1994 HERITAGE AWARD RECIPIENT
The Redlands Area Historical Society, Inc.
Edward E. Dow Home
514 Eureka Street
(1910)
A building permit was issued to a E.E. Dow on Jan 27,1910 to build a 1 1/2 story home with nine rooms. Architect was H.L. Wilson and builder a Robert Ogden. The estimated cost was $3,500. To quote from the Golden Jubilee book: “From breaking wild horses on a western cattle ranch and riding the range to the profession of undertaking seems a long way, but such is the life experience of Edward Everett Dow.” Born in Hill New Hampshire on October 20,1864. He left home at age 13 to live with two married sisters in Hammond, Indiana. He helped one sister run her grocery store. He attended high school and a small college in Valparaiso, Indiana. When he was twenty his brother-in-law went into the cattle business and Edward was sent out west to Indian territory where he spent two years as a cow-puncher. He went to southwest Kansas, bought large sections of railroad land and increased his stock. Later he bought a 160 acre ranch. He married Kathryn Camp on Jan. 16,1890. Two daughters, Jessie and Fern and a son, Kenneth, were born on the ranch. Through the influence of his uncle G.M. Adams, of Pasadena, he sold his ranch in 1899 and moved to Los Angeles to study the undertaking business. November 25,1900 he brought his family to Red1ands and went into partnership with his uncle. C.R.Vesper bought out his uncle and formed the Vesper and Dow funera1 home. In 1905 M.H. Fitzsimmons bought out Vesper and formed the Dow and Fitzsimmons Mortuary, moving in 1906 to 259 Cajon Street.
Mrs. Dow had been ill and in June 1949, while visiting her daughter Jessie in Albuquerque, passed away. Mr. Dow, at age 88, died in Redlands on Feb. 1,1953. The Dows and their four children lived in the Eureka house until 1915. The house was then purchased by a James B. Johnson and his wife Virginia W. His occupation was listed as orange grower. The Johnsons lived here with their three children until 1927. A teacher, Elfreda Biggin and Leslie E. Biggin, a gardner, were listed in the Redlands directories in 1929. By 1931 they were joined by George S. and Hattie E. Biggin. He was listed as a San Bernardino county supervisor and also owning his own real estate, loan and insurance business. In 1947 Elfreda is a teacher in Santa Ana and in 1950 there is no listing for Hattie but George is listed at his business address. In 1951, a Joel F. Hauser and his wife Barbara K. purchased the property. He was an accountant. In 1961 he was in data processing for the county then 1963 data processing for San Bernardino Valley college, in 1965 an accountant for the county. He was listed at the house with his four sons until 1968. In 1972 the Red1ands telephone books show a Byron G. Tate, the present owner.
