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 88

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 88

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A Republican in national politics, Mr. Bowman is a loyal American citizen, especially and naturally proud of his record as a veteran of the Spanish-American war, in which he served as a member of Company L, Seventh Regiment, California Infantry, under Capt. S. H. Finley. He is also a member of the Tustin Lodge of Knights of Pythias, Whittier Lodge of Odd Fellows and Santa Ana Lodge No. 784, B. P. O. E., and a member of the Spanish-American war veterans.

H. J. KOGLER .- A highly-respected citizen of Orange County who owes his phenomenal success in part to his advocacy and practice of cooperative or team work, in part to his own Christian character and the application of Christian principles to everyday transactions, and quite as much, no doubt, to the intelligent, unselfish and faithful help rendered him by his capable wife, is H. J. Kogler, who was born, with his twin-brother, William J. Kogler, at Orange, on August 24, 1884, the son of Jacob and Dora (Shulz) Kogler, the well-known pioneers. He attended the public grammar and also the parochial school of the town, there being at that time no high school for the district; and later he was graduated from the Orange County Business College, where he was given an excellent practical training of just the kind that he soon needed.

At the age of eighteen, Mr. Kogler entered the employ of the Pixley Hardware Company of Orange, and from that time until 1906, he spent most of his time as a hardware clerk. In the latter year, with his older brother Paul, and his twin-brother, William J., Mr. Kogler formed a copartnership, buying out the Pixley interest in the hardware department of the Pixley Hardware and Furniture Company; and in 1914, the Kogler Company erected a modern store building on the property bought, and are at the present time carrying on the largest hardware business, with the most complete line, of any house in the county. Indeed, their business has grown to such proportions that they require two large floors and the entire basement, for among other commodi- ties of real service, they handle bee-keeper's supplies, a kind of wares first provided for in a department installed about five years ago. Such has been the response of the agricultural public to this effort to meet the wants of a growing and prosperous class, that the Koglers now have the only complete stock of bee-keeper's supplies in Southern California outside of Los Angeles or San Diego.

At Orange, Mr. Kogler was married to Miss Eva Geiger, born at Kankakee, Ill .; daughter of Peter Geiger, whose good wife died while Eva was an infant. She was reared in and attended school at Orange, and naturally supported, with her husband, all the Red Cross and other war work. She has a brother Edwin who for two years served as a mechanic at Rockwell Field, and now has his honorable discharge. Five children have been granted Mr. and Mrs. Kogler, and all promise to be as popular as their parents. The oldest two, Inez and Elmer, attend school in Orange; and the younger ones are Ildha, Evelyn and Carolyn.

GALE S. BERGEY .- A wide-awake business man who has had much to with the development of commercial affairs at Huntington Beach, is Gale S. Bergey, one of the enterprising firm of T. B. Talbert and Company, dealers in real estate and authorized agents for the Ford Automobile Company, covering the territory in particular of Hunt- ington Beach. He was born at Los Angeles on June 26, 1888, and was educated in the public schools of Long Beach and at the Fountain Valley school. He followed farming in the Talbert district, in Orange County, and so naturally came to work for and be associated with T. B. Talbert. After he had tried farming for himself for a couple of years, he went into partnership with Henry Talbert in the San Luis Rey district, in San Diego County engaging in farming two years.

In 1913, he entered the employ of the T. B. Talbert Real Estate Company, and later he was made a member of the firm. He gives most of his time to exploiting the Ford motor interests, and there are few men in all Orange County who know the local automobile trade better than does Mr. Bergey. He also knows the Ford auto- mobile, and that is saying a good deal, despite the popular impression that the machine is so simple one need not trouble to get acquainted with it. In 1917, Mr. Bergey was appointed constable of Huntington Beach, in the fall of 1918 was elected to the office for a four-year term, and it is safe to say that no one has ever given greater satisfaction in that difficult office. He is efficient, alert, affable and blessed with human sympathy

S. Huff. Mas Olive D. Huff

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and common sense, two qualities of inestimable service in the administration of any such public office.

When Mr. Bergey was married, he took for his wife Adele H. Crockett of Los Angeles, but a native of lowa, and their fortunate union has been blessed with two children, Frances Adele and Gale Le Roy. Huntington Beach may well congratulate itself on numbering among its expanding firms this one represented by Mr. Bergey, and on being able, at the same time, to get such an honest and satisfactory public officer.

