By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY
Historian
Professor “Uncle” Billy Stephen was a personality who lived and entertained vacationers and full-time residents alike in the mountains around the turn of the 20th century. The title of “Uncle” bestowed upon him by visitors and locals alike reveals a true love of the people for him and his love of the San Bernardino Mountains.
In 1890, Professor William Stephen of Edinburg, Scotland, arrived in Redlands on a train with the intention of going to the mountains to recover from the ailments that brought him to California. He arrived on June 1 at the Hotel de Santa Ana, which Stephen immediately nicknamed the “Argyle Hotel,” the first glimpse mountain visitors had of his wit. He spent the summer there.
Judge John Wayne Amos of Colton looked so much like President Lincoln that the Pioneers named the camp he liked to stay at Camp Lincoln in 1899.
In 1894, the stage line from Redlands went northward through Mill Creek toward the mountain. It went as far up the mountain as Forsee Ranch. From there, the Scottish professor took the Seven Oaks burro train up the mountain, past Mountain Home to the Halfway House Camp. It had many amenities for its era, including a campground with croquet and tennis courts. It was quite popular and Stephen spent the summer there, regaining his health. He wrote to the newspaper about the “exhilarating security of the region and the unceasing sound of youth merriment.” They printed his story.
Stephen was healthy after his summer in the mountains and traveled to Ukiah over the winter of 1895, showed off his expertise as a stake splitter and then returned to the San Bernardino area. He was a frequent guest of the San Bernardino Pioneer Society. He would entertain them, playing his concertina and persuading them to sing along. Songs such as “Sweet Betsy from Pike” and “The Days of the ‘49ers” were part of his repertoire. His sense of fun and humor through his stories would get everyone involved in such activities as pantomime and getting them into costumes. With his storytelling skills, he would entertain them with stories of his adventures coming to California and they loved his company.
In 1896 Stephen returned to the mountains, this time to entertain the Pioneer Society (the first families of San Bernardino and their families) at their Pioneer Camp, beginning Aug. 1 on the western side of the mountain. He had a great wit, was an elocutionist (which otherwise might have been difficult with his Scottish accent, if his stories hadn’t been so entertaining), plus he was a superb camp cook, making him doubly popular.
Pioneer Bart Smithson’s new lodge clubhouse at his strawberry farm in Twin Peaks near the Squirrel Inn was named “Smithsonia” by the Pioneer Society.
When the Pioneers came to the Crest at Mormon Springs for their annual summer camp in 1899, they had plans for a great celebration. They christened the area, at the head of the Arrowhead Reservoir Company Toll Road, “Camp Lincoln” in honor of Judge John Wayne Amos “who (they claimed) singularly resembles our martyred president.” They dedicated a water trough for the use of the horses traveling through the area (now Fletcher Park on Crest Forest and Fern Drive in Top Town Crestline).
During the big event, Judge Amos gave the Gettysburg Address and Professor Stephen wrote and recited a special commemorative poem about the importance of the event. Colonel Adolph Wood (of the Arrowhead Reservoir Company) gave a speech about forest conservationism and stated that one day the water would be flowing to San Bernardino through a pipe directly under that water trough, alluding to the preciseness of the plans of the Arrowhead Reservoir Company. He hung a carved sign above the water trough with Camp Lincoln’s new name.
Stephen publicized the naming event in the newspaper and wrote in the
During the dedication ceremony of the water trough located at Camp Lincoln, Professor William Stephen entertained with a poem he recited especially for the occasion. That location is now Andy Fletcher Triangle Park.
article about the fine entertainment that came from the Pioneers. On Aug. 20, they all went over to Bart Smithson’s strawberry farm and held a dedication and naming ceremony for Smithson’s new log clubhouse, dubbing it “Smithsonia.”
As the 20th century began, everything began to change. What would the future hold for the entertaining professor from Scotland? Find out next week.
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