USA > California > Los Angeles County > Los Angeles > A history of California and an extended history of Los Angeles and environs, Biographical, Volume II > Part 34
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Through his activities as president of the Maclay Rancho Water Company, which was the least of all his enterprises, Mr. Rindge was in- strumental in opening up for settlement about one thousand acres in the San Fernando valley, while in the central portions of the state he also con- ducted several large affairs, including both arid lands and those susceptible of cultivation. As president of the Middle River Navigation and Canal Company, now known as the Rindge Land and Navigation Company, he was instrumental in starting enterprises which have reclaimed about twenty-five thousand acres of valuable peat and tule lands near Stockton. The Artesian Water Company, of which he was president, was situated west of Adams street, where the Chinese gardens are located, representing good property of about a thousand acres reclaimed by his energy. Mr. Rindge was also identified with other corporations of a similar nature, giving to all the same ability, energy and enthusiasm which insured the success of all enterprises fostered by him.
The spiritual life of Mr. Rindge was one of power and influence. He lived in close touch with high ideals and made his everyday life conform to them. He was for many years a member of the Westlake Methodist Episcopal church, with whose interests he was largely identified, con-
tributing to all charities and the various building enterprises which have distinguished this denomi- nation in Los Angeles. At the sessions of the general conferences, which were held in this city, he took a prominent part, and was the leader of a laymen's evangelistic movement which was far- reaching in its effect. While a resident of Santa Monica he built the First Methodist Episcopal Church of that city on the site of the old building. A man of pronounced prohibition views, when Santa Monica abolished the saloons he agreed to pay from his personal funds any deficit which might be caused in the city treasury from the lack of saloon license money. As president of the Young Men's Christian Association, Mr. Rindge was most active in the support and up- building of this institution, a power in both its spiritual and material existence.
One of the most beautiful homes of Los An- geles, reflecting without and within the cultured and refined tastes of its owner, was occupied by Mr. Rindge and his family, the latter consisting of his widow, two sons and one daughter, Samuel, Frederick and Rhoda.
In closing this brief review of the life of one of Los Angeles' great men it is only fitting to recall the tributes paid to his memory by those who knew him best. His inheritance was much, for coming of the best New England stock there was much in his character to remind one of the beautiful simplicity, the sturdy independence, the rugged, unpretentious honesty and unswerving integrity in all things which went to make up the good American citizen of fifty years ago. En- gaged at all times in forwarding great movements and in a notable manner a man of affairs, he still realized that business was not all of life, but that the amenities between man and man were as great a matter as the transaction in hand. Every man of high or low estate felt his kindliness of heart and responded impulsively to the hand of hos- pitality held out to them. His manhood stood out as something unquestioned, as something always understood, for as has been said of him the strong, forceful qualities of his character were inherent and were always prominent in his deal- ings with men. Such a man cannot die or ever pass from the memory of man. His visible pres- ence is lost, but the atmosphere created by his nobility of soul, honesty of purpose and honor- able manhood will still be felt as a power toward better and higher things.
Clanes F. Wright
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GEORGE WRIGHT. Among the long list of pioneer families whose names will always appear upon the honor roll of California among those who gave of their best in the days when the state was young, aiding her to grow to her present splendid stature of statehood by the development of her infant industries, and the upbuilding of her cities and her wonderful farming regions, may be mentioned that of George Wright, members of whose family for more than forty years have been residents of Azusa, while for well past the fifty- year mark they have dwelt within the confines of the county, making their first home at Green Meadows, some eight miles south of Los Angeles. During the many years of his residence at Azusa Mr. Wright was closely associated with the af- fairs of the community, and was always a promi- nent and influential factor in the life about him. He was closely identified with the development of the irrigation system of the valley, which is today one of the best in the state, and was also active in the orange and lemon industry for many years. Educational questions also received their full share of his ability, and the forward movements along this line, the upbuilding and progress of the schools, always received his ardent and ca- pable support and co-operation. A pioneer from the early age of twenty years, when he joined a fur-trading camp in Nebraska, Mr. Wright loved the free life of the frontier and spent much of his time in the vanguard of civilization. He lived in various parts of the west, but from the time that he located at Azusa his desire for roving departed, and he made his home in the beautiful little foot- hill city until the time of his death. December 13, 1905.
George Wright was a native of Massachusetts, born near the Connecticut river, August 12, 1815. the son of Zenas Wright, and the second son in a family of five sons. When he was ten years old his father moved with his family to a place near Oswego Falls, N. Y., where George received his early education, remaining there until he was twenty years of age. At that time, being in very poor health, he determined to seek an out-of-door life, and going to Nebraska, became associated with a fur-trading company, buying and trading furs and buffalo skins with the Indians. After two years he took up government land in Noble county, Neb., and engaged in farming, teaching school and surveying a part of the time each year, as
his farm duties did not require his entire atten- tion.
It was in 1852 that Mr. Wright made his first trip to the Pacific coast, ill health again causing him to seek change and rest. For two years he re- mained in California, engaging in mining for most of that time, and returning east by way of the Isthmus of Panama and New Orleans. In 1859 he crossed the plains with his family, making the journey with ox teams and taking the southern route. They remained in New Mexico long enough to plant and harvest a crop, but as the Indians were very hostile and conditions for set- tlers were anything but satisfactory, the following year they continued their journey westward, ar- riving at Los Angeles in 1861. From that time until 1870 Mr. Wright made his home at Green Meadows, as his ranch was known, located eight miles south of Los Angeles. In 1868 his wife and eldest daughter died, and two years later he disposed of his property and removed to Azusa, where he purchased land and engaged in the rais- ing of oranges and other fruits. From the first he took an important part in the development of the community. Being a surveyor, he was val- uable in many ways, and it was he who laid out the ditches for the first irrigation system of that district. He also raised the first crop of corn in the valley grown under irrigation methods, and in other ways gave evidence of the true pioneer spirit, the spirit that dares to forge ahead of the masses, blazing a trail for those who come after.
Mr. Wright was twice married. The first mar- riage was solemnized in 1841. uniting him with Miss Martha Ann Woodard, who became the mother of four children : Reason, Julian C., Sher- idan, and Otanes F., deceased. Her death oc- curred in 1868. Two years later Mr. Wright married Mrs. Louisa Jane Danks, and of this lat- ter union were born two children, George W. Simeon and Nancy L., now Mrs. Ward. The second Mrs. Wright was in maidenhood Miss Gazeway, a native of Illinois, born December 28, 1839. After the death of her first husband she removed to California, in 1869, locating in Los Angeles county, where she met Mr. Wright, with whom she was united in marriage the following year. Her death occurred at Azusa August 4, 1908.
Of the children of the first marriage of Mr. Wright, all are now living but Otanes F., who died in 1911 at Azusa, where his wife and daugh-
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ter still make their home. He came to California with his father when he was a very small boy and grew to manhood in this county, the ranch, Green Meadows, being the scene of much of his boyish activity. Later he removed to Azusa and purchased an orange grove, to which he later added land which he also set to orange trees. He was married to Miss Elnora Elledge, a native of Kansas, and of their union was born one daugh- ter, Maude E. Like his father, Otanes Wright was a man of much public spirit and took an active interest in all that pertained to the wel- fare of the community. He was influential and prosperous, and is remembered throughout the valley by a host of admiring and sincere friends.
JOHN H. BARTLE. One of the best known bankers in Southern California for the past quar- ter of a century is John H. Bartle of Monrovia, president, vice-president and director of several of the leading banking houses of his district, and associated in banking enterprises with many of the foremost financiers of the west. Mr. Bartle has been actively interested in real estate and other de- veloping enterprises during his long residence in California, as well as in the banking business, and is today the owner of much valuable property in Los Angeles county. He is a man of good judg- ment, and his foresight in financial affairs is such as to make him a valuable member of any board of directors.
A native of Michigan, Mr. Bartle was born in Eagle Harbor, July 22, 1855, the son of John and Thresa Bartle. At the age when most boys are in school he started out to make his own way in the world, working at various undertakings at first, and later devoting his energies to acquiring a thorough knowledge of the mercantile business. When he was still a young man he opened a store of his own, and for a number of years conducted very successfully a general merchandise house. In 1885 he came to Southern California and after making a careful survey of the ground with a view to locating here, he selected Monrovia as the most desirable place for a future home. Re- turning to Michigan he disposed of his interests there during 1886 and the following year came to California and settled in Monrovia, where he has since made his home. Upon property which he purchased in 1890 he erected a two-story frame
building on Myrtle avenue, containing two stores and offices. This was destroyed by fire in June, 1897, and was at once replaced with a substantial brick office and store building, 40x80 feet. Be- sides this he has erected two brick blocks on the same street in the past three years.
This was the first real estate venture that Mr. Bartle made in Monrovia, but it was by no means the last. He is part owner and developer of the Idlewild and Fairmount tracts, two of the leading residence sections of the town, and has also bought and sold many orange groves and many acreage tracts during his residence in Monrovia. He is conceded to be one of the best posted men on realty values in the San Gabriel valley.
It is in banking enterprises, however, that Mr. Bartle has always been the most keenly interested, and in which he has made for himself a most distinctive reputation. Shortly after coming to Monrovia he accepted a position as bookkeeper for the First National Bank ( April 13, 1888), the bank having been established in 1887. His serv- ice was of such a character that he rapidly rose in rank, being first made assistant cashier, later, January 24, 1891, being made cashier. and on February 27, 1894, he was elected president of the institution, an office he has since filled. In this enterprise Mr. Bartle has been associated with the most prominent financiers of the Southwest. The original incorporators were J. F. Sartori, J. F. Brossart and John Wild, the original officers being J. F. Brossart, president ; John Wild, vice- president, and J. F. Sartori, cashier. A change was made in the officers in 1888, and on January 10, I. W. Hellman became president and G. W. Perkins vice-president. In January, 1908, the bank moved into its beautiful new building, which is one of the finest and most modern bank build- ings in the state. The present officers are: John H. Bartle, president ; J. F. Sartori, vice-president ; H. S. McKee, second vice-president ; W. A. Chess, cashier. The directors are J. F. Sartori, I. W. Hellman, J. A. Graves, H. S. McKee, A. H. Johnson, Joseph Fowler, John H. Bartle, W. A. Chess and H. A. Unruh.
Besides his interest in the First National Bank of Monrovia, Mr. Bartle is president of the Mon- rovia Savings Bank and of the First National Bank of Elmonte. He also aided in establishing the Covina Valley Bank, now known as the First National Bank of Covina.
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During his entire residence in Monrovia Mr. Bartle has been actively interested in all move- ments that have tended toward the upbuilding of the beautiful little city and has been intimately associated with her history. He has held various offices of trust and responsibility within the gift of the people, and has rendered excellent service in all such capacities. For four years he served as a city trustee and was chairman of the board of trustees when the present excellent water sys- tem was built, he having been exceptionally active in forwarding that valuable improvement. For seven years he was city treasurer and here again his splendid service won him many friends and admirers.
Aside from his business and municipal activi- ties, Mr. Bartle is popular with a wide circle of friends. He is a prominent member of the Masons, and has been treasurer of the Monrovia Lodge for many years. The marriage of Mr. Bartle took place in Port Arthur, Canada, in August, 1885, uniting him with Miss Amelia Bow- erman, of Canada, the daughter of Stephen and Annie Bowerman. They are the parents of three children, two sons and a daughter, Stanley, Kath- leen and Gerald, all of whom are well and fa- vorably known in the younger social set at Mon- rovia.
MRS. EMMA A. SUMMERS. Known throughout the west as the oil queen of Southern California, Mrs. Emma A. Summers is a figure of more than ordinary interest in financial circles, and in this day of multitudinous activities among women she stands pre-eminently in the forefront of the achievements in her chosen lines, which are by no means confined to her extensive operations in oil. She is the owner of large real estate holdings, which include both city and ranch property, and her real estate transactions in the open market are very extensive. By constantly improving her property she adds many thou- sands of dollars yearly to the general wealth of the community. Yet through it all she is dis- tinctly womanly, being of a refined, quiet manner, which has often been a disconcerting surprise to her masculine opponents, who, knowing her won- derful business sagacity, had expected to meet a woman of a more masculine type. Her mind, however, possesses all the clear far-sightedness and power of discrimination and judgment which
are generally boasted as male prerogatives, as many a California financier has discovered too late and to his sorrow.
A native of Trenton, Tenn., Mrs. Summers re- moved to Hickman, Ky., when a small child. There she passed her childhood and youth, com- ing to Los Angeles in 1879. She began her busi- ness career at the very bottom round of the ladder, without any advantages in the way of business training. Her early operations were in the oil industry and she is now one of the largest and most successful operators on the Pacific coast. She has also been an important factor in the general development of Southern California and of Los Angeles in particular. She has erected and owns two apartment houses in Los Angeles, several garages and a number of moving picture theatres. In Ocean Park she is also heavily inter- ested, owning several store buildings and much valuable realty in the heart of the business sec- tion. There is also much valuable property at Casa Verdugo, on Washington boulevard, and in the San Fernando valley, where several ranches have been bought by this remarkable woman and are kept constantly under her supervision.
One who has ever had the pleasure of meet- ing Mrs. Summers is not likely to forget her striking and pleasing personality. She is keen yet kindly, with a penetrating vision, and a man- ner of searching her vis-a-vis that is apt to be a trifle disconcerting to any but the most worldly wise, and it is rumored that more than one noted financier has been known to grow restive under this same level gaze. One interesting fact about this clever financier, a fact which the world in general does not know, is that she is at heart an artist and musician, and when still in the first flush of youth she decided to dedicate her life to song. Fate has a way of displacing the plans of women, however, and when the necessity for engaging in a business career became evident she quietly cast her poetic ambitions aside and went forth to battle with the world on its own ground-to battle and to win.
Arrayed against her at various times in her career have been some of the ablest financiers in America, yet Mrs. Summers has met them in spirited contests of money and brains and has more than held her own. There have been times when Los Angeles, as the center of the oil in- dustry, was palpitating in its financial heart to know what would be the next move of the oil
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queen, but she has never wavered and the great- est have been obliged to wait her own good time. The real story of her life is composed of one surprise after another, but the keynote is always the same-absolute self-reliance, independent thought and action backed by unflinching courage. She is full of sage sayings that hold a world of thought and meaning and which give a remark- able insight into her thought processes. One of these is: "Most women, and some men, rely too much on what others tell them," and she adds, "I would not take even the greatest lawyer's opinion unless it squared with my own convic- tions," and her life history proves that she means what she says. There is something militant about this pale slender woman on whose shoulders rests the burden of enormous business affairs. She matches her woman's wits against man's crude calculations and with startling frequency wins in the battle. "She seems to have the faculty of boring into one's very thoughts," is the way one of the leading Pacific coast financiers recently expressed his admiration of Mrs. Summer's sagacity and success. She fights her rivals with fire and sword, and with a black flag always hoisted. Then having backed them slowly but surely against the wall, she compels recognition, of her demands, which are always fair and just.
Mrs. Summer's father, the late William Leoni- das Mccutchen, was a banker and merchant of Hickman, Ky., and a man of unusual powers as an organizer and. leader of men and affairs. His wife was Mary Elizabeth (Garrison) Mccutchen, a Southern woman of quality, who possessed all the charm and grace of the South in its finest and best. Mr. Mccutchen was recognized as a man of great ability, and in order to have his executive skill at their command the citizens of Hickman kept him in the office of mayor for many years, later availing themselves of his service as city treasurer. During the years of his service in public offices he aided greatly in the upbuilding of the city. The first bonded indebtedness was assumed at his suggestion. The money was ex- pended for local improvements, and when the peo- ple realized the great ability and skill with which their mayor was proceeding, they gave him a free hand in financing the city improvements.
Mrs. Summers is a happy combination of both her parents, possessing the business ability and executive skill of her talented father, together with the charm of manner that made her mother a
famous belle. She is of Colonial ancestry and her kindred have fought in every war in which the United States has been engaged. This family record as warriors goes back for hundreds of years, taking us through the history of Scotland and on into the bloody wars of continental Eu- rope.
But aside from this there is another side to the character of Mrs. Summers, in which she is like her mother. Her home is a veritable bower of beauty, handsomely hung with rich furnishings and tastefully decorated with splendid works of art. She is a lover of trees and flowers and will not allow any to be cut or needlessly destroyed on any of her properties, while she is constantly adding to her gardens new and rare specimens of flowers and shrubs and trees which she selects with the greatest of care.
Yet another phase of the many-sided character of this woman is her delight in good books. She cares nothing for the light modern fiction with which so many men of affairs seek relaxation from the affairs of their business. Balzac is her favorite author, and there is nothing of his that she has not read from cover to cover with the keenest appreciation.
The benefactions of Mrs. Summers are neces- sarily great. She gives vast sums yearly to or- ganized charities, and also distributes through private and semi-private channels of which no one but herself and her secretary, or possibly only the recipients of her favor, ever know. She is careful and conscientious in this as in other mat- ters, realizing that unwise and indiscriminate giv- ing tends to pauperize rather than aid the re- cipient and permanent help is the object at which she always aims.
Mrs. Summers has never taken an active or aggressive part in politics. That she favors suf- frage goes without saying, but she is too busy to be a politician, although without doubt she has the makings of one, and it also goes without say- ing that if the time ever comes when she does enter the political arena the affairs of state will feel the power of her might.
WILLIAM DOWNIE. Descended from sturdy Scotch ancestry, William Downie was born in Glasgow, Scotland, July 12, 1849. While he was a small lad his parents came to the United States and settled at Holyoke, Mass. There the
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son passed his boyhood days, receiving a common school education, and afterward learning the carpenter's trade. For a number of years he was engaged in business in Holyoke, contracting and building, and meeting with appreciable success. Here he was married, established his home, and made for himself a desirable place in the life of the community. Two children were born of this marriage, and then the wife, never too strong, died, and the home ties being broken, the young man determined to seek other scenes for his labors and came west.
It was in 1876 that Mr. Downie settled in Los Angeles, where he continued to reside until the time of his death, which occurred April 9, 1911. He engaged in his former occupation of carpenter and builder until he received the appointment of deputy county sheriff, which position he held for one term. Following this, in July, 1901, he was elected foreman of the city schools, and continued to act in this capacity until his death. He was an efficient and conscientious official, and won the respect and admiration of all who came in con- tact with him. Owing to the remarkable growth in the city schools and the consequent large num- ber of buildings, whose upkeep was his especial care, the position was one of much responsibility and not a little labor, and it is worthy of note that Mr. Downie so acquitted himself of these duties that he received the entire support of the board of education during the ten years that he served in this capacity.
After coming to Los Angeles Mr. Downie was united in marriage with Miss Carrie Manville, the wedding taking place in this city December 5, 1883. There were no children by this second marriage, but Mrs. Downie was ever a companion and helpmeet to her husband in the truest sense of the word, sharing his interests and being close in his confidences in all matters of business.
In addition to his enviable reputation as a business man Mr. Downie stood high in fraternal circles of his adopted city, and was a prominent member of several of the largest and best known orders. Among these may be mentioned the Knight Templars, of which he was past eminent commander ; the Shriners ; Odd Fellows, of whom he was Past Noble Grand; and the Eastern Star, of which he was past patron. During his entire residence in Los Angeles Mr. Downie was known as a man of ability and worth, and his association for so long a period with the affairs of the city
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