USA > California > San Luis Obispo County > History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches > Part 67
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Mr. Brooks was united in marriage in Kansas with Miss Ermina .Alex- ander, who was born in Missouri. They have had ten children, as follows : Ora, Mrs. Spooner of Morro: Gordon, in San Francisco: Floy, Mrs. Miller of Oak Flat: Julian, at Arbuckle, Cal .; George Alexander and Oscar J., at home; Paul, who died at the age of seven, and Janice, at the age of four ; and Charles Russell and Bernice, who are at home.
Mr Brooks is a member of the California Almond Growers' Exchange and a director in the local exchange. Ile is a member of the International Bible Students' Association and a leader of the class here. For the past twenty- five years he has been a close student of the doctrine of the association, and he organized the local congregation. Mr. Brooks is a man of splendid attain- ments, liberal and public-spirited, and successful.
GILES N. TALBOT .- Prominent among the horticulturists who, by their science and enterprise, have done much to extend the fame of San Luis Obispo County, and particularly of Paso Robles, Giles N. Talbot has set out the most extensive almond orchards in this vicinity. He was born in Beatrice, Gage county, Nebr. His father, George Talbot, was born near Detroit, Mich., and crossed the plains in 1852, in an old-fashioned overland ox-train. On the way their small company was attacked by Indians near Plum Creek, and one of his three comrades was killed. The others luckily escaped, and after much privation and delay made their way to California, where they engaged with more or less success in the mining ventures of the time. George Talbot, however, became something more than a mere pros- pector, and found a fair degree of profit in the fitting out of miners and the sale of mining supplies.
After twelve years in California, he returned to Michigan, and while there married Miss Mildred Lapham, a native of that state. The couple then removed to Nebraska, and took up a homestead near Beatrice, not far from the Big Blue river. But exposure and hardships endured during his mining experiences so undermined his health that, after years of pain, he died, in 1887. Those who knew him will never forget how interesting were his conversa- tions in hours of semi-relief from suffering, when he was induced to talk of pioneer days in the mines of California. His wife also passed away in Nebraska, in 1890.
Two children remain of their family : the subject of our sketch and Mrs. E. W. Hunt, who resides near Syracuse, in Nebraska. Giles worked on a farm near Beatrice and attended the public school until, on his mother's death, he was compelled to paddle his own canoc. He then made his way to Holdredge, where he found employment in the lumber business, in which he continued for twelve years .. He became interested in a lumber yard, as a
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menjles of the firm of Cornell & Talbot. So well did this concern prosper that it -triof other yards in Atlanta, Oxford, Woodrow, Farnam and Maywood, thus imwing five yards besides the headquarters at Holdredge. The firm also amqpwired farming lands of value in that section.
In 1988, he sold out his interest in the lumber business and located in Los Angeles, where he became an investor in citrus fruit enterprises. He purchased. for example, land on Lemon Heights, northeast of Santa Ana, and set out twenty acres of lemons and Valencia oranges. Five years later he came to Paso Robles and cleared up some five hundred acres in the Encinal district, seven miles from Paso Robles, which he laid out to almonds, special- ving in three different varieties : the 1 X L, the Nonpareil, and the Drake.
At Oxford. in Nebraska, Mr. Talbot was married to Miss Bernice Hamil- ton, a native of Somerset, lowa, and the daughter of William T. Hamilton, who was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, a member of the same family as the great American statesman, Alexander Hamilton. The family is of Scotch- Irish descent. The maiden name of William T. Hamilton's mother was Lind- say. In'early days Mr. Hamilton came to lowa as a merchant, where he mar- ried Miss Emma J. MeClintic, who was born in Lee county, lowa. the daughter of A. D. MeClintic, a native of Virginia, and Amanda ( Hart) McClintic, who came from New York. This couple, also, was of Scotch-Irish descent. Mr. and Mrs. William T. Hamilton removed to Furnas county, Nebr. : and at Ox- ford, where Mr. Hamilton died in 1895, he became a very successful dry goods merchant. His widow is now a beloved member of the household of Mr. and Mrs. Talbot at Paso Robles.
Mr. and Mrs. Talbot have two children, Pauline and John. Mrs. Talbot is a member of the Presbyterian Church at Hollywood.
JOHN R. FROOM .- A successful rancher and well-known citizen of San Luis Obispo County, John R. Froom was born in Prescott, Granville county, Canada, February 29, 1864, a son of Erastus Froom, a native of the -ame section and a farmer, who came to California and settled in Sonoma county in 1882. There he was engaged in farming, but he finally returned to Canada, where he lived up to the time of his death. John R. Froom was educated in the public schools of his native place until he was sixteen years old. and lived at home with his mother in Canada until 1884, when he came to lowa to seek his fortune.
He worked on a farm for six months and then journeyed to California. arriving in Sonoma county in the fall of 1884. Here he found employment Ph a ranch near Santa Rosa and worked there one year, after which he came w Sah Luis Obispo County, and in 1886 settled in the Laguna district, finding Work on the ranch owned by Mr. L. Nelson, owner of the ranch now held Dy Mirs Froom. This consisted of five hundred acres, which Mr. Froom 100 54 11 1890, beginning dairying and meeting with good results. In 1904 pepperty was given to Mrs. Froom. Many of the improvements on the jobistors the result of Mr. Froom's labor, and here he conducts a dairy of com a business which he has consistently followed since coming to
um das united in marriage with Harriett Perry, a native of Ire- Ton -06 . De to Minois with her brother and later to California and San Ums Lup cotty, and settled on the ranch which is now her property. Se ud Mr Truth were married on December 14. 1904, and seven children
mr. McDonal
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have blessed their union: Harry, Annie, Minnie, Willie, Robert, Bunny and John. All were born in this county, and all have been sent to the local school. Mr. and Mrs. Froom are well-known and highly respected. He takes an active interest in the upbuilding of the county, and with his wife supports all movements that have for their object the welfare of the community.
MICHAEL McDONALD .- A resident of California since 1868, and a man who, by energy and application, has accomplished much since first he located in the frontier country along the Estrella, "Murdoch" McDonald, as Michael McDonald is familiarly known by everyone, enjoys to an exceptional degree, as the oldest settler of that region, the esteem and good will of his fellows. Born in Sydney, Cape Breton county, N. S., March 15, 1844, Murdoch McDonald is descended from the McDonalds of Inverness-shire, Scotland, the famous and doughty Lords of the Isle, the mention of whose name and deeds makes the blood of the patriotic Scotchman tingle. The McDonalds are, in fact, a part of the royal line from Somhairle Mor MacGille Bride, a brave warrior who ruled the greater part of Argyleshire and the western part of Inverness-shire. There is a statement that Somhairle was descended from Conu Cued-Chatbach, a king of Ireland, who is said to have reigned about the year 125; but this has not been authenticated, and it may be an unfounded fable. What seems to be certain is that Somhairle was slain in battle at Renfrew in 1164, and that his eldest son, Dougall, was a progenitor of the McDougalls, of Lorne, whose fourth son, Ronald, had a son, Donald, who became a very distinguished person, so much so that from him the surname of McDonald was adopted. His grandson, Angus, fought with Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn. It was one of his sons, Ronald, who was the ancestor of the clan Ronald McDonald, and he was succeeded by his eldest son. Allan ; and his son, Donald, had two sons. From Alexander, the youngest, the McDonalds of Glengarry are descended: and as Murdoch McDonald is a lineal descendant of this clan, it is not surprising that he has named his ranch the Glengarry.
Murdoch's father was Donald McDonald, of Inverness, Scotland, who migrated to Sydney, N. S., where he became a prosperous farmer. llis mother, on the other hand, was a native of Nova Scotia, whose maiden name was Theresa Gillis. Both father and mother died in that maritime province. .\ brother of Murdoch is Laughlin MeDonald, now living at Hanford.
Brought up on a farm near the Atlantic seaboard, Murdoch McDonald was educated at one of the subscription schools of his day, and was thus limited to the most elementary courses ; but by wide reading and close ob- servation he has become well posted, and is a versatile and entertaining conversationalist. He has studied and read much Gaelic literature, too, and speaks with fluency the Gaelic language. In the fall of 1868 he came to Cali- fornia, sailing on the "Ocean Queen" from New York to Panama ; and after crossing the Isthmus, proceeded north on the steamer "Colorado." On November 8, he came in through the Golden Gate, and wintered at Menlo Park, San Mateo county.
In the spring of 1869, Mr. MeDonald repaired to the Estrella river, San Luis Obispo County, in which vicinity, for nearly half a century, he has been residing. He pre-empted one hundred sixty acres one mile west of his present homestead, which he also located as soon afterward as he could !. and there he began the usual difficult but necessary improvements. Like the
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thorough pioneer that he was, he built a small adobe house, dug a well, and began breaking and plowing the ground and putting in crops. He was soon engaged. al -. in sheep-raising, at which he was more than success- ful. Having some five thousand sheep on hand in 1877, the terribly dry year, he sent half of them to the coast and carried them through the hills there, while he drove the other half through the San Joaquin Valley and over the Sierras into Bishop valley, Inyo county. Having saved a good part of his flocks in this way, he continued the sheep business, in time possessing from five to six thousand head; although, when the railroad came through, and the country was being settled up rapidly. he found it more profitable to turn to grain and stock-raising. As he prospered, he purchased more land, and so acquired a large acreage, some of which he later sold. He has now six hundred forty acres on the Estrella river, fourteen miles east from Paso Robles-a splendid farm with considerable bottom land, which can easily be put under irrigation by pumping water from the neighboring river.
As soon as he was able to do so, Mr. McDonald replaced the old adobe house by a large, fine residence, near which he also erected suitable barns ; and as the group of buildings is situated at the head of a cove, the beautiful location of Glengarry ranch headquarters could not fail to contribute much to the attractiveness of the estate. He also set out a promising orchard and built extensive fences. Mr. McDonald and his sons are now engaged in farming on a large scale, renting and operating land adjoining, in addition to that which they own. They devote large areas to wheat and barley. for which they require four big teams ; and they use a combined harvester for gathering the crop. They are also engaged in raising Durham and Hereford cattle, and Percheron horses.
Mr. McDonald has actively participated in public and official life. For sears he has been, as he still is, postmaster at Bern, where he has the office located in his residence. He was instrumental in establishing the Phillips school district, and in building the schoolhouse there ; and he has been school trustee for the district several years.
In 1874. Mr. McDonald made a trip back to Nova Scotia, and while there he was married to Miss Elizabeth McLean, a native of Cape Breton County, who died more than twenty-five years ago. Six children were born from this union : Donald, who is deceased ; Isabelle, James, Alice and Ronald, who are at home assisting in the operation of the farms; and Florence, woww Mrs. Smith, who resides in Oroville. A Democrat who has frequently lowrise delegate to county conventions, Mr. McDonald has also done his duty politizen in serving on the grand jury.
WILLIAM E. SMITH .- Prominently identified with the best interests Of rio Grande and one of the best-informed men on property values in wirw wi San Luis Obispo County, William E. Smith is actively en- Vous In a Fever il real estate business at Arroyo Grande. He was born in SVOU Y , Elay 7, 1840, was educated in the public schools, and in 1862, weiter har was declared between the North and the South, enlisted in agua 1 - He New York Cavalry, and served with the Army of the Po- jdit in nineteen general engagements. On the surrender of sont h took part in the Grand Review at Washington at
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During his term of service he was twice wounded,
cold Harbor, and was taken prisoner, but escaped.
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After being mustered out, he returned to Pennsylvania and for seven years worked in the oil fields; later he engaged in the mercantile business at Manistique, Mich., on Lake Superior, and continued in business there until coming to the Pacific Coast.
Mr. Smith was a pioneer of Aberdeen, Wash., where he settled and en- gaged in contracting and building, erecting the first business block in that place. He carried on building there for many years and was a factor in the development of the place. Leaving Aberdeen in 1894, he came south to the Rogue river district in Oregon and for two years engaged in mining.
He then came on to California and stopped in Crescent City a year : and later went to the Mojave desert and prospected and mined for two years. He then was employed in the oil fields of Kern county, and afterwards went to the Santa Maria oil fields district. Then for a time he helped boom Pismo Beach, and still later was in Santa Margarita dealing in real estate. ()n January 1, 1916, he located in Arroyo Grande, and here he has succeeded in realty dealing. He is a member of Hancock Post. G. A. R., in Crescent City, Cal. Mr. Smith is the father of two children, Mrs. Lennie Peterson of Oakland, and Perless, a son, in Arroyo Grande. Mr. Smith is a self-made, public-spirited man, and one who makes and keeps friends.
STEPHEN P. DILLE .- It would be difficult to find a man more em- phatically in accord with the true western spirit of progress, or more keenly alive to the opportunities awaiting the industrious and intelligent man of affairs in San Luis Obispo County, than Stephen P. Dille, of the vicinity of Paso Robles. He was born at Mount Victory, Hardin county, O., April 25. 1846, a son of Abraham and grandson of Isaac Dille, both born in Pennsyl- vania. Isaac Dille went to Ohio, where he died. Abraham Dille was a farmer, who settled in Hardin county, in 1833, in a forest, in which he cleared and improved a farm, burning the logs on the place. He died there at the age of eighty-two years. He married Deborah Post, a native of Pennsylvania, who also died in Ohio. Of their family of ten children, nine grew to maturity, Stephen P. being now the only survivor. They were: Cyrus, who served in the Civil War with the 121st Ohio regiment, and died in Ohio ; Munson, who was in the Civil War with the 135th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and died in Ohio; Asher, and Wade, who both died before the war; Emily Ann. Mrs. Winder, who died in Monterey, Cal. ; Isaac N., who served in the Civil War. first with the 4th Illinois Cavalry, and then as first lieutenant in a company with the 135th Ohio and the 192nd Ohio regiments, and who died at Lompoc. Cal., leaving three children : Francis Marion, and Phoebe, who both died be- fore the war ; and Stephen P., the subject of this review. Munson Dille was married and had nine children. One of these, Mary Effie, married W. M. Eddy and resides in Ohio. She has six children, one of whom, Lloyd Eddy. is a farmer near Paso Robles.
Mr. Dille was reared in Ohio and attended the public schools. On May 1. 1864, he volunteered for service in Company H, 135th Ohio Volunteer In fantry. He was mustered in at Columbus, and was detailed to guard the B. & O. Railway with his company, in Virginia. He was mustered out in Septem- ber, 1864. He again volunteered, but was rejected. His father volunteered. but was rejected by the recruiting officer on account of his age, he being sixty-three. After Mr. Dille was mustered out of the service, he took up the trade of carpenter and worked in Ohio until 1871, when he went to Filmore
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wohnty. S. br .. located a homestead of one hundred sixty acres, improved it and remamed there ten years, farming and doing carpenter work. He sold wal m 1881, and came to California, and at Lompoc worked at his trade. The KAMwing year he went to Monterey county, where he pre-empted one hundred sixty acres in Jolon Flats, and set to work improving the place. He also worked at his trade for nearly thirty years. In 1910, he located in San Luis Wbispo County and bought eighty acres on the Huer-Huero, three and one- hali miles from Paso Robles, and there he engaged in raising hay and stock, meeting with the success that has characterized his efforts through life.
Mr. Dille was married in Ventura county to Mrs. Mollie (Allen) Edson, Native of Ohio. She died in Ohio while on a trip for her health, with her Mlsband. Mr. Dille was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic as long as a post was near, which he could attend. He served as school trustee for many years. In politics he is a Republican.
JOHN FRANKLIN BOTTS .- Decidedly in the front rank of those who have contributed to making California what it is today, are the sturdy Hoosiers who, bidding good-bye to more settled conditions and greater conveniences, cast in their lot on the shores of the Pacific at a period when and in places here to do so meant to invite years of hardship if not permanent disappoint- ment. Such a worthy native of Indiana, of whom his fellow Californians are justly proud, is John Franklin Botts, the well-known rancher of Paso Robles, who was born near Bateham, Sullivan county, Indiana, on August 22, 1857. His grandfather, George W. Botts, moved to Indiana from Ohio, after first migrating from his native state of Pennsylvania, and died in Illinois. His father, George W. Botts, was born near Coshocton, Ohio, and settled as a farmer in Sullivan county, Ind. Afterward, he removed with his family to Carroll county, Mo., where he bought a farm and operated it until 1865, in which year he returned to Indiana, this time to Greene county. Perhaps he was glad to get out of Missouri, for he had a hard experience there during the Civil War, when guerrilla bands came and went, and his life was at times in jeopardy. The mother of John F. Botts was Catherine Exline, a sister of Levi Exline, the pioneer of Paso Robles (whose life the reader will also find sketched in this work ) ; and she also was born in the county of Coshocton. she and her husband died near Sullivan, Ind. Of their marriage eight children Were born, six of whom, as follows, reached maturity : John Franklin and he- twin brother. B. N. Botts, of Paso Robles; Flora J., Mrs. T. F. Abbey, of Thed at Paso Robles; Catherine J., who became the wife of Michael (4-, Et Paso Robles, who also receives special mention in this volume : ROPP1 B, Mrs. Pierce, who died at Paso Robles ; and Silva, Mrs. Fortney, oleks el away in the same town.
Wir Botts lived in Missouri up to his seventh or eighth year, and then 100 Mech county, Ind., with his parents, and grew up on a farm, attend- wo Po ww Elels for several months in the year; but owing to his 1 16 401. 1 had to shorten his schooling and undertake more hard or log b mir er et most lads. At the age of eighteen, he took the greater on Je Bars he had saved and bought a ticket for San Francisco. still so largely in the making interested him, but the 0 40 min- at Paso Robles induced him to continue his journey L-ar De lift he arrived with just a dollar and a half in his pocket. In a Two or a los Past cent to buy an axe, and began chopping wood
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and clearing land ; and with that occupation he has since then always had more or less to do.
In 1877, in partnership with Levi Exline, he located a claim in Oak Flat ; but with brotherly generosity he afterwards gave over the title to his sister. The next year, he homesteaded one hundred sixty acres farther up the Flat, and improved the place, clearing one hundred acres. At first he set out an orchard of twenty acres in peaches, for he was always greatly inter- ested in horticultural development, and spared no study to learn the best methods and the most economical means; and he succeeded in getting ten acres into bearing. Strange to say, however, there was then no sale for the fruit ; and not finding his investment profitable, he in time sold the place. He also cleared for others about one hundred acres. A summer was passed in Fresno; and then he returned to Paso Robles and began all over again, en- gaging in contracting. His next move was to Arroyo Grande, and there he owned two different places, clearing some twenty acres and raising vegetables.
Once more returning to Paso Robles, he bought a hundred seventy-three acres in the Summit district, which he now devotes to grain and stock-raising, and to horticulture. He set aside twenty-five acres for an orchard, which is well named the "Applewood Home," because there is an old apple orchard on the place which bears fruit of a splendid quality, large, well-formed and of a fine flavor. The soil and altitude, together with the climate, make it fine for growing apples, in which he is specializing. In 1911, Mr. Botts took charge of the Coffin place at Paso Robles, and there he planted an orchard of sixty-five acres to almonds and twelve acres to Bartlett pears. His expe- rience and knowledge of horticulture have enabled him to accomplish favorable results. The orchard is now five years old ; and it is the consensus of opinion of people who have traveled through the almond districts that it is the finest almond orchard in this section. It is shown by real estate men as a prize orchard when they wish to demonstrate the advantages of this locality for the growing of almonds. He superintends this place, and at the same time his family operate the home place at Summit.
During his residence in Paso Robles, on February 16, 1887, Mr. Botts married Miss Mary E. Abbey, born at Stockton-on-Tees, England, the daugh- ter of Thomas F. Abbey, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work. Mrs. Botts received her education in Indiana and in Kansas City, coming to Paso Robles in 1886. Nine children have been born of this union : Flora, Mrs. J. J. Thompson of Arroyo Grande ; Ethel, at home ; John 11., in charge of the home ranch at Summit ; George M., who died at the age of eight years ; and William. Milton, Frank, Eugene and Victor, at home. Mr. Botts gives no small degree of credit for his success in horticulture to his faithful wife, who has always been ready to help him with advice and encouragement. For the past twenty years Mr. Botts has been a Socialist. He has served his community as a trustee of the Oak Flat school district.
ROBERT M. PLYMPTON .- A resident of San Luis Obispo County since 1904, coming here for the benefit of his wife's health. Robert 31. Plympton is now an extensive truck gardener of Arroyo Grande and vicinity. He was born near Nebraska City, Otoe county, Neb., October 12. 1871, attended the public schools until he was eighteen years old, and lived at home on the farm until he was twenty-one. Then, starting out for himself, he went to western Nebraska, farming for two years in Redwillow county.
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The last year being a dry one, he lost everything and returned home and began working for wages as a farm hand, receiving twelve dollars a month wirdl board, until 1898. During this time he had saved enough to make another start and rented a place near the old home farm, which he carried on for three years with success. With his savings he went to Knox county, Missouri, and bought one hundred eighty acres of land. He remained there but six months, when he came to California.
Mr. Plympton located in Santa Barbara county for a short time, then came to Arroyo Grande and bought one and three quarters acres of land, and for two years raised garden truck. Selling out in 1906, he entered into partnership with J. E. Parrish in raising garden truck on twenty-eight acres near Arroyo Grande. Six months later, however, the partnership was dis- solved and Mr. Plympton bought a small place and continued business alone, running a vegetable wagon to San Luis Obispo during the summer of 1908. Meeting with success in this venture, he sold out and bought his present place of fifteen acres, one mile east of town, where he has five acres in garden truck, an orchard of five acres and the balance in alfalfa and berries, carrying on a wholesale business-the largest acreage devoted to this kind of business in the valley.
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