USA > California > San Bernardino County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume III > Part 44
USA > California > Riverside County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume III > Part 44
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accidents and troubles, as may well be imagined. Upon reaching the coast the party embarked on the vessel which afforded transportation to the destination. Mr. Parvue and Mrs. Hoag always sat at the captain's table on the vessel, and Mrs. Hoag was shown every possible courtesy, as the special guest of the commander of the boat. After a delightful trip up the coast Mrs. Hoag disembarked in the port of San Francisco on the 1st of February, 1852, and her guardian on the eventful trip, Mr. Parvue, finally delivered her into her mother's charge at Sacramento, to which place the journey was made by river boat. At the home of her mother she formed the acquaintance of the man who was destined to win her hand and heart, the mother having become acquainted with Mr. Hoag some time previously. On the 19th of January, 1853, was solemnized the marriage of Isaac Newton Hoag and Miss Georgie J. Jennings, the cermony having been performed in the City of San Francisco.
Isaac Newton Hoag was born at Macedon, Wayne County, New York, on the 3rd of March, 1822, and his early education included the discipline of Macedon Academy. He taught school in the old Empire state and after his graduation in the academy he read law, his ad- mission to the New York bar having occurred January 1, 1849. On this selfsame day he decided to join the goodly company of venturesome spirits who were making their way to the newly discov- ered gold fields in California. He made the trip by way of the Isthmus of Panama, and it may be consistently recorded that ninety-nine days elapsed in making the voyage from the Isthmus to San Francisco, the vessel having remained becalmed for thirty days of this period and the food supply having become so limited that passengers were reduced to a daily diet of one cracker and a pint of water. On July 4, 1849, Mr. Hoag dug his first gold, from Horse-Shoe Bar, on the American River. He was not accustomed to the hard manual labor involved in digging gold, and after meeting with measureable suc- cess in his mining operations he went to Sacramento and established himself in the mercantile business, his capital at the time having been about $1,500. In 1850 he placed in service the first ferry across the Sacramento River between Sacramento and Washington, the latter place being known as West Sacramento. This ferry enterprise proved a distinct financial success, the receipts for three months in the fall of 1850 having been $27,000. Steam power was finally brought into requisition in operating the ferry, and Mr. Hoag admitted to partner- ship a man named Myrick, who returned to the East and squandered large sums of the firm's money. Later a bridge was constructed across the river and the ferry encountered the opposition of the Southern Pacific Railroad, so that the business became unprofitable. About this time Mr. Hoag gained admission to the California bar. After retiring from the ferry enterprise he was for a time associated with his brother, Benjamin H. Hoag, in importing agricultural imple- ments from the East, and he became also secretary of the California State Agricultural Society, an office which he retained ten years. As one of the leaders in the community he did all in his power to further its interests, and incidentally he acted as correspondent for various newspapers, including the Sacramento Record-Union and San Francisco papers.
He drew up and secured the passage of the law which made the California Agricultural Society a state institution, his election to the presidency of the society having occurred in 1862. He was for four years the leading agricultural writer on the staff of the Pacific
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Rural Press, which was founded in 1870, and his contributions to other papers were mainly in the promotion of agricultural interests in the state. In 1881 he was elected secretary and actuary of the Cali- fornia State Anti-debris Association. In May, 1883, he was appointed commissioner of immigration for the Southern and Central Pacific Railroads, he having been the first to become a colonization agent in such service. In his official capacity he maintained headquarters in the City of Chicago, where the family resided about three years. In that metropolis he opened offices and displayed a large and varied assortment of California fruits and farm produce. En route to Chi- cago he made a visit to San Bernardino County in order to gain intimate knowledge of the value and productive resources of lands here owned by the Southern Pacific Railroad Company and which he rep- resented. His activities brought to California a large number of most valuable settlers, and when failing health necessitated his relinquish- ment of his service as immigration agent he returned to California, and in 1887 purchased thirty acres of unimproved land in the vicinity of Redlands. He developed this into one of the fine orange ranches of this section, erected an attractive residence at 816 East High Avenue, Redlands, and here remained, as one of the most honored and influential pioneer citizens of the state, until his death, on the 21st of April, 1898. His original tract of land at Redlands extended from Colton Avenue to Zanja and Church and Division streets. He laid out the beautiful Sylvan boulevard, deeded his portion of the same to the city and prevailed upon other owners to do likewise. His in- tense interest, his enthusiasm, his high character and distinctive ability, together with his broad and varied experience, made him the ideal colonizer and builder, and his name and fame shall ever remain closely associated with the history of development and progress in California. He continued his vigorous activities until an attack of pneumonia brought his earnest and worthy life to a close. In 1861 he was elected representative of Yolo County in the State Legis- lature, and later he served with characteristic ability as county judge of Yolo County. At Redlands Mr. Hoag was active in the promotion and support of many enterprises projected for the development of local interests. He assisted in securing the Chicago colony, and at one time had an interest in 1,600 acres of land belonging to the Crafts estate. He sold $70,000 worth of this in one year, and through efforts to provide irrigation for the tract he assisted largely in the early im- provement of Crafton. He was one of the organizers of the Domestic Water Company and became one of its directors. At the time of his death he was the owner of twenty-five acres of bearing orchards on Lugonia Heights.
Mr. Hoag was a birthright member of the Society of Friends, ordered his life in accord with the gentle and noble teachings of this great religious organization, and he commanded at all times the unqualified respect and confidence of his fellow men, his death having been deeply felt as a general community loss and bereavement in Redlands. Mrs. Hoag still resides in the beautiful home which her husband provided at Redlands, and is one of the remarkable pioneer women of California, with secure place in the affectionate regard of all who have come within the sphere of her gracious influence. In former years she passed many days in driving about in her car- riage in the furtherance of developing Redlands as a city of ideal beauty, she being a charter member of the United Workers of Public Improvement, and though now of advanced age she still retains a
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vital and loyal interest in all that touches the welfare of her home community and its people. Mr. and Mrs. Hoag became the parents of six children : Charles Eugene, Anna Eunica, Granville, Edna, Lizzie Mary and Newton. All of the children are now deceased except Mrs. Anna Hoag Watkins who resides in Oakland, California, and Lizzie Mary Warner, the widow of Clarence A. Warner, her home being with her widowed mother, to whom she accords the deepest filial solicitude.
MYRON A. CLARK has been a resident of California since the year 1887, and as a contractor and builder has been concerned actively with the development and upbuilding of the communities in which he has lived. He is one of the representative citizens of Redlands, San Bernardino County, where his attractive home is situated on Myrtle Street.
A scion of a sterling pioncer family of Michigan, Mr. Clark was born at Amboy, Hillsdale County, that state, on the 8th of October, 1849. He is a son of Charles and Mary A. (Simonds) Clark, the former a native of the State of New York and the latter of Boston, Massachusetts. The father became one of the substantial pioneer farmers of Hillsdale County, Michigan, in which state both he and his wife continued to maintain their home until their deaths. They be- came the parents of six children, namely : Francis M., Ella M., Myron A., Emma, Louisa and Charles G. Of the number all are now de- ceased except Myron A. and Charles G.
The common schools of his native county gave to Myron A. Clark his early education, which was supplemented by a course in a semi- nary in which higher branches were taught. His aid was early en- listed in connection with the work of the home farm, but he was only fifteen years old when he left the parental roof and initiated an apprenticeship to the trade of cabinetmaking. In accordance with the custom of the locality and period he, as a minor, "bought his time" from his father, who normally was supposed to provide for and receive the services of the son until the latter had attained to his legal majority. In securing this release and attending independence of action Myron A. Clark contracted to pay his father the sum of $200. During his apprenticeship he received his board and lodging and the sum of ten dollars a month. He became a proficient work- man and was assigned to the best class of productive work at his trade. His discipline was such as to give him ready facility when he engaged in the work of the carpenter's trade, and he became a specially successful contractor and builder in his native state, where he erected high-grade buildings in various cities and towns and where he continued his active associations with this line of business enterprise until he came with his family to Southern California. He arrived at Riverside, this state, on the 3d of January, 1887, his coming here having been largely due to the suggestions of kinsfolk of his wife, they having previously settled at Riverside. Mr. Clark continued his residence at Riverside until February, 1887, when he came to Redlands. Here he purchased ten acres of land on Fern Avenue, the place being given over to fruit propagation. He paid for this land $2,900, erected on the same a good house and other buildings, and after there maintaining his home about five years he removed, in 1892. to Pasadena. Within a year after buying the property men- tioned he was offered, but refused, $14,000 for the place. At Pasa- dena Mr. Clark remained about fifteen years, within which he gained
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precedence as one of the leading contractors and builders of that section of Los Angeles County. He erected a goodly number of the best buildings constructed at Pasadena within this period. He next passed three years at Oceanside, San Diego County, where he was the contractor in the erection of the San Louis Rey Hotel and a number of high-grade houses and business buildings. In November, 1904, he returned to Redlands and took possession of the residence property which he had previously purchased, at 25 Myrtle Street, his original Redlands property having been sold at the time when he left this city. As a contractor and builder Mr. Clark has erected many of the finest houses and other buildings in the Redlands com- munity. The twin brothers, Alfred and Albert Smiley, whose con- tribution to the upbuilding and beautifying of Redlands was large and munificent, as shown in a personal memoir dedicated to them on other pages of this work, became personal friends of Mr. Clark, and it was while making a drive in company with Mr. Clark that Alfred Smiley became enthusiastically impressed with the natural attrac- tions of the hills above San Timeteo Canyon, with the result that he telegraphed for his twin brother to join him here, and they purchased the property which they developed into the present idyllic Hill Crest Park, which has added greatly to the attractions of the Redlands district. As a personal friend of the Smileys, who knew his excep- tional technical ability and experience, Mr. Clark was retained by the brothers to erect the various buildings on this fine property. He first constructed, for the use of the landscape gardener employed by the Smiley brothers, a cottage at the north end of the property. Thereafter he erected the beautiful home of Alfred Smiley, and later that of Albert. All of this work, in harmony with the very liberal policies adopted by the brothers in the improving of the magnificent estate, demanded the most punctilious attention and care on the part of Mr. Clark, who took deep pride in the progress of the work and gave to each detail a most careful supervision. Many beautiful houses stand in evidence of the ability of Mr. Clark as a contractor and builder. He erected the fine residence of Isaac N. Hoag on High Avenue, and his contribution to development and progress in Southern California has been large, along both material and civic lines. When he established his home at Redlands the nearest railroad point was San Bernardino, from which place all building material and other commodities were transported by team and wagon to Redlands and vicinity. None of the irrigating systems had been developed, and Mr. Clark has thus witnessed the wonderful transformation which had made this district one of the garden spots of Southern California, with the most modern of improvements and facilities.
At the time when the construction of the dam in Bar Valley was instituted the object of the promoters was to give irrigation facilities to the Allesandro Valley. Eventually it was found that the supply of water would be inadequate, and this feature of the irrigation project was abandoned. Mr. Clark had made heavy investment in this valley, and consequently he met with large financial loss when it was found that the supply of water was sufficient only for use in the Redlands district, the Allesandro Valley being left unimproved. Though Mr. Clark is now virtually retired from active business, he still responds to occasional demands for his interposition as a contractor and builder, and he continues as one of the most loyal supporters and ardent admirers of the beautiful district which he has seen develop from little more than a barren waste into one of the most attractive
Vol. 111-20
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sections of Southern California. Of conditions in evidence when he came to this part of the state it is not necessary to speak in this brief review, but he takes satisfaction in the thought that he has been able to have his part in the splendid march of progress during the past thirty or more years.
At Rollin, Lenawee County, Michigan, on the 19th of March, 1871, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Clark and Miss Ellen Underwood, who had been one of his youthful schoolmates. Mrs. Clark was born at Rollin, Michigan, on the 21st of June, 1851, and is a daughter of Van Wyckand Mary Jane (Green) Underwood, both natives of the State of New York. Concerning the children of Mr. and Mrs. Clark brief record is here entered: William A., who was born at Amboy, Michigan, December 20, 1873, completed his educa- tion in the public schools of California, and he is now a successful exponent of ranch enterprise in the Imperial Valley of this state. He married Maude Tennison, and they have had four children-Leonard A., Kingsley (died in early youth), Louis and Eleanor. Fred B. was born at Rollin, Michigan, May 13, 1879, and his education in- cluded a course in a business college at Pasadena, California. He is now employed as an expert accountant in the office of the leading furniture store in the City of San Bernardino. He married Lulu Clem, and they have one child, Velma. Florence E., who was born at Addison, Michigan, October 8, 1884, died on the 9th of February, 1888, after the removal of the family to California. Leonard A. was born in Pasadena, California, and after his graduation from the high school at Holtsville, Imperial County, California, he found employ- ment in a banking institution at that place. He entered service when the nation became involved in the World war, and he received pre- liminary military training at the University of Southern California. He gained the rank of sergeant and was transferred to an officers' training camp. He was thus placed at the time of the signing of the armistice, and upon receiving his honorable discharge he obtained a position in a bank in the City of Los Angeles. Later the president of the bank at Holtsville induced him to return to that place, and later he became teller in the Southern Trust & Commerce Bank of El Centro, judicial center of Imperial County, where, entirely through efficient service and sterling characteristics, he has been placed in charge of the department devoted to collections, notes, mortgages and all other securties.
G. STANLEY WILSON was born in 1879 in Bournemouth, England, and was educated in that town. His father, mother, three brothers and three sisters arrived in Riverside in September, 1895, and he himself has resided in Riverside since that time. In 1906 he married a daughter of Dr. H. H. Scott of the said city, and now has three children : Mabel, Ernest and Harry.
He entered business for himself in 1909 and is still in business in the same office at this time, 646 9th Street, City.
Among a great many buildings, he has superintended for Frank Miller are the Art Galleries, Kitchens and Spanish Wing, as well as other improvements. He was the architect for the Magnolia Avenne School, Lowell School, Liberty School, the Hemet High School, and has now under way the Corona High School. The residences include those of Judge Densmore, Mr. C. O. Evans, Mr. S. C. Evans and Mr. Allen Pinkerton of New York. Also the Loring Opera House, the Hellman Bank, the Crossley Garage and many others.
Getonly wilson
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He is a member of the Elks, Odd Fellows and Sons of St. George. Also the Kiwanis Club.
He has an attractive home on the corner of 4th and Market in this city ..
CHARLES L. ALLISON is the eldest member of the prominent Allison family of San Bernardino, a family which has done much for the advancement of its home city and is identified with the history of the city for nearly forty years.
He was born in Mason County, Illinois, February 12, 1969, and was educated in the public schools of San Bernardino, to which his parents brought him in 1882. After his graduation from the high school he commenced the study of the law, having, like the other members of the family, early determined what his work in life would be. He entered the offices of Paris & Fox in San Bernardino and was admitted to the bar on October 10, 1892. He at first practiced alone, but later formed a partnership with Col. A. B. Paris, which continued until May, 1897, when Colonel Paris died. He then practiced alone again until 1915, when he formed a partnership with Hugh L. Dickson, under the name of Allison & Dickson, which continued until February, 1921, since which time he has been alone. His practice is general and he has a large clientele.
Mr. Allison married August, 1912, Miss Clara Kellogg, a daughter of E. H. Kellogg, of San Bernardino, and they have one child, Virginia May. Like his father and brothers he is a staunch democrat. He is a member of San Bernardino Lodge, F. and A. M .; of San Bernardino Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge. Mr. Allison is also a member of the San Bernardino County Bar Association.
MONTE D. ALLISON, the popular and efficient druggist of San Ber- nardino, is a fine example of that "Noblest work of God," the self-made man. While a very young boy he made up his mind just what he pro- posed to do with his life, and with a single minded purpose went to work at it, and he gained the success only attained by those who seek earnestly for it. He obtained his education in the school of difficulties, and he certainly holds a graduation diploma from the "College of Ex- perience." He learned by actual work all that most boys learn by theory and in books, and now that he is on the victory side of the battle of life it must be a source of gratification to him, as it is to his friends, that his own indomitable spirit, perseverance and industry placed him in the position he occupies today.
Mr. Allison was born in the City of Clinton, Missouri, on October 1. 1873, his father, Hugh Jackson Allison, being a native of that state. His mother, Elmira (Suman) Allison, was a native of Illinois. His father was a carpenter by trade, but only followed it for a short time, taking up farming and devoting his attention to that occupation until about 1895, when he retired from all active pursuits. He came out to California with his family in 1882, locating in San Bernardino. He passed on on June 13, 1920. He was a democrat in politics, and his sons have followed his political faith. His wife is still living in San Ber- nardino. They were the parents of eight children: Charles L., a prom- inent attorney of San Bernardino; Monte D .. the leading druggist ; Ella. wife of M. L. Cook, well known mining engineer of San Bernardino. whose story appears elsewhere in this history: Marie, wife of D. S. Newton, of Los Angeles: Effie G .; Claude, of San Bernardino; Harry
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L., county clerk of San Bernardino County ; Earl L., of San Bernardino.
Monte D. Allison was educated in the public schools of San Bernar- dino as far as he went in that line of education, for while attending school he commenced the study of drugs and while still very young he left school to go to work in the business. His first employer was F. M. Towne, the pioneer druggist, and here he continued his study of pharmacy. He soon graduated in this and then he worked for Mr. Towne, from 1884 until he was admitted to a partnership, forming the Towne-Allison Drug Company. This firm is incorporated and now has three stores with a very large and constantly increasing patronage, not confined to the city or even the county. Of this company Mr. Allison is the president.
He pins his political faith to the democratic party. He is a member of San Bernardino Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and of the Free and Accepted Masons.
HARRY L. ALLISON, the popular county clerk of San Bernardino County, is another of the "near Californians," for he was born the year his parents came out to San Bernardino, making him practically a native son. He was educated in San Bernardino and passed his life there, and has served the city and county most efficiently.
He was born in Clinton, Missouri, October 8, 1882, his parents coming to California the same year and locating in San Bernardino. The family history is given in the sketch of Monte F. Allison, the leading druggist of San Bernardino, and his brother. Another brother is the attorney, Charles L. Allison. Harry L. Allison secured his education in the pub- lic schools of San Bernardino and then went into the newspaper business, remaining in it four years. He learned telegraphy and followed that for six years. He is a strong democrat and a prominent figure in local politics, and was elected city clerk in 1903 and was re-elected, serving two terms, 1903-1911. He was then elected county recorder, being the only democrat elected in the county. He served eight years, being re- elected. In 1920 he was elected county clerk, and is now filling that position to the satisfaction of all concerned.
He married in 1908 Clara Belle Dunlap, a daughter of F. S. Dunlap. of Redlands. They have one son. Hugh Dunlap Allison. Mr. Allison is a member of San Bernardino Lodge of Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is a member of the Methodist Church of San Bernardino.
JOHN P. FISK, vice president of the First National Bank of Redlands, is essentially one of the representative men of San Bernardino County, where he established his residence in 1887 and where he has wielded large and benignant influence in connection with civic and material de- velopment and progress during the intervening period of more than thirty years. He was born at Beloit. Wisconsin. September 11. 1857. and is a son of Professor John P. and Abbie Richardson (Clark) Fisk. The father was born in New Hampshire, in 1818, and was eighty-one years of age at the time of his death, in 1899. A man of strong character. Pro- fessor John P. Fisk was for twenty-five years one of the able members of the faculty of Beloit College, one of the admirable endncational in- stitutions of Wisconsin, and he achieved prominence and influence as an educator and as a leader in educational affairs in the Badger State. His wife was born at Tewksbury, Massachusetts, in 1825, and her death occurred in 1875 ; the children of this union were four sons and two daugh- ters. Professor Fisk was a resident of Chicago, Illinois, at the time of
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