Redlands California Genealogy

Ancestry of Herbert Isam Mitchell of Brockton, MA

The Mitchell family, tracing back to Experience Mitchell who arrived in Plymouth in 1623, is deeply rooted in Massachusetts history. Experience settled in Duxbury and was noted for his contributions as a juryman and original proprietor of Bridgewater. His legacy continued through his descendants, including Isam Mitchell, a successful lumber dealer in Brockton. Herbert Isam Mitchell, Isam’s son, was a prominent businessman and Mason, who contributed significantly to the local Masonic community until his untimely death at age thirty-nine.

Biography of Frank T. Nelson

Frank T. Nelson, a prominent horticulturist, arrived in San Bernardino County in 1863, initially settling in Redlands where he cultivated a successful orange grove. After selling his land in 1887, he moved to Riverside, acquiring additional properties, including a well-producing ten-acre orange grove. Born in 1861 in Illinois, Nelson was raised in Indiana before venturing into farming. He married Nellie Mills in 1888, and they have one daughter. A respected figure in his community, he is actively involved in the Methodist Church and supports the Prohibition Party.

Biographical Sketch of F. P. Morrison

F. P. Morrison, a San Francisco native, moved to Redlands in 1882, where he invested in land and agriculture, planting 300 orange trees. His estate is renowned for its beauty, enhanced by significant improvements and water access from local sources. Morrison established the First National Bank of Redlands in 1886, serving as its president. His leadership extends to the city council, reflecting his active role in the community’s development and governance.

Biography of Benton O. Johnson

Benton O. Johnson, born in Bethlehem, Connecticut, on April 20, 1855, became a prominent figure in Redlands, California. After moving from the South and returning to Connecticut due to the Civil War, Johnson began his career as a drug clerk before becoming a merchant in 1883 upon relocating to California. He built notable residences and was actively involved in local organizations, including Masonic and Oddfellows lodges. Johnson’s family life included marriage to Minnie R. Brown and two children, while he aligned politically with the Republican Party and attended the Congregational Church.

Biography of Simeon Cook

Simeon Cook, born April 14, 1821, in Richmond, New Hampshire, was the son of Simeon, Sr., and Rachel Holman Cook. After early schooling, he worked in various roles in Boston before returning to Richmond to run a country store. He later ventured into manufacturing hogsheads and lumber, moving to Canada for business. In 1881, he relocated to California, settling in Redlands, where he developed a productive orchard. Married to Ellen Murdock, he had six children and was involved in his community as an active Republican.

Biographical Sketch of Eugene B. Waite

Eugene B. Waite, born in December 1860 in Walworth County, Wisconsin, has been a notable figure in Redlands since 1882, where he owns a fruit ranch. He grew up in a farming family, with his father, Russell Waite, having farmed successfully for over thirty years. Initially involved in the nursery business with his brother, Eugene shifted his focus to mining and prospecting in Alaska and the Aleutian Islands after selling his nursery interests.

Biographical Sketch of C. E. Owen

C. E. Owen, born March 16, 1840, in Sheffield, Ohio, was a 1849 pioneer who journeyed to California, trading horses for oxen along the way. He traveled with a caravan of 100 wagons, ultimately reaching the Sacramento valley. His varied career included mining, cattle trading, and mercantile ventures in Shasta County. After moving to Napa Valley for farming, he settled in Redlands, where he established a successful orange orchard. Owen, who has been married twice but has no biological children, has an adopted daughter who is an artist and educator.

Biographical Sketch of E. J. Waite

E. J. Waite, originally from Walworth County, Wisconsin, moved to California in 1876, settling in Riverside before relocating to Redlands in 1882. He served as a foreman for Judson S. Brown and is credited with planting the first orange trees in Redlands, becoming the area’s leading horticulturist. Waite acquired property through his work in tree cultivation. In 1889, he married Catherine E. Jones, a teacher from Bureau County, Illinois, who held a degree from the Northwestern Normal School.

Biographical Sketch of Harvey Hewitt

Harvey Hewitt, born in 1859 in Cleveland, Ohio, is the son of Isaac L. Hewitt, a retired petroleum commission executive and former steamer owner on Lake Erie. Raised in a family of five, Harvey received his education at the Polytechnic Institute in Brooklyn. His career included a two-year stint with the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad as part of the engineering corps before relocating to Lugonia in 1881. There, he purchased 240 acres, currently cultivating 100, and now serves as deputy surveyor of San Bernardino County.

Biographical Sketch of H. H. Sinclair

H. H. Sinclair, born in Brooklyn in 1858 and educated at Cornell University, initially practiced law in New York before transitioning to the shipping business. After moving to California for health reasons, he dedicated himself to his expansive orange orchard in Lugonia. Sinclair has served on the Redlands city council and is involved with several local organizations, including the Board of Trade and the Redlands Fruit Growers Association. Married to Agnes Rowley in 1882, he remains active in agricultural expansion.

Biography of Prof. Charles Russell Paine

Prof. Charles Russell Paine, born in Barnstable, Massachusetts, in 1839, played a pivotal role in California’s educational landscape after moving there in 1870. He taught in several states before establishing a private school in San Bernardino and later serving as County Superintendent of Schools. Alongside his father-in-law, he ventured into fruit farming in Riverside, where they settled on previously barren land. His experiences as a pioneer, including amusing tales of early challenges, reflect his significant contributions to both education and agriculture in the region.

Biographical Sketch of Lewis Deck

Lewis Deck, a native of Pennsylvania, is the eldest son of Henry Deck, a Waukeha County pioneer. Leaving home at fifteen, he journeyed to California via Panama in 1857, facing hardships, including illness and poverty. Initially working in gardens, he spent over two decades mining for gold along the West Coast, primarily in Nevada and Mexico. After numerous successes and failures in mining, Deck transitioned to horticulture in 1883, embodying the spirit and resilience of a true pioneer with a wealth of experience in early mining history.

Biography of Prof. C. N. Andrews

Prof. C. N. Andrews, born in 1852 in Ohio, followed a distinguished educational career after receiving his training in Sonoma County. He taught for several years, served as principal in various schools, and was a superintendent in San Diego before health issues led to his resignation. In 1877, he relocated to Redlands, engaging in a lumber and carriage business with his brother. He became an influential figure in local education and government, while also farming orange land. He married Jennie E. Davis in 1883.

Biography of Milton Canterbury, M. D.

Milton Canterbury, M. D., hailing from Greenup County, Kentucky, was the eighth of thirteen children born to farmer Reuben Canterbury and Elizabeth Lycaas. After education in local schools and medical training in Ohio and Iowa, he began his medical practice in Illinois before moving to Oregon and later California. Due to health issues, he transitioned to the drug business in Redlands in 1889. Married in 1845, he and Sarah Wood had ten children. Dr. Canterbury was active in the community as an Odd Fellow and a Methodist.

Biography of B. W. Cave

B. W. Cave, born in Texas in 1860, has been a San Bernardino County resident since early childhood. His father, a Kentucky native, moved the family across several states before settling in California, where he engaged in mining and farming. B. W. followed in mining for three years before entering the livery business with Cave Reeves. Married to Bertie Barrett in 1882, he has one son, Oscar. An active community member, he serves as a trustee and is a supporter of the Democratic party.

Biography of J. B. Glover

J. B. Glover, born on June 29, 1842, in Benton County, Missouri, moved to California with his family in 1855. His father, Rev. M. W. Glover, was a Methodist minister. J. B. learned blacksmithing before farming and ultimately settled on 160 acres in San Bernardino County in 1869, enduring the hardships of pioneer life. A dedicated church member, he held various roles in the Methodist Episcopal Church South and supervised the Sunday school for nine years. He married Elizabeth A. McGuire, and they had four children.

Biographical Sketch of Captain William A. Rogers

Captain William A. Rogers, originally from Lincoln County, Maine, has transitioned from a maritime career to agriculture in Redlands. He now focuses on cultivating oranges and vineyards, while also enhancing his residence on Colton Avenue.

Biography of George Edmund Otis

George Edmund Otis, born in 1846 in Boston, comes from a distinguished New England lineage with ties to Harvard. After serving in the Union army, he graduated from Harvard Law School in 1869 and began his legal career in Boston. In 1875, he moved to California, establishing a successful law practice first in San Francisco and later in San Bernardino, where he partnered with W. J. Curtis. Otis became a prominent legal figure while also contributing to civic development and engaging in various business ventures, remaining politically active yet avoiding public office.

Biography of Samuel J. Hayes

Samuel J. Hayes, born in Connecticut in 1826, faced early hardship after losing both parents by age twelve. Relocating to Illinois, he became a successful farmer and stock-raiser, known for his hard work and community service. After crossing to California multiple times, he found his ideal home in Redlands, where he settled in 1882, building a residence and managing his fruit farm. Married to Sophia Cummings, they raised three children together, marking a life of resilience and dedication to family and agriculture.

Biography of David Morey

David Morey, born in Pennsylvania in 1824, was a significant figure in the establishment of Redlands, California. After learning the cabinet trade, he journeyed west in 1850, engaging in mining and various construction projects. In 1882, he settled in Redlands, cultivating oranges and purchasing land with his wife, Sarah Jane Reforest, who played a vital role in their horticultural success. Together, they transformed their property, significantly contributing to the area’s agricultural development and the beauty of its orchards.