married Aqueda Pacheco; Ninfa, the subject of this sketch; and Juan Pablo. The ranch is devoted to stock raising and to general farming, a variety of farm products being raised. Reared in Southern California from her birth, Miss Ser- rano has been familiar with agricultural life from her earliest childhood and takes an active interest in the management of the family estate. Recently the Serranos have given an oil lease on their land and a test well is now being put down near the Orange County Park, her brother Joaquin Serrano being engaged in the drilling. The present prospects are very encouraging and should the well be the equal of a number of others in the district it will be a continual source of wealth to the whole family.

Like their forbears of the past generations, the family are members of the Roman Catholic Church, and are communicants of the Mission Church at Capistrano. Politically they adhere to the principles of the Democratic party.

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HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY

SAMUEL M. DUNGAN .- A successful rancher who was once a professional baseball player, adding no end of luster to the laurels in athletics already won by the Golden State, is Samuel M. Dungan, who was born, a native son, on the "Island" near Eureka, in Humboldt County, on July 29, 1866, the son of Robert M. and Joanna (Jenkins) Dungan, the former who first came across the Isthmus of Panama in 1857. He was by trade a builder of boats and ferries, and himself built the first ferry boat, and established the first ferry on Eel River. He also helped to build the Piedmont Ferry now run by the Southern Pacific between San Francisco and Oakland while living in the latter city. He and his wife moved to Los Angeles County in 1877, settling in what was known as Gospel Swamp, now in Orange County, and soon after he estab- lished himself as a contractor and builder in Santa Ana, at the same time carrying on his ranch work. Both parents died in Santa Ana, the father in April, 1915, and the mother in February, 1920.

Samuel Dungan was educated at the grammar school at Newport, now Greenville, walking two and a half miles to school. From 1886 to 1888 he attended the State Normal School at Ypsilanti, Mich., and in the latter year he returned to California. Two years later, he began to play professional baseball, from 1890 to 1891 being right fielder under T. P. Robinson at Oakland, where he had the best batting average of any individual in the league, and was given a gold medal therefor. During 1891 he was with the Milwaukee club in the Western League under Manager Chas. Cushman. From 1892 to 1893, and during half of 1894, Mr. Dungan was with Captain Anson's "White Sox" of Chicago, and from 1894 to 1900, he played at Detroit, Mich., in the Western League, and in 1900 with Kansas City, the first year of the American League, which he led in batting.

In 1901, the first year when the American League expanded under Ban Johnson, he was with the players of Washington, D. C., and during 1902 and half of 1903, with the Milwaukee Western League. From the middle of 1903 to the end of 1905, he played at Memphis, Tenn., with the Southern League, and in those seasons he held every position save that of pitcher and catcher, in the infield. In 1905, he quit playing baseball altogether.

In 1893 Mr. Dungan had purchased twenty acres of open land at Talbert, which he leased out for potatoes and celery and later beets and beans; and when he came back to Orange County he built a home on Fourth Street, later bought a lot and built a home at Laguna Beach, where he lived for twelve years while he was doing car- pentering. During this time, in 1912, he bought ten acres at Lemon Heights, most of which is in the Red Hill Water district, the remainder being under the service of the Santa Ana Valley Irrigation Company. In 1917. Mr. Dungan built his home at 221 South Broadway, Santa Ana, and retired.

On November 14, 1900, Mr. Dungan was married to Miss Laura B. Lippy, a native of Mansfield, Ohio, the ceremony taking place in Chicago. Her parents were Harry and Mary (Long) Lippy, and her father was a cigar maker in Galion, Ohio. There she commenced her studies, which were finished in Santa Ana, Cal., for her family came out to the Coast in 1887. After their deaths, which occurred here in 1889 and 1891, respectively, the daughter returned East and stayed with a grandmother at Galion, in Crawford County, Ohio, and having studied stenography, typewriting and bookkeeping, she entered the service of a large jewelry firm in Chicago. Two children, who belong to the Baptist Church in Santa Ana, have blessed this fortunate union, and their names are Myron Robert and Dorothy Eleanor both attending the public schools. Mr. Dungan is a Knights Templar Mason, belonging to the bodies of Santa Ana.

HARRY WOODINGTON .- A resident of Orange County for forty years, Harry Woodington is justly entitled to be called one of its pioneers, for aside from his many years of residence here he has indeed been a pioneer in the agricultural and business development of the Wintersburg section of the county. A native of Illinois, he was born at Elizabeth, Jo Daviess County, in that state, April 11, 1875, the son of George and Alice (Neal) Woodington. The father had been a farmer in that state for many years, but after a visit to California in 1870, he cherished a desire to return to this land of sunshine and make it his home. Ten years later in 1880, he carried out that wish, removing with his family to Orange County, in the vicinity of Westminster, where he resided. His death occurred on the San Joaquin Ranch in 1905. He had been engaged in farming the greater part of his life and during the fourteen years of his residence in California he carried on agricultural pursuits quite extensively on the Bixby ranch and later raised grain on the San Joaquin ranch.

A lad of only five years when the family came West, Harry Woodington received his education in the schools of Westminster, but when a boy he always manifested a great interest in farming and even during his school days he worked on ranches in

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the neighborhood of his home when school was not in session. When a young man he became closely acquainted with D. E. Smeltzer, who introduced and built up the celery business in this part of the country. Mr. Smeltzer was known as the "Celery King," and the town of Smeltzer was named for him. Mr. Woodington entered his employ and was later made foreman of his ranch. After Mr. Smeltzer's death, the Golden West Celery and Produce Company was incorporated, taking over the holdings of Mr. Smeltzer. Mr. Woodington continued with them and in 1903 was made super- intendent, a position his knowledge and experience made him most competent to fill, and through his untiring efforts the ranch was brought up to the highest state of pro- ductiveness. The celery business, however, reached the height of its prosperity about 1910-1912, and after that date its returns began to decrease, owing to blight and other pests; the large returns from lima beans and sugar beets also was a factor that led to its decreasing acreage. Mr. Woodington remained its superintendent until the com- pany sold out to the Anaheim Sugar Company in 1919.

Meanwhile, in 1918, Mr. Woodington had purchased his present home place of forty acres, formerly known as the A. J. Crane place, and this acreage he devotes to raising lima beans. He also rents sixty acres and planted the entire hundred acres in lima beans in 1920. Always in the habit of doing things on a big scale, Mr. Wood- ington has been extensively engaged in the bean threshing business. He operates a threshing rig drawn by a thirty-six horsepower traction engine with a 36x60 separator. He has done much threshing in the vicinity of Smeltzer and on the San Joaquin ranch, putting in forty days on the former and thirty days on the ranch, cleaning up $7,000 by that work. He threshed 2,448 sacks of beans on the San Joaquin ranch as a record day's run.

Mr. Woodington was united in marriage on July 7, 1898, to Miss Rella Clemens. a native of Michigan. She was reared in Rapid City, S. D., coming to Winters- burg when she was eleven years of age. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Woodington: Russell and Donald, the elder son, Russell passing away in 1913. The family attend the Wintersburg Methodist Church, which Mr. Woodington helped to build and which he generously supports. He is a member of the California Lima Bean Growers Association and of the Elks Lodge at Santa Ana, and politically adheres to the principles of the Republican party. A man of great force of character and executive ability, one of his greatest assets is in his ability to handle men, and in this regard, especially, he is one of the most successful men in Orange County.

JOHN W. MARTIN .- A worthy example of a man who has risen to a place in the community through his own unaided efforts and in the face of many early obstacles is furnished in the career of John W. Martin, now a prosperous rancher of the Talbert precinct, where he owns 130 acres of choice land. Mr. Martin was born in Freeport, Ill., October 27, 1867, a son of John and Katherine (Claus) Martin, his father being engaged in the butcher business there. The family moved from Freeport to St. Louis, Mo., and there the mother died when John W. was a lad of but nine years, and from that time on he has made his own way in the world. He saw some rough and hard times in his boyhood, but being filled with ambition and determination he managed to secure the elements of an education by working out during the summers and attending the public schools for a short term in the winters. He returned to the northern part of Illinois and there worked out on farms near Rock City, in Stephenson County, and at Pecatonica and Winnebago, in Winnebago County, of that state.

When in his twentieth year, Mr. Martin came to California, locating at Los Angeles, and still with the desire to have a better education he got such schooling as he was able during the winters, finally entering the academic department of the Uni- versity of Southern California, but unfortunately was taken with typhoid fever and was unable to complete the course. He then worked at various pursuits, farming for a time and then hecoming interested in the oil business. The latter did not prove successful, however, so that he had to begin life practically anew at the age of thirty- five. He went to San Jacinto in 1898, and went into dairy farming on a rented farm, remaining there for about four years. In 1902 he came to Orange County, settling in the Talbert precinct, where he bought thirty acres for a starter, and since then he has made two subsequent purchases, so that he now has a well-kept and profitable ranch of 130 acres. Mr. Martin has gone into sugar beet raising quite extensively, and has also had splendid success in raising celery and chili peppers and has planted a number of apple trees on his place. In 1916 he suffered a severe financial loss by the floods of that year. losing a crop of fifteen acres of celery and an alfalfa field. He has put in 3,000 feet of twelve-inch, and 1.500 of ten-inch cement tile for irrigation and has a pumping plant with two wells and has a half interest with his brother, George E. Martin, in another pumping plant with two wells. He has also remodeled his residence and made many other improvements.

