Los Angeles County

Bearing the distinction of being the first white child in El Monte, Moses C. Cuddeback was born January 22, 1853 or 1854. At the time, his parents were living with the family of Nicholas Smith on Valley Boulevard in an adobe house. Moses C. Cuddeback was the son of Grant P. and Almira Cuddeback, their native state being New York. History tells that the family came to California in 1850.

Among the first settlers in El Monte was Grant P. Cuddeback. He was born in New York State July 1, 1820, the son of Peter and Clarissa Cuddeback. At El Monte, February 2, 1852, he was married to Miss Elmira Hale, of whose parents there is no record available. To Mr. and Mrs. Cuddeback were born six children.

Charles M. Bell was born in El Monte, February 22, 1863. His parents were William C. and Rebecca A. (Fears) Bell. Mr. Bell’s life was spent in his native place, and his education obtained in the local public schools. In 1885, Mr. Bell married Miss Sallie R. Kimbell, a native of California.

William C. Bell was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, September 17, 1832, the second in a family of five sons and two daughters. He was married in El Monte in the spring of 1859, to Mrs. Rebecca Ann (Fears) Cundiff, a native of Clinton, Illinois, who came to California in 1858 across the plains.

Born October 25, 1857, the son of S.L. Barnes, farmer, and a native of Kentucky, and Sarah E. (Bohannon) Barnes, a native of Illinois, William was brought to El Monte in 1859, in a covered wagon train comprising some one hundred and ten wagons.

The business interests of El Monte, had in Isaac Funk Baker one of their most important factors, his enterprise and progressive spirit having contributed no little to the material upbuilding and development of the place. Mr. Baker, a native of Illinois, was born in the vicinity of Bloomington, February 15, 1865.

Mr. Asher was born in Clay County, Kentucky, December 18, 1862, the twelfth in a family of twelve children, whose parents were Jackson D. and Margaret (Hendrickson) Asher, both also natives of Kentucky. In 1902 he sold his holdings in Kentucky and went to Chicago, where he remained one year and then came to California. He stopped first in Los Angeles, where he remained until coming to El Monte in 1907.