Orange County CA

Biography of W. M. McFadden

W. M. McFadden a public-spirited business man and rancher at Anaheim, was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, February 19, 1840, and is a son of John and Rachel (McCormac) McFadden, being the oldest of eight children. He was educated at the public schools, the People’s Academy at West Pitts, the Curry Normal Institute at Pitts, the Beaver (Pennsylvania) Academy in 1860, and at Bryant & Stratton’s Commercial, at Louisville, in 1861. After this he kept books for a year in Jeffersonville, Indiana, and taught school in Aberdeen, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. He came to California in 1864, by way of the Isthmus, … Read more

Biography of Leonard Parker

Leonard Parker of Anaheim, was born in the town of Boston, New York, March 1, 1818. His parents, Joel and Annie (Woodcock) Parker, were natives of Massachusetts. The senior Parker, by trade a carpenter, was employed as a builder and contractor in the city of Buffalo, New York, for many years, and the subject of this sketch had very little opportunity for getting an education. At the age of twenty-one years he started out as a farmer, and afterward learned the blacksmith trade, his early life being a rugged one. He walked five miles to work and then cradled wheat … 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

Coffee, Alice Wiles – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Alice Wiles Coffee, mother of Bob Coffee of Enterprise, died Aug. 30, 1989, at Wallowa Memorial Hospital. She was born Dec. 9.1915, at Santa Ana, Calif., the daughter of Scott and Mary Wiles. On Dec.22, 1945, she married George L. Coffee at Long Beach, Calif. He preceded her in death on March 3, 1989. She worked as a parachute rigger in Long Beach, Calif., during World War II where she met her husband. She was a homemaker. After the death of her husband, she moved to Enterprise. Survivors include her son, Bob Coffee, Enterprise, daughter, Kathy … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George P. Bessonett

George P. Bessonett a prominent business man of Santa Ana, was born in Mississippi, July 21, 1850, and is the son of Edwin and Sophia (Neill) Bessonett, natives of Pennsylvania, and of French ancestry. The father was a cotton planter, and the mother was a teacher, from whom George received all of his education. The latter started out in the world for himself at the age of fifteen years, at Brookhaven, Mississippi, by clerking in a confectionery store. Subsequently he carried on the business in his own name. Quitting that place, he went to Kansas City and learned the brick-layer’s … Read more

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. D. Chaffee, M. D.

J. D. Chaffee M. D. of Garden Grove, was born in Campton, Kane County, Illinois, November 5, 1843, and received his literary education at the Methodist Seminary at Mt. Morris, that State. His health failing, he came to California in 1875, and purchased a ranch at Garden Grove, intending to give his time to outdoor pursuits; but his love for study still grew upon him, and, having in great measure regained his health, he went to San Francisco and took a course at the Hahnemann Medical College, where he graduated in 1887. Since that time he has given his whole … Read more

Bishop, Myrtle W. Mrs. – Obituary

Myrtle W. Bishop, 92, was born on Feb. 16, 1917 in St. Augustine, Fla., and passed away peacefully at her home in Laguna Niguel, Calif. on June 6, 2009 after a very short illness. She and her husband, Ernest W. “Red” Bishop, who predeceased her in 1992 after 57 years of marriage, moved to Inglewood, Calif., in 1941. During World War II she was employed as a riveter at North American Aviation. She subsequently worked as a seamstress at Virtue Brothers Mfg. in Inglewood, Calif. In 1964, she and her husband moved to Laguna Niguel as one of its first … 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 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 Leopold Goepper

Leopold Goepper proprietor of the Brunswick Dining Parlors, Santa Ana, is a native of the Buckeye State, and was born October 10, 1856. His parents, Herman and Magdalena, were both natives of Germany, and came to America with their parents when quite young. The subject of this sketch, the eldest of their six children, left the common schools at the age of thirteen years. He was brought up on a farm and came with his father to California in 1870, locating in Santa Clara County, where they followed agricultural pursuits for six years. Then they came to Santa Ana. At … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Illiam T. Richards

Illiam T. Richards formerly a cattle-dealer, but now retired and living at Orange, was born in the State of New York in 1833. His first employment in that State was as an agriculturist, and then he was a dairyman in Illinois, and later engaged in the dry-goods and clothing trade at Elgin, that State, for fifteen years. He came to California ten years ago, resided at San Gabriel three years and in Los Angeles one year; next he was en-gaged in the cattle business in Texas until three years ago, when he returned to California and purchased the place where … 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

Biographical Sketch of George H. Carlyle

George H. Carlyle one of Westminster’s successful dairymen, was born in Woodford County, Kentucky, March 23, 1827. His father moved to Saline County, Missouri, in 1855, and followed farming there until his death twelve years ago. He had nine children. For several years George (or Henry, as he was generally known) was connected with the stage line under Ben. Holiday, from the Missouri river to Fort Kearney and Salt Lake City. After this he followed farming and the dairy business at Independence, Missouri, until he came to California in 1887. Buying eighty acres of land in the Westminster colony, he … 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

Biography of John Hartley Smith

John Hartley Smith, the founder and president of the First National Bank of San Bernardino, and one of the most thorough business men and experienced bankers in Southern California, was born in Jackson County, Virginia, in 1835. He came to Ohio at the age of fifteen, and in 1853 he came to California and spent two years in the gold mines, chiefly in Mariposa County. He was quite successful, and in 1855 returned to Ohio with considerable money and a fund of experience which has proved of great value to him in his subsequent business career, as well as fraught … 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 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 Joseph Beach

Joseph Beach of Orange, was born in Essex County, New York, August 20, 1816, and for twenty-six years after he arrived at the age of manhood he followed agricultural and mercantile pursuits. Then he was a farmer in Calhoun County, Michigan, ten years, until 1873, when he came to California. Since then he has been engaged successfully in the cultivation of a fruit farm in the Santa Ana valley, until lately, being in his seventy-fourth year, he has practically retired. Being one of the first settlers of Orange, he is respected as a pioneer, an honored citizen and a successful … 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