San Bernardino County CA

Fortney, Jefferson S. – Obituary

Jefferson S. Fortney, 85, former valley resident, died Sunday [December 17] at Yucaipa, Calif. He was born Aug. 29, 1893, east of Kittitas in an area known as Warm Springs. He is the son of the late Levi and Julia Hayes Fortney. He married Alice Anderson in Ellensburg in 1913. He was employed by the Milwaukee Railroad in 1915 and worked as a section foreman and superintendent of the Extra Gang. He moved to Tacoma in 1930 and retired in 1958. He was preceded in death by his wife, July 23, 1962 in Tacoma. He moved to California in 1968. … Read more

McClellan, Vella – Obituary

Died at San Bernardino, California, February 9, 1922 Vella McClellan. Deceased was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. McClellan of Union. She had been an invalid for a number of years and was staying with an aunt in California. Her remains were shipped to Union, arriving Tuesday morning. The funeral was held Tuesday afternoon, February 14, at 2 o’clock p.m., at the Latter Day Saints church. Interment in the Union cemetery. Contributed by: Larry Rader

Biographical Sketch of David Brush

David Brush a farmer of Orange County, was born in Fulton County, Illinois, October 12, 1848, a son of John and Martha (Faucet) Brush, both natives of Pennsylvania. His father was one of the pioneers of San Bernardino County in 1855, where he lived for over twenty years. He crossed the plains to California in 1854, with an ox team, being on the road six months. He stopped at Salt Lake eight months, to recruit stock and obtain supplies. David, our subject, came to what is now Orange County, fifteen years ago, and bought forty acres of land at Newport, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Andrew B. Paris

Andrew B. Paris, attorney, San Bernardino, was born in Virginia, in 1839, and was educated in the Virginia Military Institute, at which he was graduated in 1860. Upon the breaking out of the war he enlisted in the Confederate army, served four years, rose to the rank of Colonel, and at the close of hostilities was chief of artillery of General Hoke’s division of General Joseph E. Johnston’s army. After the war closed he studied law in the University of Virginia, and was admitted to the bar in 1866. Locating in Charlotte County, Virginia, he practiced his profession till 1873. … Read more

Biography of Edward Lester

Edward Lester was born at Covington, Kentucky, in 1829. His parents, Joseph and Elizabeth (Holmes) Lester, were natives of Yorkshire, England. They came to the United States in 1818 and settled in Indiana and later located in Covington. There his father was engaged in building, and later as an employee in the first cotton factory that was ever erected west of the Alleghany Mountains. In 1830 Mr. Lester’s parents settled in Hamilton County, Ohio, and engaged in agricultural pursuits. There the subject of this sketch was reared and schooled. His schooling was such as could be obtained in the common … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Hosking

John Hosking, the son of James and Jane Hosking, is a native of Cornwall, England, born February 22, 1839, and there reared a miner. He immigrated to California in August 1867, coming by the way of the Isthmus of Panama. He first worked in the mines in Tuolumne County, then in Amador County mines. In 1870 he was appointed foreman of the original Amador mines. In 1873 the Sierra Buttes Gold Mining Company appointed him foreman of the Plumas Eureka Mines. In 1883 he was appointed superintendent of the said mines, which position he now holds. He was married to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of C. E. Owen

C. E. Owen, a pioneer of 1849, residing on the corner of Olive and Eureka streets, Redlands, was born in Sheffield, Ohio. March 16, 1840, he left Ohio for California, shipping his horses and wagons to Chicago. At St. Joe, Missouri, he traded his horses for oxen. He left Iowa Point, May 10, 1849, with a company consisting of 100 wagons, and September 10 of the same year they arrived in the Sacramento valley with eighty-three wagons, under Captain Dorland. Mr. Owen can tell some interesting incidents of the journey across the plains, and of his experiences as a miner … Read more

Biography of Amos W. Bemis

Amos W. Bemis, living two and one-half miles west of San Bernardino, on Fifth Street, is one of the early and successful pioneers of this county. He was born in Jefferson County, New York, and is a son of Alvin Bemis, who with his family removed to Ohio when Amos was eight years of age. In 1844 he removed to Lee County, Iowa, where he died in 1847. The family lived in Lee County three years after Mr. Bemis’ death, and in 1851 the mother, seven sons and three daughters, started for California. Amos being the eldest the others naturally … Read more

Biography of Benjamin Frank Allen

The subject of this sketch is among the early settlers of Riverside, and ranks as one of the successful horticulturists of the colony. Mr. Allen is a native of New England, dating his birth in Aroostook County, Maine, in 1844. His parents were John and Joanna (Ramsdell) Allen, both natives of that State. His father was one of the pioneers of that section and one of the wealthiest agriculturists in the county. He died in Riverside in 1886, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. Mr. Allen was reared to farm life and given the benefits of a common-school education. … Read more

Biography of Joshua S. Beam

Joshua S. Beam, a native of North Carolina, was born in 1826, the seventh of a family of twelve children. His parents, Peter and Ann (Long) Beam, were both born, reared, lived and died in North Carolina. John T. Beam, a weaver by trade, one of the ancestors, came from Germany and worked seven years for a man who paid his passage to America. The subject of this sketch went to Arkansas in the spring of 1850 with his brother-in-law. In April 1852, he started to cross the plains with an ox team, and arrived in California in September of … Read more

Marvin, Rebecca Louise “Becky” Ladwig Mrs. – Obituary

Rebecca Louise “Becky” Ladwig Marvin, 56, of Apple Valley, Calif., a former Baker City resident, died of cancer on Aug. 6, 2005, at her daughter’s home in Victorville, Calif. Her funeral will be at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Dudley Apple Valley Mortuary in Apple Valley, Calif. Pastor Steve Arsenault will officiate. Private inurnment will be at Sunset Hills Memorial Park in Apple Valley. She was born at Spokane, Wash., lived at Baker City for a time and had spent the past 26 years at Apple Valley where she worked as a medical records statistics clerk at the Victor Valley … Read more

Biography of Dward J. Davis

Dward J. Davis, born in Devizes, Wiltshire County, England, in 1844, son of Robert and Sarah (MacVittie) Davis, natives of that country. The subject of this sketch was reared and given the advantages of a common-school education in his native place, and when fifteen years of age was apprenticed to the trade of a carpenter and builder. He served a seven years apprenticeship and entered life as a journeyman, a thorough master of his calling in all its details, and established himself in London. He was also employed on the Government work at Woolwich, and later on the Paris Exposition … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Richard Gird

Richard Gird is the well-known owner of the Chino Ranch, San Bernardino County. The few facts obtained in regard to his life and successful career form an interesting chapter in this Memorial History. Mr. Gird was born in Herkimer County, New York, in 1836. His father, John Gird, was a native of New Jersey, a farmer by occupation, and to that calling he reared his son, giving him the benefits of such an education as could be procured in the common schools. The subject of this sketch was of studious habits and disposition, and made the best of his advantages. … Read more

Biography of Alma Whitlock

Alma Whitlock, the pioneer dentist of Southern California, first commenced the practice of his profession in San Bernardino in 1857, and has been continuously in practice in the city ever since 1859. He was born in Missouri in 1831. His parents, who were both natives of New England, were brought up from childhood in Ohio. His mother, formerly Miss Abbot, was a relative of the Garfield family. They started for California across the plains from Tipton, Iowa, in the spring of 1850, and spent the winter of 1850-’51 in Utah, and resumed the journey on the following spring, reaching Hangtown, … Read more

Biography of Samuel C. Evans

Samuel C. Evans, one of the most prominent men of Riverside, and who has spent over fifteen years of an active business life in conducting some of the largest business enterprises in the colony, one of which is the Riverside Land and Irrigation Company, came to Riverside in 1874 and purchased a half interest in nearly 10,000 acres of land, known as the Hartshorn tract; the land is now known as the Arlington part of Riverside and Arlington Heights. Captain W. T. Sayward, of San Francisco, was the owner of the other half. These gentlemen in the same year commenced … Read more

Biography of William Craig, M. D.

William Craig, M. D., Redlands, was born in Pennsylvania, January 2, 1818. His father, Samuel Craig, was a tanner and farmer, and moved to Clark County, Ohio, in 1819. Our subject attended the common schools of Clark County, and in 1848 graduated at the Starling Medical College, at Columbus, Ohio. He then practiced medicine in Shelby County three years, and in Auglaize County three years. The five years following this he practiced in Winchester, Indiana, where he also carried on a drug business. Then he went to Muncie, Indiana, where he engaged in the drug business and practiced medicine for … Read more

Biography of Joseph Hancock

Joseph Hancock, a rancher near San Bernardino, was born near Cleveland, Ohio, in 1822, and is the son of Solomon and Alta (Adams) Hancock, natives of Massachusetts and Vermont respectively. His father was born in 1793, and his mother in 1795, and were of English descent. The great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.  His paternal great-grandmother was the daughter of General Ward. Solomon Hancock was a frontiersman in the Buckeye State, a farmer, but in his early days spent much time in hunting deer and wild turkey, with which … Read more

Biography of Thomas Benton Hutchings

Thomas Benton Hutchings, residing five miles east of San Bernardino, on Base Line, was born in Ray County, Missouri, in 1852. His parents, Hovey and Amanda (McQuiston) Hutchings, had a family of five children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the youngest. His mother died when he was but six weeks old, and his father married a second time and had six children by his last marriage. He was a farmer, owning several farms, also a dry-goods merchant and owner of a large sawmill, but lost nearly all of his property by the late war. He made a … Read more

Biography of David A. Correll

David A. Correll is the proprietor of the well known Blue Front Grocery Store, one of the pioneer establishments of the city. He is also one of the oldest grocers now in business in Riverside, having been identified with the trade since 1883. Mr. Correll came to Riverside in 1882. His capital was limited, and although broken in health he was possessed of an unlimited stock of energy and well-trained business principles. He first engaged as a laborer with the Riverside Land and Irrigation Company, and remained in that employ until the next year, when he secured a position in … Read more

Biography of Frank Petchner

Frank Petchner is one of Riverside’s pioneer settlers. He arrived in Riverside in December 1870 and has ever since been identified with her interests and enterprises. Mr. Petchner had spent many years in frontier life in the Territories, and had been engaged in mercantile and mining enterprises, and had made and lost fortunes; but when he located at Riverside he was without means, and dependent for the support of his family upon such labor as could be obtained. He was a blacksmith and opened a blacksmith shop on the corner of Sixth and Main streets; he also bought a block … Read more