Reverand Jonathan B. Tombes, D. D. Anaheim, was born in Albany, New York, attended Oberlin College three years, and graduated at Madison University in 1845, in the literary course. He also graduated in the regular course in theology. In 1870 the degree of D. D. was conferred upon him. He was ordained to preach in 1848. For some time he was pastor of the Fourth Baptist Church at Richmond, Virginia; then had charge of Meadville Academy.
In 1859 he took charge of Liberty Female College at Liberty, Missouri; but in 1864, on account of the war, wherein he was a true friend of the Union, he Ieft his family there and went East, lecturing on the issues of the day. Soon after he was called to take charge of the North Baptist Church in Philadelphia, where he served as pastor for several years; next he was pastor of the Berean Church at Carbondale, Pennsylvania. Subsequently he edited and published a church paper at Charleston, West Virginia, called the Baptist Record; afterward took charge of Carlton College for a term of five years.
In April, 1875, he came to Southern California. Here, near Anaheim, he is engaged as a horticulturist and has a beautiful home and orange trees and all other kinds of fruits and flowers. Still he does some professional work. He was mainly instrumental in organizing the Central Baptist Church in Los Angeles and was its first pastor. He continues to write articles for church papers, which exhibit thorough scholarship in divinity and collateral subjects.
He married Miss Mary A. McFadden, a native of Pennsylvania, and they have two interesting children, who are attending school.
