USA > California > San Bernardino County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume II > Part 35
USA > California > Riverside County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume II > Part 35
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Mr. Wells is a member and treasurer of the Kiwanis Club, and a member of the Present Day Club and the Chamber of Commerce. He is affiliated with the Royal Arch Masons, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Junior Order United American Mechanics, Phi Delta Theta, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
4. O. Wells
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October 3, 1912, at Riverside, he married Katherine Anna Hansen, a native daughter of California. Her father and mother, Hans and Mary Hansen, are pioneers of Riverside County, engaged in ranching in the Glen Avon section. The two children of Mr. and Mrs. Wells are John Calvin and Virginia Mary Wells.
R. W. MACGILLIVRAY. A resident of San Bernardino since 1886, R. W. MacGillivray has made himself known throughout the district as a buisness man of progressive ideas and honorable principles, and be more than merits the high esteem in which he is held by his friends and associates. His personal popularity is as great as his business rating is sound, and his friends are of the "stick fast" variety. On several occasions business has taken Mr. MacGillivray to other cities, but he has always returned as soon as possible and for twenty years he has conducted his business in San Bernardino continuously.
He is by birth a Canadian, and was born at Smith Falls, Ontario, November 1, 1866, the son of Alexander MacGillivray, who was a native of Scotland and came to Canada when a boy, locating at Smith Falls. From this point he went to the gold mines in Australia, but after a few years there returned to Smith Falls and purchased a farm. He followed the occupation of farming until just before his death. He had just sold out all his holdings and was preparing to come to California when he died suddenly, in 1889. His wife was Elizabeth Brown, a native of Scotland, who went to Smiths Falls with her parents when a child. She died in Riverside November 22, 1918. They were the parents of five children : E. A., of Los Angeles, who is a contractor and builder of gas plants and has built the majority of the gas plants in the district for the past twenty years; G. B., in the hardware business in Riverside ; Minnie, wife of J. T. Connerty, of Smiths Falls, Ontario; one brother deceased ; and R. W.
R. W. MacGillivray was educated in the public schools of Smiths Falls and then learned the trade of harness maker, following that occupation as a journeyman in Ontario for five years. In 1886 he came to California and located at San Bernardino. Here he went to work as a journeyman and also worked in Stockton, San Jose and Pasadena at various times until 1900. In that year he opened his present industry of harness making, agricultural implements, wagons and buggies, and has continued in it ever since that time, and while the auto has made serious inroads upon the business in some places he manages to get all the trade in his line that could be expected. He has a fine orange grove of ten acres in the Rialto district. He takes great interest in all civic affairs and is a director in the California State Bank of San Bernardino.
He was united in marriage in 1907 with May Haws, a daughter of Marion Haws, of San Bernardino. Mr. MacGillivray participates in the activities of the prominent fraternal associations and is a member of San Bernardino Lodge No. 348, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons ; Keystone Chapter No. 56, Royal Arch Mason ; St. Bernard Commandery No. 23, Knight Templars; Al Malaikah Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S .: of the Knights of Pythias ; and the Rotary Club. Politically he adheres to the principals of the republican party. He at present occupies the position of city water commissioner.
ARTHUR PALMER, pioneer citizen of San Bernardino and the son of a pioneer, was a young boy when brought to California by his parents. but considers himself a Californian, which he is by virtue of his loyalty and love for his adopted home. He has served the people in public
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office faithfully and in fraternal circles no one stands higher, for he has occupied for many years high positions in various secret orders.
In his younger days, Mr. Palmer pursued successfully different lines of business but for many years he has been in the insurance business and is regarded as second to none in that line of business in the county. He has lent aid to the development of the city, and his well directed enterprises and great faith in the future of the city has been an encourage- ment to others.
Mr. Palmer was born near Ridgeway, Kansas, July 27, 1858, the son of S. E. A. and Ann J. (Gilpatrick) Palmer. His father was a native of Pennsylvania, who moved to Kansas in 1855 and was married there. he was a farmer and stockraiser by occupation. He located later in Auburn, where he went into the merchadising business. At this time the subject of this sketch was a baby. Later Mr. Palmer came to California, landing first in San Francisco, but he only stayed there a short time, moving down to San Diego. That was not what he was looking for, however, and he only remained there six weeks, coming to San Bernardino in July, 1873. The city owes him a debt of gratitude, for he established the first deciduous fruit nursery in the county and of it he made a complete success. At the same time he engaged in the raising of fruit about three miles northwest of San Bernardino. He died in 1911 and his wife in 1910. They were the parents of six sons; James R., a pump manufacturer of Los Angeles; E. D., a rancher of San Bernardino; L. D., who has been a mail carrier in San Bernardino for twenty-five years; C. E., of San Bernardino; F. F., a rancher of San Bernardino, and Arthur, the subject of this sketch.
Arthur Palmer attended public school in Auburn, Kansas, and after coming to California was on his father's ranch for two years and then was engaged in driving cattle on the plains for seven years. For twelve years he was in the lumber business in San Bernardino and for the ensuing twelve years he acted as deputy assessor. For the past twenty- five years he has been engaged in the insurance business, carrying this on in connection with his other occupations, but for the past twelve years he has been engaged exclusively in this line and has built up a very fine business.
The marriage of Mr. Palmer took place in 1889, and it united him with Jennie Avery, a daughter of D. S. Avery, of Allen, Kansas. She died in 1910, leaving one daughter, Helen, now at home.
Mr. Palmer is an active member of many fraternal organizations, affiliating with Phoenix Lodge No. 178, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of San Bernardino; and San Bernardino Lodge No. 290, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows; Morse Encampment No. 51; Valley Lodge No. 27, Knights of Pythias, and has been its secretary for thirty years and has also filled all the offices in the lodge. He is a member of Al Tir Sar Temple, D. O. K. K., and has been its secretary since its organization in 1916. He is a republican in politics.
CLAUDE HARMON LASHLEE, M. D., of San Bernardino, is one of the citizens who missed by a small fraction of time being a native Californian, but to all intents and purposes he is one. He spent his childhood not far from the scene of his present environment, and acquired his extensive and complete medical education under the tutelage of California's most skilled instructors. His general preparation for his life work was most comprehensive and his years of practice have added much to his mental equipment. He neglects no opportunity for advance-
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ment and improvement through the various avenues always open to the receptive physician.
Dr. Lashlee was born in Palmyra, Nebraska, February 29, 1880. He is the son of Horace and Nellie ( Harmon) Lashlee, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of Nebraska. Horace Lashlee was a physician and practiced in Nebraska until he came to California and located in Murrietta, Riverside County. He continued his practice in that place until 1910, when he retired. They were the parents of three children : Blanche, wife of Roy Hoagland, of Los Angeles; Ralph, manager of the Sunset Phone Company in Santa Barbara; and Claude Harmon, of San Bernardino.
Dr. Lahslee early determined to follow in his father's professional footsteps, and no doubt much of his success is due to the knowledge with which he was unconsciously imbued all his young life. He was educated in the public schools of Murrietta and the high school in Red- lands. He went from there to the University of California and was graduated in the class of 1902 with the degree of A. B. He at once entered the Hahnemann Medical College of the Pacific (now affiliated with the University of California), and he graduated from there with the class of 1904. To supplement his comprehensive theoretical and general preparation for his life work he acted as interne in that city and county hospital of San Francisco for eighteen months.
In 1905 Dr. Lashlee returned to his home district and started the practice of his profession, in which he was thoroughly successful; but in 1912 he moved to San Bernardino and has been in continuous practice there ever since. While he does a general practice he has made a specialty of anesthetics, in which he is equalled by few.
Dr. Lashlee was united in wedlock in December, 1915, with Norah S. McCall, of Oakland, California, and they have two children: Nellie May and Neal Albert. In his fraternal relations Dr. Lashlee is a member of the Masonic orders, the Blue Lodge and Chapter of Redlands and is also a life member and a past exalted ruler of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is a life member and past worthy president of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. Professionally he is a member of the American Institute of Homeopathy, the Southern California State Hom- eopathy Society and the California State Homeopathy Society. In politics he is a democrat.
HOWARD SURR, attorney of San Bernardino, has made a place for himself in the life of the city, both as an exponent of the law and as a citizen, which is an enviable one. While he was born in England, he came to this state when a boy and is a real California enthusiast.
The parents of Mr. Surr were Joseph and Elizabeth (Grabham) Surr, and he was born in London, England, April 10, 1869. His father was a native of England, also born in London, while his mother was a native of Rochford, a town near London. Joseph Surr was a silk manufacturer and merchant who retired from business in 1884 and came to the United States. He located in San Diego May 21 of the same year. He again entered business, this time as a commission mer- chant, but after a few years retired again, remaining in San Diego until his death in October, 1905. His wife died in San Diego in 1901.
Mr. Surr was educated in the schools of London until he came to America, when he went on ranches his father had purchased near Witch Creek and Miramar. He remained on them until March, 1892, when he went to Chicago to the World's Fair, staying there until October, 1895. While there he worked in the office of a large manufacturer.
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Returning to San Diego, Mr. Surr entered the office of the Coronado Beach Company and afterward was head bookkeeper of the Coronada Beach Hotel. This position he resigned in 1899 and went to San Francisco, where he studied law in the office of Bigelow & Titus. Judge J. A. Gibson, formerly of San Bernardino, had moved to Los Angeles and he invited Mr. Surr to come to that city and finish his reading with his firm, Bicknell, Gibson & Trask. Mr. Surr accepted the offer and was admitted to the bar in Los Angeles in October, 1900. After his admittance he came to San Bernardino, where lie started in the practice of law with Otis & Gregg, but he was soon offered a place in Judge Gibson's office. Immediately Otis & Gregg offered him a partnership which he decided to accept, and on January 1, 1903, the firm name changed to Otis, Gregg & Surr. In 1906 Mr. Otis died and the firm was Gregg & Surr until July 13, 1907, when Mr. Gregg retired and moved to Los Angeles. Mr. Surr then formed a partnership with F. A. Leonard, which firm subsequently became Leonard, Surr and Hellyer, and this association has since continued.
The firm is second to none in importance and has built up a large and ever increasing clientele. Among the companies for which they are attorneys are : The Citizens Land & Water Company of Bloomington ; the Etiwanda Water Company; The Rialto Irrigation District; The Muscoy Water Company; The South Mesa Water Company; The Western Heights Water Company ; The Yucaipa Water Company No. 1; The Arrowhead Reservoir & Power Company; and of various banks and numerous other corporations.
Mr. Surr married in July, 1903, Jennie Drew, a daughter of Edred Drew, of Ontario. She died in March, 1906, leaving one child, Elizabeth. In April, 1918, Mr. Surr married Elizabeth Munroe, a native of England and a daughter of an English clergyman. Mrs. Surr was for many years a resident of San Bernardino prior to her marriage. Mr. Surr is a member of San Bernardino Lodge No. 348 Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and of San Bernardino Lodge No. 836, Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks. He is a republican in political faith, and is a member of the Episcopal Church.
AARON ASBURY Cox-One of San Bernardino's early settlers, Aaron Asbury Cox was also one of the leading practical horticulturists of the county, for although he was born and educated in the East and saw quite a little of the pioneering in farming in Colorado, he was not in his adopted home long before he took up the growing of oranges. In this he was more than successful, and later he added the packing of the golden fruit, building a packing plant of his own first, then being the chief promotor and stockholder in the Rialto Packing House and having many hundreds of acres of fruit under his jurisdiction in packing and shipping. When he passed away he was the president of the com- pany.
Mr. Cox was born on a farm, reared on one and naturally his plans and ambitions were all in that direction from early boyhood. His birth took place on September 11, 1860, at Vernon, Illinois. His father, John Cox, was a native of Ohio and while he was a farmer he was also the very capable sheriff of Fayette County at one time.
Mr. Cox was educated in the public schools of Vernon, Illinois, afterward assisting his father on the home farm. When he went out in the world to make his own future he located in Central Illinois and followed farming for a few years, but, deciding to come West, he located in Burlington, Colorado, during the early settlement of that country. He took up a claim and started farming, proving up on it and
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FAMILY OF AARON ASBURY COX
Top Row-CLIFFORD B. COX
ROY COX HAROLD D. COX DONALD A. COX
Bottom Row-AARON A. COX
MRS. ROSA D. COX
MISS MABEL L. COX
WILLIAM LAWRENCE COX MRS. DORIS G. (COX) WILLITS
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living there for a time. In 1888 he determined to move to California and make his home there if conditions were favorable, and this he did, locating in San Bernardino in 1888. He came here primarily to see a brother and uncle who had located there, but he lost no time adopting . it for a permanent home.
For a year he followed various occupations and then went on the Judge Curtis place and worked this ranch for a time and then he pur- chased a home place of over twenty acres. He started in to actively develop it and soon had apricots, peaches and alfalfa planted. Later he put fifteen acres in oranges and made his home ranch a beautiful place, a producing home. He sold this place in 1903. He then bought the old Morris place, tearing down the old building in 1916 and building the present beautiful home on Mt. Vernon Avenue. It is one of the most attractive residence homes in the city.
Mr. Cox owned other orange groves in the Mt. Vernon district which are still in the possession of the family. He turned his attention to the packing business, and was a director of the Rialto Packing House, hav- ing previously built a packing house of his own. When he passed away on January 23, 1920, he was president of the Rialto Packing House. He was always deeply interested in experimental research in the citrus indus- try and he was always successful in his growing and in his packing. He did not allow his horticultural pursuits to lesson his interest in his adopted city, for, while a man of worth and ability, he never became actively identified with its business interests, yet he was a more than loyal citizen and always eager to do his part in its advancement, public spirited always. He filled a niche in the civic, fraternal, social life of San Bernardino which will be hard indeed to fill.
Mr. Cox was a member of the Woodmen of the World and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In political belief he was a demo- crat. He married in 1886 Rosa Dunham, a native of Lincoln, Illinois. and a daughter of William Dunham, a farmer of that state. Mr. and Mrs. Cox were the parents of five boys and two girls. Miss Mabel Lucille Cox, a graduate of Stanford University, residing at home. Har- old Dunham Cox, a rancher of San Bernardino. He married Hattie Brown. They have four children, Rose Elizabeth, Roy Aaron, Phillis Adele and Jean Louise. William Lawrence Cox, a horticulturist of San Bernardino, married Esther Evelyn Pearson. They have two children, Dorothy Evelyn and Katherine Doris. Roy, an orchardist of San Ber- nardino, married Florence Woodhouse. They have two children, Roy Darnell and Glen Wilgus. Clifford Bryan Cox is the manager of the packing houses. Donald Aaron Cox is the sixth child. Doris Geraldine is the wife of James S. Willits, of Roseville. They have one daughter, Doris. Three of the sons, Roy, Clifford and Donald, took part in the World War. Roy trained at Camp Lewis, was made a corporal and went overseas with the 71st Division. He lost a leg in the battle of the Argonne. Clifford trained in Camp Kearney, was a corporal and went overseas with the 40th Division. He was in France with his Company until the signing of the armistice. Donald enlisted in the navy, trained at San Pedro and was assigned to San Francisco.
MADISON T. AMos, senior member of the live wire real estate firm of Amos Brothers in San Bernardino, while he has not been a bona fide resident of the city for very many years, for a long period of time previous to actually locating in the city made it his headquarters. He transacted considerable business there, and, intending always to make it his home, purchased different properties. Ever since he entered the business world he has made his presence distinctly felt. With his
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brother James C. Amos he has established a firm which maintains a Class A reputation as a brace of "go getters" not only in the handling of real estate but in that infintely harder proposition, mining. There seems to be no limiting the firm's activities, and Mr. Amos seems to possess the real Midas touch. The firm is a distinct asset to the business, social and fraternal circles of San Bernardino. They have been pioneers in many lines of mining and real estate, and are continually surprising the stand patters with their forays into new fields, but they always, in popular parlance, "bring home the bacon."
Madison T. Amos was born in Randolph County, Alabama, April 18, 1868, the son of Able L. and Narcisse (Morgan) Amos, both natives of Alabama. The family is an old one in that district, the grandfather having had a trading post with the Creek Indians, and they came from Revolutionary stock of Scotch-English descent. Able L. Amos was born in 1837 and was a planter all his life. He served throughout the war of the states, and at one time was badly wounded, pierced through by a minie ball. He died in 1894 in Waco, Texas. He was a democrat in politics.
The family moved to Waco, Texas, and there Madison T. Amos was educated in the public schools and afterward attended Hill's Business College. After that he assisted his father in running the family ranch of six hundred and forty acres, which was well stocked with cattle.
In March, 1902, he came to California, landing first in San Bernardino. He started mining in Death Valley, making his headquarters in Sandy, Nevada. He mined there and at Silver Lake for six years, and moved to San Bernardino in July, 1911. Prior to that year, however, he had done considerable business in San Bernardino and had purchased various properties.
Mr. Amos started in the real estate business and also handled mining interests, and has continued in that line ever since, with his brother, James C. Amos forming the now well known firm of Amos Brothers, one of the most active and prominent in Southern California. They discovered the first talc property at Tecopa, which was made a com- mercial success and shipped the first talc out of there. This marks an era in mining in that district. They still own a valuable and large talc property there.
Mr. Amos married December 27, 1900, May Buchanan Clark, a daughter of James Clark, of Scotland. They are the parents of four children : Avirilia, Winnifred, Donald and Geraldine. Mr. Amnos is a member of San Bernardino Castle, Knights of Pythias, and a member of the Trinity Baptist Church. In political faith he adhered to the democratic party.
JAMES CASPER AMOS-The junior member of the firm of Amos Brothers, expert handlers of real estate and mining interests in San Bernardino County and city, in fact in the entire state, has been so closely identified with his brother M. T. Amos that to give the life record of one is to give also the other. They have always been insepar- able, and when the elder brother came to Californnia the younger followed soon. They worked together on the farm of their parents in Texas, and all their business life has been together. Together they have met and conquered old Dame Fortune, and the thought of the one is the thought of the other.
James Casper Amos was born in Randolph County, Alabama, August 20, 1870, and was educated in the public schools of West Texas, where his parents located in 1882. He went from there to the West Texas
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College in the northern part of Mcclellan County, Texas. Following that he worked on his father's ranch, caring for the cattle, and continued in this until he came to California in 1905. He joined his brother where the latter was mining in Sandy, Nevada, and since that time all their operations have been conducted dually. A more detailed record of their business and also of their family is given in the sketch of Madison T. Amos.
James Casper Amos married, December 12, 1912, Susie Inman, a native of Nova Scotia who came to this country when very young and was reared by her grandparents in Boston, Massachusetts. They have two children, James Bryson Amos and Marjory Amos. Mr. Amos is a member of San Bernardino Lodge No. 348, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Keystone Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, St. Bernard Command- ery, Knights Templar, the Knights of Pythias, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and the Elks. He is a democrat in politics and in religious faith is affiliated with the Christian Church. Mr. Amos, with his family, as has been a valued addition to the social and fraternal circles of San Ber- nardino, while in business circles the firm is rated one hundred per cent.
WALTER A. SHAY, sheriff of San Bernardino, is not only a native son of California but also of the county he so capably safeguards. He is an integral part of both city and county, for he has been so interwoven with their life and progress that he is a vital part of them. In both his official and private life he has made friends of people in all classes, and he deserves everyone of them. It is not only his wonderful gift for making staunch friends which has won Mr. Shay his popularity, it is also his devotion to duty, his entire trustworthiness in the administration of his duties in the public offices he has held and to which he has given himself without stint.
Mr. Shay has a deep seated instinct for fair play and a strong and never put aside belief in justice and right, yet when it is necessary to use the "mailed, fist" he is never found stalling. He is as much feared by the evil doers as he is loved by the well doers, and yet, while he is intolerant of any breaking of the laws, he still is full of the spirit of brotherly kindness and concord. In fact Mr. Shay is getting out of life and its duties just what he puts in to it, and his fellow citizens know he is a man to be depended upon, as officer, citizen and friend.
Mr. Shay was born in San Bernardino County June 29, 1866, the son of Walter A. and Eliza (Goshen) Shay. His father was a real pioneer of California, a forty-niner, coming here by way of the Isthmus route. In his boyhood he learned the trade of cooper, and worked in that line in Nova Scotia. He never liked the trade and at the first opportunity he gave it up. His first work in California was, as was usual with the men of '49, mining. He did not remain with this long, however, but came to San Bernardino and went into stock raising and general ranching. He purchased what is known as the Shay Ranch, and on this he continued the raising of stock and ranching until he met with an accident. He was thrown from a horse and on December 2, 1899, a week afterwards, he passed away. His wife died in September, 1869. She was a native of Arkansas.
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