Redlands California

Biography of Isaac Newton Hoag

Isaac Newton Hoag, a prominent citizen of Redlands, was born in Macedon, Wayne County, New York, March 3, 1822. His paternal ancestors belonged to the Society of Friends for generations back, and had uniformly been farmers. He lived and worked on a farm until he was eighteen years of age and had the advantages of a very primitive common school education. His father died when he was eighteen years of age, and one year later the Macedon Academy was organized, and Isaac was one of the first students at this institution. From this time until 1849 he taught school winters … Read more

Biography of Frank T. Nelson

Among the enterprising and progressive citizens, and successful horticulturists that are doing so much toward building up and placing before the world the horticultural interests and industries of Riverside and San Bernardino County, mention should be made of the above named gentleman. Mr. Nelson came to San Bernardino County in 1863, and located at Redlands. There he purchased a twenty-acre tract of uncultivated land and commenced its improvement. He planted the tract with orange trees, and made one of the representative groves of that section. He sold the tract at a good price in 1887, and in the same year … Read more

Biographical Sketch of E. G. Judson

E. G. Judson. About 1881-’82 Judson & Brown secured 1,500 acres of land on the sloping hillsides south of the Mill Creek zanja, surveyed and platted the same into five, ten and twenty-acre lots, with wide avenues traversing the whole plat. This enterprise was regarded as an experiment from the fact that the red soil of the slope had never been tested as to its adaptability to horticultural pursuits. With plenty of water and good cultivation the doubt as to the value of the land was soon removed and the success of the colony enterprise was assured. Thus encouraged the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Israel Beal

Israel Beal was born thirty-five miles west of Richmond, Virginia, April 10, 1849. His parents, Oliver and Elvira (Myes) Beal, were both natives of Virginia. His father died during the war, and his mother is still living, at a good old age, having reared a family of eleven children, nine of whom are still living. The subject of this sketch came to California via the Panama route in 1865, and worked for a mining company in Kern County for three years. He then went to Nevada and Arizona and mined, and then came back to California and worked for M. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Eugene B. Waite

Eugene B. Waite, one of the enterprising young men of Redlands, has been a resident of the Golden State since 1882, and owns a fruit ranch on Cajon avenue and Palm street. He was born in Walworth County, Wisconsin, in December 1860. His parents, Russell and Adaline (Herrick) Waite, were from Genesee County, New York. His father was successfully engaged in farming and stock-raising in Wisconsin for over thirty years. He is now retired from business and resides on the corner of Seventh and E streets. Our subject first went into the nursery business in Redlands with his brother, but … Read more

Ancestry of Herbert Isam Mitchell of Brockton, MA

Herbert I Mitchell

The family bearing the name of Mitchell is one of the oldest in the New World, its progenitor being Experience Mitchell, who came over in 1623 in the “Ann,” and from that time to the present the records of various towns of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, chiefly Plymouth, Duxbury and the Bridgewaters, bear mute testimony of the prominence in peace and war of the members of the family in the different generations, and the present head of the family in Brockton, Isam Mitchell, president of Isam Mitchell & Co., lumber dealers and contractors, and his son, the late Herbert Isam Mitchell, active in business with his father and prominent in fraternal circles, have proved themselves firm in purpose and able in business.

Biographical Sketch of R. J. A. Mack

R. J. A. Mack, of Redlands, is a native of Syracuse, New York, born June 24, 1842. He received his education in the schools of Syracuse and Fulton, New York, and commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Townsend, of Syracuse; he also attended and graduated at the college at Geneva. He began practice at Syracuse, afterward continuing at Rochester, and later at Lyons, New York. Thence he removed to Chicago, where he attended Bennett Medical College (Eclectic), graduating in 1876. He practiced in Chicago until 1886, when he removed to California, and on the 9th of November of that … Read more

Biography of Simeon Cook

Simeon Cook, of Redlands, is a native of Richmond, Cheshire County, New Hampshire, born April 14, 1821; his parents being Simeon, Sr., and Rachel (Holman) Cook. Both parents came of old New England families, and the father of our subject went with his parents from Billingham, Massachusetts, to New Hampshire, when he was but three years of age. He was born December 8, 1770, and died March 18, 1859. Our subject’s mother was the daughter of Elijah Holman, who lived on the line between Winchester and Richmond, New Hampshire, and before her marriage to Simeon Cook, Sr., was the widow … Read more

Biography of David Morey

David Morey, one of the pioneers of Redlands, was born in Perry County, Pennsylvania, in 1824. His father, Jacob Morey, moved to Delaware County, Ohio, at an early day, and took a farm out of the woods. He died there at the age of ninety years. His mother, Barbara (Jacobs) Morey, is still living, at the advanced age of ninety-two years. The subject of this sketch left home at the age of fourteen to learn the cabinet trade. He worked at this trade in Marysville, and in 1842 went to Indianapolis, where he remained until 1845. He then went to … Read more

Biography of Benton O. Johnson

Benton O. Johnson, one of Redlands best known and highly respected citizens, is a native of Connecticut, born at Bethlehem, April 20, 1855. His parents were David and Sophia (Stone) Johnson, both of whom came of old Connecticut families, and the father a merchant. B. O. Johnson was but two years of age when his parents removed to the South. They resided at various places throughout the Southern country, among them New Orleans, Matamoras, Brownsville, etc., and the outbreak of the civil war found the elder Johnson carrying on the dry-goods business. In 1863 the family left the South and … Read more

Biography of Prof. C. N. Andrews

Prof. C. N. Andrews, of Redlands, was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, in 1852. His father, Robert Andrews, crossed the plains to California with an ox team in 1857. They were on the plains at the time of the Mountain Meadow massacre, and were five months and ten days from Boonville to Sacramento. He purchased a farm in Sonoma County, in 1859, and is still living on it. He had a family of four sons and one daughter. The subject of this sketch received his early training in the common schools of Sonoma County, is a graduate of several prominent … Read more

Parker, George “Brownie” – Obituary

Pine Creek, Oregon George “Brownie Parker Sr., 83, a resident of the Pine Creek area near Halfway, died May 3, 2002, at his home. His graveside service will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Pine Haven Cemetery in Halfway. George Perry Parker was born at Marietta, Okla., on March 31, 1919, to Sally and James Parker. Their family migrated to Roswell, N.M. around 1930. “Brownie” moved to Redlands, Calif., in 1933 working as a meat cutter there until 1936. At this time, he started a career of climbing trees that spanned seven decades. He moved to Bakersfield, Calif. in … Read more

Biography of W. Ladd

W. Ladd, of Redlands, first came to California in 1851. He shipped his horses and wagons from near Detroit, Michigan, to Chicago, and then to Missouri. April 9, 1851, they started from St. Joseph, Missouri, across the plains, and on August 11, of the same year, they arrived in Virginia City. Mr. Ladd mined until 1852, when he went back to Michigan by way of Panama. He worked at blacksmithing and the wagon-maker’s trade at Dearborn, Michigan, from 1852 until 1859, and on April 9, of the latter year, he again started from St. Joseph, Missouri, across the plains for … Read more

Biography of S. Taylor

S. Taylor. Among those who have contributed largely to the success and advancement of Redlands, none should receive more credit for untiring energy in the past than the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. He was a native of Canada, born at London, Ontario, October 8, 1854, his parents being John and Jane (Barter) Taylor, both of whom were born in England, the father being a contractor and builder. Our subject was reared and educated at his native place, and on arriving at a suitable age, commenced, as his first employment, clerking in a dry-goods store. After that he was … Read more

Biography of Prof. Charles Russell Paine

Prof. Charles Russell Paine, of Redlands, is a native of Massachusetts, born in Barnstable September 9, 1839, a son of John and Lucy (Crowell) Paine. He is one of a family of six children. He was graduated at Amherst College, and has taught in Maine, Rhode Island, Ohio, Indiana and California. He came to this latter State in 1870 and taught school in Riverside. He also taught the first school in Colton. In 1873 he established a private school in San Bernardino and in 1876 was elected County Superintendent of Schools. He subsequently served as principal of the city schools … Read more

Biographical Sketch of R. B. F. Watrons

R. B. F. Watrons. – No man in Redlands is more worthy of mention in a work of this kind than is B. F. Watrons, M. D. He came to Redlands with $350, with which he bought a team and went to work. He had previously contracted for ten acres of land for $1,000, and had paid $250 down. He began improving it the second year and put up a $400 house. He afterward bought ten acres more for $1,500 and borrowed money for the first payment. In five years he had bought and paid for thirty-one acres in Redlands … Read more