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 73
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Mr. Clusker returned to San Bernardino county in 1870. In 1891 he opened a store in San Timoteo canyon which he operated successfully. He now lives in San Bernardino city. Although past ninety years of age, he is in possession of excellent health and his mental faculties are unimpaired. In politics, he has always been an "Andrew Jackson democrat, dyed in the wool," having voted for Jackson in 1832 when Henry Clay was his opponent, and both were "whigs." He voted, however, for Zachary Taylor, his old com- mander, in 1848, and remembers with pleasure shaking hands with him when he stopped in Cincinnati, on his way to his inauguration, and attended a reception at the old Pearl Street Hotel.
CHARLES H. TYLER, of San Bernardino, was born at Wading River, Suffolk county. New York, October 21st, 1831. He was the son of John Stockwell Tyler, a descendent of Plymouth Rock ancestry, and Eliza Hudson, daughter of an old Long Island family. His father was a sea-faring man; captain of a trading vessel, often making long trips to foreign ports. He made a voyage to California via Straits of Magellen in 1859. He died in 1869. His wife ws Eliza Hudson, of Long Island, a member of an old New York family. They had four children-Mary. Charles H., Elizabeth and Joseph, now of San Bernardino.
C. H. Tyler came to California in 1854 and engaged in placer mining. In 1869, he came to San Bernardino county, and after looking about, engaged in the lumber business with
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Renben Anderson and Barney Carter. They bought a mill which was later burned and then rebuilt. Joseph Tyler also came to San Bernardino and the brothers, with Wm. La- Praix, formed the firm of Tyler & La Praix carrying on the lumber business on Seeley Flat, in the San Bernardino mountains, for seven years. They continued in the partnership until 1884. The Tylers then retired to their Grass Valley Milling property, which after- wards passed into the hands of the Arrowhead Water Company. The brothers then located at Highlands, where they engaged in orange growing. They are interested in the City Creek Water Co., and also in the Highland Well Co. July 4th, 1880, Mr. C. H. Tyler mar- ried Jernsha, the daughter of Joseph Hancock, an old resident of San Bernardino. They have had two children, Mollie and Charles Joseph.
EDWARD LESTER, of Chino, was born in Covington, Ky., August 20th. 1828, the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Holms Lester, both natives of Yorkshire, England. They came to the United States in 1818 and settled in Indiana and later located in Covington, Ky. There Joseph Lester helped to build and worked in the first cotton factory erected west of the Allegheny mountains. In 1830 he removed to Hamilton county, Ohio, and settled on a farm where he lived until he died. He was the father of thirteen children.
Edward Lester started for California in 1852 via New Orleans, thence to Brownsville, Texas, and across Mexico to Mazatlan. There he took a sailing vessel for San Fran- cisco. He worked for a time in the mines but not meeting with the success anticipated he went to farming.
In 1855 he left California and went to South America, where he located in Lima, Pern. Here he helped to start the first American brick yard in that country. In 1858 he returned to the United States and settled in Lavaca county, Texas, where he engaged in farming until the out- break of the Civil war. As he was a strong Union man, he felt obliged to leave the state rather than to go into the rebel army. As it was too late to reach the north with his family, he crossed the border into Mexico and traveled across that country to Guaymas where, with others, he bought an open boat, and came up the Gulf to the mouth of the Colorado river and from there to Yuma by steamer. There he secured an ox team for his family and reached El Monte, Los Angeles county, in 1862. He farmed in this vicinity for three years, and in San Luis Obispo county EDWARD LESTER for nine years. He then located at Rincon and purchased land from various parties until he now has 525 acres of land, and has for many years conducted a successful stock business.
Mr. Lester was married in 1859 to Miss Ellen Clegg, of Cincinnati, Ohio, her parentage being English. She was killed by an accidental fall in Pomona in 1880. There were five children by this marriage, Joseph, of Rincon; Annie R., wife of Max Dietrich, of Sorrento, San Diego county : William, (deceased) ; George H., of Santa Barbara; Agnes, Mrs. Myron Pine, of San Bernardino.
In 1881, Mr. Lester married Miss Mary Taylor, of San Dimas, a native of New York.
J. B. TYLER, of San Bernardino, was born in Suffolk county, New York, February 4th, 1840. He was the son of J. S. and Eliza Hudson Tyler. Of their family, a sister. resid- ing in Boston, J. B. and his brother, Charles H. are the only surviving members.
His school days were passed at Long Island, New York, and he was apprenticed to a ship-builder and served four years, then worked as a journeyman. The panic of 1857 closed theship-building business and in 1858, in company with his father, he started for California via the Isthmus. On account of the Walker fillibustering expedition, they found this route closed and were obliged to turn back. On December 25th, 1858, they again started for California, this time by way of Cape Horn. July 2nd, 1859, they arived at San Francisco and immediately went to the mining region in the vicinity of Dutch Flat. They were joined by a brother and made numerons ventures here. Mr. Tyler continued mining until 1871, when he and his brother Charles, came to San Bernardino and engaged in the lumber busi- ness, first purchasing a saw mill from Anderson & Carter. They carried this on for twenty years and in 1892 sold this property to the Arrowhead Reservoir Co. For fifteen years they
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
were in partnership with W. S. LePraix and the partners purchased a large tract in the vicinity of Highlands. After the death of Mr. LePraix, the property was divided, and since then, Tyler Bros. have devoted themselves exclusively to their orange business. They own a ranch of twenty-six acres, set to oranges.
J. B. Tyler married Louise Thorn, at Sacramento, October 21st, 1868. They are the parents of five children. Elizabeth Josephine is now the wife of Wm. Russell, of San Bernardino; Lydia Eberlin, wife of Caspar Rench, conductor on the Santa Fe; Charles Beach Tyler Superintendent of his father's ranch at Highlands; Bertha, Amelia and Carrie. Mr. and Mrs. Tyler are attendants of the Congregational church. He is also a member of the Grand Lodge.
BYRON FORD, of Ontario, was born in Clyde, Wayne county, New York, June 7th, 1825. He was the son of Benjamin and Lydia Copeland Ford, both of old New England families. His grandfather, Benjamin Ford, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war and fought by the side of General Warren in the battle of Bunker Hill. His father was a mill- wright and contractor. From 1830 to 1835, the family lived in Washington, D. C., where he was engaged in constructing a section of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, (between Washing- ton and the Ohio river), from Georgetown to Harper's Ferry. Upon the completion of this contract there was a disagreement with the government as to the terms of settlement, which led to extended litigation. The case was an important one and Mr. Ford retained as counsel, Daniel Webster and Henry Clay. Upon the trial of the case, Mr. Webster made the closing argument, which is famous in legal history and which won for his client the case and a check for $40,000 from the government. Clay, Calhoun and Webster were numbered among Mr. Ford's personal friends and frequented his office in a friendly way. The family afterward returned to Clyde, New York, where Mr. Ford built and operated a large flouring mill. He and his wife both died here.
Byron Ford left home in 1845 and engaged in a commission and shipping business, handling especially apples and fruits. It is said that he was the first dealer to ship apples through the canal. In 1848, he joined a company organized at Knoxville, Tenn., to make the trip to California. The party numbered forty-two men, 105 horses and mules, and seventeen wagons with a full supply of mining tools and camp equipage. At St. Louis they received a supply of arms and ammunition from the government, and from there shipped their supplies and wagons up the river by boat to Independence, Mo., while they rode their mules to that point. From Independence they went to Ft. Leavenworth and then by the old Santa Fe trail to Santa Fe. Here they traded their horses and wagons for government mules and received a supply of rations from Gen. Sumner, then officer in command of the Post at that place. The party made stops at Albuquerque, Tucson, Yuma and entered California by way of Warner's Ranch and San Diego, having spent nearly a year on the road. They arrived in California destitute, hungry and footsore, but through all the hardships of the long, wearisome journey, they had not lost a man. Being a regularly organized party, they were entitled to government assistance, and were fitted out very comfortably at San Diego, then took passage on a government transport for Monterey. This trip took twenty-one days and they arrived in much distress, having suffered much on account of rough weather. Monterey was then a small but interesting Spanish town, the capital of the state. The party separated here and Mr. Ford, with three others, joined a pack train and went to Mariposa mines, reaching there thirteen months and six days after leaving Knoxville, or June Ist, 1849. He took up a gold claim which he worked for some time with success. In the meantime, unknown to him, his father had come to California by the Isthmus route. When he learned this he joined his father at Sonora, where they engaged in mining and lumbering, and later in carrying on a general merchandise store. They remained at Sonora until 1854, but lost heavily by fire in 1852 and by the disastrous floods of 1853, which made transportation so difficult that prices were exorbitant for all provisions.
In 1859, Mr. Ford returned to New York and remained there six years. In 1865, he again came to California by way of Nicarauga, and went to work for a grocery firm in San Fran- cisco. He next went to Chihuahua, Mexico, and engaged in mining. His experiences in that section of the country were interesting and exciting. He was in the midst of constant revolu- tions and changes which gave little security for life or property. Notwithstanding, his mining ventures were successful and he returned to California in 1889, locating at Ontario, where he now lives in retirement. He is the owner of a beautiful home and valuable orange grove property.
The life of Mr. Ford has been filled with excitements and adventures. He has crossed the continent seventeen times and has seen this country in all the stages of its progress He is a genuine '49er, generous, genial, broad minded and honorable.
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
ROBERT ARBORN, a California pioneer of 1857, is a native of England, and was born in the town of Gravely, Cambridgeshire, May 29, 1825. His father was James Arborn, a farm- er of that place, and he is one of thirteen children. He followed the occupation of farming un- til he was 22, when he went to Australia, where he remained until he sailed for California in 1857. In Australia he married Hannah Stuchbery, a young English girl whom he met on his trip to that country.
They disembarked at San Pedro, upon arriving in California, and first located at San Bernardino, where they remained a few months. They later moved to Spadra, in Los Angeles county, and cultivated a portion of the Louis Phillips ranch. In 1857 they purchased 120 acres of land in the Rincon grant and became a part of that energetic class of settlers whose grit and determination have built up the splendid commonwealth that surrounds them. They raised a family of ten children, all of whom but one are married.
WILLIAM M. GODFREY was born November 9th, 1825, in Washtenaw county, Michi- gan, the son of Thomas Hartle Godfrey, a general storekeeper and one of the early settlers of that section of the state. William M. grew up in his native county and learned the pro- fession of dentistry which he followed at Ann Arbor. He also learned the art of daguerro- type making. In 1850 he joined an overland party of emigrants and drove an ox team to the coast-a six months' journey. He tried placer mining near Hangtown, without much suc- cess. While there a party arrived from the East with an expensive and elaborate daguerro- type outfit which he had brought around the Horn. On arriving at San Francisco, the town was almost deserted, the population having gone to the mines, and the picture maker followed up the Sacramento river. On reaching Hangtown he was seized with gold fever and aband- oned his picture-making outfit. Young Godfrey leased the machine and there made the first pictures ever taken with a camera in California. He soon purchased the outfit and pro-
WILLIAM GODFREY
MRS. LUCIA GODFREY
ceeded down the river to San Francisco, taking pictures as he went. He continued his jour- ney down the coast stopping at all the principal towns to take likenesses and thus visited Los Angeles and San Bernardino for the first time. When the art of photography was intro- duced, he took that up and for a number of years traveled up and down the coast making por- traits and views. He located for a time in Los Angeles and conducted a gallery there with Stephen A. Rendall and also with Harry T. Payne. In 1865 he removed to San Bernardino and engaged in dentistry with Dr. Alma Whitlock and opened a photograph gallery with M. A. Franklin. He finally sold his viewing outfit to Adam Vail and his gallery to Harry T. Payne and in 1872 retired from the business.
Mr. Godfrey married, April 25th, 1866, Miss Lucia, daughter of William Dresser Hunting- ton, a resident of San Bernardino. He died November 4th, 1900. in San Bernardino. A widow and seven children survive-Alice, Mrs. Henry Bergman, of Riverside ; Will H., of San Bernardino; Nellie, Mrs. Sherman Breunen, of San Francisco; Edna, Mrs. James M.
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Battle, of Los Angeles; Lester, of San Bernardino; David E., in the Philippines ; Charles F., San Bernardino; Herman H., died at the age of thirty-four.
CHARLES Y. TYLER, of East Highland, was born in Lewis county, New York, May 13th, 1833. His father, Brainerd Tyler, was a farmer and also a hunter of note. He was one of the pioneers in Lewis county and paid for his farm by killing venison and selling it in Albany. He was a descendant of an old Connecticut family, born in Hartford. He had six children of whom Chas. Y. is now the only one living.
Charles Tyler attended the district schools and an academy at Lowville, in his home county. He began life by teaching district schools in New York for four years. In 1859 he came to California via Panama and spent two years in Holcomb valley. Later he went into the cattle business with John R. Simmons on the Mojave, but when the Civil war broke out he was obliged to abandon this and went to the Bannock mines via Utah. In 1867 he returned 10 San Bernardino by way of the Cajon Pass and engaged in teaming between San Ber- nardino and Los Angeles. He farmed for many years in the vicinity of San Bernardino and also was engaged in the express business in that place. Later he located at East Highlands where he has since lived.
He was married June 11th, 1865, at Beaver, Utah, to Miss Julia, daughter of Sidney Tan- ner, a pioneer in Utah and one of the San Bernardino settlers of 1851. They have had a family as follows : Raymond, born February 22nd, 1866; Addie, October 26th, 1867; Wilbur, (deceased), October 19th, 1869; Nellie, (deceased), May 27th, 1871; May, February 9th, 1873; Charles, September 25th, 1875; Burt, March 23rd, 1878; Pratt, September 6th, 1880; Frank, November 13th, 1882; Willie, (deceased), January 9th, 1885; Grace, September 25th, 1889; Mark, January 29th, 1892.
EDWIN BEMIS, deceased, of San Bernardino, came to the valley in 1854 with his brother Amos Bemis, and located on land on the east side of Lytle Creek and Fifth street. A brother, Samuel Bemis, who was killed in the mountains by a bear, lived on adjoining land. In 1870, Mr. Bemis married Miss Mary, daughter of Richard Merchant, an English- man by birth, who removed to New South Wales, and there died. He left twelve children, six of whom came to San Bernardino with the widowed mother. In 1857 the family went to Salt Lake where they all remained except Mrs. Bemis and Susan, wife of Enoch Parrish, of Yucaipe. Mrs. Bemis was born in Australia and came to this country when about ten years of age. She has four children, Louis E., Emily E., Jeanette, and Clara. Mr. Bemis died in San Bernardino June 6th, 1884, aged fifty-one.
LEVI A. BEMIS, of Rialto, was born in San Bernardino in June, 1861. He was the son of Amos W., and Julia Mccullough Bemis, who were among the original colonists of San Bernardino. His grandfather, Levi H. Mccullough was a member of the Mormon Battalion and of Fremont's California Battalion. Levi A. Bemis attended school in Mt. Vernon District and has always lived in the San Bernardino valley. In company with his brother, he owned a nursery of orange and lemon stock for a number of years with success. He now has thirty acres in oranges and lemons. He is a member of I. O. O. F. Token Lodge, No. 290, and of the Macabees.
In 1891 Mr. Bemis married Miss Sadie, daughter of Mrs. Jane Files, a native of Maine, who came to California in 18go. They have three children-Roy, Eva and Lillie.
WILLIAM BEMIS, late of Halleck, was born in New York state. His family were among the overland emigrants to California, arriving in the San Bernardino valley in the summer of 1853. Mr. Bemis worked as a laborer in the vicinity of San Bernardino until 1873, when he located in the Mojave country, where he raised stock and farmed until his death, March 30th, 1899, at the age of sixty-four.
He was married in San Bernardino in 1868 to Miss Minerva Strong, daughter of Mrs. Frank Talmadge, a native of California, born in 1852. They were the parents of nine child- ren, all now living : Alvin M., Monima, Strong, Nettie, Samuel, Edward, Guy, Mabel, Opal.
JOHN V. WALLIN, a resident of the Yucaipe valley, is a native of Bath county, Ky .. born July 15th, 1835, the son of Isaac Wallin, a carpenter. Mr. Wallin came west in the employ of the government, driving an ox team and a freight wagon to Salt Lake. He reached San Bernardino January Ist, 1858, on foot. For ten years he teamed between San Bernardino and Salt Lake, then he engaged in farming in the San Bernardino valley and located in Yucaipe valley about eight years ago. He has 160 acres of land, and is also in- terested in mining claims located about a mile from Crafton, which have been worked to some extent and are promising.
Mr. Wallin married Miss Sarah, daughter of H. G. Cable, an old settler of San Ber-
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
nardino. They have five children, Maggie, wife of John Parrish, of Yucaipe; Elizabeth, Josephine, Frank, living in Los Angeles and Henry in Mexico.
HORACE MONROE FRINK, formerly of San Bernardino, was a native of Living- ston county, New York, born May 31st, 1832. His father, Jefferson Frink, was a musician and an expert drummer. The son learned the trade of a mason. He started westward and moved with the current then setting toward the Pacific coast. He lived at Nauvoo, Ill., and later at various points in Missouri. Although never a member of the Mormon church he had business relations with Brigham Young and was one of the first party to reach the site of Salt Lake City in 1847, having driven one of the wagons in the train. The next year he returned to the Missouri river. In 1852 he arrived at Hangtown, in California, and in 1854 located in the San Bernardino valley. He, with a brother, secured 320 acres of land in the San Timoteo valley, at the point now known as El Casco (the Tank). Here they raised stock and in the spring of 1866 sold 1500 head, thus disposing of the business.
In 1862, Mr. Frink guided Captain Prentice with a company of United States troops from San Bernardino to the Colorado river at Fort Yuma, and on the way discovered the springs which were long known as Frink Springs and became a watering station on the old trail. He freighted for a number of years between Salt Lake and San Bernardino. In 1867 he purchased the old Wallace place of 100 acres at Old San Bernardno, which he made his home. He died July 28th, 1874. He was married to Polly Ann, daughter of John Dewitt, in San Bernardino in 1857. Three of their children are now living-Alonzo M., Marcus L. and Polly Ann, now Mrs. H. F. Gansner.
ALONZO M. FRINK, of Mission, was born at El Casco station, January 20th, 1858. He married Lorana Van Leuven, daughter of Lewis Van Leuven. They have one child living-Lizzie, Mrs. Leonard Bahr.
MARCUS L. FRINK, of Mission, was born at Old San Bernardino, March 14th, 1860. In 1880, he married Caroline Wilson. They have four children, Lena A., Amy, Milton I., Howard L.
LOUIS WELLS, of Rincon, was born in Odell, Ill., August 19th, 1879. He is a son of Lloyd Wells, now of Riverside, and owns a general merchandise store and is postmaster at Rincon.
He married, June 26th, ICO1, Miss Linda, daughter of the late Fenton M. Slaughter, a pioneer of the county.
EDWARD I. STILES, of San Bernardino, was born at Spanish Fork, Utah, April 2nd. 1858. He is the son of Amos Stiles, a farmer, born in Maine. His mother's maiden name was Rebecca Wood O'Brien. The family crossed the plains a few months after his birth and settled in San Bernardino in 1858. There were seven children in the family, three girls and four boys, of which one daughter and two sons survive. They are, Mrs. Rosetta Sparks, wife of Eli Sparks of Anaheim; W. E. Stiles, a rancher on Base Line, and the sub- ject of this sketch, Edward I. Stiles.
After leaving home Edward I. Stiles went to work hauling lumber from the mountains and freighting in the frontier counties of the state. Ten years ago he purchased a ranch. since which time he has given his time and attention to its management.
Mr. Stiles married Miss Annie Pasmore, daughter of E. H. Pasmore, January Ist, 1891. They have one child, a daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Stiles are members of the Foresters.
JAMES HEAP was born at Council Bluffs, Iowa. November 6th, 1850, the son of William and Barbara Heap, and one of a family of eight childrei, all residents of California- Perley, Mrs. Mary R. Kellar and Mrs. Webster Vale in San Bernardino; Joseph, Riverside ; Alfred, in San Bernardino mountains; Mrs. Belle Dunlap, Redlands. The father came to San Bernardino in 1854 and located on a tract of fifty-six acres, part of which is still the "home place," occupied by the family for forty-seven years, and now the residence of James Heap.
James Heap attended school in San Bernardino. For a number of years he was engaged in freighting, hauling lumber from the mountain with a three yoke ox team and hauling from Ivanpah and Ft. Yuma. In 1879-80, he began boring wells and followed this occupation for nine or ten years. He bored many wells in the vicinity of the city, and for the city and the Railroad company, and was considered an authority in this business. He was obliged to give it up on account of his health and since that time has devoted himself to the culture of his ranch of twenty-four acres.
Mr. Heap married Miss Abigail Martin, of San Bernardino in 1878. They have had a
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
family of seven children-Gertrude, Lena, Georgia, Josie, James, Ida and Barbara, who died in 1898. Mr. Heap is a member of the I. O. O. F.
ALEXANDER KEIR, of San Bernardino, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, August, 1844. He is a son of Alexander Keir, Sr. His early school days were passed in San Ber- nardino. He has always been a rancher, with the exception of the years between 1863 and 1871, when he engaged in the mercantile business in San Bernardino. While never holding a political office he has always been interested in school affairs and was one of the school trustees for the Central district for fifteen years. He was a member of the Board of
ALEXANDER KEIR
MRS. ALEXANDER KEIR
Commissioners that built the present school building, but tendered his resignation before its completion.
Nr. Keir married Miss Mariette Parrish of San Bernardino. They are the parents of nine children, seven of whom are living. William Edwin Keir, of San Bernardino; Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Clark, Bakersfield : Sherwin, San Francisco; John Keene, Bakersfield ; Frank, Bakersfield; Robert Burns, San Bernardino and Ida Gertrude, a pupil of the San Bernardino High School. Mr. Keir is a member of the I. O. O. F., K. of P., and a Mason.
ANTONIO JOSE MARTINEZ was born on La Puente grant, September Ist, 1854. His father, Sisto Martinez, came to California from New Mexico in 1847 with his father-in- law, Santiago Martinez, who was of direct Spanish descent. The grandfather owned a ranch and at one time owned a part of the Puente grant. Sisto Martinez acquired through his wife, Ruperta Martinez, lands and stock on the Puente. In 1868 he removed with his family to Agua Mansa and passed the remainder of his life in ranching there. He died in 1871. His wife still lives with her son.
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