San Bernardino California

Biography of Lucian D. Crandall

Lucian D. Crandall, senior partner of the firm of L. D. Crandall & Co., proprietors of one of the largest retail grocery houses in San Bernardino, is a native son, born in that city in 1857. As he grew to manhood he had a strong desire to visit other portions of the continent, and, wishing to combine business with travel, he joined his brother, W. N. Crandall, when about eighteen years old, in railroad contracting, and they were engaged in that business in Utah, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Montana and the Dominion of Canada and the Northwest Territory about … Read more

Biography of Charles C. Wainwright, M. D.

Charles C. Wainwright, M D., Coroner of San Bernardino County and City Health Officer, was born in Ohio, in 1851, and educated in Cincinnati. He came to California first in 1870, and spent about three years in teaching school, after which he went back East and completed his course in medicine, graduating at Cincinnati Medical College, May 9, 1876. He returned to California the same year and has practiced his profession in the State ever since. He settled in San Bernardino in 1882, and in 1884 was elected coroner on the Republican ticket; was re-elected in 1886, and again in … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Joseph David Gilbert, Sr.

Joseph David Gilbert, Sr., a prominent farmer near San Bernardino, is a native of Cattaraugus County, New York, born in 1827. His grandfather ran away from London, England, and was a soldier in the French and Indian war, also in the Revolution. His father, Truman Gilbert, married Rebecca Fay, a native of England, and immediately after his marriage he moved to the Western Reserve in Ohio, where he remained until 1842, when he moved to the Mississippi river, and from there to Montana, where he died in 1882. The subject of this sketch kept a ferry at Montrose, across the … Read more

Biography of Truman Reeves

Truman Reeves, late proprietor of the oldest jewelry store in San Bernardino, and probably the only one-armed watchmaker in the world, established the business in that city in 1874. In 1857, when a youth of sixteen years, he commenced learning the watchmaker’s and jeweler’s trade with Julius King, in Warren, Ohio. He worked on his father’s farm in Orwell, Ashtabula County, where he had moved with his parents from Chardon, Ohio, his birthplace, until he went to the trade. Upon the inception of the war of the Rebellion, his ardent patriotism impelled him to respond to the first call by … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Reginald E. Mcdonald, M. D.

Reginald E. Mcdonald, M. D., has been in the active practice of medicine in San Bernardino since 1884. He is a native of the city of Toronto, Canada, born in 1856, and obtained his literary education in Victoria University and Upper Canada College. He spent one year studying for his profession in the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Toronto, and three years in the California Medical College at San Francisco, and was graduated at the latter in 1883. Before coming to California, Dr. McDonald spent a year and a half, 1881-’82, on North Georgian Bay, as surgeon for a … Read more

Biography of George W. Prescott

George W. Prescott, of San Bernardino, Master Mechanic of the Southern California Railroad, and one of the most expert mechanical engineers in this country, was born in New Hampshire fifty-one years ago. At the early age of seven years he was left without father or mother, and at thirteen he left his native State and started out to fight the battle of life alone and unaided. Going west as far as Ohio, he spent the next-five years in the old city of Chillicothe, where, following the natural bent of his mind, he studied the business of machinist, and when just … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Henry Wozencraft

Henry Wozencraft, of Wozencraft & Co., compilers of abstracts of title, San Bernardino. Among the oldest and most reliable companies in the abstract business and searcher of records in San Bernardino County, is Wozencraft & Co. This company has been established about twelve years and has a complete set of hooks, maps and the finest property indexes in Southern California. Henry Wozencraft, the senior member of the firm, is an old resident of San Bernardino County, having lived there for the past twenty years, which makes him thoroughly acquainted with the real-estate business and topography of the country. This firm … Read more

Biography of Hon. John Lloyd Campbell

Hon. John Lloyd Campbell, Judge of the Superior Court in and for San Bernardino County, was born in Equality, Gallatin County, Illinois, in 1855. His father, Hon. John Lewis Campbell, was connected with the banking business in Shawnee town, and with iron and salt manufacture in Southern Illinois for many years. In 1857 he moved to Sioux City, Iowa, and was there elected County Judge. When the war of the Rebellion broke out, he moved back to Illinois and enlisted in the Third Illinois Cavalry, of which he was made Major. In 1863, while placing his pickets near Jackson, Mississippi, … Read more

Biography of Hon. Byron Waters

Hon. Byron Waters.-Not a few of the persons who have so stamped their individuality upon their age and shaped the great events of their time that their names are inseparably interwoven in history, and whose lives and deeds stand out as milestones making the march of the world’s progress, are self-made men. These characters, by their inherent strength, indomitable will, resistless energy and persistent industry, surmount obstacles and overcome opposition that would dishearten and crush lesser spirits and rise to the summit of human attainment. In this struggling with adversity are developed a power of mind and fertility of resource … Read more

Biography of George Jordan

George Jordan, proprietor of the largest jewelry house in San Bernardino County, has been in the business in California twenty-three years. Born in Germany forty-eight years ago, he immigrated to the United States when a youth of fifteen, and after stopping for a time in New York, went south into Georgia, where he remained during the late civil war. After the close of the conflict he returned to his native land and spent two years in business in Europe. Re-crossing the Atlantic, he came directly to the Pacific coast and opened a jewelry store in San Francisco, where he carried … Read more

Biography of Edwin Chidsey Seymour

Edwin Chidsey Seymour, Sheriff of San Bernardino County, was born in Otsego County, New York, in 1845. His father, also a native of the Empire State, was a cabinet-maker by trade, and moved to northern Pennsylvania when Edwin was a lad of seven years. Here he grew up to manhood and learned the trade of cabinet-maker with his father. Upon the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion he responded to his country’s call, entering the army as a member of the Seventy-sixth Pennsylvania Infantry, and remained four years and nearly three months, chiefly in the Army of the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Amos Stiles

Amos Stiles, retired, San Bernardino, was born in Kennebec, Maine, in 1823. His father, Israel Stiles, a farmer, moved to the northern part of New Brunswick. In 1843 the subject of this sketch went to Ohio, where he remained four years, and then returned to New Brunswick, where he remained until 1819. He was married in Nova Scotia, in 1849, to Miss Rebecca O’Brien, and soon after his marriage he moved to Utah, where he lived four years. In 1860 he left with teams for California, and arrived in San Bernardino in December of the same year. Here he bought … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Andrew Lytle

Andrew Lytle, deceased, was born in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, in 1812. His parents moved to Akron, Ohio, when he was a small boy. At the age of twenty-one years he went back to Pennsylvania and married Hannah Hull. This lady was the daughter of Abner and Martha (Skinner) Hull, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Connecticut. In 1834, two years after his marriage, he moved to Portage County, Ohio. Next he moved to Bidwell County, Missouri, and two years later to Nauvoo, Illinois. From the latter place he removed to Salt Lake, where he remained several years. In 1850 he came … Read more

Biography of John Calvin Dixon

John Calvin Dixon, proprietor of the C. O. D. Grocery, San Bernardino, was born in 1840, in Reynoldsburg, Franklin County, Ohio, and there spent the first eighteen years of his life. In 1858 he moved with his father’s family to Jasper County, Iowa, and there his father, who was a brick-mason by trade, and had also been a farmer, engaged in the grocery business, with John as assistant in the store. Upon the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion he promptly responded to his country’s call for volunteers and enlisted as a member of the Fifth Iowa Infantry … Read more

Biography of F. Garner

F. Garner, residing on Mount Vernon Avenue, San Bernardino, was born near Quincy, Illinois, March 5, 1835. His parents were George and Elizabeth Garner. His father moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, at an early day, and remained there one year when he crossed the plains to Utah, where he spent one winter. Frank was fifteen years of age when they left the Missouri river, and he drove an ox team all the way to California. While crossing the Missouri river on a ferry-boat, the team which he afterward drove became frightened and jumped off the boat into the water, and swam … Read more

Biography of Samuel Alder

Samuel Alder is one of the pioneer mechanics of Riverside, having established the first carriage making, and general blacksmithing ever founded in the city. No history of the manufacturing and business enterprises of Riverside could be considered complete without a mention of Mr. Alder, and his association with the building up of the city and colony. The subject of this sketch was born in Wiltshire, England, in 1845, son of Samuel and Ann (Chivers) Alder, both being natives of that county. His father was a weaver by occupation and the family was dependent upon his wages alone for support. The … Read more

Biography of Isaac W. Hazelett, M. D.

Isaac W. Hazelett, M. D., one of the longest in practice in San Bernardino, and a leading member of the medical profession in this county, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 6, 1855; was reared from infancy till seventeen years of age at Zanesville, Ohio, and received his early education in the public schools of that city and in the Ohio Wesleyan University. He prosecuted his medical studies in Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, graduating therefrom in March 1879, having been resident house physician in the hospital for a year previous. After graduation he spent two years in the hospital, … Read more

Welch, Roy – Obituary

Roy Welch Was A Barber At Haines Graveside services were held September 24 for a former Haines resident. Roy Jackson Welch who passed away September 20, 1973 in San Bernardino, California. Burial was in the family plot at Hemet, California where he had lived for several years. Mr. Welch was a retired barber. He owned and operated barber shops in Haines, Oregon and California and had followed the barber trade for fifty years. He was born in Haines, Baker County, Oregon September 22, 1904, the son of G.W. and Ida Long Jackson, foster son of W.I. and Clara Long Welch. … Read more

Biography of Joseph C. Rich

Judge Joseph C. Rich, eldest son of Hon. Charles C. Rich, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this history, was born in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois, January 16, 1841. His mother’s maiden name was Sarah D. Pea, good stock all around, his ancestors being of that hardy pioneer school who have subdued the wilds of the middle and western states and made possible the grandeur of those noble commonwealths. When but a boy of five years he, in connection with his parents and several thousand others, was driven from the city of his birth by mobocratic persecution, and commenced … Read more

Biography of R. T. Roberds

[The following sketch is in Mr. Roberds’ own language:] I was born in Monroe County, state of Mississippi, April 9, 1837. My father, John Roberds, was born in Franklin County, Georgia, in August, 1800. My mother, Martha T. Roberds, was born in Madison County, Alabama, May 16, 1817. My father died in San Bernardino, October 15, 1878, being seventy-eight years of age. He was in the Black Hawk war, and learned to speak the Choctaw and Chickasaw languages. My mother still lives in San Bernardino. “Early in the spring of 1846, when a boy nine years of age, I left … Read more