History of Riverside County, California, Part 33

Author: Holmes, Elmer Wallace, 1841-
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 845


USA > California > Riverside County > History of Riverside County, California > Part 33


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74


RICHARD L. NORTH .


Representing the third generation of the North family in Riverside, Richard L. North was born in this city January 30, 1886, a son of John G. and grandson of J. W. North, the latter the founder of Riverside. He attended the public school of his native city, graduating from the high school at an early age. In 1904 he entered the University of California at Berkeley. During the summer months he was employed at civil engineering in con- nection with irrigation projects in Arizona, Oregon and California. He discontinued his college course in 1905, but still followed civil engineering until 1907, when he matriculated as a student in the law department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, from which he graduated in 1911. Returning to his native city he at once opened offices for the practice of his profession and through the inheritance of characteristics of his father and his own per- sonality, ability and natural qualifications is building up a practice that affords a solid foundation for success.


Digitized by Google


Digitized by


Google


.


Miguel Estudilloy


Digitized by Google


HISTORY OF RIVEL ...


HON. MIGUEL !:


A native son of California at i . interests at heart is M. Estado. a . side and now serving the people a- He was born in San Bernadin. Ca of J. A. and Adelaide I studi!lo. 1. inent families in the early lastory att tudillo attended the public schools of - he graduated in 1848. He then . Santa Clara and graduated therent ... San Diego, then the family home, 1, the county clerk and hold the po iti. . his advent into Riverside, where i. clerk of the board of supervisors and . During this time he was preparing h: above named year he was admitted to 1 Court in the state of California. Hell in Los Angeles and for the following to. cessful practice. Coming again to Ri ... here and maintained it until 1899. what. Mexico to fight a case in the court- .. three years, when he again came to I fossional labors.


On November 8. 1904, Mr. E -: sembly of the state from the Sevent, elected two years later and during .... sible odice he rendered valiant service to to the whole state. In 1905 he scared as , for the establishment of an Agricultural I. .. foot of Mt. Rubidoux. It was also at :'. that the bill transferring Yosemite park to 1 ... : ernment was passed. It was fostered by M. ! stormy series of arguments was passed Ita talked of bills of that session. By his a 1 active part he took in its passage he ap .. tion by is far-sighted policies and .... ton John Muir, the poet, who wrote : -ented him two of his choice wal -. of California" and "Our National P ...... man of the Ways and Means comme ... .. .


rade chairman of the California de' _at a . '


Irrigation Congress, held in Sacramento m 1 oleate for the state of California to tin


Digitized by


Google


1


Miquel Estudilloy


.


Digitized by Google


345


HISTORY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY


HON. MIGUEL ESTUDILLO


A native son of California and one who has ever had her best interests at heart is M. Estudillo, a prominent attorney of River- side and now serving the people as state senator from his district. He was born in San Bernardino, Cal., September 20, 1870, a son of J. A. and Adelaide Estudillo, both of whom represented prom- inent families in the early history of the state. As a youth M. Es- tudillo attended the public schools of San Diego county, from which he graduated in 1888. He then entered Santa Clara College in Santa Clara and graduated therefrom in 1890. Returning then to San Diego, then the family home, he was appointed court clerk by the county clerk and held the position until 1893, which year marked his advent into Riverside, where he received the appointment as clerk of the board of supervisors and held the position until 1895. During this time he was preparing himself for the law and in the above-named year he was admitted to practice before the Supreme Court in the state of California. He immediately opened an office in Los Angeles and for the following two years carried on a suc- cessful practice. Coming again to Riverside he opened an office here and maintained it until 1899, when he went to the City of Mexico to fight a case in the courts and remained there nearly three years, when he again came to this city and resumed his pro- fessional labors.


On November 8, 1904, Mr. Estudillo was elected to the as- sembly of the state from the Seventy-eighth district and was re- elected two years later and during his incumbency of that respon- sible office he rendered valiant service to his constituents as well as to the whole state. In 1905 he secured an appropriation of $35,000 for the establishment of an Agricultural Experiment station at the foot of Mt. Rubidoux. It was also at this session of the legislature that the bill transferring Yosemite park to the United States gov- ernment was passed. It was fostered by Mr. Estudillo and after a stormy series of arguments was passed. It was one of the most talked of bills of that session. By his advocacy of the bill and the active part he took in its passage he attracted considerable atten- tion by his far-sighted policies and received personal recognition from John Muir, the poet, who wrote him several letters and pre- sented him two of his choice works, autographed, "Mountains of California" and "Our National Park." In 1907 he was chair- man of the Ways and Means committee of the Assembly and also made chairman of the California delegation at the Fifteenth National Irrigation Congress, held in Sacramento in 1907. He was sent as delegate for the state of California to the National Irrigation Con-


Digitized by Google


346


HISTORY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY


gress at Boise, Idaho, and was an advocate of the Pinchot-Roose- velt conservation policies and won out in a fight with Hon. W. R. King of Oregon, in presenting the resolution endorsing these poli- cies. November 3, 1908, he was elected state senator, and in 1909 he made a fight for the local option bill but was defeated. In 1911 he made the fight in the senate for the Wyllie local option measure and carried it through successfully. Here it is but proper to quote from the "Searchlight," the official organ of the Anti-Saloon league: "It would be impossible in any newspaper article to pay fitting and full tribute of praise to the members of the California legislature, by whose action the people were given the Wyllie local option law. We may, however, without making invidious distinc- tion, mention the name of Senator Miguel Estudillo of Riverside county, who had charge of the measure in the upper house, and of Assemblyman G. W. Wyllie, who introduced and championed in the lower house the measure, which for all time will bear his honored name. Senator Estudillo introduced the local option measure in the senate two years ago and did yoeman's work in behalf of the meas- ure, which, however, failed to secure approval of the majority of his senatorial associates. At this session of the legislature it was not only fitting but fortunate that the Wyllie bill, after its ap- proval by the assembly, was in charge of the Riverside Senator.


. Without giving offense to those who opposed the measure, · Senator Estudillo met and answered every argument against it, and with unyielding tenacity refused to accept amendments which were intended to impair its efficiency. When at the first hearing in the senate the bill was loaded with objectionable amendments there was pallor in the face of the Riverside senator and a tearful glit- ter in his eye which indicated how profound and sincere was his interest in the matter. It was well that he did not falter, for the fate of the measure at that time seemed so uncertain that any show of despondency by its champion might have led to its defeat. The subsequent career of the bill was thick-set with peril and it required skillful management, unfaltering fidelity, courage and determination to carry the measure safely through and win for it success." In 1909 Mr. Estudillo was chairman of the committee on election laws of the senate which recommended by minority re- port, the passage of the direct primary law, creating a revolution in state politics and forever destroying machine rule. This amend- ment passed the legislature in 1911. He was appointed a member of the hold-over committee which investigated the school book trust of the state and through their findings justice was meted to the guilty ones. It was during this same session that Senator Estu- dillo secured an appropriation for a laboratory and improvements for the Rubidoux experiment station at Riverside.


Digitized by Google


347


HISTORY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY


Senator Estudillo is a member of the Elks and the Knights of Pythias; the Victoria and Country clubs of Riverside, and of the Jonathan and Union League clubs of Los Angeles. On February 22, 1903, in Los Angeles occurred the marriage of M. Estudillo and Miss Minerva Cook, and of this union there was born one son, Reginald, who is attending the Riverside public schools. Mrs. Estudillo is a direct descendant of James Cook, who came in the Mayflower and whose offspring settled in Winchester, N. H., where Mrs. Estudillo was born. Since becoming a resident of this beauti- ful city there has been no movement advanced for the general well being of either city or county but what has received his stanch sup- port and he has been foremost in social matters of his adopted city. As a public man he has a host of warm admirers and as a speaker he has a manner of at once commanding the respect and hearing of all within reach of his voice. He has taken a stand for all prog- ressive movements in political circles and is a stanch Republican.


Senator Estudillo received a letter which contains some bits of , history, from Charles Hardy, an Englishman now a resident of Mt. Albert, Auckland, New Zealand, which says:


"I lived with your grandfather (Don Louis Rubidoux) at Jurupa Rancho, but time plays havoc with rich and poor alike. I am eighty years old on the 21st of March, proximo. I have a da- guerreotype of myself taken in San Francisco in 1855, but I, of course, do not care to part with it. I lived off and on with Louis Robidoux from 1856 to 1862, was always welcomed by him to his house and treated with great respect. . . I forget exactly how long I taught there, but think it must have been for about two or three years altogether. I received $50 per month from the state and $15 per month from Don Louis, together with board and lodg- ing.


"The letter to myself from Don Louis, which my daughter told you of, was written in 1862, when I was in San Francisco. It was to thank me for some business which I had transacted for him in regard to the Rancho San Jacinto."


The letter further states that Mr. Hardy asked Don Louis for the hand in marriage of one of his daughters. Don Louis was will- ing, but the young lady's mother refused because Mr. Hardy in- tended to take her away to England. The lady married a rancher. Hardy came to California in 1855, from Victoria, Melbourne, Aus- tralia; he owned thirty-seven acres of land close to the city of San Bernardino; later lost money in gold mining in Bear Lake valley. He further states that Don Louis never went abroad, either on horseback or in his buggy without taking Hardy with him. "I was his constant companion and slept in the same room that he did, the large room in the middle of the house. The room in which the boys slept was on one end of it, and the room in which the senora and


Digitized by Google


348


HISTORY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY


her daughters slept, on the other end. A young Indian, I think from Sonora, was the family cook."


Of the ancestry of Hon. Miguel Estudillo we mention his grand- father, Don Jose A. Estudillo, who was revenue collector and treas- urer of San Diego from 1828 to 1830. In 1835 he was a member of the territorial deputation-the law-making body of California. While a member of the territorial legislature he was offered the governorship of California, but refused the honor. From 1840 to '42 he was justice of the supreme tribunal, and in the last-named year he received the grant of the San Jacinto rancho from the Mexican government. In 1843 he was administrator of the Mission San Luis Rey, and in 1845, judge. In September, 1849, Brigadier General Riley of the U. S. army, appointed him judge of the first instance for the district of San Diego. January 5, 1852, he was elected city treasurer of San Diego, and later elected assessor of that county, being the first to hold that office under the American regime. His ancestors were military men, his father having been captain in the Spanish army. He died in 1853. His son, the father of our present senator, also named Jose A. Estudillo, was a land owner. His wife was a daughter of Don Louis Robidoux, of whom extended mention is made in this history by Hon. E. W. Holmes.


Jose G. Estudillo, an uncle, still living, was state treasurer of California, 1876 to '80, prior to which he was treasurer of San Diego for twelve years.


MRS. JULIA CAMP


A capable business woman as well as a consistent and prac- tical Christian, Mrs. Camp enjoys the highest regard of her many friends in Wildomar, where she has made her home for the past nine years, her beautiful ranch of nine acres ranking among the most valuable in that section. A native of Indiana, her birth hav- ing occurred in Decatur county, at the age of four years she moved to Richland county, Ill., with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lytle, natives of Ohio and Indiana, respectively.


An active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Mrs. Camp maintains a deep interest in both religious and educational enterprises, her work in behalf of the Christian Orphans' Home being worthy of special mention.


Digitized by Google


THE NEW YORK 7 PUBLIC LIRA .. Y


ASTOR ITNOX AND ! TYLORM FOUNDATLAS H 1,


--


Digitized by Google


Cornelius & Mammary .


Digitized by Google


İ


1


HISTO


COR .


There have been that in it- mater. ! ' .. regard of all, and ro! high character of its ( the have helped more 1 of la residence in Riv years, the visible. ..... long reman, because it ! bit blended. It is to .: world men who will the lie is gone we pa Were aave, deny u- ti to do this in all the savetime - arred in i in. ist. ap ! demur st.] of in- tamils and " munke who were :s .


in a New York !. methods which ... twenty-four year- engaged in the me; city for thirty ver so many of the be . ample evidence that residence in River -. . not often that a c. enterprise is dispo ... and religious dutie- long the chairman . for the Insane an i . also a member of t'. : besides taking an a: which the people of' i


: . . .. .


.


Te song !! !. .. app, but foy


did not ........ of his ... " the esthet ... .. i ' that we find .' Flowing i'm of him wi :! ! -


- of life. ", te would. B .. . : our enlogy ; ... asociates, bu. . ploy during the


ness hte, a ill end.


they net. . ....


, lie-spirit ..


words in praise g the best of .. r city ha- 1 ... : own, ju-ti .. Mr. Runit . Mr. Run. ..


· tion dep ... .


: 1


N. Y., June 2 .. ( Farle) Rum ..... childhood in h- .


York, where he- 1


tained. His fir .. -


. of


1 dept of : ..


11 of i. . Hen and civic


. atitres so strongit " . + characterized i." "" busy in building . i appears that won


.


1


. secutive boards of : + is Western Penteya ... .! maicipal League and of interest in many other ;


nity were carrying to : 1 :


Digitized by


Google


--- --


:


,


i


Formations ..


Digitized by


Google


!


351


HISTORY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY


CORNELIUS EARLE RUMSEY


There have been many citizens of Riverside whose vital in- terest in its material growth and adornment has won for them the regard of all, and many who have sought to aid in maintaining the high character of its citizenship, but few indeed have there been who have helped more than has C. E. Rumsey. Although the period of his residence in Riverside did not extend over a long series of years, the visible monuments of his love for the beautiful will long remain, because in them the esthetic and practical are so hap- pily blended. It is too rarely that we find in the successful business world men who win by following implicitly the golden rule, and since he is gone we may say of him what his modesty would, if he were alive, deny us the pleasure of saying, that he sincerely strove to do this in all the affairs of life. That he made mistakes and sometimes erred in judgment he would, with characteristic candor, insist, and demur strongly at our eulogy; but not only the members of his family and nearest associates, but every one of the vast number who were in his employ during the long years of his busi- ness life, will endorse our words in praise of a citizen whose loss they mutually mourn. Among the best of the many loyal and pub- lic-spirited citizens which our city has been proud to claim as her own, justice as well as affection demands that we should rank Mr. Rumsey.


Mr. Rumsey was born at Eastchester, Westchester county, N. Y., June 22, 1844. His parents were Thomas O. and Matilda (Earle) Rumsey, both being natives of that state. He spent his childhood in his native town, going in his youth to the city of New York, where his education and first business experience were ob- tained. His first training in business was gained as an employe in a New York packing house, where he was given a knowledge of methods which were of value to him in his later life. When about twenty-four years of age he went to Pittsburg, Pa., where he engaged in the manufacture of biscuits. He was a resident of that city for thirty years, and the record of his connection there with so many of the benevolent. church and civic organizations furnish ample evidence that the qualities so strongly manifested during bis residence in Riverside have characterized him through life. It is not often that a citizen so busy in building up a great business enterprise is disposed to give so much of his time and energy to civic and religious duties, but it appears that while in Pittsburg he was long the chairman of the executive boards of the Dixmont Hospital for the Insane and of the Western Pennsylvania Hospital, and was also a member of the Municipal League and of the Duquesne Club, besides taking an active interest in many other public enterprises which the people of the city were carrying forward, in some cases


Digitized by Google


352


HISTORY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY


himself taking the initiative in such work. He also served as an elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburg. In 1898 he resided in Chicago, where he remained until his removal to River- side in 1900.


The many years of his strenuous business life had at last made it necessary for him to surrender active participation in the affairs of the National Biscuit Company he had done so much to establish, and finally to seek recreation and rest in the genial climate of Southern California. But with improved health, and the oppor- tunity for undertaking a new line of work exceedingly attractive to one of his temperament. it was natural that he should shortly decide to purchase property here and proceed to improve it on lines of beauty and profit. The writer was struck with the explanation he once gave for selecting Riverside rather than some other attrac- tive spot for the scene of his new home-making, saying that it combined not only the common advantages of beautiful surround- ings and climate possessed by its neighbors, but it was not yet the resort of the merely idle rich, and possessed a class of every-day American citizens, intelligent and moral, who were engaged in pro- viding themselves with conditions to make it an ideal home city. To desire to help in such a work was natural to him. He purchased first a ten-acre orange grove on Victoria avenue, and proceeded to study the best means by which it could be made one of the most attractive as well as one of the most profitable in the entire city. That he succeeded is indicated by the fact that it has long been one of the show places in the valley, and that his honest business methods have given the fruit he shipped under the "Alta Cresta" brand a standing inferior to none in the great markets of the country.


Regaining his health in the stimulating out-of-door life he came to love, he could not rest content with the limited task which he had at first set himself and appreciating the opportunity which the undeveloped slopes of the hills presented, acquired many tracts which he soon transformed from brush and boulder-strewn spots into rose-bordered orange groves. Amid these, on the elevated portions, building sites were set apart, with graded approaches, and along the roadways were tastefully planted rare shrubs and flowers to make delightful the home that ultimately should find an occupant. Altogether almost two hundred acres were reclaimed by him from their wild condition, and this self-assumed task was always a most congenial one to him, and gave him a reward in the beauty developed far greater than the pleasure of the material suc- cess won. To feel that he had transformed the desert and helped to make California more beautiful was to him a continual source of pleasure. This work indicates the union of the artistic and the practical in his nature, and suggests the means by which the


Digitized by Google


353


HISTORY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY


"Alta Cresta" groves, and the brands which bear that name in the markets, have won the reputation they hold. . Honesty, thor- oughness and good taste ever marked his efforts.


To a man of Mr. Rumsey's temperament and training it was impossible, when he felt the renewing of health and strength due to his enjoyable out-of-door life, to abstain from participation in the public work in which his neighbors desired him to share. He associated himself with the Riverside Chamber of Commerce and ultimately became a director and president, in which position he aided in many efforts to make the city more beautiful and attrac- tive. He was early a member of the Y. M. C. A. and aided with his advice and means in enlarging its usefulness, filling for a considerable period the position of president. He associated early with the Calvary Presbyterian Church and served it faithfully as an elder. Proud of the services of his ancestors in the Revolution- ary war, he held a membership in the American Sons of the Revolu- tion. Naturally he was a Republican in his political affiliations and loyal to the principles of that party, but showed a liberal disposi- tion upon local issues.


While in Riverside Mr. Rumsey took a deep interest in the in- digenous race whose remnants still occupy the reservations in this section, and finally came to join with his wife in the study of their handiwork, the result of which has been the amassing of one of the finest selections of basket work to be found in Southern California. His interest in this department, and indeed in all lines connected with the history and beautifying of the section, made the last years of his life here enjoyable and helpful to all who were associated with him.


Mr. Rumsey was married on April 15, 1874, at No. 4 East Forty-first street, New York City, to Miss Mary Elizabeth, daughter of Walter Kellogg and Martha Louisa Marvin, all life-long residents of that city. The union proved a most happy one; the wife ever interested and helpful in his work, and sympathizing fully in those generous actions which helped to make their home the center of a happy circle of friends and neighbors. Mrs. Rumsey survives her husband, who passed away February 25, 1911, and is carrying for- ward the splendid work he inaugurated here.


JAMES W. RYAN


One of the best known and most successful business men of San Jacinto was the late J. W. Ryan, who served for over twelve years as city treasurer and who also served as a notary public and carried


Digitized by Google


354


HISTORY OF RIVERSIDE COUNTY


on a thriving business in furniture, his executive ability enabling him to manage with ease the many duties that constituted his daily labors. He was born in Ireland, October 31, 1843, and was brought to the United States by his parents (both natives of that country) in 1851, settling in Warren. Ohio, where they died and where he attended the common schools and grew to manhood.


In July, 1861, Mr. Ryan enlisted in Company K, Sixty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and.with his regiment was assigned to the Seventeenth Army Corps. He participated in many engagements and skirmishes, among them the siege of Vicksburg, when the fort surrendered; the battles of the Atlanta campaign, Jonesboro, and was with Sherman in his march to the sea, through Richmond, Va., and, May 24, 1865, participated in the grand review at Washington, D. C. He was mustered out at Louisville, Ky., July 10, 1865, and honorably discharged at Cleveland, Ohio.


Upon returning to his home, Mr. Ryan took a business course and later opened a grocery store at Cardington, Ohio, successfully conducting the business for twenty years, and was united in mar- riage with Electa White, who died in California; they reared two adopted children. Upon disposing of his business in 1887, Mr. Ryan removed to San Jacinto, Cal., and, purchasing a furniture business from his brother, was engaged in that line and built up a very suc- cessful trade, until his sudden death from heart failure, April 17, 1912, since which time the business has been carried on by his widow and his son. As he prospered he erected a brick business block and later a frame building adjoining, now occupied as a telephone ex- change, as well as two substantial residences, and materially aided in the general development of the community.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.