San Diego County Biographies
 
E. L. DORN

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


Rancher, etc., Escondido, was born in 1859, at West Union, Iowa; in 1870�'71 he 
was in Chicago selling papers and blacking boots; he next was night messenger 
for the Western Union during the Chicago fire. He attended common schools in 
Chicago and high schools at Englewood. Then, in 1877, he went to Michigan and 
was employed in saw-mills, steam-boating, sailing, farming and teaching school 
for six years, earning money for a collegiate course. In the fall of 1883 he 
entered the State University of Michigan, and completed a four years' course in 
civil engineering, then, in the fall of 1886, for the sake of his health, he 
came to California, settling at Escondido, and commenced ranching and 
engineering. He was one of the organizers of the first Agricultural Society, and 
secretary; was next year Secretary of the Central Agricultural Society, also of 
the State District Society in 1889; he was also assistant engineer of the Pamo 
Water Company. In 1887 Mr. Dorn bought the Whitney & Bell ranch and vineyard, 
one of the best in San Diego County.
        In 1887 he married Miss Kate Orr, a classmate in the Michigan 
University. Three young ladies of the celebrated La Porte High School, went to 
that University and were room-mates, Kate Orr, Anna Taber and Ella Webb. Three 
gentlemen�E. L. Dorn, W. W. Horine and Stanley Warner�were also school-mates 
there at the same time, and waited upon the young ladies in their freshman year; 
1888 found the six married and comfortably settled 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.-  224-225