San Diego County
Biographies
H. H. HIMEBAUGH
was born January 14, 1840, in Erie County, Pennsylvania. In 1855 he went to Kingsville, Ohio, to attend the Kingsville Academy. He moved to Dane County, Wisconsin, in 1858, and engaged in teaching the greater part of two years. In 1860 he moved to Appleton, Wisconsin, where he entered Lawrence University, and pursued his studies until the spring of 1864, when he left school to enter the army. He enlisted in Company E (Captain J. H. Hauser), of the Fortieth Regiment, Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Augustus Rey, commanding. The regiment went to the front at Memphis, Tennessee, to relieve General A. J. Smith's command, which was about to proceed against General Forrest, and took part in the repulse of Forrest in his raid on Memphis. The Fortieth, being mustered in for 100 days, was mustered out at the end of its term of service, when Mr. Himebaugh resumed his studies at Lawrence University. In a few weeks, however, he re‑
enlisted and was mustered in as Second Lieutenant and Recruiting Officer to assist in raising the Forty-ninth Wisconsin Regiment. When the regimental roster was full he was mustered into service for three years, or during the war, as First Lieutenant of Company D (Captain J. H. Hauser), Forty-ninth Regiment Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Samuel Fallows commanding. Early in 1865 he was sent with the regiment to St. Louis, Missouri, and soon after to Rolla, Missouri, where the regiment remained several months doing guard duty, during a portion of which time Mr. Himebaugh was on detached service as acting Depot and District Ordinance officer on General Brown's staff, who was then in command of the district. The Forty-ninth having been ordered back to St. Louis, when the posts at Rolla and Springfield, Missouri, were discontinued, Mr. Himebaugh rejoined his regiment and for several months was detached with his company on Post duty at Benton Barracks. In the fall of 1865 he was mustered out with his regiment at Madison, Wisconsin, and resumed his studies at Lawrence University, where he graduated in June, 1866, with the degree of B. S. In the winter of 1866 and 1867 he engaged in the profession of teaching at Stevens' Point, Wisconsin. In the fall of 1867 he was appointed by Governor Lucius Fairchilds as assistant superintendent of public property in the State of Wisconsin, which position he held until the winter of 1874, when he resigned his office and engaged in mercantile pursuits in the city of Appleton, Wisconsin. He sold out his business in the spring of 1885, and in June of the same year moved to Stockton, California, where he was employed in real estate and insurance until October, 1886, when, with his family, he removed to San Diego, where he engaged in insurance and real estate.
He was married to Miss Ida J. Church, daughter of the late C. C. Church, of San Diego, at Atchison, Kansas, May 14, 1872. One daughter, Nellie M., born in Appleton, Wisconsin, has blessed the union. Mr. Himebaugh is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In the last his membership dates back to 1854. He believes prohibition will prohibit. His father, Peter Himebaugh, took part in the war of 1812, and his grandfather was a veteran of the Revolution, being in the army during all that long struggle. Mr. Himebaugh has several of the relics of the "time that tried men's souls," which formerly belonged to his grandfather.
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.- 256-257
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
EDGAR C. PEARSON
was born in Maine, January 9, 1850; he was a resident of Bangor till 1877, and for twelve years was a half member of the firm of William T. Pearson & Co., wholesale lumber manufacturers and dealers. The company was the largest in the Eastern States and did a very large business, which extended to England, Scotland, Cuba, Argentine Republic, Jamaica, Brazil, as well as to most of the United States. After leaving Bangor, Maine, Mr. Pearson traveled over New Mexico, Arizona and portions of Old Mexico. He remained one Sear at Winslow, Arizona, in charge of the car service department of the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad Company. While there he was disabled by an accident, and during his vacation came to California. He soon discovered sufficient attraction here to prevent his return to Arizona and resigned. He remained a short time in Los Angeles and in 1886 came to San Diego.
In January, 1889, he purchased the National City Reduction Works, and in May M. D. Arms, formerly of the firm of Arms & Chappel, bought an equal interest in the business. Both partners are stirring, active business men, level headed and honorable, and endeavor to render the best of satisfaction to all with whom they have business dealings. The works occupy a whole block of land in National City, adjoining the National City and Otay Railroad and San Diego Land and Town Company's general offices, being situated right in the city. They have three lines of railroad, the National City and Otay, the California Southern and the Coronado, on three sides of their land; also first-class wharf accommodations, at both National City and San Diego, which give them good facilities for receiving and handling ores and fuel cheaply.
The works contain a five-stamp mill, with 850-pound stamps, vats, pans, settlers, concentrators, riffles, furnaces, etc., all complete and in fine working order, and capable of handling from twelve to eighteen tons of ore daily, running with economy and saving from ninety to ninety-five per cent of the precious metals. Their last four runs, with their new machinery, gave perfect satisfaction to the owners of the ore, Messrs. Noble, of Pine valley, and Hall & Hall, of Elsinore, both parties having splendid paying ore. They mill all the ore of the Cerros Island Mining Company of Mexico.
The buildings are the mill, engine-house, furnace-room, tool house, dwelling-house and assay office. The mill is so arranged that any number of stamps can be added, as the business demands. Motive power is supplied by a fiftyhorse-power engine and a sixty-five-horse-power boiler. Competent judges estimate the value of the plant at $30,000, and with the rapidly-increasing popularity of the works it will speedily increase in value. He is the business manager, secretary and treasurer of the company, and has a wide acquaintance amongst business men and through the country.
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.- 257-258
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler