Orange County Biographies

Orange County

Biographies

R. F. BURGESS,

of Santa Ana, was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in 1834, and when he was quite young the family removed to New York State, and three years afterward to Michigan, locating in Washtenaw County, where they remained about twelve years. The father died in Montcalm County, that State, when the subject of this sketch was seventeen years of age, and the latter therefore had to look after the welfare of the family. He served three years in Company A, Twenty-first Michigan Infantry, during the last war, going out as a wagoner and having charge of an ordnance train; and afterward he had charge of a foraging party until the close of the war. Returning to Michigan, he studied dentistry, and in 1866 began to practice his profession in Ionia and subsequently in Muskegon, both in Michigan. In 1871 he moved to Fort Scott, Kansas, but in 1874, on account of the ill health of his wife, he came to California. The first three years here he practiced dentistry in Los
Angeles, and in 1878 came to Santa Ana and bought land on East Fourth street. This he soon sold off in town lots except the part on which he erected a residence. He recently became connected with the Santa Ana Free Press, and is the treasurer of the company and principal stockholder. Both himself and wife are members of the Baptist Church, and are highly respected by the community.

He was married in Michigan, in 1859, to Miss Carrie E. Allured, a native of England.

SOURCE: An Illustrated History of Southern California: Embracing the Counties of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the Peninsula of Lower California… Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1890. p.- 842

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

J. W. TOWNER,

the subject of this sketch, now Judge of the Superior Court of Orange County, is a native of Essex County, New York, born in 1823, in the town of Willsboro. When he was fifteen years old his father moved to St. Lawrence County, same State. His education was only that of the common school except one term, in 1841, at the Malone Academy, Franklin County. In 1844, he and an older brother went to Cleveland, Ohio, where he remained until 1854, when he went to West Union, Fayette County, Iowa, remaining there until August, 1861, when he entered the army, becoming Captain of Company F, Ninth Iowa Infantry Volunteers. At the battle of Pea Ridge he was disabled by the loss of his left eye. After his recovery he was commissioned by President Lincoln, Captain of Company B, Second Regiment, Veteran Reserve Corps. This commission he held till July, 1866.

Then he returned to Cleveland, Ohio, and in 1874 went to Madison County, New York, where he resided until 1882. He then came to Santa Ana. During these years his occupations were, from seventeen to twenty-six, teaching school winters and working by the day or month summers; in 1849 he began preaching as a Universalist, and continued thus until 1854, when, his voice failing, he engaged in the lumber and steam saw-mill business in Iowa, till 1859, and was then admitted to the bar at West Union; and since that time to the present, excepting the five years he was in the military service, he has practiced law. While in Cleveland, Ohio, he was Judge of the Municipal Court two years. At the first election held here in Orange County, July, 1889, he was chosen Judge of the Superior Court. He received the nomination on a non-partisan ticket, having two opponents, and in the election received 500 majority over both. As a lawyer he has had practice in all the Courts of Iowa, Ohio, New York and California, and in the United States Circuit Courts in all these States but Iowa.

He was married in Ohio, in 1850, to C. A. Sweet, of Lorain County, that State, and has had three children: Arthur J., married, and living at Santa Ana; Frederick E., died in 1876, and Lillian S. married G. D. Allen, now of Riverside.

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

FRED C. SMYTHE,

the first Assessor of Orange County, was born in the city of Los Angeles, near the old Pico Hotel, in 1857. His father, John Smythe, was a native of the State of New York, and of Irish ancestry, while his mother, whose maiden name was Josephine Yorba, is a native of California and of Spanish descent. The subject of this sketch, the eldest of his parent's nine children, left home to take care of himself at the age of eleven years, taking as his first task that of waiting on the table at Los Angeles. Afterward he entered the printing office at Anaheim and set type on what was then the Southern Californian, but is now the Anaheim Gazette. After this he worked in the printing office in Los Angeles. His health failing, he made a journey to Nevada and Oregon, herding cattle in those States. Subsequently he kept books for Kelley & Felez. Returning to Anaheim, he began plowing and soon entered a clerkship in A. Langenberger's store; he next was employed on the Anaheim Ditch; and it was while he was thus engaged that he was elected Assessor for the town of Anaheim, and about this time he was made Deputy Sheriff of Los Angeles County, serving in this capacity under Sheriffs A. T. Currier, George E. Gard, J. C. Kays and Martin Aguirre, until his election to the office of Assessor of Orange County in July, 1889. During the full period that he was deputy sheriff he served as City Marshal of the city of Anaheim, also constable; also two years as Deputy County Assessor under C. C. Mason, County Assessor of Los Angeles County, and two terms as Special School Assessor of Anaheim School District.

Politically Mr. Smythe is a stanch Republican, and socially he is a member of the order of Chosen Friends, being now a councilor of the order. He is also president of the N. S. G. W., and Commander of the American Legion of Honor. He is a gentleman well known throughout California for his bravery and executive ability, and has won for himself a host of friends irrespective of party.

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

BACK TO ORANGE COUNTY BIOGRAPHIES INDEX PAGE