USA > California > Riverside County > History of Riverside County, California > Part 38
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In that year, with their son, the late Priestley Hall, and a daughter, Miss Jennie, who passed away May 9, 1882, they came to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama and located in River- side, then but a new and undeveloped colony. Here the doctor pur- chased forty-one acres of land and began its development, aided by his son after he had completed his schooling. Mrs. Hall practiced medicine in the new colony for a time and ministered otherwise to the needs of the families of the pioneers. Dr. John Hall eventually gave up his practice and engaged in horticultural pursuits. He first planted two acres of raisin grapes, being one of the pioneers in that industry that grew to such large proportions a few years later. He experimented a great deal to secure the best results from decid- uous. and citrus fruits, and gave much attention to nursery stock adapted to this soil and climate. After many years of useful activ- ity he and his wife retired to quiet home life, the business being carried on by their son. Dr. John Hall died April 1, 1896, his widow surviving him until August 27, 1909. They were both members of the Universalist Church and the doctor was a strong Prohibitionist. They were liberal in their support of all movements for the upbuilding of Riverside, and their acts of charity, which were numerous and kindly, were performed without ostentation. No worthy and well-considered project was presented to Dr. Hall
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without receiving his sanction and assistance, and he not infre- quently took the initiative in such movements. He was a noble, high-minded, useful citizen and friend, who deserves a place of prominence in the history of the county.
JOHN T. JARVIS
There are probably few men more familiar with the values of city real estate and horticultural property than John T. Jarvis, who has been engaged for many years in the buying and selling of lots and acreage tracts and who in the course of a long business career has handled many of the highest-priced properties in Riverside county. The extension of towns, the subdivision of groves into lots and the enormous increase in valuations of all lands, all these things he has witnessed with the eager interest of a participant. Coincident with the increased prosperity of the locality has been his own personal advancement from poverty to a competence. Neither luck nor fortuitous circumstances are responsible for his success, which is to be attributed to his own integrity in all deal- ings, energy in business and sagacity in investments.
A son of Jonathan and Eliza Jarvis and a descendant of an old Canadian family of local prominence, John T. Jarvis was born in Ontario, Canada, March 10, 1847, and attended the public schools between the ages of six and thirteen, leaving school in order to take up the struggle for self-support. Beginning as an errand boy in a grocery, he soon was able to wait upon customers and while still a mere lad he was made manager of the business, a fact testify- ing to his honesty and intelligence. In 1869 he resigned from the store in order to join his father in business, the two carrying on a dairy and engaging in the manufacture of cheese. That section of the country was famous for the fine quality of its cheese and the industry was fairly profitable, but entailed upon its participants an enormous amount of hard labor. The wearisome round of constant work and the discomfort of a rigorous climate caused him to re- linquish his business interests to others and in 1880 he came to California, settling in Riverside county and embarking in business as a horticulturist.
The raising of oranges and the carrying on of a nursery en- gaged the attention of Mr. Jarvis until 1887, since which time he has carried on a real-estate business, at the same time acting as agent for various fire, life and accident insurance companies. All 24
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movements for the permanent well-being of Riverside have his sup- port and he is pre-eminently progressive in spirit. Politically he gives his allegiance to the men and measures of the Republican party. Various social and fraternal organizations receive his whole- hearted support and warm co-operation, notably the Masonic Order, in which he has risen to the Commandery degree; also the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, with which he became connected during the year 1884 and to which he has since rendered loyal support. While still living in Canada he established a home of his own, his marriage to Miss Dundas being solemnized in Ontario in May of 1869. Of this union eight children were born, four of whom are living. The eldest, John, follows the occupation of a gold miner. The older daughter, Lelia, is the wife of M. O. Pann, of Riverside. The youngest children, Constance and William M., are graduates of the high school and reside with their parents, brighten- ing the pleasant home with the sunshine of their presence. William M. is giving his attention to surveying and intends to make a specialty of that line of work. In religious connections the family hold membership with the Episcopal Church.
JOHN F. HANNA
A representative citizen of Riverside who has won for himself a name for honest effort in promoting the welfare of his adopted city is J. F. Hanna. He was born in Crawford county, Ohio, Sep- tember 18, 1847, into the home of his parents, Samuel and Catherine A. Hanna. The father was born September 22, 1820, and died Janu- ary 3, 1868, while yet in the prime of life, leaving an inheritance of a good name to his son. John F. attended the public schools of Crawford, Ohio, until he was seventeen years of age, at which time he entered the Academy in Savannah, Ohio, taking a two-year course. In 1868, upon the death of his father, he took charge of the home farm and remained there until 1876, when he removed to Biggs- ville, Ill., and superintended one of the farms owned by his father- in-law, David Rankin, and four years later he went to Tarkio, Mo., and engaged in the general merchandise business, also carrying on farming with good success until 1903. The above date marks his removal to Riverside, Cal., although he did not relinquish his home in Tarkio for some years. In the new home he had selected he bought a ten-acre tract which is planted in oranges and by care- ful and painstaking effort he realized a neat profit from them. He
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still owns twelve hundred acres of land near Tarkio, Mo., which is improved with a modern house and the land is under a high state of cultivation. This farm is under the direct supervision of his son, John Winfield.
On June 22, 1876, occurred the marriage of John F. Hanna and Annette V. Rankin, the eldest daughter of the late David Rankin, who gained world-wide fame for his success as a farmer and of whom a short sketch follows. Of this union two sons were born, Charles R., a graduate of Princeton University, owns an alfalfa ranch of sixty acres near Riverside, and John Winfield, also a graduate of Princeton, is engaged in the banking business at Tar- kio, Mo., and is secretary of the D. Rankin Corporation and looks after his father's interests at Tarkio.
In politics Mr. Hanna is a Republican. He was elected by his townsmen as councilman from the fourth ward, serving with efficiency in that capacity. With his family he is associated with the United Presbyterian Church.
EDWARD FRANKLIN KINGMAN
For the period of little more than a quarter of a century the late Edward F. Kingman labored for the development of the many resources and for the general moral advancement of the citizens of Riverside and at his passing the city lost another of those pioneers who seldom thought of self when the welfare of their home city and county was in question. Mr. Kingman was born in Brockton, Mass., August 23, 1851, and received a fairly good academic education at his home city and at Bridgewater and later took a business course in Boston. Thus equipped for supporting himself he secured a position as a clerk in a store in Boston, where he remained until ill health necessitated a removal to a milder climate and in 1876 he made a trip to Southern California in search of a location where he could have employment out of doors and in this way regain his health and strength. Never robust, he, however, recovered from his ailment and was spared for many years.
When Mr. Kingman first arrived in Riverside he went to the home of an old-time acquaintance, E. W. Holmes, where he re- mained until he could make a decision as to location. This was soon done and resulted in the purchase of sixteen and two-thirds acres of land on Rubidoux avenue; this tract he set to oranges and erected a home for his family, which was his residence at the time of his death on December 15, 1902. He had married while a resident of Massachusetts, Miss Laura Howe Pickens, who was
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born December 3, 1853, in Middleboro, in which city she was married June 16, 1875. She joined her husband in California in October of 1877 and has since been a resident of Riverside, remain- ing at the original home place until 1911, when she disposed of the orange grove and is now located nearer the central part of the city. There were four children born to this worthy couple. Louise P. is the wife of Rev. John MeL. Gardner and is living in River- side; George A. is engaged in the real estate and insurance busi- ness; Lucy H. is living with her mother; and Alice Frances died when four years of age.
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Always ready to serve his adopted city in any capacity that he thought would advance her interests Mr. Kingman was persuaded to become a candidate for trustee and in 1892 was elected for a term of four years, after which, in 1896, he was re-elected and was made president of that body, which he served for the following terms in the council that much street work was done; bonds for four years, his term expiring April 16, 1900. It was during his the electric light plant were voted and expended; the electric street railroad franchise was granted and the road built and put in oper- ation; the first public drinking fountains for horses were erected, and many of the progressive movements put on foot to advance the interests of the city and establish a moral uplift for the citizens. He always stood for the keeping of the Sabbath and for the closing of all places of questionable character and for promoting everything that was calculated to promote the moral betterment of the place. His career was always open to the scrutiny of all, but his integrity was never questioned. By his gentleness of manner, his quiet per- sistence, his self forgetfulness and tact he avoided enmities and accomplished many worthy ends. After he retired from office he embarked in the insurance business, continuing this until his death.
Mr. Kingman was always active in church work and was the first superintendent of the first Sunday school established south of the city, in the valley, and when the first Congregational church was erected in the city he was the first Sunday school superintend- ent. For many years he was a trustee and a deacon in the church and supported the charities of that denomination liberally. In sum- ming up the career of Edward F. Kingman it may be said he was in every sense a good citizen, firm in his opinions once formed, and never allowed himself to be swerved from the path of duty as he saw it, by friendship, clamor or partisan bias. He was always alert in the discharge of his responsibilities and his endorsement of things he believed to be intended to promote the public good was always intelligent and convincing. The social and domestic side of his life was pleasing and affectionate and he enjoyed the con- fidence and respect of his friends. His passing was sincerely mourned by all classes of citizens.
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JOHN H. REED
Very early in the colonization of the new world the Reed family became identified with the agricultural development of New Eng- land, whence succeeding generations followed the tide of migration towards the setting sun. Abraham Reed, a native of Massachusetts, became one of the earliest settlers of Ohio and his son Horace was the first white child born within the limits of the township in which they lived in Portage county, that state. When the family left the Atlantic coast they took with them a package of apple seeds and these were planted in Portage county, later developing into an orchard of fine apples, the first orchard of that region. Some of the original trees are still standing and are bearing fruit, although now more than one hundred and ten years old. In many other ways this fine old pioneer aided in the material upbuilding of Portage county. The farm that he evolved out of a forest proved to be a productive and valuable estate and for many years returned a liveli- hood to the family, besides enabling them to save for further in- vestments. The entire life of Horace Reed was spent on the old homestead, where he died in 1888, and where in 1898, his wife also passed away.
At the old homestead in Rootstown township, Portage county, Ohio, John H. Reed was born in June, 1832, being a son of Horace and Lois E. Reed. After he had completed the studies of the com- mon schools he entered Holbrook Normal School at Lebanon, Ohio, the first institution of its kind in the entire state, and it was his privilege to graduate with the first class that left that historic school. As a student he had displayed such marked ability that he was retained as a teacher of mathematics and languages after his graduation. At Lebanon in 1858 he married Miss Catherine S. Morris, daughter of a prominent citizen of Stark county. She received superior advantages in the Holbrook schools at Marlbor- ough and Salem, that state, and after graduation she engaged as an assistant teacher, going with Mr. Holbrook to Lebanon and as- sisting to establish the Normal school there and for the following four years was a teacher. Possessing a brilliant mind, she rose to prominence in every community where she resided. Her interest in temperance work was particularly great and for a number of years she aided the prohibition movement through her services as a public lecturer. The First Congregational church of Mansfield, Ohio, num- bered her for years among its principal members and most talented workers. After coming to Riverside she entered into many of its most important enterprises. At her death, November 17, 1908, her
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home suffered a deep bereavement and her friends felt the loss of a gracious, gentle associate, while movements for the moral and religious upbuilding of the community were deprived of her helpful co-operation. Her two children survive her, the daughter, Lois, being the wife of A. C. Pickett, while the son, Fred M., assists his father in the management of their orange groves at Riverside and at the same time maintains a prominent association with various botanical societies.
A satisfactory and useful period of service as superintendent of the schools of Mansfield, Ohio, where he was assisted by Mrs. Reed, who was principal of the high school, was brought to a close after seven years, Mr. Reed's resignation being tendered through his recognition of a growing deafness that incapacitated him for educa- tional work. From the schoolroom he transferred his attention to the counting house and for a time he engaged in merchandising at Mansfield, where he removed to Nebraska and settled on a large stock farm. The failure of his health led him to dispose of his Nebraska property and come to California in 1890. He traveled over the central and southern parts of the state for fourteen weeks, riding in a buckboard and sleeping in the open air, which course he found to be beneficial. Eventually he made his way to this county and established a permanent location at Riverside, regaining his health in the genial climate. His first purchase was ten acres, the nucleus of his present holdings. This he and his son cleared and later set to oranges, and they eventually acquired sixty acres, of which fifty acres are in oranges and lemons and ten acres are deciduous fruits.
From the outset of his identification with Riverside and the orange industry Mr. Reed found himself deeply interested in hor- ticulture. The growing of oranges and lemons proved very con- genial. Their very difficulties interested him and he found himself eager to combat obstacles and secure success. The care of an orchard was no less interesting than his former efforts in educa- tional capacities, nor was he less successful therein. After a time other orchardists asked him to care for their groves and he gained a reputation as a specialist in citrus culture. Along with his inter- est in the industry was his realization of the need of co-operation on the part of horticulturists. He organized the first horticultural club in the state and later assisted in organizing horticultural clubs and farmers' institutes, which formed the basis of the many associations of orange growers common to the present day.
The loss through the decay of oranges in storage and long transit to markets having become a severe burden to the industry and no help in sight to find the cause or a cure, Mr. Reed determined to appeal to the Department of Agriculture at Washington. By growers this decay was generally considered unavoidable and few
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had any faith in the efforts to get relief, but Mr. Reed was confi- dent something could be done for it and persisted in his cor- respondence with the department for two or three years, urging investigation. It finally sent Dr. William A. Taylor, of the Bureau of Plant Industry, to look into the merits of the request. Dr. Taylor soon decided that the seriousness of the annual loss to the growing industry demanded the attention of the department. On his return and report it promptly sent G. Harold Powell, who had already acquired a national reputation from results of his investi- gations of similar problems of the apple industry in the east, to take charge of the investigations, which he carried on for about six years.
The result of this work of Mr. Powell's is now known through- out the country. Of its effects on the industry, Mr. Woodward, manager of the Southern California Fruit Exchange, who was in a position to know, at a State Citrus Fruit Growers' convention held in Riverside three years after Mr. Powell's work commenced, made the statement that the saving to growers was already more than three quarters of a million of dollars annually. E. A. Chase, who gave most efficient aid to Mr. Powell's work, added, "Yes, and we owe this to J. H. Reed," and proposed a rising vote of thanks to him, to which the large assembly unanimously responded.
Indicating how the department regarded the investigation, in an interview with Secretary Wilson at Washington about that time, he said to Mr. Reed, "We consider Mr. Powell's work with your fruit decay matter, the most successful investigation of the kind yet undertaken by the department," adding, "but had it not been for your persistent petitioning you would not have had him over there." This was the commencement of the extended expert investigation work the Washington department has carried on in the interest of California fruit industries from that time.
For five years Mr. Reed, at horticultural clubs, farmers' insti- tutes and through the press, had urged help from the state depart- ment to solve other citrus problems. Finally the request, effi- ciently seconded by E. W. Holmes, E. L. Koethen of Riverside, and others, was granted by the department establishing a citrus experi- ment station at Riverside for which it asked a special appropria- tion from the legislature of $20,000. This was secured largely through the influence of C. E. Rumsey, a prominent grower, and M. Estudillo, then a member of the legislature. Experimental work was promptly commenced and has been carried on continuously ever since. The last legislature granted an appropriation of $30,000 for additional buildings and equipment.
The fact that even in the better orange orchards, a considerable percentage of the trees persistently produce inferior fruit, early attracted Mr. Reed's attention and for many years he urged inves-
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tigation. Finally the Washington department, largely through the influence of Mr. Powell, was persuaded to send A. D. Shamel, one of the most successful investigators in plant breeding problems, connected with the department. Already, after three years work, he has demonstrated that through bud selection, fixed strains of oranges and lemons may be secured. In other words, that we may have pedigreed citrus fruit as well as pedigreed stock. It is be lieved that through this investigation alone it will be made possible to increase the value of all citrus groves by at least one fourth.
Mr. Reed was the first to urge investigation into the practicabil- ity of protecting citrus groves from frost damage, and was chair- man of the committee undertaking the first experiments which at- tracted nation-wide interest at the time. For over twenty years Mr. Reed has been in close touch with all the important forward movements in the interest of the citrus industry, and has seen it grow from a small beginning to one of the leading industries in the state.
During this time he became much interested in the beautifica- tion of the streets of Riverside, and for many years worked almost single-handed in promoting it. He finally interested the Chamber of Commerce, which took the matter up in good earnest, making him chairman of a tree-planting committee, to which work he gave much time without remuneration, the Chamber providing the money for trees and other expenses. During the last year of its work it raised $1,000 for the purpose. In the meantime Mr. Reed peti- tioned the city council for the city to take over all the city tree planting and care, and put the supervision in the care of a tree warden. This it decided to do providing he would agree to accept the newly-created office, which he did and retained it for seven years, resigning in 1911. During this time he planted about fifteen thousand trees on the streets of the city. Riverside was the first city in the west, and one of the very few in the entire country at that time, to adopt municipal control of its street trees. Since then, largely through the influence of the Riverside work, nine Southern California cities have adopted the plan and others have it under consideration. In recognition of the remarkably efficient service rendered the city of Riverside by its retiring tree warden, J. H. Reed, the Chamber of Commerce passed these resolutions: "Be it resolved, therefore, that the Riverside Chamber of Commerce record upon its minutes a hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Reed for his faith- ful performance of every duty, congratulating him, as well, upon the fame that he has won for Riverside, and pledging the Chamber's continued support to the work to which Mr. Reed has given so unreservedly of his thought and energy during the past seven years.
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"By order of the executive committee, September 14, 1911. "H. F. GROUT, President. "H. M. MAY, Secretary."
Mr. Reed probably has more pride in and takes greater satis- faction from the influence he has been permitted to exert in favor of intelligent, systematic beautifying of our California cities, espe- cially the parts where the masses of the people live, than in any other of his efforts during his extended life.
FRANK P. OGDEN
One of the well known citizens of this county is Frank P. Ogden, now a resident of the Highgrove district. He was born in Knox county, Ill., December 18, 1871, and was adopted by M. B. Ogden, who was a native of Pennsylvania and a carpenter by trade, prominent in politics and who served four terms on the board of supervisors of Knox county. On November 22, 1880, Mr. Ogden and family arrived in Riverside county, Cal. Soon afterwards he bought a tract of land at the corner of Bandini and Olivewood ave- nues, began its development and made it his home until his death February 15, 1910. His wife was in maidenhood Sophia Lundquest.
Frank Ogden received his education in the public schools of this county, graduating from the high school of Riverside. He made his home with his parents until the age of twenty, when he started out for himself. In 1891 he bought five acres on Streeter avenue. which he set to oranges and where he resided eight years. Finding he was in a frost belt, he sold out and purchased twelve and one- half acres upon which he now lives, located near the foot-hills in the Highgrove district, and upon which he has made all the im- provements. He also owns another grove of oranges of ten acres near the town of Highgrove. In connection with his orange indus- try he is engaged in selling fertilizer and handles about four hun- dred cars annually.
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