USA > California > San Bernardino County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume II > Part 22
USA > California > Riverside County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume II > Part 22
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SAN BERNARDINO LODGE No. 836, B. P. O. E .- This Lodge, repre- sentative largely of the fraternal life of San Bernardino, with nearly every prominent professional and business man and citizen in its mem- bership, was instituted February 26, 1903, in the old Armory Hall on Third Street, the ceremonies of installation being performed by Red- lands Lodge No. 583. Of the one hundred and six charter members forty-five are still on the active list, and thirteen have answered the last roll call. The first regular meeting of the Lodge was held March 3, 1903, in the Masonic Hall and set a standard for good fellowship that has been characteristic of this Lodge ever since. The silver loving cup presented that evening by the San Luis Obispo Lodge stands on the table in the lobby of the present club today. At the third meeting Charles C. Clusker was granted a life membership as the oldest living Elk. The Lodge participated in the first Street Fair given in San Bernardino in May, 1903. Many members attended the Elks reunion in San Diego May 29-30, 1903. From the first members of this Lodge
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have performed a leading part in the fraternal life of San Bernardino. On of their earliest activities was a minstrel show that was given with great acclaim and success during the Christmas holidays of 1903. In the meantime, after the thirteenth meeting the Lodge moved from the Masonic Hall to the Native Sons Hall and at the close of the first Lodge year twenty-three new members were added. Beginning with December 6, 1903, the first Sunday in December has been observed as Memorial Sunday. In April, 1904, the Lodge moved to its new quarters on the second floor of the Home Telephone Building. The only member who ever held the office of exalted ruler two successive terms was James Fleming, whose death, October 5, 1907, was one of the greatest losses the lodge ever suffered. He was the only member of this lodge selected for district deputy grand exalted ruler.
In January, 1907, the membership voted to acquire the Rolfe property, part of the present site, and the Club House was built and the first meeting held in the present lodge room November 20, 1908. Later an additional lot was acquired, and on it a gymnasium con- structed, affording opportunities for all kinds of exercise and indoor games. The Elks Club, with its present facilities, particularly its lunch and dinner service daily, is the gathering point of the city for social and business affairs. Its membership embraces almost every business man, official, and man of prominence in the city. The Club has property valued at between eight thousand and a hundred thousand dollars, and the Lodge is second to none in the United States for the size of its membership, which now stands at fourteen hundred. During the World war this Lodge did more than its part, not only in the payment of the taxes ordered by the Grand Lodge but individually sending one hundred and forty of its members into the ranks, and several gold stars appear on their honor roll.
One feature of the Lodge is the monthly paper, The Booster, edited by the beloved secretary of the Lodge, Major O. P. Sloat. During the war it contained many letters from service men, and at all times it has sustained a high quality of interest as well as affording all the essential news of the order.
One of the things this Lodge as well as every one of the twenty Elks Lodges in Southern California is proud of is the Elks Outpost, built by these Lodges in the Cajon Pass at the point where the Old Trails Highway entered San Bernardino. It is for the use of every Elk coming that way. An Elk through his membership card has access to all the facilities provided by the Out Post, including stoves, ovens, broilers, wood, water, and cooking utensils.
Z. T. BELL-The belief that character and force of will combined with good business acumen will bring to their fortunate possessor a fair degree of business and financial success finds a good illustration in the life and activities of Z. T. Bell, secretary-treasurer of the Home Gas Company of San Bernardino and representative citizen. No man stands higher in the business world of his home city than Mr. Bell, and he is an example of the opportunities offered to young men of ambition and the energy to realize that it lies with them whether life is a success or a failure. Mr. Bell is one of the city's most public spirited residents, and anything started for the furtherance of San Bernardino's growth and progress finds him right to the fore.
Mr. Bell was born in Cherokee, Iowa, June 30, 1874, the son of Z. R. and Angeline (Cox) Bell, both natives of Philadelphia. Z. R. Bell was farmer and a carpenter, and he died in Calaveras County, Cali-
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fornia, in 1917, aged seventy-eight. He had been a resident of California sixteen years at the time of his passing. His wife died in 1885.
Z. T. Bell was educated in the public schools of Iowa, and he was engaged in various occupations until coming to California in November, 1885. He located first in Upland, and here he also followed different lines of work until 1890. He then moved to Los Angeles and learned the plumbing trade. He came to San Bernardino to do some work for the San Bernardino Gas Company. He was with them until February 1, 1905, and was then engaged with the Home Gas Company. He steadily progressed with this company until in 1911 he was elected sec- retary-treasurer, which position he so ably holds today.
Mr. Bell was united in marriage with Minnie Moore, a daughter of C. A. Moore, of San Bernardino, in 1903. By a former marriage she has one child. Mr. Bell has a number of fraternal affiliations, being a member of the San Bernardino Lodge No. 836, B. P. O. E .; of San Bernardino Lodge No. 348, A. F. and .A. M .; of Keystone Chapter No. 56, R. A. M., San Bernardino ; of San Bernardino Commandery No. 23, Knights Templar; and of San Bernardino Valley Council No. 27, R. and S. M. He gives his political allegiance to the republican party.
HOME GAS AND LIGHTING COMPANY-The Home Gas and Lighting Company of San Bernardino, was incorporated in March, 1905, by H. E. Harris, president; H. M. Barton, vice president; W. D. Wagner, secretary-treasurer ; and Seth Hartley and Z. T. Bell, directors. The company was organized for the purpose of manufacturing and supply- ing gas to the city of San Bernardino. The capital stock was $75,000 and all the stock was owned by residents of the city. The gas was turned on July 1, 1905. The company was operated under the name first chosen until August 1, 1909, when it was sold to the San Bernardino Valley Gas Company, the officers being: J. M. Gardner, president; H. B. Dun- can, secretary-treasurer ; C. J. Hall, C. R. Harris, W. E. Alexander, directors. The company operated until May 29, 1911. On June 30, 1909, it acquired the Colton Gas Company from C. H. Chestnut of Red- lands, and also the Home Gas & Electric Company of Redlands. On December 21st it also acquired the Corona Gas & Electric Company gas plant. On May 29, 1911, the company went into the hands of a receiver and was operated until August 1, 1912, by the receiver, the Los Angeles Trust & Savings Bank. It was then sold at a receiver's sale to the cred- itors, who bid it in on August 1, 1912. It was then operated by S. J. Dubell, who represented the creditors, until August 1, 1915.
On this date it was turned over to the creditors' company the Citrus Belt Gas Company, which had been organized by the creditors on No- vember 28, 1911. At this organization the officers were: E. D. Moul- ton, of Riverside, president ; A. M. Ham, vice president; Z. T. Bell, secretary-treasurer ; and F. P. Morrison, of Redlands, director.
The present officers are : H. E. Harris, president ; Z. T. Bell, secre- tary-treasurer ; and F. P. Morrison, Wilmot Smith, O. C. Evans, George E. Snedaker, directors.
COLIN CAMPBELL OWEN, physician of San Bernardino, while he has not been a resident many years, has already commenced building up a good practice. He had opened offices here and was well established when the World war called him to the colors, and he served the country as an officer both in America and overseas.
Dr. Owen was born in Detroit, Michigan, December 8, 1890, the son of John and Jeanie (Moderwell) Owen. The father was a native
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of England who came over to Canada in 1850 and located in Stratford, remaining there a time and then removing to Toronto. In 1879 he lo- cated in Detroit. He was an artist and died in 1895. His wife was a native of Stratford, Ontario, and is now living in San Bernardino.
Dr. Owen was educated in the public and high school of Detroit, then worked in the drafting room of an iron works for two years, after which he returned to high school to prepare for college. He attended the medical department of the University of Michigan, and was grad- uated with the class of 1915. To supplement this he took a post-graduate course in the Chicago Lying-In Hospital, and from there came directly to San Bernardino to establish a practice and make it his permanent home. He practices both medicine and surgery.
He was a lieutenant in the 125th Field Artillery for one year and a half, being stationed at Camp Cody, Deming, New Mexico, from Oc- tober, 1917, to July, 1918. From there he went to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and then overseas. He was first stationed at Bordeaux for a short period and then at an artillery school at Claremont, Ferrand. About one month after the armistice was signed he returned to Camp Stewart, Vir- ginia, then to Camp Courchesne, El Paso, Texas, and was held there for ten months, receiving his discharge October 27, 1919, at San Francisco. He returned to San Bernardino and resumed his practice.
In June, 1921, Dr. Owen was appointed health officer of San Ber- nardino, which position he still holds at the time of publication. He is a member of the San Bernardino County Medical Association and of the California State Medical Association. He is roentgenologist of the Ramona Hospital, a full description of which is given elsewhere in this work. He is a member of the El Paso Lodge No. 130, A. F. and A. M., and a life member of San Bernardino Lodge No. 836, B. P. O. E., and of the San Bernardino Post No. 14, American Legion.
JOSEPH E. RICH-One of San Bernardino's solid and substantial citizen who can claim (to all Californians the one inestimable blessing) of being a native son is Joseph E. Rich, who is also a native of the city. The son of two of California's earlier pioneers, he is loyal as such sons are loyal and stands ready at all times and all places to aid in the wel- fare of state or city. It is said that the reason native Californians who are the offspring of her pioneers, so often make good by means of their own exertions is because they inherit the initiative, ambition and courage of their parents.
It is the case with Mr. Rich, for his parents certainly possessed these qualities, and they also possessed the tenacity of purpose which their son Joseph has displayed. From early manhood he has been the maker of his own fortunes, and fidelity to duty has been the keynote of his life. And life has correspondingly rewarded him, financially, profes- sionally, socially and civicly.
Mr. Rich was born in San Bernardino on December 22, 1867, the son of Jacob and Dora Rich. Both were born in Germany and came to America at an early age, locating in San Francisco in 1853. Mr. Rich died in San Bernardino in 1872 and Mrs. Rich in Chicago in 1913. They were the parents of eight children: Rebecca, deceased wife of Julius Meyerstein, of San Bernardino; Daniel D., of Portland, Oregon ; Ray, wife of Louis Newman, of Chicago, Illinois; Simon S., of Port- land, Oregon, who is married and has two children, Jesse and Eugene ; Ben B., of San Francisco; Leah L., deceased; Abe L., of San Fran- cisco; Joseph E., of San Bernardino.
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In his memoirs of "Sixty Years in Southern California," Mr. New- mark speaks of Jacob Rich coming to Los Angeles in 1853 and forming a partnership with J. P. Newmark in the dry goods and clothing bus- iness on Main and Requina streets, and of the fact that Mrs. Rich was the first Jewess to settle in Los Angeles. Prior to this time Mr. New- mark had lived at various restaurants and from all accounts the food and service must have been far from pleasing, for he particularly makes mention of the fact that he boarded with Mr. and Mrs. Rich and how glad he was that he had the opportunity. In 1855 the firm of Rich, New- mark & Company was formed, with Mr. Rich as the San Francisco rep- resentative. This continued until Mr. Rich withdrew and went into the dry goods business in San Francisco, where he remained until 1865, when he went back to Los Angeles, and after staying there a short time located in San Bernardino, opening a general merchandise business which he conducted till his death in 1872.
He was the first senior deacon of the old Masonic lodge, No. 42, chartered in Los Angeles. As comparing the difficulties of travel then and now it may be mentioned that when he brought the family down from San Francisco, by steamer, there were seven small children in the family, most of them having to sit on high stools at the table. They were nearly wrecked by a storm off San Pedro but after much diffi- culty arrived safely at their destination. Mr. Rich was very prominent in business affairs and had the respect and confidence of the entire com- munity. He often disagreed with his fellow citizens and was very out- spoken in his beliefs, but his sincerity was never doubted and he played a large part in the affairs of his chosen home. He was a strong abolition- ist and always maintained his stand on that vexed question.
Joseph E. Rich was educated in the private school of Mrs. Hicks in San Bernardino until he was twelve years of age, when he attended high school in San Francisco for four years. He then worked in a chemical laboratory in San Francisco, and during this time studied short- hand. In 1885 he returned to San Bernardino and entered the office of I. Benjamin, the official court reporter, afterwards working for Chief Engineer Fred T. Paris as stenographer for about a year. In April, 1887, Department No. 2 of the Superior Court was established and he was ap- pointed official court reporter and has held that position continuously ever since. He was appointed by Judge Henry M. Willis, and he has served under five different judges, an enviable record in these days of stress and change. From the time he was appointed court reporter he was in partnership with I. Benjamin, and this continued until Mr. Ben- jamin went to Los Angeles in 1911. For a time, as a side issue, he was a partner with John Flagg in the printing business.
Mr. Rich married in 1889 Sarah Samelson, a daughter of Lesser and Carrie Samelson, of Memphis, Tennessee. They are the parents of two children : Lester J., born in 1895 and now an electrical engineer in the employ of the Eastern Telegraph Company in England; and Ly- man S., born in 1897, and now with the Chamber of Commerce and Orange Show organizations in San Bernardino. Mr. Rich is a director of the American National Bank of San Bernardino, of the San Ber- nardino Valley Bank and of the Santa Fe Building & Loan Association. He is one of the charter members of Arrowhead Parlor, No. 110, N. S. G. W., and a member of San Bernardino Lodge No. 348, F. and A. M., also a member of the Lion's Club. He was president of the California Shorthand Reporters Association in 1921 and is a member of the Na- tional Shorthand Reporters Association. He is a member of the Board of Library Trustees and is the secretary of the board.
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Mr. Rich was a member of the Executive Committee of the First National Orange Show of San Bernardino, which was held in 1911, and he has been serving in that capacity ever since. He was the presi- dent of the Twelfth National Orange Show, which fact speaks for itself as to his executive and business ability, for it is the one project dear to the heart of every San Bernardinian.
FRANK T. BATES-One of the leaders in the group of younger attorneys of San Bernardino. Frank T. Bates has created confidence in himself during his years of practice in the city. He is to all intents and purposes a native son, for he was a very small boy when his parents brought him to California, and much of his thorough education was gained in the high school of San Bernardino, so it was natural he should decide to locate in his home city. His mastery of the law and his thorough legal acquirements, combined with his natural ability, made it easier for him to win to the top than it is for the majority of young men, who find that promotion in legal circles is very slow and all success is hardly won.
He has been the popular choice for positions of trust legally, politically and fraternally, and he has more than justified the faith of his friends. He is a young man, and the future holds much in store for him, judging from the present. He is always on the alert for anything which will promote the welfare of his home city and always ready to help in any way. Politics have claimed his attention and he is a republican in the truest sense of the word.
Mr. Bates was born in Green, Iowa, on March 1, 1883, the son of Nelson S. and Rebecca Bates, his father being a native of Pennsylvania and his mother of Illinois. Nelson Bates was a carpenter and contractor, and followed that occupation in the East, at the last devoting much time to building. He came with his family to San Bernardino in 1887, and he purchased an orange grove in Rialto and has retired, with his wife, to enjoy life. They were the parents of three children, of whom Frank T. was the eldest. The others are Daisy, who was assistant matron of the Seaside Hospital at Long Beach, and is the wife of Ira Worman, a druggist of Long Beach, and Charles H., of Los Angeles, who is with the Globe Mills as manager of the grain department.
Frank T. Bates was educated in the public schools of Rialto and in the San Bernardino High School. From there he entered Stanford Uni- versity, legal department, and was graduated with the class of 1908, with the degree of A. B. He was admitted to practice in January, 1909. He started practicing with a partner in San Bernardino, Raymond Hodge, under the firm name of Bates & Hodge, and this continued until 1913, since when he has practiced alone. He handles both civil and criminal cases and has built up a large clientele.
Mr. Bates until 1921 was secretary of the Flint Packing Company of San Bernardino. He is president of the San Bernardino Bar Association and from 1911 to 1915 was assistant district attorney. From 1915 to 1919 he was referee in bankruptcy.
He married, in 1911, Ida Rosenbeck, a daughter of George and Mary Rosenbeck, of San Bernardino. Her father is now dead, and her mother is living in Los Angeles. They are the parents of four children : Howard E. and Dorothy M., students in San Bernardino public schools; Patricia and Frank T., Jr. Fraternally Mr. Bates is connected with San Ber- nardino Lodge No. 836, B. P. O. E., with Aerie No. 506, F. O. E., the latter of which he was president in 1920. He is also a member of the Rotary Club, and, as stated, is a strong republican.
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S. B. W. McNABB-Among San Bernardino's most prominent attor- neys S. B. W. McNabb acquired a large fund of experience and knowl- edge in other lines of business and achieved success in them, as he has since in his real life work, the law. He is in the pioneer class of '87 and in thought, feeling and love for his chosen home is a Californian. He stands high in his profession and has built up a large clientele, one which is constantly increasing, doing a general law practice.
Mr. McNabb was born in Jackson County, lowa, December 18, 1868, the son of James and Mary (Hogg) McNabb, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania. His father moved to Iowa in 1846 and located on a farm, and lived there until he was sixty years old, when he came to San Bernardino and lived with his son, S. B. W. McNabb until his death in January 27, 1913. His wife died when the subject of this sketch was a baby.
Mr. McNabb was educated in the public schools of Jackson County, Iowa, and an academy at Maquoketa, Jackson County. He then learned the trade of printer from the ground up, and worked at the trade in Maquoketa and other lowa towns for several years. He decided to come to California, and 1887 saw him located in San Francisco, where he worked as a printer on the papers there. He soon left for Los Angeles, where he remained a short time, coming to San Bernardino soon and working there at his trade.
He first worked on the San Bernardino Courier, and he remained with the printing trade for many years, including seven years as foreman of the San Bernardino Sun. He worked in all the departments of the papers and was also in Riverside for one year as foreman of the Enterprise.
Mr. McNabb had studied law for two years in Iowa, and he now took up this study again, applying himself in the offices of Byron Waters and W. J. Curtis. He was admitted to the bar in January, 1909, and started practice by himself in the offices of Curtis & Curtis. At about this time W. J. Curtis retired from practice and Mr. McNabb went into partnership with Mr. Curtis, who is now superior judge. This partner- ship continued until Mr. Curtis was elected to the judgeship. Mr. McNabb practiced alone for a time, and then formed a partnership with Raymond E. Hodge, which has since continued.
He was married in 1889 to Bertha Dunlap, of San Bernardino, and they were the parents of one child, Vera, now the wife of R. N. McCloskey, of San Mateo. They have one daughter.
Mr. McNabb was united in marriage, July 16, 1916, with Alice L. Thompson, a daughter of Mrs. M. V. Thompson, of Los Angeles. They have one son, James W. Mr. McNabb holds membership in the San Bernardino Bar Association; San Bernardino Lodge No. 348, A. F. and A. M .; Keystone Chapter No. 56, R. A. M .; St. Bernard Com- mandery No. 23, K. T .; Kaaba Temple of Davenport, lowa, A. A. O. N. M. S .; San Bernardino Lodge No. 836, B. P. O. E., and the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. McNabb has the distinction of having been elected mayor of San Bernardino for the term of 1909-1911 without opposition, and again was elected to this office in 1921. In politics he is a republican, and in religious faith is affiliated with the Congregational Church.
DANIEL A. WHEELER-Although the period which the twentieth cen- tury calls western pioneer times has passed away, there are yet with us some who took an active and courageous part in the thrilling drama that resulted in the development of the vast expanse of country, the
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frontiers of which eighty years ago seemed almost beyond reach. Many of these have long maintained homes in California and few of these hardy pioneers are better known or more highly esteemed than Daniel A. Wheeler, now living in comfortable retirement at Riverside.
Daniel A. Wheeler crossed the plains to Colorado in 1860, and repeated that journey eight more times before a railroad penetrated this region. Mr. Wheeler was born in the State of New York, Feb- ruary 16, 1840. His parents were Daniel and Alvira (Morse) Wheeler, both of whom were born in Massachusetts, and, on the maternal side, of Mayflower stock. Members of both families took part in the Revo- lutionary war, and their descendants ever since have maintained and exemplified the highest ideals of Americanism.
The parents of Mr. Wheeler moved to Wisconsin in his boyhood, and there he attended the public schools. His father was a blacksmith by trade, but as the youth showed no mechanical leaning it was decided that he be given additional educational advantages in order that he be prepared for another vocation. He completed the high school course with credit and then became a student in Lawrence University at Appleton, Wisconsin. Having some inclination toward the law, he then went to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he had two years of experience as a clerk in a law office. Previously, however, he had learned a good, steady, self-supporting trade, having served an appren- ticeship in a printing office in Wisconsin, a knowledge of which later on proved helpful.
Mr. Wheeler was but twenty years old when he made his first trip across the plains, and reached Denver, Colorado, when it was little more than a mining town. He had gone into the West as a prospective miner, and during a number of years afterwards he engaged in mining. He returned then to Denver and soon found work at his trade in the office of the Black Hawk Journal in Blackhawk and later on the Central City Register in Central City, becoming an important adjunct as outside man and also on the editorial staff. His newspaper connec- tion ended when he enlisted as one of a company of brave men, one hundred strong, organizing hurridly for the protection of Denver from an anticipated Indian raid. The savages, in all probability, learned of this resolute body, for they confined their brutal attacks to helpless wagon trains in the mountains, evidences of which were found in many desolute places before the company was finally dis- banded.
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