USA > California > San Bernardino County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume III > Part 17
USA > California > Riverside County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume III > Part 17
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CHARLES H. DUNHAM was born at Fort Wayne. Indiana. November 30. 1883. a son of Frank W. and Jennie M. Dunham. He moved to Paulding County, Ohio, with parents in 1891, and attended public school and the Ohio Northern University, at Ada, Ohio. M :. Dunham was deputy treasurer of Paulding County, Ohio. from 1901 to 1905. and was then engaged in the wholesale and retail tobacco business until July. 1919. He moved to San Bernardino. California. in October V. 111-6
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1919, and became associated in business with the French Spangler Realty Company.
ABRAM STONER Fox-The pioneer orange shipper of Colton, send- ing out the first car of the golden fruit from that city, and also the packer of the first car of oranges ever shipped from Rialto and Bloom- ington, Abram Stoner Fox is well known to every citrus grower, packer and shipper as an authority on citrus fruits and horticulture generally.
He did not have an easy time of it, for he had to see the Southern Pacific have first choice of the precious water he needed for his groves, and only too often not a drop flowed down to his ranch in the hot weather. He and his wife packed his first shipment in 1881, and the work was done in their kitchen and they were very proud of their infant industry. In after years, when he was a grower and shipper of prominence and success, it must have been a rare pleasure to recall those early days.
Mr. Fox can be placed in the ranks of the pioneers, for he came to California in 1876 and located in Colton when there were only three houses in the place. He is prominently identified with that district, not only in his horticultural work but in the civic life of Colton, which city he served faithfully and most successfully, and much of the important improvement and advancement of Colton was accomplished while he was in office there. In fraternal and social circles he was an important factor, and when he removed to Redlands some ten years ago he left a void in the life of Colton which it has been impossible to fill. In Red- lands he has become just as prominent as in Colton, and is growing oranges in the same successful manner he did in his first California home.
Mr. Fox was born in New Castle, Pennsylvania, on July 4, 1855, of Scotch and Irish descent. He is the son of Andrew and Catherine (Pence) Fox, both of whom were natives of the same state as the son. The elder Fox was a miller by occupation. Mr. and Mrs. Fox were the parents of eleven children, five boys and six girls, of whom Abram Stoner Fox was the tenth child.
He was educated in the schools of Pennsylvania, and as he had a brother in Colton, California, he decided to come out to the coast. He arrived in Colton September 26, 1876, at the time the Trans-Continental Railroad was being completed. There were three houses in Colton at that time, but the depot was being constructed.
Mr. Fox was about twenty years old when he arrived in Colton, with no thought of becoming one of the foremost citrus growers, packers and shippers. Instead he intended to study medicine under the brother resi- dent in Colton, Dr. William Fox, who came to California in 1874, one of the first physicians in Colton. Dr. Fox was the first settler on Col- ton Terrace Tract, and he set out an orange grove of seedlings and also a grove of limes in 1875. so he also was a pioneer grower.
Instead of commencing the study of medicine Mr. Fox commenced the study of horticulture by undertaking the care of his brother's grove. In this manner he was employed for eighteen years. In the meantime he had been accumulating land and had twenty-eight acres set out in oranges, which made it necessary at that time to sever connections with his brother and commence looking after his own interests, which were hecoming important. Later on he added to his holdings, so that on leaving Colton he had fifty acres in oranges. It was in 1881 that he shipped and he and Mrs. Fox packed his first shipment in the kitchen of their home.
As noted above, he had to obtain water under difficulties, for it came from Raner Ranch (originally Merks Ranch) and the Southern Pacific
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having call on the first ten inches of water, which was brought down in an open ditch. Very often in warm weather it dwindled away, although there might be one hundred inches at the head, and Mr. Fox would not get a drop of it.
When Mr. Fox shipped the first carload of oranges from Colton the packing was done in a shed on Dr. Fox's ranch and it was shipped in an ordinary box car, refrigerated cars being unknown then. Later the depot was used for this purpose. Mr. Fox, having shipped the first car of fruit out of Colton, did the same thing at Rialto and Blooming- ton, and then formed an Exchange, including Colton, Redlands Junction, Bloomington and Rialto. The Pavilion, which was a part of the Fair grounds was purchased and converted into a packing house-the first in San Bernardino County.
Mr. Fox continued packing, and followed that industry in addition to growing until 1910, when he decided to give up that branch of the citrus industry. He moved over to Redlands and henceforward gave his time and attention to the growing of oranges. As one of the earliest orange growers of the county he is always interested in its growth and development.
When Mr. Fox was twenty-one he joined San Bernardino Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the first lodge in the county. He is a past grand of the Colton lodge and is today the only living charter member. Its most influential members were Hebrews, and in Mr. Fox's opinion they were among his best advisers on matters of both morals and citizenship. He also joined the Masonic Order and at the present time is a member of Redlands Lodge No. 300, F. and A. M. He is also a member of the Foresters, Woodmen and the Fraternal Brotherhood He was a charter member of the Colton Band, organized in 1880. Of the band Scipio Craig was leader, and this was San Bernardino County's first brass band. He was city trustee of Colton when the Municipal Water Company was organized and the plant was installed, and he was active in the organization and installation, as in all other enterprises which would advance the interests of Colton.
On October 26, 1877, Mr. Fox wedded Miss Anna Amanda Hager, who was born at Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, March 20, 1857. They are the parents of seven children: Lettie Charlotte, born in August, 1880, is married to Ralph Sweney. She lives in Arizona and has two children, Ralph, Jr., and Charlotte Kitty, born in 1881, is now Mrs. Arthur Cortner, whose husband is an undertaker in Redlands. Stella, born in 1884, was married to Mont P. Chubb, a prosperous druggist of Redlands. Ella, born in 1888, is now the wife of W. T. S. Munhall, an orange grower of Redlands. Florence, born in 1894, is now Mrs. George Simon, of Pasadena, California. She has one child, George Stoner Fox. Lydia, born in 1898, is an accomplished musician, employed as an ac- countant at Leipsic's store and residing with her parents. Lucille, born in 1905, is attending high school and lives with her parents. All the children are high school graduates.
HIRAM C. MATTESON .-- It is not so difficult a matter for a man to achieve success when he does not meet with obstacles, but it is to his credit when, in spite of adverse circumstances, hampered by the ill health of dependents, he manages to build up a large and pros- perous business, and this is just what Hiram C. Matteson has done, so that his dairy business is one of the largest in San Bernardino, and he is accounted as one of the reliable and honorable men of this region.
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Hiram C. Matteson was born near Lake Winnebago in the northern part of Wisconsin, January 1, 1863, a son of Dr. Cyrene K. Matteson, a veteran of the war between the states. While the several wounds he received during his period of service did not result seriously, his health was greatly impaired because of an attack of smallpox and black erysipelas from which he suffered. On account of this ill health he moved to Northwestern Iowa when his son was a lad, and there the latter attended the public schools from 1869 to 1875. Still seeking a more congenial climate, Doctor Matteson came to San Bernardino, the date of his arrival being March 30, 1884. He had studied medicine in the Cincinnati Medical College, from which he was graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine, and he oftentimes stated that Doctor Colliver and Mrs. Dohrman of San Bernardino were also graduated from the same college. He was engaged in an active practice, in Wisconsin, Iowa and Tennessee, but not in California. Mr. Colliver's professional act was to vaccinate one of Doctor Matteson's grandchildren shortly before his death. Doctor Matteson was a man of high standing, both socially and in his profession, and in his death San Bernardino lost one of its most repre- sentative citizens.
Hiram Calvin Matteson was engaged in farm work in and about San Bernardino for the first few years after his arrival in this section of the country. In 1903 he established himself in a dairy business, but met with reverses owing to the inability to collect his accounts and the expense and anxiety attendant upon the sickness of his wife, but he is a man who does not know there is such a word as "quit," and, therefore, with characteristic energy he began again, although with only $75.00 as his capital. His new business dates back only to 1919, but he has now made such progress that he has his retailing department well located in commodious quarters at 412 H Street, and is handling a trade that averages $3,000 a month. He has accom- plished what is a modern miracle, by working practically day and night, for his hours run from 5 A. M. to 10 P. M.
Mr. Matteson married Miss Elizabeth Walton, who was born in Northern California, and they have four children, namely: Caroline, Francis, Charles Kenneth and John. Caroline was married to E. E. Perry, a veteran of the World war. Mr. Perry was wounded in the back by a piece of shell while serving in the trenches in France. As a result of this injury he is unable to do anything but light work. Owing to his absorption in his business Mr. Matteson has not been able to take much part in outside matters, but is interested in the progress of the city and is willing to do what lies in his power to secure the welfare of his home community.
HARRY C. HORNBECK .- One of the first evidences given by a com- munity of its prosperity is the erection of handsome, modern buildings for business and residential purposes. As long as the people are satisfied with old, unimproved and decaying properties, they cannot be said to take much interest in their surroundings, nor are they regarded as very progressive by outsiders. When, however, old buildings begin to fall, and new ones go up in their place, the proof is positive that a new element has been injected, that a fresh start has been made, and it is remarkable what a change comes about not only in the appearance of the place, but the people themselves. Local pride is stimulated, competition is awakened, and outside capital
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is attracted. Newcomers passing through are impressed with the advantages of the region, and even if they do not become permanent residents, they carry forth the information regarding the locality, which is of so favorable a nature that others do come in resolved to remain. Connected with such improvements in a close degree, and oftentimes bringing them about, are the contractors and builders, without whom no real improvements of a lasting nature can be affected. One of these representative men of San Bernardino who has more than done his part in the improvement of this city is Harry C. Hornbeck, one of the most capable and experienced men in his line in Southern California.
Harry C. Hornbeck was born in Hoopeston, near Danville, Illinois, July I, 1881, a son of Newton and Sarah G. (Smith) Hornbeck. Newton Hornbeck was born in New York State, and is now a resident of Los Angeles, California. He is a veteran of the Union Army, having served in Company E, One Hundred and Fourth Illinois Vol- unteer Infantry. Although only sixteen years old at the time of his enlistment, he finally was accepted, although it was his third time of trying. Like so many lads of that period, he was intensely patriotic and determined to be a soldier. His parents regarded him as too youthful for such service, so he ran away, and when sent back by army officials, again ran away, and repeated the action when he was again returned to his parents. In spite of his youth he proved a good soldier and participated in many important engagements, including those of Peach Tree Creek, Lookout Mountain, and those of General Sherman's campaign from Atlanta to the sea. He was wounded in the leg by a spent ball, but was otherwise uninjured. Becoming a contractor and builder, he followed that line of business for many years, and for years was a prominent figure in Livingston County, Illinois, where he served as sheriff and as a justice of the peace. For more than twenty years he served as commander of his post of the Grand Army of the Republic at Streator, Illinois. His father, Henry Hornbeck, established the family at Streator, coming to Illinois from New York State in 1855. The Hornbeck family is an old American one of Revolutionary stock.
Mrs. Sarah G. (Smith) Hornbeck, mother of Harry C. Hornbeck, was born in Connecticut, and died in 1919. She, too, came of Revolu- tionary stock, and her family is of English descent, her great uncle being General Warren of the Colonial Army, and she was also related to the same family as General Wooster of Revolutionary fame. In addition to Harry C. Hornbeck there are three children of the family of Newton Hornbeck and his wife still living, namely: William E., who is a contractor of Los Angeles, California, is married and has three living children, one of his sons, Earl Hornbeck, having been killed in action in the Argonne sector in France September 28, 1917, by the side of his lieutenant; Claude C., who is a motorman of Los Angeles, is married and has six children; and Ida, who is the wife of Albert Plummer, an electrician of Los Angeles, and they have two children.
It is interesting to note in connection with the Hornbeck family that during the historical debate between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas, held at Ottawa, Illinois, there were thirty-six states represented by as many young ladies of the city, and nine of them were sisters of Mr. and Mrs. Newton Hornbeck.
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Harry C. Hornbeck attended the public schools of Streator, Illinois, and then went into the building and contracting business with his father at Streator, where he continued to reside for about six years. For the following three years he worked in different Illinois cities, and then located at Springfield, Illinois, and continued a resident of that city for ten years. While there he was engaged for a time in repair work on the old Lincoln home, and for seven years did cabinet and case work for the Powers planing mill. Leaving Springfield, he came to California and, settling at Long Beach, estab- lished himself in business as a manufacturer of furniture, conducting his factory for about eighteen months and then selling and locating permanently at San Bernardino, where for three years he was in the employ of Contractor Myzelle. Mr. Hornbeck then went into the contracting and building business for himself, and since then the greater part of his work has been in the erecting of dwellings and store fronts, and he has proven in it that he thoroughly understands every detail of his calling. He has established a reputation for being strictly honorable and for living up to the spirit as well as the letter of his contracts.
Mr. Hornbeck has had a full and active life, and while acquiring a material prosperity has not neglected what is still more important than the amassing of money, the winning and holding of public confidence, and his standing is of the highest commercially as well as personally. In the course of his work he has met with twenty acci- dents, has had twenty-five bones in his body broken, but in spite of the serious nature of many of his injuries, has emerged with a cheerful spirit and so little evidence of any disastrous results that it is difficult to believe he ever met with misfortune of any kind. Formerly Mr. Hornbeck belonged to the Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America, but no longer maintains his membership in these orders.
On July 2, 1905, Mr. Hornbeck married at Springfield, Illinois, Miss Melissa J. Shutt, a native of Illinois, and a daughter of Jacob Shutt. Mrs. Hornbeck belongs to one of the most prominent families of Maconpin County, Illinois, her people having been among the pioneers of Central Illinois. The Shutt family is one of the old and honorable ones of America, having been founded here long prior to the Revolution. Mr. and Mrs. Hornbeck have three children, namely : Luella May, who is a student of the San Bernardino High School, class of 1925; Lois E., who is a student of the San Bernardino High School, class of 1926; and Marian J., who is attending school.
CECIL N. FUNK .- The interests and activities of Cecil N. Funk as an orange grower have been a factor in the development of the Riverside section of the state for upwards of twenty years. The name Funk is one of deserved prominence in this county, due both to the work of Cecil Funk and also that of his father.
Cecil N. Funk was born at Chesterhill, Ohio, August 13, 1879, son of Joseph J. and Ruth Ann (Nichols) Funk, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ohio. A more complete review of J. J. Funk appears elsewhere in this publication.
Cecil Funk had a grammar and high school education, and spent most of his youth as well as his mature manhood in Riverside. He was a member of the Riverside High School class of 1899. The United States entered the War with Spain while he was in high school, and he left his studies to enlist in Company. M of the Seventh Regi-
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ment, California Volunteers. During the period of the war he was stationed at The Presidio in San Francisco. Following his discharge he engaged in the orange business, and that has been his chief interest ever since. He bought five acres on Sedgwick Street from C. F. Marcy, later selling it to D. C. Corlett. He bought two other orange properties of ten acres each, one on Center Street at High- grove and the other near Colton Avenue on the Merrifield tract. The latter he retains and now has about twenty-five acres in oranges besides other property interests in and about Riverside.
In 1915 Mr. Funk removed to Idaho, and for four years was in the wholesale fruit and produce business at Idaho Falls. Once a resident of Riverside no one is completely satisfied with any other place of residence, and Mr. Funk was only too glad to arrange his affairs so that he could return in 1919. Since that year in addition to his private interests he has been manager of the Riverside Heights Orange Growers Association and is one of the directors of the association.
Mr. Funk is a citizen who keeps in touch with everything affecting the welfare of Riverside, is willing to work for its improvements and progress, though in formal politics he has had no part beyond voting the republican ticket. He is a member of the Kiwanis and Present Day Clubs, has been affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows for twenty-one years and is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is a member of the United Brethren Church.
He married Harriet Jean Wolf September 9, 1908. Mrs. Funk came from Johnstown, Ohio, being a daughter of J. W. Wolf. They have two daughters, students in the Riverside schools, Louise Josephine and Esther Ruth.
JOHN MARSHALL PHY was a pioneer of the Pacific Coast, and after nearly half a century of residence in Oregon as a stock rancher found a delightful home at Highland, California, where he lived several busy and contented years, developing his home and orange groves, until called by death in 1914.
At that time he had reached the age of nearly three quarters of a century. He was born in 1840, and at the age of eighteen left Missouri, going by way of New Orleans and the Isthmus of Panama to Portland, Oregon. He reached Portland with fifty cents in money. After writ- ing four letters back home he was penniless. Before coming West he had borrowed from a maiden lady eighty-five dollars, and thus his intro- duction to the coast country was as a stranger in a strange land and eighty-five dollars in debt. For a time he worked for board and clothes, also attended school, and for three months labored in a saw mill, doing extra time so that he was paid for four months. One summer he raised a crop of corn. There was no market for the grain, so he fed it to hogs and sold them at a profit. For several years his routine was working in stores during the winter months and farming in summer. Gradually he laid by some money and then opened a stock of goods to supply miners. There was no currency, and he paid the accepted rates by weight with gold dust. Still later he bought a stock ranch at The Dalles, Oregon, and there he laid a still firmer foundation for his material prosperity. After selling out he returned to Union County, Oregon. There he continued ranching and looking after his family. After his second marriage, in 1896, he homesteaded land in Catherine Creek Meadows. It was a rich summer pasture, but in winter heavy snows fell and all stock had to be
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removed by November, and there was no opci range until the following April. Mr. Phy was eminently successful as a stockman. In 1905 he paid a visit to Southern California, and was so delighted with the coun- try that within three weeks he had bought a place at Highland and soon afterward left the environment of half a century and moved permanently to San Bernardino County. His first purchase was six acres and later he added four acres more on Boulder Avenue. Mr. Phy lived here nearly ten years. He came to enjoy the utmost respect of the community, and took part in social and civic affairs. He was a thirty-second degree Mason, an Odd Fellow, a member of the Congregational Church, and always a stanch democrat in politics. During the early frontier days he served as a deputy sheriff, and showed himself absolutely unafraid in the performance of his official duties.
In 1866 Mr. Phy married Miss Margaret Ann Shoemaker. She died in 1891, the mother of seven children. The oldest, J. F. Phy, is a successful business man in Union County, Oregon, being the controlling factor in the Land and Security Company of that county. He served two terms each as deputy sheriff and sheriff and later was county judge. The second child, M. H. Phy, is now deceased. The third, Dr. W. T. Phy, is reputed to be one of the most eminent and skillful surgeons in the West, and lives at Hot Lake, Oregon. During the World war he was on duty at Letterman's Hospital at the Presidio, San Francisco. The fourth of the family was J. A. Phy, now deceased. Mary Mar- garet is the wife of P. J. Shropshire, a prominent lumber dealer and one of the principal owners of the San Bernardino Lumber & Box Company. Mr. Shropshire is now deceased and his widow is active manager of his former interests. Mrs. Shropshire has three children: Edna Phy, Hes- ter D. and P. J. Shropshire, Jr. The sixth of the family, Margaret Louisa, is a graduate nurse and is the wife of Dr. Sanders of San Jose, California, and has one son, C. E. Sanders, Jr. The seventh and young- est is Hester Caroline, wife of O. M. Green, a prominent banker of Spokane, Washington. They have a son, John Thomas Green.
In 1896 the late Mr. Phy married Miss Lydia Jackson. Mrs. Phy has had a wide range of experience in the far West. She was born at Leadhill, Boone County, Arkansas, daughter of J. D. and Louisa (McNabb) Jackson, the former a native of Arkansas and the latter of Tennessee. When she was seven years of age her parents moved over into Indian Territory, where her father located in the Cherokee Strip. He soon afterward died, and when Mrs. Phy was nine years of age her mother, then an invalid, returned with her four children to Har- rison, Arkansas. During this journey Mrs. Phy had her first ride on a railroad train. She remained at Harrison until she was fifteen, when her mother married and the family then came out to Oregon. There she remained until her marriage to Mr. Phy in 1896. Mrs. Phy has one son, Conrad Vernon Phy, born January 25, 1898. He was reared and educated in California, attending school at Highland. the Harvard Military Academy at Los Angeles, and in 1915 enlisted in the navy and served out his term of enlistment. When America entered the war with Germany, being still under draft age, he voluntered in the army in th Motor Transport Division, and served until the signing of the armistice. In November, 1920. this son married Miss Christine Bacus, of San Bernardino. He is now enlisted as a navy marine engineer, was stationed at San Pedro and later transferred to Honolulu, where he and his wife reside.
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