o. G. National Guard of California, is represented herein by its commissioned officers, Captain E. J. Underwood, First Lieutenant G. S. Biggin and Second Lieutenant G. M. Smallwood. This company was organized as an unattached company, in July 1892. The members with the assistance of other citizens, obtained uniforms, which were received August 7. A day or two afterwards the company attended a regimental encampment at Long Beach, and obtained rifles to drill with. The first officers were J. W. F. Diss, Captain; F. C. Prescott, First Lieutenant; and Jas. F. Drake, Second Lieutenant. In February of the following year Mr. Drake resigned and H. E. Higbey was elected Second Lieutenant. June 3, 1893, the company was mustered into the service of the state, in its armory, the old brick block on the corner of Orange Street and Colton Avenue. The company then had 71 charter members, fully officered and equipped.

June 17, 1893, Lieut. Prescott was elected Major of the Second Battalion, Co. G, at the time belonging to the 9th regiment instead of the 7th, as at present.

In September 1893, at the time of the anti-Chinese riots in different parts of the state, Co. G. was ordered under arms and remained on duty for two days. Within two hours after the telegram, ordering the company out, was received 45 men reported for duty and in three hours every member of the company had reported.

Sept 20, 1893, H. E. Higbey was elected First Lieutenant and E. J. Underwood, Second Lieutenant. Nov. 9 1895, Capt. Diss was promoted to be Major and Brigade Inspector of the First Brigade. Jan. 24, 1896, Lieut. Underwood elected Captain; A. R. Welton, First Lieutenant, and G. S. Biggin, Second Lieutenant. February 21, 1896, Lieut. Higbey was appointed Battalion Adjutant. In November 1895, the company moved from the old armory to its commodious and well-equipped quarters in the Academy of Music block. June 3, 1896, the third anniversary of its mustering into the service, it had 71 members, the same number that it started with.

January 1, 1897, A. R. Welton resigned his commission, and on February 10, G. S. Biggin was elected First Lieutenant, and Sergeant G. M. Smallwood was elected Second Lieutenant. Private G. C. Thaxter was appointed Inspector of Rifle Practice. When the company was mustered in June 3, 1893, it furnished H. H. Sinclair as Inspector of Rifle Practice, and it has furnished more field and staff officers than any other company of its age in Southern California. The present membership of the company is about sixty. At the recent encampment of Santa Monica this company stood second in all the target practice and skirmish firing, and also stands the second company in the state in these particulars.

The financial affairs of the company have always been well managed. For the first two and a half years of its existence it received only a half allowance from the state funds appropriated for the militia, and its first full allowance was received January 1, 1896. Since that time it has paid all its debts, has expended a large sum upon target ranges and equipments, and is now even with the world. This company was the first in its brigade to have its three target ranges completed, at 200, 300 and 500 yards, under the new regulations. It has always maintained a high standard of enthusiasm and discipline.

Capt. Underwood was born at Addison, Michigan, July 19, 1864. He came to Redlands in 1887. He was employed upon the Brockton Ranch for three years and since that time has been a buyer for the Haight Fruit Company.

Lieut. George F. Biggin was born at Hamilton, Canada, in 1868, but lived most of his life before coming to California in Ohio. He lived upon a farm until fifteen years of age and from that time until he was twenty-two attended school at high schools and at a normal school. Mr. Biggin came to Redlands October 26, 1889. Until July 14, 1892, he was employed by L. E. Shepherd in the Enterprise grocery. Since that date he has been with J. W. Edwards in similar employment.

Sec. Lieut. G. M. Smallwood is a native Californian and was born at San Luis Obispo in 1873. He resided for ten years in Arizona but afterwards returned to California and finally came to Redlands. He has been employed by John McIntosh, in his blacksmith and carriage shop, since his arrival in this city. He was recently elected president of Redlands Parlor, Native Sons of the Golden West.

(Source: Illustrated Redlands, 1897, p. 13.)

On October 20, after the article on Company G. N. G. C., had been placed in the printer's hands, Captain Underwood was compelled by business demands to resign his command. His resignation was accepted with the utmost of regret by every member of the company. First Lieutenant Biggin on November 16 was elected to fill the vacancy, Second Lieutenant Smallwood was promoted to First Lieutenant and Sergeant Palmtag to Second Lieutenant.

(Source: Illustrated Redlands, 1897, p. 51)