doc241 - Schoenherr Home Page in Sunny Chula Vista

It will now be in order to give some account of the early American settlers of San
Diego, before proceeding to tell the story of the new city. A few who came before the
Mexican War have already been sketched and the Spanish families are grouped in
Chapter VI, Part II. Some of the names appearing in this chapter may be strange to the
present generation, though familiar to older settlers. The necessity of compressing this
history into one volume of moderate size renders it impossible to do full justice to all
these pioneers. The most essential facts have been condensed and arranged with a
view to giving as much information as possible concerning them, in a brief and impartial
manner.
AMES, Julian. Was a sailor from Amesbury, Mass., and said to have been an uncle
of the well known Oakes Ames. He married, in lower California, a lady named Espinosa.
He was an otter hunter in 1846, and served as a volunteer in the Mexican War.
He held some offices at an early day, including that of city trustee in 1853 and 1855.
About 1859 or 1860 he settled on El Cajon ranch, where he died in February, 1866. His
children were: Francisco, who lives in lower California; Sam, who married Adelaide, a
daughter of José Antonio Serrano, and lives in Lower California; José, who married
María, daughter of José Machado, and lived and died at Lakeside; Mary, who married
James Flynn; and Nievas, who married Charles Greenleaf, of Lakeside.
BEAN, Joshua H. Settled in San Diego during the military occupation and was a
prominent citizen. He served as alcalde in 1850 and as mayor in the same year, being
the last alcalde and the first mayor of San Diego. While mayor, he signed the deed for
the "Middletown Addition," May 27, 1850. He removed to Los Angeles in 1851, and at
the time of the Garra Insurrection was major-general of State Militia and came to San
Diego to preside over the courtmartial. He kept a store at San Gabriel and was a prominent
citizen of Southern California. He was killed, in November, 1852, by Mexican ruffians,
near Los Angeles.
Page 267
BOGART, Captain J. C. Captain Bogart was one of the earliest visitors, touching
here in 1834, in the ship Black Warrior. In 1852 he became the agent of the Pacific Mail
Steamship Company at La Playa, with headquarters on the hulk Clarissa Andrews, and
held the position many years. He represented the county in the State Senate in 1862-3,
and was actively connected with the San Diego & Gila Railroad project. He was unmarried.
In 1873 he revisited San Diego and gave some interesting reminiscences.
BUSH, Thomas Henry. Judge Bush was born in Pennsylvania, June 8, 1831, and
came to California in 1853. He learned the bookbinder's trade, which he followed in San
Francisco, and also engaged in mining and kept a store in Lower California. He came to
San Diego in 1865, where at first he kept a store, and in 1868 became postmaster. In
the same year he was appointed county judge to fill the unexpired term of Julio Osuna,
and held the office eight years. He was also school trustee and city trustee; in the latter
capacity, he was instrumental in selling the city lands to Horton, and signed the deed.
From 1878 to 1887, he was absent from San Diego, prospecting and visiting in his native
state. In his later days, he engaged in the real estate business, was a notary, and
secretary of the San Diego Society of Pioneers. He died December 17, 1898.
He married Ellen Augusta Porter. They had one daughter, Bertha, born in San
Francisco in 1863. Miss Porter was an early teacher at Old Town.