USA > California > San Diego County > San Diego county, California; a record of settlement, organization, progress and achievement, Volume II > Part 47
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JOHN H. SAMPSON.
A man whose work has for the past twenty years closely touched and in- fluenced enterprises which affect in an important way the general growth of Escondido is John H. Sampson, living retired in the city and giving his time to the management of his important business and property interests. He was born in Middleboro, Plymouth county, Massachusetts, May 27, 1830, and is a son of John and Phoebe Sampson, both natives of the same section, where their deaths occurred. The father spent his entire active career engaged in farming and died at the age of sixty-eight. He gave a stanch allegiance to the whig party and was always active in his support of its doctrines and principles, although he never sought political preferment for himself. His wife's death occurred within a few weeks of that of her husband, both being the same age when they passed away. To their union were born seven children, only two of whom are still living : the subject of this review ; and Mrs. Evelyn Hathaway, of Detroit, Mich- igan. Of this family only two children came to California, the rest remaining in Massachusetts.
In the acquirement of an education John H. Sampson attended district school in Massachusetts and spent one year in an academy. He remained in his native state until he was twenty-two years of age and then went to Detroit, Michigan, where he worked for a stave lumberman residing thirty miles north of the city. For two years Mr. Sampson retained this position and at the end of that time established himself in the shoe business, doing all of his work by hand. After six years he bought land in Michigan and developed and im- proved a fine farm for three years. However, his ambition lay at this time along business lines and he left his farm in order to work in a' hardware store conducted by his brother-in-law. Finding this work attractive, he opened a store of his own at Ypsilanti, Michigan. At one time he suffered a heavy loss through the destruction of his building and stock by fire, but undaunted by this mis- fortune he reconstructed the building and conducted his enterprise for a number of years. In 1888 he sold out all of his interests in Michigan and came to
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California, where he bought a business block in Escondido. In 1892 he took up his residence in the city and established in the store which he had bought a general mercantile enterprise. Later he abandoned this line of occupation and conducted a furniture and undertaking business, gaining prosperity as the result of his keen business ability and practical methods. In 1904 he retired from active life and since that time has given all of his attention to the supervision of his extensive property interests. He still owns his business block, a number of fine residence lots in town and extensive acreage near Escondido. He is a director in the Escondido Savings Bank and a member of the City Building & Loan Association.
Mr. Sampson has been twice married. In 1858 he wedded Miss Cynthia M. Blackmer, who was born in Massachusetts, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Blackmer, of that state. Both of her parents died in Michigan, leaving two children. Mrs. Sampson passed away in 1862. She and her husband had an adopted daughter, Ella, who is now the wife of G. W. McKim, by whom she has two children, Mildred E. and John H. In 1864 Mr. Sampson was again married, his second wife being Miss Elizabeth Fry, also a native of Massachusetts. Her parents were married in the Bay state and spent many years in Michigan, but passed away in Massachusetts. Mrs. Sampson's death occurred in 1903.
Mr. Sampson is a devout adherent of the Christian Scientist church. He cast his first vote in Massachusetts, supporting the republican party, and since that time has been firm in his adherence to the party's doctrines. He is recog- nized as one of the leading and influential men of Escondido, straightforward and honorable in all his dealings, public-spirited in his citizenship and loyal to all ties of home and friendship.
ROBERT CORDTZ.
Robert Cordtz is a man of ideas and of ideals. He possesses an artistic nature combined with executive force. In developing his business he has held to high standards and has met with phenomenal success in the fields of out-door design- ing and advertising. He was born in Hoboken, New Jersey, November 2, 1861, his parents being Henry C. and Matilda (McKinley) Cordtz, who removed from the east during the boyhood of their son, settling in Chicago where he attended the public schools. Gifted by nature with artistic tendancies and talent he turned his attention to out-door designing and advertising, of which he has made a life study and practice. He remained in Chicago until 1903, when he came to the coast, settling in Los Angeles. After spending two years in that city he removed to San Diego where he has since followed his chosen profession, win- ning for himself a notable and creditable position as a representative of that business. One of the elements of his success is the fact that he employs only artists and consequently does the very highest class of work. The imprint of the Cordtz Company can be seen throughout San Diego county where artistic out-door advertising is displayed. His reputation as an artist and as a straight- forward, reliable business man has brought to him a large volume of business
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during the seven years of his residence in San Diego and his labors are thus rewarded by a very gratifying income. From year to year he has been obliged to increase the capacity of his plant to meet the growing demands of his patronage. Until today his plant is the largest in San Diego and the third largest in Cali- fornia.
In 1883 Mr. Cordtz was married to Miss Flora Etta Van Denburgh and they have one son, Austin W., who is now associated with his father in business and is intensely interested in the work to which the firm are devoting their energies. The young man is of marked assistance to his father, the labors of the one ably supplementing the efforts of the other, while the enterprise, indomitable courage and unflagging industry of the younger man are a valuable addition to the mature judgment, keen sagacity and experience of the senior partner.
Mr. Cordtz is a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge and belongs also to the Ad Club and the Chamber of Commerce. He is a representative of that class of men who are the real builders and promoters of the west, men who recognize that inflated values and abnormal growth can have no real stability but who work along lines of steady development, laying the foundation for prog- ress in earnest effort, thorough understanding, clear comprehension and unabat- ing energy.
J. W. ISBELL.
J. W. Isbell, who has been a resident of California for more than four decades, crossing the plains to this state with his parents when a little lad of seven years, is now successfully engaged in business as a grading contractor of San Diego and is also a member of the San Diego county highway commission. His birth occurred in Texas in 1863, his parents being Thomas and Louisa (Hansen) Isbell, the former a native of that state and the latter of Illinois. In 1869 Thomas Isbell, with his family, crossed the plains to California, settling near Rivera, Los Angeles county. The journey was made with mule teams and was attended with difficulty and danger, the Indians stampeding their cattle and otherwise proving troublesome. In 1882 Mr. Isbell established his home at Escondido in San Diego county, where he spent the remainder of his life, passing away in July, 1911. The four living children of the family are as follows: J. W., of this review; Mrs. Ollie Barkam; Charles; and Frank.
J. W. Isbell, who was a young man of nineteen years when his parents took up their abode near Escondido, there engaged in ranching, devoting his atten- tion to the raising of small grain on a tract of one hundred and sixty acres which he owned and also on other land which he rented. He likewise began the building of roads for the county and has been engaged in that work for the past seventeen years. Through long and careful study of the nature of the soil and the topography of this region he has become an expert in that line of labor. In 1907 he came to San Diego and is here still engaged in the building and repairing of roads. In 1911 he was made a member of the new county highway commission which was appointed to complete the public highways of the county, the other members of the board being A. F. Crowell and R. J.
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Goodbody. They are completing the four hundred and forty-eight miles of road in San Diego county under the bond issue of one and a half million dollars voted by the people.
In 1888 Mr. Isbell was united in marriage to Miss Hulda Justice, whose father is one of the honored pioneers of this county and for twelve years held the office of supervisor. He was formerly engaged in ranching near Escondido, but now makes his home in Los Angeles. Mr. and Mrs. Isbell have eight living children, as follows: Clement, who married a Miss Magee, and has two children ; Wilbur J .; Roy; Guy; Ruth; Helen; Burton; and William.
CAPTAIN WILLIAM R. FARNSWORTH.
Captain William R. Farnsworth, who for many years sailed the seas, entering practically every important port in the world, has for the last twenty-five years been a resident of San Diego county and for a great deal of that time has been active in fruit growing in the San Marcos valley. He was born in Nova Scotia, October 21, 1838, and is a son of Solomon and Ann (Cummings) Farnsworth, the former a native of Scotland and the latter of England. On the paternal side the family is of ancient lineage and the grandfather of our subject was a stanch loyalist. Captain Farnsworth is one of a family of four children : James, who lives in Nova Scotia ; William R., of this review; and Solomon and Naomi, both deceased.
The career of Captain Farnsworth furnishes a splendid example of the power of energy, ability and steady perseverance in the accomplishment of success. When he was still very young he left home and went to sea, shipping as a cook at six dollars per month. Advancement came rapidly and in three years after he signed for his first position he was the master of a fine sailing vessel. With characteristic energy he applied himself to his duties, working quietly and steadily to advance his interests and finally becoming the owner and captain of the finest wooden ship afloat on any sea. This was the Empress of India and under Captain Farnsworth's command it made the quickest voyage on record from St. Johns, New Brunswick, to Liverpool; from Liverpool to Rio Janeiro; thence to Callao, around Cape Horn. During the course of his years at sea Captain Farnsworth had often stopped at American ports and in 1887 definitely estab- lished his residence in California. For one year he engaged in the butcher busi- ness in San Diego but in 1888 came to the San Marcos valley and purchased eighty acres of land. Upon this property he made substantial improvements and operated it as a fruit ranch for a number of years but finally gave all of his atten- tion to raising grain and hay. He rented adjoining property and at one time had eight hundred acres planted in grain. In 1898 he began prospecting for gold on government land in San Diego county which in partnership with others he had taken up as a claim. They installed new machinery and all modern mining equip- ment but met with only indifferent success. Captain Farnsworth has withdrawn his personal supervision but the mine is still being operated. In addition to this property he owns thirty-one acres five miles west of Escondido, on the San Marcos road, and upon this tract he makes his home. He was for a number of
WILLIAM R. FARNSWORTH
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years port warden in San Diego and is now serving as surveyor in San Diego county for the French Lloyds, working in their classification department. His former wide experience in seamanship, his skill in navigation and his long identi- fication with passenger and freight water traffic have been valuable factors in the excellent work he has done in both capacities-work which has gained him wide recognition as a man whose opinion is a standard on all matters of navigation.
In September, 1864, Captain Farnsworth married Miss Prudence Hardy, also a native of Nova Scotia, a daughter of Aaron and Harriet (Eaton) Hardy. The wife of our subject is one of two children born to her parents and the only one still living. To Captain and Mrs. Farnsworth four children were born. Ruth, the eldest, was educated in Nova Scotia, giving special attention to the study of art, in which she became very proficient. She now makes her home with her parents. Minnie married S. P. Sibley, a road commissioner of San Diego, and they have three children, Ernest, Harriet and Nadine, all of whom are attending school. Howard D. is engaged in the dairy business in Sears, California. He is married and has five children. Hattie, the youngest of the family, died at the age of fifteen years. The family are devout members of the Methodist Epis- copal church.
Captain Farnsworth is a loyal republican but never seeks prominence in public life. He is recognized by those who know him as an intelligent, earnest and public-spirited citizen and his life presents a striking illustration of the effect of character in determining individual distinction. From his boyhood he has been self-supporting and the principle of self-reliance which he adopted even as a youth has been always one of his prominent characteristics. He has many friends throughout San Diego county, where he has made his home for twenty-five years and where he has attained a degree of success which results from industry directed by good judgment.
WILLIAM S. CLARK.
William S. Clark is a representative and successful agriculturist near Fall Brook, San Diego county, where he owns a fine farm of five hundred and sixty acres. He was born in Massachusetts in 1871, a son of George P. and Ella E. (Fox) Clark, both natives of that state. They were married there and there the mother's death occurred in 1875. The father was well known in the plumb- ing and gas fitting business and operated an enterprise of this character in his native section until 1880, in which year he sold his interests in Massachusetts and came to California, making the journey from Wilmington, Los Angeles county, to San Diego by boat. He arrived in the latter city on the 5th of Febru- ary, 1880, and found there only a small village, undeveloped, unorganized and unimproved. There were no walks in the city and the entire county was without railroad facilities. The father of our subject did not remain in San Diego, but went immediately to the vicinity of Fall Brook, where he took up a quarter section of government land and went into the stock-raising business upon a large scale. He developed and improved this property for a number of years,
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but finally sold his ranch and his stock to his son, the subject of this review, and since then has been living retired.
