San Diego County Biographies
 
PHILIP A. BETTENS

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm


Nurseryman of Escondido, was born near Vevay, Switzerland County, Indiana, July 
31, 1838, of Swiss parentage; when about thirteen years of age he commenced 
traveling on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers during the winter months and worked 
on his grandfather's farm during the warmer portions of the year, until 1859, 
when he moved to Florence, and continued farming until April 1, 1887, when he 
came to San Diego County. After a few weeks' residence in Coronado he moved to 
San Pasqual valley; was there nineteen months, and then moved to Escondido, 
September 1, 1888, where he was first in charge of the Escondido Land and Town 
Company's vineyard for several months; he is now in the nursery business for the 
Sweetwater Nursery Company.
        In 1859 he married Miss Clara A. Dufour, of Switzerland County, Indiana, 
and of Swiss parentage. She died in November, 1880. By that marriage there are 
four sons and two daughters. The oldest son, Philip A., is a graduate of West 
Point, and holds the rank of Lieutenant, being stationed at Fort Robinson, 
Nebraska; the second son, A. G., is in the employ of the Coronado Beach Company, 
occupying a responsible position in their office. The remaining children are 
with him at his home in Escondido.
 
SOURCE:  An Illustrated History of Southern California:  Embracing the Counties 
of San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Orange, and the Peninsula of Lower 
California� Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company, 1890.  p.-  232-233