SAMUEL HUFF .- The experiences of the early settlers in any new country are not appreciated by the younger generation for they know nothing of the dangers en- countered nor the hardships endured by those who have blazed the way for our present day civilization. When Samuel Huff, now a prosperous and highly respected citizen of the Anaheim district of Orange County came to California in the closing year of the great boom, 1887, he first located in San Diego, where he remained for three years getting on his feet in order to branch out in agricultural pursuits and establish himself permanently. This he accomplished in 1901, when he purchased his present ranch of twenty acres, to which he added as he prospered until he now owns thirty-three acres of as fine ranch land as there is to be found in the county. This land was a barley field and was bare of improvements, but by unceasing hard work and good manage- ment he has seen the dawn of a better day and has prospered beyond his expectations, considering the difficulties he overcame in putting his land in condition to yield satis- factory returns. He now has ten acres of walnuts and eight acres of citrus fruits; all his trees he set out himself and they are now producing increasingly large crops year by year.

Samuel Huff was born in Kosciusko County, Ind., March 5, 1849, the year of the great rush to the gold fields of California. His father was Frederick Huff, a California gold seeker in the famed year of '49, when he left his home and family and crossed the Isthmus to seek the golden lure. He was more successful than the ordinary miner and after he had "made his pile" he returned to wife and babes in Indiana. He married Eva Angel, by whom he had eight children. By two subsequent marriages he became the parent of nine more. Of the first family, two are still living and residents of Cali- fornia, Samuel of this review and his brother, Eli Huff, of the Sacramento Valley.

Samuel received a common school education and was inured to hard work from an early age. When he left home he migrated to Kansas and there he owned a farm of 170 acres, which he devoted to stock raising and general farming. At the outbreak of the Civil War he tried to enlist in the service of his country but was denied the privilege on account of his youth. He bided his time, however, and later found a friend in an officer who was able to vouch for his age and he became a member of the Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry and for the ensuing eighteen months he was on duty and participated in many skirmishes and was on scouting duty until his honorable dis- charge at the close of the war. Samuel Huff comes from fighting stock, for his great- grandfather served in the War of the Revolution, thereby entitling our subject to mem- hership in the Sons of the Revolution; his grandfather saw service in the War of 1812; his uncle, Peter Huff, was in the Mexican War: and himself and brother, Eli, were in the Civil War. Nor does this patriotic spirit stop here, for the son of Samuel Huff. Lewis Huff, served six months in the Spanish-American War, and the youngest son, Ralph E. Huff served for twenty months in the late World War, when he was through the campaign in France with the Ninety-first Division of the Three Hundred Sixty-fourth Infantry. This direct line of fighting stock is a rare occurrence in the families of today and one in which any family may take a just pride.

In 1868 Samnel Huff was united in marriage with Miss Olive D. Smith, a native of Illinois, and six children resulted from this union: Lewis N., now of Long Beach; Ivy D., is deceased; William F., is also a resident of Long Beach; Effie G., is the widow of William S. Lang and lives in Reedley, Cal .; D. Eyman, is a well-known authority on citrus culture and is a resident of Orange County, as is Ralph E., who is living at home and assisting his father with the cares of the ranch. Mr. and Mrs. Huff have given their children the best advantages within their reach and they are proud of the success that all have attained, due in large measure to their home training.

Mr. Huff is a member of Buena Park Lodge of Masons; a member of Fullerton Post. G. A. R .. of which he has served as commander; and he is a member of the Garden Grove Walnut Association. His ability and integrity are recognized by his friends and neighbors and he is beloved for his true worth to his family and the county. He has always been found ready to aid by giving advice and in a more substantial manner, those less fortunate than himself, and there are many who owe their success in life to his wise counsel and patient assistance. In all his trials and joys his good wife has ever been his companion and shares with him the esteem of all who have the pleasure of knowing them.

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CHARLES A. BEMIS .- A wide-awake, helpful citizen of Yorba Linda who had a valuable experience in responsible public office in Iowa before coming to California, is Charles A. Bemis, the rancher of Ohio Street in Yorba Lane. He is a member of the Friends Church, and has been a Republican all his life, and was a hundred per cent supporter of the Red Cross and war loan drives during the recent World War. Born in Vermont on January 20, 1854, the son of Benjamin S. Bemis, Charles grew up on his father's farm, the eldest in a family of three children. His mother was Miss Mary Whitney before her marriage, a descendant of New Englanders who settled in America as early as 1635. He attended the public school of the district and a private academy, and when he was twenty-one years of age, he began to teach school and so instruct others.

On June 15, 1881, Mr. Bemis was married to Miss Ellen L. Perrin, a daughter of Louis L. Perrin, a native of Mansfield, Mass., and an expert machinist. He was justice of the peace and a member of the city council while he lived in Lowell, Mass., and in 1853 came out to California, remaining two years. Miss Perrin was born at Lowell on March 27, 1862, and in that city she attended public and high schools. She has a twin brother, George B. Perrin, who is living in Howard, Kans. Her maternal grand- parents were born on Cape Cod, Mass., and England, respectively.

Mr. Bemis took up machine shop work, and stuck at it for ten years. He lived in Rhode Island for ten years; and in 1892, he moved west to Hawkeye, Fayette County, Iowa. He clerked in a store, and later farmed there, raising grain and stock. In 1906, he sold out and came to California. At first, he started ranching for himself; but later on, he became foreman of the Murphy ranch of 400 acres, having charge especially of the orchardist department, and was with them for five and a half years.

In 1911 Mr. Bemis with his son-in-law, O. W. Holland, purchased twenty acres, barley fields and open country in Yorba Linda, which has been developed into a citrus orchard. Mr. Bemis' land is now leased for oil. He is a member of the Yorba Linda Citrus Association, and also of the Water Company. Three children blessed the mar- riage of Mr. and Mrs. Bemis, two of whom are living. Mary E. is Mrs. George E. Le Fever, and lives at La Habra; and Clara L. is Mrs. O. W. Holland of Santa Monica. Mr. Bemis is a member of the Odd Fellows and with his wife is a member of the American Yeomen.

FRED W. SCHMIDT .- A well-posted, enterprising business man who has done much to advance agriculture in Southern California along scientific lines is Fred W. Schmidt, the wide-awake and accommodating distributor for Orange County of the Reo and Dort automobiles and the Fageol walking tractor. He is a native of Austria, where he was born near Vienna on July 8, 1890, and with his parents, Moritz and Marie Schmidt, he came to the United States when he was eleven years of age, locating for a while in North Adams, Mass. He attended the Berkshire schools, and later entered the employ of the Hallet and Davis Piano Company of Boston, learning in their factory all the branches of piano-making. From Boston, he removed to New York City, and there he was one of the reliable men of the Aeolian Piano Company. After mastering all the branches of the piano business, Mr. Schmidt came a step or two West, to Youngstown, Ohio, and was for two years in the employ of a retail piano house.

In January, 1914, Mr. Schmidt reached California and Anaheim and formed a part- nership with C. T. Webber for the handling of all kinds of musical instruments; and, later he bought out his partner and formed the Schmidt Music Company, which is so well known to the residents of North Orange County. He carried on this business alone until March, 1919, when he sold out and entered the automobile and tractor field. He has been so successful with the celebrated Reo and Dort automobiles and the Fageol tractors that he has recently erected a new garage at 234 South Los Angeles Street to accommodate his rapidly growing business. He belongs to the Board of Trade, and never misses an opportunity to advance all other commercial interests, for the welfare of the community generally.

The Fageol walking tractor utilizes a distinct and radically different, yet practical and efficient method of traction. Its grousers, or "legs," mate with the ground-acting as a gear or cog-and give positive traction in every soil, and that, too, without surplus weight, loss of power through slippage, and without packing the soil. These are strong features of economy, and mean both less consumption of fuel and oil, and less wear and tear on the tractor. The action of the tractor wheels-walking in and out of the ground-allows the grousers to go just deep enough to reach ground solid enough for positive traction. The Fageol tractor weighs less than three horses, is only half as high as one, and does the work of six or eight. It has a short turning radius of seven feet, made possible by the use of a separate clutch for each traction wheel-and no differential. It is adaptable to a variety of work, being especially suited to the

Elizabeth m. Hattaway Hiram H. Hathaway

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orchard, where it walks in and out among the low-hanging trees, and it is also suited to grain cultivation. Farmers, therefore, are using this light, economical-running trac- tor for practically any work done with horses. Mr. Schmidt handles Reo motor cars and speed wagons and Dort motor cars and has complete garage and service equip- ment for the care of autos and tractors. In January, 1920, he associated G. P. Siemann with him in business and formed a copartnership as the Anaheim Motor Company, so now the two are giving all their time to the business.

