California

Biographical Sketch of Illiam A. Firebaugh

Illiam A. Firebaugh farmer and and stock-raiser near Newport, was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, November 24, 1848, a son of David and Margaret (Hull) Firebaugh, both of Virginia. William, the fourth in a family of eight children, received but a limited education. In 1870 he went to Cedar County, Virginia, and began business for himself by renting land for two years. In 1872 he came to California and bought land, which he subsequently improved and finally sold, when he bought a ranch a half mile southwest of Newport, and here he has been successfully engaged in general farming and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of A. T. Armstrong

A. T. Armstrong of Newport, was born in Augusta County, Virginia, in 1844. His parents, Archibald and Betty (McCutchan) Armstrong, were natives of the Old Dominion, and the fourth generation born and reared on the same farm. They had nine children. Their father died in 1853, and the subject of this sketch took charge of the home place until 1864, when he entered Company A, First Virginia Cavalry, C. S. A., and served until 1865. From the close of the war until 1867 he again had charge of the farm; he then sold out, moved to Rockbridge County, Virginia, and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Arquis L. Sells

Arquis L. Sells a farmer near Westminster, was born in Wyandot County, Ohio, September 6, 1845. His parents, John and Mary (McKissen) Sells, were natives respectively of Ohio and Virginia, and had five children, three of whom are still living. John Sells was a well-known attorney in Wyandot County for a number of years, and died November 19, 1886. Marquis worked on the railroad as a trackman, and subsequently attended school at New Hagerstown and Harlem Springs. Then he taught school for some ten years in Ohio and Missouri, and in May, 1871, he came to California with two brothers … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Frank A. Gates

Frank A. Gates general farmer and fruit-raiser near Anaheim, was born in Groton, Massachusetts, in 1836, a son of Loring Gates, a well-known merchant in Groton, Massachusetts, and Boston. Mr. Gates attended the University at Hartford, Pennsylvania, and at the age of eighteen years he went to Chicago, where he was engaged in the wholesale clothing business with his brother, James L. Gates, until 1859. He then went to Lawrence, Kansas, but, finding all vegetation dried up and the prospects of business consequently poor, he returned to Chicago and engaged with his cousin, Charles A. Eaton, in trade in guns … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Ander Mills

Ander Mills deceased, was born May 6, 1814, in Massachusetts. At the age of sixteen years he left home, and traveled extensively in different States. In Missouri, in 1852, he married Miss Ruth A. Ripper, and immediately started across the plains to California, with an ox team. In this State he first took up about 3,000 acres of Government land, on which he herded cattle for twenty years with considerable profit. In 1874, his health failing, he came to Southern California and bought 320 acres in the Westminster colony. His children were: Julia, wife of George McCormac; Maria, deceased; Amanda, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Albert Johnson Chaffee

Albert Johnson Chaffee of Garden Grove, was born in Kane County, Illinois, in April, 1848. His parents, Eber and Anna (Davis) Chaffee, emigrated from Vermont to Illinois in 1840, locating upon a farm twelve miles from Elgin, where he successfully carried on farming and stock-raising until his death in 1877, his wife having died a year. previous. They had in all twelve children, of whom nine are still living. Albert was educated at Jennings Seminary, Aurora, Illinois. He subsequently taught school in Kane County, Illinois, and in Clinton County, Iowa. He has been a citizen of the Golden State since … Read more

Biographical Sketch of David Brush

David Brush a farmer of Orange County, was born in Fulton County, Illinois, October 12, 1848, a son of John and Martha (Faucet) Brush, both natives of Pennsylvania. His father was one of the pioneers of San Bernardino County in 1855, where he lived for over twenty years. He crossed the plains to California in 1854, with an ox team, being on the road six months. He stopped at Salt Lake eight months, to recruit stock and obtain supplies. David, our subject, came to what is now Orange County, fifteen years ago, and bought forty acres of land at Newport, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of P. Justice

P. Justice, of Westminster, was born in Pulaski County, Indiana, November 10, 1838. His parents, Jesse and Matilda Justice, were natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Ohio, and brought up nine children, one having died early in life. They moved to Texas when Perry, the subject of this sketch, was fifteen years of age, that is, in 1853. In 1857 the former moved to San Bernardino County, California, and engaged at work in the pine forests. In 1859 he moved to Azusa and lived there until 1888. In 1861 the subject of this sketch started in business for himself by taking … Read more

Biographical Sketch of B. F. Townsend

B. F. Townsend a prosperous farmer near Garden Grove, was born in Bowdoinham, Maine, in 1834, educated at the high school there, and in 1855 left home to take care of himself. For nine years he worked in a wholesale boot and shoe store in Massachusetts, and from there, January 13, 1864, he went to Chicago, Milwaukee, Sioux City and other places; then to Omaha, and to Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas, where he worked on a farm until 1866, teaching school during the winter seasons. Then he went to Baxter Springs, Cherokee County, Kansas, engaging in the manufacture and sale … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Percy H. Walling

Percy H. Walling of Garden Grove, was born in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, in 1838. His parents, James and Louisa (Saxton) Walling, were natives of Vermont, and early settlers of the Buckeye State. Their fourth child, the subject of this sketch, went with his parents in 1853 to Green County, Wisconsin, where later he bought land and engaged in stock-raising and farming until 1880, when he moved to Jewell County, Kansas, and subsequently to Mitchell County, where he was in the stock business until he came to California in 1888. He has here erected a very handsome residence at Garden Grove, … Read more

Biography of Henry Sterling Pankey

Henry Sterling Pankey a farmer of the Los Bolsa tract in Orange County, was born in Tippah County, Mississippi, in 1852, and reared principally in Tennessee. His parents, Henry and Zilpah (Daniels) Pankey, were natives of South Carolina The father died when his son Henry was only a year old, and the mother married Marion Clark four years later. Being ill-treated by his stepfather, Henry left him to live with William Burns, of Texas. Six months’ schooling was all that Mr. Pankey ever received. During the war he suffered many privations and undertook many disagreeable risks. He had to go … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Beckett

John Beckett a prosperous citizen of Westminster, was born in Ontario, Canada, June 2, 1819. His parents were Stephen and Anna (Taylor) Beckett, natives respectively of New Jersey and Canada, who had nine children. The father was a miller by trade. John worked at the lumber business in Pelham Township for several years, and in 1877 he moved to California, arriving at Westminster July 1. There he purchased forty acres of land, which he has since improved, and being well down on the shady side of the hill,” he expects to spend the remainder of his life in the quiet … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Alfred Beckett

Alfred Beckett a prominent citizen of Westminster, Orange County, was born in Ontario, Canada, June 7, 1830, a son of Stephen and Anna (Taylor) Beckett, and the sixth child in a family of nine. He received a good common-school education, worked at the mill and lumber business for several years and also did some farming, and in 1877 came to California and bought forty acres of laud in Westminster, which he has put under a high state of cultivation. Politically he is an intelligent supporter of the Republican party. Both himself and wife are highly respected members of social circles. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Josiah Ross

Josiah Ross, one of the first settlers of Santa Ana, was born in Clinton County, Indiana, in 1844. His parents were Jacob and Elizabeth (Thompson) Ross, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. For a number of years the subject of this sketch has been a quiet but successful tiller of the soil on his fine farm one mile west of Santa Ana. Most of his attention has been given to horticulture, and his well kept orchards show many varieties of deciduous and semi-tropical fruits. He has not cared to take an active part in political matters, but … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Dr. Moses Spencer Jones

Dr. Moses Spencer Jones, the oldest resident physician in Orange County, was born in Clinton County, Illinois, in 1842, a son of Charles Lee and Elizabeth Leek (Spencer) Jones. His father, a native of Buckingham County, Virginia, moved to Christian County, Kentucky, in 1824, and thence in 1830 to Illinois, where he died August 2, 1860. Dr. Jones was educated at McKendree College, at Lebanon, St. Clair County, Illinois, and completed his education under private instruction in St. Louis. He took a special course under the celebrated Dr. William Niehaus, in ophthalmology and aural surgery, and subsequently a special course … Read more

Biographical Sketch of C. F. Mansur

C. F. Mansur, cashier of the Orange County Savings, Loan and Trust Company at Santa Ana, was born in Barnston, Ontario, Canada, July 8, 1840. At the age of fourteen years he came to the United States and located at Randolph, Wisconsin, upon a farm. During the war he enlisted in the Eighth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, better known as the ” Live Eagle Regiment,” because they carried a live eagle through the war. After the war Mr. Mansur returned to Wisconsin, followed farming two years, then was a merchant a year or two in Canada, and in 1867 came to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Prof. John P. Greeley

John P. Greeley, County Superintendent of Schools of Orange County, was born in Swanville, Maine, in 1860. Was educated in the common and high schools of his native place. Graduated at the State Normal School at Castine in 1883, standing second in a class of forty-five. Before graduating he taught in his native town six years. Had charge of the graded schools at Searsport for two years, and in Belfast two years. Prof. Greeley was elected Superintendent of Schools of his native place for three successive years, resigning when he came to California in 1884. Taught one year in San … Read more

Biographical Sketch of R. Q. Wickham

R. Q. Wickham, the first County Clerk of the new county of Orange, was born in a Hancock County, Ohio, January 31, 1855. He is by trade a printer, and by profession a teacher, and followed said avocations alternately in Iowa, Dakota and Nebraska, from 1872 to 1887, when he came to California and engaged in the real-estate business at Santa Ana, and resided at Garden Grove. When the movement was revived for the organization of a new county, he joined in with zeal and pushed the matter along. He was appointed by Governor Waterman one of the commissioners on … Read more

Biographical Sketch of R. T. Harris

R. T. Harris, the first Sheriff of Orange County, was born in Richmond, Virginia. His father, John Harris, a native of Cornwall, England, moved from Virginia to California in 1860, settling first in Mariposa County, and then in Santa Clara County, where the subject of this sketch clerked in a store and received a good education. In 1876 he located in Westminster, in the Santa Ana valley. For six years he engaged in mercantile business there, and also was assistant Postmaster. At the first election of officers ever held in the county of Orange, Mr. Harris was chosen Sheriff by … Read more

Biographical Sketch of A. J. Howe, M. D.,

A. J. Howe M. D., of Santa Ana, was born in Vermont in January, 1850. His father, Philip Howe, M. D., is still living in this city. He moved to Illinois when the subject of this sketch was only four years old, locating in Macoupin County, where he remained until 1863. He then made a three months’ trip across the plains to this State. Dr. Howe graduated at the State Normal School in San Francisco in 1870, and subsequently taught school in several different counties in this State, and at the same time prosecuted medical studies. In 1873 he graduated … Read more