USA > California > San Bernardino County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume III > Part 24
USA > California > Riverside County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume III > Part 24
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the bank is established, its operations being based on a paid-up cap- ital stock of $25,000. The total resources of the bank on the day of its opening were $45,000, and at the end of the fiscal year these had been increased to $142,000. The bank is admirably serving its pa- trons, especially in connection with the handling and marketing of orchard products and helping onward to independence many whose financial circumstances make such interposition temporarily impera- tive. Founded and conducted on such a basis of practical service, the Citizens National Bank is destined to continue a power for good in the community in which it is established. Mr. Huston has made his own way toward the goal of worthy success, has a fine sense of per- sonal stewardship and has found many ways in which to exert helpful influence in connection with civic and business affairs in the county and state of his adoption. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary E. Foulke, was born in Kansas, August 29, 1885, and is a daughter of the late Morris E. Foulke, to whom a memoir is dedicated in the follow- ing sketch. Mr. and Mrs. Huston have one child, Lucille, who was born January 22, 1917.
MORRIS E. FOULKE, whose death occurred July 1, 1917, was one of the honored pioneer exponents of civic and material development and progress in the Rialto district of San Bernardino County, and was a citizen whose sterling character and worthy achievement entitle him to special tribute in this history.
Mr. Foulke was born at Chesterfield, Ohio, February 27, 1850, and was reared to manhood in the old Buckeye State, where he re- ceived good educational advantages, as is indicated by the fact that he became when a young man a successful teacher in the schools of Ohio. He finally migrated to Iowa and taught school, and later he removed to Kansas, where he continued his active alliance with agri- cultural industry. At Garnette, that state, in 1877, was solemnized his marriage with Miss Anzanetta Miles, who was born at West Branch, Ohio, November 23, 1851, and who survived him by about four years, she having met a tragic death on the 13th of November, 1921, when, in crossing the highway near her home at Rialto, she was struck by an automobile and received injuries that resulted in her death shortly afterward. Mr. and Mrs. Foulke were birthright mem- bers of the Society of Friends, and exemplified their gentle and noble Christian faith in their every-day lives. They became the parents of five children: William was born in December, 1881, and died eight months later. Lambert J. was born December 8, 1883, and died in December, 1904. Mary E., who was born at the old home in Kansas, August 29, 1885, was about two years old at the time of the family removal to California and was reared in San Bernardino County, where she was graduated from the high school in the City of San Bernardino, after which she was graduated from the State Normal School at San Diego. She taught three years in the public schools at Fontana and one year at Upland, and she is now the wife of C. M. Huston, cashier of the Citizens National Bank of Rialto and the sub- ject of the personal sketch preceding this. Frances, the next younger of the children, was born at Rialto, in 1888, and died at the age of eight months. Charles, who was born at West Rialto, in 1890, was gradu- ated from the San Bernardino High School and later from Leland Stan- ford, Jr., University, from which he received the degree of Civil Engineer. He is now engaged in the practice of his profession, with residence at San
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Bernardino. He married Miss Olive Hill, of Highland, this state, and they have one child, Eleanor, born November 24, 1917.
Mr. Foulke continued his residence in Kansas until 1887, in which year he came with his family to California. In 1890 he purchased twenty acres of barren desert land, now at the corner of Maple Avenue and Foothill Boulevard, at Rialto, instituted the reclamation and im- provement of the tract and after erecting a house on the place he and his wife there established their home. He was one of the first to institute the development of the wild and forbidding land of this now opulent and beautiful district of San Bernardino County, and he made his land into one of the valuable orange groves of the county. He there maintained his home until his death. In driving from Rialto to his land in the early days he told his companions that it was advis- able to drive in a straight line, as some day the course would become a part of a main highway to Los Angeles. He lived to see the im- provement of this now important boulevard, and it was while at- tempting to cross the same that his widow met her death, as noted in a preceding paragraph. Mr. Foulke was an uncompromising oppo- nent of the liquor traffic, worked earnestly in behalf of temperance and was a staunch supporter of the principles and cause of the pro- hibition party. His memory and that of his gentle and noble wife are held in affectionate regard by all who came within the sphere of their benign influence.
RALPH DAVID BAILEY .- One of the best known men engaged in the insurance and brokerage business in San Bernardino and Riverside coun- ties is Ralph David Bailey, whose headquarters are located at Colton. His connection with his present business has gained him a wide acquaint- ance, among whom his genial disposition, his loyalty and his constant in- clination to be helpful to his fellows have made him a general favorite. A peculiar and particular genius is necessary to the man who would be successful in selling insurance and in acting as a general broker. Many men who have risen to prominence in other lines have scored naught but failures when they have entered the insurance and brokerage field. Mr. Bailey, however, possesses the essential qualities of acumen, a pleasing personality and a thorough knowledge of human nature, and with these as his stock in trade has achieved an enviable success.
Mr. Bailey comes of Scotch-Irish and English descent, and was born at Marshalltown, Iowa, November 12, 1877, a son of Richard H. and Matilda Bailey. His father, born in Illinois, was a merchant at Atlantic, Iowa, for thirty-five years, but in 1917 retired from business and moved to Los Angeles, California, where he now makes his home, as does also Mrs. Bailey, who is a native of Ohio. Ralph D. Bailey attended the public schools of Atlantic, Iowa, where he was graduated from the high school in June, 1898, and in June of the following year completed a commercial course in a business college in that city. When he left school he joined his father in the mercantile business at Atlantic, and continued to be engaged therein from 1899 to 1901, in the latter year becoming book- keeper in the Atlantic National Bank. In 1899 he had come to California to spend the winter, and at that time became so favorably impressed with the state that he resolved to return at a future date. This he did in 1902, when he resigned as bookkeeper of the Atlantic National Bank and came to Colton, where he was variously employed until 1905. In that year he was made assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Colton, and continued in that capacity for seven years. He entered the general insur- ance and brokerage business in 1912, and has remained therein to the
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present time, his operations covering San Bernardino and Riverside coun- ties. Mr. Bailey's success has been self-gained, as his reputation has been self-built, and both are on a substantial basis. He occupies a well-estab- lished place in the confidence of those with whom he has had business transactions, and is a director in the First National Bank of Colton, hav- ing held a position on that directorate since 1917. Politically he is a republican, but his connection with politics is only that of a public-spirited citizen interested in the welfare of his community. Since he reached his majority he has been a member of the Masons and the Order of the Eastern Star, and likewise holds membership in the Benevolent and Protec- tive Order of Elks. With his family he belongs to the Congregational Church.
On September 14, 1909, at Redlands, California, Mr. Bailey was united in marriage with Miss Ethel M. Webb, a daughter of Gilbert and Kate Webb, of Los Angeles, California, where Gilbert Webb, one of the early settlers of the city, was engaged in the contracting business and built the first street railways. To Mr. and Mrs. Bailey there have come two children : David Webh, born in 1912. and Richard Gilbert, born in 1916.
FREDERICK THOMAS PERRIS .- As a builder and developer of town and country it is but exact justice that the name of Frederick Thomas Perris be honored for all time in San Bernardino. He was an engineer by profession, accustomed to handling large constructive projects, and his broad vision and exalted purpose enabled him to estimate the pos- sibilities of the future and identify himself most unselfishly with those causes and undertakings that are regarded as the source of the wonderful present prosperity for this valley.
While for so many years his interests were identified with San Bernardino and vicinity, Frederick Thomas Perris was in another sense a man of the world. He was born at Gloucester, England, January 21, 1837, son of Thomas and Hannah Rebecca (Spiller) Perris. When he was about twelve years of age he and his mother went to Melbourne, Australia, and he completed his education there, receiving his training as a civil engineer at Melbourne. On his way to Australia he stopped at San Francisco, seeing America for the first time in 1849. In 1853 the family returned to America, and Mr. Perris was employed in doing a large amount of professional work on the Pacific Coast for the United States Government and the State of California in the capacity of deputy United States mineral surveyor and surveyor. He was naturalized at Salt Lake, Utah, August 30, 1858, by W. J. Appleby, clerk, and Curtis E. Bolton, deputy. November 29, 1858, he departed from New York for Liverpool on the steamship Thornton, Captain Collins, going abroad for the purpose of marriage. He was married at Cheltenham, England, May 5, 1859.
After his return to America with his wife he did his first railroad work in the early '60s on the Union Pacific during its construction, under Samuel B. Reed. October 12, 1863, he was appointed territorial surveyor for the northeastern portions of Utah Territory by Jesse W. Fox, territorial surveyor general.
Later he returned to England to settle his father's estate, and while there he was for a time a photographer. Leaving his native country, he returned to Salt Lake, where he was in business for a number of years, chiefly as a dry goods merchant and as a printer.
From Salt Lake he journeyed by ox teams to San Bernardino in 1874, and from that time remained a resident of the city until his death on May 12, 1916. For many years he was identified with this
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section of California both in a professional and official capacity. He served as county surveyor and deputy United States mineral sur- veyor from 1874 to 1879. He was editor of the first newspaper pub- lished in San Bernardino. He helped survey the Rancho San Ber- nardino and its subdivisions, and acted as assistant engineer for James D. Schuyler of the State Engineering Department in measuring water in the valley of San Bernardino and locating the reservoir sites of both Big and Little Bear Valley. He also laid out the City of San Bernardino.
December 1, 1880, Mr. Perris entered the service of the California Southern Railway, now the Santa Fe, at San Diego, as assistant engi- neer to Joseph O. Osgood. The previous year, in 1879, when it became known that G. B. Wilber and L. G. Pratt of Boston were to visit Southern California as representatives of eastern capitalists in railroad matters, San Bernardino citizens called a mass meeting and appointed Mr. Perris and John Isaacs for the purpose of visit- ing San Diego and interesting visitors in the advantages afforded by the San Bernardino Valley. As a result of this conference, Wilber and Pratt visited San Bernardino, carefully inspected the country, and decided on the Cajon route from San Diego to San Bernardino. Then, as noted, Mr. Perris was engaged as assistant engineer and super- vised the construction of the Southern California road to San Ber- nardino and also from San Bernardino to Barstow, and as a result of this early effort on his part and local citizens San Bernardino has for many years had the asset of the railroad shops and extensive rail- road facilities. While in the employ of the railroad company he built practically all the lines comprising the Los Angeles Division. During the latter part of 1882 he was appointed chief engineer of the Cali- fornia Southern, now the Los Angeles Division. September 13, 1883, he drove the first passenger train into San Bernardino from Los Angeles and sounded the first locomotive whistle to be heard in San Bernardino. In 1900 he was made manager of the Santa Fe's oil properties, and during his work as chief engineer the change in fuel for locomotives was made, the working plans and designs necessary to accomplish this almost revolutionary method of fueling locomotives being prepared in his office about 1894. Mr. Perris was retired from the active service of the Santa Fe on a pension October 1, 1914, less than two years before his death.
In the forty years he lived here his public spirit was a constant source of good to the community, which he loved and which he was ready to serve to the utmost. In 1889 he was a member of the Board of Trustees and in the early '90s was connected with the Arrowhead Reservoir and Power Company as consulting engineer. He was a member of the first Board of Water Commissioners, and all his earnings in that capacity were donated to the various churches of the city in an absolutely non-sectarian manner, not a dollar being used for personal use. Through his efforts the city is largely indebted for the present Carnegie Library. He took up the matter with Mr. Carnegie through prominent Santa Fe officials in the East and suc- ceeded in securing a larger appropriation than was originally intended.
Mr. Perris was a director and stockholder in the Farmers and Merchants Bank of San Bernardino and a stockholder and director in the San Bernardino Valley Bank. Considering all his activities and the influences that emanated from him no individual name could be more justly chosen for designation of local geography. He is honored by the Town of Perris, Perris Hill and Perris Avenue.
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May 5, 1859, at Cheltenham, England, he married Mary Annette Edwards, daughter of George and Anne Vizor ( Millwater ) Edwards. The children of this marriage were: Oscar W., who married Gertrude Heap; Walter F., unmarried ; Arthur E., who married Maude Tinkle- paugh ; Cora A., who became the wife of Samuel Leffen; Florence M., wife of B. F. Levet: and Maude I., who was married to Harvey Carpenter.
HENRY C. MCALLISTER .- There is no doubt but that unusual oppor- tunities for advancement are offered in the West, but it is equally true that only exceptional men are able to take advantage of them and through them reach positions of weight in their communities. The fact that they do see and embrace these openings proves that they have abilities above the ordinary, or they, like their associates, would not recognize that the chance was at hand for their taking. There is no such thing as blind luck. Every promotion, each advance, is the natural result of carefully directed effort, conscientious work and intelligent forethought. Especially is this true with refer- ยท ence to the positions connected with the great corporations of any city. Merit alone wins; there are no favorites. The stockholders have to be shown a certain amount of profit as a just return on their investment, and the directors place in charge of the affairs of the company men of proved ability. When the directors of the Southern California Gas Company selected Henry C. McAllister for the position of division manager they chose the very best man for it, and one who had been connected with this concern, through its various changes, for over twelve years, and steadily risen through successive promo- tions until he was the logical candidate and one who had the entire details at his disposal.
Henry C. McAllister was born at Sutton, New Hampshire, February 18, 1873, and comes of Scotch ancestry. He is a son of C. W. and Adalaide (Kendrick) McAllister, who was born at Toronto, Canada, on February 22, 1876. After he had completed the grammar and high school courses of Warner, New Hampshire, Henry C. McAllister entered the employ of the Northern Railroad Company at Concord, New Hampshire, and remained in railroad work until 1909, when he came West, locating at San Bernardino, which has since continued to be his place of residence. For a short time after his arrival in this city he was a clerk for the Santa Fe Railroad Company, and then entered the old San Bernardino Gas and Electric Company, remaining with it when it was sold to the Pacific Light & Power Company, and with the present corporation, the Southern California Gas Company, when it purchased the gas interests.
Mr. McAllister married Beatrice Winstanley Bell, September 27, 1898. Mr. McAllister and his wife have a daughter, Mildred, who was born September 11, 1899, at Worcester, Massachusetts. She was married to Virgil S. Rucker June 20, 1921, at San Bernardino.
Naturally a public spirited man, Mr. McAllister has long been a member of the San Bernardino Chamber of Commerce, and is now a member of its Board of Directors. For several years he has served as a member of the National Orange Show Association, and is a director of the San Bernardino Valley Bank. Fraternally he has long maintained membership with the Masons, Odd Fellows and Elks, and is very popular in these orders. Mr. McAllister is proud of his record as a republican, for ever since he cast his first vote he has given his support to the candidates of his party, and is in thorough accord
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with its principles. While not a member of any religious organiza- tion, he attends the services of the Congregational Church. A level headed man of affairs, Mr. McAllister deserves the position he occupies with his company and in his community, and is one of the best examples of the substantial business man San Bernardino County affords.
WILLIAM BABEL-There was a time, and not so far in the past, when none but the foreign health resorts were recognized as being of great value in the treatment of certain diseases. One of the results of the great war has been the recognition by the American people of the natural resources of their own country and the appreciation of the real virtue of the waters of some of the springs, especially those in the West. Within recent years Harlem Springs has come into its own, and is now conceded to be a strong factor, among the many others, in bringing San Bernardino before the favorable notice of the coun- try, if not of the world. These springs are now operated by a cor- poration known as the Harlem Resort Company, but the medicinal properties of the water and mud and the air and healthful surround- ings were recognized by William Babel, the efficient and capable president of the company.
William Babel was born near Buffalo, New York, May 9, 1875, a son of Philip and Christiana Babel, natives of New York State, and farming people. They had three children, namely : Lydia, who is now deceased; Albert, who is a prosperous fruit grower of Fresno, Cali- fornia; and William, who is the youngest.
In 1883 William Babel was brought to California by his parents, who then migrated from New York to Contra Costa County, and it was in that region that the lad was reared and attended its schools through the grammer grades, then becoming a student of the San Francisco High Schools, from which he was graduated. He was a chemist and assayer, and was employed with his father for a time in agricultural work, but in 1897 went to Alaska, during the early gold rush to that territory. Reaching Alaska, he followed the Yukon River from its headwaters to the sea, packing on his back all of his supplies over mountain ranges. For the subsequent three years he was engaged in prospecting and mining, and met with the usual miner's luck, making and losing, coming out about even. However, he did gain one thing, an experience he will never forget, and which could hardly have been acquired in any other way, and he does not regard that time as lost. He also learned the value of determination and diligence, and the willingness to work and endure hardships has not left him, nor is it likely to do so during the rest of his life, and this accounts for much of his subsequent success. When he decided to return to his old home, he made his own boat and came down the Yukon River, a dangerous trip which resulted in shipwreck near the ford of the Yukon. In spite of all his hardships and constant expo- sure he returned in rugged health, and after a short period spent at home went to Nevada as an expert and assayer for the mother lode and in the Gaudaloupe quicksilver mines. Later he was with the mines in Humboldt County, California, and there it was that he began to make mining a business and not a venture, and in this way acquired a comfortable sum of money. For fifteen years thereafter he was engaged in mining, and was a man of large means when, in 1908, he went to Los Angeles, and for five years was engaged in con- crete construction work. Leaving Los Angeles, he came South to
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Riverside and purchased orange and lemon groves and also superin- tended over 100 acres of outside orchards. In this connection he devel- oped into an authority on citrus culture, and added to his wealth. However, Mr. Babel is a man who loves the excitement of new enterprises, and although he could scarcely have been more successful in the citrus industry than he was, he disposed of his interests and secured an option on Harlem Springs, organized a corporation January 21, 1921, and now has an undertaking worthy of his enterprise, effi- ciency and experience. The Harlem Resort Company is capitalized at $240,000, and Mr. Babel is president and general manager of it. This remarkable natural phenomena was first known to the Indians, who long made pilgrimages to these hot springs and sought relief from their ailments in mud baths. The white man has followed the Indian, but he has erected a bath house and plunge, and provided every facility for furnishing the guests with comforts and luxuries. Geologists assert that this water is the same strata as the famous Arrowhead Hot Springs. The water of the Harlem Springs, covering seventeen acres, ranges from cold to eighty and 118 degrees hot. It is the purpose of the present corporation to erect a modern hotel and bungalow combined, with outside plunge, private baths of both hot water and mud, and mineral baths. This is a wonderful resort, easy of access to the people from all over the world, and here may be com- bined pleasure with the restoration of health.
Mr. Babel married June 17, 1912, Miss Margaret Spinks, a daugh- ter of English-born parents, who came to California when she was a child. She was educated in the schools of Humboldt County, and was a popular teacher in the public schools of California prior to her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Babel have had three children, namely Byron, who was born in Los Angeles January 13, 1915; Kenneth who was born at Riverside, January 16, 1919, and died October 12. 1919; and Owen, who was born September 24, 1920, at Riverside.
Personally Mr. Babel is a delightful person, well educated, thor- oughly informed on many subjects, and one who has learned much in his various travels. He is an ideal host, as well as fine business man, and under his energetic and capable management his resort is becom- ing the wonder of this region. He has seen nature under many aspects, but in all of them found them engaging, and it is when dealing direct with the natural resources that he is at his best. Possessing as he does the utmost faith in the properties of the water and mud of his springs, he is anxious to attract to them those who need the help their medicinal properties are certain to render, and will leave nothing undone to make this one of the most famous health resorts in the world. In this commendable work he has the support of some of the leading men of San Bernardino County, for he has already won from the people of this locality an unquestioning confidence in his sincerity and ability, and ample means of his own, as well as additional capital, are at his command for making all the improvements he deems neces- sary. With conditions as they are, it is not difficult to appreciate what a dominating force this enterprise is and will be, nor to under- stand the pride the people of this region in Harlem Springs and its efficient promoter, William Babel.
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