USA > California > Los Angeles County > History of Pomona Valley, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the valley who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 27
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From the first, Doctor Burr practiced all over the Valley, riding horseback with saddle bags, and as there was a dearth of drug store facilities, he carried with him his own medicine chest of over one hundred varieties, and thus became a kind of traveling drug store. After a while, he was appointed by the board of supervisors town health officer, and in one year, during a smallpox scare, he vaccinated two thousand persons, never losing a life.
In 1898 Doctor Burr was appointed by President William McKinley, surgeon of the U. S. Volunteers in the Spanish-American War, and joined the Seventh Regiment from St. Louis, a regiment of immunes from the yellow fever. In 1899 he also saw service as civilian surgeon in Cuba, continuing there for eight years, and accomplishing much for science and the good name of America.
It was not long before Doctor Burr's pronounced ability and ex- ceptional experience became somewhat widely known, and in 1905 he was sent to the Panama Canal Zone, where for four years he was dis- trict surgeon under General Gorgas, and for forty-eight or fifty months he did not lose a day's work. This is a record of which he is and may justly be proud, for those were trying times in the Canal Zone, due to climate and disease.
In 1909 Doctor Burr left the Canal Zone, resigned from the serv- ice and for twenty-two months traveled through Europe, Asia and Africa. In 1911 he visited in Cuba, and there he remained until 1915. In 1917 he returned to Pomona, where he is once again in active and successful practice. On his retirement, Doctor Burr had the rank of a first lieutenant of the U. S. A. Volunteers, a status the more interesting because Doctor Burr was a private soldier in the First Louisiana Cav- alry and therefore a Confederate veteran, and one of the original mem- bers of the Ku Klux Klan in New Orleans. During his fourteen years of service for the United States Army, he never lost a day from ill health from the performance of his duty, and for five years, while in the Army, never had leave of absence.
Doctor Burr, whom to know is to admire for his strong and attrac- tive social qualities, was twice married. His first wife, now deceased, was Mollie Virginia Adams, a native of Tennessee; and four of her children have survived. Rollin T., Jr., lives at Tucson, Ariz., William H. and Ella May are in Los Angeles, and Mary Bell is Mrs. Wallace of Santa Ana. His second wife, whom he married in 1901 and is still living, was Elisa M. M. La Madriz before her marriage, a descendant of a historic Spanish family. She is a granddaughter of a famous Spanish-American poet, and inherits those intellectual gifts always so charming in a woman.
Doctor Burr was one of the first subscribers to the Pomona Public Library, and donated a subscription for Harper's Monthly. The library was then in a small room upstairs in the Ruth Block at Third and Main Streets, and the librarian was a Mrs. E. P. Bartlett. About
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the time when Doctor Burr made this contribution toward the founding of one of the most beneficent institutions in Pomona, the people's great fountain of general knowledge, he also invested in Pomona real estate; and he still holds some of the property he thus fortunately acquired.
CHARLES AUGUSTUS LORBEER
Among the residents of Pomona, Charles Augustus Lorbeer is held in high esteem by those who were privileged to know him during his lifetime. He was born in Saxony, Germany, on the Moselle River, on February 4, 1831. He attended the schools of his native country until he was fourteen and then learned the trade of cabinet maker. The family emigrated to the United States in 1847 and settled at Naumburg, Lewis County, New York, where the father was a pioneer, having cleared the wilderness, cut down trees and built a log cabin for his family.
Charles Augustus worked at the trade of cabinet making in Carthage, Jefferson County, N. Y., then removed to Champion, in the same county. He studied one year at Lowville Academy, Lewis County, and worked at his trade until 1854, when he migrated to Fulton, Ill., working at his trade there until his return to New York state in 1859, where he followed his trade until 1863, when he settled at Springvale, Iowa, where his was the first family to live; there he remained until he came to Pomona to reside in 1887. While living in Iowa he was justice of the peace, and owned a large stone quarry; also built a business block and was the first to engage in the furniture business. He made coffins and furniture.
In 1855 at Dixon, Ill., he was united in marriage with Aurelia Elizabeth Wickes, a native of Lowville, Lewis County, N. Y., born May 3, 1834. Her father was a Congregational minister, and her mother was the daughter of Captain Jesse Wilcox, who served with distinction in the War of 1812. In the early days Miss Wickes taught school in Lewis County in a log schoolhouse; and she taught one season in Fulton, Ill. She is a well-educated woman and is gifted with a wonderful memory. She began teaching in Sunday school when she was sixteen and was a Sunday school teacher in the First Methodist Church at Pomona for twenty-five years. She is the mother of twelve children, six of whom are living: Charles I., her oldest son, came to Pomona in 1883 and set out the trees on the ranch, which had been purchased by his father while on his first visit to California, in 1883. Charles I. was one of the founders of the Mutual Building and Loan Association of Pomona, and he died here on April 5, 1916. Alvin G. resides in Antelope Valley, Cal .; Minnie is the wife of D. S. Parker, manager of the Home Telephone Company of Pomona; Carrie E. is Mrs. Harry J. Tremaine of Minneapolis, Minn .; Harry A. is in
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Los Angeles and was in the employ of the Los Angeles Electric Rail- way for over twenty years ; Fannie is Mrs. W. J. Pillig of Los Angeles, and Melvin W. also lives in Los Angeles. Mrs. Lorbeer has twenty- two grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Upon locating in Pomona in 1887, Mr. Lorbeer settled on his fourteen acres on White Avenue, which his son had planted to apricots, peaches, pears, apples, oranges and twenty-seven varieties of plums. He was very successful as a horticulturist and lived on the ranch until he purchased the present home place at 511 West Center Street, Pomona. He possessed an unusually good voice and was a fine singer and was very active in the Union Church work at Humboldt, Iowa. He was an abolitionist and was a naturalized citizen, having cast a vote for Abraham Lincoln. He was also a strong prohibitionist. He died August 17, 1915, at Pomona. Mrs. Lorbeer has been a member of the W. C. T. U. ever since its organization.
At a Thanksgiving party given by the Lorbeer family at Pomona in 1917, there were seventy-three people present, all of whom were descendants of this pioneer and his brother, the late John G. Lorbeer. In 1918, because of the influenza and the war, there were only thirty- seven present at the annual Thanksgiving reunion, nine having gone into the service, and several having died.
THEODORE RUTH
One of the old and honored pioneers of the Valley, Theodore Ruth has been a resident here since the first inception of a town and has taken part in the development and upbuilding of Pomona and environs. He is a native of Delaware, born at Leipsic, July 22, 1842, and after living in different cities in the East, came to the West Coast in 1874. For a time he was engaged in the drug business in San Diego; then, in 1875, he came to Pomona, which then consisted of one hotel, a livery stable, three houses, blacksmith shop, and one saloon. He started a drug and grocery store at Fifth and Garey avenues, and was the second merchant in Pomona, the first being James Egan, who came here from Spadra. Prospering in business, Mr. Ruth built a business block in town; his father, Rev. P. S. Ruth, built the first brick block, the Ruth Block. Theodore Ruth was appointed postmaster by President Hayes, and also was agent for Wells Fargo Express Com- pany for many years, their first agent here, and in the beginning business was so light that he hauled the express packages to and from the trains in a wheelbarrow; a small fact which goes to show the phenomenal growth of the city in the last decade.
During these years of growth and expansion Mr. Ruth has done his full share in furthering the advancement of the community, and has watched its development with an unwavering faith in the wonderful
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possibilities in view for this section of California. Pomona has been fortunate indeed in the men who first started the march of progress here; in their farsightedness and unselfish sacrifice of their own ends for the best good of their home community.
The marriage of Mr. Ruth united him with Margaret Faris, a native of Ohio, on May 4, 1865, and five children were born to them : Peter R., Mrs. May Reed, Mrs. Elizabeth Hewlett, are living, and Frank and Kirby are both deceased.
HON. J. E. McCOMAS
Identified for forty years with the development of Pomona Valley and prominent not alone in Southern California, but through- out the State, was Senator J. E. McComas, whose sterling life and character will ever leave its impress on the community in whose up- building he was so loyally interested. Mr. McComas was born in Cable County, Va., on May 15, 1834. His parents moved from there to Platte County, Mo., while he was quite young, residing there until his father's death, which occurred when young McComas was about seventeen years of age. Soon after that he joined a cattle train of emigrants coming to California to seek gold, as the excitement of '49 continued to draw many young men to the Pacific Coast. He had not been in California long until he and two of his companions joined a Methodist Church just being organized, and throughout the remain- der of his life Mr. McComas was ever loyal to the church of his choice.
After a short time he left California and returned to his old home in Missouri, and while there, in 1860, he was denied the privilege of voting for Abraham Lincoln for president, as the election judge told him that no such candidate was recognized at the polls; if he wished to vote for Bell, Breckenridge or Douglas he could. He asked that official to excuse him and left. In 1861, when the President called . for volunteers to preserve the Union, he went to Fort Leavenworth and asked the recruiting officer in charge for a commission to recruit a company for the United States Army. The officer asked, "Where do you want to recruit?" Young McComas replied, "In Missouri." "Can there be any loyal men in Missouri?" questioned the officer. "When we give a man a commission to recruit, we back him with the United States Army. We cannot do that in Missouri. If I were to see you being murdered across the river in Missouri I would not dare to go to your relief." "I will take all the responsibility if you will give me the commission," .McComas replied. After securing forty volunteers in Missouri he started for Fort Leavenworth, traveling in great danger of being captured, but they reached there safely and united their fortunes with Company G, Fifth Kansas Cavalry, W. A.
J. E. M.llamas
Emma MM lamas and grand child Ward Malamas darmy-
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Jenkins being captain and Mr. McComas, first lieutenant. They left Springfield, Mo., in May, 1862, with 900 able-bodied men, and in October of the same year, at Helena, Ark., only 225 of this number could respond to the roll call, Lieut. McComas being one of the number. He was allowed to return home on a furlough on account of his health. He had been married to Miss Rebecca Yount on December 13, 1860, and had left her with her parents on entering the army. At the end of the war he again embarked with his own and other families for California, taking charge as captain of a wagon train, as on his pre- vious journey. On reaching California they lived awhile near San José and finally went to wheat raising near Modesto, where he was financially successful. He then came south and bought a ranch at Compton in 1872. In 1875 he came to Pomona and was employed as a land agent by the new company that had bought a large tract of land from Louis Phillips of Spadra, which includes the present city of Pomona. Mr. McComas helped in platting the now beautiful and prosperous city and from that day he never ceased to work for its best interests and advancement.
In 1876, Mr. McComas was bereaved of his wife and a little daughter, Dora, leaving one son, J. L. McComas. About this time a new schoolhouse was built containing four large rooms, but in the beginning there were only enough children in the district to employ two teachers. A Mr. Coleman was secured as principal and Miss Emma M. Loughrey as assistant, these two forming the whole corps of teachers for the new town. At that time more than two-thirds of the pupils were Spanish, as was the whole population. Two of the school trustees were also Spanish, the third member, Mr. Cyrus Bur- dick, being chairman of the board, and it was at the home of the latter that Miss Loughrey boarded. The children made rapid advancement in their studies, many of the Spanish children keeping pace with the American children, notwithstanding the fact that they had to learn the English language in connection with their studies. Mr. McComas became very interested in the school, or rather in the young lady teacher. Although there was a number of years difference in their ages his fine character and happy, cheerful disposition won her heart and hand, and at the end of the school year they were married and made their first home in Pomona. Both were so attracted to the won- derful mountain scenery, fine climate and general surroundings that they never expected to live anywhere else. But lovely Pomona was overtaken in her infancy with a calamity. Before water had been developed and piped for domestic and irrigating purposes, Pomona had two dry years, and on top of that, a financial crash, that affected more or less the whole United States, so that the syndicate which had bought this land found themselves unable to sell land and develop water under such conditions. The land reverted to the original owner, and upon his declaration that he would make the site of Pomona a
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sheep pasture, Mr. McComas disposed of their comfortable little home at Fifth and Main for much less than it cost and went to live on the Compton ranch again. That climate was so detrimental to Mrs. McComas' health, however, that she could not live there, and Mr. McComas also found it very difficult to get ahead financially. Hear- ing of more favorable conditions in Arizona he went there and fitted out some freight wagons to run between Benson and Tombstone, for his son, Lane, to manage. His wife taught the village school and he practiced law, but in that dry climate it was very expensive to keep up teams and wagons, and family living was also exceedingly high. Although Mrs. McComas had secured a first-grade territorial diploma for six years, her health gave out so completely that they were obliged to return to California, and after living for awhile in Los Angeles they went back on the Compton ranch. By this time a new syndicate had purchased the land on which Pomona is situated and immediately developed and piped water there and Pomona once again began to appear on the map, for new houses started up in all directions.
At the earnest solicitation of his wife, aided by putting in all her earnings from school teaching, Mr. McComas had previously pur- chased twenty-five acres on Holt Avenue (on a part of which is still the family home) and they now decided to return and link their des- tinies with Pomona for life. They moved into an old house on South Main Street, where they lived for two years. In 1885 they built the best residence on Holt Avenue on their land there and went to ranch- ing, putting out various kinds of fruit trees. However, the little town grew so fast that they soon began to sell off land. The first ten acres Mr. McComas sold to Mr. Penny, his partner in the real estate busi - ness, for $175 an acre. His wife insisted on waiting for a higher price, but Mr. McComas said that there would never be anything but ranches on Holt Avenue and $175 an acre was all that a man could afford to pay for a ranch. It was not a month, however, until he refused $250 an acre for another ten acres. A few years later a boom came, and he was offered $1,000 an acre, and he parted with it with some twinge of conscience, but the syndicate that bought it platted it and in less than two months cleared up about $2,000 an acre on it.
Mr. McComas built the first brick block on the corner of Main and Second, and later a smaller one on the corner of First and Thomas ; also a brick livery stable on First Street, which he later gave to his son Lane for a wedding present. It is truthfully said of him that not much more than half his time and money was spent for his own needs. His wife ably assisted him in putting in her own efforts and resources, thus enabling him to give more largely to the church, the temperance cause and other good works in which he had a vital interest. He put in much time and was very successful in getting pensions for old sol- diers and for the widows of veterans. So much of his time and re- sources were devoted to public work that it was mutually arranged
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between himself and his wife that she look more after the interests of the home, being in closer touch with its needs. So in 1907 she planned and had built with her own resources their beautiful home at 219 West Holt Avenue. Their two daughters and one son were now college graduates and fitted to take up their own life work. It also devolved upon Mrs. McComas to assist her mother in the care and education of her younger brothers and sisters.
In "Pen Portraits of Pomona People," these few extracts are given of Senator McComas and his family: "Mr. McComas has had a large share in every movement for the upbuilding of our city- industrial, moral and commercial. Beginning with Pomona as a sheep range in 1876, his influence and money has helped to build every church and schoolhouse. He organized and established Methodism and has been a devout member of that church ever since. He gave the land on which the present church stands, having helped to build and enlarge it four different times. He put Methodism in power in the Valley and maintained it as long as he lived. He was one of four to found Odd Fellowship, and was the founder of the Good Templars. He was one of five who founded the First National Bank. He was one of three who founded the first board of trade. He conducted the first campaign, assisted by the W. C. T. U. and others, for the first Prohibition ordinance. He threw himself heart and soul into this work and gave largely of his time and money. He suffered villifica- tion and insults in this work, but he never let up until the prohibition clause was incorporated in the city charter in 1911. In 1888 he was elected first Republican State Senator from this district. He intro- duced and labored for the first division of Los Angeles County. He landed the Orange County bill and almost landed the Pomona County bill. He had the age of consent raised from ten to fourteen years. He introduced the first bill for woman suffrage. He served his four years as State Senator, but refused any further nomination on the Republican ticket, and became an ardent Prohibitionist, later being nominated on the State Prohibition ticket for governor."
An extract from a Prohibition paper says: "Mr. McComas says he cannot as a conscientious Christian act any longer with the Republicans, who are under rum rule and power. Senator McComas, as he is popularly known by nearly every one in the southern counties, will be a valuable accession to the Prohibition party. He has for years been one of the foremost Republicans of the State and had always been known as an extreme anti-saloon Republican. When in the Legislature his voice and vote were always exercised in the inter- ests of temperance, equal suffrage and good government. It has long been expected that his place would inevitably be in the only party which really represented his principles. That time has now come, and it is the beginning of a break that will lead hosts of other good men out of the rum-ruled parties into the Prohibition ranks.
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"In making mention of the manly stand taken by Senator Mc- Comas for the cause of Prohibition and right, it would surely be amiss not to mention the name of his estimable co-worker and wife, Mrs. Emma McComas, one of the most able and loyal Prohibition workers in the southern part of the State, and to whose potent influ- ence no doubt is due, in a great measure, the stanch and unfaltering stand the Senator has always taken for the right. In addition to her social and domestic duties she is active in the work of the church, and a leader in the work of the W. C. T. U., having served seven years as president, and four years as treasurer, this organization being a chief factor in making Pomona free from the destructive influence of the saloon.
"Although a devoted and congenial wife, she has had large business and realty interests of her own, which she looks after with a degree of tact and skill rarely found in either men or women. She presides over her lovely home, one of the best appointed and best located in the beautiful city of Pomona, with charming dignity, that is entirely free from ostentation or garish display. Her daughters, Maude and Ethel, combine in their persons those charms of character and culture for which the young ladies of Pomona are justly famous. . Her son, Rush, has won all the medals given by Demorest Medal Contests, and is naturally gifted in oratory, and it is expected that he will follow in his father's footsteps, by giving his life to the best inter- ests of mankind. The Senator is well preserved in mind and body, and a man of exceptional value in the upbuilding of a community to its best-socially, materially and spiritually. The evidence of his earnest Christian life is the enduring monument at Third and Gordon Streets. He was a strong factor in making the Methodist Church one of the most potent influences on the moral and religious progress of the ideal city of Pomona."
These unsolicited and unexpected encomiums from the public press were highly appreciated by Mr. and Mrs. McComas and in- creased their zeal for the work to which they had both given freely of their time and money. When Pomona could boast of a population of 500 she also had the disgrace of having seventeen saloons, and as is always the case where saloons exist, there was a strong sentiment in their favor. The fight for temperance was long and hard, but it was a "Gideon Band" of Godfearing men and women who said, "By God's help, the saloon must be banished from beautiful Pomona." And in due time their efforts were rewarded. This was a great joy and comfort to Senator McComas in his declining years. He had many able helpers in temperance and church work who are richly entitled to have their life work recorded in this "Pioneer Book." One of his closest friends and helpers (afterward his brother-in-law) was J. M. Mitchell. At one time Mr. Mitchell gave $5,000, which made it possible for the First Methodist Church to build its last addition
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to accommodate the needs of the rapidly growing Sunday school. He had previously given a farm back East to endow a college and, not- withstanding his generosity, left an estate of $200,000. Only time will reveal the influence of such lives on the oncoming generations of young men and women, and many have already expressed themselves in words of deep gratitude for the helpful and uplifting example and influence of these noble characters on their own.
Senator McComas being gifted in speaking, he was called upon in all the Prohibition campaigns. He did this with telling effect and made many converts to the Prohibition cause, all up and down the Coast, and lived to see victory proclaimed in "California dry."
On the evening of November 14, 1916, Senator McComas re- tired at his usual hour with no sign or word of illness, and while the family slept he peacefully passed away, closing his eyes on earthly scenes but leaving behind him the rich legacy of a life full of good deeds which will ever enrich those who were so fortunate as to come within the sphere of his benign influence.
The following resolutions express the regard and affection in which Pomona people held him :
"The quarterly conference of the First Methodist Church, at its session Monday evening, November 20, appointed the undersigned to express to you and all the members of your family the sincere grief that the entire church feels at the departure of our Brother McComas. The church owes him such a debt of gratitude for his long and faithful service as it never has owed, and probably never will again owe, to any other person. In a very important sense he was its founder, and he has been the constant and efficient promoter of all its enterprises, ever since. In him this church has had an exponent and representative who deserved and has had the respect of the entire community.
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