Orange County CA

Biography of G. G. Greeley

G. G. Greeley horticulturist, near Anaheim, was born in Belfast, Maine, in 1817. His parents, John and Mary (Black) Greeley, natives respectively of New Hampshire and Maine, and of English descent, had seven children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second. At the age of twenty-one he started out in life for himself, learning the trade of carpenter at Searsport, Maine, being employed in that business four years. He subsequently took up land at Aroostook, and followed timbering for about a year. Next he worked at his trade for a time, building a hotel at No. 11; … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. E. Sharp

J. E. Sharp a retired capitalist of Santa Ana, was born in East Tennessee, November 17, 1809, a son of Joseph and Sarah (Lamb) Sharp, who had but two children: the subject of this sketch and a boy named Prophet, who died in 1850. The parents died in 1828, the father one day and the mother the next. In 1830 Mr. Sharp went to Illinois, where for several years he followed farming in Madison County; after this he went into the mercantile business at Bunker Hill, Illinois, and subsequently he moved to Litchfield, that State. In 1864 he came to … Read more

Grace, Gary Dean – Obituary

Gary Dean Grace, 52, of Halfway died April 26, 2004, at Las Vegas, Nev., from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident outside Kingman, Ariz., on April 22, 2004. There will be a celebration of life memorial service at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Lions Club Park in Halfway. Friends are invited to a potluck at the Lions Club after the service. Gary was born on April 4, 1952, at Biloxi, Miss., to Lowell and Bonnie Lindsay Grace. His father was in the U.S. Air Force, stationed at Keesler Air Force Base at the time. Gary grew up in many different … 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

Bloomer, Ted S., Sr. – Obituary

Durkee, Oregon Ted S. Bloomer Sr., 91, a longtime Durkee rancher, died Aug. 5, 2002, at the Holy Rosary Medical Center in Ontario. His graveside funeral will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at Mount Hope Cemetery mausoleum. Jim Rex of the Baker City Christian Science Church will officiate. Disposition will be by mausoleum entombment. A reception will follow at the Durkee Grange. Visitations will be today until 8 p.m. at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Mr. Bloomer was born July 16, 1911, at Lebanon, Mo., to William A. and Maude F. (Blackburn) Bloomer. The family moved … Read more

Fix, Russell Oro – Obituary

Russell Oro Fix, 87, died Oct. 28, 1993. He was born Oct 3, 1906 in Anaheim, CA, however, he has lived in Kapowsin, WA, since he was three months old. His parents, Samuel Edgar Fix and Clara Jane Harris were early Washington pioneers. His father came to Orting, Washington Territory, in 1889 and his mother in 1874. Russ was graduated from Kapowsin High School in 1925 and attended the University of Washington where he majored in forestry and rowed on the UW crew team. Russ retired from Puget Sound Power and Light in 1972 as a hydroelectric operator. He had … Read more

Biography of Elcome Folwer

Elcome Fowler proprietor of the Palmyra Hotel, Orange, is one of the pioneers of 1849, and a history of his life since that time is full of interesting Vincidents. He was born in Jackson County, Tennessee, in 1818. His father, John Fowler, was born in July, 1767, in Virginia, and died in December, 1867, being therefore in his 101st year. He had married Lucinda Usury and had ten children. May 25, 1849, the subject of this sketch left Atchison County, Missouri, with an ox team for California and arrived in Sacramento October 25. He immediately took a load of goods … Read more

Genealogy of Daniel Baker

Qa161 DANIEL BAKER: b. in England; m. Sarah Chase, 1740. Col. Jacob: reported to have served on General Washington’s staff, and at his death left an estate now reported to be worth about $800,000,000. Samuel: M.D.; b. 1742; m. Roda (Silliman) Weed, 1773. Isaac: M.D.; b. 1783, at Fairfield, Conn.; m. Susan Morgan Dodge (d. 1833); in 1804 Dr. Isaac surveyed, laid out and named the townsite of Bloomington, Ill.; was county surveyor, clerk of the court (held this office for fifteen years) ; served as postmaster for a great many years and was a much respected citizen; died at … 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

Fagenstrom, Ottilie Brummer Mrs. – Obituary

Ottilie Fagenstrom, 85, a former Baker City resident, died March 31, 2006, at Life Care Center of the Treasure Valley in Boise. Her memorial service will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 17th Street and Pocahontas Road. Ottilie Fagenstrom was born on Sept. 21, 1920, at Oslo, Norway, to Walter and Catherine Pattenhausen-Brummer. Ottilie moved with her parents to the United States in 1924. Her father, Walter, continued his import-export business. When Ottilie was 14, her mother, Catherine, died. Ottilie moved with her father to California. She was a 1939 graduate of Santa Ana High School. … 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 Alex Gardiner

Alex Gardiner general farmer and fruit-raiser near Fullerton, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1838, the fourth son of William and Mary Gardiner, who came to America in 1855, in a sailing vessel, landing in New York; thence they immediately sailed to Charleston, South Carolina, and thence they proceeded to Knoxville, Tennessee, locating ten miles south of Knoxville at Rockford. William Gardiner was a cotton spinner by trade. The subject of this sketch served five years as a machinist in Scotland, leaving school at the age of twelve years. In 1869 he came overland to California, starting from Knoxville, Tennessee, … Read more

Biography of John Harris

John Harris of Westminster, was born in Cornwall, England, in May, 1832, and came to the United Sates in 1852. After spending three and a half years in Pennsylvania and Virginia, and one year in Missouri, he came in 1859 to San Franciso, and was in the mines for several years. Afterward he served as Superintendent of the Pine Tree mines for John C. Fremont. In 1874, his health failing, he came to Westminster and purchased 160 acres of land. For several years, in company with his son, Richard T., now the sheriff of Orange County,-he was in the general … Read more

History of San Juan Capistrano Mission

A Franciscan mission established by Fr. Junfpero Serra, Nov. 10, 1776, at a place called in the native tongue Sajirit, or Quanis-Savit, at the present San Juan, Orange County, Cal. As soon as Franciscan missionaries, who were superseded by Dominicans in Lower California, arrived in San Diego, the ardent apostle to Alta California sent two friars to institute a mission at a roadstead 26 leagues north of San Diego. They raised a cross on Oct. 30, 1775, but hastily returned when they learned that in the absence of the soldiers the natives had burned San Diego mission. No sooner was … Read more

Cerato, Mildred Elva – Obituary

Joseph, Oregon Mildred Elva Cerato, 88, of College Place, Wash., died Dec. 11, 2003, on her birthday at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Walla Walla, Wash. She was born on Dec. 11, 1915 in Santa Ana, Calif. to George W. and Mary Ella (Pearce) Todd. In 1937, she married John A. Cerato and the couple lived and raised a family in California. After her husband died, Mrs. Cerato moved to Joseph in 1992 to be near her daughter. She was an active member of the Joseph Baptist Church, doing mission work, serving for a time as president of the women’s … Read more

Biography of Judge C. W. Humphreys

Judge C. W. Humphreys of Santa Ana, was born in Mason County, Kentucky, and is a son of Robert Humphreys. Following is a history of the family as furnished to the subject of this sketch by his father at the age of eighty-eight years: “Shortly after the close of the Revolutionary War, four brothers, by the name of Humphreys, with their families emigrated from Tyrone County, Ireland, to Virginia, to either Greenbriar or Monroe County. Their names were Richard, John, Robert and Samuel. My grandfather was Robert. His sons were James, John, Robert; daughters, Mollie, Nancy and Jane. John Humphreys … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Alexander Henry

Alexander Henry farmer and stock-raiser, near Anaheim, was born in Edinburg, Scotland in 1838, the son of Innes and Jacobina (Nicholson) Henry. His father had seven children by his first marriage, and eleven by the second: Alexander, who was a member of the second family, joined the English navy in 1850, and was in service throughout the Crimean war. He was at first errand boy and then ship’s carpenter. After the war lie served six years at the shipwright’s trade at Leith. Next he joined the Sidney of Glasgow and came to San Francisco in 1860, where he worked at … Read more

Weber, Lyle Raymond “Ray” – Obituary

Lyle Raymond “Ray” Weber, 72, of Mission Viejo, Calif., a former Baker City resident, died Dec. 13, 2001. There was a private family memorial service Saturday. Lyle R. Weber achieved a great deal in his 72 years. He was a staff sergeant in the Civil Air Patrol, Staff, a sergeant in the ROTC, and a veteran of the Army Air Force and the U.S. Navy. He worked in commercial construction for 45 years, beginning as a carpenter and retiring as a respected superintendent of blueprint detail. He was awarded a multitude of art, photography, and volunteer service awards. He was … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Captain H. Hall

Captain H. Hall one of the prosper?ous orange-growers of Santa Ana Valley, has been a citizen of the Golden State for eighteen years. Born at Tiffin, Ohio, in 1838, he was educated there and read law for several years, which study was interrupted by his enlistment in the army in Company H, Thirty-second Iowa Volunteer Infantry. During his service of three years he was commissioned Second Lieutenant and First Lieutenant. At the close of the war, being broken in health, he for a number of years traveled as a commercial agent. In 1876 he came to California and bought and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. W. Halesworth

W. W. Halesworth, has been a resident of Santa Ana since March, 1872, enjoying signal success in business affairs. At first he was employed in Los Angeles city, and in the fall of 1873 purchased twenty acres of land where the city of Santa Ana now stands, which he devoted to grapevines and fruit-trees, until in 1884 he began to cut it up into city lots. ” Halesworth’s Addition” is bounded on the north by Washington avenue, east by West street, south by Hales-worth street, and west by Ross Street. The second addition which bears his name is bounded on … Read more