Story From

Macedonia Llora Merrion Machado

Story From: A History of California
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
Historic Record Company of Los Angeles (est.1907); from Volume 1, page 1027:

Macedonia Llora Merrion Machado

The name above given calls to mind one of the earliest Spanish families represented in
Los Angeles County, and the first member of whom we have any definite knowledge was
the grandfather, Augustin Machado. The birthplace of the latter is not definitely known,
but it is certain that his son, Juan Machado was born on the family estate in the latter county.
At the time of the disruption brought about by the annexation of Texas to the Union, known
in history as the Mexican war (1847-1848), Juan Machado was just twenty years of age, but notwithstanding his youth he passed the scrutiny of the mustering officer and was admitted to
the service. After peace was declared he resumed private life and made his home in Los Angeles
County for a number of years, in later life, however, taking up his residence in Elsinore,
Riverside County. During his young adulthood he formed domestic ties by his marriage with
Manuela Altimirano, who like himself was of Spanish origin and also a native of Los Angeles
county. Both parents (of Macedonio) are now deceased, the mother passing away in Los
Angeles in 1903, at the age of sixty-five years, and the father in Temecula, Riverside county,
in 1904, when in his seventy-eighth year.
On the old Machado homestead in Los Angeles County, Macedonio Machado, "Mac" was
born in 1857. Upon reaching school age, he was placed in school nearest his home and for a
number of years conned his lessons in the temple of learning in La Ballona. Later he attended
Santa Clara College and finally took a course in Heald's Business College in Los Angeles, this
latter training being his initiative, so to speak, into the commercial life which has framed so large
a part of his career. From Los Angeles he came to Temecula in 1887 and accepted a position as
clerk in the old government store then in the charge of Louis Wolf, a Frenchman from Alsace,
who had come to San Francisco in the days of mining fever, and for five years, from 1852 until
1857, had followed the uncertain though fascinating life of a miner. In the last year mentioned
he came to Temecula and established himself in the general merchandise business, following in
this vocation for eight years. It was during this time that he formed an intimate acquaintance
with Helen Hunt Jackson (the author of "Ramona", written during her stay there), who
was one of his patrons. About 1865 Mr. Wolf bought out the store of Simon Mund, also in
Temecula, and of this enterprise, Mr. Machado had charge for one year, severing his
connection with Mr. Wolf at the end of that time and removing to San Bernardino,
where for twelve months he was bookkeeper in the office of a M. Burne.
Terminating his service with Mr. Burne at the end of this time, he returned to Los Angeles
and for one year clerked in the store of Eugene Meyer & Co. His old employer in Temecula
again offering him a favorable inducement, he returned thither and clerked for Mr. Wolf
for two years, at the end of that time being taken into partnership with him, an association
which was mutually agreeable and profitable, but which was terminated five years later by
the death of Mr. Wolf. With his father as his partner, Mr. Machado purchased the stock and
carried on the business under the name of Machado & Co., until 1889, when the store and
contents were utterly destroyed, entailing a loss of $12,000 to the son alone. Undaunted by
this disaster, however, he removed to the Welty Hotel building and once more opened up
for business with a complete assortment of goods. Two years later, in 1891, he was visited
again by the fire fiend, and as before his stock was completely ruined. This was surely a severe
test for one possessing even his courageous spirit, but he proved equal to it and Phoenix-like,
rose from the ashes and re-established himself once more in business. The struggle was long
and strenuous, but in ten years he had cleared off all his old debts and was on the high road
to success which was his until the time of his death.

Dora Alice Vaughn ~ "Allie"
Original photo from M. N. Ray Collection

In 1886 Macedonia Llora Merrion Machado was united in marriage with Dora Alice Vaughn "Aunt Allie", (sister of Leanore Vaughn, my Great-Grammie Hindorff), a native of Iowa.

The ups and downs which have formed so prominent a feature in the life of Mr. Machado
would have embittered many men, but not so with him, on the other hand he has taken a
keen and heartfelt interest in the affairs of his fellow-citizens and in turn had been honored
by them by election to many offices of public trust, and in each and every case has served with satisfaction to his constituents. For two terms he was a chief ranger, four years served as
deputy assessor, one year as game warden, and for one and a half years served as postmaster
in Temecula. In addition to his mercantile business he had been interested in real-estate
business since 1889, owning four hundred acres of land in Riverside county, besides which
he owned an interest in twenty-five hundred acres of farming land also in Riverside county.
He also owned large interests in the tourmaline and beryl mines at Rincon and Smith mountain.
- Uncle Mac also owned a then-famous granite quarry somewhere near the Temecula area,
where slabs of beautiful gray granite were cut for all purposes and hauled by wagon to their
destination, or shipped by way of rail..

This was originally Uncle Mac's Mercantile store

Allie's mother, Ann Bradshaw-Vaughn, lived with Mac & Allie when they were first
married. Ann had left her home of many years in Lewis, Iowa to come by train to California.
Later, Amanda, Allie's older sister, bought their mother a home of her own in Fall Brook,
where she lived out her life. My mother has told me that Uncle Macedonia had a curious
nickname. He was called "Chino" by some folks. Most people, however, only knew him as
"Mac"

Uncle Mac died in 1942 in Temecula. He & Aunt Allie never had any children, a thing that
Aunt Allie said she especially regretted in her later years.

Aunt Allie Vaughn-Machado died when I was only one or two years old. Some years ago,
my Grandmother sent me an article from a local newspaper about Aunt Allie's Saddle that
was in some museum in the Temecula area or something to that effect. The article stated that
it was not known who the saddle had once belonged to, nor who had made it.
My Great-Grampa, Per Gustav Hindorff, the Harness Maker, made that saddle for Allie,
his sister-in-law, when she married Macedonia Machado, four years after the
Hindorff-Vaughn families settled in Temecula. Uncle Mac had Great-Grampa make it for
her as a wedding present and had instructed him to put her name on it in the leatherworking.

Handkerchief made by Dora Alice "Allie" Vaughn July 21, 1885
(Image courtesy M. N. Ray ©2003 )

See the Vaughn sisters at the Machado beach house: Alice, Martha, Leanore, Lucy & Amanda. (Margaret Vaughn is not in these photos)

(Large view is a painted graphic image by t.a.d. ©2001)
Alice Vaughn-Machado's beach house in Oceanside, California - view 1

(Both from original images in the M. N. Ray Collection)
Alice Vaughn-Machado's Beach House looking at the back of the house from the Sea side -view 2

[I hope to get the view 2 photo painted eventually. It is very time consuming to paint these old photos, but it is fun to do - t.a.d.]

COMING SOON - more Information about the Family of MACHADO

Back to Historic Temecula

Back to The Harness Maker

The Emigrant Train - an 1883 train trip

Hindorff Family Pages

Table

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