San Bernardino County
Biographies
GEORGE W. GARCELON
is one of Riverside's pioneer settlers, and ranks among the leading practical horticulturists of the county. He was born in New Brunswick, in 1832, and reared and schooled in his native place until twenty years of age. In starting in life on his own account he decided to establish himself in the United States. In 1852 he located in Lewiston, Maine, and was there employed as clerk in the drag business. His close attention and studies enabled him to master his calling, and he became skilled as a druggist and chemist, and in 1856 he established himself in business as a druggist in that city. He married in that city, in 1858, Miss Mary Tobie, daughter of Edward P. Tobie, a well-known citizen of Lewiston, who for more than thirty years held the position of town and city clerk.
Mr. Garcelon was successful in his business pursuits, and conducted them until 1872. In that year he sought a home in California, and located at Riverside. Soon after his arrival he purchased a two-and-one-half acre block between Vine and Mulberry and Sixth and Seventh streets and entered upon horticultural pursuits. He also purchased a twenty-acre tract on Brockton avenue, at the corner of Bandini avenue. Mr. Garcelon entered heartily into his new calling, growing his own nursery stock and planting citrus and deciduous trees. His experience was that of all pioneers in the fruit-growing of Riverside. Many of his deciduous trees in later years were uprooted and replaced by orange and lemon trees. He now has one of the finest groves in the colony. He also had unbounded faith in citrus fruit-growing in Riverside, and spent time and money in advancing the industry.
The history of the citrus fairs of the world dates its first effort in the spring of 1877, when the orange groves of Riverside submitted their products to the inspection of the horticultural world in the parlor of Mr. Garcelon's modest home. It was the birth of the Citrus Fair Association, with such men as Mr. Garcelon, A. S. White, H. J. Rudisill and other public-spirited citizens as its chief promoters. Mr. Garcelon early saw the possibilities of the lemon-growing industry. The great problem to be solved was the proper curing and preserving to enable the producers to successfully compete with the foreign lemons imported into the country. He spent years in study and experimental research, and after ten years of time and labor his efforts have been rewarded by success, and he has added another source of untold wealth to the citrus-fruit growers of Southern California. He has erected a storage warehouse and lemon-curing establishment of a capacity of 3,000 boxes on the corner of Brockton and Bandini avenues. His process and means of curing are not known to the public, but it is worthy of note that his lemons, in 1889, after nine or ten months storage in his establishment, were perfect, and were valued in the San Francisco market at $10 per box—$2 more per box than first-class foreign lemons commanded.
Mr. Garcelon has not allowed his horticultural industries to lessen his interest in other industries that have built up the city and colony, and meritorious enterprises have found a liberal supporter in him. In political matters he is a stanch Republican. Although never an office-seeker his ability and worth has commanded attention. In 1888 he was prevailed upon to submit himself as a candidate for Supervisor from his district, and was elected for four years. He is a member of the Board of Trade, and in 1886 was one of Riverside's representatives to the Chicago Fair. A strong supporter of schools and churches, he has for many years been a member and trustee of the Congregational Church. He is a member of Riverside Chapter, No. 68, Royal Arch Masons, and Riverside Commandery, No. 28, Knights Templar.
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.- 573-574
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
ORRIN BACKUS,
a horticulturist and business man of Riverside, was born in Columbus, Ohio, March 16, 1822. His father, Andrew Backus, and mother, Bathsheba (King) Backus, were natives of Massachusetts, and representatives of old colonial families. Andrew Backus was a soldier of the war of 1812–'14; he enlisted twice, first under Captain Chase, again under Captain Greenleaf Pratt; he received 160 acres of land and a pension, by act of Congress. Mrs. Hannah Alden, the mother of Andrew Backus and grandmother of Orrin Backus, was sixth in lineal descent from John Alden, of Mayflower pilgrims. Andrew Backus emigrated to Columbus, Ohio, in 1816, one of the pioneers and first to engage in the manufacture of furniture.
Orrin Backus received a good schooling, completing his studies at the Granville College, of Ohio. His young manhood, aside from securing his education, was spent in assisting his father in his business. In 1846 he was appointed assistant clerk and visitor guide in the Ohio Penitentiary at Columbus. He remained on duty during two cholera seasons, when about 113 prisoners and three physicians died. In 1850 he and his brother, Lafayette, engaged in mercantile pursuits in the grocery business in Columbus, Ohio. In 1862 to 1865, during the Rebellion, was captain in charge of the steamer Diadem, and was employed on the Ohio and
Mississippi and its tributaries by the United States Government in the transportation of troops, commissary stores and munitions of war, and it was one of danger and hardship. He took part in military expeditions, and ran the gauntlet of Rebel batteries, on the Tennessee, Yazoo, Mississippi, and up Red river with General A. J. Smith's Sixteenth and Seventeenth Army Corps, with Colonel Gilbert's Twenty-seventh Iowa Regiment. The steamer Diadem was the flag-ship, post of honor and danger, taking the lead of thirty-five transports from Vicksburg.
At the close of the war he resigned his position and returned to Columbus to his family and business, with his brother. In 1867 he located in Cleveland and engaged in the wholesale and retail jewelry trade until 1874. He was then elected secretary and treasurer of the Cleveland Boiler Plate Company, where there were 200 men employed. In 1876 he was elected secretary and treasurer of the Atchison Bridge Company, the office being in Cleveland.
June 16, 1854, Mr. Orrin Backus was married to Miss Ella V. McGaw, of Fairfield, Iowa. In 1879 his wife's ill health decided him to retire from business and to accompany her to a more genial climate, seeking a restoration of her health; but the changes only gave temporary relief. She died February 4, 1882, in Cleveland.
December 4, of the same year, Mr. Backus started with his son, W. H. Backus, and family for Riverside, California, where they located and bought an orange grove of thirteen acres, and engaged in horticulture, and they have one of the representative orange groves and raisin vineyards of his section; also bought a ten-acre ranch on Magnolia avenue. W. H. Backus cures and packs his raisin crop.
Mr. Backus is one of the original incorporators of the Riverside Banking Company, and has been a director of the bank since its organization in 1885; he was also an incorporator and director of the First National Bank of San Bernardino. He owns a one-fifth interest in a large stock ranch, Las Penisquitas, about 7,000 acres. Politically he has been a stanch Republican since the party organization in 1856. He is a member of Arlington Presbyterian Church, and served some years as one of its trustees. He is also a member of the I. O. O. F. and Capital Encampment, Columbus, Ohio. His wife and three children have died. His son, W. H. Backus, married Miss Ida J. Cronenberg in 1881; they live in Riverside, and have two children, a son and daughter.
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.- 574-575
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler