San Bernardino County
Biographies
SIMEON COOK,
of Redlands, is a native of Richmond, Cheshire County, New Hampshire, born April 14, 1821; his parents being Simeon, Sr., and Rachel (Holman) Cook. Both parents came of old New England families, and the father of our subject went with his parents from Billingham, Massachusetts, to New Hampshire, when he was but three years of age. He was born December 8, 1770, and died March 18, 1859. Our subject's mother was the daughter of Elijah Holman, who lived on the line between Winchester and Richmond, New Hampshire, and before her marriage to Simeon Cook, Sr., was the widow of Ebenezer Barnes. She died March 18, 1839. Simeon Cook, whose name heads this sketch, spent his early boyhood days on the farm at his native place. He attended public schools at Richmond, and private schools at Winchester and Swansea, after which he attended the Academy at Amherst. When twenty years old he went to Boston, where he was engaged for seven months as a clerk in the grocery store of Robert Cummings. He next went to Waltham, where for a year he was in a general store with Robert Cummings, in Old Rumford Hall. From there he returned to Boston, and engaged in the grocery business on Chambers street at the head of Poplar, in partnership with a nephew. After three years there he sold out to his partner and went back to Richmond, where he conducted an old-fashioned country store for some eight or ten years. He then disposed of that business and engaged in manufacturing hogsheads for the Cuban market. He originated this business at Richmond, New Hampshire, then removed to Ashburnham, Massachusetts, and next to Keene, New Hampshire. At the two latter places he was in partnership with his brother George; and in 1856 they established another factory at Troy, New York. In 1859 he commenced making trips to Canada, buying staves for the cooperage establishments of the firm, but after a year he commenced manufacturing lumber in Canada, as well as carrying on his other business there, and settled down at Ingersoll, Ontario. He resided there until 1881, when he wound up his business interests in Canada, and removed to California. He was at Riverside from May until Christmas, 1881, and then removed to Redlands. Here he helped finish up the Prospect House, the first hotel, and when it was finished he carried it on for about a year. He then commenced improving the place where he now resides, one of the most desirable tracts about Redlands. There are twenty acres on the place, and of this amount six acres are in Muscat raisin grapes. Some five acres are devoted to oranges, about equally divided between Washington Navels and seedlings, and nearly all the trees are in bearing. The remainder of the trees in his orchard are divided about as follows: lemons, 75; apricots, 250, and peaches, 30; a few nectarines and Bartlett pears. About an acre and a half is devoted to alfalfa. Mr. Cook has set about improving his place in a systematic manner, and it shows the results of much care and labor.
Mr. Cook was married to Miss Ellen Murdock. He has six children, viz.: Silas P., a clergyman of the Congregational Church, at Northfield, Massachusetts, and connected with Moody's schools there; Leroy, who resides at Worcester, Massachusetts, and is a draughtsman in the Washburn-Moen wire-works; he is a graduate of the school of Technology at Worcester; Clara Josephine, wife of Herbert Aldrich, who is connected with his father in an insurance establishment at Keene, New Hampshire (firm of Herman C. Aldrich & Son); Charles Sumner, who is professor in the Northwestern University at Evanston, Illinois, and was formerly a tutor at Hanover, where he finished his education; William and Frank, who reside with their parents.
Mr. Cook is a Republican politically. He is an active, enterprising man, and takes a commendable interest in the welfare of the community.
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.- 720-721
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
DAVID H. WIXOM,
the tenth of a family of twelve children of Nathan J. and Betsy (Hadlock) Wixom, was born in 1848 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. In 1850 his parents started with their family, consisting then of ten children, to cross the plains to California. They loaded three ox teams and one horse team with their effects, and brought fifty cows, ten head of horses and a small flock of sheep over as far as Salt Lake, where they spent the winter, and there their eleventh child, Charles W. Wixom, was born. In the spring of 1852 they resumed their journey to the Golden State, and settled in Monterey County, near San Juan Mission, and lived there two years, Mrs. Wixom and her daughters carrying on the dairy business with their cows, making butter and cheese, which they sold at very high prices, to go to the mines. They also kept a public-house for the entertainment of travelers. Mr. Wixom devoted his attention to mining. In the spring of 1854 they removed to Los Angeles and two years later came to San Bernardino, and settled on a half block of land they purchased on the corner of Ninth and F streets. In 1857 Mr. Wixom sold out and took his family to Salt Lake, but returned to San Bernardino in August, 1858, having been gone ten months. He bought two acres between Sixth and Seventh on D street, and they lived there several years, then sold and bought two acres on the northwest corner of Third and D streets, where the First National Bank is now situated. There the family resided at the time of Mr. Wixom's death, which occurred July 29, 1867. He was a farmer by occupation, and after coming to Southern California devoted his attention mainly to that pursuit. He and Mrs. Wixom were both born in New York State, he in 1806, and she in 1811. They both came to Ohio in childhood, his parents settling at Columbus, and hers near Portsmouth, at which place they were married in November, 1827. The widow resides in San Bernardino, and is quite active for a lady of her advanced age. Their lineal descendants now number 168 souls, more than 100 of whom are living. Their children, in the order of their ages were named as follows: Reuben, Clarissa J., now Mrs. Ferguson; Mary A., now Mrs. Crandall, widow of L. D. Crandall; Willard A., Elizabeth, Mrs. R. Mathews, deceased; Julia, deceased; Jasper, Eliza, widow of Charles Purcell; Cynthia, now Mrs. Payne, of San Diego; David H., Charles W. and Chauncy, deceased.
David H., the subject of this sketch, in former years engaged in teaming and farming. In December, 1866, he married Mary A. Stuchbury, a native of Australia; he came to California in 1858. In 1882 he was elected City Marshal of San Bernardino, was re-elected in 1883, and declined to be a candidate for the office the next year.
During his second official term Marshal Wixom arrested William R. McDowell, the murderer of Maggie O'Brien, on information of McDowell's wife, who was cognizant of the crime when committed, and revealed it to Mr. Wixom on the plea that her own life was threatened by her husband. He was a gambler by occupation. McDowell was convicted and hanged, and his wife committed suicide some time after his execution.
In 1884 Mr. Wixom was a candidate for Sheriff on the Democratic ticket, and though the county ticket was carried by the Republicans by several hundred majority he was only beaten forty-nine votes.
In 1886 Mr. Wixom erected their fine house on the southeast corner of D and Fifth streets. The lot, which is 105 x 128 feet, cost him $3,000, and the house cost $3,500. He also owns the brick block known as the Wixom block, on Third and D streets, save the portion sold to the First National Bank. There are three stores on the first floor, and the second story is devoted to offices. Mr. and Mrs. Wixom are the parents of five children, four living. Their two daughters are married. For two years past Mr. Wixom has served as Deputy Assessor of San Bernardino County.
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.- 721-722
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler