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 37
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On March 7, 1889, and in the town of Van Wert, Ohio, Mr. Straley was married to Minnie Phillipy, a native of Ohio, by whom he has had six children. Lola is Mrs. E. E. Bozeman of Madera; Gilbert
Minine Straley
Eliner Straley
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is an expert on irrigation and pruning, and lives at Pomona; he served in the U. S. Army about six months; Bernard served for eighteen months in the U. S. Army in the World War, stationed at Camp Kearny; and Thurloe, Verda, and Vesta. All but Lola and Gilbert were born in California. Gilbert and Bernard are members of the Elks Lodge.
ABRAM BAKER
As one of the Argonauts who were led to California by the tales of her gold mines, Abram Baker made the long, perilous journey around Cape Horn on a sailing vessel, landing at San Francisco in 1849, when thousands of gold seekers were on the way to reach the mines, there to endure untold hardships in their search for gold. Mr. Baker followed mining here for a period of five years, and during this time he traveled the whole length of the State, and that at a time when journey- ing was not the pastime that it is today.
Of English descent, Abram Baker was born in New York City on December 26, 1825. He was the son of James Baker, also a native of that city, and for years prominent there in merchandise circles as a wholesale cloth merchant. His mother was Mary Greene, a descend- ant of General Greene of Revolutionary fame. Abram received a thor- ough education in the excellent schools of the Eastern metropolis, a training which stood him in good stead in the mature years of his life. After his five years in the land of gold and sunshine, Mr. Baker re- turned to his native state, and soon afterwards he met the lady who later became his wife, Miss Mary Jane Blauvelt, with whom he was united in marriage on December 6, 1855. She was also born in New York City on August 13, 1831, a daughter of Richard and Mary (De La Montaigne) Blauvelt of old Knickerbocker and French Huguenot stock. Mrs. Baker was reared in an environment of culture and refine- ment. It is an interesting fact that in her girlhood when, as was the custom, she was playfully teased about sweethearts, she always replied that hers was in California, and, strange to say, she married a returned gold seeker and forty-niner.
Abram Baker was for some years engaged as a coal merchant in New York City, but being desirous of having the freedom and enjoy- ment of country life, he sold his business and purchased a farm at Bound Brook, N. J., where he applied himself scientifically to his chosen life of husbandry and made a pronounced success, finally retir- ing and removing to Asbury Park, N. J. After nineteen years of resi- dence at that famous resort he determined to come to California. His son, Dr. Vincent Baker, preceded him, and selected the La Verne dis- trict, where he purchased a fifty-eight-acre ranch on the Base Line Road, fifty acres of which was already set out to citrus trees. Abram Baker, with his family, arrived at La Verne in September, 1901. He
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improved the remainder and was deeply interested in his son's care of the Navel and Valencia oranges and lemons which comprised the grove. He built a beautiful large residence and named his ranch "Thistlecroft" on account of his admiration for the Scotch. However, he was not long permitted to enjoy his California home, being called by death November 13, 1905. Mr. Baker was a Methodist and an active and loyal supporter of that church. He was always intensely interested in California and enjoyed recalling those early days of gold seeking, although their hardships were to a great extent erased by the mellowing hand of Time, and only the daring and prowess of those early pioneers remained vivid. He was happy to spend his last days in this sunny land and ever delighted to see the wonderful progress the years had brought.
Mr. and Mrs. Baker were the parents of four children: Mary Estelle, now Mrs. Gaston, resides on the Base Line Road; Harriet is Mrs. Joseph C. Pierson of La Verne; S. Louise, who gracefully as- sists her mother in presiding over the home, and Vincent Washington, who was graduated as a D. D. S. in New York City, and now lives in Claremont, devoting his time to citrus culture. Mrs. Baker is a woman of charming personality, well read and well informed and an ardent Christian Scientist; and at the age of eighty-eight years is hale and hearty and in full enjoyment of all her faculties. She continues to reside at the old family home, "Thistlecroft," and here with her daughter, Louise, she still dispenses a gracious hospitality.
ELLIOTT HINMAN
One of the representative men of the Valley, who during his life in the state was prominent in every enterprise for the good of the people, and supported churches, charities and all public welfare work, making his friends by the score and keeping them through a long life, Elliott Hinman was a citizen of whom any community might well be proud, and it could not fail to have benefited from his being a part of it. A native of Illinois, he was born in Henry County, on the old Hinman homestead, for which the family have a patent direct from the Government, and the place is still in their possession.
Educated in the public schools, Mr. Hinman early decided upon a business career, and entered the lumber and grain business at Cam- bridge, Ill. This he continued until his health failed, when he came to Pomona, and soon recovering in the balmy climate, embarked in the fuel and feed business, bought out different firms from time to time, until he had created an extensive trade and maintained the leading establishment in that line in the Valley. Interested from the beginning in the horticultural development of the section, he bought and sold various orange tracts during his lifetime, and always retained from twenty to thirty acres of oranges under cultivation for his own recrea-
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D to Jeaque
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tion. A man of broad and liberal views, ready to help the human being in trouble and sorrow, Mr. Hinman endeared himself to ail wno came in contact with his splendid character, and his popularity was not confined to any one circle. A Republican in politics, he served as mayor of Pomona for a time, and in fraternal lite he was a member of the the Masons and of the Odd Fellows; while as a member of the Chamber of Commerce he cooperated with the business men of the city in promoting its best interests. In religious belief he was a member of the Episcopal Church.
The marriage of Mr. Hinman, which occurred in Henry County, Ill., united him with Nora Nolan, and three children blessed their union : Frances, Mrs. F. G. Vaughn of Pomona; Susan E., Mrs. G. M. Bonham of Pomona ; and Harry H., manager of E. Hinman & Son of that city. On November 7, 1917, Elliott Hinman passed to his reward, and his loss was keenly felt in a community which had come to know his real worth and his kindly charity towards all.
DAVID CLINTON TEAGUE
Few men, probably, in all Pomona Valley are better known than "Dave" Teague, the sturdy old-timer who had the wisdom, some years ago, to say that when he had amassed sufficient for old age he would retire, and the good fortune to succeed in the amassing, so that he was able to carry out his sensible and highly creditable resolution. He was born on a farm near Salem, Ind., on October 23, 1847. His father, Crawford P. Teague, was a native of Indiana, born in 1823; and Grandfather John Teague was born on the Great Pedee River in Rowan County, N. C., whose father came from the north of Ireland and settled in North Carolina. John Teague served in the war of 1812 and soon afterwards he was married to Mary Thomas, who was of Scotch descent, the two removing to the territory of Indiana in 1817, locating in what was then considered a wilderness, and engaged in farming on the White River in Green County. In 1851 he with other families of his clan removed to Davis County, Iowa, where he and his wife spent their last days.
Crawford P. Teague after reaching manhood married Amanda Reed May, who was a native of Kentucky. Grandfather Benjamin F. May was a Marylander and removed from Baltimore to Kentucky, and thence to Indiana, where he died. It was in 1857 that C. P. Teague sold his farm in Indiana and removed with his family by horse teams and wagons across the state of Illinois to Iowa, locating on government land near Troy, Davis County, Iowa. He broke the raw prairie with ox teams and went through all the hardships of the early settlers. Becoming greatly interested in the Pacific Coast coun- try in 1865 he disposed of the farm he had improved and moved with his family to California. Outfitting with horse teams and wagons
19
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he joined a large ox train and thus crossed the plains. Crossing the Missouri River May 1 they proceeded up the south side of the Platte until almost to Colorado, when they crossed to the north side and made their way via Fort Bridger and Salt Lake City and Austin, Nev., and then came into California by the Lassen and Hot Creek trail into the beautiful, broad Sacramento Valley, arriving October 13, 1865. They remained two years in Tehama County, then they moved to a farm near Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, and here his wife died. In 1878 he removed to San Dimas, where with his sons he engaged in wheat growing on the San José Rancho, and when it was sub- divided he was one of the first to set out an orange orchard and subsequently planted a second orchard, becoming an enthusiastic citrus grower. He died at San Dimas March 10, 1910.
