History of Orange County, California : with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its earliest growth and development from the early days to the present online

H;^ Wl#jr






©ENEALOGY COLLECTIOry



HISTORY OF



Orange County



( ALIIORXIA



WITH



Biographical Sketches



OF



The Leading' Men and Women of the County Who

have been Identified with its Growth and

Development from the Earlii

Dans to the Present



HISTORY BY
SAMUEL ARMOR

ILLISTRATKL)
COMPLETE IN ONE VOIJME

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNLX
1921



1135639




y^~a^pt.(.i^ <^^~7^^^r^—



PREFACE



It was with great reluctance that we undertook the revision of the History
of Orange County, which we helped to compile ten years ago, not because we
believed in Oslerisni or wished to enjoy our otium cum dignitate, but because of
the magnitude of the undertaking and of our lack of special preparation, not
having anticipated a recall to the work of writing history.

However, with the help of expert writers on special subjects, and from the
Federal crop estimator, the state board of horticulture, the county and city officers,
the secretaries of boards of trade, chambers of commerce, fruit exchanges and
vegetable unions, patriotic and relief associations, the newspapers — especially the
Santa Ana Register — and all other available sources of information, we have
collected a large array of authentic facts about the county, its people, productions
and resources. To all who have assisted in furnishing the data for this work
we return our sincere thanks.

Since a county history can have but a limited sale and the initial expense of
its preparation is just as great for a few hundred copies as for many thousand, it
stands to reason that the price per copy for a small edition must be greater than
that for a large one. This condition, coupled with the increased size of the book
and the present high cost of labor and material, is a sufficient justification for the
price charged for the second volume of the county history. To avoid loss through
unsold copies, this book, like all works of similar character, is sold by subscription
and only enough copies are printed to supply each subscriber with the number
ordered by him. As a further consideration for the purchase price, a brief biog-
raphy of each subscriber, who thus patriotically supports a history of his county,
is published without extra charge. These biographical sketches are prepared bv
trained canvassers and writers of long experience in this kind of work, and add
much value to the history in giving personal incidents, otherwise unavailable, and
in showing to future generations something of the character of the pioneers who
â– laid the foundations upon which the superstructure of this county was built.

As citizens of this favored county, we should forget our few privations and
trifling discomforts and remember our many privileges and great blessings. For
instance, when the mercury hovers round the freezing point, we should not
worry over the possibility of some small loss from light frosts that occasionallv
nip the tenderest plants : but we should extend our sympathy to less favored
sections of the country, where the thermometer goes as many degrees below zero
as it stops here above in our coldest weather. Again, when the winter rains are
slow in coming, don't let us fret about a dry year, remembering that, in the
wettest winter within the last half century, the rains commenced January 28.
1884, and that since then a good rainy reason has occasionally begim even later
in the year; also that the county passed through three dry years in succession,
from 1897 to 1900, with comparatively little loss, and it is better equipped now
with irrigating ditches and pumping plants than it was then. Furthermore, few
of the present residents of the county remember the apprehension that was felt
over the growing scarcity of fuel twenty-five or more years ago. when most of
the available timber w.is stripped from the nearby mountains and coal was shipped
in from Australia and New Mexico. However, before much loss was suffered,
oil was discovered in the county about the year 1896, and from a small beginning
the production of oil, gasoline and natural gas has become the largest asset of
the county and exceeds that of the entire state of Pennsj'lvania at the present



time. ImniccliatL-ly following the discovery of oil in the comity, electricity began
to be applied to furnishing light, heat and power ; and now practically all the busi-
ness houses and residences, in and about the cities and towns of Orange County,
are provided with electricity, gas and oil for light, heat and power; with sewers
for carrying off the waste matter and with water for all purposes.

In short, the more familiar do we become with the vast resources and diversi-
fied products of this county, with the wise enterprise and good behavior of its
citizens, the less do we find to criticise and the more to praise and rejoice over.
Let us, therefore, one and all, appropriate and apply to our goodly heritage the
advice of the Psalmist to the sons of Korah, in commending "the ornaments and
privileges of the church," as follows:

"Walk about Zion, and go round about her : tell the towers thereof. Mark
ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces ; that ye may tell it to the generation
following."

SAAIUEL ARMOR.



CONTENTS



CHAl'TER I



Formation of Oraxge County,



California created out of territory ceded to United States by Mexico.
Admission of state to Union. Formation of Counties. Orange County
set apart from Los Angeles County. Location of county seat. Election
of officers. Description and Boundaries of County. " Mountains and
hills adapted to grazing and bee culture. Valleys and plains represent
many soils. Original Spanish grants and their acreages. Subdivision
of many grants into small tracts. County capable of supporting
500,000 population. Nine incorporated cities.

CHAPTER II



Roster oi? County and District Oi-ficers 36

State Senators Thirty-ninth District. Assemblymen Seventy-sixth Dis-
trict. Superior Judges. Sheriff.- County Clerk. Recorder. Auditor.
Tax Collector. District .\ttorney. Treasurer. Assessor. School
Superintendent. Surveyor. Coroner and Public .Administrator. Boards
of Supervisors. Justices and Constables of the following townships:
Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Fullerton, Huntington Beach, Laguna
Beach. La Habra, Los .\lamitos. Newport Beach. Orange, Placentia,
San Juan, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Westminster, Yorba.
Board of Education. Horticultural Commissioner. Trustees of Law
Library. Board of Forestry. County Physician. Veterinary Surgeon
and Stock Inspector. Bee Inspector. Custodian of County Park. Care-
taker of Westminster Public Park. Fire and Game Warden. County
Statistician. Highway Commissioner. Purchasing .\gent. Lecturer
and Publicity Agent. Superintendent of County Hospital and Farm.
Superintendent of Detention Home. Probation Officer. Sealer of
Weights and Measures. .\id Commissioner and Expert .Accountant.
Superintendent of Road Maintenance. Farm .\dvisor.

CHAPTER HI

Orange County's Water Supply .\nd Way Utilized 48

Direct and indirect benefits from rainfall, .\verage annual rainfall at
Orange. Other sources of water supply. .\rea of catchment basin of
Santa -Ana River. Anaheim LTnion Water Company. Santa Ana Valley
Irrigation Company. Santiago Creek. Serrano Water Company. John
T. Carpenter Water Company. Trabuco Creek. Coyote, Laguna and
.Aliso Creeks. Number of Pumping Plants and .Acres Irrigated.

CHAPTER I\^



The City oe -\naiii-:i.m

Oldest city in Orange County. Settled by Germans. Organization of
Los Angeles Vineyard Company. Naming of town. First house built
in 1857. I-'irst hotel erected in 1865. Fire visits the town. Waning of
grape industry and rise of walnut and orange culture. First newspaper.
.Anaheim Water Company. Bonds voted and sold for erection of school-
house. Southern Pacific Railroad builds branch to .Anaheim. Indus-
tries and assessed valuation of city. Churches of .Anaheim. City
officers.



CONTENTS

CHAPTER V

The City of Brea 57

Situation at mouth of Brea Canyon. Oil industry is principal asset.
Improvements made. Manufacturing industries. City officers.

CHAPTER \T

The City of Fullerton 57

Location and population. Origin of town, .\dvent of railroad. Be-
ginning of orange and walnut industry. Name of town. Growth of
town conservative from beginning. First substantial building erected.
Incorporated as city in 1904. Admirable location for shipping and
manufacturing. Proximity to oil fields advantageous. Warehouse
facilities. Industries other than fruit raising. Banks. Newspapers.
Churches. Public library. Schools. Fire department. Board of Trade.
Fraternal orders and clubs. City officers. Recent building operations.

CHAPTER VII
The City of Huxnttington Beach 60

Original name of settlement. The Huntington Beach Company. Union
Sunday School and Church organized. First church built. Others
follow. Bank organized. Various business enterprises. Organized
as city in 1909. Schools. Library. Beet sugar and other factories.
Pavements, sewers and gas systems. City officers. Chamlicr of
Commerce. Fraternal organizations. Municipal band.

CHAPTER Vm
The City of Newport Beach 63

Admirable location on Newport Bay. Unexcelled harbor facilities.
Bond issue voted to start harbor improvements. Yachting center of
Pacific Coast. Population and valuation. City officers. Churches and
organizations.

CHAPTER IX
The City of Orange ... 64

Location. "Father" of the town. Acreage of original townsite. Orig-
inally called Richland. First house in town. Courage of early settlers.
Their struggle with pests. Introduction of spraying and fumigating.
Irrigation difficulties. Schools established. Churches organized. Musi-
cal and literary societies. "Pull-together" spirit of citizens. Incorpo-
ration of city. Natural advantages of soil and climate. Excellent rail-
road facilities. City water system. Orange a business center. Sewer
system. Population. Schools. Churches. Fraternal organizations.
Library. City officers. Public utilities. Financial resources of Orange
district. Progress in building. City always free from saloons.

CHAPTER X

The City of Santa Ana 68

Struggles and achievements of its pioneers. "Father" of the town.
Other settlers attracted to location. First school district organized.
Postoffice secured. First hotel erected. First brick building. Southern
Pacific completes line to Santa .Ana. Rivalry between Santa Ana and
Anaheim. First bank and its failure. Confidence restored. Many busi-
ness blocks, residences and churches erected. Heaviest rainfall in city's
history and damage it caused. Agitation for incorporation as a city.
Period of the "boom." Firedepartment or.ganized. First street railway.
Prosperity visible on all sides. Santa Fe railroad built to Santa .\na.
Rise and fall of Fairview Development Company. Condition of Santa
Ana after boom was over. Newport Wharf and Lumber Company
organized. Organization of Board of Trade. Creation of Orange
County, with Santa Ana as county seat. Municipal water plant. Free
mail delivery. Erection of court house. .Abolition of saloons. Erection
of city hall. Huntington trolley system enters Santa .\na. General
growth and prosperity. Banks 'of Santa .\na. Pulilic lilirary. City
officers. Commercial progress. Manufacturing estalilishments. Churches
and their locations. Fraternal societies. Patriotic societies. Miscel-
laneous organizations. The press. Future of city.



C O X T H N T S
CHAPTER XI



The City of Seal Beach

Location. Promoted as beach resort under name of Bay City. Incorpo-
ration. Area and population. Sewer system being installed. Bonds
voted for municipal water plant. City officers. Beach is exceptionally
safe Jor bathers. Traffic facilities. Growth retarded by lack of housing-
facilities.

CHAPTER XII



The City of Stanton 82

Located in agricultural section of county. Origin of name. Incorpo-
ration of city. Assessed valuation and population. Transportation
facilities. City officers.

CHAPTER XIII

Unincorporated Towns 82

Arch Beach. Benedict. Berryfield. Cypress. Balboa. Bolsa. Brook-
hurst. Buena Park. Capistrano. San Juan Capistrano Mission. Celery.
Corona. Del Mar. Delhi. El Modena. El Toro. Eairview. Garden
Grove. Greenville. Harper, Irvine. Laguna Beach. La Habra. Los
Alamitos. Mateo. McPherson. Modjeska Mineral Springs. Olinda.
Olive. Peralta. Placentia. Richfield. San Juan-by-the-Sea or Scrra.
San Juan Hot Springs. Smeltzer. Sunset Beach. Talbert. Tustin,
Villa Park. Westminster. Wintersburg. Yorba. Yorba Linda.

CHAPTER XIV
Orange County's Schools •. 88

Elementary schools. High schools. Junior colleges. Number of
graduates. Public kindergartens. Private schools. Evidence of effi-
ciency. Notables among the graduates.

CHAPTER X\^
Public Buildings and Sites 95

First jail. Francisco Torres confined there. Site for county buildings
selected. Difficulties encountered in erecting new jail. Bonds voted for
building court house. Campaign of villification in adopting plans.
County detention home. County hospital and farm. Income from
county farm. Cottage, artificial lake and many other improvements
for county park. Contract let for beautifying county park. Alteration
made in court house. Memorial arch at county park. Garage for
county hospital. County garage at Santa .\na. Sheriff's office.

CHAPTER XVI
Pleasure Drives and Resorts 98

Part of San Joaquin ranch given by James Irvine for County Park.
Hewes Park. Sale of Hewes ranch. Santiago Golf Club. Orange
Gftunty Country Club. Lemon Heights. San .Juan Hot Springs.
Westminster Park. Birch Park at Santa .-Xna. The Plaza at Orange.
Secure options for park at .Anaheim. Fullerton's plans for parks. City
Park at Newport Beach. Camping ground in Trabuco Canyon. Mod-
jeska's Home and Inn. Camptonville in Santiago Canyon. Many
pleasure resorts along beach.



CHAPTER XVII
Orange County's Good Roads 102

Savage .Act. Associated Chambers of Commerce back movement for
good roads. Members i>! highway commission. Bond issue for paved
highways passed. Tabulated statement of paved roads in county. Work
of highway commissioners continued by board of supervisors. Con-
tracts for paving recently awarded. Bridges for state highway. V. S.
Forest Service to aid in building road in Trabuco Canyon. State High-
way along coast. Miles of paved streets in cities. Many miles of oiled
roads.



CONTENTS

CHAPTER XVIII

The County's Traffic Facilities 106

Branches of two transcontinental railroads, electric interurban railway,
the Pacific Ocean and thousands of motor vehicles furnish unsurpassed
facilities. Southern Pacific the first railroad to enter county. Santa Fe
Railroad builds its road through to San Diego. Tustin branch of South-
ern Pacific built. Intense rivalry between roads. Southern Pacific
builds branch from Anaheim to Los .Mamitos Sugar Factory. Santa
Ana and Newport Railroad acquired by Southern Pacific. Pacific
Electric and its branches. Mileage and valuation of railway systems.
Easy access to water transportation. Traffic carried by motor vehicles.
Comparative table of motor vehicles in state and county.

CHAPTER XIX
Sundry Voluntary Organizations 110

Orange County Medical Association. Date of organization. First
meeting. Constitution and by-laws adopted. Officers elected. First
members of association. First annual meeting. Association entertains
Medical Society of Southern California. Sessions held in Carnegie
Library, Santa Ana. Medical library established. List of members.
Presidents of association. Officers and members, 1920._ The Orange
County Bar Association organization. First members. Now in flourish-
ing condition. Orange County Historial Society. Organization and
purpose. Orange County Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company.
Orange County W. C. T. U.

CHAPTER XX

Orange County's Soldiers in World War 116

CHAPTER XXI

Service Men's Recognition 130

Celebration at Orange County Park to pay tribute to service men.
Lay cornerstone of Memorial Arch. Address by Governor Stephens.
Presentation of service medals. Address by Chaplain Robert Williams.
Citations and decorations won by Orange County men.

CHAPTER XXII
The County's Liberty Loans 133

Tabulated statement of apportionment and subscriptions to various
war loans.

CHAPTER XXIII
Relief Work of Associations 135

Activities of Red Cross. Anaheim Chapter. FuUerton Chapter. Orange
Chapter. Santa .\na Chapter. Report of Salvation Army.

CHAPTER XXIV
A Chapter of Tragedies 139

Killing of Sheriflf Barton. Capture and hanging of Juan Flores. Mur-
der of William McKelvey. His slayer, Francisco Torres, taken from
Santa ."^na jail and hanged. Dennis Kearney, the "Sand Lot Agitator,"
meets his Waterloo.

CHAPTER XXV
The Oil Industry • • • • 143

First development work. E. L. Doheny the pioneer of oil industry in
Orange County. Graham-Loftus Oil Company. The Columbia Oil
Company. The Union Oil Company. Olinda Fullerton Field. Oil
compared with coal for fuel. County assessments show development
of oil industrv. Taxes paid by Standard Oil Company. Union Oil
Company opens Placentia-Richfield district. Chapman gusher brought
in. Chronological list of wells brought in by various companies.
Summary of report of Brea Progress-Munger Oil News Service.
.\ctivities at Huntington Beach, Newport Mesa, and Olive. Estimated
daily output and gross income from industry.



CONTENTS
CHAPTER XXVI



T]!!-: Citrus Industry 147

Orange first brought to America in Sixteenth Century by Spaniards.
San Gabriel Mission grove set out in 1804. William Wolfskill set
out first commercial orchard. First orange tree in Northern California
at Sacramento. First Washington Navels at Riverside. Original trees
still living. One reset at Glenwood Inn by President Roosevelt.
Orange County the ideal section for cultivating the orange. California
orange has no equal. Soil and climatic conditions. Evolution in the
handling and packing of oranges. Most successful varieties grown.
Pioneer orange groviJer of the county. Development of industry.
Invention of fumigating. Shipment of first cars of oranges. Orange
County Fruit Exchange. Directors of Exchange for 1920. Amount
and value of Exchange's shipments for 1919. Estimate of total returns
of county.

CH.APTER XXVII

'I'll !•; P)r:KT SuG.\R Industry 151

Early history of the industry. First factory at Philadelphia. Factory
at Northampton, Mass. Mormons establish factory at Salt Lake City.
First successful factory at Alvarado, Cal. Congress places duty on
sugar imports. Department of Agriculture promotes beet sugar in-
dustry. Dr. Wiley conducts experiments in various states. Beets
grown on reclaimed desert land. Reach greatest perfection on irri-
gated land. \'alue of industry. Germany's increased cereal crop due to
introduction of sugar beet culture. Thorough fertilization and deep
plowing required. Blocking and thinning. Process of handling from
field to finished product. Los Alamitos Sugar Company. Santa Ana
Co-Operative Sugar Company. Southern California Sugar Company.
Holly Sugar Company. .'Anaheim Sugar Companv. Value of 1918 and
1919 crops. Price for beets in 1920.

Cn.APTER XX\'ITT

Drange Cou.xty's Fruits, Grains and Vegi'Tablks 159

Nearly all fruits indigenous to Temperate and Torrid Zones may be
grown in some part of Orange County. Apples can l)e raised with profit
in some localities. Apricots and figs grown extensively. Grapes not
raised as extensively as formerly. Development of the avocado. Grape-
fruit and lemons. Olives, peaches, plums and berries. .Vlfalfa a valuable
product. Barley valuable for grain and hay. Oats, wheat and corn
classed among the light crops. The bean industry on the advance.
Lima beans first grown on San Joaquin ranch. Cabbage, cauliflower,
melons, peanuts, peas, peppers, Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes
and onions are also grown. Orange Countv displav at Riverside Fair.
1919.

CHAPTER XXIX

History of the Celery Industry in Orangic Couxty 165

Lands, formerly worthless, found valuable for celery. Origin and
growth of industry in Orange County. Many diflicnlties encountered
in the early days, -\creage reduced by planting sugar beets.

CHAPTER XXX

( )raxge County's Live Stock and Poi^try 167

Mexicans and Spaniards paid little attention to domestic animals. Stock-
men's cattle a menace to ranches. Orange County Fair .\ssociation.
Cattle development from early days to present. Great improvement in
grade of stock. Fine Holstein stock at County Farm. Sheep industry,
once important, now annihilated. Goat raising on the increase. Very
few hogs raised for market. Poultry industry brought much money
to county. High cost of feed during war causes poultry raisers to
dispose of flocks.



CONTENTS

CHAPTER XXXI

The Bee Industry 171

Original importation of bees into California. Growth of industry.
Average yield and cash income. Main sources of nectar. Diseases
stamped out by work of inspector. Bees are boon to fruit business.

CHAPTER XXXII
Semi-Tropic Fruits in Orange County 173

Mission olive and grape the only reminders of Spanish settlers. Other
and better varieties have succeeded them. Avocado, Feijoa, Guavas,
Cherimoya, Persimmon, Pomegranate, Carissa and Sapota have been
introduced. Loquat a characteristic fruit of Orange County. New
varieties of Avocado planted. Jujube is a recent introduction. Seedless
Sapota developed.

CHAPTER XXXIII



The English Walnut Industry 175

Origin of English Walnut. Its cultivation in America confined to
certain districts in California. Early planting formerly done with seed-
lings. Grafted stock subsequently used. Selecting and growing seed
for budding. For seedling nursery. Amount of irrigation necessary.
Valuable hints from an old-time walnut grower. Prices and value of
recent crops. Orange County leads state in production.

CHAPTER XXXIV
Farm Bureau Report 177

Number of farm centers. Program of work. Farm Bureau Weekly.
Itinerant conference. Issues taken up by bureau. Telephone. Water
conservation. Good roads. Harbor development. Horticultural Stand-
ardization. Rodent control. Agricultural clubs. Home gardens.
County fairs. Drainage districts. Irrigation districts. Fire protec-
tion. Farmers' institutes. Field demonstrations. Bean seed selection.
Live stock demonstration. Poultry culling demonstrations. Bees.
Soils. Soil moisture and irrigation. Farm business. Bud selection.
Pruning demonstrations. Morning glory control. Fumigation.

Codling moth on walnut. Nematode. Tractor demonstration. \Vheat
campaign. Water analysis. Farm loans. Summary of work done.

CHAPTER XXXV

'Population and Valuations 185

Methods for estimating population. Correctness of results uncertain.
Federal Census for county, cities and townships from 1890 to 1920.
Methods of taxation. Official valuations of Orange County property.
Population and wealth widely distributed over county. Santa .\na
Chamber of Commerce estimate of 1919 crop value.

CHAPTER XXXVI

Anecdotes and Incidents 191

CHAPTER XXXVII



Soil, Climate and Water.



Government soil survey of .\nahcim district. Soil of county has
limitless depth and no hardpan. Humus must be replaced in soil,
definitions of climate and atmosphere. Equalization of temperatures.
Situation of Orange County gives it an equable climate. Rainfall for
past thirty years. Storage of flood water. Increase in number of
pumping plants.



INDEX



Abercherli, Louis 1470

Abplanalp, William 945

Adams, Argus 1522

Adams, John 638

Adams, Reo C 1362

Adams, Reuben A., M.D 637

Ahern, Eugene 1388

Ahlefeld, George 1317

Ahlefeld, Otto L 1654

Ainsworth, Frank L 351

Ainsworth, Lewis 343

Ainsworth, Mitt 459

Akers, John Allen 705

Alberts, A. J 1645

Alexander, William 11 1579

Allen, Augustus Horatio 425

Allen, Horatio Augustus 570

.Ulen, Joseph Garfield 535

Allen, L. E 1637

Allen, Martin \- 798

Allen, Milo Bailey 534

Allen, Nathan K '. 1 189

Allen, Prescott 422

Ailing, Clyde R 1571

Alsbach, Mary E 486

Amack, Ulysses S 1614

Amerige, Edward Russell 585

Amerige, George Henry 576

Anaheim Feel & Fuel Company 1035

Anderson, Christian '. 1208

Anderson, C. G 1386

Andres, Charles A 1194

Andres, George Frederick 1258

Arballo, Palito 1454

Armor, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel 615

Arroues, Bernard 762

Atherton, Edward 672

B

Hacks, Joseph M., Jr 653

ILlcon, Robert D 425

Hagnall, Charles J 1433

ll.iier, Fred C 1463

r.aker, Andrew 687

llaker, John G 1572

liaker, William 1148

liall, Charles Dexter, M.D 243

Mall, Edson Joel 1458

Mall, Strother S 226

Hangs, Frederick E 1294