San Bernardino County
Biographies
ALEXANDER McCRARY
was born in Ross County, Ohio, in 1825, son of Alexander and Mary (Summers) McCrary. His father was a native of South Carolina and his mother of Kentucky. Mr. McCrary spent his youth upon a farm, receiving such an education as the common schools afforded and was early inured to the hard labor of pioneer farming. His natural mechanical tastes and ideas prompted his taking up a trade, and at the age of twenty-one years he started out in life as a carpenter, and later as a bridge builder and millwright. In 1856 he moved to Iowa and located in Muscatine County, engaging in farming and also as a carpenter and builder. In 1866 he continued his pioneer life by locating in Cherokee County, Kansas, and was engaged in railroad construction and various other enterprises until 1874. In that year he continued his westward march and located in Los Angeles County, California, where he was employed by the Southern Pacific Railroad Company in bridge building, etc. In August, 1875, he moved to Riverside, and first located on a twenty-acre tract on the north side of Center street one-half mile east of Magnolia avenue, on the Government tract, and commenced horticultural pursuits. At that comparatively early date in tree planting in the Riverside colony, no guide was given as to what would finally result in profit and he, like scores of others, lost both time and labor in planting a large variety of deciduous trees and vines, and in 1882 dug most of them out and put in citrus fruit trees. Mr. McCrary sold that place in 1886, and moved to a five-acre tract on Cypress avenue one mile south of Riverside, where he built a comfortable cottage residence and established himself in one of the pleasantest homes in that section. His present lands comprise two and a half acres of oranges, and about the same acreage in raisin grapes, which under his intelligent care and cultivation yield him a handsome profit. He is also engaged in contracting, house moving, etc. Mr. McCrary is a hale and hearty man, fast approaching his a three score and ten years in age. He is enthusiastic in regard to Riverside and its wonderful climate; and boasts that for ten years neither he nor any member of his family has needed the services of a physician. His long residence has made him well known to the people of Riverside, and his success in life and his pursuits are the result of his untiring energy and straightforward dealings.
For more than fifty years, he has been a consistent member of the Methodist Church, and a strong supporter of the same. In politics he is a Republican, uniting with that party upon its organization in 1856.
In 1848 Mr. McCrary married Mrs. Martha Slater, a native of Pennsylvania. There are now five children living, from this marriage, viz.: Mary, now Mrs. James Rogers, of Duarte, Los Angeles County; William H., who married Miss Edith Ball; Isaac A., who married Miss Laura Graves, residing at Monrovia, Los Angeles County; John, who married Miss Julia Pugh, and Letta, now Mrs. Jacob Mann.
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.- 642-643
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
HENRY JARECKI
a prominent business man and manufacturer of Erie,
Pennsylvania, has been induced by the genial climate of Southern California to
select Riverside as his residence. He came to Riverside in 1885 and purchased a
ten-acre orange grove on the west side of Brockton avenue, about one mile south
of the business center of the town, upon which he erected a two-story residence
of modern design and finish. There he has since resided with his family,
receiving great benefit from the health-giving air and pure water for which
Riverside is so noted. His leisure hours are devoted to directing the care and
cultivation to be bestowed upon his fine orange grove and
beautiful grounds. He has one of the finest groves and residence properties in
the colony.
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.- 643
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
GEORGE D. CUNNINGHAM
is one of the enterprising and representative business men of Riverside who have made that city second in enterprise to none in San Bernardino County. He has been associated with her leading business enterprises and building industries since 1876, during which time the small hamlet of a few hundreds has grown to a city of thousands. He was born in Nova Scotia in 1853. His parents were Herbert R. and Eleanor (McGregor) Cunningham. He was reared and schooled in his native place until sixteen years of age, and then came to the United States and located at West Amesbury, now Merrimac, Massachusetts; there he entered into an apprenticeship at the carriage and wagon makers' trade. A close attention to business for four or five years resulted in making him a skilled workman, and a master of the practical details of the business. He then returned to his home in Nova Scotia, where he resided until 1876. In that year he decided to establish himself on the Pacific coast, and came to Riverside. Upon his arrival he engaged in mercantile life as a clerk with R. F. Cunningham in the general merchandise business. After a few months in that employ he established himself in business as a carriage manufacturer and dealer in agricultural implements on Eighth street. He was a master of his business and soon gained the confidence and support of the community. As his business increased he entered heartily in improving and building up the city. In 1883 he built the well-known Cunningham block on the corner of Main and Eighth streets. This was the second two-story brick business block erected in Riverside. During that same year a disastrous fire destroyed his carriage works, etc., but he never lost his faith either in himself or in the future of his chosen city, and after a few months of commission work in the sale of carriages for Eastern manufacturers, he established a furniture business in his block on Main street two doors south of Eighth street, under the firm name of Cunningham & Kelley. This partnership continued until 1886, when he bought out the interests of his partner, and conducted the business alone. In 1887 he moved his warehouse to the Hoyt block, and conducted his greatly enlarged business until May, 1888, when he sold out to W. S. Sweatt & Co. In September of that year he formed a partnership with Mr. A. A. Wood, under the firm name of Wood & Cunningham, and entered into the hardware and crockery business, which he has since conducted. This well-known firm has one of the largest and most substantial business enterprises in Riverside. Their extensive stock of hardware, crockery, tinware, gas fixtures, lamps, etc., is one of the most varied and complete in the county, occupying a double store in the Cunningham block, and also a large wareroom on Eighth street. Nearly fourteen years ago Mr. Cunningham cast his fortunes with Riverside. He has been a successful man, and gained a well deserved competency. This has been done by sound business principles, combined with a straightforward honest dealing that not only gained him the support and patronage of the community, but their respect and esteem as well. He has always been a liberal supporter of enterprises that would build up the city and advance the welfare of the public. He is a director and one of the original incorporators of the Riverside Building and Loan Association. In politics he is a Republican, and his interest in the success of that party has made him a delegate and worker in many of the conventions. He is a charter member of Evergreen Lodge, No. 259, F. & A. M.; also a member of Riverside Chapter, No. 67, R. A. M., and Riverside Commandery, No. 28, Knights Templar. He is a member of Sunnyside Lodge, No. 112, Knights of Pythias, and of the Uniform Rank of that order.
Mr. Cunningham was married in 1879, in Riverside, wedding Miss Susan E. Handy, the daughter of Captain B. B. Handy, a well-known resident of that city. The following are the names of the four children from this marriage: Bessie C., Jack, Eleanor and Marian.
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.- 643-644
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler