San Bernardino County CA

Biography of James T. O’pry

James T. O’pry, one of the representative and enterprising merchants of Colton, has a well equipped general merchandise store, centrally located on Front street opposite the Southern Pacific Railroad depot. Captain O’Pry came to Colton in February 1888, after years spent in active business pursuits in New Orleans, and in the next month established himself in mercantile pursuits. He also purchased a five-acre tract of orange land from the Colton Water Company and commenced horticultural industries by planting it with budded orange trees; and he is also interested in real estate in Colton, Glendora and other places. He is a … Read more

Biography of John C. Ralphs

John C. Ralphs, of San Bernardino, was born in Utah in 1852, while his parents were on their way to California. His father, Richard Ralphs, and his mother, Mary (Newal) Ralphs, were both born in England. His father was a potter and also a bricklayer by trade, and made the brick for the Los Angeles jail, also that in the old Workman property, after coming to California. He wintered once in Salt Lake City, and in 1852 he crossed the plains by ox team to California and bought seven acres of land, on which he built a cabin; this was … Read more

Bork, Agnes R. – Obituary

Agnes R. Bork, 92, formerly of Milton-Freewater died September 1, 1992 in Highland, California. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m., Tuesday, at Munselle-Rhodes Funeral Home. Pastor Dick Jewett of the Stateline Seventh-Day Adventist Church will officiate. Concluding services and burial will follow at the Milton-Freewater Cemetery. Those who wish to pay their respects may do so today from 1 to 5 p.m. at the funeral home. The oldest of three children, Mrs. Bork was born August 19, 1900, in Flora, Ore., to Frank and Ella Davis Lindley. The family moved to Wallula early in her life, and later returned … Read more

Biography of David O. Wilder

David O. Wilder, proprietor of the Pioneer Meat Market, the largest and best appointed market in the city of Riverside. The liberal patronage and support his enterprise receives from the community, is well merited, for he is a thorough master of his business, and prompt in meeting the demands of his customers. Mr. Wilder is one of the earlier settlers of Riverside, who came to California in 1874, and after a year spent in Bakersfield established himself in Riverside. Upon his arrival he purchased land and engaged in horticultural pursuits, and also established a bee ranch at Temescal, which he … Read more

Biography of Malcom Macdonald

Malcom Macdonald was born in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, May 9, 1833. He left home and became self-supporting at sixteen years of age. He married in July 1859, and he and his estimable wife have a family of four children, three daughters and one son: John Monroe Macdonald, aged twenty-one years, who is studying for the medical profession. San Bernardino Artificial Stone and Improvement Company was organized in March 1887, with a capital stock of $250,000, divided into 2,500 shares. John C. King was elected president; A. M. Murphy, vice-president; M. Davenport, secretary, and Malcom Macdonald, manager. The purpose of … 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

Biography of Dr. Clark W. Sylvester

Dr. Clark W. Sylvester, one of Riverside’s wealthy and most esteemed citizens, was born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 1850, son of Sewell and Mary J. (Foster) Sylvester, both natives of Maine. The father was an iron founder by trade, and although a hard-working man, with nothing but his daily labor to depend upon for the maintenance of his family, he was possessed with the innate sense of honor and the principles of a gentleman. He toiled assiduously and took upon himself liabilities to give a good education to his son, who, during vacations, worked respectively in a grocery, paint shop, … Read more

Biography of Alva A. Warren

Alva A. Warren, a citizen of Colton, was born in Oakland County, Michigan, July 21, 1836. His father, Z. J. Warren, a pioneer of Oakland County, Michigan, was born in New Jersey, August 31, 1801, and was for thirty years a teacher in the public schools. He also took a leading part in political matters, and held some important public offices. He moved from Michigan to Indiana, and front there to Illinois; then to Missouri; then to Iowa, and in 1852 he crossed the plains to California by ox team. He stopped in Nevada and Utah for seven years and … Read more

Biography of John Harrison

John Harrison, senior partner of the grocery firm of Harrison & Pace, was born in Hoboken, New Jersey, November 21, 1845, and is the youngest of three sons of Parker and Mrs. Agnes Harrison, Nee McMurray. He was educated in New York City, and at an early age became associated with an elder brother in the grocery business. On March 4, 1880, he married Miss Emma M. Bangerter, a native of New York, who was born on the day Abraham Lincoln was first elected President, in November 1860. They came to California on their wedding tour and remained. Before coming … Read more

Biography of Rev. Berry Edmiston

Rev. Berry Edmiston, of Riverside, located there in 1878. He first resided on the Government tract at the head of Magnolia avenue, on Palm avenue. In the spring of 1880 he purchased a ten-acre tract on the west side of Bandini Avenue, about three miles south of Riverside. Upon this tract he erected his cottage residence and devoted him-self to horticultural pursuits. He has now three acres in budded orange trees of the Washington Navel variety, two acres in apricots and about four acres in raisin grapes. In 1881 he purchased a ten-acre tract adjoining him, on the south and … Read more

Biography of Alfred B. Miner

Alfred B. Miner, one of the leading and representative businessmen of Colton, and as the president of the Colton Packing Company is at the head of one of the most important industries of that city. Mr. Miner is a native of Michigan, dating his birth in Genesee County in 1842. His father, Pilo Miner, was reared in Genesee County, New York, and was an early settler in Michigan, and engaged in farming. Mr. Miner was reared to farm life, and given a fair education in the public schools. He was an energetic and thorough worker, but he was never intended … Read more

Biography of Wellsford E. West

Among the horticultural industries well worthy of mention is that of Mr. West, conducted upon a twenty-acre tract, located on the west side of Magnolia avenue, between Jackson and Van Buren, about six miles south of Riverside. Mr. West came to this place in 1884, and in July of the next year purchased his present home, and entered upon horticultural pursuits. The place was planted with trees and vines and partially improved in buildings. He commenced a thorough cultivation and fertilization, and added to that a vigorous pruning systematically applied, that has produced wonderful results, and today his groves and … Read more

Biography of Charles C. Rich

Pioneer of Utah, California and Idaho, Charles C. Rich figured prominently in the early development of these states, and took an active part in furthering the welfare and promoting the progress of the commonwealths. He was also a most able exponent of the faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and with a colony of believers he founded the beautiful and thriving little city of Paris, the County of Bear Lake, Idaho, and the Mormon colonies of southeastern Idaho. A native of Kentucky, Mr. Rich was born in Campbell County, in 1809, and was of English … Read more

Biography of George W. Suttonfield

George W. Suttonfield was born at Fort Wayne, Indiana, February 14, 1825. His father, Colonel William Suttonfield, a native of Virginia, was in the regular army, under General Harrison, in the Black Hawk war. He built the first house in Fort Wayne and lived there until his death, which occurred in 1841. His wife, Laura (Taylor) Suttonfield, was a native of Connecticut. They had six children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the fourth. He attended Wabash College at Crawfordsville, Indiana, for four years, and in 1849 came to California. He started from Fort Smith, Arkansas, in April, … 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

Biographical Sketch of Reuben J. Anderson

Reuben J. Anderson was born in Smithfield, Madison County, New York; he passed his youth and early manhood like most boys, and in the spring of 1853 came by water to California. He landed at San Francisco May 5, 1853, and followed mining for three years. He subsequently purchased 160 acres of land five miles from San Jose, and here farmed for two years. He then sold out and bought a place a mile west of Haywards, and remained on it until 1856, when he removed to San Bernardino County. He bought land near town, on which he kept stock. … Read more

Biography of William Finch

Among the prominent and well-known horticulturists of Riverside is the subject of this sketch. A brief resume of his life is as follows: Mr. Finch dates his birth in Rensselaer County, New York, in 1821. He was reared and schooled at his native place near the city of Albany, and followed the occupation of his father, which was that of a farmer. His parents, Cyrenius and Minerva (North) Finch, were both natives of New York. In 1850 Mr. Finch started for the great West, and was among the pioneer settlers of Minnesota. He first located in Ramsay County; thence went … Read more

Biography of Judge William W. Noland

Judge William W. Noland, Riverside’s well-known City Recorder and the impartial Judge of her municipal court, was born in Anderson, Madison County, Indiana, June 25, 1825. He is a descendant of representative Southern families. His father, Brazelton Noland, was a native of Kentucky. He was one of the earliest pioneers of Madison County, Indiana, locating there in 1821. Judge Noland’s mother was a native of North Carolina. Her name before marriage was Nancy Russell. The subject of this sketch was reared in the pioneer days of his native place, schooled in the log cabin schoolhouse by the itinerant teacher of … Read more

Biography of Thomas Jonathan Wilson

Thomas Jonathan Wilson, the oldest in active pedagogical work of all teachers in San Bernardino County, is a native of Union County, Kentucky, and was born February 7, 1845. At the age of eleven years he moved with his parents to Sedalia, Missouri, in which State he was educated for the purpose of teaching. He taught two years in Texas, and at the instigation of his father, studied medicine, nearly completing the course, and did some practice, sufficient to satisfy himself that the duties of the school-room were more congenial to his taste than dealing out powders and pills. Meeting … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Edward M. Cooley

Edward M. Cooley was born in San Bernardino County, California, November 23, 1859. His father, George Cooley, president of the board of supervisors, taught night school for some two or three years. Our subject’s educational advantages were limited. He received his principal schooling at a log schoolhouse about six miles from his home. He now owns a fine ranch of sixty acres, and has been very successful as a general farmer and stock-raiser. He was married March 4, 1882, to Miss Mary McCrary, daughter of Abner McCrary, a sketch of whose life appears elsewhere in this work. They have two … Read more