San Diego County
Biographies
JAMES KERR.
At the front,
among the most prominent business men of San Jacinto, and those who have been
most active in the promotion of its growth, stands the name of James Kerr. He
was born in Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio, October 13, 1849. His
father, James Kerr, was born in Virginia, February 7, 1800. His grandfather,
James Kerr, was also born in Virginia and was a soldier in the Revolution and in
the war of 1812. His mother, Alice (Elliot) Kerr, was born in Holmes
County, Ohio, January 20, 1812, and was married to James Kerr in 1830. The fruit
of this union was nine children, seven of whom are still living. Mr. Kerr was
the youngest but one. In 1852 his father moved to the Platte Purchase, Missouri,
and there, when a lad, attended school. In April, 1867, when he was eighteen
years of age, he was married to Miss Clarissa Cockerel. She was born in
Kentucky, October 20, 1851. Her father, Mr. James Cockerel, was a tobacco
planter of that country.
Their union has been blessed with
four children, two boys and two girls; the two first born in Missouri: William
A., February 24, 1867; Georgia A., May 10, 1868; and the others born in Osage
County, Kansas: Charles, May 24, 1871, and Alice Lucinda, April 15, 1872. In
1861, when fifteen years of age, Mr. Kerr attached himself to the Sixteenth
Illinois Regiment as Captain's boy, and afterward did secret service for the
army; and when President Lincoln made his last call for volunteers he enlisted,
but the day before they were to be mustered in General Lee surrendered and he
was thus debarred from being a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, which
he very much regrets, as he considers it a high honor. He has been a farmer most
of the time in Kansas. In 1876 he came to California and settled at Compton, Los
Angeles County, and was appointed deputy-sheriff in 1877, and served in that
capacity for two years, and during the same time carried on a stock ranch. In
1878 he bought land and engaged in the real-estate business. In 1882 he sold out
and moved into Los Angeles. While there he aided in forming the San Jacinto Land
Association, of which he became a member and stockholder. They purchased 17,500
acres of the San Jacinto Viego ranch of the Estudillos and others. Mr. Compton
and Mr. Kerr became the agents for the sale of this land, and in 1885 he moved
with his family to San Jacinto and bought 160 acres for a home ranch and built a
brick residence, and his sons are raising stock and grain on the ranch. Through
Mr. Kerr's agency the whole of the Land Association's property was sold at
remunerative prices and the whole transaction proved a success. He assisted in
organizing the Los Angeles National Bank and was one of its stockholders. He
helped to organize the San Jacinto Land & Water Company, which was also a
success. The system is artesian supply. The next enterprise which he helped
organize was the Fairview Land & Water Company, in connection with Mr. Compton,
Mr. Howes and others. It comprises 2,900 acres of land, is furnished with
twenty-one miles of iron pipe, through which water is conveyed from the San
Jacinto river. On the tract is also the town of Florida, where the water is
under 238 feet pressure. Mr. Kerr continues his interest in this enterprise. He
has also been interested in the organization of the city of San Jacinto and was
elected one of its first board of trustees, receiving 155 votes out of 157 cast,
and was elected president of the city board of trustees. He is also one of the
commissioners to locate the site for the Insane Asylum. He has helped to
organize the State Bank of San Jacinto, of which he is vice-president and
stockholder. He has helped organize the San Jacinto Lime and Lumber Company, and
is its vice-president. They are manufacturing lime from one twin draw kiln. It
was put in operation one year ago last September and has run day and night ever
since, averaging 100 barrels of lime each day, for which they find a ready sale.
He also took a lively interest in getting the railroad to San Jacinto and
assisted in raising the subsidy of $55,000 and the right of way for the road. He
rightly enjoys the good-will and confidence of his fellow townsmen, and there is
to all appearances a vast amount of practical business left in him yet.
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.- 164-165
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
ALEXANDER EDWARDS,
one of San Jacinto's most honorable citizens, was born in Jefferson County, Indiana, February 19, 1828. His father, Elijah Edwards, was a native of Kentucky, but removed to Indiana and raised his family there. His ancestors were originally from North Carolina. His mother, Charlotte (Davidson) Edwards, was a native of Pennsylvania,. Her father, James Davidson, was from Scotland, educated in Edinburg. Mr. Edwards' parents had six children, but three of whom survive, Mr. Edwards being the oldest. He was educated at Greensburg, Indiana. When eighteen years of age the Mexican war broke out and he enlisted, in 1846, in Company G, Mounted Rifles, and later enlisted in Fifth Indiana, Company K. His company was in all the battles from the siege of Vera Cruz to the taking of the city of Mexico. After the war with Mexico he became a fence contractor and carpenter on the railroad for fourteen years. When the old flag was fired on at Fort Sumter his patriotic blood was up, and he enlisted at President Lincoln's first call for 75,000 three-months men, in Company B, Seventh Indiana Infantry. At the end of three months' service he re-enlisted, in the Fifty-second Indiana Railroad Regiment, and served three years and six months. Five days after leaving Camp Morton, Indianapolis, they invested Fort Donelson, and this regiment had the honor of taking the first three lines of works. He was at the taking of Corinth; from there under General McPherson, they were sent to repair the Memphis & Charleston Railroad. They worked on it two months and put it in running order. Then they took and held Fort Pillow for a year. They then went with General Sherman back to Vicksburg to destroy the railroad. They knocked the flanges from the wheels of the locomotives with sledges, put powder in their fire boxes and exploded them. Then the ties were heated in the middle and bent around the telegraph poles. From there they went to Memphis. Then they fought the battle of Tupelo with Forrest. They were then sent to Missouri to run Price out of that State. They marched 700 miles until they returned to St. Louis. They went on transports to Nashville and fought there. They then went to Mobile, where they got the news of Lee's surrender. In front of Corinth Mr. Edwards was promoted as First Lieutenant and commanded his company for two years. He was detailed to command Company F at the battle of Tupelo. When mustered out of the service he went back to railroading again. In 1871 he went to Kansas and was on the Santa Fe system for three years. He bought and built in Kansas, but the grasshoppers came up like a cloud, settled down on the country and ate up everything. He left the State in 1874 and came to Pasadena. He bought twelve acres of land at Pasadena for $60 per acre, lived on it for eleven years and sold it for $1,000 per acre. It afterward advanced to $3,000 per acre. He came to San Jacinto in 1885, where he purchased thirty acres at $45 per acre and sold it for $200 per acre. He also invested in Florida lands. He has a very attractive home in San Jacinto. The house is of brick and is a little model of beauty. The grounds consist of seven acres, on which there is a good artesian well of excellent water, a good barn and other improvements. One of the great attractions of the place are the large trees of natural growth that have been saved in their primeval state on the property. In 1839 Mr. Edwards was married to Miss Elizabeth Weingarth, who was born in Bavaria in 1841, and came to the United States in 1852. He was made a Mason in 1868, and is a member of the G. A. R., J. A. Addison Post, No. 121, San Jacinto. In politics he has always been a Republican.
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.- 165-166
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler