USA > California > San Bernardino County > Ingersoll's century annals of San Bernadino County, 1769-1904 : prefaced with a brief history of the state of California : supplemented with an encyclopedia of local biography and portraits of many of its representative people > Part 67
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October 14, 1895, Major Shaw married Mrs. C. B. Alderman, of Goshen, Indiana, and is now living on his ranch at Redlands in quiet retirement.
CALVIN L. THOMAS was born in Bledsoe county, Tennessee, January 5, 1837. He was the son of Edwin and Edna Flinn Thomas. Edwin H. Thomas, in 1852, when the tide of pioneer emigration was at its height, prepared to take up the march across the plains intervening between the Mississippi river and the western slope. His first intention was to locate in Oregon, and he started on the journey overland, traveling with ox teams. He reached Salt Lake, Utah, without particular incident, but so late in the year that the cold and snow made crossing the Rocky mountains too dangerous a feat to attempt. This decided a change in their course and brought them by the southern route to California. They entered San Bernardino valley by the way of the Cajon Pass on Christmas day of 1852, and at once located on a piece of property in what is now known as Mount Vernon, and included in the city of San Bernardino. There Edwin H. Thomas passed the remainder of his life, a peaceful, law-abiding citizen. He served one term on the county board of supervisors. He died at his home in San Bernardino in 1874 at the age of 64 years, leaving a family of seven children. His son, William Thomas, lived and died at Visalia, Tulare county; E. Jefferson Thomas located and resided at River- side; Mark F. Thomas is a farmer of the Yucaipe valley; Miss Frances Thomas married Berry Roberts and died in San Bernardino in 1879; Calvin L. Thomas resides in San Bernardino, and E. H. Thomas, San Bernardino.
Calvin L. Thomas was a boy of fifteen when the family came to San Bernardino. He interested himself in the various amusements of the day, consisting largely of feats of strength and endurance, and soon excelled as an athlete, particularly in the running of foot races. His record of one hundred yards in ten and one-fourth seconds gained for him a more than local reputation, and he was soon giving exhibitions outside of his own county. This enabled him to gratify a desire to see something of the world, and for several years he traveled giving exhibitions, but finally returned and settled down in San Bernardino.
From 1880 to 1895, Mr. Thomas hield the office of deputy county assessor. Later he engaged in a general mercantile business, conducting the San Bernardino "Pioneer Store," and about that time was a member of the city board of trustees, serving on some of the important committees. In 1898 he was elected justice of the peace, an office he still holds. Judge Thomas is a man of honesty of opinion and integrity ; as a public official he has been faithful and conscientious in the discharge of his duties. While practical in business affairs, he has a poetical nature and his sympathy and generosity give him a warm place in the hearts of his friends. He is a member of the San Ber- nardino County Society of California Pioneers, and his versifications are some of the most treasured possessions of their archives.
Judge Thomas has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Saloma Wells, who died in San Bernardino in 1889, leaving five children-Della, Adaline, Ara, Metta antl Roscoe. Later Judge Thomas married Miss Fanny Brownley.
MARCUS KATZ, late of San Bernardino, was born December 20, 1820, in Hesse- Darmstadt, Germany. He passed his youth in his native place, and in 1845 sailed for America and landed in Baltimore, where he remained until news of the discovery of gold in California. Of his trip to California he himself wrote: "I embarked on the steamer 'Georgia' for Chagres, the boat having a passenger list of 1200, fare $500.00, with sleeping accommodations if you were fortunate enough to find any. From Chagres we sailed in a native canoe to Garquinta, thence on foot to Panama. On arrival at that place I made haste to secure passage for San Francisco, but being unable to get a steamer berth-for want of sufficient funds-was obliged to take passage on a French bark for $200.00. Steamer tickets for San Francisco were sold at auction, bringing $1500.00 to $2000.00 eachi. After four months' sailing we reached San Francisco in September, 1850."
Mr. Katz secured a position in San Francisco and remained there about eighteen months, then came to San Bernardino in 1852 and established a store in the old fort. He did well here, but in 1853 removed to San Diego and remained there until 1857, when he returned to San Bernardino and made this his home for the remainder of his life. He opened the first stationery and book store in the town. In 1858 he was appointed county treasurer, a position which he filled until 1865. The same year he was made agent for the Wells-Fargo Express Company and retained this position until 1874. when he retired with the most complimentary testimonials from the company and from the citizens of the town. He also served as agent for Phineas Banning in his forwarding and commission
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
business. Mr. Katz acted as notary public from 1857 until 1869. He was also in charge of the United States commissary about 1859, a position of faith and responsibility well ful- filled.
After a long career, in which he was closely identified with the business interests of San Bernardino, Mr. Katz died November 2, 1899. He married Miss Leah Jacobs of San Diego and left a family consisting of Maurice D., Edmund E., Mrs. A. Horowitz, Miss Gladys and Miss Victoria Katz, all residents of this city.
(See also Reminiscences of Marcus Katz.)
CHARLES E. OWEN, of Redlands, was born in Sheffield, Lorain county. Ohio, Jan- uary 29, 1831. He was educated in the public schools of his native state and at Norwalk Academy.
March 16, 1849, in company with a brother five years his senior, he started for Califor- nia. They made the journey by the overland route, arriving at Deer Creek ranch, Sacramento vallev. September 23, 1849. Coming to California in the days of the early gold excitement, Mr. Owen has passed through all its varying phases. He began mining on Feather river : his implements were of the most* primitive kind, consisting of a baking pan, an iron spoon and a bowie knife. He was successful in his operations, and continued the business many years; alternating it with stock trading, buying and selling cattle and various other en- terprises. He has mined on the Ore- gon Bar and in Trinity county. He was the discoverer of gold on the present site of Weaverville, which was named after one of the party; and he also dis- covered gold at Coffee creek, giving the latter location the name it has borne ever since. He mined on the Salmon and Klamath rivers, and was in the midst of the Gold Lake excitement ; was at Frazer river in 1858, and in Humboldt county, Nevada, and at Powder river, He has been engaged in various quartz mining ventures. As a "forty niner." he has seen the state emerge from its rough pioneer days and take its place among the most prosperous of the na- tion. He came to the state when the CHARLES E. OWEN mere mention of the word California brought with it visions of untold wealth : the history of the state is the history of
the man and men who have made it.
Mr. Owen has been twice married. He returned east from California in 1873, when he married Miss Sylvia Coppin. His second wife was Savire Wright, a native of New Hampshire, and resident of San Bernardino at the date of marriage. Having no children. they adopted a daughter, who is now Mrs. May Taylor, M. D., graduate of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Chicago.
Mr. Owen came to San Bernardino in 1873, where he lived until 1887. when he re- moved to Redlands. He is the owner of an eleven-acre orange orchard, and is one of the most successful orange growers of that city.
WILLIAM R. LEVICK was born in North Wales, March 29, 1833. He is the only child of William L. and Mary Roberts Levick. His father was a veterinary surgeon.
Mr. Levick left Liverpool, England, for America in 1852. He landed at New Or- leans and there took boat up the Mississippi river to St. Louis, then to Council Bluffs, and from there with ox-team to Salt Lake, arriving October, 1852. He wintered at Provo,
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
fifty miles distant, and on April 1, 1853, started to cross the plains for California. They had journeyed as far as the Virgin river when the Indians became troublesome, and from that time on they were more or less disturbed by them, losing some of their cattle and hav- ing a skirmish with the Indians, in which one man, James Walkinshaw, was killed. Mr. Levick started in working as brick mason, following that business for a long time. He made the first kiln of brick burned in the county, and was in the business altogehter about twenty-five years. In 1861 he was deputy sheriff under Eli Smith. He mined at Lytle creek four years and has done considerable prospecting and also engaged in ditch making, having worked at that business near the mouth of the Santa Ana canyon.
Mr. Levick married Miss Mary A. Henderson of San Bernardino, Christmas eve, 1864.
NATHAN SWARTHOUT, one of the earliest settlers of San Bernardino county, was born in Huron county, Ohio, 1823. He was the son of Philip and Charity Beach Swarthont, the father of Dutch descent, a native of New York, was a shoemaker by trade but passed most of his life on a farm.
Nathan Swarthout was brought up on a farm and began to earn his own living about the time he was fourteen. He went west to the territory of Kansas and was employed by
NATHAN SWARTHOUT
MRS. NATHAN SWARTHOUT
the government herding stock at Fort Leavenworth. When the Mexican war broke out, he enlisted and served under General Kearney, coming with the troops in the command of Lieutenant Dykes over the Santa Fe trail to California, arriving in Los Angeles and being mustered out on Fort Hill.
Mr. Swarthont went north to Sutter's Fort and was at Sacramento when the dis- covery of gold was first announced. He was one of the first to begin mining on the Amer- ican river. Later he came south to Los Angeles again and then to San Bernardino, where he arrived before the Mormon colony came in June, 1851. He purchased property near San Bernardino and has since lived in the vicinity of this city. In 1848 Mr. Swarthout married in Salt Lake City, a daughter of Sidney Tanner. They have two sons, Sidney and Irwin F.
DUDLEY R. DICKEY, M. D., late of San Bernardino, was a California pioneer of 1850, and the oldest medical practitioner of San Bernardino county. He was born in Washington county, Ohio, January II, 1829. His paternal grandfather was a Revolution- ary soldier who settled in Athens, Ohio, soon after the close of the war for independence, and there the Doctor's father, Thomas Dicky, was born. He moved from Washington county and settled in Fairfield, Jefferson county, lowa, when that state was a part of Wis- consin Territory.
Dr. Dickey was educated in the schools of Iowa, and received his degree from Mc- Dowell Medical University, Missouri, in 1849. In the spring of 1850 he started from Fair-
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
field to cross the plains to California, arriving in Hangtown in July of that year. From there he went to Oskaloosa bar, on the American river, where he joined his father, who had preceded him, in some mining ventures. In the spring of 1851 he went to Rough and Ready mine, near Shasta city; that summer he went to Monterey, and in the fall came down to Los Angeles, arriving there in October, 1851. He settled in El Monte, dividing his time between the practice of his profession and farming until October, 1855, when he came to San Bernardino, which he has since made his home. Beside the practice of his profession, the doctor has had various other business interests in San Bernardino, and the surrounding country. During the war of the Rebellion Dr. Dickey was appointed con- tract assistant surgeon for the troops in San Bernardino, until the arrival of the regular army surgeon. He was an active union man in those days when loyalty often meant the sacrifice of life and property.
Dr. Dickey married Miss Crandall in El Monte in 1854, the daughter of J. W. Cran- dall of San Diego, who came to California in 1851. Their oldest son, Dr. Clarence Dickey, is a practicing physician of San Bernardino. Dr. Dickey died May Ist, 1902.
JOHN WAYNE AMOS, late of Rialto, was born at Fort McHenry, Maryland. His maternal grandfather, John Wayne, was a descendant of Anthony Wayne of Revolution- ary fame; his father, Mordecai Amos, belonged to a family that dated back to colonial days when William Amos came to America to seek religious freedom and became a preacher of the Quaker faitlı. Mordecai Amos was a soldier in the Union army, a member of the 126th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
JOHN WAYNE AMOS
John Wayne Amos received his education in Ohio and then taught school until 1861, when he received an appointment to a clerkship in the treasury department. Washington, D. C. After nine years spent in Washing- ton, Mr. Amos returned to Carrollton, Ohio, and engaged in farming and in the hardware business. He served as a member of the city council and was county treasurer of Carroll county for four years. In 1873 he removed to Kansas. When the Missouri Pacific was extended through the state, he, in company with others, located and built the town known as Gypsum City. This led to a long legal battle with the railway company, in which the incorporators of the town were successful. Mr. Amos was the editor of the Gypsum City Advocate and took a prominent part in public affairs, serving as a member of the state legislature.
In April, 1894, he removed to California and lo- cated at Rialto, where he managed the Semi-Tropic Hotel and also edited the "Orange Grower." Here Mrs. Amos died in 1895.
Mr. Amos resided for a short time in Colton and later in Redlands, but in December, 1898, he returned to Rialto, where he died November 19, 1903.
Mr. Amos was marked by a very strong personal re- semblance to Abraham Lincoln-this not only in feature, but in pose, gesture and tone. So strong was the likeness that Mr. Amos frequently met with interesting experiences incident to the recognition of these traits, especially from veterans of the civil war.
WALTER A. SHAY was born May Ist, 1812, in the state of Maine. His earlier life was passed principally in Nova Scotia, where he learned the cooper's and carpenter's trade. While still a young man he went to New Orleans, and while there heard of the discovery of gold in California. He took passage by way of the isthmus and arrived at the gold diggings in the vicinity of Sacramento in 1849. He was successful in mining and invested in lands and engaged in sheep raising. Losing heavily by floods, he came south to San Bernardino county, and here engaged in sheep raising and later in cattle raising. Later he purchased a home on Base Line and devoted himself to fruit culture. He died in San Bernardino.
Mr. Shay married Elizabeth E. Goshe, in 1852. She died in 1869, leaving five children -John J., Thomas J., William, Mary A., now Mrs. Thomas B. Hutchings, of Highland, Walter A., and Henry, who died early.
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
FENTON M. SLAUGHTER, one of the earlier settlers of San Bernardino county, was born January 10, 1826, in Virginia. He was a descendant of an old colonial family. His father was Robin Lewis Slaughter and his mother Elizabeth Gillem. His father died in 1834 and the next year his mother, with her eleven children, removed to Callaway county, Missouri, and later settled in St. Louis.
Fenton M. Slaughter learned the trade of mechanical engineer in St. Louis. On the breaking out of the Mexican war he enlisted and served with valor under General Price, participating in several sharp encounters with the New Mexican Indians. In 1849-50 he came overland to California and spent a year in mining in El Dorado county. He then returned to St. Louis, but made a second overland trip to California in 1851. In 1850, learning of the destitution of parties of gold-seekers who were coming toward California across the Humboldt desert, he made up a pack train loaded with supplies and with a few assistants set out to meet the sufferers and aid them. The succor thus provided doubtless saved the lives of some of the parties whom he met.
In 1853 he entered the employ of General Beale, superintendent of Indian affairs, and was located at the Tejon Reservation. About 1854 he came to Los Angeles county, and for
FENTON M. SLAUGHTER
MRS. FENTON M. SLAUGHTER
many years was extensively engaged in the sheep business in Los Angeles and San Bernar- dino counties. He was one of the first wool-growers to introduce thoroughbred Spanish and French Merino sheep in Southern California. In 1868 he purchased the Buena Vista Rancho of Bernardo Yorba and settled there for the remainder of his life. The place is still occupied by the family. Here he carried on the sheep business and later changed to cattle and horses, raising some of the finest blooded stock ever produced in the county. He also set out an extensive vineyard and in 1887 built a large winery, where he manufactured his own wine, with success.
In 1870 he served San Bernardino county as member of the legislature. He was ap- pointed as supervisor of the county in 1885 and in 1886 was elected to that office, which he filled with satisfaction to ali. He was one of the "49ers" in all his characteristics- generous, kindly and public-spirited. He died May 29, 1897, leaving a wife and several children surviving him.
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
JUDGE ALLEY DENNIS BOREN was born March 6, 1818, in Union county, Illi- nois. He grew up in that state and in 1847 removed to Iowa, where he was one of the settlers of Council Bluffs. In the winter of 1850 he with his family of five children pushed westward to Utah and in 1854 came to San Bernardino, following the southern route and driving an ox team. He soon went north to the gold fields, where he spent a couple of years. In 1856 he returned to San Bernardino and here resided during the remainder of his life. He purchased a hundred acres of land, with water right, at Old San Bernardino, from Lyman and Rich and improved it.
He was a self-educated man, but had a studious mind and after reading law, he be- gan to practice in San Bernardino. In February, 1858, he was appointed judge of gen- eral sessions, San Bernardino county, by Governor Johnson and filled this position for a period of fourteen years. During this period he acquired a reputation as a jurist of sound logic and good sense and was admitted to the bar of the state. Upon retiring from the bench he practiced his profession in this city until 1885. He then engaged in the real es- tate and insurance business, at the same time attending to his own extensive business in- terests, until his death, which occurred December 9. 1898, at the age of 81.
Judge Boren held somewhat advanced and pronounced opinions upon questions ci public policy and social reform. In early life he was an Andrew Jackson Democrat, but later in life became an aggressive worker for the Prohibition party. He was always in- terested in educational matters and served on the city board of education, at one time act- ing as president of the board. He was a devout member of the Methodist Church and also a member of the San Bernardino Society of California Pioneers
His wife, Adaline M. Mathis, was a native of Jefferson county, Kentucky. They were married in Illinois. They had six children-Sarah A., widow of George W. Yager ; Wilford A. of San Bernardino: Mary, wife of J. H. Hughes, Spokane Falls, Wash .; and Almina. Susan A., and George L., deceased. Mrs. Boren died March 15, 1894, aged 71.
the late A. D. Boren.
WILFORD A. BOREN was born at Council Bluffs, Iowa, October 24, 1851, a son of Wilford A. was but six years old when the family located in San Bernardino. After attending the local schools, he fin- ished his education at St. Vincent's school, Los Angeles. He filled a position in a mercantile house in San Bernar- dino until 1885, when he entered the grocery business for himself and continued in this line until 1896. He was then engaged in mining enterprises for two years. In 1898 he was electedl treasurer of San Bernardino county and served one tern ..
In 1875 Mr. Boren married Miss Sarah, a daughter of J. H. Schyff, who came to California from Iowa in 1868. They have three sons, Wilford A. Jr., Fred W. and Frank H. Mr. Boren is a member of the Woodmen of the World and of the Knights of Maccabees.
BEVERLY COLLINS BOREN was born in Union county, Illinois, in 1820. His parents were of Scotch de- scent and natives of Tennessee. His boyhood and early youth was passed in his native state, where he received the usual school education and finished with a commercial course. Mr. Boren came to California in 1853, leaving Nauvoo, Illinois, and making the journey overland with ox teams. During the Indian troubles in the northwest, Mr. Boren was engaged in freighting in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming.
Mir. Boren married Miss Mary F. Mathes of Bards- WILFORD A. BOREN town, Ky., where she was born May 10, 1818. Mrs. Boren is still living between A and B on Sixth street. Seven children-Hyrum L., Ephraim, Mary E., Mrs. W. A. Dow- ney of Oro Grande, Cal., Beverly C. and George A. of San Bernardino, survive.
WALTER A. SHAY, Jr., was born in San Bernardino, June 29, 1860. He attended the public schools of San Bernardino and was appointed deputy sheriff of the county. He was married March 9, 1892, to Miss Tillie McCoy, daughter of W. W. McCoy, a pioneer citizen of the county. They have two sons, Walter W. and Emmett L. Mr. Shay is a member of the Native Sons of the Golden West and is prominent in I. O. O. F. affairs.
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
MYRON H. CRAFTS was born in Whately, Mass., August 12, 1816. He was a descendant of Elihu Crafts, who came over in the Mayflower and thus his family was of that sturdy Puritan stock which has supplied many of the most enterprising pioneers of the west. After a public school education, which ended at thirteen, the boy went to
New York city to seek his fortune. At first he clerked in a dry goods store, then he went into business for himself. Later he returned to Massachusetts and engaged in business at En- field. Here he was married in 1843 to Miss Mi- randa Capen, by whom he had four children- three of whom, Ellen Woods Meacham, George H. and Harry G., are still living.
In 1853 Mr. Crafts removed to Michigan and located at Jackson. Here his store was burned three times-"on account of his abolition princi- ples"-and consequently he left Jackson and after living in several places became cashier in a bank at Detroit. In 1861 he came to California and soon afterward bought the Altoona ranch, 450 acres, 12 miles east of San Bernardino, from his brother, George Crafts, Sr. This ranch was beautifully located and supplied with an abundance of water from Mill creek, and Mr. Crafts at once set about bringing it to a high state of cultiva- tion, thus first demonstrating the possibilities, when watered and tilled with care, of the dry foot- hills hitherto given up to sage brush and chapar- ral. As a result of his success, the neighboring ranches were taken up and the thriving settle- ments of Crafton, Lugonia, Riverside and Red- lands, owe their first conception in part to Mr. Crafts' enterprise.
At an early age, Mr. Crafts joined the Congre- gational church and throughout his life he took an active interest in the church and in missionary M. H. CRAFTS work. In New York city he was one of the originators of the Five Points mission work. In Michigan he was known as an active abolitionist. During his residence in Detroit he was made a life member of the Home Missionary Society of the Congregational church- an honor conferred upon him by the Sabbath school of his church.
When he settled in California he at once became a working member of the Sabbath school maintained in San Bernardino and was one of the charter members of the First Congregational Church. He took a deep interest in the Indians whom he found in large numbers in the vicinity of his ranch and many of whom became his em- ployees. He not only tried to aid them materially, but earnestly strove to civilize and Christianize them. His influence was always used in their behalf and through his sug- gestions some changes in their legal condition were effected. Mr. Crafts was interested in every project for the common good; he was always ready to help in any work that promised improvement, and he took an active part in the early politics of the county. He was a man of strong principles, an active Republican and a temperance man. He died September 12, 1886, at his home, Crafton Retreat, just after he had attained his seven- tieth year and while he was still actively engaged in business and public interests.
MRS. E. P. R. CRAFTS. Eliza P. Russell, the youngest daughter of John and Elizabeth Russell, was born November 29, 1825, at Unadilla Center, Otsego county. New York. Her childhood was spent on a farm and there she learned to love nature and spent many happy hours in the woods and fields of that beautiful region. She was sent to the district school in the days when little children were taught their letters and mem- orized the spelling book, word by word. After a couple of terms at seminaries in the neighborhood Eliza was sent to Madam Willard's Female Seminary at Troy, N. Y. After graduating from this school, she went, in 1848, to Hillsboro, Virginia, to become vice-princi- pal in a seminary there.
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