When Mr. Schmidt married. he chose for his wife a most accomplished woman, Miss Beatrice Reeks of Los Angeles, and now they have one daughter, Marjorie L. Schmidt. He owned a five-acre orange grove of six-year-old trees, two miles west of Anaheim on West Broadway, and there he erected a new home. This he recently sold and purchased a ten-acre Valencia orange grove seven years old, on Placentia Avenue and there he makes his home. He is musically inclined, and an accomplished performer on the violin, and while in the music trade often played the violin for church concert work, and he also established the Schmidt orchestra. He belongs to Anaheim Lodge No. 1345, Elks, and was made a Mason in Anaheim Lodge, F. & A. M., and with his wife is a member of Chispa Chapter, O. E. S., and both enjoy an enviable popularity.

HIRAM HELM HATHAWAY .- The prominent rancher and successful lima bean grower at Wintersburg, Hiram Helm Hathaway, comes of good old Southern lineage. He was born at El Monte, Cal., January 26, 1863, and has resided in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange counties all his life. His father, Jefferson M. Hathaway, a native of Missouri, came to California from the northeastern part of Texas in 1853, working his way by driving an ox team. When he arrived at his destination he had only his blankets and one dollar and seventy-five cents in his pocket. In January, 1860, he was married at San Bernardino to Miss Martha Marzee Russell, a native of Texas. They were farmers and became the parents of nine children, six boys and three girls. The father, who was popularly called "Uncle Miner" Hathaway, held the office of justice of the peace in San Bernardino County several years, being reelected several times. He and his wife were members of the Baptist Church.

Hiram Helm, the second child in order of birth in the parental family, recalls the time when the townsite of Santa Ana was first platted and the wiseacres predicted it would never make a town. He was reared on the farm, educated in the common grammar schools, and has followed the occupation of farming all his life. - His marriage occurred at Azusa, Cal., on December 17, 1885, and united him with Miss Ann Eliza- beth Meredith, a native of Gainesville, Sumter County, Ala., daughter of R. A. Meredith, a lawyer of Gainesville, and Ann Elizabeth (Harwood) Meredith, both natives of Virginia who were married in Alabama. There were ten children in Mrs. Hathaway's parental family, five boys and five girls. Three of her brothers served in the Civil War. The oldest, Reuben A., was in the Confederate army, and came to California after the war, in 1868. He died at Covina on September 27, 1920. Another brother, Samuel H., a sister, Mary K., and Mrs. Hathaway came from Alabama to California in 1884 to join their brother Reuben A. Mr. and Mrs. Hathaway lived two years at Azusa, removing thence to Pomona, where they lived eighteen years. In 1906 they came to Wintersburg and built a home which they moved into January 1, 1907. Mr. Hathaway had purchased ten acres of land in October, 1906, which he improved and sold, afterward purchasing another twenty acres at $500 per acre, which he still owns and farms.

In their religious convictions Mr. and Mrs. Hathaway are members of the Baptist Church at Huntington Beach. Politically Mr. Hathaway is a Democrat. He is an , ardent admirer of President Wilson and favors the League of Nations. He is a capable business man and a hard and efficient worker, and their two-acre home place in Win- tershurg is set to fruit trees, grapes, vegetable garden, etc. He and his good wife are genial and hospitable, and highly respected among their friends and neighbors.

L. P. DAMEWOOD .- An enterprising business man of Orange whose "hustling" qualities alone would place him in the front rank of progressives, and whose strong and pleasing personality makes him popular among a large circle of friends, is L. P. Damewood, of the well-known firm of Damewood and Garroway, dealers in tires and automobile supplies, and agents for the Mack truck. They are among the leading dealers in both Goodyear and Goodrich tires, and in their various enterprises have done much to forward the best interests of the motorists. Born at Kingman, Kans., Mr. Damewood is the son of Powell Damewood, who moved from Iowa to McPherson, Kans., in 1865, and there homesteaded 160 acres of land, coming in time to Kingman. There he lived and worked as a farmer, and there he died. He had married Miss Millie A. Brownell, and she still resides in Kansas. Their union was blessed with the birth of one child, the subject of our interesting sketch.

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Brought up at Kingman until he was nine years of age, Mr. Damewood then removed to Aspen, Colo., where he attended the public school, continuing his school work at Canon City, in which town he graduated from the high school. When old enough to get into business, he opened shop in Denver, and as the representative of the Goodyear Rubber Company, sold tires on Sixteenth Street. After that he removed to Fort Collins, Colo., and for a year was a tire agent at that place. In 1914 Mr. Dame- wood came west to California and locating at Orange, entered the employ of Mr. Lush, who had a garage and tire business. Soon afterwards, he bought of Mr. Lush an interest in the business, and a year later bought out Mr. Lush altogether. When he had managed the affair for a while alone, he took into partnership E. M. Chapman, and the firm became Damewood and Chapman; and they soon started a branch at Fullerton, and since then opened another branch at Santa Ana. Last year A. J. Garroway bought ont Mr. Chapman's share, and of late the firm has been styled Damewood and Garroway.

The headquarters of this enterprising firm are at the corner of North Glassell and Maple streets, Orange, but in each establishment they carry a large supply of tires and trucks. They have also installed a hydraulic press for mounting truck tires, and in that particular enterprise were the pioneers in the county. Expensive as this outfit has been, they have installed one at each of the branch stores, and are thus able quickly and conveniently to put on tires for all kinds of trucks, the nearest other station for the same service being at Los Angeles. The Mack truck, which they represent, may be had through them, in varying sizes from one to fifteen tons. Mr. Damewood organized the Orange Merchants and Manufacturers Association, of which he is now president, and he is the Orange representative of the Associated Chambers of Com- merce of the county. He was also one of the originators of the Orange County Auto- mobile Trades Association, and is today its vice-president.

At Canon City, Colo., Mr. Damewood was married to Mis Bertha R. Smith, a native of that state; and by her he has had one daughter, Edith A. Damewood. He belongs to the Woodmen of the World, and finds pleasure, with his good wife, in responding to worthy appeals of all fraternal and other organizations seeking to better the community and the county in which he lives and prospers.

WILLIAM H. HOLLOWAY .- Prominent among the thoroughly trained scien- tists in the field of California horticulture who have made the most important con- tributions to the development of that new and delicious fruit, the more than popular avocado, should be mentioned William H. Holloway, whose fame has extended far beyond the vicinity of his handsome ranch at Yorba Linda. He was born near Severy, Greenwood County, Kans., on May 31, 1873, and when nine years of age came to the Northwest with his parents and settled in Washington. In 1891, he moved on further and came south to California and Whittier, where he attended the public schools and finished his studies at the Whittier Academy. These institutions have deserved their reputation as the best places in which to train inquiring youth; and when his school days were over our subject was ready to fill more than one position of responsibility.

His first venture was to buy a fourth interest in the Whittier Hardware Company, and while he was active in that line, he learned the plumber's trade. In two years he disposed of his hardware interest and started a business of his own, known as the Whittier Variety Store. In 1907, however, he located in Long Beach, and there em- barked in plumbing for himself. He made a specialty of installations of a superior quality in fine houses and first-class apartments, and within six years handled over $60,000 worth of business. In 1913, when Yorba Linda was just starting, he located here, bought a lot and erected a store building, two stories high. It had apartments on . the second floor, and was an ornament and a convenience to the place. He conducted a general merchandise business, and disposed of that only three years ago. He had just completed another apartment house having four apartments, and on the adjoining lot, he had also erected a modern bungalow .

On coming to Yorba Linda, Mr. Holloway had purchased a ten-acre tract on which he planted lemons and avocados. He grew three varieties of the latter-Ganter, Har- mon and Dickenson-and these are now in full bearing. The Ganter is green in color, has a thin skin, and weighs from eight to twelve ounces each, and is altogether the best bearer. It seems to give the most satisfaction to many and has become very popular; and it is also cheaper than the thick-skin variety, selling from fifteen to twenty-five cents each in the market. The Harmon also has a thin skin, while that of the Dickenson is thicker and sells for seven dollars a dozen. The Ganters are especially nice in salads, and they have been introduced more widely through the work of demon- strators in grocery stores, who show patrons the different ways of preparing them, and convince even the skeptical of the advantages in their regular use as food. One-half of Mr. Holloway's crop goes to San Francisco, one-fourth is sold locally, and the

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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 88

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