USA > California > San Bernardino County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume II > Part 34
USA > California > Riverside County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume II > Part 34
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Congregational Church. Mr. Seager is one of the Deacons of Phoenix Lodge No. 178, Free and Accepted Masons, a member of the Royal Arch Chapter and Council, is a past council commander of the Woodmen of the World and a member of San Bernardino Lodge No. 836, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
April 29, 1912, at Sierra Madre, he married Miss Helen H. Peterson, daughter of his partner in business, Oscar A. Peterson. Their two children are Jane Harriet, born in 1913, and Donald Barstow, born in 1920.
ROY STRUBLE GIBBS, physician of San Bernardino, has firmly estab- lished himself in the front ranks of the practitioners of that city where practically his entire professional life has been spent. He came to San Bernardino February 3, 1903, and has since built up a fine practice and drawn to himself hosts of friends appreciative not only of his ministrations to their physical ills but of his many sterling qualities.
Dr. Gibbs was born in Ithaca, New York, February 15, 1870, son of Wesley Davidson and Nettie Struble (Learn) Gibbs. Both father and mother were natives of New York State. His father was a musician and engaged in the music business. In the year 1879 he moved with his family to California, sojourning for a few months in San Francisco but early in 1880 moving on to Los Angeles. Early in 1881 he decided to try the wilds of pioneering life in San Diego County. He remained here until 1892, when he returned to Los Angeles on account of higher educa- tional advantages. He finely moved to Pasadena, where he died in 1908. Dr. Gibb's mother is now living in San Bernardino.
The early education of Dr. Gibbs was secured in the public schools of Los Angeles and San Diego, with a two year course in the Los Angeles Baptist Academy. He graduated from the Los Angeles High School and then studied in the medical department of the University of Southern California. He was graduated from this with the class of 1901, with the degree M. D.
His initiatory practice was obtained in Shasta County, but he stayed there only a year and a half, coming directly from there to San Bernar- dino, where he has since been in active and successful practice. Dr. Gibbs also took a post graduate course in the Chicago Polyclinic.
He married in 1902 Florence Owen, a daughter of W. H. Owen, of Warsaw, New York. They are the parents of four children: Elma, Leila, Vera and Owen. The first three are students in the San Bernardino High School. in classes, respectively, 1922, 1923 and 1925. Owen will enter high school in 1924.
Dr. Gibbs is a member of the San Bernardino County Medical Society, the California State Medical Society, the Southern California Medical Association and the American Medical Association. He was a member of the staff of the County Hospital after the completion of the present building until the management went into the hands of a superintendent. He is a member of the Fraternal Brotherhood, the Knights and Ladies of Security and the Yoeman, and is a director of the Young Men's Christian Association. Dr. Gibbs is a deacon of the First Baptist Church. In politics he is independent.
WILLIAM H. POLKINGHORN, a Riverside business man with extensive interests, is doubless better known for his active relationship with num- erous movements and enterprises affecting the general welfare of insti- tutional life of this city.
He has been a resident of Riverside over twenty years. He was born in Cornwall, England, September 10, 1870, son of William H. and
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Elizabeth Polkinghorn. Until he was eleven years of age he attended public school ir. his native country. After that he lived with an uncle, a veterinary surgeon, who taught him the handling of horses and the breaking of colts, and he acquired an expert skill in this work. When he left his uncle's employ at the age of fifteen he came to Canada and for eighteen months was employed in breaking colts at Moncton. He then moved to Holbrook, Massachusetts, served an apprenticeship as a shoe cutter, and for a number of years worked as a journeyman.
Mr. Polkinghorn came with his family to Riverside in 1900. He began with the Boston Shoe Company as a clerk, and was vice president of the company when he left to join the firm of Backstrand & Grout. and was manager of its shoe department from May, 1907, until January, 1911. Mr. Polkinghorn resigned his business office to take up his duties as public administrator, an office he filled until 1917, and altogether performed the duties of that position for eight years. All familiar with the record of his office unite in commending him for the special care and fidelity with which he handled probate and guardian matters. Mr. Polk- inghorn is honest, capable and enjoys the highest esteem both in public and private life.
He is one of the prominent members of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the two largest branches of that order in California being located at Riverside. He is a past noble grand of Lodge No. 282, he is a member of the Grand Lodge, past chief patriarch of Encampment No. 73, and has filled all the chairs of the Encampment, and for a num- ber of years has been on one of the committees and at present is a member of the Committee State of the order. He is secretary of the Local Sons of St. George and a past grand president of the Pacific Coast Jurisdiction, comprising California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia, and a member of the Supreme Lodge of the order. Other fraternal can- nections are with the Masonic Lodge, and Woodmen of the World.
Mr. Polkinghorn is a member of the Orange Growers Exchange. He is a republican who has worked for the best interests of the county and has attended state and county conventions as a delegate. He has served on various committees of the Chamber of Commerce and was a member of the Business Men's Association. His life in every respect has proved worthy of emulation and has been a source of leadership and effective influence to the people of Riverside. One important avenue through which he has done good was as secretary and treasurer of the Brotherhood Congregation. He is a member of the Christian Church and vice president of the Bassett Bible Class of that church.
Mr. Polkinghorn is the elected delegate from the Sons of St. George to the newly created "Town Council" of Riverside, which held its first meeting September 30, 1921. This is an organization composed of dele- gates from all fraternal organizations, which takes up and discusses all questions of civic importance presented by its members. The "Council" is an advisory organization to the proper authorities, which presents to city or county any matter affirmatively acted on by the "Town Council."
At Holbrook, Massachusetts, February 22, 1892, Mr. Polkinghorn married Miss Amy F. Blanchard. They have seven children. The oldest is Harold, with an interesting record as a soldier. He was trained at Camp Lewis, Washington, went overseas with the 91st Division as Ser- geant of Company M in the 364th Regiment, participated in some of the battles of the Argonne, was on the Belgium front, and after being badly gassed was taken to a British hospital in France and returned home with his company to St. Mary's Hospital at Hoboken, and later was transferred to Letterman's Hospital at San Francisco. He was finally
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discharged. He married Hazel Balyntine, a native of Indiana and daughter of the late John Balyntine. The younger children of Mr. and Mrs. Polkinghorn are: Frank. member of the class of 1922 of the Uni- versity of California ; Florence, teaching domestic science and art at the Wasco High School, Kern County ; Grace, a student in missionary work at the Los Angeles Bible Institute: Rhoda, a graduate of 1921 from the Riverside High School, now, at the Southern Branch University, Los Angeles ; Elizabeth, a student in the Girls High School, class of 1924; and Margaret, Lowell School student.
CAPTAIN JOHN A. HADALLER. Like all men who experienced active service with the American Expeditionary Forces in France, Captain Hadaller, now a practicing attorney at San Bernardino, had many exciting experiences but welcomed the day when he could once more resume his home life and pick up broken threads of his business career. His service as a soldier is properly credited to San Bernardino County, since he had been practicing law here for several years before the war. But he has to his credit also, a previous record as a soldier in the Philippines with the Regular Army.
Captain Hadaller began the real battle of life in his boyhood days when he had to oppose the wish of an uncle who desired him to engage in the carpenter's trade after he had finished his primary education. The boy, to make his desire effective for a better education, ran away from home, worked his way through college, and earned every dollar needed for college expenses. The determination and self reliance thus acquired has served him well at every subsequent issue of his life.
Captain Hadaller was born near Sigel, in Shelby County, Illinois, October 19, 1880, son of Joseph E. and Catherine (Neumeyer ) Hadaller. His mother was born at Leroy, Dodge County, Wisconsin, of Bavarian ancestry, and died soon after the birth of her son John. Joseph E. Hadal- ler was born in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, son of Mathias Hadaller, a Bavarian who settled in Pennsylvania on coming to America, in 1848. Joseph E. Hadaller was a farmer and mechanic for many years, enjoyed much prominence during his residence at the little town of Sigel, serving as president of the Board of Trustees and mayor. He is now leading a retired life at Granite City, Illinois.
John A. Hadaller acquired his primary education in the parochial school at Sigel. The college course he earned was in St. Joseph College at Teutopolis, Effingham County, Illinois, where he graduated in 1902 with the A. B. degree. Soon after leaving college he enlisted in the United States Cavalry, Troop B, Fourth Cavalry, and served an enlistment of three years. Two and a half years, from 1905 to 1908, he was in the Philippine Islands. During his second year in the army he qualified as an expert rifleman and expert horseman. His army record was practi- cally free from demerits and contained a number of marks of special proficiency and faithfulness.
When he left the army he took immediate steps to qualify himself for the law, attending the law school of the University of Missouri, where he was graduated with the LL.B. degree in 1911. The following year he taught school at Portland, Oregon, was principal of schools at LeGrande in that state during an interim semester, and also engaged in journalism, being a member of the editorial staff of the LeGrande Evening Observer for a year and a half.
Captain Hadaller located at San Bernardino in the fall of 1914, and soon had gained recognition as an able counsellor. In the early months of the war with Germany he offered his services, attended the Second
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Officers Training Camp at The Presidio in San Francisco from August 24 to November 27, 1917, and was commissioned a first lieutenant of Field Artillery. January 15, 1918, he sailed for France, landing in Liver- pool and crossing the channel from Southampton to LaHavre. He was given special instruction in the French Artillery School at Saumur from February 2 to April 29th. His first active duty was on the French front, northeast of Nancy, with the 58th French Division, where for seventeen days he was in the fighting zone. He was next transferred to the Rail- road Artillery Division at Haussimont Meurthey Moselle, then transferred to the motor tractor school at Vincennes, and again returned to the rail- road artillery at Haussimont, where he was employed in training troops. While at Haussimont he had the novel and exciting privilege of going up with a British aviator and witnessing as an aerial spectator the battle of Chateau Thierry. From Haussimont he was transferred to Saint Sulpice near Libourne in the Province of Giroude, where he became com- mander of Company B, 54th Ammunition Train of the American Expedi- tionary Forces. During the San Mihiel drive, owing to his fluent com- mand of the German language, he was transferred to the Intelligence Bureau of the General Staff, receiving training as an intelligence officer at the American Military University at Langres. On completing the course he was transferred as an intelligence officer to the Seventh Division, with headquarters at Thiaucourt.
Following the armistice Captain Hadaller lived at a place called Villers-en-haye, and was treated for chronic appendicitis in the hospital at Toul. Thence he was removed to Bordeaux, thence to East View, New York, and finally to the Letterman General Hospital at The Presidio, San Francisco. His commission as captain dates from November 13, 1919. He was honorably discharged June 29, 1919.
Since returning to San Bernardino Captain Hadaller has been employed in a growing general practice as a lawyer, and has been associated more or less actively with C. C. Haskell. He is a democrat in politics and has been party candidate for superior judge and was defeated by a small majority for the office of mayor. Captain Hadaller owns some interests in the California oil fields.
He is a member of the American Legion, is a Catholic and is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. March 1, 1916, at San Bernardino, he married Miss Emma Bern- hardt Pattee, a native of Ohio. They have a daughter Ruth Catherine, born October 19, 1916. Captain Hallader was also born on October 19th, in the year 1880.
HENRY F. AHNEFELDT conducts a prosperous dairy business and is also a successful alfalfa grower at Riverside. He was born in Michigan, December 11, 1862, a son of August and Faith (Elston) Ahnefeldt, the former a native of Germany and the latter of England. August Ahnefeldt was fifteen years old when he came to America, and first located in Canada. He came to Michigan while the Civil war was in progress, and eventually became superintendent of a saw mill at Muskegon, that state. He was long numbered among the substantial citizens of Muskegon and served as a member of the City Council. After his death his widow finally came to California, and here she died in the year 1908.
After his graduation from the high school at Muskegon Henry F. Ahnefeldt entered the University of Michigan, where he continued his studies until he was called home by the death of his sister. For five years thereafter he was bookkeeper for the lumber firm of Hackley & Hume of Muskegon, and the next fifteen years found him in similar
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service in the employ of Delos A. Blodgett, of Grand Rapids, who was at that time the largest lumber operator in Michigan. Mr. Ahnefeldt was connected with the lumber industry the greater part of his life until coming to California, and for eight years he operated a saw mill owned by Ira Carley at Ingalls, Michigan. In 1908 he came to California, and after passing a few months in Los Angeles he purchased a fifteen-acre alfalfa ranch on Jurpa Avenue, Riverside. Within a short time he dis- posed of this property and purchased his present attractive and well improved little dairy and alfalfa ranch of 121/2 acres at 382 Santa Ana Street. In his prosperous dairy enterprise he keeps about twenty-nine milch cows and, in Riverside he finds ready demand for his dairy products. Mr. Ahnefeldt succeeded in 1920 Reese Powell as president of the Alma Water Company. He is a member of the Riverside Chamber of Commerce, is liberal and progressive as a citizen, and gives his political support to the republican party.
At Muskegon, Michigan, December 23, 1890, Mr. Ahnefeldt wedded Rena A. Cook, a native of that city and a daughter of the late George H. Cook, who was there engaged in the harness and saddlery business. The Cook family is of Revolutionary prestige and English origin, and the paternal grandfather, Mr. Ahnefeldt, as well as a great-grandfather in the same line, were clergymen of the Universalist Church. Of the two children of Mr. and Mrs. Ahnefeldt the daughter, Elizabeth, is a member of the class of 1924 in the Riverside High School. The son, Ray C., who died October 9, 1918, at the age of twenty-six years, was at the time in service as a lieutenant in the Engineering Corps at Camp A. A. Humphreys, he having died just about the time that his com- pany received orders to go forth for active service overseas in the great World war. Ray C. Ahnefeldt was graduated from the Riverside High School, class of 1911, and for three years was associated with his father's dairy business. He then entered the School of Mines at Socorro, New Mexico, where he completed a five-year course, defrayed his own expenses in the meantime, and made a record in mathematics that has had only one equal in the history of that institution, from which he received the degrees of Civil Engineer and Mining Engineer. He enlisted for service in the World war at Fort Worth, Texas, five months before the close of his school work, but was permitted to finish and receive his degrees, after which he was called to Camp Lee, Virginia, O. T. C. The death of this ambitious and popular young man was a severe blow not only to his immediate family but also to many friends whom he had drawn about him by his bouyant and generous nature and sterling attri- butes of character.
E. P. CLARKE, editor of the Daily Press of Riverside, is one of the most representative men of Southern California, and in addition to holding his responsible position on the Daily Press, has discharged the duties of a number of important offices, and has proved himself in every way worthy of the confidence placed in him and his capabilities. He was born at Alna, Maine, in 1859, and educated at Kents Hill Seminary in Maine and the Wesleyan University at Middletown, Connecticut.
Immediately following his graduation from the latter institution, in 1885, he secured employment on the United States geological survey. After a few months, late in that same year, he, with his brother, A. F. Clarke, came to California and founded the Ontario Record, and while editing that paper he also taught for one year in Chaffey College, Ontario. California, and served for three years as a member of the Board of Education of San Bernardino County. In 1894 he acquired an interest in
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the Riverside Daily Press and moved to this city, which has continued to be his home ever since. From 1896 to the present day he has been the editor of the Daily Press, and his broad-minded policies and clear, convincing English have made his organ one of influence in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Mr. Clarke has not confined his efforts to his paper, important as that work has been, but has been ready and willing to do his part as a public-spirited citizen whenever the occasion arose. From 1897 to 1913 he served on the Board of Managers of the Southern California Hospital, and the greater part of that time was its chairman, but resigned in 1913 to accept the appointment to membership on the State Board of Edu- cation, and since 1915 has been its president. For some years he was president of the Riverside Chamber of Commerce and the Riverside Young Men's Christian Association. In 1912 he was a delegate to the Methodist General Conference held at Minneapolis, Minnesota. His influence in newspaper circles has been felt all over the state, and he was instrumental in securing the organization of the dailies of Southern Cali- fornia into an association, and has served as its president. In 1920 he was honored by Governor Stephens, who appointed him to represent California at the citizens educational conference at Washington City. During the late war he served as a member of the executive committee of the Riverside War Relief Council, and gave a number of travel talks for the Young Men's Christian Association at March Field and Camp Kearney. For a number of years Mr. Clarke has been a contributor to the Sunset Magazine and the Pacific Monthly, and is in demand as a speaker before educational gatherings. Since 1918 he has been a trustee of the Southern California University, and is very much interested in the progress of this institution. The above gives in brief some of his work in behalf of the interests of his home city, county and state, but it in no measure tells the whole story. His conception of service is so high and is so closely interwoven with his every action that his entire life is a series of good and constructive deeds which result in lasting benefit to a wide circle.
The Riverside Daily Press was established June 29, 1878, and the first copy was issued from a little wooden building on the east side of Main Street, between Eighth and Ninth streets. The paper carried 150 subscriptions on its list, and James H. Roe wrote the first copy, being assisted by E. W. Holmes and Dr. John Hall. Mr. Roe had his editorial desk in a drug store, but he was interested in ranching, he and his wife having come to Riverside County in 1873 and located on their ranch in its vicinity.
L. C. Waite, Dr. Shugurt, Mr. Bixler, the Burt brothers, and Lyon & Rosenthal all urged Mr. Roe to start a weekly, desiring to have an organ in which to make known the possibilities of this region. Riverside was then only a frontier village of 1,200. The census of 1880 gives this territory, including Riverside, a population of 1,358. The people were then experimenting with grapes and apricots, and discussing varieties of oranges. All of these matters were taken up by the Press, and a beet sugar factory was one of the improvements most strongly urged. The paper grew, and June 9, 1885, was changed to a tri-weekly, and to a daily on June 10, 1896. The wekly under the name of the Press and Horticulturist, was continued to the end of 1904. Among the earlier editors of the Press were James H. Roe, L. M. Holt, E. W. Holmes, and E. P. Clarke was president for twenty-five years of the Press Printing Company, and is still in office. H. W. Hammond is vice president ; Vol. 11-16
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A. A. Piddington, secretary ; A. F. Clarke, treasurer ; and Mrs. Maude T. Hammond, director.
The pioneer editor, as above stated, was James H. Roe, and he was also the proprietor. His successors, M. V. Sweesey and Robert Horn- beck, had possession for but a short time. In the meanwhile, in 1883, J. A. and William Studebaker had started a weekly paper known as the Valley Echo. This was consolidated with the Riverside Independent in 1884 and in 1886 purchased by James H. Roe, and later he associated with himself in its management R. H. Pierson. In 1888 these gentlemen invited E. W. Holmes to enter into partnership with them in the pur- chase of the Daily Press, and after the consolidation of these papers the editorship was given over to Mr. Holmes. Still later they purchased the Globe, another publication, and the following year Mr. Roe sold his interests to his partners, who continued to conduct the business for seven years. Upon the death of Mr. Pierson his interest was purchased by E. P. Clarke and A. F. Clarke who, in the following year bought out Mr. Holmes and organized the Press Printing Company, composed of themselves, J. P. Baumgartner, H. H. Monroe and A. A. Piddington. The Reflex, a society and local weekly, published for some two or three years by Mr. Baumgartner was absorbed, and the new corps built up a business in keeping with the growth of the city and county. Mr. Monroe and Mr. Baumgartner sold their interests later on, and their places were filled by H. W. Hammond and Mrs. E. P. Clarke. This is easily the leading newspaper of Riverside County, as it is also the oldest, and it is very representative of this region. The officials are numbered among the leading people of the city and county, and not only are efficient but imbued with local pride and enthusiasm for what they properly regard as the Garden Spot of the World, to which they are constantly attracting attention and bringing in outside capital and permanent residents.
FRANK H. WELLS -- Among the younger business men of Riverside some of the heaviest burdens are carried by Frank H. Wells, who came West fresh from his college career and is one of the leading executive officials of the Riverside Abstract Company and the Title Insurance Company of Riverside, and other financial and business organizations.
Mr. Wells was born in Downs, Osborn County, Kansas, March 27, 1890, son of John Calvin and Virginia (Jesse) Wells. His father is living retired at Sunset, Arizona. His mother passed away in the month of February, 1920. Both represented old Southern families.
Frank H. Wells was educated in the public schools of Ohio, and graduated A. B. from the Ohio State University in 1908. Immediately following his graduation he came to California. In April, 1911, he bought an interest in the Union Title and Abstract Company, which had just been organized, and was its secretary and later its vice president. In 1917 hie and his associates bought the interest of Raymond Best in the Riverside Abstract Company, and with the consolidation of the two companies under the name of the Riverside Abstract Company he was elected vice president. He also became vice president of the Title In- surance Company of Riverside when it was organized in 1920. He is vice president of the Riverside Mortgage Company, and vice president of the Union Securities Company.
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