California Genealogy

Born in a covered wagon train while enroute to California in the year 1853, Perry Olmsted is listed among El Monte’s early settlers.  With but meager records of his people, it is stated that Mr. Olmsted’s parents came from Pennsylvania, locating first upon their arrival in California in the northern part of the State.  In 1895, Perry Olmsted came to El Monte from Antelope Valley, where he had engaged for a number of years in raising grain.  He acquired a tract of land on Peck Road, near the Killian Ranch and developed a fine walnut grove, on which he lived … Read more

Prominent in El Monte for many years as a druggist and practicing physician, and later as a successful farmer and dealer in dairy stock, Dr. B.B. Mings came to California first in 1887, returning after a short stay to his native state, only to be induced after several years, by his wife (a native daughter of California) to return and settle in the sunny land. Dr. Mings was born March 5, 1863 in Gilmer, Upshur County, Texas.  He was the son of Mac and Cynthia (Vise) Mings, both natives of the State of Texas, where the father was a large planter … Read more

California is rich in the possession of men of ability and enterprise who have given their best efforts toward the material growth and progress of the state.   Among these prominent mention may be made of two native sons, the Mills brothers, Francis E. and Edward T., who in 1875, located in the vicinity of El Monte, and actively engaged in farming and later developed a fine walnut grove.  Their father, E.T. Mills, was born in Buffalo, New York, of the same state and the descendant of English ancestry.  E.T. Mills engaged as an assistant in his father’s business, which was … Read more

For over fifty years a resident of El Monte, George Metcalf, a native son of California, has seen many changes in the growth and development of El Monte and vicinity.  Mr. Metcalf was born in San Jose, March 24, 1877.  He is the son of Martin Metcalf, and early pioneer of California in 186, locating first in the mining district of Plumas County.  In 1869, he returned for a brief visit to Ohio and Illinois and was married to Miss Marcella Dart, a native of the State of New York.  Returning with his bride at once, he re-engaged in sheep … Read more

Prominent in the early walnut raising industry of the Mountain View district, and at present, active as a realtor and subdivider of his properties, is Thomas R. McMichael, who came to California in the early nineties and settled in the vicinity of El Monte a short time later. Born November 14, 1868, in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, Mr. McMichael is the son of Kester and Elizabeth (White) McMichael, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania.  His early education was acquired in the public schools of his home communities.  At about eight years of age, his parents moved to Rock Island, Illinois, where they … Read more

A Justice of the Peace in the early days of El Monte and a citizen of the community since the early eighties, John A. McGirk, has been one of the city’s outstanding residents throughout the years of its steady growth and development. Born of Missouri parentage and nativity, Mr. McGirk is the son of Mathias McGirk, who engaged in farming and in selling wood to the steamboats on the Missouri River, near which his farm was located.  Both father and son were Southern sympathizers during the Civil War, however the father was drafted by the Union and required to serve the … Read more

One of the first physicians to cast his lot in El Monte was Dr. T. A. Mayes, who came to El Monte in 1852 and spent the remainder of his life among the people of El Monte to whom he administered aid and counsel in times of need. He was born in South Carolina in 1824. His father and mother were both also, natives of South Carolina, his father being a building contractor and architect. Dr. Mayes was educated in the public schools of his home community, later, taking a course in medicine in the Jefferson Medical College, in Philadelphia, … Read more

Benjamin F. Maxson, Jr., a native of California, was born in Tustin, May 15, 1879. His father was Benjamin F. Maxson, Sr., El Monte pioneer, who contributed much to the development of the community, and was especially prominent in the early growth of the walnut industry here. A separate sketch of his life is to be found elsewhere in these pages. Benjamin F. Jr., was educated in the public schools of Tustin and El Monte later attending Pomona College. His college course was broken by the tragic death of his father, in 1899, which necessitated his return home to attend … Read more

An inheritance of sterling traits of character, have made the members of the Maxson family revered and highly esteemed citizens of this section.  New England ancestry gave to their descendents name and character, later members locating in New York, where in Allegheny County, Abel Maxson, father of the subject of this review, a native of Rhode Island, engaged as a farmer.  Following the example of his Revolutionary sires he served in the War of 1812, participating in several important engagements, among them Sacket’s Harbor.  Some time after the Close of the war, he removed to Dane County, Wisconsin, where he … Read more