Orange County
Biographies
J. D. CHAFFEE, M. D.,
of Garden Grove, was born in Campton, Kane County, Illinois, November 5, 1843, and received his literary education at the Methodist Seminary at Mt. Morris, that State. His health failing, he came to California in 1875, and purchased a ranch at Garden Grove, intending to give his time to outdoor pursuits; but his love for study still grew upon him, and, having in great measure regained his health, he went to San Francisco and took a course at the Hahnemann Medical College, where he graduated in 1887. Since that time he has given his whole attention to the practice of medicine at Garden Grove and vicinity. He has built up a large and lucrative practice, his professional ability being recognized far and wide. He has a beautiful home among the orange and cypress trees, where his grounds are fragrant with the breath of roses.
Dr. Chaffee was married in Illinois, September 29, 1868, to Miss E. M. Bradley, of Dundee, Illinois. Her father, W. S. Bradley, was a pioneer of that State, a successful farmer, and died in California in July, 1888. Both the Doctor and Mrs. Chaffee are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Their neat church building at Garden Grove stands as a monument of their Christian zeal and enterprise. The society was organized in 1879, with the following named members: John D. and Ellen Chaffee, A. G. and B. W. Cook, J. H. Rice and wife, Father B. Rice and J. Rice. Since its organization the church has steadily grown in numbers and prosperity, there now being enrolled over one hundred communicants.
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.- 866-867
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
JOHN WARNER,
dentist at Garden Grove, was born in Otsego County, New York, in 1820. His parents, Zachariah and Laura (Hale) Warner, were natives of Connecticut and of English ancestry. John, the fifth in a family of eight children, learned dentistry at Cincinnati, first started in business in Kentucky in 1840, and from 1865 to 1877 he was at Leavenworth, Kansas, engaged in wholesale queensware and plated-ware. In 1877 he came to Oakland, this State, where he practiced dentistry for seven years. Since coming to Garden Grove he has practiced his profession to some extent, but most of his attention is given to the cultivation of his fruit and ornamental trees and the beautifying of his home. Here he hopes to spend the rest of his life, free from the excitement and worry of business. He is a member of the F. & A. M. and I. O. O. F. He was in early day a Whig, but is now an ardent Republican.
Mr. Warner was married in 1853, in Estill County, Kentucky, to Miss Harriet Wilber, a native of the Empire State. Her parents were Church and Hannah Seva (Gambel) Wilber, natives of Barnard, Windsor County, Vermont, and of English, Scotch and French descent. They had ten children, and moved from New York to Michigan when Mrs. Warner was but four years old. They subsequently lived in Indiana and other places in the West. The father died in West Virginia, at the age of ninety years, well preserved in body and mind; the mother died some years previously. Mrs. Warner is an earnest member of the Presbyterian Church.
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.- 867
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
WILLIAM LAMSON,
a capitalist of Garden Grove, was born at Mt. Vernon, New
Hampshire, October 1, 1810, the eldest of six children of John L. and Nancy
(Bradford) Lamson. At the age of twenty-one years, after having been an
industrious worker for his father, he started out in life for himself, his
father taking him as far as he could in one
day, giving him $2 and telling him not to drink or to gamble, and to do the best
he could for himself. With the $2 Mr. Lamson went about half way to Boston and
hired out for one year, at $10 per month. At the end of the year he had saved
$100, which he put out at interest, and it is still drawing interest in some of
his
mortgages! After his first year's work he entered a glass factory, where he
exhibited the sterling qualities which have characterized him as a business man
all through life. The superintendent of the glass works was a careless,
intemperate man and wasted a great deal of material. Mr. Lamson saw this, and
when all the other men had quit work he remained and gathered up what was about
to be wasted and put things in order. The company, observing him in the
performance of these chores, appointed him superintendent of the work at their
next meeting, and this position he held for seventeen years. The next twenty-two
years he was a resident of Woodford County, Illinois, engaged as gardener, in
settling estates, buying tax titles, making collections, etc. Twelve years ago
he came to California and bought 160 acres of land at Garden Grove, where be now
has a fine stock and fruit farm. He has also interests in the First National
Bank and the Commercial Bank at Santa Ana, and the bank of Anaheim. He has been
eminently successful in life, and he says that his success is due to his
observance of the rule, " Keep out of debt."
He was married May 28, 1835, to Miss Sarah Starrett, of New Boston, New Hampshire, and their children were: William Bradford, George S., Sarah Frances and Gustin W. Mrs. Lamson died June 6, 1883. Mr. Lamson is now eighty years old, and well preserved in body and mind.
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.- 867-868
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler