Los Angeles County, CA, Biographies

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GEORGE OSGOODBY.
 
        The subject of this sketch dates his birth in Monroe County, New York, 
July 4, 1853. His parents, John and Mary Ann (Dagworthy) Osgoodby (whose history 
appears in this volume), were natives of England, who, early in life, settled 
in. the county of his birth. Mr. Osgoodby was reared in that county until about 
twelve years of age, when his parents moved to Missouri and settled in Cass 
County, and in 1869 located in Miami County, Kansas. His father was a farmer and 
stock-grower, and the subject of this sketch was reared to that calling. In his 
several places of residence he was given the advantages of the best public 
schools. He was also a student in the William Jewell College at Liberty, 
Missouri, and afterward was under private tuition for nearly four years, fitting 
himself for the occupation of a teacher. In 1877 he came to California and 
located at San Gabriel, where he followed agricultural pursuits until 1882, when 
he moved to Pomona, and, in connection with his father, entered into 
horticultural operations upon a forty-acre tract, just west of what was then the 
village of Pomona. A part owner of this land, he entered heartily into its 
improvement and cultivation, planting orchards and vineyards. In 1887 the rapid 
growth of the city of Pomona caused his land to be in demand for residence 
purposes. Consequently it was subdivided and sold, forming the part of the city 
known as the Osgoodby tract. He retained only such as he required for his 
residence and grounds. Mr. Osgoodby's connection with Pomona has made its name 
known throughout the world, and forms one of the interesting episodes in the 
political history of the Presidential campaign of 1888. He is an intelligent, 
educated gentleman, and one who for years has taken a deep interest in the 
policy of the two great political parties of the United States. The attitude of 
the Cleveland administration toward England in regard to Canadian fisheries, 
reciprocity treaties, protective tariff, etc., was deemed by Mr. Osgoodby but a 
blind, and he conceived the idea of eliciting the opinion of no less a person 
than the British Minister at Washington, as to the two great political parties 
and their relations to the Mother Country. The following letter�the historic 
"Murchison letter"�was accordingly written and forwarded by Mr. Osgoodby:
                                                                                 
                                                                               
"POMONA, CAL., September 4, 1888. 
"To the British Minister, Washington, D.C.
        Sir: The gravity of the political situation here, and the duty of those 
voters who are of English birth but still consider England the mother land, 
constitute the apology I hereby offer for intruding for information.
"Mr. Cleveland's message to Congress on the fishery question justly excites our 
alarm, and compells us to seek further knowledge before casting our votes for 
him, as we had intended to do. Many English citizens have for years refrained 
from being naturalized, as they thought no good would accrue from the act, but 
Mr. Cleveland's administration has been so favorable and friendly toward 
England, so kind in not enforcing the retaliatory act passed by Congress, so 
sound on the free-trade question, and so hostile to the dynamite school of 
Ireland, that by the hundreds, yes, by the thousands, they have become 
naturalized for the express purpose of helping to elect him over again, the one 
above all of American politicians they consider their own and their country's 
best friend. I am one of these unfortunates. With a right to vote for President 
in November, I am unable to understand for whom I shall cast my ballot, when but 
one month ago I was sure Mr. Cleveland was the man. If Mr. Cleveland is pursuing 
a new policy toward Canada, temporarily only, and for the sake of obtaining 
popularity, and a continuation of his office four years more, but intends to 
cease his policy when his re-election is secured in November, and again favor 
England's interests, then I should have no further doubts, but go forward and 
vote for him. I know of no one better able to direct me than you, sir, and I 
most respectfully ask your advice in the matter. I will further add that the two 
men, Mr. Cleveland and Mr. Harrison, are very evenly matched, and a few votes 
may elect either one.  Mr. Harrison is a high-tariff man, and a believer in the 
American side of all questions, and undoubtedly an enemy to British interests 
generally. This State is evenly divided between the two parties, and a mere 
handful of our naturalized countrymen can turn it either way. When it is 
remembered that a small State (Colorado) defeated Mr. Tilden in 1876, and 
elected Hayes, the Republican, the importance of California is at once apparent 
to all. As you are at the fountain-head of knowledge on the question, and know 
whether Mr. Cleveland's present policy is temporary only, and whether he will, 
as soon as he secures another term of four years in the Presidency, suspend it 
for one of friendship and free trade, I apply to you privately and 
confidentially for information which shall in turn be treated as entirely 
secret. Such information would put me at rest myself, and, if favorable to Mr. 
Cleveland, enable me on my own responsibility to assure many of our countrymen 
that they would do England a service by voting for Mr. Cleveland and against the 
Republican system of tariff.
        "As I observed, we know not what to do, but look for more light on a 
mysterious subject, which the sooner it comes will better serve true Englishmen 
in casting their votes.
                                                                                 
                       "Yours very respectfully,
                                                                                 
                                       "CHARLES F. MURCHISON."
 
        Lord Sackville-West's reply came promptly and was as follows:
        "(Private.)                                                              
                                                                                 
                                 (British Arms.)
                                                                                 
                                                                                 
          "BEVERLY, MASS., Sept. 13, 1888.
        "SIR―I am in receipt of your letter of the 4th inst., and beg to say 
that I fully appreciate the difficulty in which you find yourself in casting 
your vote.
        "You are probably aware that any political party which openly favored 
the Mother Country at the present moment would lose popularity, and that the 
party in power is fully aware of this fact. That party, however, is, I believe, 
still desirous of maintaining friendly relations with Great Britain, and is 
still as desirous of settling all questions with Canada which have been 
unfortunately re-opened since the rejection of the treaty by the Republican 
majority in the Senate, and the President's message to which you allude. All 
allowance must therefore be made for the political situation as regards the 
Presidential election thus created. It is, however plainly impossible to predict 
the course, which President Cleveland may pursue in the matter of retaliation 
should he be elected, but there is every reason to believe, that while upholding 
the position he has taken, he will manifest a spirit of conciliation in dealing 
with the question involved in his message.
        "I inclose an article from the New York Times of the 22d of August, and 
remain yours faithfully,
                                                                                 
                                               "L. S. SACKVILLE-WEST."
 
        Mr. Osgoodby, from the first, realized the full significance of these 
letters, but he also felt the importance of their not being given to the public, 
except under circumstances and at a period when they could have their fullest 
importance and significance recognized. For nearly a month after receiving the 
British Minister's reply, he did not make known to any except one or two of his 
most trusted friends, the powerful auxiliaries he held in his hands. He then 
consulted with prominent Republicans of Los Angeles County, and members of the 
Republican State Central Committee, and it was decided that the correspondence 
be made public, and the letters were published in the Los Angeles Times of 
October 21, 1888, and also telegraphed by the associated press throughout the 
country and to Europe. There has never been throughout the political history of 
the United States such a profound sensation created as was caused by the well 
styled "political bomb-shell " of the "Murchison of Pomona." The consternation 
among the leaders of the Democratic party was only equaled by that in 
administrative and diplomatic circles at Washington. The dismissal of Minister 
West by our Government and the severed diplomatic relations between England and 
the United States, never fully resumed by the Cleveland administration, are 
recorded in our Nation's history; but the widespread results affecting the 
political history of a nation! who can calculate them? It is conceded that one 
of the most important factors that operated in the overthrow of the Democratic 
administration in 1888 was the famous "Murchison letters." All this time and 
while these events were taking place Mr. Osgoodby was unknown, and it was not 
until months after the election of November 6 that his name was given to the 
public as the author of that famous letter. Never desirous of notoriety, he 
pursues his course in horticulture upon his five-acre tract, about a mile west 
of Pomona, and devotes a portion of his time to his business interests in the 
city. He is a well-known and respected member of the community in which he 
resides. He is friendly to the cause of religion, and is a supporter of any 
enterprise tending to benefit the city of his choice. In 1877 Mr. Osgoodby 
married Miss Mary E. Rhoades, a native of Illinois, the daughter of Silas C. and 
Anna (Quincey) Rhoades. Her father was killed on the battle field in the war of 
the Rebellion, while serving in the United States army. From this marriage there 
are two children living, viz.: Charles A. and Ethel. The first child, John 
Logan, died in 1887, at the age of seven years.
 
An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California �  Chicago, The Lewis 
Publishing Company, 1889   Page 580
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler