History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches, Part 76

Author: Morrison, Annie L. Stringfellow, 1860-; Haydon, John H., 1837-
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1070

USA > California > San Luis Obispo County > History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches > Part 76

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On the maternal side of the family Mrs. Hannah M. Bowen was a daughter of Charles Stickney, born in Concord. Addisom county, Vt., on May 17, 1785. He married Betsy Pierce, who was born in New Salem, Mass., April 11, 1790; they were married April 11, 1800, and Ilanhah was the seventh child in a family of twelve children. Charles Stickney died in Moira, N. Y., March 23, 1858, and his wife died there on December 29, 1860. They were connected with the same family as President Franklin Pierce.

Royal Eugene Bowen is the third child in his father's family of nine children, three of whom are now living. Ile was reared in Moira, N. Y., had the advantages of the public schools there and worked on a farm until he came to California in 1874, locating in Monterey. He was employed by David Jacks until 1889, when he came to Paso Robles, and entered the employ

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of the S. P. Milling Co. as warehouse foreman-a position held ever since with credit to himself. When he took charge here their building was four hun- dred fifty feet long ; now it is nine hundred fifty. They used to hoist the grain by horse power, but now use a steam hoist. In one year he has handled 20,000 tons of grain. He erected the home he now occupies, and there he has lived for twenty-five years.

Mr. Bowen was united in marriage in San Jose with Mrs. Catherine (Miley) Thompson, a native of Ann Arbor, Mich. By her first marriage she had one daughter, Jennie, Mrs. A. L. Young of Oakland. The family are members of the Methodist Church, Mr. Bowen being chairman of the board of stewards. In politics he is Republican.

ALFRED THEODORE LOVGREN .- A native of the Gopher State, Alfred Lovgren was born at Red Wing on May 24, 1879, the sixth in order of birth of ten children. Ilis grandfather. Oscar Lovgren, was a large farmer in Smaalan, who brought his family to the United States, traveled up the Mississippi river to Illinois, and then moved farther west to Minnesota. There also he was a large landowner, and acquired considerable wealth be- fore he died. Charles Lovgren, the father of Alfred, was born in Smaalan, Sweden, and brought his family to Moline, Illinois, and thence two years later to Minnesota, settling near Red Wing. In 1886, he made a trip to California, and in Bethel he bought a hundred twenty acres of land from the West Coast Land Co., after which he returned to Minnesota.

Six years passed before he was ready to move nearer the Pacific; then he sold his Minnesota holdings, and traveled with his wife and ten children to the Bethel district. This was in 1892; and success attending his efforts at grain-raising, he bought additional land and owned one hundred forty-three acres. When he retired, he moved to Templeton in 1910; and there, in May, 1º15. his wife, formerly Miss Christene Johnson, whom he had married in Sweden, passed away ; and in July, 1916, he also died as the result of a painful accident. The presumption is that a gasoline stove exploded, and in his attempt to extinguish the flames he was fatally burned. He was a Lutheran deacon and superintendent of the Sunday School for years, and served his community as a school trustee of the Bethel district.

All the ten children of this union were born in the United States, and all are living in California, though Alfred is the only one in San Luis Obispo County. Brought up in Minnesota until he was thirteen, and attending the public schools there, Alfred came with his parents to this farm in 1892, and from that date was reared here, finishing his schooling in the Bethel district, owl farming for his father. When he was eighteen he went to Oakland, where le was employed till he was twenty, when he joined his brother, .Algert Toeren, in a grain and stock-raising venture on land his brother had man- w for the previous seven years. They rented several thousand acres on Dne I'mcka Ranch, and went in for raising grain, horses, beef cattle and hogs. Um sich they operated for seven years, and then disposed of their personal poorly at auction. The sale lasted two days, and included a free barbecue. IS g- The biggest sale in San Luis Obispo County up to that time. His In dad on resides in Fresno county.

Alared they took a trip through Mexico and Arizona; and returning a wyw monatl . boot he rented his father's place and has run it ever since. He IF Wie. Pr addition, as the administrator of his father's estate. He also

Victor Ortega

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rents other land, bringing the total up to some four hundred thirty acres. planting to wheat and barley and putting in about three hundred acres a year.

He uses two big teams and a header, and operates the place according to the latest approved methods.

In the Bethel district, Alfred Lovgren was united in marriage on Novem- ber 1, 1911, with Miss Anna Catherine Johnson, who was born there, a daughter of Andrew Johnson, Three children, Elden, Bernice and Willard, have blessed their union. Mr. Lovgren is a Progressive Republican, and a member of the county central committee. He and his wife are members of the Swedish Lutheran Church.

VICTOR ORTEGA .- Whatever meed of praise is earned by and accorded to the American pioneer and his descendants, who have contributed so much to develop this great commonwealth along the Pacific, the true American, and especially the Yankee Californian, will never fail to accord the native Californian, and those who bear his historie name, the fullest credit for his. important part in the wonderful transformation so effected. Among such native names, none stands higher than that of the Ortegas, in whose veins flows some of the noblest Castilian blood. This line of Spanish descent is worthily represented in Cholame by Victor Ortega, the successful farmer and stockman. His grandfather was Manuel F. Ortega, a native of Spain, who came to San Francisco in early days, moved south to San Diego county, married there and had a large family ; and afterward returned to Spain, where he died.

Victor's father was Emider M. Ortega, who was born at San Luis Capi- strano, in San Diego county, and grew up to be a vaquero, dying in Ventura county. His mother, Concepcion ( Domingues) Ortega, was born at San Luis Obispo, the daughter of Pedro Domingues, who was killed by the Indians. When she died at Ventura, in 1911, she was ninety-eight years and eight months old. As a cattleman, the elder Ortega did business with the missions at San Miguel and San Fernando and on the big ranches, he himself owning a ranch where the sugar factory at Santa Maria now stands. Later he owned a farm on the Ortega Ilill.

The youngest of a family of six boys and four girls, Victor Ortega was born at Santa Barbara on June 18, 1858, and was brought up in the same town, attending the public school there. In 1882, he went to work for Mr. Clark on the Sacramento ranch ; and in his service he remained for eighteen years as a vaquero, never losing, in that period, a day from work.

At Shandon, Mr. Ortega was married to Miss Josephine Hughes, a lady who was born in Los Angeles of parents who came from the East. After their marriage, the Ortegas settled, in 1907, on the present ranch, bought a claim, and homesteaded a hundred sixty acres, and there engaged in stock- and grain-raising. The Ortegas also bought land adjoining, so that now they have four hundred eighty acres of fine ranch land given to stock- and grain-raising. Some two hundred acres a year are seeded to grain, and choice Durham cattle are raised on the ranch. He leases range land on the Cholame grant, where he runs his cattle. His cattle brand, VO, is known all over this country. He has a large and fine herd.

Victor Ortega is a member of the Native Sons of the Golden West. San Luis Obispo parlor. Ile is an influential Republican, whose counsel is often sought.

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SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AND ENVIRONS

JAMES BARNHART .- Strange, indeed, must it sometimes seem to Mmes Barnhart, the veteran dairyman, when the work of the day has all been doce and the last operations are completed, in which machinery and mechani- ci devices have played such an important part, to look back and contemplate Wwe contrast in dairying methods of the past and the present. From Westfield, nich Delhi, Delaware county, N. Y., he came, having been born there on December 1, 1858. His father was George Barnhart, a native of that county and a farmer of German descent who, having distinguished himself in the Civil War as a member of the 44th N. Y. Regiment, spent his last days at San Luis Obispo. His mother was Elizabeth Taylor before her marriage, a native of Scotland, who came with her father and the rest of the family from Europe to Delaware county when she was sixteen years old. She passed away at Cambria.

The second eldest of three children, James grew up on a New York farm, attended a country school, and when the great tide of tourists in the eighties began to flow into California, he came to the Coast and found work in 1886, at the dairy of a cousin, James Taylor, at Cambria. There he remained four years, when he leased the dairy for himself, and for another four years managed it with considerable success. There were six hundred forty acres in the ranch and a hundred cows to be cared for, and in those days one had something to do. When he left that district, he did so to buy a dairy ranch on San Simeon creek, where he had control of three hundred thirty acres stocked with thirty choice cows. This enterprise engaged him for another round of four years, after which he rented his ranch and returned to that of James Taylor, where he ran the Taylor dairy for another four years. At that time there were no separators. All of the milk had to be panned, and the cream was skimmed by hand. The butter was made up into rolls, which were shipped to the San Francisco and Los Angeles markets. After a while he traded his ranch for a dairy farm of three hundred acres in Green Valley, near the James Taylor place ; and later he disposed of his cows and rented out the land.

Since then he has been interested in stock-raising in various parts of San Luis Obispo County, in 1915 locating at Adelaida, where he bought a hundred fifty-eight acres, one mile north of the postoffice. For some years Mr. Barnhart had been a sufferer from asthma, but here he found great relief. He engaged again in farming and dairying, this time having a separator und every modern device, and shipping away his cream, famed for its richness. The finest of Holstein and Durham cattle were his, and when he came to sell Das coast farm recently, his reputation as a judge of quality contributed much w. fortunate sale.

In the old Mission city of San Luis Obispo, Mr. Barnhart was married Deglies Illa Agnes Weir, a native of Seattle, Wash., and the daughter of Inthe and Lizzie Murphey, who were born in Pennsylvania, and who settled In Santa Cruz county, moving later to the Summit district in San Luis This betragdy, where they farmed. The father died there, and the mother me Pasle- in Los Angeles. Mrs. Barnhart was educated in the Summit The have one child, a most attractive daughter named Maude 1000hangh absorbed in business, Mr. Barnhart has still found it possible 1 5 p. m . in the trend of political events, and in the discharge of his duty len f- occupied a conspicuous position in local Republican ranks.

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EDWARD SHERMAN MOREHOUS. If every son of a pioneer were as proud of his connection with the early days as is Edward Sherman Morehous, the energetic rancher, horticulturist and contractor of Paso Robles, there would be more of the pioneer spirit in evidence. Ile is a son of Charles and Hulda M. (Low) Morehouse, pioneers whose biography will be found elsewhere in this work. The records of the family back in New York state show that the name formerly was not spelled with a final "e," although in 1877 some of the family added it, so that both spellings are used at the pres- ent time.

Edward S. Morehous was born in Healdsburg, April 19, 1868, and when six months old his parents moved to the section about Summit, in San Luis Obispo County, where he attended the Summit school and began work on his father's farm. He then went to learn the saddler's trade in San Luis Obispo, and in 1886 located in Paso Robles and helped to manufacture some of the first harnesses that were made in the new town. He opened a shop on Pine street and for twelve years carried on a good business. In 1910 he sold out and became foreman of a ranch owned by the Fair Oaks Land Co., putting in nearly three years superintending the clearing and planting of a tract of land to an orchard, principally almonds ; and after the work was com- pleted he returned to town and began taking contracts for erecting houses and other buildings and met with success.

A member of the Knights of Pythias and the Fraternal Brotherhood, Mr. Morehous has had much to do with establishing lodges of the latter fraternal order as deputy Supreme President, in Washington. Nevada, Idaho and Oregon. He has been ably assisted by his wife, who was formerly Miss Susie Andrus, born in Travers City, Mich., where she received her educa- tion. They were united in marriage in San Diego, on October 22. 1897. Mr. Morehous is a deacon in the Christian Church. He votes the Republican ticket at national elections; while in local matters he aims to support the men he considers best suited for the office regardless of party lines. Both Mr. and Mrs. Morchous have hosts of friends in their community, and have made many warm friendships during their travels.

MRS. ANNIA BLAIR MORTON .- Mrs. Morton is one of those women of keen and correct perception who very accurately estimate the comparative advantages of the State in which they reside, and who believe that nowhere on this rollicking, happy old globe is there anything to be found so charming as California climate.

A native of the old Quaker city of Philadelphia, and the daughter of Cicero Blair, a North Carolinian, of English descent, Mrs. Morton was Miss Annia Blair before her marriage, and grew up in a certain environment of beauty, her father having been a prominent architect, who followed his pro- fession until he was able comfortably to retire. Her mother was Miss Fliza- heth Powell, a belle of Havana when Mr. Blair sought her heart and hand. In Raleigh, North Carolina, Miss Annia Blair was married to Frederick Morton, a native of Maine, who had been reared in Baltimore, and who. after a successful business career, retired to Philadelphia, where he lived until his death.

In her travels through many attractive lands. Mrs. Morton had her atten- tion directed in particular to the great Commonwealth on the Pacific Coast, and finding in this state those climatic conditions most favorable to health.

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she wolf illed to gast in her fortunes with California. Particularly was she pactoik marcam of the mineral waters and the mild and stable condi- tions nl ennate, bythe growing inland spa, Paso Robles, where she now owns, it tla porper off Spring and Tenth streets, one of the most beautiful resi- dences to be -ven anywhere. Deeply appreciative of all the salubrious qual- ities .i the climate here, Mrs. Morton loves to work among her flowers and alten parets that she cannot give these almost human creatures more of ner personal attention.

ller elegantly furnished home is replete with the luxuries making life worth living. She directs her religious life and governs her charities accord- ing to the known tenets and liberal practices of the Baptist Church. She is keenly alive to the dissemination of Republican principles and the triumph of Republican government. Independent, liberal and hospitable in the ex- treme, Mrs. Morton is a charming woman who contributes in a modest but an effective way to what is most desirable in a charming town.

CHARLES WILSON .- Among the upbuilders of San Luis Obispo County and of the State, must be mentioned Charles Wilson, who worked for years as a carpenter and expert finisher all through California. Mr. Wilson is a native of Sweden, in which land he was born at Oscarshavn, on November 19, 1847. He came to America in 1865, where his father, Hans Wilson, a worthy farmer, brought his family. His mother, Sarah ( Larson ) Wilson, had died before the family's exodus from their northern home.

The second youngest of seven children. Charles attended the schools in Sweden : but on reaching Chicago, to which city his father journeyed and where the latter died after some years of gardening work in Lincoln Park, the lad was apprenticed to a carpenter. He had hardly learned the trade and begun to establish himself, however, before his very existence was threatened by the great fire in that city, the good that the fateful wind blew to him being that he was on hand to help build the city after it had been destroyed.

As a natural result. he worked as a contractor and builder in that city until September, 1891, when he came to California. Three weeks after his arrival he selected his present ranch, buying a hundred six acres, four and a half miles southwestsof Paso Robles.

As early as the 4th of November, 1871, Mr. Wilson was married at Chicago to Miss Sophia Johnson, who was born near Filipstad, Sweden, a daughter of John and Caroline (Nelson) Johnson, who brought their family to Chicago in 1869; and when Mr. Wilson came west his wife and four children Accompanied him to California. Mrs. Wilson's father was an iron worker in Staden, and became a puddler in the great steel mills. Both he and his wife Juod in the Lake City.

With considerable vigor, Charles Wilson entered on his labor at farming. till followed the trade of a carpenter and buildler, showing his skill in war Ma tion work at Templeton, Paso Robles, San Jose, and even San Fran- Arsenal Los Angeles. Some thirty years ago he also bought forty-seven 908 . the I ureka Ranch across the river from Templeton, and there he vossalvo che t ning of grain.

Nb Opije & Mr. Wilson includes the following children: Frank .... who 0 0 00 8pen years in San Francisco with the Standard Oil Co., and

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who was present at the San Francisco fire, and now superintends the home ranch ; George Edwin, who is with the People's Water Co. in Berkeley : Charles Herbert, who works for the Griffin & Skelly Fruit Co., San Francisco : Ilarry Elmer, who is studying dentistry at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in San Francisco ; and Lillian A., who resides in Piedmont.

Mr. Wilson is a Republican in national polites, but independent in local affairs. He is a member of the Scandia Life Insurance Co., and with his wife belongs to the Swedish Lutheran Church at Templeton.

PETER C. LAMBRECHT .- A prominent citizen of the vicinity of Paso Robles, in San Luis Obispo County, a son of a pioneer of California in 1850, and himself born in San Francisco, Peter C. Lambrecht first saw the light of day on March 20. 1872. Ile was a son of Christian Hans August Lambrecht, a native of Schleswig, at that time a province of Denmark, who followed the sea for a livelihood until the year 1850, when he landed in the United States and, with a companion from his native land, crossed the plains when he was but sixteen years old, making for the Golden State. Upon arrival here, young Lambrecht went to mining for a short time, but found it did not pay, in the long run, and, with a partner, began freighting into the mining country with a twenty-mule team. The country traversed was infested with Indians and many narrow escapes were had by this intrepid young man during the time he was so employed, or until the arrival of the railroad, which put the freighters out of business in 1870. He had saved his money, and so came to Solano county and rented a ranch of Ben Rush south- cast of Suisun in the Potrero hills, and for two years was engaged in general farming. In 1872, he went to San Francisco and remained until 1874. In the meantime he had married Carolina Anker, who was born in Bonholm, Den- mark, and had come to this country at an early date. After the birth of the son, Peter C., the parents made plans to return to Denmark and settle down on some land and live quietly the balance of their lives, as Mr. Lam- brecht had prospered and saved a nice sum of money. Accordingly, in the year mentioned they went back to their native land; and there he bought a farm at Bonholm, and engaged in the dairy business. He and his wife are still residents of that section, and both are enjoying the best of health. Of their five children, four are now living. Of these, only two are in this state.

Peter C. Lambrecht was reared in Bonholm, Denmark, where, until he reached the age of sixteen, he attended the local schools, meanwhile learning agriculture as it was carried on in that part of the world. In 1888, he de- cided to come to the land of his birth, and accordingly left home and friends and came to this state to take up the burden of self-support on a ranch in Solano county, where he arrived on May 9, of that year. He worked for an uncle, Fred Lambrecht, until he was twenty years old, and saved his money to make an independent start. In the fall of 1892 he came to this county, bringing with him a bunch of good mules, leased a ranch near Shandon and farmed four hundred acres for four years with a partner. Ed Somie : and besides this tract they rented other land and farmed on a large scale After the partnership was dissolved, Mr. Lambrecht rented one thousand acres for a year near Creston ; then, for eight years, he was on the Doyle place. During these years he had been industrious and saving : and having enough ahead to make a payment on a ranch of his own, he purchased two

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hundred neres five miles from Templeton ; he also rented property near and did business on a large scale for two years, when the Doyle ranch was sold. Ile next rented eight hundred acres four miles from Paso Robles and ran that five years, in the meantime selling his place near Templeton at a good ivance.

By that time his children had become old enough to go to school, and Mr. Lambrecht moved his family to Paso Robles, so the children could have the advantages of the city schools; while he leased eight hundred acres of the Estrella and five hundred acres of the Sacramento ranches and raised grain on a large scale, running three ten-mule teams, a combined harvester and other modern machinery and implements for the successful conduct of his ranching interests. Besides his wheat and barley, he makes a specialty of raising mules for market.

On March 24, 1897, in Shandon, Peter C. Lambrecht and Miss Christen Larsen were united in marriage. She was born at Oasis, Millard county, Utah, a daughter of Christian and Stina (Lassen) Larsen, both born in Denmark, but early residents of Utah, where Mr. Larsen mined and farmed until he came to this county and ranched near Shandon. He is now living in ( reston. Of the eight children living, Mrs. Lambrecht is the third in order of birth. Of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Lambrecht six children were born: Alfred, assisting his father; Goldie, who died aged two and one-half years ; and Laura, Ellery, Gladys, and Ferris. Mr. Lambrecht is a member of the Independent Order of Foresters. Politically he is independent. He is a self- made man, successful, well and favorably known all over this part of the county, public-spirited, progressive and an upbuilder of the county where his success has been made.

ELVERT ANDREW JOHNSON .- "Sweet are the uses of adversity," ays someone in Shakespeare's As You Like It, and no one will voice the truth of the proverb more than Elvert Andrew Johnson, who, finding himself at an early age loaded with heavy responsibility due to his father's failing health, shouldered his burden courageously and thereby assumed not so much a weight of discouragement as a bundle of good fortune. In the old Andrew Johnson house in the Bethel district, Elvert Andrew Johnson was born on August 15. 1891. His father and mother were Andrew and Anna ( Pedersen) Johnson, both early settlers of that vicinity. As will be seen by the sketch of Livert's brother Albert, his father was a farmer and also a stone mason and plasterer. He gave the lad such chance as he could to get an educa- han, and Flvert attended the public school of his district and improved the um itunity.

a decidedly early age, he took in hand the management of the home Believe his father, whose health was giving way. Later he rented With bought some stock and implements, and took his younger brother, OF The . partnership. The latter was also born on the home place, on Mir Johnson's experience in agriculture, and in the handling of The rabied him to conduct the farming operations successfully, and he of sted the home farm, raising both grain and stock with good ME - My-tied with this responsible undertaking, he has rented other Omlow and operates in all nearly five hundred acres, putting in three & Moor to wheat, barley, grain and hay. He has also cut wood, o -oh con Templeton or ships it to San Jose.

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History of San Luis Obispo County and environs, California, with biographical sketches, Part 76

Author: Morrison, Annie L. Stringfellow, 1860-; Haydon, John H., 1837- Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company Number of Pages: 1070

Author: Morrison, Annie L. Stringfellow, 1860-; Haydon, John H., 1837-
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company
Number of Pages: 1070