- A. OVERBAUGH, who lives in a beautiful residence in San Diego
at the corner of Sixth and
- Beech streets, overlooking the city, bay and the Pacific
ocean, was born in Charlestown, New York, November, 1821; his
parents were natives of the same State. His father was a farmer
and owned 320 acres in the Mohawk valley, where his only living
brother still resides, on the old homestead. The subject of this
sketch remained at home until he was twenty-nine years of age,
receiving a common school education, and engaged in the tilling
of the soil. In 1850, he started out for himself into the great
unknown West, going by rail to Buffalo, then by steamer to Milwaukee,
and stage to Janesville, Wisconsin, then the second town in the
State. He did a loaning and discount business until January,
1884, when he went to La Crosse in the western part of the State
and there experienced the first excitement in a real-estate boom.
He bought 120 acres adjoining the town, which he subdivided and
sold in town lots. La Crosse at that time was a town of 500 inhabitants,
but in 1857 numbered 5,000. The town lots sold well, but in 1857
there was a panic, owing to a free banking law which allowed
every bank to issue paper regardless of responsibility, so that
redemption was impossible and bankruptcy seemed to settle upon
the town. Business became much depressed until the opening of
the war when trade revived, increasing as the war continued.
In 1869, Mr. OVERBAUGH came to San José, California, and
again bought acre property, which he sold in town lots. In 1873
he came to San Diego and bought a lot on the corner of Ash and
Second streets, and immediately built a residence, to which he
moved his family in 1874.
- This was during the Torn Scott boom, which soon subsided,
and business was very quiet until the
- completion of the California Southern Railroad in 1882, when
the town took a fresh start and activity began, reaching the
culminating point in 1886. Having experienced two land booms,
Mr. Overbaugh was a cautious and careful investor, foreseeing
the result from the beginning, though he is now a large holder
of city property.
- Mr. OVERBAUGH was married at La Crosse, Wisconsin, October
3, 1857, to Miss Emily F.
- PARKER, a native of Ohio. They have two children, who are
both living and at home.
- Mr. OVERBAUGH has never sought political distinction, but
the honor was forced upon him while
- at La Crosse, where he served as an alderman for three years,
but at San Diego he has studiously avoided public life.
- [Taken from "An Illustrated History of Southern California"
(c)1890 Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago]
|