USA > California > San Diego County > San Diego county, California; a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 3
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In 1861 Captain Hinde married Miss Eliza Halliday, who passed away in 1900. They were the parents of one daughter, Camilla, deceased. Captain Vol. II-2
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Hinde holds membership in the Cuyamaca Club of San Diego and the California Club, of Los Angeles. He is a member of the Episcopal church. It has not been alone along business lines that he has done splendid work for San Diego. Although he has left active politics to others, he has always taken a commendable interest in the affairs of the city and has given hearty support to many move- ments for the public good. He has given greatly of his means and has been broad in his charities and generous in his gifts, among which may be mentioned the beautiful church, parish house and rectory presented by him to the people of Coronado. At the age of eighty he is active and hearty in spirits, and stands today as a representative of the prominent men of affairs to whom business is but one phase of life and does not exclude active participation in other vital inter- ests of human existence.
JUDGE THOMAS J. HAYES.
There is no citizen of San Diego more widely known or highly esteemed perhaps than is Judge Thomas J. Hayes and none to whom the city is more directly and indirectly indebted for its advancement and substantial upbuilding. He may well be called one of the fathers of the town, where he has lived continuously since 1885. In the intervening years he has left the impress of his individuality upon its material, intellectual, political and moral progress and his influence is ever on the side of justice, advancement and improvement. His birth occurred near the little town of Sardinia, in Brown county, Ohio, March 4, 1850, and when he was four years of age he was taken by his parents to Woodford county, Illinois. After a year, however, the family removed .to McLean county, Illinois, where Judge Hayes spent the greater part of his youth. The district in which they lived was wild and unimproved and life there necessitated meeting many hardships and privations incident to the frontier. In the summer months he worked in the fields and in the winter seasons at- tended the country schools until seventeen years of age. He then met an acci- dent which prevented his further pursuit of physical labor and he entered upon the study of law, qualifying for the bar. At the age of twenty-three years he removed to Kansas and practiced successfully in Brown county, that state. He always took an active interest in public affairs and while in Brown county . served as a member of the city council and also as county attorney until 1885, when the seriously impaired condition of his health caused him to seek the west in the hope of being benefited thereby. He arrived in San Diego a practical invalid and it was not long before the benefit of climatic conditions here was noticeable, restoring him to the normal. He at once became an active factor in public life here, especially prominent in politics, and from that period to the present he has had much to do with shaping the interests and business of the city. For two years he was president of the seventh ward literary society, which was the most popular institution in San Diego at that day. He was also city judge for six years and upon the bench carefully admin- istered the law with regard to both the facts and the equity in the case. He has been active as a republican in every political campaign in the county for
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the past twenty-seven years and has done much to further the interests of the great organization with which he is allied.
Perhaps Judge Hayes' greatest work in behalf of San Diego is that which he instituted after the great boom of 1886-7 had died down and the city was feeling the reaction. At that time he instituted a work the benefit of which is still being felt. The population of the city was reduced from thirty-five thousand to seventeen thousand and many of the houses and business blocks were empty and the windows boarded up. Judge Hayes showed his faith in the town by organizing the 50,000 Club, it being among the duties of each member to write a letter for publication in a paper in his old home town in the east, setting forth the merits of San Diego and its prospects of becoming a great city. These letters were productive of great good and were the means of bringing to San Diego hundreds of people who became permanent citizens. The plan was afterward adopted by other cities along this coast as a means of increasing their population. The 50,000 Club was productive of great good and continued its work under its original name until a few years ago, when the name was changed to the 150,000 Club. Judge Hayes is still its president and has been continuously from its organization. He has been untiring in his efforts to exploit the natural advantages of this section of the country not in overcolored pictures, for he knows that a correct statement of facts will call the attention of many ambitious men to a district that is indeed rich in all that makes for the upbuilding of a populous and prosperous community. Judge Hayes has ever backed his judgment by judicious investments, has been very successful in the conduct of a real-estate business and is now the owner of valuable property here. His ever growing faith in San Diego becoming the largest city on the coast induced him in 1911 to prepare sixteen reasons for so believing, and these he had copyrighted under the title of The New York City of the Pacific Coast. He made the first speech in favor of bonding the city park for one million dollars for exposition purposes and he has delivered addresses and written articles for publication on every important public question that has come before the citizens of San Diego for the past twenty-seven years.
On the 3Ist of July, 1877, in Hiawatha, Kansas, Judge Hayes was united in marriage to Miss Ella S. Herbert, by whom he has a son, Herbert M. Hayes, whose natal day was August 13, 1878. He was reared in San Diego, attended the public schools and pursued a course of study in Pomona College and for a number of years has been engaged in the real-estate business in association with his father. Judge Hayes lives in a pleasant home at the corner of Fourth and Pennsylvania avenue, has always been happy in his domestic relations and enjoys life to the fullest extent. Much of the success which has come to him he attributes to the cooperation and influence of his wife.
On the 4th of March, 1910, Judge Hayes retired from a lucrative real-estate business with the object of seeing the country and enjoying life. He had always lived on the frontier, never having visited the far east or in fact been east of Chicago from the time when he was four years of age. It was therefore with great interest that he traveled over the district east of Illinois, visiting his old birthplace in Ohio and spending considerable time in Washington, D. C., also in Philadelphia, New York city, Boston and other cities of the east, including Salem, Plymouth Rock, Portland and Bath, Maine, and many other places of
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historical interest. He returned home by way of Canada, visiting many points of interest in the Alberta country, including Calgary. He then proceeded west- ward to Vancouver, made a trip to Alaska and returned by way of the coast. While enjoying this extended trip and the many points which he saw in all the different sections of the country, he returned home more satisfied than ever, saying that he would not exchange his interest in San Diego county for all New England. His has always been a busy, useful life in which indolence and idleness have had no part, and after he had been out of business for a little more than a year he found that leisure was proving irksome. He there- fore reentered the real-estate field and is conducting an active and successful business, whereby he is not only contributing to his own success but also to the development of southern California, glad to bear his share in the work of making this what he believes it will one day become-one of the most densely popu- lated sections of the world. In all that he undertakes he is actuated by a spirit of contagious enthusiasm that is an inspiration to others and, acting according to the dictates of his faith and judgment, time has proven the wisdom of his opinions. His life work has indeed been a serviceable factor in the growth and upbuilding of his adopted city, which has no more loyal advocate than Judge Thomas J. Hayes.
JAMES McCOY.
No history of San Diego and southern California would be complete without extended reference to the Hon. James McCoy, for few men have been more closely associated with the pioneer development of this part of the state, while with other events which have left their impress upon the history of the country his record is also interwoven. The story of his life, if written in extended detail, would read like a romance and impresses one with the assertion that "truth is stranger than fiction." He was born in County Antrim, Ireland, on the 12th of August, 1821, and during the first twenty years of his life he lived upon a farm with his parents and worked in the fields, thus early becoming familiar with the duties and labors that fell to the lot of the agriculturist of that period. In the summer of 1842 he sailed for the United States on the ship Alexander, landing at Baltimore, Maryland, on the 9th of July. He soon found employment in a market garden and afterward in a distillery, remaining in that city for seven years. The military spirit within him was aroused, however. during the progress of the Mexican war and in 1849 he enlisted in the regular army in Captain Magruder's battery, which was under marching orders for the Pacific coast. They sailed from Baltimore on the 27th of January, 1850, and landed at San Francisco on the 10th of August. There they remained for ten days and thence sailed down the coast to San Diego, where their head- quarters were to be established. At that time there was considerable trouble with the Indians and Mr. McCoy was sent as a non-commissioned officer with twelve men to the San Luis Rey mission in the San Luis Rey valley, about forty miles from San Diego. He remained at that post for two and a half years. during which time his small force was often called upon to aid the settlers
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when the Indians made attack. After leaving San Luis Rey he was sent with fourteen men to Jacumba, a station for keeping express horses and for mail carriers on the road to Yuma, Arizona. For eleven months he remained at that place and on the expiration of his term of enlistment he was honorably discharged from the service.
While at Jacumba, Mr. McCoy was often threatened by the Indians and for better security against attack he built a small fort. He was at one time attacked by a band of five hundred Indians, but his party were all picked men, trained to Indian fighting, so that they succeeded in beating off their assail- ants. After his military service was over Mr. McCoy went with a surveying party to the Colorado desert to lay out townships, and after working in that way for a time was employed by the government in driving teams between San Diego and Fort Yuma. Ile afterward entered the service of the San Antonio and San Diego mail line, having charge of the mail to San Diego and afterward between Yuma and Tucson, Arizona. This was a hazardous service in which he had many narrow escapes from the Indians. It was only a man well trained in Indian warfare and with accurate knowledge of the methods and habits of the red men that was qualified to fill such a position. On his trips between Yuma and Tucson Mr. McCoy frequently traveled over the country at a rate of speed that is yet notable. Once he rode the distance of three hundred miles in three days and eleven hours and only changed mules twice. There is no phase of frontier life in the desert country of the southwest, no point in its development and substantial progress, with which he was not familiar, and he could talk most interestingly of the history of growth in this section.
It was but natural that a man of Mr. McCoy's wide experience, interests and ability should be called to public office. In 1859 he was elected assessor of San Diego county and in 1861 he was chosen sheriff. Five times he was reelected and remained in the office of sheriff until chosen to the position of state senator in 1871. He served for four years in the latter position, his term expiring in 1875. While a member of the upper house of the state legisla- ture he used his best efforts to arrange for offering subsidies to induce the building of a railroad to San Diego and it was mainly through his efforts that the right of way was granted to the Texas Pacific. He also succeeded in hav- ing a bill passed authorizing the city to issue bonds to buy the San Diego & Gila Railroad. He recognized how immense would be the value of railroad connection with the older east, enabling California to send her products to far distant markets and secure in return those things not produced on the coast. In addition to his service as a state official he served as city trustee of San Diego for fourteen years.
Mr. McCoy was not only well known through his connection with pioneer interests but also with the later-day progress and development. In early times he was largely connected with sheep raising in this county and in 1867 was the owner of the San Bernardo ranch. He was one of the organizers and directors of the Commercial Bank of San Diego and also one of the organizers and a director of the San Diego Savings Bank. He was likewise one of the organizers of the Commercial Bank of Los Angeles, now known as the First National Bank. It seemed that whatever he undertook he carried forward to successful
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completion, for he possessed keen discernment, marked business ability and unfaltering enterprise.
On the 17th of May, 1868, Mr. McCoy was united in marriage to Miss Winnifred Kearney. His death occurred in 1895 and thus passed away one who had long been a conspicuous and picturesque figure on the plains of the south- west and later an important factor in its business and political circles. His adaptability enabled him to make the most of conditions as they existed and his keen insight enabled him to see and utilize the opportunities that the future held out. His record is one which reflects credit upon the city of his residence through his helpful connection with the development of his section of the country.
JOHN F. FORWARD, SR.
For twenty-five years John F. Forward, Sr., has been active and prominent in political and business circles of San Diego and has done much by his able work along both lines to promote the development and growth of the city. IIe was the founder of the Union Title & Trust Company, which has become an extremely important financial institution, and for nine years has directed its affairs and controlled its policy as its president. Thus he has had a great influence upon business conditions in the city and this he always uses for the promotion of higher standards and greater commercial expansion. He was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, October 3, 1851, and is a son of Walter and Elizabeth (Ferree) Forward, the latter a daughter of George Ferree, a large land owner and farmer in the vicinity of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. His pater- nal grandfather, Walter Forward, was secretary of the treasury under Presi- dent Tyler and subsequently presiding judge of the courts of Allegheny county, Pennsylvania. The education of John F. Forward was acquired in the public and high schools of his native city and when he laid aside his books in 1866 he engaged as a machinist and continued his identification with this trade for seven years. Afterward he became connected with the Pennsylvania Railroad as fireman and in 1887 resigned this position to come to San Diego, where for five years he served as deputy county recorder. He did such able and effective work in this capacity that in 1892 he was elected recorder and he held this position continuously for fourteen years. The length of his service and the . results he obtained while in office are perhaps the best proof of his ability. The affairs of his department were systematized and carefully managed and the work done in a prompt, efficient and orderly way, which reflects credit upon Mr. Forward's ability as a public official. At the close of his last term he was elected mayor of San Diego and gave to the city a public-spir- ited, business-like and progressive administration, working for needed reform and improvement. In 1903 he organized the Union Title & Trust Company and became its president, although he did not enter upon his duties until he left the recorder's office. Since that time he has been active in the business and has given his shrewd discrimination and discerning judgment, his energy and determined purpose to the building up of an important financial institu-
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tion, and the flourishing condition of the Union Title & Trust Company is the best evidence of his success.
Mr. Forward married, in Pittsburg, in November, 1874, Miss Ella F. Dil- lon, a daughter of Levi and Eliza (Kelly) Dillon, the father a prominent merchant of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, and they have six children: John F., Jr., who is assistant secretary of the Union Title & Trust Company ; James D., secretary of the same concern; Charles H., a graduate of the University of California and a practicing attorney in San Diego; Walter L., a mechanical engineer with the Gorham Engineering Company; Joseph C., a student in the University of California; and Frank G., who is searcher for the Union Title & Trust Company.
In politics Mr. Forward is a stanch republican and takes an intelligent interest in the growth and welfare of San Diego. Fraternally he is connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Woodmen of the World and the Knights of the Maccabees, and he is well known in the affairs of the Cuyamaca Club. Business and political interests in San Diego owe much to his well directed activities. During the quarter of a century he has resided in the city he has been one of the import- ant forces in many phases of development and has been closely associated with improvement and progress, cooperating in many movements which have been of material benefit to the community.
SEMON T. JOHNSON.
The old adage that "Opportunity knocks but once," has been strongly con- tradicted by present-day philosophers who recognize the fact that every indi- vidual must be alert and watchful if he would grasp the chances which each day and week, bring. There is something of value to be learned from each ex- perience in life-something that will count for future gain if the knowledge is wisely applied. This fact Semon T. Johnson has recognized and he has come to judge correctly of the people and circumstances which go to make up life's contacts and experiences. Utilizing his chances to the utmost, he has gained for himself an enviable and creditable place in business circles in San Diego as the agent for the Pacific Coast Steamship Company. He was born April 22, 1864, in San Francisco, on the present site of the Palace Hotel, his parents being Sivert and Sine Johnson. The father was commanding a sailing vessel and was the first man to take a cargo of railroad ties into Sacramento, the same to be used in the building of the Central Pacific Railroad.
Semon T. Johnson was a pupil in the public schools of San Francisco but at an early age began providing for his own support, accepting the position of cash boy in one of the leading dry-goods stores of his native city. Subse- quently he became a newspaper carrier and later a salesman in a dry-goods house. Each change represented a forward step in his career. He made his worth recognized by reason of his diligence and trustworthiness and he has gradually advanced. The hours which are usually termed leisure were devoted to the study of optometry and through wide reading in other directions he was
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continuously broadening his knowledge. Subsequently he became a coal and oil dealer and finally he took up the study of navigation. This led him eventually to the position of purser on one of the large steamers of the Pacific coast and his thorough knowledge of the steamboat business secured his appointment to the agency of the Pacific Coast Steamship Company at San Diego. This company is now doing a phenomenal local business under the able manage- ment of Mr. Johnson whose enterprising methods have greatly increased the patronage of the company in southern California.
In 1886, in San Francisco, Mr. Johnson was united in marriage to Miss Amy Molt and they have two children: Amy. A., who was graduated from the normal school during the presidency of Professor Black, and is one of the capable and prominent school teachers of the city; and Sivert N., who is chief clerk in his father's office. In 1909 Mrs. Johnson passed away and our subject was, in 1911, united in marriage with Mrs. Lizzie Kroenert.
Mr. Johnson has been president of the board of aldermen in San Diego and mayor pro tem during the administration of Frank Frary. He has ever exer- cised his official prerogative in support of progressive municipal interests and measures and his public efforts have been far reaching and beneficial. He was also president of the board of fire commissioners during the mayoralty of Mr. Forward and he is a member of the San Diego board of education. His po- litical allegiance is given to the republican party which finds in him an earnest advocate and supporter, recognizing the duties and obligations as well as the privileges of citizenship. He is a member of the Cabrillo Club and both within and without that organization he has many friends. He is always cordial, genial and courteous and his ready adaptability enables him to at once place at his ease any person in his presence. While in his office there is a businesslike discharge of all that he says and does, and this combined with a uniform courtesy and consideration figures as one of the important elements in his success as the agent of Pacific Coast Steamship Company.
P. C. REMONDINO, M. D.
Holding to the highest standards of the profession, keeping abreast with the leaders in his knowledge of advanced and scientific methods, Dr. P. C. Remondino has since January, 1874, made his home in San Diego and is accounted one of the foremost medical practitioners of southern California. His worth to the profession has not only been manifest in his practice but also in his contributions to medical literature, and he is the possessor of the largest and finest private medical library in the state.
Dr. Remondino was born in Turin, Italy, on the roth of February, 1846, and in early childhood was placed in a Catholic seminary, where he remained until about eight years of age. In 1854 he left Italy with his father and crossed the Atlantic to New York city, whence they started westward with Minnesota as their destination. On reaching Wabasha in that state the father engaged in merchandising, while the son became a pupil in the public schools there. He was quite young when he determined upon the practice of medi-
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cine as a life work and at sixteen years of age he matriculated in the Jeffer- son Medical College at Philadelphia. During the summer of 1864, ere his college days were over, the Battle of the Wilderness occurred, and at the call for army surgeons the young physician Remondino, with several other students, volunteered. They were accepted and for some time he did hos- pital duty in Annapolis, Maryland, and at City Point, Virginia. In March, 1865, he was graduated from Jefferson College and the same evening he left the reception that was being tendered his class to go to Fortress Monroe, Virginia, having received his appointment as acting assistant surgeon to serve with the Third Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery. He served with that rank until the regiment was mustered out, following the close of the war, in November, 1865.
When the country no longer needed his aid in a military capacity Dr. Remondino returned to Minnesota and began practice with his former precep- tor, Dr. Francis H. Milligan. At the outbreak of the Franco-German war he was well established in practice in his adopted town, but his fondness for ad- venture and his desire to broaden his knowledge induced him to seek a position in the French service. Being provided with flattering credentials, both from the governor of the state and from officials in Washington, he sailed for Brest. Having landed in safety, he at once started for Tours, then the seat of gov- ernment, where he presented his credentials and was cordially received by Lcon Gambetta, who provided for his appointment as an army surgeon. He was first attached to a regiment just formed, called the Franc Tireurs du Nord, Colonel Rondat commander, which was recruited in the French departments bordering on Belgium. He served with this regiment during the campaign in the north of France against the First Prussian Army Corps under the command of General Manteuffel until the dissolution of all the volunteer corps in the French army. He was then detailed for service with the Artil- lery Legion of Havre and was post surgeon of Fort Saint Adresse, the prin- cipal fort on the heights of Havre, overlooking both the city and harbor. He remained there until peace was declared. After the discharge of the troops hie traveled through Italy and Switzerland for pleasure and instruction and afterward extended his journeyings to England. He next returned to Min- nesota and resumed the practice of his profession in 1871.
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