USA > California > San Luis Obispo County > History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches > Part 60
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Hans attended school at Vernaes until he was fifteen years old and made his home with his uncle from the age of nine until twenty, working on the farm and early learning the rudiments of that calling. March 9, 1886, he was drafted into the army, and was assigned to the heavy artillery. This did not suit the young man, who had his own ideas of independence, and on October 31, 1886, he left Germany and came to the United States to be a free man. He stopped in Jackson county. Kans., and near the town of Whiting worked on a farm until 1889, when the call of the West was too strong to be resisted : and that year he arrived in San Luis Obispo County.
llis first employment was on a dairy ranch, in the Los Osos valley, owned by T. Reed, and later he learned the trade of blacksmith and wagon maker, which he followed successfully for nine years. In 1901 he was selected to take charge of the cemetery and held that position for two years. In 1903 he bought the farming implements of P. M. Petersen and John Thisen for $3,204.00, rented land two miles west of San Luis Obispo and wilgot in ranching and raising beans. As he succeeded, he purchased his pred 5 ane of twenty-six aeres in 1907, and has improved the place to its mint condition and is making a success of his undertaking. He is resi- NYE aveut For the Santa Barbara Mutual Insurance Co.
OF Magicson was married in San Luis Obispo, January 30, 1897. to Me Than time Killer, who was also born in Schleswig. Germany, on De- 1518 152 1807, and they have the following children : Raymond, Wilfred, WIRH -DA ALMA Mr. Mathieson is a Republican in politics. He is a member below women of America, has passed the chairs. and served wat in Der and 1914-15. He is prominent in the local lodge of Odd flere, having to od the chairs of the order, and in 1899 served as Noble In WW2 ve represented his lodge in the Grand Lodge. He was
D
anna Rent Barkey
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elected Grand President of the Danish Society of California in 1911 ami served one year. He served as chief of the fire department of San Luis Obispo at one time. As a citizen Mr. Mathieson is well known and highly respected throughout his county. Ile has made this reputation for himself, and has built up a prosperous farming enterprise solely by his own efforts.
MR. AND MRS. ANDREW PAUL BORKEY .- The Borkey family trace their ancestry for generations back to German forebears, with William Borkey as the progenitor of the family in America, who settled in Pennsyl- vania, where he died. He had a son, George F., who was born in Pennsylvania. farmed there and died at the age of one hundred four. In direct line of descent comes Solomon Borkey, also born in that state near Johnstown, who followed the trade of carpenter and cabinet-maker and is still active at it. lle married Cecelia Wildebrandt, a native of that state and a daughter of llenry, born in Germany, and Mary (Myers) Wildebrandt, a native of France, who settled in Pennsylvania.
Andrew Paul Borkey comes next in line, and was born in Johnstown, June 16, 1875, the youngest of ten children of Solomon and Cecelia Borkey, and the only one in California. On account of his father's small salary and large family, Andrew went West at the age of seven to Cedar county, Neb., with an uncle, who promised to educate and care for him; but his uncle proved unworthy of his trust and set him right to work on a farm, compel- ling him to get out at six o'clock every morning. He worked for three months : and one Sunday evening, while they were practicing Sunday hymns in the yard with a crowd of young children, his uncle abused and whipped him severely. That night he ran away, having only five cents in his pocket. When he left home, he had promised his mother that he would never drink, smoke or chew, and that promise has been lived up to faithfully. In his travels from the home of his uncle he met with an old freighter named John Ross, at Norfolk, and with him he rode to Chadron, Neb., about five hundred miles from Cedar county. Mr. Ross knew C. F. Coffee of Harrison, Ve- braska, a large cattleman in Wyoming and Nebraska, and asked him if he didn't "want a good boy." Mr. Coffee replied, "Yes, if he is good; if not, I wouldn't have him at all." The freighter vouched for the lad and he was taken into their home. At the age of eight he started to ride the range, learned to ride and rope, and soon became a full fledged cowboy.
For eighteen years he made his home with Mr. and Mrs. Coffee, who gave him his education and made him one of their family. He thought he was working for his board and clothes, but faithfully performed evers duty imposed upon him. When he was fifteen he wanted to go back home and pay a visit to his parents, with whom he had had no correspondence since leaving, on account of a fear that if he did write them his unele wenkt diis- cover his whereabouts and bring him back. Mr. Coffee gave him a check for $4,000 for his services, and also transportation round trip, thus show is their appreciation of his faithfulness ; and all this he in turn gave techis father. and so started him in business and enabled him to buy property that is now worth $75,000. His arrival at home surprised his parents, but he did not stay long, as he found things different from the freedom of the plains, lu- Western friends and the enjoyment of the Coffee home. After ten days, he returned to Nebraska, taking with him his sisters, Martha and Mary, who made their home with him until their marriage. The former became Mrs 28
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Hubert T'eters. aml Mary married Leo Roderick and is now deceased. Mr. Borkey spent the next ten years with Mr. Coffee as superintendent, and re- ceived $1,500 and found, per year. He rode the ranges, which extended over two hundred miles, and looked after about 40,000 head of stock. He leased a rauch and carried on an independent stock business during part of this time, selling out in three years some three hundred head of stock. He was active as a cowboy, riding the range for twenty-three years, eighteen of which were spent in the employ of C. F. Coffee. During his stay in Nebraska, he had his parents come to visit him eight different times, and each time he paid all their expenses.
When he was seventeen years old he won the champion roping contest at Cheyenne, Wyo., on Frontier Day, where he roped and tied three steers in three minutes and thirty-five seconds, a record that has never been broken. The horse he used was given him afterwards by its owner, E. R. Mason, and Mr. Borkey brought it to California with him and still owns it. It is now twenty-four years old. During his experiences on the ranges he had collected a large number of relics and pictures. These he let his sister take with her when she went to Dakota after her marriage, to keep for him, and they were burned when her home was destroyed in Edgemont, entailing him an irrep- arable loss.
Mr. Borkey contracted rheumatism while riding the ranges, and had to seek a milder climate, and so came to California. In 1907 he started, on crutches, and when he reached Flagstaff, Ariz., he was in such pain that he had to stop over. Four days later the pains left him as quickly as they had come, and he threw his crutches away and has never had a recurrence of the disease.
Arriving in Pasadena, he went to work for Humphrey's Feed & Fuel Co. and remained three years, when he left to accept a position in Los Angeles as car-checker for the Globe Milling Company. From there he went to Puente as foreman for F. C. Macy on his alfalfa ranch. His next move was to Paso Robles, which place he had visited at one time and liked. Here he bought twenty-seven acres about two miles west of town and located on it, improving it and setting out fruit and nuts. Half the land is in orchard. Within less than a year he purchased ninety-two acres of alfalfa land located across the Salinas river about one mile from Paso Robles, on which he now has sixty acres seeded. Ile has developed a good supply of water, and has two pumping plants, one run by a gasoline engine, pumping from the well, and The other operated by electricity, pumping from the river. He cuts seven mark each year and markets the product. He has succeeded from the start dha we well satisfied with his choice of location for his home.
Or Barkey was married in Pasadena, July 26, 1911, to Anna Kent, a Waffel landen. lowa county, Wisconsin, the daughter of Thomas O. and @Lrevery Kent, born respectively in England and Wisconsin. The Makedist minister in Iowa until he retired to Pasadena, Cal., wite still makes her home there. Mrs. Borkey was grad- ollege, at Mt. Vernon, Ia., and followed teaching in Iowa,
1 ocoming to California, until her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Holdren : Paul Kent, Wilfred Raymond, and Ellen Lucile. To pay are both members of the Methodist Church in Paso tristee. While in Nebraska he was superintendent
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of the Sunday school and a teacher in the same. To attend, he had to ride sixty- four miles round trip each Sunday, which he did, rain or shine. The member- ship of the church grew rapidly, and inside of nine months there were over two hundred in attendance. They raised two thousand dollars for a church, and he was one of eight men who paid the preacher's salary four years in advance at one thousand dollars per year. Three stockmen, he being one of them, paid for and erected a parsonage. The attendance now numbers over four hundred, and a new church has been built. In national politics, Mr. Borkey is a Republican, and is a strong and active advocate of temperance. lle is a liberal supporter of all movements for the uplift of the people, has made a success of his own labors, and always lends a helping hand to those less fortunate than himself. In every sense of the word he is a self-made man, and highly respected by all who know him.
GEORGE W. HEARST .- An industrious and enterprising citizen and a pioneer of San Luis Obispo County of 1873, George W. Hearst has done much towards the development of the dairy interests of this section. lle was born in Stanton, Franklin county, Mo., December 12, 1850, a son of Joseph and Hannah (Armistead) Hearst, natives of North Carolina and Tennessee. The father settled in Missouri and engaged in farming; and there he died in 1856, the father of four children, George W. being the only one now living. Mrs. Hearst married after the death of her husband, and became the mother of two sons, one of whom is yet living. She died in 1892.
George W. Hearst was reared on a farm and attended the public schools of his neighborhood, and the Newport high school. After completing his studies, he came to California in 1873, with his younger brother, Richard S. : and after a short stay in San Francisco, he located near Cambria, San Luis Obispo County, and leased the Santa Rosa ranch, one of the ranches owned by his cousin, George Hearst, and engaged in farming. Later he took up dairying, adding to his herd until he had two hundred cows and utilized 1.340 acres of land in Green valley.
When first he started a dairy here he had only the wild cows that he would bring up and try to break in so they could be milked ; they would bring up about a hundred head at a time, and it took patience and careint handhing to do anything with them. Some would not give down their milk Offen they had to be thrown to be milked ; and he soon found that they were unfit for the dairy business. Even some of the wild cows, however, seemed to chiny the care bestowed upon them and, after three or four ropings, would become docile: while others would fight, and never became tractable Some of them became good milkers in time, and the calves raised from them were easily handled. The milk was panned, and in such a Quantity, from so many cows, that 1200 pans were required. It was a look to take the proper Fire of the pans. These were washed and scalded, and put out in the sun to dex AL times they had to churn twice daily. The butter was formed inte rolls op squares and packed in boxes for shipment by boat to Los Angeles and Sin Francisco markets. After he had snerceded in taming the wildle ws and had built up a dairy, his neighbors and others began doing likewise. His consi. George Hearst, who owned so many thousand acres and so many cattle. established several fine dairy ranches on his holdings, and made large smeg of money by the enterprise.
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During Mlije time. Mr. Hearst had a partner in his brother, Richard S. Hearst. Vier (de brother's death in 1875, he formed a partnership with his hali brother, Whi Park, who had come to California with his mother, and was with him alene Ilis mother and brother went East, later on ; and then Mr. diversthought a place of three hundred seventy-two and one-half acres on Han creci, near Cayucos, and there established a dairy of fifty cows, which To ran for some years.
In 1890 he located in Paso Robles, purchasing his present place and erecting the residence. Now he leases out the ranch for dairy purposes. Besides this place, Mr. Hearst has bought, improved and sold several pieces of property at a good profit, and owns a ranch of four hundred eighty acres in the Asuncion district, which he devotes to dairying and fruit-raising, making specialty of apples. He is a man of sterling worth and integrity, and liberal in his support of public movements for the upbuilding of the county. While he lives in town, he looks after his country estates and enjoys life in the land of sunshine and gold, although he has had to work hard to gain the latter. He is a stockholder and a director of the First National Bank of Paso Robles, and was one of the original stockholders in the Commercial Bank of San Luis Obispo when it was established in 1888.
George W. Hearst was united in marriage in San Luis Obispo, Decem- ber 12, 1883, with Miss Susan Hendrix, who was born in Franklin county, Mo., the daughter of Wilburn and Phoebe (Armistead) Hendrix, farmers of that section of the country. One child was born of this union-a daugh- ter, Mabel, now the wife of Lewis Terra, who is operating the Hearst ranch in Asuncion. Mrs. Hearst and her daughter are members of the Christian Church in Paso Robles.
WILLIAM ARTHUR CONRAD, JR .- The name which W. A. Con- rad bears is one which has long been associated with California, for his father, William Alexander Conrad, came with his parents to California and to San Luis Obispo County, with his brothers, and they engaged in farm- ing in the vicinity of Arroyo Grande, where he is now living, practically re- tired from active pursuits.
William Arthur Conrad was reared to the age of seven years in Tuo- luimne county, where he was born, October 18, 1870. Seven years later he was brought to this county, and with his parents he settled on a ranch iy miles north of Arroyo Grande, attending the public schools and growing m manhood on the home place.
When he was twenty-eight, he desired to embark in some mercan- tile business and came to Arroyo Grande and bought out a drug store. Having no previous knowledge of the business, he gave it his entire time anl hention, and now has one of the best-equipped stores of its kind, for a chi of the size of Arroyo Grande, in this part of the state. The business rost when he took charge, but by persistent effort he has built up a good forum trade, handling only the best and purest drugs to be found.
3. Carl is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the blue lodge and Woche do Mammy, and has been a director in the Bank of Arroyo Grande -The- 990 Pe was married in December. 1900, to Miss Lydia C. Kinney,
Af Concol j- ne of the live, wide-awake business men of the town Rexerede igh all movements for its upbuilding.
alice & ruwell b. L. Gruwell.
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CHARLES L. GRUWELL .- More than any other state in the Union. California traces its vigorous growth and prosperity directly to the sturdy character and untiring perseverance of its pioneers, many of whom risked their lives on the trackless, Indian-infested plains, bringing hither eastern con servatism and practical experience to the aid of western chaos and im- petuosity. Enrolled among these noble and self sacrificing men are the Gruwells, four of whom crossed the plains with Laban, the father of Charles L. Gruwell of Paso Robles. Laban Gruwell was born in Iowa in March. 1816. and was married there to Eliza Wilson, a native of kentucky who had come to lowa, where she taught school. They outfitted for the long trip across the plains with ox teams and such necessary supplies as they could carry, and began the journey, which at that time was a hazardous one, for the Indians were troublesome and other dangers beset them on every side.
Arriving here they located in Alviso, Santa Clara county, where Mr. Gruwell did teaming with oxen to San Jose, and then farmed on a ranch on the Saratoga road. From there he went to Lake county, and at Lakeport settled for a time on a farm; but not liking it there, he returned to Santa Clara county, and in 1874 came down into San Luis Obispo. Ile soon went back to Contra Costa county, where he lived until his death near Concord, at the age of eighty-seven years and two months. His wife died in Santa Clara county in 1881. Grandfather Gruwell was a farmer in Iowa, where he was one of the pioneers on the frontier. Five of his sons came across the plains to Call- fornia in 1849. They reared large families here, and did much towards the development of the various interests of the state. One, Jacob Gruwell, was a prominent preacher in the Methodist Church South, and died at the age of ninety-five years.
Of the family of Laban Gruwell and wife there were eleven children. namely : Amanda, who was Mrs. S. M. Maze, and who died in Gilroy ; Jacob O., who was a farmer in Summit, and later removed to near Chico, where he died; Anne, who was the wife of the Rev. James Lovell, and passed away at Lompoc ; Mary Janet, who was Mrs. F. Rice, and died in Lakeport ; Ruth, who was the wife of John Fox, and who after the death of John Fox marrie ! C. S. Hoff, and died at Huntington Beach ; Joseph, who died when ten years old; Minerva J., who died in infancy ; George, who was married to Mary Jane Tayor, both of whom are now deceased: Charles L .; Bettie, who was the wife of John James and died at Concord, California; and Laura. who was Mrs. James Wilson and who died at Santa Ynez.
Charles L., the subject of this review, is the only living member of this family. He is a resident of Paso Robles, and was born in San Jose, July 30, 1856. He followed his parents from place to place as they moved about lle attended the public schools and the Pacific University, now the U'niversny of the Pacific, until 1874, when he came to this county with his father, and followed farming and stock-raising five years. At Josephine, this county, on March 19, 1879, he was united in marriage with Alice Fowler, born in Napa county, a daughter of Henry and Sarah ( Morris) Fowler, who crossed the plains and settled in Napa county, where they were married There they farmed until 1866, when, coming to San Luis Obispo County, they were among the first settlers at Cayucos, and farmed in the Rincon district, and then in Josephine district, until they retired to San Luis Obispo, where the tather
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died at the wre wf seventy-three years, and where the mother is still living, gred seventy-live
The family of Henry Fowler consisted of seven children: Margaret, Mrs. Ferlin of San Diego; Alice, Mrs. Gruwell; Theodore, who died in San Diego: Fred, who resides in Santa Maria; Lizzie, Mrs. John Bagby of Paso Robles : Laura, the wife of V. A. Lindner of Watsonville; and Mary, who died at the age of seven years. Mrs. Gruwell was educated in San Luis Obispo County. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Gruwell located on a Stock ranch in Summit district, fourteen miles west of Paso Robles, where he engaged in the stock business and also had a dairy business at the head- waters of Jack creek. There he bought a ranch, and later homesteaded and bought until he had six hundred acres, and carried on the stock and dairy busi- ness on a large scale and with success. His brand was 97. In their dairy they panned the milk, skimmed by hand and used horse power for churn- ing, and had a furnace and boiler at the milk house for washing and scald- ing the pans. Nearly all their butter was sold in Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo, and was put up in squares. The name of the creamery was known far and wide as the "Live Oak Creamery." His stock was of the short-horned Durham breed, which he considers best adapted for dairy and beef cattle. In 1911, Mr. Gruwell sold his ranch and stock and located in Paso Robles, where he is now living, retired, enjoying the comforts of the present day and looking back on pioneer times when the luxuries of today were not even thought of. He and his wife attend the Congregational Church, and in politics he supports Democratic policies.
The name of Charles L. Gruwell is worthy of enrollment among the pioneer residents of California, who foresaw the great possibilities of the state, and put their shoulders to the wheel to develop the opportunities by which they were surrounded.
GIDEON EDWARD THURMOND .- A history of the Santa Maria valley, with special attention to the schools of the section, would be incom- plete without mention of Gideon Edward Thurmond, who served for twenty- four years as superintendent of the schools of Santa Barbara county, and did so much to bring them to their present condition. He was born near Saulsbury, Tenn., November 27, 1843, the son of a farmer, and he spent his løyhood and young manhood in tilling the soil. He was educated at the niversity of North Carolina, and from there joined the Confederate army # the age of nineteen, and was assigned to the Seventeenth Mississippi Regiment, Featherstone's Brigade. Army of the Potomac. He made a gal- ony soldier through all the series of battles and marches in which this grand My chewged, and was honorably mentioned for coolness and gallant con- Term greve the last battles before Richmond, where he received a wound Das confedera cripple for life.
MiMicowerd came to California in 1868 and settled first in Monticito, 's later to Carpinteria, where he resided until his death He was elected county school superintendent for AT In 1874, and in that field he found his life work, office for twenty-four years. He was capable, ener- 1. 40 1 was both popular with the teachers and beloved ften said of him that he knew every school child Mr. was energetic in forming districts where they
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were needed, and discouraged applications under contrary circumstances. His motto was "Better strain the law a little than injure the schools." After a busy and useful life he passed away to his reward mourned by every school child in the county, as well as by their parents, with whom he was always on the best of terms.
Mr. Thurmond was united in marriage with Ellen Dickerson of Wash- ington county, Va., who still lives at Carpinteria. At the time of his death, he left two sons and two daughters: Hunter, a teacher in Carpinteria : Gwinn, a farmer in Ventura county ; Mary, the wife of Benjamin Bail- lard of Carpinteria valley ; and Mildred.
JOHN H. HAYDON .- To the man who possesses the characteristics of patience and determination, united with absolute honor and consideration for the rights of others, life yields both success and happiness. Distinctly of this class is John H. Haydon of Santa Maria, surveyor, educator, politi- cian and historian. He was born August 3, 1837, at Warsaw, Ky., on the bank of the Ohio river, and is thus eighty years "young." He has more than attained the goal of biblical times. He is active, resourceful, and interesting, and for a man of his years physically strong. "Haydon" is an Americaniza tion of the German "Haydn." Many James Haydns or Haydons appear in the carly records at Albemarle Court House, Va. His grandfather, James Haydon, was a Revolutionary soldier and a cavalryman in "Light Horse Harry Lee's" command. It was he who changed the spelling of llaydon.
On both sides the forebears have been revolutionists and fighters. The progenitor of the family in America immigrated from England to the Vir- ginia Colonies in the latter part of the seventeenth century. Grandfather James Haydon settled in Boonesborough, Ky., in 1787, and became asso- ciated with Daniel Boone, Weitzel and others of the pioneers in those early days when the soil of Kentucky was the dark and bloody ground. The father was married in Kentucky, in 1820, to Miss Madeline Houston, niece . i Gen. Sam Houston of Texas, a distinguished representative of a family that came from Scotland to the Colonies about the same time as did the Hay lons After living long in Kentucky, they moved to Missouri, where they re- mained many years. They had six sons and three daughters. Five of the sons, including John H. Haydon, and one son-in-law, were in the Confed- erate army ; and two sons were killed in service. Of these children two are living : Mrs. Mary McGrew, of Sheldon, Mo., and John H., of this review
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