Page:Press reference library - Vol 1. (1913).djvu/13

 PRESS REFERENCE LIBRARY PORTRAITS AND BIOGRAPHIES OF MEN OF THE WEST

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Bixby, Jotham, Pioneer Stock Raiser and Capitalist, Long Beach, California, was born at Norridgewock, Maine, January 20, 1831. He comes from the old stock of New Englanders who settled in Maine in the early days and who previously had come from Massachusetts. His father was Amasa Bixby and his mother Fanny (Weston) Bixby.

Mr. Bixby's maternal great-grandfather was Joseph Weston, a pioneer of Maine, who, in the first year of the Revolutionary War, gave his life to the Republic. He volunteered his services as a woodsman guide to lead the ill-fated expedition of Benedict Arnold against Quebec through the path- less forests of Maine and was killed in the dis- charge of his duty.

On December 4, 1862, at San Juan Bautista, California, Mr. Bixby married Margaret Winslow Hathaway, second daughter of the Rev. George W. Hathaway, of Skowhegan, Maine. By this union there have been born seven children-George Hathaway, Mary Hathaway (deceased), Henry Llewellyn (deceased), Margaret Hathaway (deceased), Rosamond Read (deceased), Fanny Weston and Jotham Winslow Bixby.

Mr. Bixby received his education in the common schools of his native State. Being one of ten children, and realizing that there were few opportuni- ties for him in Maine, he determined to go to California, which at that time was attracting the eyes of the civilized world. The gold rush was on. and in 1852, Jotham Bixby found himself aboard the ship Samuel Appleton, California-bound. The ship went around the Horn and Mr. Bixby was landed in San Francisco, the Mecca City for adventurers and gold seekers from all parts of the globe.

In July, of the same year, Mr. Bixby, in com- pany with his elder brother and several others who went out with him from his home village, entered the mining region near Volcano, in Amador County, California. He continued in placer mining for about five years and acquired a small amount of capital.

In 1856, he went into sheep raising and the wool business and the following year moved south to San Luis Obispo County, California, near San Miguel. He remained there in close attention to his growing flocks for about nine years. The name and fame of Southern California had commenced to impress itself on a few of the far-sighted and, in 1866, Mr. Bixby sold his interests in San Obispo County, intent on settling near Los Angeles. A sbort time previous to this he and his equal partner in the well known pioneer firm of Flint, Bixby & Company, of which his elder brother. Llewellyn Bixby, was also a member, had purchased from John Temple the fertile and well-watered Rancho Los Cerritos, containing over 27,000 acres.

This vast tract of land, which lies east of the San Gabriel River and fronts the Pacific Ocean, includes the present townsites of Long Beach and Clearwater, and the Llewellyn or New River district. Mr. Bixby was half owner and in full management of the property and soon became known. as one of the largest and wealthiest stock raisers in Southern California, With his indomitable force of character, he gradually worked his way to the front. He made additional land purchases, financed numerous worthy development projects and became known as one of the most progressive citizens of Southern California.

As their flocks enlarged and their profits increased, Mr. Bixby and his associates purchased 17,000 acres of the Palos Verdes Rancho, and a one- third interest in Los Alamitos Rancho, of 26,000