California

Biographical Sketch of James Stewart

James Stewart, a prominent citizen near San Bernardino, was born in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, in 1837, the youngest of seven sons of Archie Stewart. He left his native state at the age of eighteen, for Nebraska, where he homesteaded and proved up on 160 acres of Government land, and to this added eighty acres more. He was in Omaha when there were but twelve houses in the place. He sold out his interest in Nebraska and operated on the plains with headquarters at St. Joe, Leavenworth, then at Denver, and later at Salt Lake City, Georgetown, Colorado, and Idaho. He … Read more

Biography of Richard H. Stetson

Richard H. Stetson, Tax Collector of San Bernardino County, was born in the suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts, in 1856. His father, James H. Stetson, was a direct descendant of Cornet Stetson, who settled on the place where he was born in 1634. His mother was Miss Phebe C. Nickerson, great-granddaughter of Sir Thomas Nickerson, and was born and reared at Chatham, on Cape Cod. Richard enjoyed the educational advantages of the schools of Boston. On reaching manhood he came direct to California, locating in San Bernardino in March 1877. He was employed as clerk in the office of a lumber … Read more

Biography of George Edmund Otis

George Edmund Otis, a leading member of the Southern California bar, is a descendant of one of the oldest New England families, his ancestors having emigrated from Somersetshire, England, about 1630. That he springs from a cultured family is evidenced in the fact that his paternal great-grandfather was one of the early graduates of Harvard University, as far back as 1752, and his father was a graduate of the same institution ninety years later. His mother was a direct descendant of Judge Sewall, who is associated in history with the hanging of the witches in the seventeenth century. Mr. Otis … 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 A. Harris

William A. Harris, attorney-at-law and a member of the firm of Harris & Gregg, was born in 1854, in Tennessee. He was educated in the schools of that State; studied law in Memphis with Colonel George Gantt and W. W. McDowell, both distinguished members of the Tennessee bar, and was admitted to practice at the remarkably early age of nineteen. On attaining his majority, after two years of practice in his own state, he came to California, and located in San Bernardino in 1875, and has practiced his profession here ever since, excepting two years spent in Leadville, Colorado, where … Read more

Biography of John Cooley

John Cooley was born in Utah, in March 1857, while his parents were on their way to California. His father, George Cooley, is widely and favorably known throughout this county. He arrived in this valley May 11, 1857, and kept a night school for a long time. The subject of this sketch is an entirely self-made man, his education being such as he could pick up, as it were, on the way; but by personal observation and extensive reading he has surpassed many who have had the best educational advantages. As a businessman he has been eminently successful. He was … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Abner McCrary

Abner McCrary is a native of Union County, Illinois, born in 1835. His parents, John and Mary (Kellar) McCrary, natives of North Carolina and South Carolina respectively, moved to Hancock County in 1844. Next they moved to Wash vine, Iowa, and in 1846 to Council Bluffs, where they remained five years. In 1851 he moved to Utah, where he remained two years, and June 5, 1854, came to California, and bought forty acres of land three miles northeast of San Bernardino, where he now lives. Mr. McCrary has dealt some in buying and selling land, and has today a fine … 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 Danford Atwood

Danford Atwood was born in Connecticut in 1823. His parents were Mormons and moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, at an early day, and from thence to Council Bluffs, Iowa, where in 1850 Mr. Atwood married Miss Jane Garner, of Hancock County, Illinois. She was the daughter of George and Elizabeth (Hedrick) Garner, natives respectively of North Carolina and Indiana. They had six children. Mrs. Garner died in Illinois at the age of thirty-two, and Mr. Garner married Lydia Hill. In 1836 he went to Council Bluffs, where he remained nearly two years, and then came to California, in 1852, by ox … Read more

Panamint Tribe

Panamint Indians. A Shoshonean division formerly occupying a considerable area in and around Panamint valley, south east California and extending south in scattered rancherias toward Mohave river.  Henshaw found a few individuals living at the mining town of Darwin (Panamint) in 1883, and learned that about 150 still survived, scattered here and there, in the desert country east of Panamint valley.  It is uncertain whether their affinities are with the Ute-Chemehuevi or Mono-Paviotso group of Shoshoneans, but are here placed tentatively with the former.  The Matarango are mentioned as a subdivision.

Okwanuchu Tribe

Okwanuchu Indians. A small Shasta tribe formerly occupying the upper part of McCloud river, California as far down as Salt Creek, the upper Sacramento as far down as Squaw Creek and the valley of the latter stream.  Their language is in part close to that of the Shasta proper, but it contains a number of totally distinct words, unlike any other surrounding language.

Biographical Sketch of John Bottoms

John Bottoms was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1812, and came to America in 1840; he landed at New Orleans, and from there went to Nauvoo, Illinois, where he was a member of the Mormon Church. He remained there until 1845, when he went to Cincinnati and worked in a bucket factory for about three years. In 1848 he went to Council Bluffs and remained there until 1852. He then went to Salt Lake City and remained there until 1858, when he came to California. During this time he had had prolonged trouble with the Mormons and concluded to stand … Read more

Biography of Rev. B. L. Baldridge

Rev. B. L. Baldridge was born in Adams County, Ohio, February 9, 1821. His father, Rev. William Baldridge, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1760. He served in the Revolutionary war at the age of sixteen years, and for many years after its close was an active minister in the United Presbyterian Church. He graduated from college in 1790, was licensed to preach in 1792, was ordained in 1793, and died October 31, 1830. The subject of this biographical sketch was educated at Miami University and subsequently studied theology at Oxford. He was ordained January 10, 1851, at Centerville, Michigan, by … 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

Biographical Sketch of Hiram C. Keller

Hiram C. Keller, one of the successful and enterprising farmers near the Base Line, was born at Pisgah, Iowa, in 1849. His father, Nathan Keller, was born in North Carolina and resided in Pennsylvania, and had a family of ten children. He died in Pisgah, Iowa, while crossing the plains to Salt Lake. The subject of this sketch was married in 1873 to Miss Sadie Sparkes, the daughter of George W. Sparkes, one of the pioneers of this valley, and a well and favorably known citizen. Mr. and Mrs. Keller have an interesting little family, consisting of Nettie, Drusilla, Cassie … Read more

Biography of Samuel J. Hayes

Samuel J. Hayes, residing in Redlands, on Cypress Avenue, was born in Litchfield County, Connecticut, June 20, 1826. His father, Gaylord Hayes, was a second cousin to ex-President Rutherford B. Hayes. When Samuel was a lad of seven his father removed to La Salle County, Illinois, where he engaged in stock-raising until his death, which occurred in 1838, when Samuel was but twelve. His mother died in 1842, and he had to provide and care for his three younger brothers and sister. In 1850 he crossed the plains to California, where he mined for six months and then returned to … Read more

Biography of David Morey

David Morey, one of the pioneers of Redlands, was born in Perry County, Pennsylvania, in 1824. His father, Jacob Morey, moved to Delaware County, Ohio, at an early day, and took a farm out of the woods. He died there at the age of ninety years. His mother, Barbara (Jacobs) Morey, is still living, at the advanced age of ninety-two years. The subject of this sketch left home at the age of fourteen to learn the cabinet trade. He worked at this trade in Marysville, and in 1842 went to Indianapolis, where he remained until 1845. He then went to … Read more

Biography of W. Ladd

W. Ladd, of Redlands, first came to California in 1851. He shipped his horses and wagons from near Detroit, Michigan, to Chicago, and then to Missouri. April 9, 1851, they started from St. Joseph, Missouri, across the plains, and on August 11, of the same year, they arrived in Virginia City. Mr. Ladd mined until 1852, when he went back to Michigan by way of Panama. He worked at blacksmithing and the wagon-maker’s trade at Dearborn, Michigan, from 1852 until 1859, and on April 9, of the latter year, he again started from St. Joseph, Missouri, across the plains for … 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

Biographical Sketch of F. E. Brown

Mr. F. E. Brown was born in New Haven, Connecticut, graduated at the Sheffield Scientific School of Yale College, and came to California in 1877. He was the engineer of the Redlands Water System and the discoverer of Bear valley as a reservoir; and more to him than any one else is California indebted for that great reservoir. The Bear valley dam was built by him. He has been one of the foremost citizens of Redlands, and in connection with Mr. E. G. Judson he has projected and built up that lively colony.