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 84
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"In October 1869. I landed in New York and went to St. Louis where two uncles- also political exiles-had settled in 1831. After a short stay I returned to Europe expecting to locate in southern France, but the Franco-Prussian war drove me to Switzer- land. Finding that the Swiss Republic protected its independence by refusing citizen's rights to foreigners, I drifted to Metz, in Lorraine, but there again the Prussians found me and exiled me, in 1872. I then went to Belgium and lived for five years in the city of Verviers, engaged in the banking business, but as I was without citizenship and Belgium, like Switzerland accepts no foreigners, I was led to look for a new home. I again came to America and stopped in St. Louis. On April 11, 1877, the Southern Hotel of that city was destroyed by fire. I was in the fifth story and escaped by a rope of bedsheets. Injuries sustained in this fire made me an invalid for two years and this was the reason of my com- ing to southern California, after a short stay in San Francisco. I was naturalized in 1882, and have since left the state but once-to pay a short visit to my parents in Europe.
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
"In Pasadena, in the early part of 1878 I obtained my first ideas of horticulture and viticulture. At that period this colony was rather short of water and I began to look around for an abundant irrigation supply." As a result, Mr. Petsch was one of the founders of the settlement of Hermosa in San Bernardino. (See Page 617.)
"In 1884, I married a native daughter of California, whose father, John L. Frese, was a pioneer of Oakland. In 1892, I moved from Hermosa to Los Angeles where I have taken an active part in 'La Fiesta de Los Angeles.' I am a member of the Chamber of Com- merce, the Landmark Club and the Forest and Water Association, but I have strictly kept aloof from all political affiliations. In the Cucamonga and Hermosa districts I was a school trustee for seven years. On April 29, 1897, a little son was born to me. If a father's wish is fulfilled he will be a good citizen of a free country."
J. R. McKINLEY, of Rialto, is a native of Ohio, born in Cumberland, Guernsey county, in 1846. His father, Willoughby Mckinley, was an Ohio pioneer. Mr. Mckinley removed to Wayne county. Iowa when he was sixteen years of age, and shortly after the organiza-
tion of the county. At that time it was a paradise for hunters, deer be- ing very plentiful in that locality. The town of Humeston was after- wards located on a portion of his property and he is still the owner of a farnı, a portion of his original property.
Mr. Mckinley came to California in 1894 and settled near Rialto where he owns a twenty acre orange or . chard, particularly noted for its beauty and productiveness. He has for several years been in the employ of the County Horticultural Commis- sion as an inspector. Mr. McKin- ley has been twice married. He married his first wife, who was Miss Hannah Davis, in 1869. They were the parents of five children, two sons and three daughters. In 1897, Mr. Mckinley married Mrs. M. J. Stults, of Humeston, Iowa.
EDWARD C. PARKER, of On- tario, was born June 18, 1846, at Madison, Wisconsin. His father, Henry C. Parker, was a native of New Hampshire and by trade a car- penter and builder. He erected the first state capitol, at Madison, Wis- consin, and engaged in other large MR. AND MRS. J. R. MCKINLEY contracts in that vicinity. He died in 1896. aged 79. He married Lucia A. Smith, of Ashtabula, Ohio, who died in March, 1890. They had three children; one daughter is the wife of Rev. J. A. Bradshaw, of Richland, Missouri, the other daughter is Mrs. W. J. Bodenhamer, of Up- land. In 1857, the family removed to Illinois, locating at Daquoin, Perry county. They came to California in 1881 and settled first in Pomona . In 1887 they purchased five acres at the mouth of San Antonio Canon and have made a fine ranch there.
Edward C, Parker, enlisted in the 13th Illinois Cavalry, in 1864, and served as com- missary agent until mustered out of service in 1865. He was in business with his father as builder and contractor until 1876, when he came to California and located at North On- tario.
. HARRISON W. HAGERMAN, of San Bernardino, was born in Coburg, Canada, Sep- tember 5, 1867, the son of James and Elizabeth Scott Hagerman. His parents now reside in San Bernardino, and a sister, Miss Mabel, lives with them, while a brother, Percy, is in Pasadena. H. W. Hagerman received a common school education at his old home in
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Coburg, Canada. He tried his hand at mining and then entered the confectionary business in Canada. In January, 1897, he came to San Bernardino, where he was first employed in the planing mill department of the Santa Fe shops. He later became engineer with the Southern California Ice Co., a position he still holds. He was married March 24, 1891, in Coburg, Canada, to Miss Levisa, daughter of Robert Staples, of that place. Mrs. Hagerman died in San Bernardino, March 17, 1897, leaving two children, Laura L. and Douglas S. Hagerman. Mr. Hagerman is a member of the Presbyterian church and also of the Wood- men of the World.
W. A. NORTON, formerly of Bloomington, was born in Genesee county, New York, October 3. 1855. He was the adopted son of Issi and Diana Norton. He spent the first ten years of his life on a farm near Genesee, where his father died. After the death of Mrs. Norton, her son lived at Perry. New York, where he attended school and later finished his education at Lima Seminary, New York .;
In 1880, he married Miss Frances E. Wilson, of Ontario, Indiana, and] settled on a farm at Perry, where he remained for ten years. In 1888, Mr. and Mrs. Norton, with their daughter, Ione, came to California, and after spending about two years in Colton, located on the Blooming- ton tract as soon as it was opened. Mr. Norton purchased fifteen acres of land of the Semi-Tropic Co. which he set half to oranges and half to lemons and developed a fine ranch. Here he erected a comfort- able and beautiful home. He always took an active interest in the progress of his chosen community and was a member of the school board and of the Water Co. for a number of years previous to his death. He was a pro- hibitionist in sentiment and thought. but voted independently.
Mr. Norton died October 3, ICOI. leaving a wife and daughter ir mourn his loss.
BERNARD H. JACOBS, of Red- lands, was born in Bredstedt, duchy of Schlesvig, Germany, in 1844. At W. A. NORTON ten years of age he came to Amer- ica and lived in Ohio. His early life was spent in mercantile pursuits. In 1864, he entered the 169tl regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry. After returning from the war he continued in the mercantile business. In 1872, with others, he started "Lake- side," the Chatauqua assembly of Ohio, an enterprise in which he still retains an interest.
In September, 1894, he came with his family to Redlands and purchased a grove on Cypress avenue, to which he devoted his time and attention. In 1875, he married Miss Clara Kingham, of Fort Clinton, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He has always been a leader in temperance reform and has been interested in the anti-saloon question as it has developed in Redlands.
EMIL JOHNSON, of Bloomington, was born in December. 1867, in the southern part of Sweden, near Eksco. His father. John Isaacson, was a farmer. His mother died when he was seven years of age and he left home when a mere hoy and earned his own way and secured a good education. When about nineteen he came to America and located in South Dakota where he had relatives. Here he mastered the English language.
In 1894, he came to California and worked for two years in Colton. Then he bought five acres of bare ground at Bloomington and now has a fine orange grove.
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
W. H. JONES, of Needles, was born in Mendocino county, California, October I. 1866. His parents were H. M. and Hattie Fanning Jones. His father came around the Horn and arrived in California in 1847. After the gold excitement, he settled in Mendo- cino county. He was a shoemaker by trade.
W. H. Jones acquired a common school education in the schools of the state. He learned both the shoemaker's and the blacksmith trade, but entered the employment of the Southern Pacific Railway and in 1882 reached Needles with the completion of the railroad to that point. He continued to work for the R. R. Co. until 1892, when he was stricken with paraly- sis and partially crippled thus incapacitating him for active labor.
V. MASHEK, of Redlands, is a native of Bohemia and a graduate of the Polytechnic School of Prague. He came to this country in 1861 as private secretary to Count Malin- owski, of the Russian emigration commission, and also as correspond- ent for several Bohemian newspa- pers. He settled in Wisconsin, at Racine, where he edited and pub- lished the only Bohemian newspaper in America, a paper which is still prosperous and representative. In 1863 he removed to Kewaunee, Wis . where he became largely interested in various mercantile and lumber en terprises. He was president of the Mashek Company, engaged in mer- cantile business : the Kewaunee Mill- ing Company ; Mashek & Arnold, in the wood and lumber business, and of the Bank of Kewaunee, which he organized and of which he was pres- ident for many years. He was elected the first mayor of Kewaunee upon its organization as a city.
V. MASHEK
ter, Nannie, a graduate of Wisconsin University.
For a number of years he spent his winters in Redlands, and has built there, near the Casa Loma ho- tel, a nice residence. Mr. Mashek married Anna Kwapil, born in Bo- hemia. He has two sons -- V. F., sec- retary and treasurer of the Pilsen Lumber Co., Chicago, and president of the Chicago Lumber Association. and George M., president of the Chemical and Iron Company at Es- canaba, Mich ; he has also one daugli-
BURTON S. PORTER. of Colton, was born at Auburn, New York, March 3, 1832. His father, Beecher Porter, was born in 1791 and his grandfather, Ezekiel Porter, was a soldier of the Revolution.
In 1852, Burton B. Porter first came to California and remained five years, then re- turned to New York. In 1861, he enlisted in the 10th New York Cavalry and served one vear as quartermaster sergeant; he was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant, Company "L." October 12, 1862: Ist lieutenant. December, 1862, and Captain Company "G," July, 1863. He was taken prisoner at St. Mary's Church and confined in Libby prison, transferred from there to Macon and then to Columbus and Charleston prisons; he twice made his escape, only to be re-captured. He finally escaped and reached Sherman's army, which he had joined and marched through the Carolinas to Fayette, N. C. He was mustered out of service, March 25, 1865. In 1877, Captain Porter again came to California and located in San Francisco. In 1893, he came to San Bernardino county, and now resides in a beautiful orchard home at Colton. Captain Porter has been twice married. The first wife was Elizabeth Bearsley, who died in 1890. In 1892, he married Miss Ella Holland.
THOMAS HADDEN, of San Bernardino, is a native of New York City, born Novem-
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY.
ber 21, 1844, the son of James E. Hadden, a merchant tailor whose establishment was lo- cated at the corner of Broadway and Eighth streets, New York City.
Thomas was educated at Mt. Washington Institute, New York, and a military Acad- emy at New Haven, Connecticut. When he reached majority he went west and located at Manhatten, Kansas, where he engaged in the cattle business. In 1874, he returned to New York and remained until 1878 wen he came to California. After following various occupations he, in 1881, entered the employ of J. G. Burt in his hardware store and re- mained with this business until Mr. Burt's death in 1894 when the business was closed out. Soon afterwards Messrs. Wilcox and Rose, of Colton, opened a branch house in San Ber- nardino, handling hardware, etc., and Mr. Hadden was made manager of the establishment. In 1898, he bought a third interest in the business. In 1901, Wilcox & Rose sold out their interests to Thomas Hadden and Mrs. Dr. R. L. Burcham and the business was incor- porated as the Thomas Hadden Company.
Mr. Hadden was married at Ogden, Riley county, Kansas, to Miss Retta, daughter of John M. Morris, County Treasurer of Riley county. They have one daughter, Estelle. Mr. Hadden is a member of San Bernardino Lodge, F. & A. F .; of the I. O. O. F., and of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks.
MISS ELEANOR FREEMAN, late of Ontario, was a native of Pennsylvania,. born in Bellsville, in February, 1848. Her mother belonged to the Rittenhouse fam- ily who were descendants of one of the earliest American families. Her family moved io Cincinnati when she was about four years of age and she received her early education in that city. When about eighteen she went to Europe and remained in France a year theul passed a year at Heidleberg University, Germany; she returned to Cincinnati and taught languages in the Woodward and Hughes High Schools, in which position she was very popular. She was fond of travel and spent much time abroad, where she perfected her- self in several foreign languages. She was especially fond of Italy and passed much time there and in the study of Italian.
In 1884, Miss Freeman came to California and Angust, 1885, she first visited Ontario. Here she purchased a twenty acre tract for a home place and invested in other property. She made Ontario her home from this time until her death, spending her time in study and literary work and in looking after her business interests. She frequently lectured on her travels for the benefit of various societies and charitable organizations and took an interest in all that pertained to the welfare of her chosen home.
She died in Ontario, March 9, 1904, and was buried in Spring-grove cemetery, Cin- cinnati.
JOSHUA HARTZELL,of East Highland, was born February 4, 1845, the son of Jacob and Ann McGowan Hartzell. His father was a native of, Pennsylvania and a pioneer settler of Ohio. His parents had eight children, Joshua being the youngest. When he was less than a year old his mother died; his father died in 1848 and for many years the boy lived with his uncle, John Hartzell. He enlisted in the army before his eighteenth year, serv- ing in the 105th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for two years and ten months-from 1862 to 1865. He was under Rosencrans and Sherman, taking part in the "March to the Sea:" he was at Perrysville and served on detached duty. He was mustered out at Cleveland, Ohio. After this he went to southwstern Missouri and taught school then engaged in farming and carried on mercantile business at Quincy and Elkton, both in Hickory county, Missouri. In 1873, he went to Iowa and spent a couple of years. In 1876, he came to California and located at San Bernardino. Here he worked first for Kenniston and Brazelton and later worked in the mines. In 1882, he came to Highland and purchased a ranch. He now has twenty-seven acres in fruit. Mr. Hartzell is a member of the Board of Horticultural Com- missioners and has been an inspector for years.
He was married in Missouri in 1868 to Miss Hilliard and has four children, Carrie, Mrs. J. M. Cadwell, of Redlands: Albert ; Mrs. Quinan, of Manila, and Walter.
MICHAEL HAUCK, of Chino, was a native of Russia. His grandfather, Jacob Hauck, was born in Germany and emigrated to Russia where his father, John, was born. Mr Hauck came to America when about twenty-five and lived for five years in Dakota. He spent a year in Iowa and then came to California. He at first worked in the vicinity of Santa Ana and then took up a government claim in San Diego county. This he sold and moved to Chino some eight or nine years ago. Here he has rented a ranch of about ninty- five acres, raising barley, beets, cattle, etc.
He married at Santa Ana, Miss Agnes Opp, a native of Wisconsin, of German parent- age. They have four children, Katherine, Annie, John and Christof.
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
L. E. PORTER, of Barstow, is a native of Pennsylvania, born July 26, 1860, the son oi William and Sadie A. Nolder Porter. He received his education in the public schools finishing with one term at the State Normal School, Chantanqua, New York, after which he took a special course in chemistry. His first work after leaving school was in the oil fields of Pennsylvania. In 1879, he went to Colorado where he lived five years and in 1884 came to San Bernardino county, and started in prospecting at Calico, and in the des- ert. In 1891, he started a cyanide reduction plant in Kern county, the first of the kind in that part of the state. He made a specialty of chemistry and metallurgy of refractory ores, and is at present working in a copper ore containing one half of one per cent copper. Under the ordinary cyanide process the expense per ton for working this ore would ap proximate seven or eight dollars, but using his method of regenerating the cyanide, the ex- pense does not exceed one dollar per ton. The capacity of his cyanide plant is about fifty tons. After the slimes are produced they are treated by an electric amalgamating process.
Mr. Porter married Miss E. D. Dougherty in Calico, Christmas eve, 1891.
FRANK OWEGER, of the firm of Mespelt & Oweger, was born at Piqua, Ohio, June 17, 1860, the son of Joseph and Katherine Oweger. His father was a manufacturer of curled-hair goods. Mr. Oweger learned the trade of cigar maker in his native town, serv- ing an apprenticeship of four years; then started out for himself. He has worked in nearly every state in the Union and came from New York state to California in 1886, going first to San Francisco. In 1892, with his partner, Angust Mespelt, he came to San Bernar- dino and started a cigar making business which has developed into the manufacture of cigars on an extensive scale. Mr. Oweger is a member of the Order of Red Men; Fraternal Union and Cigar Makers' Union.
August Mespelt, of the firm of Mespelt and Oweger, was born in Burlington, Iowa, November 20, 1859, the son of August Mespelt and Katherine Blank. His school days were passed in his native city, and after leaving school he obtained employment in a leaf tobacco factory, and later learned the trade of cigar making. He lived in Burlington until his 20th year and then worked in different cities of Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and California. He came to San Bernardino in 1892.
Mr. Mespelt married Mrs. E. C. Batchelder of San Bernardino. He is a member of the Fraternal Union and the Cigar Makers' Union.
CHRIST RAPP,of Colton, was born at Guttenburg, Germany in 1855. When he was twenty-five years of age he came to America, and located at Philadelphia. After a few years' residence in that city he removed to San Francisco, where he engaged in business. and from there came to Colton, and opened a first class bakery. Through close attention and in- dustry this has developed into a successful business, in which he is ably assisted by his wife.
Mr. and Mrs. Rapp have a family of five children: Lizzie, Anna, Louisa, Henry and Louie.
ROBERT H. MIDDLEMISS, of San Bernardino, was born in Kingston, Ontario, Canada April 9, 1875. He is the son of Andrew L. and Elizabeth H. Stark Milldemiss. His father was a Scotheman and his mother a native of Canada of Scotch descent. Of his father's family there were six children, five brothers and one sister. Robert Middlemiss is the only one of the family living in California. His father was the Traveling Auditor of the Great Western Road of Canada, now the Grand Trunk. His school days were spent in Kingston, and Ingersoll, Canada, where he graduated from the Ingersoll Collegi- ate Institute. He was then employed as an apprentice for the John Morrow Mfg. Company at Ingersoll, and remained with them three years; then by reason of his delicate health came to California. The climate proving beneficial he has remained. He was first employed as a machine hand in the Barker Machine Works of San Bernardino, but has since been promoted to position of foreman of the shops which he now holds.
JULIUS OEHL, of San Bernardino, was born in Germany, January 6, 1856. His father was also named Julius Oehl, and held official position under the German government for many years. His mother's maiden name was Louise Tychsen. Julius Oehl, Jr., came to America in 1872, landing in New York. He immediately engaged in the butcher business, remaining there one year. He then came west to Montana, where he lived for a number of years, following his trade as butcher. Later, he was employed in Kansas City, Mis- sour, for some time as foreman of the Jacob Dold Packing Co.'s establishment. He then went to Socorro, New Mexico, where he ran a meat shop, and also a branch shop in Craf-
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ton, New Mexico. His next move was to San Bernardino where he again engaged in the dressed meat business, and in which he still continues, having built up a large wholesale and retail trade.
He was married in New Mexico in 1884 to Miss Katherine Claussen. They are the parents of six children: Ernest, Richard, Julius, Herbert, Conrad and Freida. Mr. Oehl Is a member of the Woodmen of the World. Both he and his brother, Conrad, are mem- bers of the Lutheran church.
Conrad Oehl, who is his brother's accountant, was also born in Germany, and came to this country in 1888. Landing in New York he remained there six years in the office of a wholesale importer of foreign goods, and in 1894, came to San Bernardino to accept his present position. He is a single man, a member of the Maccabees, and a Woodman of the World.
W. E. LIGHTFOOT, of San Bernardino, was born in Keokuk, Iowa, June 22, 1843. He is one of two sons of John T. and Sophia ( Crippen) Lightfoot. The other son is now living in Alaska. His father was a brick layer and mason who came to California in 1849. The young man gleaned such knowledge as he could from the district schools at Keokuk, and Charlestown, Iowa, and in 1860, started by the northern route to cross the plains to California. Arriving in the "Hangtown" of that day, he settled there for about six years, removing to San Bernardino county in 1866. He settled at a point near Oro Grande for a time, and then went to Cottonwood, engaging in the stock raising business, where he remained for nine years. He also continued the stock business near Barstow, between two and thre years. He then came to San Bernardino and was one of a number of prominent men to launch the newspaper, now known as the "Sun," but then called the "Courier." The paper was started in 1886, and in a short time he owned a controlling interest in the enterprise. This he relinguished in 1894, having lost about forty thousand dollars in the venture. In 1864, in Sacramento, California, he married Miss Bessie Rigney, who died in San Bernardino September 2, 1899. They had one child, a boy, John H. Light- foot, horn in "Hangtown" in 1865. This son was editor of the newspaper during the time his father was engaged in that business. He is now employed in the Santa Fe shops. Since his financial reverses, Mr. Lightfoot has set to work to recoup himself with an energy many a younger man might well emulate. He was appointed janitor in the Hall of Records four years ago. He owns a small ranch of four acres within the limits of San Bernardino, which he is improving. He is a member of the Woodmen of the World.
LAMAR BROS., of Needles, are the pioneer horticulturists in that section of the county. The firm consists of W. F. and C. P. Lamar. They are natives of Kentucky, and their early life was passed in that state. After spending some time in Florida, and later at Fort Worth, Texas, they came to Williams, Arizona, and then to Needles, where they permanently located. Since that time they have conducted a barber shop, and have inter- ested themselves in various other lines of business.
Entering the horticulturists field in an experimental way, they have demonstrated that with irrigation, grape culture could be carried on with success in the Colorado river bottoms ; and that watermelons could be raised in abundance and of excellent quality. They have found it impracticable to raise berries or small fruit. Sugar beets were found to be a failure in the first crop, as they carried only eleven per cent saccharine matter, but La- mar Bros., are of the opinion that if their cultivation were carried on for several suxx- cessive years, long enough to eradicate the alkali from the soil, the result would be changed. Larger vegetables, turnips and onions, thrive in the soil. It is all sub-irrigated.
Lamar Bros., early became interested in Colorado river navigation, but their first boat met with disaster. Later, purchasing the "Aztec," which had been in commission on the river a long time, they remodeled, and practically made a new boat of her. It was re- launched and has since been engaged in hauling ore and miners supplies up and down the river to points adjacent to Needles. The "Aztec" has a capacity of fourteen tons.
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