Biography of Fenton M. Slaughter

Fenton M. Slaughter is one of the well-known and prominent men of San Bernardino County. A brief review of his life is one of interest in the annals of Southern California. Mr. Slaughter was born January 10, 1826, a descendant from an old colonial family of Virginia, who emigrated from England in 1616. His father, Robin Lewis Slaughter, was born in Culpeper County, Virginia, April 25, 1779, the son of Robin and Ann Slaughter. October 25, 1803, he married Miss Elizabeth Gillem, a native of Rockbridge County, Virginia. He died in 1834, leaving a family of eleven children for his … Read more

Biography of Horace Saunders

Horace Saunders, one of the representative orange-growers of Riverside, owns a ten-acre tract on Colton avenue, on the corner of Russell street, about one mile north of the business center of Riverside. This grove was planted with seedling oranges as early as 1872 by its then owner, W. P Russell, and later many of the seedlings were replaced by budded trees. The grove now contains 800 seedlings and 400 budded orange trees, besides a small variety of deciduous fruits for family use. Mr. Saunders purchased the place in 1880, and has since conducted its cultivation. He has made many improvements … Read more

Biography of Thomas R. Cundiff

Thomas R. Cundiff came to California in 1874, and the next year located in Riverside. Upon his arrival he sought work as a nurseryman, and first worked for Mr. Carleton, and then Mr. Russell. He soon became familiar with horticultural pursuits, and purchasing a team and wagon engaged in improving and planting orchards and orange grove lands for non-residents. He worked for several years at this, and some of the now finest fruit groves in the colony were those he planted in the early days, among which may be noted the groves of Peter Suman and Henry Jaracki, on Brockton … Read more

Biography of Henry William Wulfekuhler

Henry William Wulfekuhler. The late Henry William Wulfekuhler, who helped to build the City of Leavenworth and for nearly a half century was identified with its commercial and financial history, was of German nativity, his birth having occurred at Osnabruck, in the Province of Hanover, August 9, 1834. His father and grandfather before him, both named Christopher, together with their immediate ancestors, lived and died there at the old place which gave them birth. The mother of Henry W. Wulfekuhler was Charlotta, daughter of William Wissman, and was from Versmold, Prussia. The early years of Henry W. Wulfekuhler were passed … Read more

Biography of William R. Russell

William R. Russell, one of the earliest settlers of Riverside and for many years a leading horticulturist of the colony, is a native of Holt County, Missouri, born in 1840, son of John and Margaret (Oiler) Russell, the former a descendant of a prominent Southern family and a native of Kentucky, who early in life settled in Ohio and was there married, his wife being a native of Virginia. In 1840 he moved to Missouri and settled in the county where the subject of this sketch was born. When William was fourteen years of age, his father crossed the plains … Read more

Biography of George W. Longenecker, M. D.

George W. Longenecker, M. D. Fifteen years of conscientious work in his profession have brought Doctor Longenecker some of the best rewards and honors that come to the doctor in his home community at Elsmore, and he had long been recognized as one of the leading physicians and citizens of Allen County. Doctor Longenecker is a native of Kansas, having been born on a farm in Miami County March 5, 1876. His paternal ancestors were of German stock, but have lived in this country since Colonial days. Several generations of the family lived in Pennsylvania, where Doctor Longenecker’s grandfather spent … Read more

Biography Of John S. Amick

John S. Amick. It is a strong augury of success for a young man to have a variety of experiences in practical matters before he assumes professional work. Especially if he is a lawyer, his substantial future is far more assured in the West than if he possessed a greater fund of professional knowledge and less ability to judge of persons and things in a common sense way–which comes only with actual experience, and often of the hard kind. Such remarks as the foregoing hold true in the career and progress of John Amick, a young lawyer of Lawrence who … Read more

Biography Of John H. Miller

John H. Miller. In a study of conditions which have combined for the advancement of men of prominence in the business world, the student invariably finds that those upon whom rests dependence for counsel, advice and leadership are those who have won their way to the forefront through the force of their own industry and application, rising gradually and fighting their way in the face of all opposition. The traits of character which may be depended upon for the greatest rewards are industry, integrity, self-reliance and perseverance, and to these may be attributed the success that had crowned the efforts … Read more

Biography of Hon. William A. Conn

Hon. William A. Conn, of San Bernardino, is one of those strong individualities in the pioneer history of California, who by his force of character and intellect stamped his impress upon the early civilization of the Golden State. Though a number of the first years of his residence on the Pacific coast were passed in the northern part of the State, at San Francisco, yet for a third of a century Southern California has had the benefits of his public-spirited patriotism, his business attainments and his generous philanthropy. Mr. Conn was born in 1814, on the West India Islands, where … Read more

Biography of Milton Canterbury, M. D.

Milton Canterbury, M. D., of Redlands, was born in Greenup County, Kentucky. His father, Reuben Canterbury, a farmer, was born in North Carolina. The name originated in Kent County, England, from the estate of a man by that name, and for whom the city of Canterbury was named. Reuben Canterbury married Miss Elizabeth Lycaas, a native of Kentucky. The union was blessed with thirteen children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the eighth. He first attended the common schools of his native county and afterward attended a short time the college at Marietta, Ohio. From there he went … Read more

Biography of B. W. Cave

B. W. Cave, senior member of the firm of Cave & Reeves, proprietors of the Redlands livery stable, was born in Texas, in 1860, and has lived in San Bernardino County ever since he was two years of age. His parents, John P. and Lucy Ann (Barnett) Cave, were both natives of Kentucky. They had a family of eight children. His father first moved his family to Missouri, and in 1850 left them there and crossed the plains by ox team to California, where he remained two years, at the end of which time he went back to his family … Read more

Biography of J. B. Glover

J. B. Glover, of Redlands, was born in Benton County, Missouri, June 29, 1842. His father, Rev. M. W. Glover, was born near Louisville, Kentucky, and was for many years a traveling preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church South. He married Miss Elizabeth Osborn, also born near Louisville, and they subsequently moved to Benton County, Missouri. In 1850 he came to California and worked in the quartz mines in Amador County. In 1855 he went back to Missouri, and in the autumn of the same year brought his family, via the Isthmus, to California. In this same year he joined … 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

Biographical Sketch of Jacob Harry

Jacob Harry, farmer and stock; P. O. Humbolt; the subject of this sketch was born in Preble Co., Ohio, Jan. 14, 1816; he married Miss Susannah Tobey, Aug. 1, 1839; she was born in Washington Co., Md., Dec. 15, 1819. They had eleven children, nine living, viz., Jefferson, Madison and Amanda, Hiram, Nathaniel, Franklin, Clinton, Stephen A. D. and Nelson. He lived in Ohio until 1855; he was raised on the farm and also learned the brickmason’s trade; he then went west, visited Kansas and finally settled in Callaway Co., Mo., near Jefferson City, where he engaged in farming, remaining … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. Springer

J. Springer, farmer; P. O. Charleston. The subject of this sketch was born on the line between Fayette and Jessamine Counties, Ky., Feb. 13, 1808; he married Miss Lucy A. Payton on Easter Sunday, 1838; she was born in Fayette Co., Ky., Sept. 7, 1814. They had six children, three Sept., viz., Angeline, Nannie J. and Mary M. He lived in Kentucky twenty-one years; he then went to Missouri and settled in Clay Co., where he engaged at his trade of wagon making, and remained seven or eight years; he then returned to Kentucky and followed his trade about twelve … Read more

Biography of Aaron Jacob Lesh

A. J. Lesh at different stages in his career had been a successful teacher, merchant, pharmacist, physician and oil refiner. He is now head of the Lesh Oil Refining Company of Arkansas City, and through his business energy and activities had contributed one of the most important local industries to this section of Southern Kansas. Mr. Lesh had been a resident of Kansas for over thirty years. For a man who had done so much on his own account it is natural that Mr. Lesh should take justifiable pride and interest in his line of worthy American ancestors. His lineage … Read more

Biography of Ernst Fredrick Pihlblad, D. D., Rev.

Rev. Ernst Fredrick Pihlblad, D. D., president of Bethany College, is an educator of long and successful experience and had been connected with Bethany College more than twenty years. He was born at Kansas City, Missouri, March 18, 1873, a son of John and Louise (Nord) Pihlblad. Both parents were born in Sweden. His father came to America in 1869. He followed merchandising all his active career, and lived at Kansas City, Missouri, and at Lindsborg and Marquette, Kansas. His death occurred March 14, 1889. In 1872 he married Miss Nord, and they were the parents of two sons. The … 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

Biographical Sketch of William Stones

William Stones was born in Oldham, England, February 13, 1815. He sailed from Liverpool November 8, 1840, for America, and was blown back by a storm. The 16th of the same month they again sailed for America and landed safe in New Orleans January 3, 1841. He remained there ten days and then went to St. Louis, where he dug stone coal for eight or nine years. In April 1850, he set out with others for California by ox teams, and were eight months on the road. Twenty-six of their number died on the way of cholera. They had sixty-four … Read more

Biography of George Lord

George Lord, President of the Society of California Pioneers of San Bernardino County, and a representative of the best type of “Forty-niners,” is a native of New York City, and was born June 27, 1800, and consequently was eighty-nine years old his last birthday. His father, George Lord, was a sea captain, who died of yellow fever at quarantine in New York harbor, having contracted the disease in the West Indies, whence his vessel had just returned. The subject of this memoir being left self-dependent went to enlist in mercentile pursuits. Stopping for a time in Louisville, Kentucky, he was … Read more