Orange County CA

Collins, Patrick Howard – Obituary

Union, Oregon Patrick Howard Collins, 48, of Seaside and formerly of La Grande and Union, died Nov. 19 in Seaside. A memorial service is planned for 1 p.m. Saturday at Coastline Christian Fellowship Church in Olney. Prior to the service, visitation will take place from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday at Caldwell’s Luce-Layton Mortuary in Astoria. Mr. Collins, known as Pat, was born Sept. 11, 1958, in Waterbury, Conn., to Theodore M. and Mary E. Brooks Collins. He grew up and was educated in Anaheim, Calif. In 1974 he moved to Clatsop County and began a career in the … Read more

Biography of Jacob Ross

Jacob Ross a prominent business man of Orange County, was born in Clinton County, Indiana, August 7, 1846. His parents, Jacob and Elizabeth Ross, moved to Illinois in 1851, where the father engaged in the milling business and in farming until 1865, when they with their family came overland to California, being six months on the road. They unloaded at Watsonville, November 25, 1865. Mr. Ross, the father, prospected for a home in Salinas valley till 1868, when he moved to Southern California. He purchased the undivided interest in the Spanish grant of 1,860 acres, which, however, was afterward cut … Read more

Biography of Hon. William H. Spurgeon

The Honorable William H. Spurgeon founder of the city of Santa Ana, and the principal factor of its subsequent growth, is a native of Henry County, Kentucky, born October 10, 1829, his parents being Granville and Levina (Sibley) Spurgeon, the latter a native of Virginia, the former of Kentucky. The Spurgeons, of English origin, chose for their first location in this country, North Carolina. From those of the family who afterward removed to Kentucky, our subject springs. When he was but a year old, the family removed to Indiana, and ten years later they settled in Clark County, northeast Missouri. … Read more

Gabrielino Indians

The Gabrielino Indians, named after the San Gabriel Mission in Los Angeles County, were also known as Kizh, Playsanos, Tobikhars, and Tumangamalum. Their closest relatives were the Fernandeno, and both groups were part of the California branch of the Shoshonean Division of the Uto-Aztecan stock. The Gabrielino inhabited the drainage area of the San Gabriel River, the Los Angeles region, and southward into Orange County, including Santa Catalina Island and likely San Clemente Island. They established numerous villages, such as Ahau near the Los Angeles River, Akura near San Gabriel Mission, and Pimu on Santa Catalina Island. In 1770, their population, including the Fernandeno and Nicoleno, was estimated at around 5,000, but by 1922 were nearly extinct.

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

Biography of Sylvester Lyman

Sylvester Lyman deceased. American biography has always been considered to be of the greatest interest, far outranking in this regard the same study in any other country. The cause of this is the large proportion of self-made men in our population, men who have plucked the flowers of success from the thorns of difficulty. Mr. Lyman, the subject of this memoir, illustrates this fact. He was born at Westhampton, Blandford County, Massachusetts, February 26, 1826. At the age of fourteen years his father moved his family to Shiawassee County, Michigan, where Mr. Lyman assisted in the farm work for some … Read more

Hofmann, Sandra L. – Obituary

Sandra Louise (Fagan) Hofmann died Feb. 15, 1988 in Huntington Beach, Calif. of cancer. She was born May 28, 1942 in La Grande, to Arletta (Jackson) and Gifford Fagan. She is survived by three children, Dean, and Richard Hofmann, and Kari Kessler all of Garden Grove, Calif.; a twin brother, Steve Guy Fagan, Lodi, Calif.; her mother, Arletta Neumann, and step-father Ray Neumann of Seattle, Wash.; grandmother Letty Jackson, Wallowa County Nursing Home; aunts, Mary Kennison, Baker, Betty King, West Sacramento, Calif., Mary May and Dorothy Confer of The Dallas, and one uncle Neal Fagan of Renton, Wash. Her father, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Rev. Jonathan B. Tombes, D. D.

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 … Read more

Biography of John H. Garner

John H. Garner veterinary surgeon, Santa Ana, was horn in Ogden City, Utah, June 26, 1850, the fourth son of John and Olive (Rossen) Garner, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter of Missouri. His father was one of the pioneers who crossed the plains to California in 1851 with ox teams, locating in San Bernardino, where he followed farming for a period of twenty-eight years. He died at the age of sixty-one years. J. H., our subject, at the age of twenty-one years started out in the world for himself. He had previously, at the age … 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 M. D. Halladay

M. D. Halladay one of the members of the city council of Santa Ana, was born in Vermont, May 8, 1830. His parents, David and Nancy (Carpenter) Halladay, were both natives of Vermont and moved to Michigan in 1843. They had eight children. M. D., our subject, engaged in the lumber and saw-mill business, and in 1874 came to California for his health; and so rapidly did he improve that he determined to make this country his home. He accordingly purchased thirty acres of land within the town limits of Santa Ana, which he improved, and for several years had … Read more

Biography of John Avas

John Avas President of the City Council of Santa Ana, was born in Germany in 1843. His parents came to the United States in 1845, settling in St. Clair County, Illinois, and subsequently moved to Peoria County, that State, where the father died in 1851. Afterward the mother married again and moved to Washington, Tazewell County, Illinois, twelve miles east of Peoria. Mr. Avas, the subject of this notice, remained with his stepfather until he was fifteen years old, and then hired himself out to a farmer for one year, at the end of which time he was to receive … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jacob Ross

Jacob Ross, deceased, formerly a resident of Santa Ana, was literally the first pioneer in this place, coining here when the land was owned by the Spaniards, and buying some 2,500 acres of the Santa Ana de Santiago rancho. He also bought other lands near where the city of Santa Ana now stands, and improved a farm one mile west of the city, where Mrs. Ross now lives. He crossed the plains to this coast with wagons in 1865, and many were the hardships he endured. In the early days here his crops had to be guarded both day and … Read more

Biography of Richard Robinson

Richard Robinson, a prosperous farmer of Garden Grove, was born near Ottawa, Canada, in 1827. His parents, Isaac and Margaret (Moses) Robinson, were natives of Ireland, moving to Canada in 1821. The senior Robinson was a shoemaker by trade and also owned a large farm. He died in Canada in 1843, leaving a family of nine children. Richard, the third in the family, received a common-school education and entered business when very young, having to help in the maintenance of the family until 1852, when he started for California by way of Cape Horn on the bark Fanny Major. He … 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

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

Schricker, Richard Alex – Obituary

La Grande, Oregon Richard Alex Schricker, 65, of Baker City and formerly of La Grande, died Aug. 11 in Phoenix, Ariz. A viewing will run from 3 to 8 p.m. today at Coles Funeral Home in Baker City. A memorial service begins at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Agape Christian Center in Baker City with a reception immediately following at the church. Pastor Garth Johnson will officiate. A graveside service with military honors will follow at 3 p.m. at Hillcrest East Cemetery in La Grande. Richard was born March 7, 1943, to Richard Clifford and Patricia Louise (Wynegar) Schricker in … Read more

Ryder, Jack Hughes – Obituary

Sumpter, Oregon Jack Hughes Ryder, 70, of Sumpter, died July 15, 2002, at his home. His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Gray’s West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave. Pastor Bill Cox of the McEwen Bible Fellowship will officiate. Burial will be at the Blue Mountain Memorial Garden at Walla Walla, Wash. Jack was born on July 3, 1932, at Baker City to William Horace Ryder and Helen Rose Hughes Ryder. He graduated from Baker High School and went on to attend Oregon State University at Corvallis for three years. Jack served his country in the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Hon. Isaac Lyons

The Honorable Isaac Lyons residing three miles northwest of Anaheim, was born in England in 1847, and came to San Francisco as a merchant in 1862. In 1868 he went to Prescott, Arizona, and in 1875 to Yuma, where he was engaged in the mercantile business for a number of years, with signal success. In 1887 he was elected to the Legislature front Yuma County by the Democratic party. Afterward he served two years as director of the Territorial penitentiary, his appointment to this position being received in March while he was yet in the Legislature. In 1883 he was … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Henry and Charles Kuchel

Henry and Charles Kuchel editors and proprietors of the Anaheim Gazette, took charge of this paper in 1887. They are the sons of Conrad Kuchel, a native of Germany, and one of the earliest settlers of Anaheim. For several years previous to his arrival in Anaheim he was engaged in the business of engineering in San Francisco. Henry Kuchel, the senior editor of the Gazette, was born in San Francisco, June 11, 1859. He received a high-school education at the Anaheim schools and, learned the printer’s trade in the office which he and his brother now own. He subsequently worked … Read more