Los Angeles County, CA, Biographies

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RICHARD GARVEY.
 
        The subject of this sketch, one of Los Angeles County's leading 
agriculturists and stock-growers, as well as one of its well-known business men, 
dates his birth in Ireland, in September, 1838, of an old Irish family, which, 
for generations, had been engaged as renters in agricultural pursuits. When 
quite young, his father died, leaving his mother with a family of children, of 
whom Richard was the fourth child. The almost total failure of crops in 1845 and 
1846 was followed by the Irish famine, and for years the people suffered from 
destitution in a degree never before known to any civilized people. The Garvey 
family were reduced to extreme poverty, and after becoming unable to pay rent 
were driven from their old home, by the heartless agents of an English landlord. 
The years that followed, before they were able to leave Ireland, none of the 
family care to recall. Suffice it to say, that emigration to America seemed 
their only relief. With this object in view, through the exertions of all, the 
subject of this sketch, not then twelve years of age, was enabled to embark for 
Savannah, Georgia, where he landed in the winter of 1849�'50, penniless and 
ragged. Before leaving the ship a kind�hearted custom-house official, a Jew, 
named Philip Russell, became interested in him. By him young Garvey was taken 
home and suitably clothed, and later, through him, furnished employment. His 
remuneration was only $3 per week, but this sum enabled him to save a small 
amount each week, with the ultimate object of sending for the rest of his 
family. Early in 1852 his hope was realized and the family embarked for New York 
City, where they were joined by him. Again was the circle complete. Still, as 
far as money was concerned, they were as poor as while in Ireland; but, in this 
land of the free, with its grand opportunities, they were hopeful of the future. 
Not many months passed before all were in Cleveland, Ohio. There the family home 
was established, and there some of its members still live. Mr. Garvey has never 
forgotten the sufferings of himself and family during his youth, through the 
operations of the English land laws. In fact, his hatred of the system becomes 
intensified with each passing year. While he never joined any of the many 
societies, claiming to labor for the relief of Ireland, he has always 
contributed liberally in money and has cherished fondly the hope that some 
international difficulty might lead to a war between England and our country, 
and thus open a way for him honorably and legally to avenge the wrongs he and 
his have suffered. To return to the fortunes of the family in America, we will 
say that, as our subject had been their chief reliance in getting to America, he 
was afterward their chief support. He remained with them in Cleveland until his 
twentieth year, when, having reached man's stature, physically and mentally, he 
resolved to work his way to the Pacific Coast. With that object in view, he 
proceeded to Fort Leavenworth, where, in 1857 �'58, General Johnson's expedition 
against the Mormons was being organized. Under Lieutenant W. S. Hancock, 
Quartermaster of the Sixth United States Infantry, he hired to drive beef-cattle 
for the use of the army. At Fort Laramie he was placed in charge of one of the 
officers' supply wagons. Upon reaching Fort Bridger it was discovered that, 
though his wagon looked all right,�its boxes of canned fruits and meats, its 
cases of fluids, etc., being apparently unopened and untouched�every box was 
actually empty. Mr. Garvey, entirely innocent of wrong doing, had at different 
times accepted invitations from young men of reckless nature, looking only to 
having a good time, to join them in hunting and fishing after encamping. During 
these short absences, others, by concerted action, had robbed his wagon. 
Although it was evident to General Johnson and other officers that he was 
entirely innocent of any complicity in the taking of the supplies, he was 
discharged from service. Mr. Garvey walked from Fort Bridger to Salt Lake City, 
and there bought with the money earned as drover and teamster, a pony, blankets 
and provisions, and continued his way to Southern California, with others 
possessed of similar outfits. On the desert the ponies died. When they were able 
to pack their effects on the wagon of an emigrant, the journey was completed to 
San Bernardino County on foot. Mr. Garvey continued his walk to Los Angeles, 
reaching that place early in 1859. Again he was to try life in a new land, and 
he found himself in about the same financial condition that he was in when he 
landed in Savannah nine years before. His relief came also in much the same way, 
for, a few hours after arriving, he met on the streets the chief clerk of 
Captain Hancock, Mr. Mix, who had known him on the plains in Johnson's command. 
He was recognized by him, furnished with a new suit of clothes and a 
boarding-house, and later taken to the office of Hancock, then a Captain of the 
Sixth Regiment and general distributing Quartermaster for the posts in Southern 
California and Western New Mexico (now Arizona), and stationed at Los Angeles. 
Captain Hancock placed him in a responsible position, giving him charge of the 
Government store-house, where supplies were received and shipped to Forts 
Mojava, Yuma, Tejon and other points. If any were needed, no more complete 
vindication of himself could have been given by Captain Hancock, to whom, as we 
shall record, Mr. Garvey was to be still further indebted. The friendship of 
these two men continued through General Hancock's life. In 1860, through Captain 
Hancock, he was employed by the United States Government to carry, by 
pack-mules, the mails from Los Angeles to Forts Mojave, Yuma and Tejon. This 
service was attended by great danger and required a man possessed of nerve and 
coolness. As showing the rapid development of Southern California Mr. Garvey 
recalls the fact that, by the route he traveled, but two houses were passed 
between the vicinity of Los Angeles and Fort Mojave, a distance of 310 miles. 
The other routes were even more destitute of evidences of civilization. It must 
be remembered that he chose his own routes, not confining himself to emigrant 
trails. The adventurous life led by Mr. Garvey, the few years following, enabled 
him to form the acquaintance of many men engaged in prospecting and locating 
mines. He was not long in becoming interested in mining; first in Western Utah 
(now Nevada), later in San Bernardino County, this State, and still later in 
Arizona and New Mexico. For many years after leaving the employ of the United 
States Government, his leading business was the superintendence of mining 
interests, owned by himself and others. But until 1863 Mr. Garvey gave a large 
portion of his time to attending to his lucrative and responsible business of 
supplying the out-posts with the tidings from civilization. He had become the 
protege of George Hearst, now representing California in the United States 
Senate, and through him became interested in the development of the Moss mines 
as well as other mines in what is now Mojave County, Arizona. Mr. Garvey was one 
of the locaters of the Moss mines. During his superintendence of the work on one 
section of the Moss mines he, with four companions, started with a wagon-load of 
supplies for the use of a party of prospectors in the employ of the company, in 
what was called the Sacramento district, on the Colorado River, some forty miles 
away. Though vigilant, well knowing the danger of an attack by Indians, the last 
night, being in sight of the prospecting camp, they neglected to mount guard. In 
the gray of the morning they found themselves subject to a furious attack from 
about fifty murderous savages. Almost at the beginning Mr. Garvey received a 
slight wound, crossing the point of both shoulder blades, and a crushing shot 
which, disabling every finger, buried itself in his left hand. About the same 
time one of his companions was struck by a shot that entirely destroyed one eye, 
but did not disable him from valiant service. Another comrade was more seriously 
wounded, a shot passing through his hips, completely disabling him and making 
him a cripple for life. The party fought their way to a position on the summit 
of a hill 300 yards away. The contest for the possession of the helplessly 
wounded man was fierce and lasted for hours but he was saved. The team and 
wagon-load of supplies was of course abandoned. The red men destroyed the 
supplies, burned the wagon and butchered the mules. Mr. Garvey, though suffering 
severely, did good service during the engagement, and being possessed of a 
sixteen-shooting rifle, which, being the first ever brought into Arizona, it was 
credited with saving the party. The party, once upon the summit of the hill and 
able to command all approaches, felt, for the time being, safe, for the Indians 
after several assaults carefully kept out of reach of their death dealing rifle, 
and seemed to be content to let starvation and thirst do their work for them. As 
night closed down one of the two unwounded members of the besieged party started 
in the darkness for relief; going to an encampment of United States soldiers, 
forty miles away. Relief came by the following midday. This was undoubtedly one 
of the most gallant fights ever made against the Indians in Arizona. Through 
Senator Hearst, who has ever been the warm, personal friend of the subject of 
this sketch, he obtained $18,000 for his interest in the Moss mines. This was 
the first money of any considerable amount that he had ever owned, and, for a 
young man, was certainly a good "plum." In 1866 Mr. Garvey, as well as all or 
nearly all miners, had to abandon Arizona on account of Indian atrocities. He 
recalls the fact that over 150 of his friends and acquaintances had fallen 
victims to the savages. Later, Mr. Garvey became the owner of mines in Holcomb 
Valley, San Bernardino County, this State, there owning and operating a quartz 
mill until 1872, at which time he sold his mill and mines for $200,000 to an 
English company. Mr. Garvey continued operations in the same district until 
1876, and yet owns the Green Lead, a noted and valuable mining property. In 
1876, after the failure of the Temple & Workman Banking House at Los Angeles, 
Mr. Garvey was appointed the receiver of their estate. The closing up of the 
gigantic affairs of that establishment, with its liabilities of over $1,000,000, 
was the work of two and a half years. In 1879 he purchased an eighth interest in 
the Potrero Grande Ranch and a one-fourth interest in the Potrero de Felipe Lugo 
Ranch, nine miles east of Los Angeles, and 2,500 acres of school lands adjoining 
on the west. This made an estate of 4,400 acres, to which in commemoration of 
his wife and son, he has given the name of "Tessa-Dick Ranch." There he 
established his residence in 1880. A beautiful avenue, three-quarters of a mile 
in length, shaded by three rows of stately eucalyptus trees on each side, 
interspersed with pepper and pine trees, leads east from the highway to his 
residence. One-half mile north of his home, an avenue leading toward Los Angeles 
crosses two and a half miles of his land; 1,000 acres of his ranch are devoted 
to producing barley and wheat; 700 head of cattle, 150 brood mares and colts, 
and fifty mules (the working force) make the larger portion of the stock usually 
kept. Mr. Garvey is breeding fine stock which, by introducing new blood, he is 
raising year by year to higher standards. He owns valuable property in Los 
Angeles, one lot especially so, being located at the intersection of Main and 
Spring streets with Ninth street, which, in 1889, he commenced to improve 
preparatory to the erection of a fine brick block. Mr. Garvey wedded, January 
13, 1884, Miss Tessa B. Mooney, of Cleveland, Ohio. She died December 18, 1885, 
leaving to him a bright, sunny little boy, Richard, who was born in November, 
1885. Of Mr. Garvey's brothers and sisters we record that his brother, Rev. 
Father Peter Garvey, is a Catholic clergyman of Galveston, Texas, diocese; and 
that John Garvey, a Lieutenant in the Seventh West Virginia Volunteer Regiment 
in the late war, was promoted on the field of Antietam for conspicuous 
gallantry, and died of wounds received there. John Garvey served ten years in 
the Twenty-ninth Infantry in the English army. For conspicuous gallantry in the 
defense of Lucknow during the Sepoy Rebellion he received the Queen's Sergeant's 
medal. He carne to the United States in 1861 and entered the army soon after. 
Mr. Garvey's two sisters, Maria and Delia, reside at Cleveland, where their 
mother died in 1873. After the death of Mr. Garvey's wife, her mother, Mrs. Mary 
E. Mooney, with her daughter, Miss Mary E. Mooney, came out from Cleveland, and 
now have care of the child. In politics Mr. Garvey, while never uninterested, 
acts thoroughly the independent citizen, not tied to any party, but always ready 
for independent action upon every issue. He was a strong supporter of Abraham 
Lincoln and General Grant. In conclusion, we will add that Mr. Garvey is, in the 
fullest sense of the words, a self-made, self-educated man, who, coming a poor 
boy from the old world, has splendidly illustrated the possibilities of the new, 
to those possessed of energy, combined with practical business qualifications 
and a determination to succeed.
 
An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California �  Chicago, The Lewis 
Publishing Company, 1889   Page 740
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler