Edward Lester was born on August 20, 1829 at Covington, KY. His trip to California started in 1852 by way of New Orleans, LA, Brownsville, TX across Mexico to Mazatlan. From Mazatlan he set sail for San Francisco. He worked the mines for a while before heading to Lima, Peru in 1855. He helped start the first American brickyard in Lima. He returned to the United States in 1858 and settled in Texas. Rather than join the Rebel army, he crossed Mexico again to Guaymas where he bought a boat and sailed the Colorado River. At Yuma he bought an ox team and brought his family to El Monte in 1862. "Guideposts to History" identifies him as a one-time owner of Devil Canyon.
Photo courtesy of City of San Bernardino Historical and Pioneer Society