Dave Teague, as he is familiarly called by his many friends, when four years old was taken to Iowa, where he obtained his schooling, such as it was, during the winters in a rural log schoolhouse. In 1865 he set out to cross the great continent for the Pacific Coast, when a lad of seventeen years, reaching the smiling Sacramento Valley after a journey of six months. After two years spent in Tehama County we find him located near Santa Rosa, Sonoma County. There he began farming for himself and there he was married in November, 1875, being united with Miss Annie Runyon, who was born in Hickory County, Mo., a daughter of Robert B. Runyon, the family removing to Sonoma County in 1871. Mr. Teague removed with his family to San Dimas in 1878, where with his father and brother he was among the early grain raisers on the San José Rancho. When the ranch was subdivided in 1887 he purchased forty acres and began citrus growing. In 1888 with his father he set out the first orange grove in the San Dimas district and with his brother, Robert M. Teague, he set out and grew the first nursery stock in San Dimas. He lost the first crop of oranges in 1891 through the great wind storm that scattered the fruit everywhere. The second year he shipped East and was charged hack for freight, so the sale of his nursery stock was of great aid to him and saved the day for him. After a few years in the nursery business he quit it and devoted his time to his orchards. He improved in all forty acres of oranges and lemons that are now full bearing and fine groves.
When he with others found that the profits from their crop were overbalanced by the excessive freight charges, they began to look about to find some way to relieve the producer and determined on co- operation in marketing the fruit, and since then he has been active in the various cooperative fruit associations in his district. He was an original member of the Indian Hill Orange Growers Association until the San Dimas Orange Growers Association was started, when he was its president for many years. During this time he was an active
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member of the San Antonio Fruit Exchange for sixteen years and president of its board of directors for many years. Wishing to retire, he sold all of his horticultural holdings August 4, 1911, since which time he continues to make his home in San Dimas in the full enjoy- ment of health, an inveterate reader along historical and scientific lines, in which he is deeply interested. Mr. Teague was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of San Dimas and a member of its board of directors from its organization until June, 1918, when he resigned. He was also an organizer and was a director in the San Dimas Savings Bank until the same date.
Mr. Teague was bereaved of his faithful wife September 11, 1890, who left him five children. Walter is a landscape gardener in Santa Barbara and is married and has three children. Hattie M. became the wife of John B. Brubaker and she died leaving one child. Elmer E. is a horticulturist in San Dimas who is also married and has two children. Edith is the wife of John F. McLean, residing in San Dimas, and has three children. Russell W. is a nurseryman in San Dimas as well as at Yuma, Ariz., and is now the largest nursery- man in Arizona. He married Helena Kirkelie, who was born in Minnesota, and they have four children.
Mr. Teague was made a Mason in Pomona Lodge No. 246, F. and A. M., from which he afterwards demitted and became a charter member of San Dimas Lodge No. 428, F. and A. M. He was ex- alted in Pomona Chapter No. 76, R. A. M., and knighted in the Southern California Commandery No. 37, K. T., Pomona; he is a member of Pomona Council No. 21, R. & S. M., and of Al Malaikah Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., Los Angeles. His membership in the Order of the Eastern Star is in Pomona Chapter No. 110. He is a charter member of Pomona Lodge No. 789, B. P. O. E. Always interested in the cause of education, he was active in starting the first schools in the vicinity, first in the La Verne Heights district, and in 1887 they organized the San Dimas school district, of which he was a member of the first board of directors and was active in building up the excellent schools of this section.
A Republican in national politics, Mr. Teague was for three years a member of the Los Angeles County Highway Commission, and he therein accomplished much in public improvements, continuing the good work long ago done by him and his brother when, as among the earliest settlers, they found the country more like a wilderness, with plenty of work cut out for the pioneer. He has always been public spirited, and laid his hand to the plow with right good-hearted- ness. He is now one of the oldest settlers in San Dimas and few men are more highly respected, for he is much admired for his liberality, kindness and sterling worth, and his example is well worthy of emulation.
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LEWIS LEWISON
In these days of strenuous effort the man who hopes to acquire success in any calling must be one of brains and persistency, with a thorough knowledge of the work to which he is devoting his atten- tion, to "make two blades of grass grow where only one grew before," and to develop the resources of his section of the state. Such a man is Lewis Lewison, whose orange grove in Pomona is an example of what intensive methods can accomplish in this fertile region. He is a native of Denmark, born near Wiborg, Jutland, September 9, 1863. The second oldest in a family of six children, he attended the public schools of his native land, and when sixteen years of age was appren- ticed to the trade of blacksmith, and followed it until reaching his twentieth year. He entered the Danish Army, in the Sixth Regiment, Fourth Company, and served six months.
In 1887 the young emigrant came to the United States, and first located on a farm near Dannebrog, Howard County, Nebr., two years later removing to Wyoming, where he worked on a cattle ranch. In the spring of 1891 he came to Pomona, and for the next eight and one-half years worked for Fred J. Smith on his orange ranch, for the last three years acting as foreman of the ranch.
After this thorough training in citrus development, Mr. Lewison bought his own ranch, in 1900, situated on the corner of East Kingsley and Washington avenues, and consisting of four acres, two acres at that time being in prunes, one acre in apricots and one acre devoted to oranges. He took out the deciduous fruits, and also replanted one- half acre of the oranges, raising the nursery stock from seed ·stock, planted and budded the trees himself, and watched it grow into a fine producing orchard; his long experience and excellent care made success a foregone conclusion, and in the 1918-19 season he marketed 2300 boxes of oranges from his acreage. In 1917 Mr. Lewison bought another orange grove of four acres, one block east of his home place on Kingsley Avenue. This place was badly run down, and he has improved it to the extent in two years' time that his 1918-19 crop netted him 1100 boxes from this acreage. In 1900 he set out a ten- acre grove at La Verne for Doctor Bateman, and has also set out a number in the Valley, his knowledge as to planting and developing making his services valuable along these lines.
The marriage of Mr. Lewison united him with Christine Jorgen- sen, born on the Island of Laaland, Denmark, and two sons have blessed their union, both educated in the Pomona schools: Alfred enlisted in 1917 for service in the World War, and served as mechanic in the aeroplane division in France; he was discharged in San Fran- cisco; on June 14, 1919, and is now an employee in the Opera Garage, Pomona. Julius enlisted at the same time with his brother, as chauffeur, but was discharged after three months' time on account of
IN' Lanh
Elizabeth Lamb
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ill-health. In fraternal orders Mr. Lewison has been prominent in Pomona. He is a member of Pomona Lodge No. 246, I. O. O. F., the Encampment, Canton and the Rebekahs, all in Pomona, and also belongs to the Fraternal Aid. In politics he is a Republican. For- merly a director in the Kingsley Tract Water Company, Mr. Lewison has taken an active part in all matters which have for their object the further development of Pomona Valley, and, a self-made man from the ground up, his opinions and advice in such matters are always practical.
MRS. ELIZABETH LAMB
An extensive land owner, well endowed with this world's goods, and highly respected and loved for her many beautiful and sterling traits of character is Mrs. Elizabeth Lamb, widow of the late Wil- liam D. Lamb, prominent pioneer citizen of Southern California. Her life has indeed been rich in varied experiences in that sort of inter- est and adventure that was the accompaniment of pioneer days, nor has it been unmixed with hardships, some of them being almost unbelievable.
Mrs. Lamb is a native of England, her birthplace being at Bill- ings, Lancashire, June 24, 1850. Her parents were John R. and Sarah (Jolley) Holt, also of English birth. The father was a wheel- wright and joiner and he followed this line of work for a number of years in his native land. They were the parents of nine children, and when Elizabeth was thirteen years of age she came to America with two sisters and a brother. They sailed from Liverpool in May, 1863, and even then Elizabeth's adventurous experiences began. After seven weeks of storm and calm they finally landed at Castle Garden, New York, coming across on the old condemned sailer "Antarctic," which was sunk on the return voyage. Their destination was Utah and they made their way across the country as far as Omaha by train, thence to Salt Lake City by ox team, arriving there six months after their departure from Liverpool. Here they located and later Eliza- beth made the acquaintance of William D. Lamb, to whom she was married on October 12, 1868. Mr. Lamb was then only nineteen years of age, but his life had been filled with arduous experiences, even at that time. Born in Onondaga County, N. Y., he was left motherless at the age of four, and lived for a time with an uncle near Grand Rapids, Mich. When he was eleven years old he set out to make his way alone, working his way through to Omaha on railroad grading work. When he was about fourteen years old his father came up from the South and the two crossed the plains in a Mormon freight train. At that time he had not even learned to read, for his life had
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been so full of toil that there had been no time for schooling, but after reaching Salt Lake City he managed, even in the midst of many duties, to learn the alphabet and acquire the rudiments of an education.
After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Lamb remained in Salt Lake City for a time, and there their eldest daughter, Mary, now Mrs. E. J. Levengood, was born. Then they decided to locate in California and when they arrived here Mr. Lamb earned a living by chopping and hauling wood on what was later the Lucky Baldwin Ranch, Mrs. Lamb and her little one making their home in their covered wagon. They then moved on to El Monte and tried farming there, but there was a long season of drought and all their corn and other produce was dried up. Their next move was to Azusa, where they lived in the canyon, afterwards named Lamb's Canyon for Mr. Lamb. Here two of their children were born, but they lost both of them and they were buried there. Mr. Lamb next bought a squatter's claim of 160 acres four miles from Huntington Beach, but in 1879, after they had lived there four years, litigation arose and he and other claimants to adjoining tracts were dispossessed, the Los Bolsa Company winning the suit. His next purchase was forty acres of the Stearns Ranch at Newhope; here they settled, made many improvements and prospered. They subsequently added to their acreage and Mrs. Lamb 'still owns 120 acres there. The next purchase was 220 acres at Garden Grove and, in 1892 he closed the deal for a ranch of 720 acres at a very reasonable price, and here Mrs. Lamb now makes her home. At first they only ran cattle on these lands, but they have now been brought up to a high state of cultivation. They were always among the most progressive farmers of the community, as their place was always equipped with the latest inventions in farm machinery that could be obtained, and the example of their enterprise meant much for the progress and welfare of their neighborhood.
For several years Mr. Lamb was the resident manager of the Los Bolsa Land Company and other large ranches, and through his work much improvement was made on the tracts under his charge. He early saw the necessity for drainage and irrigation and with several associates purchased a dredger, the first of its kind in this territory, and thus completely revolutionized the early methods of carrying on this work. In no instance, perhaps, is his perseverance and progres- sive spirit more plainly shown than in the fact that after he had em- barked in business for himself he employed a man to keep his books and paid him an extra salary for his personal instruction in reading, arithmetic and the general principles of business, this arrangement continuing for three years; after that he was able to superintend every detail of his extensive business interests for himself and with marked success. Mr. Lamb passed away in March, 1911, and is buried at Santa Ana. Like her husband, Mrs. Lamb had only the
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most limited opportunities to secure an education, but this was fully made up through the practical business experience and "hard knocks" of pioneer days. She has always been a woman of great business and executive ability, and ever shared with her husband the burdens and responsibilities of their great undertakings and much of his success was due to her splendid judgment and management.
Mr. and Mrs. Lamb were the parents of nine children, five of whom are living : Mary, now Mrs. Edward J. Levengood of Pomona, was first married to William Hamner, by whom she had two children, Jessie M. and Anson; Wm. Anson and Vina died in childhood; Arthur, now deceased, married Mary Stephens and had one son, Leo Ford Lamb, who resides in Los Angeles; Walter D., a rancher near Santa Ana, married Gertrude DuBois, a daughter of Valentine Du- Bois of Santa Ana, and they have two children; Laura is the wife of Gregory Harper and they have two children, Ivan H. and Harold L .; Hugo J., a rancher near Huntington Beach, married Effie Stockton, and two children have been born to them, Lois and Alice; Earl A. is also engaged in ranching near Huntington Beach; he married Etta Bradley and they are the parents of three children, Rachel E., Wm. G. and Alvan; Robert died at the age of four months.
Mrs. Lamb still makes her home on her 720-acre ranch south- east of Huntington Beach, her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Harper, living with her, and she is active and interested in the management of her properties and extensive business interests. A woman of great force of character, withal kind and considerate, she is greatly beloved by her family and a large circle of friends. A true type of the pioneer woman, her life is a record of accomplishment and good deeds that will leave their beneficent influence on the genera- tions to come.
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