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 97
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CYRUS D. WEIR, of Rialto, was born near Salem, in Washington county, Ind., August 1, 1855, the son of James Weir, a farmer of Scotch-Irish descent. He lived in his native place until 1889, when he came to California. Here he farmed in the Santa Ynez valley and then near Los Olivas until 1900, when he located at Rialto and purchased ten acres of land, three of which. are now in lemons.
In 1885 Mr. Weir married Miss Bell, daughter of Tilghman Hartley and a native of Washington county, Ind. They have no children. He is a member of the Fraternal Brotherhood.
PETER VERNER, of Chino, was born in Highland county, Virginia, September 20, 1845, the son of David and Sarah Rexoad Verner, both members of old Virginia families. His father owned a large plantation, but was not a slave holder. Peter Verner grew up in the old home and while only a boy entered the Confederate army, joining the Sixty-second Virginia Volunteers. He was wounded in July, 1865, in the left leg while fighting at Sniggers Ford, in the Shenandoah valley, and was sent to the hospital. Before his complete recovery the war had ended. In 1868 he went to Nebraska and engaged in farming at various points until he came to California about 1888. He lived at Santa Ana, Tustin and Orange, and then came to Chino, where he was one of the first to engage in raising sugar beets. About 1893 he bought ten acres on the Pomona road, his present home, and raises alfalfa and beets.
Mr. Verner married in 1872, in Seward county, Nebraska, Miss Nancy A., daughter of Isaac Broderick. They have three children-Minnie Alice, James Edward of Chino, and Jesse Agnew. He is a member of the A. O. U. W. in Nebraska, Fullerton Lodge.
RALPH E. WILKINSON, of Rialto, was born in St. Louis, Mo., November 27, 1862. He came to California with his father in 1893 and has invested in two ranches, one of twelve acres in West Rialto, and one of fifteen acres on San Bernardino avenue. He was married first to Isable Van Skike, of Missouri, by whom he has two daughters, Isable N. and Mary. October 20, 1894, he was married to Annie, daughter of Mr's. Webster, a native of San Bernardino. They have one son, Clarence S. Mr. Wilkinson is a member of the Loyal Legion, of the Fraternal Brotherhood and of the M. E. Church South, of San Bernardino.
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SAMUEL JOSHUA WILKINSON, of Rialto, was born in Baltimore county, Md., July 11, 1836. His father, Samuel Wilkinson, was a farmer and frontiersman whose ancestry ran back through three generations to an English family who were among the first American settlers. Samuel J. lived at home until his twentieth year, then went to Missouri and settled at Kirkwood, near St. Louis, on a farm, and lived in this neighborhood from 1857 to 1893, when he came to California and located at Rialto, purchasing a fourteen- acre ranch.
Mr. Wilkinson married Miss Mary Susan, daughter of Samuel Denney, one of the pioneers of St. Louis county, having settled there as early as 1818. He was of Irish descent, born near Louisville, Ky. Mr. and Mrs. Wilkinson had seven children-George Henry, a preacher 'of the M. E. church south, now located in California; Gladys, Mrs. Benjamin Brooks of St. Louis county, Mo .; Ralph E., of Rialto; Ida; Daniel J. and Mary S .. dead; and Jessie O.
THE REV. GEORGE ROBERTSON, of Mentone, was born in the Province of Ontario, Canada, October 5, 1853, the son of George and Margaret Robertson, both natives of Aberdeen, Scotland. The father was a farmer and sheriff. He was killed by an acci- dent in 1862, and the son, George, grew up on the farm and learned by experience practical agriculture. He also acquired a common school education in the Belwood, Ont., public schools. He attended McGill university, Montreal and graduated with the degree of B. A. in 1881. Then he took a theological course at the Congregational college of Canada, Mon- treal, from which he graduated. After his graduation he was pastor of the Congregational church at Georgetown, Ontario, and for six years pastor of Olivet Church, Toronto. During this pastorate a large and beautiful church was erected.
On account of failing health, Mr. Robertson was advised to try the climate of Califor- nia and in February, 1892, he came to Redlands and then settled at Mentone, where he took charge of the Congregational church and has resided ever since. Here he has found restored health and a large need for his labors, which have been most acceptable. He is a man of broad culture and has been a valuable acquisition, not only to his church and people, but to Redlands and San Bernardino county. He is a member of the Minister's club of San Bernardino county, of the Congregational county and Southern California asso- ciations, being registrar of the county association. He is also a member of the Fortnightly Club, the Historical Society and the Audubon Society, of Redlands. He has made a special study of Geology and more particularly of local geology and the geological history of our county.
July 4, 1887, Rev. Mr. Robertson married Miss Katherine Georgina, daughter of William and May Ann Ross Hopkins, a native of Cayuga, Ont. They have one son, George Ross Robertson.
P. L. THAYER was born December 31, 1825, in Weymouth, Mass. His father, josiah Thayer, was a native of Hanover, Mass. He was a stonecutter and also a shoemaker by trade, working at the latter trade in the early days when shoes were all made by hand at home or in small shops and sold direct to the wearers or small retail merchants. His maternal grandfather, Timothy Nash, was a native of the North of Ireland and came to America in 1620.
Mr. Thayer learned the shoemaking trade and followed that occupation thirty-five years. In 1855 he married Miss Caroline Eaton. They have a family of five children, Abbie C., widow of Charles W. Elliott, lives in Boston, Mass .; Louis P., a produce merchant of Kansas City, Mo .; Helen J., Mrs. T. Purvis, of Ontario; Lizzie, widow of Dr W. P. Holyoke, Los Angeles; Ernest W., of North Ontario. They have a numerous family of grandchildren. Mr. and Mrs. Thayer came to Ontario from Riverside in 1887, having been residents of California since 1885. They are members of the Congregational church.
W. P. TERRELL, Ontario, was born at Waterbury, Conn., April 21, 1843. His parents, William P. and Chloe Lobdell Terrell, were both natives of Connecticut. His father was a brass founder by trade.
The son farmed in Connecticut until the breaking out of the Civil war, when he enlisted, September 21, 1861, in Company I of the Eighth Connecticut Volunteer Infantry His regiment joined the army of the Potomac under Gen. McClellan and took part in al' the important engagements of that memorable corps-Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancel lorsville and many other battles and skirmishes. Mr. Terrell was wounded and taken prisoner at Antietam. Being entirely disabled by his wounds, he was paroled. He was laid up in the field hospital for four months and was furloughed, but later rejoined his
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HISTORY OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
regiment and took part in the battle of the Wilderness, Cold Harbor, Petersburg and other engagements.
Mr. Terrell came to Ontario in 1887 and engaged in fruit growing. He is a member of the Masonic order and of the G. A. R. He was married at Wilton, Conn., to Martha C. Hickok, a native of Pennsylvania.
CHARLES RUEDY, of Upland, was born in Highland, Madison county, Il1., February 25, 1852. He was the son of Daniel Ruedy, a native of Switzerland, who came to this country in 1840. He lived at home until of age and was then engaged in the merchandise business at Alhambra, Ill., for eighteen years. He came to Los Angeles in the spring of 1891, and after looking about for six months, located at North Ontraio. He at once purchased 20 acres of land, ten acres set to citrus and ten to deciduous fruits near North Ontario, and in 1894 built a fine residence.
In 1896 he engaged in the fuel and feed business at Upland and during that year he put up a large building to accommodate his rapidly growing trade. In 1898 a barley roll and corn mill and a circular wood saw, all operated by electric power, were added. This plant he operated successfully until February 1, 1904, when he sold out his stock and a few months later disposed of the plant. He has been a director of the North Ontario Packing Company and of the Commercial Bank since their organization, and is now pres- ident of the latter institution.
In 1874 he married Julia, a daughter of Anton Landolt.
BRENTON K. GALBREATH
MRS. BRENTON K. GALBREATH
BRENTON K. GALBREATH is a general merchant and property holder at Chino. and has been a resident of California since 1887. He is a native of Ohio, born near Valley, Columbiana county, April 3, 1852. He is of pioneer stock, his father, Ezra C. Galbreath, being a son of William Galbreath, who settled in Ohio in 1802, moving there from South Carolina. The subject of this sketch is of Scotch descent on both the paternal and maternal sides. His mother, Rodah S., is the daughter of Solomon Stanley. She survives her husband, who died at the old home near Valley, Ohio, aged 64 years. Brenton is the eldest of three sons. Fremont, the next in age, and Jasper S., the youngest, are deceased. He has one sister, Mrs. Mary A. Baker, of Salem, Ohio.
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Mr. Galbreath spent his early life in millwrighting. On September 30, 1873, he married Miss Martha Van Syoc at Salem, Ohio. She is the elder daughter of Enoch P .. a prominent citizen of Columbiana county, Ohio, and of Phoebe C. Van Syoc, a daughter of Abraham and Jane Crew of Columbiana county. Mrs. Galbreath was the first president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union when organized in Chino, May 20, 1897, and has been an earnest worker for the good of the community ever since. Mr. and Mrs. Gal- breath have two living sons, Leslie A. and Enoch R., and one daughter, Mrs. Ida Caldwell, all residing in Chino. One son, Omar E., died at the age of II years. The family are all devout members of the Quaker church of Damascus, Ohio.
ROBERT TURNER, Victorville, is a native of Bradford county, Penn., born February 9, 1835. His father, John Turner, was a farmer and merchant in the town of Canton. Penn. Robert grew up in Canton and engaged in the manufacture of shoes, and also was in the grocery business at Fallbrook, Penn., and later at Canton.
In 1864 Mr. Turner came to California via the Nicaragua route and located at Marys- ville. A year later he returned to Pennsylvania, and again came to California in 1877 and settled on the Mojave river, where he became interested in mining and stock raising. He built the Turner Hotel at Victorville in 1888. He opened a store in Victorville in 1896 and erected the present substantial Turner building, which he now occupies as store and postoffice, in 1902-3.
Mr. Turner married Miss Susan, daughter of James Eastman, of Bradford county. Penn., in 1864. They have four children-John C., a member of the firm of Turner & Son ; Jennie, now Mrs. P. H. Leahy; Niles, who lives on the home ranch, and Ethel, who is Mrs. Charles Wilson of Victorville. He is a member of the F. & A. M.
JOHN C. TURNER, of Victorville, was born in Marysville, Yuba county, Cal., November 18, 1864, the son of R. Turner. He located in San Bernardino county at an carly date. He served on the board of supervisors from January 1, 1893, to January 13, 1897, during the time the new courthouse was being constructed, and was for two years of the time chairman of the board. He, with his father, R. Turner, has built up a fine business in general merchandise at Victorville, and they have built a substantial two-story building which is occupied by their store. Mr. J. C. Turner has been postmaster and a notary public since 1901. He served as justice of the peace for Victor township from 1901 to 1903.
He was married September 16, 1893, to Miss Maggie Tracy, a native of Iowa. They have four children-Helen, Robert, Frederick and Margaret.
LEANDER SHELD, of Chino, is a native of Sweden. His father, John Sheld, was a blacksmith by trade and the son learned the trade from his father. He also took a course in a horseshoeing school, an institution of Sweden, and a partial course in veterinary surgery. He came to America with his family in 1887 and came to Los Angeles. In 1889 he located at Chino, where for six years he worked for Richard Gird, shoeing his race horses and doing mechanical work about the place. In 1896 he went into business for himself with C. M. Brennell, and in 1897 sold out to his partner. He married in Sweden and has six children.
O. P. SLOAT, of San Bernardino, was born in Hobart, Delaware county, N. Y., October 22, 1860. He is the son of William H. and Permelia Peck Sloat, and the only son in a family of five children. His father was a wagon maker by trade, but now retired from active business and making his home in San Bernardino.
Captain Sloat's school days were passed at Oneonta, N. Y., where he attended school until he was sixteen years of age. After leaving school he engaged as clerk in a shoe store in Oneonta, where he remained until he was twenty-one years of age; then came west to Kansas, where he worked on a cattle ranch one year, and from there to Los Angeles, where he was in the employ of the W. C. Furrey Hardware Co. six years, and at the end of that time came to San Bernardino. In 1893-4 he was deputy county clerk under Mr. Hamilton, and since then has been in the employ of the Southern California Railway Co. as division storekeeper, having charge of all supplies issued in the Southern California division.
Captain Sloat enlisted in Company K in July, 1898. He has passed the line of pro- motions until he now holds the rank of captain. At date of enlistment the company wis known as Co. E, 7th Cal. Reg., N. G. C., then as Co. E, 9th Reg., and is now Co. K,
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7th Cal. Reg., N. G. C. Under President Mckinley's first call for troops there were thirty volunteer enlistments in the company, Captain Sloat qualifying as captain the night the command left San Bernardino with eighty-five men on the company muster roll. On the second call for troops the company recruited in San Bernardino to one hundred and three men. Captain Sloat is enthusiastic over the generous treatment this company re- ceived from the people of San Bernardino during their term of enlistment in the federal service.
Captain Sloat is intensely loyal to the city in which he lives, and is an enthusiastic worker in all celebrations and entertainments for the advertising and upbuilding of the city.
DWIGHT C. SCHLOTT, of San Bernardino, was born in Elkhart, Ind., June 12. 1866. He was one of three children of S. L. and Elizabeth Coleman Schlott. , He attended school in St. Elmo, Ill., and later attended the Southern Illinois Normal School at Car- bondale and also National Institute of Pharmacy, Chicago. He then returned to St. Elmo and entered the drug business, and from there went to Canton, Ohio, in the interests of a wholesale and retail drug and stationery house, being employed part of the time as a traveling salesman. He then went to St. Louis and clerked for a time, then bought out a drug store. His last three years in St. Louis were spent in the employ of the Allen- Pfeiffer Chemical Co. as traveling salesman.
In January, 1895, he came to San Bernardino to recuperate his impaired health. He was first employed by Dr. A. B. Bedford, who was then engaged in the drug business. He was next connected with the Owl Drug Co. of San Bernardino, and has since been interested with that firm, with the exception of one year, passed as representative of the Worden Manufacturing Co. of San Francisco. While with this firm he placed their goods in the east-something which had never before been done by a western house manufactur- ing chemicals.
On May 29, 1900, he formed a partnership with W. C. Clute, and they purchased the Owl Drug Co.'s store on Third street and are now known as the Owl Drug Co.
February 12, 1895, Mr. Schlott married Miss Lillie A. Carson of San Bernradino. They have one child, Nellita Fern. Mr. Schlott is a Master Mason, Royal Arch Mason, Knight Templar, and a Shriner. He is also a member of the Woodmen of the World. At the present time he is a member of the city board of education.
NOBLE ASA RICHARDSON, of San Bernardino, was born in Ontario Province, Canada, January 23, 1858. His parents were citizens of the United States, however. They both died in 1865, and with his elder brother he removed to Illinois in 1869, and in 1870 to Kansas, where he completed his education, graduating from the Kansas Agricultural College in 1880 with the degree of B. S.
In 1882 he came to California, and from this date until 1899 he was continuously connected with the schools of this county. He may fairly be considered the Dean of educational matters in this city, having been appointed superintendent of the city schools in 1884, after having acted as principal of the Mt. Vernon school for one year. He served as city superintendent and principal of the high school until 1891, then was principal of the high school until 1895. Resigning as principal, he was teacher of physical sciences in the high school for two years longer, and from 1897 to 1899 was again city superintend- ent. From 1883 to 1889 he was a member of the county board of education. In 1898 he was again appointed a member of the hoard and served until 1902. Under Professor Richardson's able management the high school of this city was created and placed upon a solid basis, and is now an institution in which every citizen takes pride.
Since 1899 Prof. Richardson has been engaged in a mercantile business with his brother, C. W. Richardson. He has always been prominent in reform movements. He was one of the leaders in organizing the Farmers' Alliance in 1890 and later aided in forming the Populist party in this vicinity. In 1894 he was a candidate on the Populist ticket for state superintendent of schools and polled 55,000 votes. In 1900, 1902 and 1904 he was a candidate for Congress on the Socialist ticket.
Prof. Richardson married Miss Mabel, daughter of Benjamin Davis of San Bernar- dino, July 22, 1900. They have one daughter, Claire, born August 2, 1901.
JOSIAH P. SCOTT, of San Bernardino, was born in Cadiz, Harrison county, Ohio, October 29, 1843. He is the son of Josiah P. and Mary Bingham Scott. His father was an attorney-at-law, and as a member of the state legislature, in which he served several terms, was one of the framers of the Ohio State Constitution. Of the several children of his father's family, one, beside himself, Dr. J. E. Scott of Redlands, resides in Southern California.
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His school days were passed in Cadiz, Ohio. He also attended McNealy Normal College of Hopedale, Ohio. After leaving school he went to Illinois, and there taught school. He then engaged in the mercantile business, dealing in hardware and agricultural implements. From there he went to Kansas and engaged in ranching and the raising of stock. His next move was to San Bernardino, arriving in 1892. Since then he has given his attention to ranching and real estate business. He is the owner of a fine orange ranch at Bryn Mawr, near Redlands Junction. He conducts his real estate business from an office in San Bernardino.
Mr. Scott has been twice married. His first wife, Miss Sophia Appington, to whom he was married in Illinois in 1870, died October, 1882. Of this marriage there were two sons, Lawson and Henry Scott, one residing in Los Angeles and the other in New Mexico. On the 19th day of August, 1884, at Polo, Ill., he married Anna C., daughter of Rev. A. Mac Dougall. They have one son, Winfield Scott. Mr. Scott was a member of the 88th Regiment Ohio Volunteers in the Civil war. He is a Mason and a member of the Pres- byterian church of Redlands.
JOSEPH G. SLOAN, of San Bernardino, was born in Logan county, Ohio, January 2, 1858, the son of James and Rachel Kirkpatrick Sloan. He received a common school educa- tion and then learned the trade of locomotive boiler maker at Huntsville, Ohio, afterward working at that trade for three years at Sedalia, Mo. In October, 1884, he came to San Bernardino and was first employed as pilot of a stage betewen San Bernardino and Colton. He next started a dairy business and then went into a new and second-hand furniture business, which he later sold to Shafer Bros. In 1888 he bought out the general mer- chandise store owned by Henry Conner, and since that time has been engaged in the grocery and feed business.
On April 10, 1886, he married Miss May Demand. They have three children-Sumner D., Silvia and Gladys Sloan. Mr. and Mrs. Sloan are members of the M. E. church north of San Bernardino.
JAMES EDWARD WELLER, of Rialto, was born in Saline county, Kansas, in 1872. His father, Alois Weller, was a native of Ohio who went to Kansas in 1869 and engaged in agriculture and stock-raising. He died in 1881, leaving a widow and five young children- Thomas, aged eleven; James E., nine; Clarence, aged seven, and two younger sisters, Amelia and Nina. Amelia is now the wife of James L. Peck of Rialto, and Nina is Mrs. Levi Dresser of San Bernardino. The widow managed to keep the family together until the children had grown up, and with the help of the boys cultivated the home farm, and raised horses, cattle and hogs.
In 1894 James E. Weller married Miss Hattie Cora Amos, daughter of Hon. J. Wayne Amos, at that time editor of the Gypsum, Kans., Advocate. In the same year he came to "California. After a short stay in Ontario and Colton he located in Rialto, and engaged in the poultry business, and has been successful as an orchardist. Mr. and Mrs. Weller are the parents of three bright little boys-Alois Wayne, Paul and Orville.
B. W. TASKER, of Needles, Cal., was born in Virginia, June 12, 1858. He was the son of James Tasker and Mary Guess Tasker, and is the only member of the family living in the west. Mr. Tasker was brought up on a farm in West Virginia, and received a common school education. In April, 1876, he left his native state for the west, stopping first at Lincoln, Neb., remaining there two years. In 1878 Mr. Tasker went to Leadville, Colo., and was a resident of that town during its exciting mining days and until 1883.
Mr. Tasker located in Needles in 1887 and remained two years; then returned east, coming back to Needles in 1892. Since that date he has engaged in business as contractor and builder, having put up more buildings than any other man in the town of Needles. Mr. Tasker is a member of the order of Knights of Pythias.
HUGH THORNTON, of Rialto, was born at Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland-a town famous as the birthplace of Robert Burns-in May, 1836. His father, William C. Thorn- ton, was of English descent. In 1852, when Mr. Thornton was sixteen years of age, the family came to America and located at Salt Lake City, Utah. During the period he lived at Salt Lake Mr. Thornton made six trips across the plains with ox teams. On one of these trips he was the rescuer of a woman and family of children. While crossing a rapid stream the water lifted one of the wagon boxes in which were the mother and children, and carried it with its occupants down the stream. Hugh Thornton, though but a boy at that time, quickly cast off his heavier clothing and, plunging into the water, swam to the wagon box, which he steered to the shore.
In 1860 Mr. Thornton married Miss Elizabeth Smith, a native of Renfrewshire, Scot-
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land. In 1865, not being in accord with some of the doctrines of the Mormon church, they left Utah and went to Iowa, where they lived 13 years, and from there to Nebraska. Here he met with discouragements through failure of crops, and after three successive years of such loss removed to Western Kansas, where he encountered a repetition of his Nebraska experiences. Having some fine cattle left, he started with them on foot for Colorado, and there, disposing of his stock, came to California, locating at Stockton, where he lived one year. In 1889 Mr. Thornton, with his family, moved to Rialto, where he purchased a twenty-acre ranch which he has improved, and of which he has made a fine productive orchard of citrus and deciduous fruits.
HENRY A. GUERNSEY, of San Bernardino, was the son of P. B. and Emeline (Donaldson) Guernsey, and was born in Tioga, Pa., June 19, 1844. His father was a man of business affairs, had extensive lum- ber interests, and was also superintendent of the Corning, Tioga & Blosburg railway. Mr. Guernsey passed his school days at Tioga, until 1858, when the family removed to Iowa. At the breaking out of the Civil war, Mr. Guernsey enlisted in the Union army, joining the 27th Iowa Vol. Inf. as a member of Co. K, and served under Gen. H. H. Sibley in quelling the Sioux Indian outbreaks in South- west Minnesota in 1862. In the fall of that year the regiment went to the front and was attached to the 16th Army Corps, under com- mand of Gen. A. J. Smith, and passed through the arduous campaign of the army of the Cumberland. Mr. Guernsey served until the close of the war and then returned to Iowa. In 1869 he came to the Pacific coast and engaged in lumbering in Lane county, Ore. In 1874 he was at Astoria, Ore., in charge of the largest lumber mill, at that time, on the Pacific coast. Eight years later, in conse- quence of the delicate health of his wife, he came to San Bernardino. Mrs. Guernsey died at Riverside, April 10, 1878. Mr. Guernsey took passage from San Francisco for the north on the ill-fated steamship Republic, the wrecking of which has passed into history as one of the most disastrous events that ever occurred off the California coast. He was the last passenger to leave the steamer, and lost all his baggage, containing documents of great value. He spent two years in closing up his business affairs in Oregon, and then returned to San Bernardino. He was for two years HENRY A. GUERNSEY superintendent of the mills of Governor R. W. Waterman. He then spent a year in Minnesota, and upon his return to San Bernardino entered the employ of Porter & Van Slyck, lumbermen, in the San Bernardino mountains. In 1884 he purchased the interests of his employers and established a box factory, the first in San Bernardino county, supplying the boxes for the first Riverside orange growers. In 1886 this establishment was burned to the ground, together with about $30,000 worth of stock. His former employer, Governor Waterman, had purchased the Stonewall gold mine in San Diego county, and in 1886 Mr. Guernsey went to work for him at the Stonewall mine. In 1890 Mr. Guernsey purchased from William E. VanSlyck a saw-mill, then located on section 10, near Arrowhead reser- voir, and established himself again in the box manufacturing business. In 1892 he removed his mill to San Bernardino and located his business on First street. This mill, however, burned in 1894, only to rise, Phoenix-like, from its ashes. In July, 1890, Mr. Guernsey purchased the interests of the Riverside Box and Tray Company, which he consolidated with his San Bernardino business, making one of the most complete establishments in Southern California. He conducts his business on a broad and liberal basis and produces
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