San Diego County
Biographies
T. B. HARTZELL,
a son of a pioneer, was born in Iowa, which was at that
time a Territory, at a little settlement called Keosangua, January 18, 1842, his
father being of Pennsylvania Dutch descent and his mother from the Dutch
Carolina Quakers. There were seven children, six of whom survive. Mr. Hartzell
was left fatherless at the early age of five years, and since the age of nine
has earned his own living, being first employed at $7 per month. Between the
ages of nine and fourteen years his educational opportunities were extremely
limited, having had but fifteen months schooling through the five years, as what
were then called free schools were only in session
during the three winter months of each year. From 1856 to 1860 he worked
at farming and herding stock as opportunities afforded. He went to Pilot Knob,
Missouri, to learn the trade of carpenter, but in 1861, hearing his country's
cry "to arms," he returned to Iowa and in August, 1861, enlisted for three years
in Company G, Third Iowa Cavalry, in command of Colonel Cyrus Bussy (now
Assistant Secretary of Interior), Adjutant of the regiment being John W. Noble
(now Secretary of Interior). From 1861 to 1863 the regiment was in Arkansas and
Missouri and was engaged in all the important battles, Pea Ridge, Kirksville,
Moode's Mills, Hartsville and many skirmishes. In 1863 they led the advance at
Little Rock under command of Lieutenant Colonel N. C. Colwell. During the winter
of 1863 and 1864 they were in the battles of Pine Bluff; Arkadelphia, Princetown
and Brownsville. On January 1, 1864, the regiment re-enlisted " for the war,"
and went home on a thirty-days furlough, Colonel Bussy being promoted to
Brigadier General and Lieutenant Colonel Colwell promoted to command of the
regiment, who after three months was appointed District Judge of Arkansas by
President Lincoln, and Colonel John W. Bussy was then promoted to command of the
regiment. About May 1, 1864, they arrived at Memphis, Tennessee, and reported to
General Grierson, who was known as the " Great Raider," and was in all his raids
up to January, 1865, being in Guntown battle and at Tupelo. January, 1865, they
were ordered to Louisville, Kentucky, and joined Wilson's Cavalry Corps on its
march through Alabama, Georgia and into Florida. They were at the battle of
Selma, where the loss was very heavy but the fight was won; then at Columbus,
Georgia, where was fought the last general engagement of the war, on the 19th of
April, 1865, an evening engagement, and at twelve o'clock midnight they crossed
the only remaining bridge and took possession of the city. They marched to
Macon, Georgia, and surrounded the city and prepared for battle, when General
Cobb of the C. S. A. came forward with a flag of truce and said that President
Lincoln had been assassinated and armistice of peace had been declared. General
Wilson then ordered General Upton to take charge of the city. The fourth
division of the cavalry corps was then sent to Atlanta on the lookout for Jeff
Davis between Tallahassee, Florida, and Atlanta, Georgia, but Jeff was captured
by a Michigan regiment and was brought to Atlanta in company with Alexander H.
Stephens. Mr. Hartzell was then in command of an ambulance corps and was ordered
by General Upton to carry the prisoners from the railroad station to
headquarters. The subject of this sketch remained at Atlanta during the summer
of 1865, and had charge of an ambulance corps which carried mail from the city
over the line of road which had been torn up by Sherman in his great march,
until the road was relaid. On September 21 the regiment was ordered to Iowa and
mustered out.
During the next ten years Mr. Hartzell was variously employed at Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory; he then went to Nebraska and was among the pioneers of Lincoln and Kearney. In 1875 he returned to Iowa, remaining three years, when he received the appointment of superintendent of the Indian reservation in Idaho, and in 1880 was transferred by Carl Schurtz to the Round valley reservation in Mendocino, California, where he remained until 1882, when he resigned and came to San Diego, arriving June 20, going at once to Poway, where he bought a ranch. Since that time he has been interested in ranching and real estate in San Diego city. He is now a member of the Pamo Water Company, who own a fine section of country and control a water supply second to none in California.
Mr. Hartzell was married September 19, 1869, to Miss L. E. Culver, of Cleveland, Ohio, then living at Lincoln, Nebraska. They have four children, all of whom are living. Like all good soldiers Mr. Hartzell believes in perpetuating the memories of the past, and in maintaining loyalty in the present, and is a Past Commander of Hentzleman Post, No. 33, of the department of California.
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.- 337-338
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
F. J. McDONALD
was born at Barre, Ontario, Canada, August 13, 1861; his
parents were natives of Canada, but his father was of Irish descent, of the
McDonald family of County Antrim. The subject of this sketch was the youngest in
a family of eight children, seven of whom still survive. His education was
received in the town of Barre, at
the Collegiate Institute. He was an under‑graduate of the Toronto University. He
commenced his medical course in 1881, at Toronto, and graduated in medicine and
surgery in 1885.
During the Louis Riel rebellion in
1885, in the northwestern part of Canada, Dr. McDonald filled the position of
military surgeon. He then went abroad, remaining one year, and taking a
post-graduate course at Edinburgh, London and Dublin.
In Dublin, October 5, 1886, Dr. McDonald was married to Miss Mary Grace Healey, the eldest daughter of Major George Healey, J. P. D. L., of county Kilkenny, Foulkscourt Domain, Ireland. He then brought his bride to the United States and after visiting his friends in Canada came to San Diego, arriving in November, 1886. He then began practice, opening an office on Fifth street near H street, in general medicine, and special attention given to surgery, and is now enjoying a very satisfactory practice, and is resolved to stand by the town through its dull times, and thus acquire name and fame as the town improves.
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.- 338
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
L. B. BENNETT,
of Alamo, was born in McLean County, Kentucky, January 7, 1859. His parents were natives of Kentucky. There were six children, all of whom are living, the subject of this sketch being the oldest of the family. His parents are still living on the old homestead in Kentucky, his father being a farmer. L. B. Bennett lived at home until he was about twenty-one years of age; he received a preliminary course of training at the the common schools, then finished a three years' course at the Southwest Institute, situated at South Carrollton, Kentucky. He then entered the law office of Judge J. C Johnson, remaining two years, at the end of which time he was admitted to the bar. He was then elected county attorney for McLean County and held office one term of two years. In 1882 he went to Nevada, and for one year practiced law at Belmont, county seat of Nye County. In October, 1883, he went to Washington Territory, at Seattle and Whatcom, on Bellingham Bay, remaining one year. In July, 1884, he came to San Diego, and being financially "broke" accepted a position as barkeeper in the retail liquor business, remaining until 1887, when he went to Ensenada and started in the same business, under the firm name of Blanden & Bennett. In the spring of 1889 he went to Alamo, Santa Clara mining district, and opened a saloon, billiard and club rooms. He now thinks of closing up business and returning to the practice of his profession. The town of Alamo was laid out by the International Company, June, 1889. It was a level mesa, covered with a growth of juniper and manzanita. The company cleared the streets July, 1889, and in August building and occupancy began. The town was opened by the company giving twenty lots to twenty representative men who would immediately improve, the lots being located about the plaza. The subject of this sketch received one lot, and has built a house valued at $2,000, adobe walls and shingle roof, buying shingles and lumber in San Diego and freighting down, the freight alone costing $250.
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.- 338-339
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler