USA > California > San Bernardino County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume II > Part 47
USA > California > Riverside County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume II > Part 47
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Mr. Holmes came to California about 1885 and settled at Corona, Riverside County, where he engaged in the kiln-burning of soil and water pipe for irrigation purposes. The next year he engaged in the same line of enterprise at Alberhill, and from the latter place he finally removed to Riverside, where he continued to reside until his death. He was an honored and appreciative member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and in the Fourth of July celebration at Riverside in 1897 he led the procession with the drum corps named in his honor. He broke from the ranks of his corps and the Grand Army in front of the judges' stand and saved from serious injury a woman whose clothing had been set afire from firecrackers. He was a republican, but never desired office, his chief interests and pleasure having centered in his home, and his sterling character and unfailing consideration having gained to him hosts of warm friends. He was one of the venerable and honored citizens of Riverside at the time of his death.
In Pennsylvania Mr. Holmes married Margaret J. Reherd, daughter of George Reherd, who was cabinetmaker by vocation, the Reherd family being of remote German origin. Mrs. Holmes survives her husband and remains in the pleasant Riverside home. The only daughter, Annora, is the wife of Fred A. Niemann, an employe of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, Los Angeles. Mrs. Niemann has three children by a previous marriage, Arthur B., Lowell B. and Ona Marguerite Shook. Bert R. Holmes, eldest of the sons, is engaged in the oil business at Fellows, California. He married Maude Songer, of Corona, and they have one child, Mildred. Howard Henry Holmes and his younger brother, Del- inar J., own and conduct the City Market on West Ninth Street, River- side. The maiden name of his wife was Daisy Ross.
Delmar J. Holmes was born at Akron, Ohio, February 9, 1883, and gained his early education in the public schools. At the age of fourteen years he became associated with coal mining at Elsinore, California, and four years later he learned the barber's trade, which he there followed three years. Seven years found him employed as a meat cutter in a mar- ket at Colton, and in 1913 he came to Riverside, where, within a short time thereafter, he and his brother opened a meat market. They have built up a prosperous business and their market is one of the best equipped in the city. Delmar J. Holmes owns a brick business block, with two stores, on West Ninth Street, and also five residence properties in Riverside, four of which he rents. He is a republican, is a loyal and progressive citizen, and is one of the representative young business men of Riverside. At Elsinore, in 1901, Mr. Holmes wedded Miss Lua Townsend, a native of Boston, Massachusetts, and a daughter of C. A. Townsend of that city. She died in 1911. Delmar Holmes has a fine little son, Harold, attending the public school at Elsinore.
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DEAN C. CORLETT, one of the oldest living residents of Riverside, has been engaged in orange growing for forty years, and has devoted the greater part of his efforts to the betterment of the industry. At present he owns fifteen acres of orange groves on Kansas Avenue that are in a high state of cultivation. Mr. Corlett stands high in the community, and is one of those men who attends strictly to their own business and pursues the even tenor of their way.
Born at Cleveland, Ohio, when it was known as Newburg, January 3, 1864, Dean C. Corlett, is a son of George W. and Sarah (Heptinstall) Corlett. George W. Corlett was born in Ohio, and was a farmer in Ohio, and after he came to California he was foreman for the H. B. Everest ranch of 100 acres at Arlington, which he set out in oranges in 1884. During the war between the two sections of the country he served with the Seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was at Camp Dennison for three months. When the period of his enlistment expired he had to return home to take care of his sick parents. He was spared for many years afterwards, and died in 1907. His ancestors came to America from the Isle of Man, England. His widow, who was born in the Yorkshire district of England, died in 1919, at the age of eighty years.
Dean C. Corlett was educated in the public schools of Ohio and then worked in the Cleveland Rolling Mills until he came to California with his father, four brothers and three sisters, their arrival at Riverside tak- ing place July 21, 1883. Mr. Corlett's brothers and sisters were: Arthur, deceased ; Merrick E., deceased; Bertram, a civil engineer of Seattle, and William George Corlett, a horticultural inspector residing at Arling- ton. He is married and has three boys, Ralph, Raymond and Clayton. The two former were overseas with the Ameican Expeditionary Forces. The three sisters of Mr. Corlett were: Kittie, deceased, was the wife of Dr. Craven of Riverside ; Clara, deceased, was a school teacher of River- side ; and Nettie, wife of D. D. Sharp, horticultural commissioner of Riv- erside County. She has two children, Milo, in Junior College and Helen in the high school, Class of '22.
For two years after coming to California Mr. Corlett was employed on the Everest ranch at Arlington, and he then drove a milk wagon for W. A. Brouse until 1887, when he bought the business and formed a part- nership with W. A. Drayton. Mr. Drayton died in September, 1889, after which Mr. Corlett conducted it alone for nine years longer, and then sold it.
In the meanwhile, however, he had bought ten acres of land on Kansas Avenue, and later added five acres more, all of which he planted to oranges. The trees are all in full bearing, and Mr. Corlett is devoting all of his attention to this industry, although he is also a director of the Sierra Vista Packing Association, of which J. H. Urquhart is man- ager. Fraternally Mr. Corlett belongs to the Odd Fellows and Wood- men of the World. A stalwart republican, he has been active in his party.
In 1891 Mr. Corlett married first Sarah B. Gray, now deceased, a native of Fort Fairfield, Maine, and she bore him three children, namely : George H., who is a sawmill engineer of Island Falls, Maine; Florence B., who is the wife of Clifford Lindsey, a horticulturist of Lemore, Kings County, California, has one daughter, Dorothy ; and Dorothy L., who is a graduate of the Riverside Business College. On October 17, 1917, Mr. Corlett married Miss Clara E. Brooker, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, and a daughter of James Brooker, now deceased. Mrs. Corlett had three nephews in the war. Mr. and Mrs. Corlett are consistent members of the Congregational Church, and are active in its good work.
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Having spent so many useful years in this region, Mr. Corlett is well-qualified to estimate the value of the improvements and developments he has seen made. As enthusiastic as any of the younger generation with reference to the desirability of Riverside and its vicinity, he is proud of the part he has taken in making it what it now is, and is very optimistic with reference to its future. He is a man who has won his wealth and prestige through his own efforts, and is a credit to his neigh- borhood and the industry of which he is so able a representative.
GEORGE W. DENNIS has been a resident of Riverside over twenty years, coming here after a professional and business career in the Middle West. In business affairs he has been actively identified with real estate in Riverside, and is regarded as one of the authorities on values and pos- sibilities in this section of the state.
Mr. Dennis was born in Marshall County, Illinois, September 23, 1848. His father, James Dennis, was a native of England, but spent most of his life on a farm in Marshall County, Illinois. He also held the office of justice of the peace there.
George W. Dennis was well educated in grammar and high schools and in early life took up the study and practice of dentistry at LaSalle, Illinois. He practiced dentistry altogether for thirty years. During ten years of that time he was in the drug business in Nebraska.
Mr. Dennis reached Riverside September 7, 1898. For two years he resumed his former business as a druggist, and has since been giving his time to real estate operations, many of which have involved large and important transactions in Riverside and vicinity. For three or four years he also handled insurance, but his entire time is now given to a general real estate business.
Mr. Dennis is a republican, and was formerly active in party affairs. He at one time was an alderman at Tecumseh, Nebraska, where he con- ducted a drug store for seven years. In California he has found profitable interests as an orange grower. At one time he had forty-five acres in citrus fruit, but has sold all this property. He is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Congregational Church.
September 23, 1872, at Henry, Illinois, Mr. Dennis married Miss Sarah Poole, who was born in that state, a daughter of Guy and Soph- ronia Poole. Mr. and Mrs. Dennis are the parents of five children : Bertha, at home; Edith, wife of W. E. Neblett, a druggist at Riverside ; Charles, a real estate man at Los Angeles; Fred, a dentist at Alhambra ; and Guy, who died in 1900.
ERNEST MARTIN, postmaster of San Bernardino, is one of the men of this part of California who has earned the consideration of his fellow citizens because of the commendable public spirit he has always shown, and the part he has played in the advancement of this locality. For a number of years he was connected with the newspaper business, and in this connection rendered yoeman service to the democratic party. Since his appointment in 1914 he has had charge of the San Bernardino Post Office, and under his wise and effective management and progressive methods the business of this office has been so measur- ably increased that it has been found necessary to enlarge the floor space to double its former capacity. During his administration the receipts of the office have grown from $46,884.94 to $75,048.66.
Mr. Martin was born in Indiana, November 1, 1874, a son of Cap- tain Henry B. Martin. The latter was born in Indiana and became an attorney and newspaper man of distinction. In early life he was
Ernest martin
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engaged in surveying and was in Iowa for a time. While at Webster City he was made captain of a company of Frontier Guards. While so serving in 1857-1859 he was sent to quell the Indians at Spirit Lake, Iowa, when they broke out and massacred the whites, and had an excit- ing experience. During the war between the North and the South he served as captain of Company A, Second Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, and was wounded at the battles of Barboursville and the battle of Chickamauga. He was in the battles of Shiloh, Stone River, Corinth and many others. After the close of the war he went to Indiana, and later to Webster City, Iowa, and there was captain of the Frontier Guards. In 1898 he came to San Bernardino, and with his sons and daughter was engaged in newspaper work, but finally returned to his old home in Indiana, and there he and his wife died in 1913, not far from their birthplace. David Martin, the great-great-grandfather, was a soldier in the American Revolution, and was killed while serving in the Colonial Army.
Ernest Martin was reared at Greencastle, Indiana, and attended its schools. His first business experience was gained with a newspaper owned by his family, and in 1898 he accompanied his father and family West to San Bernardino, where they founded the San Bernardino daily and weekly Transcript, and conducted it for four years. They then sold it to Holbrook Brothers, and this journal was later consolidated with the Index, with which Mr. Martin was connected until 1914. During nearly all this period he represented as correspondent the Hearst news- papers. In 1914 he resigned his position to accept the appointment of postmaster from President Wilson. In 1918 he was re-appointed, and still holds the office.
With the record of his family behind him it was only natural for Mr. Martin to want to enter the military service during the World war, in spite of the need for his remaining at home and caring for the affairs of his office, and he registered and was expecting to he called when the signing of the armistice put an end to the necessity of enrolling any more men.
Mr. Martin married Miss Dora Cooley, a daughter of George M. Cooley, January 21, 1903. Fraternally Mr. Martin is a charter and life member of San Bernardino Lodge No. 836, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and a charter member of the Lions Club. He is one of the sound, reliable and enterprising men of the city, and one who can be depended upon at all times to do everything within his power to add to the prestige of his city and county, and to give to the people an efficient and satisfactory service as head of the San Bernardino Post Office.
ALFRED W. MANNING-With the exception of a short period of ab- sence Mr. Manning has been a resident of California since May 23, 1859, when gold dust and gold slugs were still accepted as legal tender. Now venerable in years, this sterling pioneer is living retired in his pleasant home at 250 Main Street, Riverside. In the early days Mr. Manning became one of the best known and most popular men in San Francisco, and there are but few of the old Californians who do not recall with pleasure that famous old restaurant on Pine Street, between Montgomery and Kearney Streets, known as Manning's Oyster Grotto. Mr. Mann- ing was the originator of the name grotto in connection with an oyster house, and the title has since become popular in such usage throughout the United States. He made his restaurant one of the most popular resorts of the kind in San Francisco.
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Mr. Manning was born in London, England, March 25, 1840, a son of Dr. George Manning, who was one of the prominent physicians and surgeons of the world metropolis and who had five diplomas, one of his brother's and also their father having likewise been distinguished physi- cians. The maiden name of Mr. Manning's mother was Eliza Cronin, her father, Daniel Cronin, having been a man of fine scholarship and a representative of a family of wealth and influence in London. At the age of fourteen years Alfred W. Manning ran away from home, and thereafter his adventures included visits to the various countries of Europe, as well as India, East Africa and all parts of the United States. In 1859 he made the voyage around Cape Horn to California, and the following year found him on the Fraser River in British Columbia, and thence overland to Buzzard's Inlet, now Vancouver. He took one of the first cayuse trains into the Caribou mining district in British Colum- bia, in 1862, and was engaged in mining there and on Fraser River three and one-half years. A physical injury then caused him to return to San Francisco, which city had 37,000 population at the time of his first visit, in 1859. Mr. Manning was in Boston, Massachusetts, when Fre- mont became the first republican candidate for president of the United States, and in the next national election he cast his first presidential vote, for Abraham Lincoln. In 1872 Mr. Manning established his restaurant in San Francisco, where he continued in the restaurant and hotel busi- ness for the long period of forty-three years. Many famous men visited his oyster grotto, including Mark Twain, and the De Youngs were ap- preciative patrons of the place. He initiated advertising in the personal department of the San Francisco Chronicle, and continued his adver- tising in the same twelve years. In 1889 he disposed of his restaurant and purchased another, at 13-15 Powell Street, but this he sold a year later, on account of a waiters' strike. He then built the Sherman apart- ment house of 146 rooms and eight stores, on Eighth Street, between Market and Manning's Place, this having been the second apartment building erected in San Francisco. By reason of the impaired health of his wife he turned this property over to the charge of one of his sons and in 1904 came to Riverside, where he has since maintained his home. In 1906 the apartment house was destroyed by fire, with but little in- surance indemnity.
Mr. Manning has continued his allegiance to the republican party, was somewhat active in San Francisco politics and was one of the forty men who started the non-partisan municipal ticket in that city. He was nominated for supervisor of the Second Ward, but withdrew in favor of a friend. Mr. Manning is the oldest life member of the San Fran- cisco Academy of Sciences and is a trustee of the Swedenborgian Society, or New Jerusalem Church, he having been president of this society in San Francisco for several years and thereafter its librarian. He became the owner of the Herculean Mine in Baker County, Oregon, and held this property many years before he disposed of the same. He was formerly a member of the Riverside Chamber of Commerce. Two of his brothers were gallant soldiers of the Union in the Civil war, both died in Cali- fornia and both received burial under the auspices of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Mr. Manning has done and is still doing much writing for magazines and other periodicals, and so wide and varied have been his personal experiences that there is much demand for articles from his pen on re- ligious subjects.
In 1864 he married Sarah Jane Quigley, a native of Illinois, whence her father, William Quigley, came with his family to Sonoma County,
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California. Of the children of Mr. and Mrs. Manning, all of whom were born in San Francisco, Lilah, the first born, died in infancy. Ira, a finan- cier in New York City, married Marie Bluxton; daughter of Colonel Bluxton, a pioneer Californian, and the three children of this union are Salina, Helen and Virginia. Ernest L., at present a resident of River- side, has been supplying help for the Arizona Cotton Association. He married Mary Costello, and they have two children, Janice and Wilma. Helen Elizabeth is the wife of C. F. Prentiss, who is associated with a wholesale hardware house at Sacramento, and their only child, Evelyn, is there assistant librarian of the state law library. Alfred E. died in infancy. Mark E. is an architect and resides in San Francisco. Ruby R. is the wife of Alexander C. Fulmore, who was born in Humboldt County, California, and who is now county engineer of Riverside County. They have five children. Prentiss, who was born in Sacramento, is now pharma- cist mate on the flagship "Wilmington," of the United States Navy, in which he enlisted at the time of the World war. He served on transports which brought American soldiers back from France and made several trips across the Atlantic. Helen and Dorothy are students in the River- side High School, as members respectively of the classes of 1923 and 1925, and Alfred and Roselle are attending the Riverside schools. Mrs. Fulmor is a member of the New Jerusalem Church and of the Tuesday Musical Club of Riverside.
OAKLEY K. MORTON. One of the younger attorneys of the City of Riverside, Oakley K. Morton has accomplished much in a space of time, for he has crowded a fund of experience into his life. He prepared for his chosen profession by acquiring an education far more extensive than the average attorney deems necessary. That he has put it to good use already is shown by his successful record as assistant district attorney of Riverside County under District Attorney Loyal C. Kelley for the past four years. His work in the district attorney's office has not required all of his time, and since locating in Riverside he has built up an extensive general law practice.
He has also had considerable experience outside of his profession in a business way. For four seasons he engaged in the tourist business as city passenger agent for the Wylie Permanent Camping Company of Yellowstone Park, with offices in Salt Lake City and in Ogden, Utah.
O. K. Morton was born in Crown Point, Indiana, August 2, 1891, the son of Byron C. Morton and Stella A. Morton, also natives of Indiana. His father and grandfather, C. M. Morton, were both prominent attorneys of Northern Indiana and trace their ancestry to pre-revolutionary days, which was of English and Scotch descent.
Mr. Morton attended the public schools and the high school of Crown Point, and then went to the University of Chicago in 1910, from which he was graduated with a degree of Ph. B. in the class of 1914. After another year's study in the University of Chicago Law School he came to California and finished his course in Leland Stanford Junior Uni- versity, graduating with the class of 1916, with a degree of "Doctor of Jurisprudence." He was admitted to practice May 23, 1916, in California.
On September 20, 1916, he located in Riverside, California, for the general practice of law in the law offices of Richard L. North. The fol- lowing spring he opened associated offices known as "Kelley, Morton & Richardson." On Loyal C. Kelley's election as district attorney of Riverside County two years later he was selected for assistant district attorney, which position he now holds.
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In politics Mr. Morton is a strong republican, and has been very active in the affairs of that party. At present he is chairman of the Republican Ways and Means Committee of Riverside County, and was also secretary of the Harding-Coolidge Club of Riverside. He is a member of River- side Commandery, Knights Templar, Evergreen Lodge No. 259, F. and A. M., Riverside Lodge No. 643, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Kiwanis Club of Riverside, and is also a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity.
Mr. Morton married in Los Angeles, June 14, 1917, May J. Jensen, a native of Iowa and the daughter of A. P. Jensen, who is now retired and is living in Los Angeles. They are the parents of two children. Oakley K., Jr., and Byron C. Morton.
JAMES H. JORDAN, dealer in goverment and municipal bonds, with office headquarters in the Loring Block in the City of Riverside, was born at Eufaula, Alabama, March 27, 1885, a son of George Pierce Jordan and Martha (Balcom) Jordan, both natives of the State of Georgia. The father is deceased and the widowed mother now resides in the City of Louisville, Kentucky.
In the public schools of Atlanta, Georgia, James H. Jordan continued his studies until his graduation from the high school as a member of the class of 1902. Shortly afterward he assumed a position in the offices of the Southeastern Tariff Association, an institution which made and promulgated all fire-insurance rates in practically all of the southern states, with branch offices in the principal cities of the various states of the South. Mr. Jordan was eventually transferred from Atlanta to the association's office at Birmingham, Alabama, and after there continuing his effective service for a brief period he resigned his position to accept that of cashier of the West Pratt Coal Company. In 1907 Henry B. Gray president of this company, took Mr. Jordan into his private banking institution, the Peoples Trust & Savings Bank, in the capacity of private secretary, Mr. Gray having been elected, about this time lieutenant gov- ernor of Alabama. In 1909 Mr. Jordan set forth for a pleasure trip to San Francisco, and he found the Pacific Coast so alluring that his leave of absence was made permanent, the while the business affairs with which he had been associated at Birmingham, Alabama, were so adjusted that he did not find it necessary to return to that state. In San Francisco Mr. Jordan took a position as stenographer in the office of a leading security investment concern, and in less than a year he became one of its traveling representatives in the sale of securities. In 1915 he engaged independently in the bond business in the City of Riverside, and he had developed a prosperous enterprise at the time when the nation became involved in the World war. He promptly subordinated all personal in- terests to the call of patriotism, his enlistment having occurred in July, 1918. He took the examination for entrance to the Officers' Training School, was passed and was assigned to the Fifth Company, Third Bat- talion, I. C. O. T. S., at Camp Pike, Arkansas. The armistice was signed about three weeks before the scheduled graduation of this battalion, and the great objective of the war having been gained practically all of the student officers of the battalion elected to return to civilian life, and the early part of 1919 found Mr. Jordan again in charge of his Riverside office.
In November, 1919, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Jordan to Miss Elizabeth Gore, daughter of John W. and Elizabeth (Lee) Gore, who were among the pioneer settlers of Redlands, California. Mr. and
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