Matthew Cleghorn was brother to our ancestor Joseph Cleghorn
of Parke County, Indiana. Our common ancestry is though their parents, Rev.
Lorenzo D. Cleghorn and Mary (McClain) Cleghorn. Joseph Cleghorn was the great-grandfather of
Leroy Yowell.
Matthew and his sons have left the Cleghorn name scattered throughout southern California, primarily
in the valley in San Bernardino County and in the mountains near the El Cajon
Pass. Their ranch was located along Baseline Road, in what is now part of Highlands,
CA.
There are numerous places in the area which are named for
Matthew Cleghorn, including: Cleghorn Mountain, Cleghorn Road (I-15 exit 129) and
Cleghorn OHV Trails which were once their old logging roads, Cleghorn Canyon, Cleghorn
Creek, and Cleghorn Lakes Wilderness (dry lakes) located about 16 miles
northeast of Twentynine Palms.
Cleghorn Logging Camp
Matthew Cleghorn arrived in the San Bernardino Valley in
1863 shortly before the US Civil War, and soon began logging operations in the
San Bernardino Mountains, in the neighborhood of Cajon Pass.
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ROOTED IN THE PASS - Richard Claghorn walks along Cleghorn Fire Road, named for Matthew Cleghorn and his son, John, who felled timber here in the 1870's.
. . .
Matthew Cleghorn — for whom the Cleghorn Fire Road is named — was born June 14, 1829, in Knox County, Ky., the second son of the Rev. Lorenzo Dow Cleghorn and Mary McLain Cleghorn.
He left home in 1841, when he was only 12, and later enlisted in the 16th Kentucky Volunteers.
For eight months during the Mexican War, Cleghorn served as an express rider between Veracruz, Mexico City and Lalusa. After the war, he wandered throughout the Midwest and West, ending up in Oregon.
In 1863, intending to settle in Mexico, Cleghorn and his wife, Serena, stopped off in the San Bernardino Valley. Struck by its beauty, they decided to stay.
Matthew Cleghorn paid $16 to homestead 160 acres on Baseline Street, in what is now Highland. In addition to raising cattle, he ran a livery stable in the city of San Bernardino.
Four of the Cleghorns’ children survived: a daughter and three sons. One son, John, following his father’s example, became an express rider between Mineral Peak and Fort Mohave. Later, father and son cut timber on land leased in the San Bernardino Mountains.
According to Lewis Garrett, author of “San Bernardino County Place Names” (1996), Cleghorn Mountain, Cleghorn Ridge, Cleghorn Canyon and Cleghorn Pass, all east of the Cajon Pass, were named for Matthew and John.
As for a second Cleghorn Pass and the Cleghorn Dry Lakes — both of which lie within the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center north of Twentynine Palms — Garrett says, “It is assumed they were named for the same Cleghorns.”Matthew Cleghorn died of heart failure June 19, 1903, and was buried in San Bernardino.
from "High Desert history buff traces his Claghorn and Cleghorn forebears"; (Victorville CA) Daily Press, dated 28 Aug 2002; Story by STUART KELLOGG, Daily Press Staff
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Cleghorn Brothers Citrus
Packers
Matthew Cleghorn and his sons bought out the citrus ranches
of George W. Sells and started Cleghorn Brothers & Company, based in
Highlands, CA. They built it into one of the largest Independent fruit packing
operations in California during the early part of the twentieth century. Their house brands included oranges and
grapefruits sold under the following labels: Banjo, Cleghorn, Constitution,
Good Taste, Highland Terrier, Independent, Judge, Prospector, West Highlands,
and Judge.
The “Cleghorn Brothers”
(John, William and Lorenzo Dow) were 1st cousins to our ancestor
John Martin Cleghorn, grandfather of Leroy Yowell. (There were also two Cleghorn sisters, Mary
and Sylvia).
Now and Then: History of the Cleghorn Brothers Citrus labels
by Nancy Alexander, President, Highland Area Historical Society - Sep 19, 2007
https://www.highlandnews.net/entertainment/now-and-then-history-of-the-cleghorn-brothers-citrus-labels/article_9cdf029f-410c-552a-a73a-73e2caa6ee58.html
Labels used on some of their citrus boxes
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Matthew Cleghorn's
Biography (dated 1904)
MATHEW CLEGHORN, late of San Bernardino, was born Jun 14, 1829, in Kentucky, the son of the Rev. Lorenzo Dow Cleghorn, a minister of the Christian Church, and of Mary McLain Cleghorn, of Scotch parentage. He left home at the age of twelve and later served in the Mexican war, entering the 16th Ky. Vols and later being transferred to the 11th Ky. Vols. For eight months he carried express between Vera Cruz and the City of Mexico and to Lalusa. On account of sickness he was sent to the Marine Hospital in New York city in 1848. After the end of the war he traveled over the western states and finally located in Iowa. In 1860 he came to California and located at Watsonville, Monterey county. In 1863 he came to San Bernardino county and homesteaded 160 acres on base line near what is now Highland. Here he built a residence. He carried on a livery business in San Bernardino for several years and engaged in raising fine stock.
He married Miss Serena, daughter of Isaac Hendry, in the state of Indiana, about 1860. There are now four living children -- Lorenzo Dow, Mary C. William J. of Redondo, and John M. Cleghorn.
Ref: INGERSOLL'S CENTURY ANNALS OF SAN BERNADINO COUNTY, 1769 to 1904; LOS ANGELES: L.A.INGERSOLL, 1904, page 867
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Matthew Cleghorn's
Biography (dated 1890)
Matthew Cleghorn, a farmer of San Bernardino County, was born in
Knox County, Kentucky, in 1829, a son of Rev. Lorenzo D. Cleghorn, who was a
native of Virginia and a minister of the Christian Church. His mother, Mary (McClain) Cleghorn, was of
Scotch parentage. They had five children,
of whom our subject was the second. He left home at the age of twelve years and
subsequently entered the Mexican war. He
enlisted in the Sixteenth Kentucky Volunteers, but was afterwards attached to
the Eleventh. He carried the express for
eight months from Vera Cruz to the city of Mexico and thence to Lulusa. On account of sickness he was sent to the
Marine Hospital in New York in 1848. After the close of the war he traveled
over parts of Ohio, Indiana, Louisiana, Iowa and Oregon, and while in the
"Hoosier" State he met and married a lady who has since been the
companion of his life, Miss Serena Hendry, a native of that State and a
daughter of Isaac Hendry. After his
marriage he moved to Iowa and thence to Oregon, where he remained until 1860.
He came then to California, first settling in Watsonville in Monterey County,
where he remained three years. In 1863
he came to San Bernardino County and located on the farm where he now resides.
He arrived here December 25, 1864, and homesteaded 160 acres of land, which
cost $16. For several years he was engaged successfully in the livery business.
He is now one of the leading stock-raisers in the valley, owning some
thoroughbred stock, the Glencoe, of Kentucky being the principal. He has a magnificent residence four miles
east of San Bernardino on Base Line, which commands an imposing view of the
fertile valley and the surrounding mountains. He owns valuable property in
various parts of the county and is a man of considerable wealth and influence.
Ref: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: EMBRACING THE COUNTIES OF SAN DIEGO, SAN
BERNARDINO, LOS ANGELES AND ORANGE, AND THE PENINSULA OF LOWER CALIFORNIA -
from the earliest period of occupancy to the present time, together with
glimpses of their prospects, also, full-page portraits of some of their eminent
men, and biographical mention of many of their pioneers and of prominent
citizens of to-day. THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY,
CHICAGO 1890