William S. Clark acquired his education in the public schools of Massachusetts and came to San Diego with his father. For a number of years he aided in the cultivation of the homestead and finally bought the property in 1894. His farm today comprises five hundred and sixty acres, some of which he uses for pasture land. Thirty-five acres is irrigated and upon this tract Mr. Clark plants his most profitable crops. He steadily adheres to progressive, modern methods and the results which he has obtained reflect credit upon his ability and resource- fulness.
In 1892 Mr. Clark married Miss Lillie C. Ridge, a native of San Diego county, born in 1875. She is a daughter of Robert and Nancy (Wright) Ridge, pioneers in California, who crossed the plains in the late '6os and settled in Los Angeles county. In 1878 they moved to San Diego county and here the father took up a tract of government land on the San Luis Rey river, upon which he engaged in general farming and stock-raising until his death. Mr. and Mrs. Clark became the parents of four children: Florence, born in 1893, who is now the wife of George Cobb, of Fall Brook; George Preston, who was born in 1895, and who lives at home; William, whose birth occurred in 1897, and who is now attend- ing school; and Charles F., born in 1901. All the older children in this family have received a thorough education in the public schools of San Diego county. Mr. Clark is well known in the Modern Woodmen of America, but beyond this has no fraternal affiliations. He gives his allegiance to the republican party and is a stanch supporter of its doctrines, although he has never been attracted toward public life. He prefers to concentrate his energies upon the conduct of his personal affairs, in which he has been most successful, and much credit is due him for the position he has attained among the leading farmers in this part of the county.
JOHN A. GAILEY.
John A. Gailey, local agent for the Fairbanks-Morse Company at San Mar- cos and one of the most valued representatives of that concern, was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1881. He is a son of William and Catherine (Deakins) Gailey, the former a native of New Brunswick and the latter of Missouri. In their family were four children: John A., of this review; Annie and Laura, both of whom have passed away; and Thomas, who lives with his father in San Marcos. The father of our subject moved from Missouri to Nebraska and in that state engaged in ranching for some time before coming to California. He settled immediately in the San Marcos valley and here bought one hundred and seventy acres of land, which he operated as a stock and grain ranch until 1912, when he sold this property and bought a small tract of twenty acres, upon which he is now living retired.
John A. Gailey grew up on his father's farm and received a public-school education. In September, 1903, he began his independent career, securing employ- ment in the government civil service, carrying mail on San Marcos rural free
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delivery route No. I. Most of his attention at the present time, however, centers upon the management of the important affairs under his charge as local agent for the Fairbanks-Morse Company and in this relation he has shown himself to be a young man of unusual discernment and resourceful ability. He has installed all of the windmills and pumping plants in this vicinity during the past year and has been extremely successful in this branch of his work. In the manage- ment of the shops, office and warehouse he has displayed equal tact, judgment and discrimination and has made the agency one of the most flourishing business enterprises in San Marcos.
On October 12, 1904, Mr. Gailey married Miss Ruth Bechtel, a native of South Dakota and a daughter of Samuel and Ettie (Long) Bechtel, who came to California in 1894. For many years the father operated a ranch in San Diego county, but is now living retired in his home at Longbeach. Mrs. Gailey is one of a family of three children: Irvin, of Longbeach, who is married and has two children; Roy, who also resides at Longbeach; and Ruth, the wife of the subject of this review. Mr. and Mrs. Gailey became the parents of three children: Lloyd, born February 19, 1906, who attends school; Glen, whose birth occurred December 21, 1909; and Willis, born in August, 19II.
Mr. Gailey gives his allegiance to the republican party and for two years has served as school trustee. He is still a young man, but is fortunate in possess- ing those qualities which awaken confidence and esteem, and the simple weight of his character and ability has brought him to a position of trust and responsi- bility and will undoubtedly carry him still further along the road to prosperity.
W. B. MCCORKLE.
W. B. McCorkle, postmaster of Escondido and for over eighteen years promi- nently connected with the business development of this part of San Diego county, was born in Indiana in 1852. He is a son of Samuel E. and Jane S. McCorkle, both natives of Ohio. In that state their marriage occurred, but soon afterward they moved to Indiana, in the vicinity of Indianapolis, where the father operated a farm until he retired from active life. He passed away in 1896, at the advanced age of eighty-eight, having survived his wife since 1891. To their union were born six children, three of whom are still living: John P., of Indianapolis, Indiana; Mrs. Mary Sims, of Frankfort, that state; and W. B., of this review. Three other sons born to Mr. and Mrs. McCorkle were all acci- dentally killed.
W. B. McCorkle acquired his education in the public schools of Thorntown, Indiana, studying under John C. Ridpath, the well known historian. When he was twenty-eight years of age he left his native state and moved to Tennessee, where he engaged in lumber manufacturing for four years. In 1894 he came to California and bought a fruit ranch near Escondido, operating this enterprise for a number of years. Afterward he became connected with the Escondido Lumber, Hay & Grain Company and retained this association until July, 1910, when he was appointed to his present position as postmaster. He has shown himself to be a reliable, systematic and conscientious official and has managed the
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affairs under his charge in a straightforward and businesslike way. In the course of years he has invested largely in town property and has now extensive holdings, including his comfortable home and fine tracts of vacant property.
In February, 1877, Mr. McCorkle married Miss L. Inez Boyle, who was born near the northern line of the state of Indiana, a daughter of L. V. and Mary A. Boyle. The family lived in Indiana until they came to Escondido, where the father bought a fruit ranch which he developed for a number of years. He later became interested in business in Oceanside, California, but after two years sold out his holdings there and moved to Pasadena, where he is living retired. Mr. and Mrs. L. V. Boyle have four children: L. Inez, the wife of the subject of this review ; C. E., whose home is near Escondido; Clarendon, who is engaged in the lumber business in Chicago; and Annie M., the widow of W. M. Brown, and who resides with her parents at Pasadena, California. Mr. and Mrs. Mc- Corkle are the parents of two children: Olga, who is a graduate of the high school and who married E. J. Kernick, an electrician in Oakland, California ; and Paul C., who after his graduation from the high school spent four years in the engineering department of Leland Stanford University. The family are devout members of the Congregational church. Mr. McCorkle is well known in the Knights of Pythias and has filled some of the chairs in that organization. Politically he gives his allegiance to the republican party and is a stanch advocate of republican principles. As a patriotic citizen he keeps well informed on national and local affairs and his constant aim while advancing his own interests is also to promote to the extent of his ability the general welfare of the community he serves.
T. J. LASSITER.
T. J. Lassiter, engaged in the real-estate business, is prompted in his efforts by the laudable ambition of attaining success, but there is also manifest in his work an altruistic spirit which is seeking the benefit of his patrons as well. He has always believed in the method of selling property on easy payment terms, making it possible for many men to own their homes, and he believes, moreover, that a higher standard of citizenship is promoted and maintained when the indi- vidual has a little corner of the earth which he can claim as his own. Holding to these ideas Mr. Lassiter has been active in assisting many a man in acquiring property and has handled much real estate during the period of his residence in San Diego.
The width of the continent separates Mr. Lassiter from the place of his birth, for he is a native of Greensboro, North Carolina, and his natal day was January 28, 1879. His parents were S. Q. and H. C. Lassiter, under whose roof he spent his youthful days with the opportunity of acquiring a good public- school education. He passed through consecutive grades to his graduation from the high school and then entered the building business, eventually becoming a contractor. His father was the owner of an extensive plantation on which he was largely engaged in growing cotton. T. J. Lassiter, however, preferred to devote his energies in early manhood to industrial pursuits and accordingly turned his
T. J. LASSITER
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attention to building operations. He came to San Diego in 1909 when a com- paratively young man of thirty years and in the interim to the present has been identified with real-estate operations. His well-formulated plans have been crowned with success as viewed from both the financial standpoint and that of helpfulness toward those who are struggling to make the most of their means. His belief that the property owner is a better citizen and that home ownership constitutes the basis for the development of many other admirable and worthy characteristics has led him to formulate his plans for assisting the wage earner to get a home of his own on easy payments and thus he has contributed to the improvement of the city. The houses which he handles are built with the view to beauty, and comfort as well as utility, and residence districts which he has handled constitute attractive sections of San Diego.
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