LAGUNA'S BUSINESSMEN OF THE 1890's

Merle and Mabel Ramsey in their book “The First 100 Years in Laguna Beach 1876 - 1976� write the following:

THE FIRST BUSINESSMAN

In 1876 William H. Brooks became a homesteader in Laguna Beach. He was also the first postmaster. In 1893 he built the Brooks Hotel that included a grocery store, barbershop and a post office. less than 60 days after the hotel was erected the new building burned completely down. It was located where the Isch Building stands today. Indians were suspected of the fire as told by the son, Ralph, who was born in Laguna in 1896 and [was as of 1976] living in Oregon.

Alonzo Nathanial Brooks - Farmer and real estate agent.

William H. Brooks - Stage driver, blacksmith and farmer

Ferdinand Farman - Stage driver and farmer.

Oscar Farman - Farmer

Harvey Hemenway - Head of the school board and farmer.
                         (The man who jumped the slave ship.)

John Nicholas Isch - Postmaster and grocer.

Fred Trefran - Stage Driver.

Oscar Warling - Farmer and fisherman.

Joseph Yoch - Postmaster and hotel manager.

The  Laguna Beach Historical Society thanks the Ramsey family for permission to publish this information.