The San Francisco call., 1896-04-17
DE BARTH SHORB
PASSES AWAY,
Succumbs to Bright's Dis
ease at His San Gabriel
Home.
CAREER OF USEFULNESS.
Was a Leading Spirit in the
Development of California
Resources.
HIS POPULARITY IN POLITICS
While Wealthy at Various Times, II:
Died in Comparative
Poverty.

LOS ANGELES, CAL. April 16.-Hon.
J. de Barth Shorb died at his San Gabriel
home, San Marino, after a lingering i'll
ness, at 7 AS O'Clock this evening. He had
been sick man for several years, and his
demise was not altogether unexpected.
Death was caused by complication of
diseases, but his principal malady was
Bright's disease of the kidneys.
Probably no citizen of California en-
ioyed a wider acquaintance than J. de
Barth Shorb. Certainly no one was more
closely identified with the development of
the southern part of the State.
He was the pioneer wine manufacturer
of Southern California, and one of the
chief promoters of every public interest in
this section, and in fact of the whole State,
being almost as we'll known in business
circles in San Francisco as in Los Angeles
Mr.. Shorb was a native of Maryland
He came to California in 1864, after being
graduated in law. Instead of settling
down to the practice Of his profession,
however, he undertook the nanageme MT
OF the Philadelphia and California
Petroleum Company's oil-developing busi-
ness in Ventura County, which was the
first experiment of the kind attempted in
this State, and failed, although backed by
the late Thomas Scott, then president OF
the Pennsylvania Railway Company.
Shorb lost all the money ne had in the
oil business, and was glad to accept a civil
appointment on the engineering corps of
the United States army, which he held for
many years. During this time he began
TO acquire title to gold-bearlng lands in the
l,r 81. O..
Feliciano placers. While thus engaged he
married the eldest daughter of Don Benito
D. Wilson, one of the wealthiest pioneer
residents of Southern California.
After marriage he established his home
at San Gabriel, adjoining that of his
| father-in-law, where he reared his family
and lived till the time of his death.
| No private residence in Southern Cali
| fornia was better known than San Marino,
| the hospitable home of J. de Barth Shorb.
| Soon after settling down at San Gabriel
| Mr.. Shorb engaged extensively in viticul-
| ture and started the first winery in
! Southern California, which proved a finan.
| cial success. About ten years ago he in
| terested English capitalists in the winery
| and formed the present San Gabriel Wine
| Company, one OF the biggest organizations
of the kind in the State.
| During the boom Mr.. Shorb engaged ex-
tensively in real estate transactions and
enterprises of various kinds requiring
large amounts of capital. Some of his
latest ventures were not entirely success
| full, and left his estate more or less in
volved financially.
]. de Barth Shorb was a lifelong Demo.
crat, and took lively interest in politics.
He held Office at various times. In 1896
| he was prevailed upon to accept the Demo,
cratic nomination for County Treasurer,
and was elected by large majority over
his predecessor, Colonel ] Ban bury. who
had been renominated by the Republi.
| cans
Mr.. shorb did not hold Office long. how.
ever, before i'll health compelled him tc
go to Philadelphia for treatment AS he
remained more than sixty days out of the
State the office was declared vacant, and q
Republican deputy whom he had retained
was elevated to the position of treasurer
Since then Mr.. Shorb has not been en-
gagged very actively in business as hi:
health would not permit. During the last
few months he sank gradually away, until
death ended his sufferings this evening.
1