Santa Ana California

Biography of Hon. William H. Spurgeon

The Honorable William H. Spurgeon founder of the city of Santa Ana, and the principal factor of its subsequent growth, is a native of Henry County, Kentucky, born October 10, 1829, his parents being Granville and Levina (Sibley) Spurgeon, the latter a native of Virginia, the former of Kentucky. The Spurgeons, of English origin, chose for their first location in this country, North Carolina. From those of the family who afterward removed to Kentucky, our subject springs. When he was but a year old, the family removed to Indiana, and ten years later they settled in Clark County, northeast Missouri. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of A. J. Howe, M. D.,

A. J. Howe M. D., of Santa Ana, was born in Vermont in January, 1850. His father, Philip Howe, M. D., is still living in this city. He moved to Illinois when the subject of this sketch was only four years old, locating in Macoupin County, where he remained until 1863. He then made a three months’ trip across the plains to this State. Dr. Howe graduated at the State Normal School in San Francisco in 1870, and subsequently taught school in several different counties in this State, and at the same time prosecuted medical studies. In 1873 he graduated … Read more

Biography of William Dresser

William Dresser the proprietor of extensive farms and a resident of Santa Ana, was born in East Smithfield, London, England, August 20, 1813. His parents, Christopher and Mary Dresser, came to America in 1824, landing at Montreal. Subsequently they settled in northern New York, in 1833 in Ohio, and in 1836 in Boone County, Illinois, They had four children. His father was born January 1, 1769, and died June 13, 1841; and his mother, born June 25, 1772, died November 9, 1845. By trade his father was a “linen draper,” which in England corresponds with a dry-goods merchant in the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Henry A. Peabody

Henry A. Peabody manager of the Santa Ana Blade, was born in Detroit, Michigan, Starch 19, 1837; in 1847 he was a newsboy in Cincinnati, Ohio; in March, 1857, as a journeyman printer. He started from Columbia, Missouri, for California, crossing the plains, and arriving at Colusa, California, September 1, 1857, barefooted and without a coat to his back. There he hired himself out to drive an ox team, three yoke, to Petaluma, California, earning his first money in the State. About September 20 he took work in the Democrat office at Santa Rosa, California, and from that time followed … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jacob Ross

Jacob Ross, deceased, formerly a resident of Santa Ana, was literally the first pioneer in this place, coining here when the land was owned by the Spaniards, and buying some 2,500 acres of the Santa Ana de Santiago rancho. He also bought other lands near where the city of Santa Ana now stands, and improved a farm one mile west of the city, where Mrs. Ross now lives. He crossed the plains to this coast with wagons in 1865, and many were the hardships he endured. In the early days here his crops had to be guarded both day and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Dorr B. Chaffee

Dorr B. Chaffee a resident of Garden Grove, was born in Kane County, Illinois, in 1841, a son of Eber and Anna (Davis)Chaffee, natives of Vermont, and of English and Scotch origin. His father was born in 1799, and died in 1877, and his mother, born in 1803, died in 1876. The subject of this sketch, the first in their family of twelve children, born in Illinois, was educated at Elgin Academy. Afterward he taught school in Kane County, and then engaged in the dairy business a number of years at Elgin. He came to California in 1881; has made … Read more

Coffee, Alice Wiles – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon Alice Wiles Coffee, mother of Bob Coffee of Enterprise, died Aug. 30, 1989, at Wallowa Memorial Hospital. She was born Dec. 9.1915, at Santa Ana, Calif., the daughter of Scott and Mary Wiles. On Dec.22, 1945, she married George L. Coffee at Long Beach, Calif. He preceded her in death on March 3, 1989. She worked as a parachute rigger in Long Beach, Calif., during World War II where she met her husband. She was a homemaker. After the death of her husband, she moved to Enterprise. Survivors include her son, Bob Coffee, Enterprise, daughter, Kathy … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Dr. R. F. Burgess

Dr. R. F. Burgess of Santa Ana, was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in 1834, and when he was quite young the family removed to New York State, and three years afterward to Michigan, locating in Washtenaw County, where they remained about twelve years. The father died in Montcalm County, that State, when the subject of this sketch was seventeen years of age, and the latter therefore had to look after the welfare of the family. He served three years in Company A, Twenty-first Michigan Infantry, during the last war, going out as a wagoner and having charge of an ordnance … Read more

Biography of H. Titchenal

H. Titchenal, of Santa Ana, was born in Harrison County, West Virginia, January 2, 1817, a son of John R. and Rebecca (Harbertt) Titchenal, both natives of West Virginia. His father, a black-smith by trade, moved to Missouri in 1819, and in 1833 to the vicinity of Fort Smith, Arkansas, where he died January 16, 1831. The second of his nine children, the subject of this sketch, and a sister, are the only surviving members of the family. Mr. Titchenal was brought up to the life of a stock-raiser. From 1835 to 1852 he followed his calling, and also mercantile … Read more

Biography of John Hartley Smith

John Hartley Smith, the founder and president of the First National Bank of San Bernardino, and one of the most thorough business men and experienced bankers in Southern California, was born in Jackson County, Virginia, in 1835. He came to Ohio at the age of fifteen, and in 1853 he came to California and spent two years in the gold mines, chiefly in Mariposa County. He was quite successful, and in 1855 returned to Ohio with considerable money and a fund of experience which has proved of great value to him in his subsequent business career, as well as fraught … Read more

Biography of John Shirley

John Shirley, one of Santa Ana’s most respected citizens, is a native of Hancock County, Ohio, born in 1835, and his parents were Daniel and Annie (Crow) Shirley, natives of Virginia. His father, a farmer and blacksmith, moved to Jackson County, Iowa, in 1850, and died there in 1872. When a lad the subject of this sketch drove an ox team across the plains to this State, and for the first several years here he followed mining at Placerville and other places till 1864, when he came with the soldiers to Southern California and Arizona. He enlisted in Company K, … Read more

Biography of J. H. Moesser

J. H. Moesser, one of the early pioneers of Southern California, who was a wanderer for many years over several States of the Union, began life in the city of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, February 21, 1835. His father, Frederick H. Moesser, was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, town of Altheim, Germany, and was a dry-goods merchant, baker and butcher, at different times. He moved with his family a wife and two children-to Ohio, where he remained a few years; then he moved to Missouri and subsequently to Nauvoo, Illinois. He died at Warsaw, Illinois, in 1853. His mother, Magdalena (Gundel before marriage) Moesser, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of A. R. Dresser

A. R. Dresser one of the pioneers of Santa Ana, and a successful businessman, was born in De Kalb County, Illinois, in 1839. For his parentage see sketch of William Dresser. He started out life for himself at the age of twenty-one as a farmer. In 1861 he came to California, located first in Sutter County, where he “held down a squatter’s claim” until 1870, when he Came to Southern California and located in Santa Ana, where he has since resided; and here he devotes his attention mostly to agricultural pursuits. His first purchase was that of 140 acres in … Read more

Cerato, Mildred Elva – Obituary

Joseph, Oregon Mildred Elva Cerato, 88, of College Place, Wash., died Dec. 11, 2003, on her birthday at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Walla Walla, Wash. She was born on Dec. 11, 1915 in Santa Ana, Calif. to George W. and Mary Ella (Pearce) Todd. In 1937, she married John A. Cerato and the couple lived and raised a family in California. After her husband died, Mrs. Cerato moved to Joseph in 1992 to be near her daughter. She was an active member of the Joseph Baptist Church, doing mission work, serving for a time as president of the women’s … Read more