USA > California > Los Angeles County > Los Angeles > A history of California and an extended history of Los Angeles and environs, Biographical, Volume II > Part 56
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In fraternal circles also, Mr. Anderson holds a high place, being grand master for the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters for the state, past master of Southern California Lodge No 278; past high priest, Signet Chapter, R. A. M .; past thrice illustrious master of the Council; and a member of the Scottish Rite, Commandery and Shrine; also being a member of the Pioneer As- sociation of Los Angeles County. In his po- litical preferences Mr. Anderson is a Democrat. His marriage with Miss Ella Pinkerton, a native of Chillicothe, Mo., was solemnized at Los An- geles, May 15, 1909, and they reside at their beau- tiful home at No. 1437 Albany street, Los An- geles, where they dispense a liberal hospitality and enjoy the society of their many friends. Aside from his cares in the postal service Mr. Ander- son is a substantial real estate holder in this city, and is well-to-do, highly respected and deservedly popular, and a leader in Masonic circles.
HERMAN FLATAU. The secretary of the M. A. Newmark Company, wholesale grocers of Los Angeles, is Herman Flatau, a native of east- ern Prussia, in Germany, where he was born October 1, 1858, the son of Louis and Wilhelmina Flatau. Until the age of fourteen years Mr. Fla- tau attended the public schools, then for three years continuing his studies in a private school, and upon the completion of his education engaged for three years as a clerk in the employ of his brothers who were manufacturers and exporters of ladies' garments. Subsequently, until the year 1881, Mr. Flatau served in the German army. returning thereafter to the employ of his broth-
ers. In 1883 he came to the United States and settled in Los Angeles, where he engaged with H. Newmark & Co., dealers in hides, pelts and tallow, as warehouseman, receiving for his ser- vices $15 per week. In 1885 Mr. Flatau was transferred to the grocery department of the same company, whose name in the same year was changed to M. A. Newmark & Co. He was given charge of the flour department, from which he gradually worked himself up to his present po- sition in importance and responsibility, having been elected to the offices of secretary and direc- tor when the company was incorporated in the year 1903. In 1907 Mr. Flatau was elected presi- dent of the Los Angeles Wholesalers Board of Trade and in the same year was chosen president of the Los Angeles Creditmen's Association, and the following year was re-elected to the same office.
In fraternal circles Mr. Flatau is well known as a Mason of the Scottish Rite degree and a Shriner. On February 19, 1888, he was married to Miss Fannie Bernstein, who has the distinction of being the first girl graduate of the Los An- geles high school to enter the University of Cali- fornia, from which institution she was graduated in 1883, having received the degree of Ph. B. Mr. and Mrs. Flatau are the parents of four children, as follows: Herbert, who is a salesman for M. A. Newmark & Co .; Elsa, a graduate of the Leland Stanford, Jr., University ; Lawrence, a clerk for M. A. Newmark & Co., and Harold, who attends a business college.
BENJAMIN JOHNSON. The history of the family of Benjamin Johnson is the story of pio- neer life through many generations and in va- rious sections of the United States. The grand- parents on the paternal side were both of old pioneer families of Maryland, the grandfather, Hon. John D. Johnson, coming of one of the best families of Baltimore, and many of his an- cestors having taken part in the wars of the state of Maryland. The grandfather removed to Indiana which was then only a wilderness, and there cleared the land and made a home in the forest, rising to wealth and importance in that state. There his son, Gen. Edward P. John- son, the father of Benjamin Johnson, and a man who for a quarter of a century made his home in
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California, was born at the Indiana home on the Ohio river, February 10, 1843, growing up on his father's farm and receiving his education in the public schools and at Moor's Hill college, a Methodist institution. However, before the com- pletion of his course he left college and enlisted in the Union army at the age of nineteen as a pri- vate in the Sixty-eighth Regiment of Indiana Vol- unteer Infantry, continuing to serve until the close of the war, and receiving the title of captain, hav- ing taken part in many of the important en- counters of the war and been held prisoner by the Confederates for about two months. When the war closed, General Johnson made his home at St. Paul, Minn., where he was in business until coming to Los Angeles to engage in mining and prospecting. The city of Los Angeles grew rapidly from the crude state in which he found it, and in 1884 General Johnson became one of the organizers and the president of the Los An- geles Furniture Company, of which his son Ben- jamin later held the office of president. Thus the family of Benjamin Johnson have been pio- neers in the three states of Maryland, Indiana and California and have served their country faithfully in times of both peace and war.
The marriage of Gen. E. P. Johnson which took place September 7, 1865, soon after the close of the Civil war, united him with Miss A. F. Blasdel, and they became the parents of five chil- dren who lived to attain maturity, namely : Sparks Blasdel, Sadie, Gertrude, Edward P., Jr., and Benjamin. The latter, born January 31, 1871, held the rank of captain in the United States Volunteer Army in the Spanish-American war and is now president of the Los Angeles Public Market, the largest wholesale market in the world.
Benjamin Johnson received his early educa- tion in the public and high schools, later attend- ing the University of Southern California until 1889. After completing his education he was employed by the Los Angeles Furniture Com- pany, of which his father was owner, this being one of the largest furniture houses in the south- west. Here the son began as elevator boy, later becoming salesman, leaving the company for a time when, in 1898, he was appointed by Presi- dent Mckinley as staff officer during the Spanish- American war, a position which he held for two years. On his resignation from the army Mr. Johnson returned to the Los Angeles Furniture Company, this time officiating as assistant man- 19
ager, later becoming manager and then president of the company. In 1907 he sold out his interest and with his brother, E. P. Johnson, Jr., organ- ized the Los Angeles Public Market, an extensive concern covering eighteen acres of ground, from Sixth street to the Santa Fe Railroad and from Alameda to Mills street.
Mr. Johnson was married in Los Angeles, Feb- ruary 28, 1893, to Miss Minnie Guiteau, and they are the parents of two daughters, Estelle Marie, who attends the Marlborough School for Girls, and Dorothy Louise, who attends the public schools. Besides being a Mason of the Scottish Rite degree and also belonging to the Shrine, Mr. Johnson is a member of the Army and Navy Club at Washington, D. C., and of the California Club and the Los Angeles Athletic Club, Los Angeles. In politics he is a Republican, and his religious affiliations are with the Episcopal church.
EPHRAIM E. WHITE. Upon his arrival in Los Angeles for the purpose of engaging at his trade of blacksmith, Mr. White found the opening for business or occupative pursuits was not inviting. It was yet in the early part of the '70s and Southern California had not begun to be the theme of conversation in the east as a city of opportunity with both climatic and com- mercial advantages. Appearances, however, were sufficiently alluring to entice Mr. White into permanent residence and he thereupon be- gan an association with the town that ended only with his death, which occurred April 5, 1894, about twenty years after his location in the west. They had been years of purposeful activity and profitable energy, so that he was fortunate in leaving his wife and children com- fortably situated in respect to this world's goods ; nor had he been less fortunate in win- ning the confidence of those with whom he had business dealings and those who sought his place of business for all needed work in that line. Such men gave to him their esteem throughout the entire period of their acquaint- ance with him and in his passing one of the solid, reliable and efficient business men of the city ceased from the labors that had made him honored in life.
A member of an old Canadian family, Eph- raim E. White was born near Chatham, On-
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tario, December 7, 1845, being a son of Daniel White, now deceased. When advanced in years the father and mother left the old Ontario homestead and came to California, where (at the age of ninety-four) the mother lives near Rivera, well preserved mentally and physically, in spite of her great age. At the age of seven- teen years Ephraim E. White left school and began to learn the blacksmith's trade, at which he served a full apprenticeship and then worked as a journeyman in Chatham. In 1870, when almost twenty-five years of age, he left Ontario for the United States and settled in Kansas, where he engaged in blacksmithing at Baxter Springs for four years. There occurred his marriage to Miss Jennie E. Hybarger, Septem- ber 27, 1874. From that city and state he came to California in 1875 and settled in Los An- geles. On first coming here he engaged with the firm of Page & Gravel, wagon builders, on Los Angeles street, and later he opened a black- smith shop on Spring street with Mr. McGar- vin. Still later he removed to a shop on Los Angeles street, where he continued in business alone throughout the balance of his life. From the time of casting his first ballot he voted with the Republican party. In religion he was con- nected with the Methodist Episcopal Church. An expert marksman, he found considerable pleasure in the activities of the Recreation Gun Club. Fraternally he went through the chairs of the Knights of Pythias and was also active in local organizations of the Maccabees and An- cient Order of United Workmen. Surviving him are Mrs. White, who resides at No. 425 South Kingsley Drive; and three daughters, namely: Agnes M., wife of Frank Connor ; Alma I, who married Robert G. Wagner; and Hazel M., who resides with her mother. The only son of the family, Clay Leslie White, died when less than seven years of age.
HON. CHARLES SILENT. To write a truthful history of the city of Los Angeles, with an authentic record of its development, without mention of the Hon. Charles Silent, would be as difficult as the oft-cited making of bricks without straw, for this capable and energetic man has for many years played an active and influential part in the life of the city of his adoption. His asso-
ciation with the affairs of the state, and also of Arizona, is of more than ordinary interest, indi- cating as it does the unusual qualities of heart and mind of this splendid man. He came first to California in 1856, when a boy of only thirteen, making the long journey alone. He was full of ambition and courage and a great faith, and at once applied himself to the large task of carving his future in untried paths. That he succeeded far beyond the average is testified to in a multi- tude of ways, for the achievements of Judge Silent might be divided at least by three, and either division make a fair showing for a life- work of the average man. He has been success- ful far beyond the average in a financial way, and the development of the railroad interests of the state many years ago felt the impulse of his strong hand, while in later years the general commercial development of Los Angeles owes much to his energy and ability. In his legal work he has made a name for himself that is both honored and honorable, and the standing of Judge Silent on the bar of this state and also of Arizona, where he presided on the bench for two years, is of the very highest. Then again he has done much for the educational life of the state, com- mencing his work as a teacher in the public schools when he was eighteen, and later serving for several years as principal of the city schools at Santa Clara, Cal., the while he pursued his law studies. Since that time he has always been keenly interested in educational affairs and while practicing law in San Jose, Cal., he was one of the leading men in the activities that secured the establishment of the State Normal School there, this being the first Normal School in the state. He also gave his attention to the development and execution of a plan for the beautifying of the public school buildings and grounds of San Jose, that city being now known throughout the west for this particular condition. Although for many years a resident of the city of Los Angeles, having a stately home at Chester Place, in the exclusive section of the residence district, Judge Silent for several years past has resided at Glendora, where he owns an extensive tract of hillside and mountain land which he has beautified and improved until it is one of the most attractive places in the county, having a splendid pleasure park and also one of the finest lemon groves in the citrus belt.
Judge Silent is descended from an ancient Ger-
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man family of distinguished lineage, and was born at Baden, Germany, in 1843. When he was five years of age his parents came to America, locating at Columbus, Ohio, where he made his home until he came to California. When he was but twelve years of age this lad was forced to take up the burden of life and thereafter the responsibility of his support and education rested on his shoulders alone. Borrowing the necessary money from a friend, he embarked for San Fran- cisco the following year, 1856, coming by way of the Isthmus of Panama, and arriving at his des- tination in August of that year. He went to Dry- town, Amador county, and was there employed at various occupations for four years, attending school for two terms and studying constantly. So efficient were his efforts that when he was seven- teen he passed the teachers' examination and re- ceived a first grade certificate. For three months he taught in the country, and then received the appointment to the school where he had so recent- ly been a student, teaching there until 1862, when he entered the University of the Pacific, at Santa Clara. At the close of the first term he was elected principal of the Santa Clara public schools, con- tinuing his studies while teaching, and received from the University the honorary degree of A. M. in 1872. During all this time he had continued the study of the law, being for a time in the law offices of S. F. & J. Reynolds, in San Francisco, as a student, and later a deputy county clerk in Santa Clara county, in which position he familiar- ized himself with practice and pleadings and with the public records of the county. In 1868 he was admitted to the California bar, and soon became junior member of the firm of Moore, Laine & Silent, of San Jose, Santa Clara county, and for two years practiced his profession in this con- nection. At the end of that time he opened an independent office and until 1878 divided his time between his profession and educational and com- mercial pursuits. In February, 1878, he was appointed by President Hayes as one of the Supreme Judges of Arizona, which high office he filled until 1880, resigning then to resume the private practice of law in Tucson, Ariz., where for three years he enjoyed a lucrative practice. Failing health then compelled him to seek rest and recreation, and for several years he traveled, but in 1885 came to Los Angeles, where he has since made his home. Here as elsewhere he won pro- fessional distinction before the bar, and is today
regarded as one of the most able attorneys in the state. He was for many years a member of the firm of Houghton, Silent & Campbell, but has recently retired from active professional work.
Throughout his lifetime Judge Silent has taken an active part in the affairs of any community where he has made his home, and has always proven himself to be unusually proficient. While a resident of San Jose he was instrumental in the building of the railroad from that point to Santa Clara. this being one of the first railroads con- structed south of San Francisco. He was also the head of a corporation, which, under his super- vision, constructed a railroad from Santa Cruz along the San Lorenzo river to the town of Felton, which is now a part of the line running from Santa Cruz across the mountains to Oakland. It was also through his splendid foresight that the mammoth trees along this line were preserved and the land turned into a pleasure resort.
Since coming to Los Angeles Judge Silent has taken an equally active part in the affairs of the city and county. He has been one of the most active and efficient members of the local Cham- ber of Commerce, and has been instrumental in the accomplishment of many of the projects of that body. It was largely through his efforts that the body of unemployed men in the city in 1897 were set to work in the improvement of Elysian Park, and in recognition of this service the Mer- chants' and Manufacturers' Association made him an honorary life member. One of the most beau- tiful residence places in the city, Chester Place, owes its existense to this splendid man, who for many years made his home there. He has also been identified with many projects of a commer- cial nature that have tended toward the upbuild- ing and growth of the city and county, and as well toward general civic betterment and progress.
In his political connections Judge Silent has been a faithful adherent to the Republican party and principles, although his support of men and measures has always been based on the broad ground of ability, worth and the ultimate end to be obtained. Official preferment might have been his on many different occasions had he but listened to the persuasions of his friends and political ad- herents, but he at all times preferred the service of the private citizen and as such has rendered invaluable service to his city, his state and the nation.
Judge Silent has been twice married. The first
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time his bride was the daughter of Rev. John Daniels, of Santa Clara, the marriage taking place in 1864, and her death following six years later. In 1872 he was again married, this time espousing the daughter of Y. M. Tantan, of Santa Clara county, who still presides over his household. It was in 1905 that Judge Silent purchased the tract of land at Glendora where he has since made his home, and which is now considered one of the most attractive places in Southern California. He is still in close and constant touch with the affairs of the city, although he has retired from active commercial and professional pursuits, and gives his time and attention to the management and en- joyment of his beautiful home.
MRS. DAEIDA WILCOX BEVERIDGE. The early days of the city of Los Angeles, after its modern advancement had begun, were well known to Mrs. Daeida M. Beveridge, who, with her first husband, Harvey H. Wilcox, made her home here early in the '80s, when Los Angeles was a far different city from the Angel City as it is seen today. The first home of Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox was at the corner of Eleventh and Figue- roa streets, the latter being one of the finest resi- dential streets of that date and still preserving many of its handsome homes and extensive grounds that tell of the beauty of that section be- fore the best residence district moved farther west. Selling the Figueroa street estate, Mr. Wilcox next bought a fine home on Hill street, where the Los Angeles Electric depot now stands, and of this they made one of the show places of the city. Mr. Wilcox early became interested in foothill property and purchased two hundred acres in what is now Hollywood, where he set out trees, developed a water system and took much interest in beautifying the estate. Aside from the elaboration of his own property in that district Mr. Wilcox laid out the original townsite of Hollywood, and he and his wife gave the town its name, also naming its principal streets. The remainder of his life Mr. Wilcox passed at his Hollywood home, but his death occurred at the home of his wife's sister, Mrs. Madge Connell, on Figueroa and First streets.
Born in Hicksville, Ohio, Mrs. Daeida M. Beveridge, as she became by her second marriage, was the daughter of John Emerson and Amelia
Jane (Ryan) Hartell, the father a native of Ravenna, Ohio, the mother having been born in New York and removed to Ohio when but seven years of age, growing up and receiving her educa- tion in that state. The paternal grandfather owned large tracts of land in Ohio, where he was one of the earliest settlers. After the death of John Hartell his family removed to Canton, Ohio, where the daughter Daeida attended the public schools, though later returning to Hicksville, where she completed her education in private and high schools. While on a visit to Topeka, Kans., she met and married Harvey H. Wilcox, a well known citizen of that state, where he had served as recorder of Williams county and was engaged in the real estate business in the city of Topeka. A well educated man, he had graduated from Adrian College at Adrian, Mich., and after closing out his business in Kansas, in 1883, he and his wife removed to California, where he continued in the real estate business, and was prominent in the early progress of the city of Los Angeles, as well as in the founding of Hollywood. Both he and his wife were members and active church workers in the First Methodist Church of Los Angeles during their residence here. He was also active in temperance work and a liberal sup- porter of that cause. By his death the two Cali- fornia cities of Los Angeles and Hollywood lost an earnest worker for their progress and best advancement in many practical ways. He was the father of one son, Harry Hartell, who died in early childhood His wife's mother, Mrs. Hartell, who is now a resident of Ontario, Cal., came to this state in the spring of 1885, whither she was soon followed by her other daughter, Madge H., who, in the autumn of that year, became the wife of Charles H. Connell, the marriage ceremony being performed by Rev. A. J. Wells, in the old Wilcox residence on Hill street.
In March, 1894, Mrs. Daeida Wilcox was mar- ried to Philo J. Beveridge, a native of Tennessee, where he was born December 1, 1850, the son of John Lourie and Helen Mar (Judson) Beveridge, and a graduate of Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., at present a director in two Holly- wood banks as well as a member of the Hollywood Board of Trade, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and various other associations. Mr. and Mrs. Beveridge became the parents of four children, two living, Marian, who is now the wife of W. W. Campbell, and Phyllis, a student at
Frederick Thompamt
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Bishop's School. Daeida and Philo John both died in childhood, the latter of whom was born and died in Japan. Mrs. Beveridge was of an artistic nature, though maintaining a strict grasp on business affairs. She was a member of the Friday Morning and Hollywood Clubs, as well as of Southgate Chapter No. 133 of the Order of the Eastern Star and the P. E. O. Society of Holly- wood. Upon the organization of a church in Hol- lywood, Mrs. Wilcox donated the grounds for St. Stephen's Episcopal church and rectory, later the grounds for the First Christian church and par- sonage, the grounds for the Methodist church, South, the public library and the city hall. She was the possessor of a loving-cup presented by the train crew to her in honor of the heroic assist- ance she rendered upon the occasion of a rail- road accident which occurred during a trip taken by her husband and herself to Panama. Her death took place on August 7, 1914.
FREDERICK THOMPSON. To those who have crossed the United States from ocean to ocean in a train de luxe it is almost impossible to imagine the slow progress of the "prairie schooner" drawn by jaded horses, or worse still, by slow plodding oxen. But even more diffi- cult would be the understanding of the difficul- ties of making such a journey with a band of sheep. But such was the nature of the task which Frederick Thompson was fulfilling in 1857, when he came to California from his home in the east. Landing his charges in Tehama county, he later engaged in the dairying busi- ness in Santa Barbara county, but in 1871 he came to Los Angeles county, locating at Comp- ton, where he engaged in farming and in cattle and hog raising for a period of twelve years. In 1893 he came to East Whittier and pur- chased a tract of five and a half acres of unim- proved land which he at once made into a hand- some home place, erecting a comfortable dwelling and planting the ground to orange and lemon trees. From that time until his death, December 7, 1899, he gave his attention to fruit culture, meeting with appreciable success. Mr. Thompson was a native of Vermont, born at Williston December 21, 1835. His father was engaged in farming and his boyhood days were passed on the home farm, his education being
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