Los Angeles County

Biographies

F. G. BUTLER,

owner and proprietor of the Signal Hill Nursery, and dealer in real‑estate, came to this county in 1881, and purchased forty acres of the Cerritus Ranch, the first acreage sold in the American colony tract north of Long Beach. This nursery contains thirty acres of all kinds of deciduous and evergreen trees, shrubbery, ornamental trees, etc. Mr. Butler is a native of the "Buckeye State," born in Wayne County in 1854, and is the son of Almon Butler, who for a number of years had been engaged in the mercantile business, and who was a native of Vermont. The subject of this sketch received the benefits of a liberal common-school education. To the knowledge acquired in his youth he has added largely by reading and observation. He was married in 1878 to Miss Rosa McClure, daughter of W. D. McClure, an extensive fruit-grower of Vernon, California. Mr. Butler is greatly interested in the development of Southern California. He is an enterprising young man, and may be depended upon to support and aid all enterprises which have for their object the building up of the community and the county in which he resides.

An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California –  Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, Page 392

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

WILLIAM MORTON

and Mary A. (Moore) Morton were both natives of Oswego County, New York, the former born in 1810 and the latter in 1819. They were married in 1834, and a year later a son was born to them. Two months after its birth they removed to Lenawee County, Michigan, where they resided for several years. Here two
children were born and the oldest child died. In 1843 they moved to Marshall, Michigan, where they lived sixteen years. In this place, also, two children were born to them and one of the oldest died. In 1859, with their three children, Mr. and Mrs. Morton started across the plains for California, for the benefit of Mr. Morton's health. In company with a number of families from Marshall, they first went to St. Louis, where they purchased their outfit and then proceeded to St. Joseph, where they joined a train of thirteen wagons. At Salt Lake City they made a stop of two weeks to recruit. There Mr. Morton was compelled to sell some of their goods, three of their horses having died on the road from the effects of alkali, thus preventing them from taking all their goods to their destination. They arrived in Stockton,
California, in September, 1859, and a few months later Mr. Morton rented a farm nine miles from Stockton, and remained there till the next fall. He then purchased a farm of 143 acres joining the rented farm. This he stocked and built on, and here their youngest child, a daughter, was born, and the youngest son died.  In 1867 Mrs. Morton's health failed, and they prospected for a home in Southern California, and, being favorably impressed with Los Angeles County, they located near Compton. Mr. Morton's first selection of a farm was on too low ground, and they suffered from the overflow of water. He, however, purchased a farm of 160 acres on what is known as "The Hill," and there established his home, Soon after many houses were built near by, including those of his two sons. Mr. Morton died in 1874. For many years he had been an honorable member of the I. O. O. F. fraternity, and also of the P. H., or Granger Society. He belonged to a historical family, being a second cousin to our Vice-President, Levi P. Morton. He was one of the true pioneers of this county, and a man widely known and highly esteemed. Mrs. Morton is still living on the old homestead, one and one-half miles west of Compton. She joined the Rebeccas in 1857, in Michigan, and is still an enthusiastic member. She has been a woman of very great energy, and now at the advanced age of seventy years has all her mental powers unimpaired, and is as active and spry as a girl of fifteen.

An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California –  Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, Page 393

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

R. D. BEDWELL

was one of the first settlers of Downey, coming to this place April 16, 1866. He is a native of Tennessee, born April 20, 1820, his parents being James Bedwell and Susanna (Rawson) Bedwell, the latter of North Carolina. His father moved to Poinsett County, Arkansas, in the year 1840, and there farmed till his death, which occurred in 1860. The mother's death took place in 1866. The subject of this notice was married August 29, 1837, in Marshall County, Tennessee, to Miss Elizabeth Culver, of North Carolina. This union was blessed with five children:  Hester A., Samuel C., Mary J., James K. Polk, and Susan Elizabeth. The mother of these children died April 1, 1847, and September 3, of the same year, Mr. Bedwell, in Jackson County, Arkansas, married Miss Louisa Ann Pierce, a native of Tennessee. The fruit of this union was one child, Emily C., now the wife of J. W. Potts, the well-known capitalist of Los Angeles. Mrs. Bedwell died March 1, 1884. October 16, 1885, Mr. Bedwell was again married, choosing for his third companion Miss Susan C. McComic, also of Tennessee. Of this union one child has been born, Bob W. When first coming to the county Mr. Bedwell purchased twenty-five acres of land where he now lives, and great, indeed, have been the improvements that he has made, and that have been made around him. Where once the mustard grew rank and wild, may now be seen an orchard of the most beautiful oranges, and fruitful fields of corn and alfalfa. Mr. Bedwell is a Christian gentleman and a God-fearing man, was once a deacon in the Baptist Church, but at present is not a church member. Politically, he is a Republican, and was at one time deputy sheriff of Jackson County, Arkansas. He is one of the true pioneers of Los Angeles County, and of such men as he the county should ever be proud. He left his home in Western Texas, with his family, February 20, 1865, and by ox teams crossed the plains, landing in Los Angeles, April 16, 1866. Many, indeed, were the hardships they endured on that famous journey, and our forefathers who landed on Plymouth Rock, and other places on our Eastern sea board, and made homes, are deserving of no more praise than are the humble men who crossed the Rockies, seeking homes for their loved ones.

An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California –  Chicago, The Lewis Publishing Company, Page 393

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler