San Bernardino County
Biographies
CAPTAIN JAMES PUBLICOVER,
one of the early settlers of Riverside, who has for the fourteen years preceding 1889, been identified with her horticultural and building industries. Upon his arrival in Riverside, in 1875, he purchased a ten-acre tract at the foot of Main street, on the south side of Fourteenth street, and engaged in horticulture, planting citrus and deciduous fruits, grapes, etc. He also established himself in business as a painter, and in 1878 opened a paint-shop on Main street, and conducted the enterprise for three or four years. He was successful in his operations and built up one of the valuable groves of the colony, but in 1886 the increasing demand for desirable villa and town lots induced him to subdivide his tract. He extended Main and Orange streets, and opened for building some of the most desirable lots in Riverside; his tract is known as Victoria Place. The Captain is now occupying about five acres of his original tract; the remainder has been sold and many pleasant homes added to Riverside. He has been a strong supporter of all enterprises that have built up the city, and was one of the original stockholders of the Odd Fellows' Hall Association, and other incorporations that have directed their attention to building. Mr. Publicover is a strong supporter of schools and churches, and was one of the first trustees of the Baptist Church in Riverside, and prominent in establishing that society in the city. In political affairs he is a stanch supporter of the Republican party. Captain Publicover is well known to the people of Riverside, and his life among them has been such as to gain their confidence and esteem.
Mr. Publicover was born in Cape Canso, Guysboro County, Nova Scotia, in 1827. His father, Captain Peter Publicover, was a native of Nova Scotia, but of Prussian descent. He was a farmer and seafaring man, owning and commanding vessels in coasting and in deep-water trade.
The subject of this sketch received a fair education and followed in the footsteps of his father. He became a practical farmer and a thorough seaman, and upon reaching his majority was placed in command of a coasting vessel; and as he became more experienced engaged in foreign voyages to various parts of the world. Nearly thirty years of his life was spent as a master. In 1868 he established himself in mercantile business, but three years later found him again on the seas pursuing his old calling. In 1875 he returned from the seafaring life, and decided to seek a home in the Golden State, and selected Riverside as the place best adapted to his purpose.
In 1863 the Captain was united in marriage with Miss Henrietta Kennedy, a native of Port Hilford, Guysboro County, Nova Scotia. They have but one child, Anita.
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.- 658-659
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
WILLIAM FINCH.
Among the prominent and well-known horticulturists of Riverside is the subject of this sketch. A brief resume of his life is as follows: Mr. Finch dates his birth in Rensselaer County, New York, in 1821. He was reared and schooled at his native place near the city of Albany, and followed the occupation of his father, which was that of a farmer. His parents, Cyrenius and Minerva (North) Finch, were both natives of New York. In 1850 Mr. Finch started for the great West, and was among the pioneer settlers of Minnesota. He first located in Ramsay County; thence went to Hennepin County, near Fort Snelling, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits and stock-raising. He was a representative man of his section, and took a leading part in building up and developing the resources of his county, and was prominent in its government, holding positions of honor and trust, serving as the County Commissioner, and as a member of the Board of Supervisors.
In 1876 Mr. Finch decided to seek the genial climate of the Pacific coast, and in that year he came to Riverside and remained until the following summer; during that time he purchased a twenty-acre tract on Bandini avenue, at the corner of Cypress avenue, and commenced his preparations for engaging in horticultural pursuits. He returned East in 1877, and the next year brought his family to Riverside and established himself upon his land. He is a man of practical knowledge and industrious habits. Mr. Finch entered heartily into his new calling, and combined study and research with his experiments in horticulture. His mistake he discovered early, and promptly corrected, and he soon had one of the most productive groves and vineyards in the colony. At this writing he has a ten-acre orange grove in good bearing. The trees are mostly seedlings, but he has a fine variety of budded trees also, comprising Washington Navels, Mediterranean Sweets, and St. Nicholas. As illustrating the success that attends orange-growing in Riverside, when conducted with the intelligent care and attention such as he devotes to it, we note the following facts as regards the yield from his orange groves:
His ten acres planted in 1867, 600 seedling trees and the remainder budded, when from six to eight years old commenced to give a considerable yield, and from that time have given an increasing yield of an average from one box per year from one tree. The balance of his land is producing deciduous fruits, raisin grapes, alfalfa, etc., but is being rapidly planted with young orange trees.
Politically Mr. Finch is a Republican, and has been a strong supporter of that party since its organization in 1856. He is a consistent member of the Universalist Church, and is president of the board of trustees of his church in Riverside.
Mr. Finch has been twice married, first in 1844, to Miss Angeline Kelsey, a native of New York. She died in 1879, leaving seven children. His second marriage was in 1881, when he wedded Miss Phebe Kelsey, a sister of his first wife. No children have been born by this marriage. The names of Mr. Finch's children are: Emma, Frances, Helen, Cornelia, Charles W., Myron and Anna. Helen is the wife of William L. Tanner, of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Cornelia married Dr. Quincey A. Low, of Wabasha, Minnesota; Anna is the wife of Thomas R. Cundiff, a sketch of whom will be found in this volume. Charles W. married Miss Berta Battles, who is the street superintendent of Riverside; Myron married Miss Flora Pryne, who is residing in Minnesota.
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.- 659-660
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler