Orange County
Biographies
C. F. MANSUR,
cashier of the Orange County Savings, Loan and Trust
Company at Santa Ana, was born in Barnston, Ontario, Canada, July 8, 1840. At
the age of fourteen years he came to the United States and located at Randolph,
Wisconsin, upon a farm. During the war he enlisted in the Eighth Wisconsin
Volunteer Infantry, better known as the " Live Eagle Regiment," because they
carried a live eagle through the war. After the war Mr. Mansur returned to
Wisconsin, followed farming two years, then
was a merchant a year or two in Canada, and in 1867 came to California. Here he
was engaged in the mercantile business for ten years at Camptonville, during
which time he was postmaster also at that place. In 1878 he came to Santa Ana,
where he has since lived. He owns several fine fruit farms near the city, and
other valuable property. For several years he was a director in the Santa Ana
Valley Fruit Company, and made several trips to Chicago in its interests, and is
still its acting secretary. April 8, 1889, he organized the company of which he
is now the cashier, and August 1 opened for business. Capital $100,000.
Officers: Carey R. Smith, President; I. N. Rafferty, Vice-president; C. F.
Mansur, Cashier. This company, though in its infancy, shows that it is destined
to be one of the leading enterprises in the enterprising city of Santa Ana.
Mr. Mansur was married in Wisconsin, in 1861, to Miss C. L. Gale, from Vermont, just before he entered the service of his country. They have brought up a family of six children, the eldest of whom is now a merchant in Chicago.
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.- 880
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
DR. MOSES SPENCER JONES,
the oldest resident physician in Orange County, was born in Clinton County, Illinois, in 1842, a son of Charles Lee and Elizabeth Leek (Spencer) Jones. His father, a native of Buckingham County, Virginia, moved to Christian County, Kentucky, in 1824, and thence in 1830 to Illinois, where he died August 2, 1860.
Dr. Jones was educated at McKendree College, at Lebanon, St. Clair County, Illinois, and completed his education under private instruction in St. Louis. He took a special course under the celebrated Dr. William Niehaus, in ophthalmology and aural surgery, and subsequently a special course at New York city, under the private instructions of Dr. D. B. St. John Roosa. He received his diploma from the St. Louis Medical College in 1869, and began the practice of his profession in partnership with his old preceptor, Dr. Niehaus. Within a year his health failed and he went to Shreveport, Louisiana, and practiced there two years, and then reformed a partnership with Dr. Niehaus at St. Louis; but failing health again broke his relation and he came to California, arriving January 26, 1874. He practiced one year in Los Angeles, and in 1875 established himself in Santa Ana. His specialty is the treatment of diseases of the eye and ear.
While in Shreveport, Miss Cordelia J. Reierson, of Kaufman, Texas, came to him for treatment for blindness, and was cured; and in September, 1876, they were married. They had two lovely children: Essie L. and George R. In October, 1887, she died, and March 3,1889, the Doctor married her cousin. Venia Avera, of Sherman, Texas.
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.- 881
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
J. C. HICKEY,
of Santa Ana, is a native of Knox County, Tennessee, and was an infant when his father died. He was reared by his step-father, who moved to Alabama about 1845. At the age of fifteen years he left his stepfather, on account of cruel treatment, and started for California. He traveled on foot through Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. At San Antonia he joined Dr. Edwards and others who were starting to California with cattle, in 1854. After arriving in Los Angeles, Mr. Hickey worked by the day for two months, and then for seven years was engaged in the cattle business in various parts of northern California. In 1864–'65 he followed farming one year at El Monte. In 1866 he was settling up his cattle business in Fresno. In 1868 he bought a large barn and cattle ranch in San Bernardino County, and carried it on for seven years.
December 23, 1874, is the date of his arrival at Santa Ana, when he at once entered the livery business, which he successfully followed until 1884. His stables stood where now stands the Brunswick Hotel. He sold the property for $14,000, and he owns $12,000 stock in the hotel, and he still also owns the Hickey livery barns, on the corner of Fifth and Sycamore streets. In 1887 he built the Hickey block, on Fourth street, a fine brick structure, two stories high, fifty-feet front by fifty feet in depth. He also owns other valuable residence property and business houses. His residence is on West and Hickey streets. He has been prominently connected with nearly every enterprise in Santa Ana, and is a citizen respected by everybody.
In 1866 he married, in El Monte, Miss Julia A. Johnston, who was born in the city of Chicago, the daughter of McAger Johnston, a native of Tennessee, who came to California in 1852, across the plains. He was a blacksmith, and built the first shop in Los Angeles County outside of the city. He was killed January 5, 1855. Mr. and Mrs. Hickey have six children.
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.- 881-882
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler