Orange County
Biographies
GEORGE W. MINTER
The late George
W. Minter was a community builder of Southern California who developed what are
today recognized as some of the choicest residential sections in Santa Ana, Orange
County, where the period
of his residence covered more than half a century. He was born in Clay County, Missouri, May 30,
1850, one in a family of nine children.
George W. Minter
was educated in the country schools of his home county and in early youth
joined a government freight train that had been outfitted by his father, Robert
Minter, crossing the plains to Utah,
right after the Civil War. In 1874, when
a young man of twenty-four years, he came to California, making the journey
overland to San Francisco and thence by boat to Wilmington, Los Angeles County. Later in the same year he arrived in Orange County. His first employment was on the docks at the
time when boats entered Newport
Bay and landed
merchandise at what was known as Newport Landing. He was industrious and ambitious and in a few
years branched out into independent ventures.
Soon he became a successful farmer and walnut grower, and from that time
forward his progress was assured. He
gained wide recognition as one of the community builders of this part of the
state. His agricultural activities were
profitable and subsequently he became extremely active in the field of real
estate. He opened up and put on the
market what are today recognized as some of the choicest residential sections
in Santa Ana,
one of these subdivisions being in the eastern part of the city. Minter Street was named in his honor. The work of the Chamber of Commerce, banking
activities and projects for civic improvement all claimed his attention for
many years. Mr. Minter was especially
proud of Birch Park, and for a number of years he
served as a member of the park commission.
He was interested in the first street-car line in Orange
County, horse-drawn cars running
between Santa Ana and Tustin, and was one of the original owners of
the property. At the time of his death
he was a director of the First National Bank of Santa Ana.
Mr. Minter was one of the most ardent workers in the campaign for the
creation of Orange County, and he was serving a deputy assessor of Los Angeles County
at the time Orange
County was separated
therefrom. By reason of his
comprehensive and thorough knowledge of real estate he served as appraiser for
the Orange County Savings Bank and later for the First National Bank.
On the 9th of
October, 1879, Mr. Minter was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Berry, a
daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Berry and member of a prominent pioneer family
of Santa Ana. Birch
Park in Santa Ana was named in honor of a
brother-in-law and a sister of Mrs. Minter.
Mr. and Mrs. Minter became the parents of two daughters; Emma Blanche,
who died April 28, 1921; and Lula M., residing in Santa Ana.
The wife and mother passed away November 3, 1920, in Santa Ana, being survived by the husband and
father, whose death occurred May 14, 1927, when he had reached the age of
seventy-seven years. Mr. Minter resided
in his home at 322 West Third
Street, opposite Birch Park,
for a period covering forty-nine years.
He enjoyed the warm regard, esteem and respect of all who knew him, for
he was a genial, companionable gentleman, a safe adviser and an honest and
loyal citizen. Fraternally he was identified
with the following Masonic bodies: Santa Ana Lodge, No. 241, F. & A. M.;
Santa Ana Chapter, No. 73, R. A. M.; Santa Ana Commandery, No. 36, K. T.; and
Al Malaikah Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Los
Angeles. He
served on the exemption board several months during the World War and was one
of the organizers and a president of the Chamber of Commerce.
Lula M. Minter,
the surviving daughter of George W. and Elizabeth
(Berry) Minter, is a member of the Baptist Church, also belongs to the Ebell Club and
has ever manifested a keen and helpful interest in civic affairs. She has traveled extensively, having made
many trips to Europe and a trip around the
world. She resides in the old family
home at 322 West Third Street,
Santa Ana, which was built in 1879
by her maternal grandfather, Henry Berry.
Transcribed
by Bill Simpkins.
Source: California
of the South Vol. II, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 67-69, Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 Bill Simpkins.
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