San Diego County
Biographies
HOWARD M. KUTCHIN,
a journalist, editor and publisher, now a resident of San
Diego, was a native of Norristown, Pennsylvania, born November 4, 1842. His
father, Rev. Thomas T. Kutchin, born in Pennsylvania, was a Baptist clergyman in
Philadelphia. His grandfather, Thomas J. Kutchin, was born in Philadelphia, and
for the greater part of his life was a professor in one of the academies in
Philadelphia. The family is of Scotch descent. Mr. Kutchin's mother,
Amanda (Thomas) Kutchin, was a daughter of Mr. Ephraim Thomas. Their ancestors
came from Wales in 1676, two years after Penn's arrival. There were nine
children in the family, of whom the subject of this sketch was the third child,
and the oldest of six boys. He received his education in the public schools, and
in 1860, when eighteen years of age, he adopted journalism as a profession, and
was connected with various newspapers in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Missouri. In
1866 he was married to Miss Elsie M. Irving, born in Racine, Wisconsin, July 1,
1844, daughter of John and Mary Irving, who were of Scotch descent. They have
two children— a daughter and son: Grace E. and Harold I. Shortly after his
marriage in Missouri he returned to Wisconsin in 1867, and bought the Fort
Atkinson Herald, and was its publisher until the fall of 1870, when he
leased the establishment and came to San Diego with a purpose to remain. He then
became connected with the San Diego Union, and assisted in publishing the
first Daily Union. His tenant in Wisconsin being unable to carry out his
lease, he returned, took possession and sold out, and purchased the Fond du Lac
(Wisconsin) Daily Commonwealth. He owned and edited that paper up to
1884. In 1877 he was appointed director of Wisconsin State prison. In 1879
President Hayes appointed him Collector of Internal Revenue for the third
district of Wisconsin, in which capacity he continued until President Cleveland
was elected, when he went out as an " offensive partisan."
During his residence in Wisconsin he took an active part in politics. He was chairman of the Republican County Committee, and was chairman of the Republican Congressional District Committee for many years. At the State Republican Convention of 1886 he was elected secretary of the State Central Committee, and did the work of the campaign in that capacity: At the close of this, being greatly prostrated by the arduous labors he had performed, he was advised by his physicians to travel, and he returned to San Diego in 1887. He returned to Wisconsin in the spring and came back again a few months later, to make his permanent home here. In the fall of 1888 he took charge of the Daily Union, as manager. In the course of a few months he became editor as well, and continued it until June, 1889, when he retired from the paper. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, is a Knight Templar, and has held various positions in the order. In the Knights of Pythias he was Grand Chancellor of Wisconsin for a number of years, and Supreme Representative of the State to the Supreme Lodge of the world for four years. In June, 1889, he was recommended by Congressman Vandeon and the Republican State delegation for the appointment of Postmaster of San Diego he was subsequently appointed, and now occupies that position. He has invested largely in property in San Diego, and is interested in all that pertains to the welfare of the city of his choice and home.
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.- 142-143
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
J. S. BUCK.
Among the early
pioneers of California we note the name of Joshua S. Buck, who arrived at San
Francisco in 1856, at the age of twenty-one years, filled with
the enthusiasm and ambitions of youth, and also possessed of a scientific
knowledge which few acquire at so early an age, as upon his arrival at San
Francisco he was one of three marine engineers who held first-class certificates
from the Government. He was born at Campo Bello, New Brunswick, March 12,
1835, his parents being natives of Maine. He was third in a family of ten
children, of whom nine are still living. In 1842 his parents removed to
Eastport, Maine, and his father being a mechanical engineer, he was early
employed as agent of the steamship company which ran steamers from Boston to
Eastport and New Brunswick. After a common-school education, the subject of this
sketch early adopted the profession of his father, and under his skillful
teaching was rapidly pushed forward in his trade, and was often substituted as
engineer on steamships of the Eastport line.
In 1856 he left home for California, arriving in New York in October, and being a seafaring man, which entitles him to a vote in any port, he there cast his first Presidential vote for John C. Frémont, October 12, 1856, and in the afternoon of the same day he boarded a steamer as passenger, bound for California by the Isthmus of Panama, arriving at San Francisco in November, 1856. The following five years were employed in placer mining, mainly in Tuolumne County: Returning to San Francisco in 1861, he was employed by the Holiday Line of Steamers in repairing the steamship John L. Stephens. He then made an engagement with the Pacific Mail Steamship Company as assistant engineer on the line between Panama and San Francisco. At the end of one year he became chief engineer of the line, and remained in their employ eighteen years. He was chief engineer of the old steamship Constitution for four years, a vessel very familiar to the early Californians. In 1868 Mr. Buck's wife was taken very sick, and he secured one year's leave of absence and brought her to San Diego. He bought lots and built the fifth house in San Diego, at the corner of Front and F streets, also improved and sold other property. At the close of the year he leased his house and returned to San Francisco,
but has been a property-holder in San Diego since that year. In 1870 he passed one year in the Japan service, making four trips to China as chief engineer of the steamship Japan. In 1871 he again came to San Diego, on account of the health of his wife; after one year he returned to San Francisco, and continued in the employ of the company until 1880, when he came to San Diego and took up permanent residence. The first five years he passed much of his time at Julian, but in 1885 he returned to San Diego and started in the pottery business at the corner of Fifth and K streets, as agent for the Elsinore Pottery Company, for the sale of their goods, and he continues business at the same stand and shipping pottery and stoneware all over the world, but his specialties now are the Penn pottery of New Brighton, Pennsylvania, and the Mica Roofing Company's goods, of New York.
January 1, 1867, Mr. Buck was married at San Francisco, to Miss Emma Hooper, a native of St. Johns, New Brunswick. They have two children: Annie K. and Walter, born at San Francisco. His wife is still living, and enjoys comfortable health, at their new and comfortable residence on the corner of F and Twenty-first streets. Mr. Buck was elected a member of the Board of Supervisors in November, 1888, and took his office January 1, 1889.
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.- 143-144
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler