California

Biographical Sketch of W. Head, M. D.

W. Head, M. D. of Garden Grove, was born in West Tennessee, in 1840. His parents, Dr. Horace and Mary (Brown) Head, were natives respectively of Virginia and Tennessee. He received his literary education at Obion, Tennessee, and his medical education at Nashville, and in 1866 began the practice of his profession, in company with his father. After sustaining this relation for ten years, he came to California and bought land near Garden Grove, where he has since given most of his attention to stock-raising and farming. In political matters the Doctor is a zealous and able advocate of Democracy. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George Hough

George Hough a prominent citizen of Garden Grove, Orange County, was born February 5, 1815, in Lewis County, New York. His parents were Burage and Mary (Alexander) Hough, natives respectively of Connecticut and New York. The father removed with his family to De Kalb County, Illinois, in 1837, and died there, at the age of sixty-five years. Mr. George Hough, our subject, was the second in a family of twelve children. He returned to New York State in 1838, and was there married, in Lewis County, to Miss Hester A., daughter of David and Polly (Puffer) Tiffany. In 1842 Mr. … Read more

Biography of Richard Robinson

Richard Robinson, a prosperous farmer of Garden Grove, was born near Ottawa, Canada, in 1827. His parents, Isaac and Margaret (Moses) Robinson, were natives of Ireland, moving to Canada in 1821. The senior Robinson was a shoemaker by trade and also owned a large farm. He died in Canada in 1843, leaving a family of nine children. Richard, the third in the family, received a common-school education and entered business when very young, having to help in the maintenance of the family until 1852, when he started for California by way of Cape Horn on the bark Fanny Major. He … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Alex Gardiner

Alex Gardiner general farmer and fruit-raiser near Fullerton, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1838, the fourth son of William and Mary Gardiner, who came to America in 1855, in a sailing vessel, landing in New York; thence they immediately sailed to Charleston, South Carolina, and thence they proceeded to Knoxville, Tennessee, locating ten miles south of Knoxville at Rockford. William Gardiner was a cotton spinner by trade. The subject of this sketch served five years as a machinist in Scotland, leaving school at the age of twelve years. In 1869 he came overland to California, starting from Knoxville, Tennessee, … Read more

Biography of Robert Parker

Robert Parker vineyardist near Anaheim, was born in Beverly Township, 1 .. Wentworth County, Canada, March 18, 1838, the third in a family of thirteen children of Robert and Ann (Stalker) Parker. He was brought up to steady work on a farm, with but limited schooling. In 1868 he came to California by steamer, followed mining a short time and then bought a Government title to 500 acres of land in Mariposa County. In 1871 he bought fifty-five acres where he now lives, a mile and a half north of Anaheim, and for several years he prospered in grape culture, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Rev. Jonathan B. Tombes, D. D.

Reverand Jonathan B. Tombes, D. D. Anaheim, was born in Albany, New York, attended Oberlin College three years, and graduated at Madison University in 1845, in the literary course. He also graduated in the regular course in theology. In 1870 the degree of D. D. was conferred upon him. He was ordained to preach in 1848. For some time he was pastor of the Fourth Baptist Church at Richmond, Virginia; then had charge of Meadville Academy. In 1859 he took charge of Liberty Female College at Liberty, Missouri; but in 1864, on account of the war, wherein he was a … Read more

Biography of W. M. McFadden

W. M. McFadden a public-spirited business man and rancher at Anaheim, was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, February 19, 1840, and is a son of John and Rachel (McCormac) McFadden, being the oldest of eight children. He was educated at the public schools, the People’s Academy at West Pitts, the Curry Normal Institute at Pitts, the Beaver (Pennsylvania) Academy in 1860, and at Bryant & Stratton’s Commercial, at Louisville, in 1861. After this he kept books for a year in Jeffersonville, Indiana, and taught school in Aberdeen, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. He came to California in 1864, by way of the Isthmus, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of R. H. Gilman

R. H. Gilman superintendent of the Semi-tropic Fruit Company at Anaheim, was born in New Hampshire, left home in 1862, to follow the sea, and in the next year he ran away from the ship Wild Rover and for some time traveled. He afterward worked seven years at the tanner’s trade, and then followed ranching in Lake, Napa, and Sacramento counties. In 1872 the Semi-tropic Fruit Company was organized by L. M. Hoult, R. H. Gilman, I. N. Chapman and. others. They have 106 acres, most beautifully located and in a high state of cultivation. There are twenty-five acres in … Read more

Biography of George W. Sponable

George W. Sponable horticulturist at Fullerton, was born in Eden, Seneca County, Ohio, November 3, 1825. His parents, Christopher and Sarah (Lawrence) Sponable, were natives respectively of New York and Vermont, and of German and English origin. George W., the third of his parents’ eleven children, started in business for himself in 1849, by coming to California. His father had moved in 1836 to McHenry County, Illinois, where he was an extensive farmer until his death in 1854. Mr. Sponable followed mining and lumbering in California from 1849 to 1855, and then returned to Illinois, where he followed farming until … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George P. Bessonett

George P. Bessonett a prominent business man of Santa Ana, was born in Mississippi, July 21, 1850, and is the son of Edwin and Sophia (Neill) Bessonett, natives of Pennsylvania, and of French ancestry. The father was a cotton planter, and the mother was a teacher, from whom George received all of his education. The latter started out in the world for himself at the age of fifteen years, at Brookhaven, Mississippi, by clerking in a confectionery store. Subsequently he carried on the business in his own name. Quitting that place, he went to Kansas City and learned the brick-layer’s … Read more

Biography of Sheldon Littlefield

Sheldon Littlefield Supervisor from the third district of Orange County, was born in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in 1834, and was brought up on a farm. At the age of seventeen years he went to Charlestown same State, and clerked in a grocery for a year. He then took what money he had saved and went to Appleton Academy so long as his money lasted. Then he taught school at Brookline, New Hampshire, and next returned to Massachusetts and for a time was engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes, and then obtained a position for three years in a … Read more

Biography of A. Goodwin

A. Goodwin one of the members of the city council at Santa Ana, is a native of O the Golden State, being born in San Joaquin County, June 24, 1854. His parents were A. D. and Amantha (Brofee) Goodwin, the former a native of New York State, and the latter of Wisconsin. The senior Goodwin came to California in 1852, and engaged in mining for a time, and subsequently in agriculture, his death occurring at Tustin, January 9, 1886. The subject of this sketch, the eldest of his parents’ four children, was educated at the Washington High School in Stockton, … Read more

Biography of John Avas

John Avas President of the City Council of Santa Ana, was born in Germany in 1843. His parents came to the United States in 1845, settling in St. Clair County, Illinois, and subsequently moved to Peoria County, that State, where the father died in 1851. Afterward the mother married again and moved to Washington, Tazewell County, Illinois, twelve miles east of Peoria. Mr. Avas, the subject of this notice, remained with his stepfather until he was fifteen years old, and then hired himself out to a farmer for one year, at the end of which time he was to receive … Read more

Biography of Jacob Ross

Jacob Ross a prominent business man of Orange County, was born in Clinton County, Indiana, August 7, 1846. His parents, Jacob and Elizabeth Ross, moved to Illinois in 1851, where the father engaged in the milling business and in farming until 1865, when they with their family came overland to California, being six months on the road. They unloaded at Watsonville, November 25, 1865. Mr. Ross, the father, prospected for a home in Salinas valley till 1868, when he moved to Southern California. He purchased the undivided interest in the Spanish grant of 1,860 acres, which, however, was afterward cut … Read more

Biography of John H. Garner

John H. Garner veterinary surgeon, Santa Ana, was horn in Ogden City, Utah, June 26, 1850, the fourth son of John and Olive (Rossen) Garner, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter of Missouri. His father was one of the pioneers who crossed the plains to California in 1851 with ox teams, locating in San Bernardino, where he followed farming for a period of twenty-eight years. He died at the age of sixty-one years. J. H., our subject, at the age of twenty-one years started out in the world for himself. He had previously, at the age … Read more

Biography of Leopold Goepper

Leopold Goepper proprietor of the Brunswick Dining Parlors, Santa Ana, is a native of the Buckeye State, and was born October 10, 1856. His parents, Herman and Magdalena, were both natives of Germany, and came to America with their parents when quite young. The subject of this sketch, the eldest of their six children, left the common schools at the age of thirteen years. He was brought up on a farm and came with his father to California in 1870, locating in Santa Clara County, where they followed agricultural pursuits for six years. Then they came to Santa Ana. At … Read more

Biographical Sketch of M. D. Halladay

M. D. Halladay one of the members of the city council of Santa Ana, was born in Vermont, May 8, 1830. His parents, David and Nancy (Carpenter) Halladay, were both natives of Vermont and moved to Michigan in 1843. They had eight children. M. D., our subject, engaged in the lumber and saw-mill business, and in 1874 came to California for his health; and so rapidly did he improve that he determined to make this country his home. He accordingly purchased thirty acres of land within the town limits of Santa Ana, which he improved, and for several years had … Read more

Biographical Sketch of D. Scholl

D. Scholl of Tustin, was born December 25, 1807, a son of Jacob P. and Elizabeth Scholl, natives of Pennsylvania. His father, a blacksmith by trade, moved to New York in 1815, and died there in 1835; then the subject of this sketch, the eldest of the nine children in his father’s family, returned to Pennsylvania and learned the milling business with his grandfather. In 1834 he went again to New York State, married Miss Lucy Rowell, a native of Massachusetts, and the next year moved to Goshen, Indiana, where he engaged in the furnace and machinery business until 1849, … Read more

Biography of Elcome Folwer

Elcome Fowler proprietor of the Palmyra Hotel, Orange, is one of the pioneers of 1849, and a history of his life since that time is full of interesting Vincidents. He was born in Jackson County, Tennessee, in 1818. His father, John Fowler, was born in July, 1767, in Virginia, and died in December, 1867, being therefore in his 101st year. He had married Lucinda Usury and had ten children. May 25, 1849, the subject of this sketch left Atchison County, Missouri, with an ox team for California and arrived in Sacramento October 25. He immediately took a load of goods … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Joseph Beach

Joseph Beach of Orange, was born in Essex County, New York, August 20, 1816, and for twenty-six years after he arrived at the age of manhood he followed agricultural and mercantile pursuits. Then he was a farmer in Calhoun County, Michigan, ten years, until 1873, when he came to California. Since then he has been engaged successfully in the cultivation of a fruit farm in the Santa Ana valley, until lately, being in his seventy-fourth year, he has practically retired. Being one of the first settlers of Orange, he is respected as a pioneer, an honored citizen and a successful … Read more