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On September 29, 1897. Mr. Martin was married to Miss Georgia Smith, a daughter of Jackson and Maggie (Mellon) Smith. Her father was for a number of years in the furniture business in St. Louis, Mo., but after coming to California engaged in ranching near Newhall. Mr. and Mrs. Martin are the parents of five children: John WV., Jr., enlisted in the Coast Artillery during the war, but the armistice came before he saw active service; Catherine Marie is a graduate of the Santa Ana high school, in the class of 1919; Edward J .; Floyd Raymond; and Margaret Luella. Remembering his own struggles to obtain an education, Mr. Martin has naturally felt a keen interest in furthering in every way possible the school facilities for the present and coming generation, and has given faithful service for a number of terms as trustee of the New Hope school district, and was clerk for many years. He is also a director of the New- hert protection district and was one of its organizers. While Mr. Martin inclines toward the principles of the Democratic party he is liberal minded in local political matters and believes in putting the best man and the best principles above mere par- tisanship. The Martin home abounds with hospitality and good cheer, and the whole family are justly popular in the community.

GEORGE R. REYBURN .- One of the livest of all Orange County wires, both in times of peace and during the recent World War, is George R. Reyburu, the genial, accomplished and accommodating secretary of the chamber of commerce of Garden Grove, where he has given abundant evidence of his faith in the future of the town by investing in the best realty to be found there. A native son who never loses an oppor- tunity to boost the Golden State, he was born at Petaluma on May 19, 1860. His mother died there when he was only four years of age, and his father two years later.

When he was sixteen, George came to Santa Ana and for a while went to school. Then he worked at sprinkling the streets, and next went to Texas for ten or more years. In 1894 he returned to Santa Ana, and for two years was in business there; and since 1896, he has been a leading resident here. The town has used him well, as has the county; and in turn George gives every stranger the glad hand, and so encour- ages every good project.

At Santa Ana in 1895 Mr. Reyburn was married to Miss Katie McGee, a native of Pennsylvania, who moved to Iowa and thence to California. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Garden Grove, and Mr. Reyburu is president of the board of trustees, having been a member of the church for twenty-five years.

Mr. Reyburn owns three of the best store buildings in Garden Grove, and also his residence, and besides dealing in realty, an enterprise he abandoned during the war, he is the veteran fire insurance agent in Garden Grove, and represents the Phoenix of Hartford. He bought five acres, planted and farmed the land and subsequently subdivided and sold it in town lots, known as the Reyburn Subdivision of Garden Grove; but for four years he was engaged in general merchandising at Garden Grove. In national political affairs a Democrat, he knows no party lines when it comes to putting his shoulder to the wheel and working for the best interests, now and in the future, of Garden Grove and Orange County, both of which, he is sure, are growing better every day.

For some time Mr. Reyburn has been the popular secretary of the chamber of commerce, boasting seventy-five members; and with an inside view of the real resources of this section, says that prospects were never better than in this year, 1920. Probably because of this valuable experience, Mr. Reyburu was called upon to do much important war work. He had charge of the registration for this district, planned the drives, and was an all-around, confidential man. He worked hard for the four Liberty Loans, and also for the Victory Loan, and gave a willing and most helpful hand for. the Red Cross drives.

How valuable has been this work of Mr. Reyburn for the building up of Garden Grove and neighboring sections of Orange County may be judged by certain news- paper acknowledgments, and from statistics found in chamber of commerce publications. Garden Grove now has, thanks in part to these strenuous exertions of our subject, a population of 800 souls, and is in the center of a population of 2,000. It has a strong bank, a first-class weekly newspaper and printing plant, four well-housed churches, a strong Young Meu's Christian Association, with a good building of its own, a woman's club which holds weekly meetings; and a public school system, in good headquarters and manned by ten teachers. The town enjoys a good telephone system, electric light and gas for domestic use, streets lighted by electricity, good streets for the most part substantially paved, aud an abundant artesian water supply. It has good passenger and freight facilities furnished by the Pacific Electric Railway, and stores equal to those of any town of the size in the state. The irrigation system is the most perfect obtainable, for at an average depth of 180 feet plenty of good

William It. Wickelt M. N.

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water is found. The Garden Grove section produces the most chili peppers, for the area, to be found in all America. A thousand acres of walnut groves are close to Garden Grove. The neighborhood is rapidly coming to the front as a Valencia orange section and there are thousands of acres planted. There are 2000 acres of beans. Sugar beets cover about 2000 acres and over 300 acres are planted to potatoes. Great quanti- ties of garden truck in excess of local wants are shipped away; apricots and other fruits here grow to perfection and prove a fine investment for the planter; and there is a record of 200 per cent on the investment in poultry and eggs.

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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 57

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