6. Pere Gustav Hindorff
was born on Jan 23 1856 in Stockholm, Sweden.
(photos)
On a typewritten copy of Leora's Return of Birth from Iowa, P.G. Hindorff's place
of birth is given as Sweden. His age was given on the 1881 record as 25, which
would be correct as to the year. On a genealogical research copy, her father's
name is given as "Per Gustan Hindorff" (sic), born in "Sweden",
and her mother's name is given as "Leanora Vaughn", born in "Putnam
County, Missouri". On the marriage certificate, from Iowa, filed 3 November,
1880, for P.G. Hindorff (entered as "Heindorff") and Leanore (entered
as "Leanora") Vaughn, her birthplace is given as "Missouri"
and her age as "25 next".
He was seriously injured about 1863 in Sweden. When Gus was about seven years
old, a railroad engine or streetcar ran over both of his legs. The doctors amputated
the worst leg, and were about to remove the other one, when his father arrived.
The doctors explained that the boy would probably die from gangrene unless the
other leg was removed. Eric refused to allow them to proceed, stating that he
would rather the boy die than live without either leg. Gus recovered and learned
to walk again, on his new wooden leg. In later life, Gus carved his own wooden
leg, from heavy hardwood, and used a leather harness over his shoulder to keep
the leg in place.
He immigrated on Jun 22 1868 to New York, New York. The date is from his father's
naturalization first papers. Gus began his education in Sweden and was 11 years
old when they came to America. He appeared on the census in 1870 in Dexter,
Dallas county, Iowa. which lists Pere Gustav, age 14, born in Sweden, attending
school, and father and mother of foreign birth.
He was a harness maker about 1881 in Lewis, Cass county, Iowa. A genealogical
copy of Leora's birth record in 1881 gives "Occupation of Father: Harness
Maker" at age 25. Gus worked for a Mr. Hinds in Lewis, Iowa, for about
three years, in a wholesale harness shop which employed several men, then bought
the shop. Due to ill health, he later sold the shop at a loss and moved to Temecula,
California, where Mr. Hinds then lived. (One witness/neighbor listed on Leanore's
intention to prove homestead was H.H. Hind, most likely the man refered to here.)
He moved to to California on an "emigrant" train with his family
in Oct 1883 from Iowa. Departure was from Council Bluffs, Iowa, and was by way
of Sacramento, California, where they boarded a Southern Pacific train to Temecula.
The complete trip took ten days. He resided for a time after Oct 1883 in Temecula,
San Diego county, California. He was a harness maker and had a harness shop
from 1884 to 1889 in Temecula, San Diego county, California. (Starting date
uncertain.)
He resided at a homestead of 120 acres after Apr 1884 in Rainbow, San Diego
county, California. Gus and Leanore bought rights from a homesteader in Vallecitos
(Rainbow Valley) south of Temecula and moved to the ranch. Gus (with his wooden
leg) walked to his harness shop in Temecula, since they had no horse or buggy.
Some of his old ledgers show that he did many different services: repaired
shoes, built coffins, made saddles, made or repaired harnesses, did carpentry
work, repaired clocks, cleaned guns, sharpened saws, and played fiddle for a
dance. Once, a Warren boy cut his finger clear off. The parents held the finger
in place and rushed to Gus, who sewed it back on. The boy eventually had complete
use of the finger,
Gus was also San Diego county Registrar of Voters for Temecula. San Diego county,
at that time, included much of Riverside and San Bernardino counties of today,
and extended to the Colorado River on the east. He was also Justice of the Peace
at Temecula for several years, and married 3 or 4 couples.
He died on Aug 20 1889 in Vallecitos (Rainbow), San Diego county, California.
Information from IOOF Minutes Book for 1888-1893 as provided by the Fallbrook
Historical Society (1996):
"Died of Tuberculosis in 1889, when Leora was 9,Eric was 6, and Dora
was even younger. IOOF Minutes Book for 1888-1893, says on April 30, 1889, it
was reported that Bro. P.G. Hindorff of Vallecitos was sick. The next month's
meeting says he had sent in his physician's certificate. On June 4th, sick benefits
were paid to P.G. Hindorff. On July 30th a board bill for P.G. Hindorff was paid
to W.M. Scott(of Scott's Hotel). Later meetings show that arrangements were made
for the funeral of Hindorff, E.C. Hall was appointed Marshall and a committee
appointed to arrange for badges and flowers. Later, funeral expenses of $57.15
were ordered paid (C.F. Crane was reimbursed for trip to Vallecitos, and J.P.M.
Rainbow was paid $4.50. Also paid were Pruett and Parker, $.35 (Pruett was a
doctor); W. Morrison and Son $30 (casket makers); E.K. Niles $5; Bush Bros. $15
(livery stable); E.J. Johnson $.30 (he had a general merchandise store); and
$2 to Mrs. Morrison for the mourning badges. On October 1 it was announced that
Lewis Lodge #140, Lewis, Iowa, had reimbursed the local Lodge $83.40 for the
Hindorff funeral expenses. In April 1892 the Lodge received a letter from an
old Odd Fellow of Vallecitos calling attention to the widow of deceased Brother
P.G. Hindorff. Bro. G.A. Whitaker was appointed to confer with Mrs. Dr. Clark
or John Mack and ascertain as to condition of Mrs. P.G. Hindorff. And in May,
Lewis Lodge of lowa sent word to care for Mrs. Hindorff and draw on them for
the amount. Warrant for $10 drawn. B.A. Neff was to visit her."
He was also known as Gus. He was married to Nancy Leanore Vaughn on Aug 5
1880 in Lewis, Cass county, Iowa. They were married by Rev. W.F. Arnold.
7. Nancy Leanore Vaughn
was born on Feb 10 1856 in Missouri. Date of birth on family tree, apparently
written by Jean Morris, is given as 11 Feb. 1856 at Indian Town, Missouri..
On the marriage certificate, from Iowa, filed 3 November, 1880, for P.G. Hindorff
(entered as "Heindorff") and Leanore (entered as "Leanora")
Vaughn, her birthplace is given as "Missouri" and her age as "25
next". On a typewritten copy of Leora's Return of Birth (1881) from Iowa,
Leanore's place of birth is the abbreviation of the state, "Mo" with
the first letter nearly illegible. No town or county is given. Leanore's age
was given on the 1881 record as 25, which would be correct as to the year. On
a genealogical research copy, her father's name is given as "Per Gustan
Hindorff" (sic), born in "Sweden", and her mother's name is given
as "Leanora Vaughn", born in "Putnam County, Missouri".
She owned the Rainbow homestead after registering intent to prove on Sep 12
1889 in Los Angeles, California. After Gus died, Leanore and the three children
remained on the ranch and proved up on the homestead of 120 acres. Leanore completed
the homestead and raised her children there until Leora was ready for high school.
They farmed the land and did laundry for the Machado family of Temecula, taking
pay out in groceries at the Machado store. She drove a horse and buggy, each
week, to Temecula, for the wash. A legacy of about $1400 was divided between
the widows of the Hindorff boys ("Gus" and "Dolph") and their
heirs. The children of Leanore gave their shares to her.
She resided about 1897 in Fallbrook, San Diego county, California. When Leora
was ready for High School, the family moved to Fallbrook. The first Fallbrook
residence of the Hindorff family was referred to by older family members as "the
house on the hill", site not specified other than "on the hill across
from the High School" (to the northeast of the school). It was purchased
for Leanore by her sister, Martha (Hindorff) Newcomb. They lived there "for
quite a while", until they moved to a "newer house downtown".
The family's second Fallbrook residence was at the southwest corner of Hawthorn
and Pico streets.
Gus had played violin in the Great Western Band and Orchestra of Chicago. Knowing
the value of violins, he took an old one ("in pieces") in on a bill
at the harness shop. This violin was "very valuable" and Gus had told
Leanore to never allow it to be destroyed. It was left in the house on the hill
when she and the children moved to the newer house downtown. The first house
was burned by a fire said to have been set "by some boys" after the
family had moved to the "new" house and the violin was destroyed.
She died on Aug 25 1938 in Fallbrook, San Diego county, California. Children
were:
3 i.
Leora Anna Hindorff.
ii.
Eric Charles Hindorff was born on Jul 24 1883 in Lewis, Cass county, Iowa.
A genealogical research record of his birth lists him as "Unnamed Hindorff",
born 24 July, 1883, second child of mother. His father's name was listed as
"P.G. Hindorff", "Harness Maker", age 27, born in Sweden,
and mother's name was "Lena Vaughn" (sic), born in Missouri. He owned
7.7 acres and built a house at the intersection of Gird and Reche Roads, near
Live Oak Park in 1912 in Fallbrook, San Diego county, California. He resided
in the home he built in Live Oak canyon after 1912 in Fallbrook, San Diego county,
California. He died on Jan 13 1962 in San Diego, San Diego county, California.
iii.
Dora Alma Hindorff was born on Jul 9 1886 in Temecula, San Diego county,
California. She resided at the Hindorff ranch from Jul 9 1886 to 1897 in Rainbow,
San Diego county, California. Much of the Hindorff ranch in Rainbow, California,
was taken over by the interstate freeway I-15, near what became a truck weighing
station. She resided on an apiary they owned from 1910 in Blythe, California.
She resided on the western part of the Hindorff homestead, the whole of which
they bought from Leanore about 1917 in Vallecitos (Rainbow) Valley. She died
on Jan 25 1957 in Fallbrook, San Diego county, California. She was also known
as "Dode".
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