USA > California > San Diego County > San Diego county, California; a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume I > Part 27
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William J. Hunsaker grew up in San Diego and received his education in its public schools. He studied law in the office of Chase & Leach and practiced for a time in partnership with Judge Conklin. Later he was associated with E. W. Britt, with whom he is now practicing at Los Angeles. This firm stands very high at the California bar and both are remembered kindly and regarded with pride by their former associates.
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James S. Gallen came to San Diego in boom days and was a noted criminal attorney for several years.
Of the remaining attorneys still in practice in San Diego, one of the oldest is Elijah W. Hendrick. Judge Hendrick served one term in the state legislature, in 1881, was district attorney in 1885-86, and also served as city attorney. He was one of the founders of the free public library, and has always been an active and public-spirited citizen. Moses A. Luce arrived in May, 1873. He has been associated with Judge Torrance and J. Wade McDonald, and is at pres- ent the senior partner of the firm of Luce, Sloane & Luce. His public services include a term as county judge, and an active and effective part in bringing the Santa Fe Railway, etc. S. S. Knoles, W. H. Talcott, and J. Z. Tucker are also connected with the San Diego bar.
The San Diego Bar Association was formed April 22, 1899.
There are several other individuals and firms whose standing entitles them to fuller notice, and of whom the city is justly proud. All that can be done here is to present a list of the practicing attorneys of San Diego at this time :
Monroe B. Anderson, Henry Arden, Griffing Bancroft, Linden L. Boone, A. B. Bowman, Eugene E. Capps, Cassius Carter, Daniel Cleveland, Collier, Smith & Holcomb (David C. Collier, Sam Ferry Smith, Will H. Holcomb), Harry R. Comly, H. S. Crane, Dadmun & Belieu (Lewis E. Dadmun, William T. Belieu), Daney & Lewis (Eugene Daney, Theron L. Lewis), Herbert E. Doo- little, William H. C. Ecker, Wilfred R. Guy, Haines & Haines (Alfred Haines, Charles C. Haines), Elijah W. Hendrick, George N. Hitchcock, William Humph- rey, Adison D. Jordan, Ernest Riall, Michael Kew, Lewis R. Kirby, Samuel S. Knoles, Tomas Lamadrid, Luce, Sloane & Luce (Moses A. Luce, William A. Sloane, Edgar A. Luce), J. Wade McDonald, Clarke W. McKee, John B. Man- nix, Mills & Hizar (Henry E. Mills, J. Clyde Hizar), William J. Mossholder, A. C. Mouser, Fred O'Farrell, Henry H. Palmer, Edward W. Peterson, Oval Pirkey, Puterbaugh & Puterbaugh (George Puterbaugh, Johnson W. Puterbaugh), Lewis S. Riley, Charles H. Rippey, Michael Shea, Jose M. Soto, Patterson Sprigg, Stearns & Sweet (Frederick W. Stearns, Adelbert H. Sweet), Blaine Taylor, Milton R. Thorpe, E. Swift Torrance, Jack Z. Tucker, Utley & Manning ( Harry S. Utley, John F. Manning), James .E. Wadham, Clarke A. Walker, Martin L. Ward, Fred G. Whitehead, Wright, Schoonover & Winnek (Leroy A. Wright, Albert Schoonover, Elilus V. Winnek).
CHAPTER XXVI
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION
The first American doctors in San Diego were the United States army surgeons who came with the troops. Lewis B. Hunter and R. F. Maxwell, the surgeons of the Cyane, and the three doctors with Fremont's battalion, who ar- rived July 29, 1846, were undoubtedly the first, but they did not remain. There does not appear to have been a surgeon with the little garrison left under Captain Merritt, but when Commodore Stockton arrived with his ships early in Novem- ber, the surgeons attached to his fleet landed with the men and performed duty on shore. After the battle of San Pasqual, they were joined by Dr. John S. Griffin, the surgeon of Kearny's force. These doctors found themselves con- fronted by the problem of providing hospital accommodations for the wounded men. This was accomplished by quartering them with the private families in the town, where the surgeons could visit them. From this time onward, San Diego was not again left without a physician and surgeon. There were always government troops present, in San Diego or at the mission, and the surgeons at- tached to these small commands bridged the gap between the Mexican occupa- tion and the coming of civilian physicians by doing a little practice outside their official routine.
The honor of being the first American practicing physician in San Diego probably belongs to Dr. Frederick J. Painter. He was an invalid and died November 30, 1853, at which time it was stated that he was an old resident, but very little information about him is given. His professional card appeared in the first number of the Herald, May 29, 1851, and he is mentioned at different times in that paper. He acted for a time as clerk of the common council in 1851-a position which paid $50 per month.
There were at least two other men in San Diego about the same time as Dr. Painter who are called "Doctor" in the records, but no evidence has been found that they engaged in practice. These are Dr. John Conger and Dr. Atkins S. Wright. The former acted as secretary of the ayuntamiento before the Ameri- can civil administration began, and as clerk of the common council throughout the year 1850, at the time the "boodling" council was in power. Dr. Wright was a member of this first council, chosen June 16, 1850, and served one term. He was also city translator and interpreter and was well paid for his services.
Dr. David B. Hoffman was the next regular practicing physician to locate in San Diego. He was a graduate of Toland Medical College. When he came to the Pacific coast, he was at first in the employ of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, between Panama and San Francisco. His card first appears in the Herald on December 1, 1855, which probably marks the date when he left the
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employ of the steamship company and settled in San Diego. In later years he was post surgeon of the army in San Diego. When the San Diego County Medical Society was formed, July 23, 1870, he was chosen president of the organization, and the address which he delivered on that occasion is extant.
On April 19, 1856, Dr. George E. Knight's card appeared in the Herald, but apparently he only remained a short time.
Dr. Edward Burr came to San Diego from Oakland soon after the Civil war, and was coroner and county physician for several years, being first elected in 1867 and again in the four succeeding years. He was a native of Ireland and what would now be called "a doctor of the old school." Dr. R. J. Gregg was his assistant for a time in 1868-69.
An old resident of New San Diego relates that when he came, in 1869, it was often necessary for him to go to Old Town on business, and for this pur- pose he was accustomed to take Seeley's coach which ran between the two towns. The first time he made this trip, the coach halted in front of Dr. Burr's office and the doctor came out and sprayed all the passengers with some liquid from a small perfumery spray. There was a smallpox scare on at this time, and it was his duty, as county physician, to disinfect all travelers arriving at the county seat, and that was the way he did it.
Dr. George Mckinstry, Jr., came to California in 1840 and was somewhat prominent in the northern part of the state before coming to San Diego. He was first sheriff of the northern district, at Sutter's Fort in 1846-47, and a business man at Sacramento and San Francisco at a very early day. He left a valuable diary. He died before 1880.
The physicians at Old Town when Horton came were Hoffman, Burr and Mckinstry, who had settled in the order named.
The first physician to settle in Horton's Addition was Dr. Jacob Allen, who came from Santa Clara in the spring of 1869. He was a graduate of Toland Medical College. He had his residence, drug store, and office on the east side of Fifth street, near F. He was also the first postmaster and kept the postoffice in his drug store. He remained here several years but many years ago removed to Riverside, where he died. He was the father of Legare Allen, a well known official and business man of San Bernardino. He was engaged in a number of activities and seems to have been regarded as an able man.
Dr. Robert J. Gregg was a native of Pennsylvania and a graduate of Jeffer- son Medical College, Philadelphia. He started west in the spring of 1864 and reached Texas, where he had yellow fever, and had to return home. In 1868 he came to San Diego, arriving October 16th, and settled at Old Town. After acting as assistant to Dr. Burr a few months, he opened an office of his own in Horton's Addition, on the west side of Fifth street, opposite Dr. Allen's drug store. He practiced until his retirement a few years ago, and was one of the best known physicians in southern California.
The next oldest pioneer physician of New San Diego is Dr. Thomas C. Stockton, who came here in 1869. He is a native of New Brunswick, Canada, and a graduate of Bellevue Hospital School. He was chosen coroner in 1875 and served two years, also as coroner and public administrator in 1880-83 and as city health officer at different times. Having purchased the property on the southeast corner of Columbia and F streets, he leased it to the government for
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thirteen years and then he and Dr. Remondino occupied it for four or five years as a sanitarium. He was one of the organizers of the San Diego County Medical Society in 1870, and a regular practitioner still in practice. His reminis- cences of early days are most valuable as well as his collections, among which is a record of births, kept before physicians were officially required to make such returns.
Dr. P. C. Remondino is also one of the few living pioneer physicians. He is a native of Turin, Italy, whose parents came to America while he was young. He graduated from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in 1865. Coming to San Diego in January, 1874, he opened an office next door to his old class- mate, Dr. Gregg, and entered at once upon the practice of his profession. He was city physician in 1875-76, county physician for several terms, surgeon for the California Southern Railroad Company for some time, surgeon of the Marine Hospital, also surgeon for the Pacific Coast Steamship Company.
In 1887 he retired and built the St. James Hotel. In later years he resumed practice and is still actively engaged in it. He is the author of several works on medical subjects which have a wide popularity and is engaged in the prep- aration of others. His technical library is one of the best in the United States.
In 1874 the physicians in San Diego were : Drs. D. B. Hoffman, Edward Burr, J. Allen, R. J. Gregg, T. C. Stockton, P. C. Remondino, W. W. Royal, William A. Winder and Charles M. Fenn. Dr. Fenn came to New San Diego soon after Dr. Gregg, but did not engage in practice for some time after his arrival. He served as county coroner, county physician and public administrator several terms between the years 1873 and 1885. He died in March, 1907.
Dr. Winder is one of the best remembered of the later residents of Old Town. He was a native of Maryland who had led an adventurous life and was a vet- eran of both the Mexican and Civil wars. In 1854 he sailed from New York as a captain with the Third Artillery Regiment, for San Francisco. The ship was wrecked and decimated by cholera, but he was among those rescued. Ar- riving at San Diego, he was stationed here and at Fort Yuma until the Civil war. After that war, he resigned his commission and, in 1872, settled at San Diego and engaged in practice. After practicing about twelve years he retired. He was a man of character and had other interests besides those mentioned. He painted the portrait of Judge Witherby which now hangs in the courthouse, and was the owner of Winder's Addition to San Diego.
There were also in 1874 the following other physicians in New San Diego : Drs. T. S. Harrison, W. S. Williams, Cluness Bibb, Tufford and Barnes, the latter being the first homeopathist in San Diego. Dr. F. R. Millard came in Octo- ber, 1874, and still lives here, keeping a drug store. This completes the list of early physicians.
The first county hospital was the old cobblestone jail which Haraszthy built at Old Town. It was used for a short time and then, about 1869, a large frame house at Old Town was rented for the purpose.
After the county offices were removed to New San Diego, one of the old houses built by William Heath Davis was purchased by Captain Knowles and removed to Eleventh street, in Horton's Addition, and was later used as a hos- pital. It is still standing and is now occupied as a residence.
The county farm in Mission valley was purchased in January, 1880, from the
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Commercial Bank. The magnificent new brick hospital building on the rim of the mesa overlooking the valley was erected in 1903-4. It is generously sup- ported and well managed and is a credit to the people of San Diego county.
Following is a list of the physicians of San Diego at the present time:
Thomas B. Anderson, Maria B. Averill, Charlotte J. Baker, Fred Baker, William A. Burney, Fred R. Burnham, Edward A. Butler, Alice H. Crandall, William M. Cummings, Alexis De Borra, Robert L. Doig, Albert J. Elliott, John F. Escher, Charles M. Fenn, Oliver P. Fletcher, Berte V. Franklin, James M. French, David Gochenauer, H. Neville Goff, Leopold Goldschmidt, Arthur Grandjean, Dr. Greene & Company, Robert J. Gregg, Edward Grove, Joseph C. Hearne, Mary E. Hoffman, Robert G. Hulbert, Oscar J. Kendall, Otto Klietsch, Lelia Latta, Peter S. Leisenring, Nicholas Lentz, Robert C. Howe, Eva M. Lewis, J. Perry Lewis, Charles E. Luscomb, Frank M. Madison, Thomas L. Magee, Charles E. Marsh, Francis H. Mead, Addison Morgan, George S. Murphy, Daniel B. Northrup, Homer C. Oatman, P. James Parker, Joseph A. Parks, W. P. Polhemnus, Anna M. L. Potts, Charles S. Powell, Peter C. Remondino, Ernest L. Reyber, Samuel L. Roberts, Thomas J. D. Skewes, Willard N. Smart, David A. Smith, Q. Cincinnatus Smith, James M. Steade, Thomas C. Stockton, John B. Stone, John C. Sundberg, Orson V. Thayer, Charles C. Valle, Minnie E. J. Verity, Elmer L. Waterman, E. P. Willard.
OSTEOPATHS
William R. Byars, Lena Creswell, David H. Elliott, Charles F. Frazer, Anna B. Woodhull, Frederick B. Woodhull.
CHAPTER XXVII
RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
EPISCOPAL
The Episcopal denomination was the first to conduct a Protestant service in San Diego, this being on the Ioth of July, 1853. Rev. John Reynolds of the Protestant Episcopal church, who was acting as chaplain of the post at San Diego and was army chaplain for the troops stationed at the mission, conducted the service. He continued to conduct religious service here until August, 1854, when he removed to the Atlantic states. Following this time occasional services were conducted by pastors who happened along, until January 22, 1854, when Rev. Horton conducted a service in the courthouse at Old Town and there- after regular services were held.
Rev. Sidney Wilbur arrived in this city in October, 1868, and on the 8th of November following conducted his first service in the old government barracks. Early in the year 1869 he organized a parish. Mr. Horton donated two lots on the northeast corner of Sixth and C streets and Episcopalians from San Fran- cisco subscribed funds for a house of worship, which was erected in May of the latter year. This was the first church building in San Diego. It has since been removed to Eighth street and is used as a residence. This building served the congregation until November, 1869, when it was replaced by what was known as Trinity Hall, erected on the same site. The latter served as a house of worship until April, 1871, when the building was removed to two lots on the southeast corner of Fourth and C streets, on which the Brewster Hotel now stands, these lots having in the meantime been conveyed to the society by Mr. Horton in exchange for the lots on Sixth and C streets. In August, 1866, an- other change was made, two lots being purchased at the southeast corner of Eighth and C streets. A church and rectory were built in 1887, at a cost of $13,000. Since then numerous improvements have been made. The original name of the society was the Parish of the Holy Trinity, but on the 22d of Jan- uary, 1887, new articles of incorporation were adopted and filed and the name of the parish was changed to St. Paul's. Rev. Wilbur resigned December 1, 1870, and was succeeded by Rev. Dr. Kellogg, who remained but two months. The church was then without a pastor for some time, but in January, 1871, Daniel Cleveland was licensed to act as lay reader, serving until February, 1872, when the Rev. J. F. Bowles became rector of the church. In October of the same year Rev. Bowles was succeeded by Rev. Hobart Chetwood, who remained in charge until February, 1876. His successor was Rev. Henry J. Camp, who re-
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mained until May, 1881. The church was again without a regular pastor until July 25, 1882, when Rev. Henry B. Restarick took charge. When he came to the church there were but twenty communicants and at the close of his twenty years' service, the church numbered four hundred communicants. A new church and rectory were also built during his incumbency. Rev. Restarick was made a bishop July 2, 1902, and his successor at St. Paul's was Rev. Charles L. Barnes, who is the present incumbent.
St. James' Mission on Logan Heights was founded by Rev. Restarick in 1888, services first being conducted in a store building on Logan avenue near Twenty-fourth street. In 1891 two lots were purchased at Twenty-sixth and Kearney avenue and a house of worship erected thereon. In 1889 Rev. Sander- son took charge of the church and his successors have been Revs. S. H. Ilderton, James R. De Wolfe Cowie, F. W. Chase, A. L. Mitchell, F. A. Zimmerman, Alfred R. Taylor and Alfred Kinsley Glover, the latter still in charge.
All Saints church, located at the corner of Sixth and Pennsylvania streets, was also established through the efforts of Rev. Restarick. Rev. Richard A. Bolt is the present pastor.
St. Peter's Mission Hall, Coronado, was also organized in 1887 by Rev. Restarick.
Other Episcopal churches are located at National City, known as St. Mat- thew's, St. Mark's at San Diego and a small congregation at La Jolla.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL
The first Methodist society in San Diego was organized January 12, 1869, by Rev. G. W. B. McDonald, with twenty members. Prior to this time, how- ever, services had been conducted in homes of people of this faith by H. H. Dougherty. who had come to San Diego October 10, 1868. Rev. McDonald remained pastor of the church for but a brief period when he was succeeded by Rev. I. H. Cox, who acted as supply until October, 1869, when Rev. D. A. Dryden took charge and was the first regularly appointed pastor. A house of worship was erected at the northeast corner of D and Fourth streets, two lots for the purpose being donated by Mr. Horton. This building was dedicated February 13, 1870, and continued to serve the congregation until 1887, when it was removed to a site on India street and a new brick structure took its place. This was a three-story block, the first floor and the front of the second and third floors being used as business offices, while the rear of the second and third floors served for church services. This building was dedicated February 26, 1888, by Rev. R. S. Cantine, of Los Angeles. By 1905 the congregation had outgrown these quarters and plans were laid for the erection of a new church, the corner stone of which was laid July 1, 1906, Bishop John W. Hamilton, of Mexico, delivering the principal address. The church, one of the finest if not the finest in the city, was erected at Ninth and C streets, at a cost of $65,000.
Pastors who have served from the organization of the society to the present time are: Revs. G. W. B. McDonald, I. H. Cox, D. A. Dryden, H. H. Dougherty, W. Inch, J. R. Tasey, James Wickes, G. S. Hickey, T. S. Houts, M. M. Bovard, J. L. Mann, A. H. Tevis, P. Y. Cool, A. M. Bunker, T. S. Uren, E. S. Chase, M. F. Colburn, L. M. Hartley, R. L. Bruce, A. M. Gibbons, Lewis T. Guild and Richard D. Hollington.
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The Central Methodist Episcopal church was established January 12, 1887, with twelve members, under the care of Rev. J. I. Foote. Soon thereafter plans were made for the erection of a house of worship, the corner stone of which was laid July 3Ist of that year. The church is located at the corner of Twenty-sixth street and Harrison avenue, and its pastors have been: Revs. D. H. Gillan, J. Pittenger, C. M. Christ, Bede A. Johnson and W. G. Barrow.
The German Methodist Episcopal society was organized in 1887 and by April 4, 1888, a new house of worship was completed and ready for occupancy, the building being located at Sixteenth and I streets. The first pastor of the church was Rev. L. C. Pfaffinger, and his successors have been L. E. Schneider, F. A. Werth, Rev. Schroeder. Frederick Bonn, William Rogatzky.
The African Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1888, with a membership of nine. The house of worship stands at 1645 Front street. The first pastor was Rev. W. H. Hillery, and his successors have been W. E. De Claybrook, Price Haywood and R. H. Harbert.
The Bethel African Methodist Episcopal church is located on Union street near H. Revs. George A. Bailey and W. M. Viney have served as pastors.
The Coronado Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1887, with a membership of twenty. The first pastor was Rev. Silas S. Sprowles, and his successor was Rev. A. Inwood.
The First Free Methodist church was organized in the summer of 1897, the first members being Rev. C. B. Ebey and wife, W. H. Tucker and wife, F. F. Allen and wife, Virginia M. Walters and Maggie A. Nickle. Services were first conducted at the Helping Hand Mission and later in a tent on the corner of Eighth and G streets. On this site a church was erected in 1899 and dedicated January 1, 1900, by Rev. E. P. Hart, of Alameda. Later this building was removed to the corner of Beech and Front streets. The first pastor was Rev. WV. G. Lopeman and his successors have been Revs. C. B. Ebey, James Seals, E. G. Albright, John B. Roberts, J. Q. Murray and Rev. S. Anna Grant, the present incumbent.
The Methodist Episcopal Church, South is a strong organization. November 26, 1882, the first service was held in Hubbell's Hall, and later services were held in the old Masonic Hall. In the meantime a church was in course of con- struction, the corner stone of the building being laid January 1, 1884, and the new edifice was called Keener Chapel in honor of Bishop John C. Keener, who in 1871 had purchased for the society two lots on the southeast corner of Seventh and D streets. The building was dedicated May II, 1884, by Rev. W. B. Strad- ley, of Los Angeles. Later a site was purchased at the southeast corner of Eighth and C streets and the chapel was moved to the new location and was greatly improved, a parsonage also being erected at this time.
The first pastor was Rev. John Wesley Allen, who remained until November, 1884, when he was succeeded by W. W. Welsh, and those who have served since that time are Revs. R. Pratt, E. T. Hodges, James Healey, R. W. Bailey, J. F. C. Finley, James Healey a second time, W. H. Dyer, A. C. Bane, R. W. Row- land, S. W. Walker, C. S. Perry, C. S. McCausland, R. P. Howett, M. P. Shar- borough, S. E. Allison and the present incumbent, Rev. W. O. Wagner. The church now has a membership of about one hundred and twenty-five.
The Taylor Methodist Episcopal society has a modern church building, lo-
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cated at University boulevard and Campus avenue, and the church is in a very prosperous condition. Rev. Ward W. Hull is the present pastor.
BAPTIST
The first Baptist society in San Diego was organized June 5, 1869, by Rev. C. F. Weston. Prior to this time, however, he had conducted services at the government barracks. In August of the same year a house of worship was commenced and on the 3d of October, the new church was opened, Rev. Mr. Morse preaching the first sermon. It was not, however, until the 31st of October that the dedicatory services were held, Rev. B. S. McLafferty preaching the dedicatory sermon. He also became the first pastor of the church, begin- ning his labors on the 18th of December, 1869. The present church building was erected on Tenth and E streets in 1888, at a cost of $32,000. Rev. Mc- Lafferty resigned as pastor of the church in January, 1873, and was succeeded by O. W. Gates, who remained with the congregation for eight years. His suc- cessors have been Edwin C. Hamilton, W. H. Stenger, A. Chapman, E. P. Smith, W. F. Harper, A. E. Knapp, W. B. Hinson, and the present incumbent, Rev. W. H. Geistweit, with Rev. F. D. Finn as associate pastor. The church membership numbers nearly seven hundred.
Other Baptist organizations are the Baptist Scandinavian, organized in 1888; Swedish Baptist society, whose church is located at the corner of Nineteenth and H, with Rev. Cave E. Bylan as pastor; Second Baptist (colored), organized in 1888, with a house of worship on B street, between Front and First; Grand Avenue Baptist, located at Grand avenue and Twenty-ninth street, with Rev. W. G. Griffin as pastor; the Central Park Baptist, at Thirty-first and L streets, with Rev. J. B. Fox as pastor.
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