USA > California > Los Angeles County > Los Angeles > A history of California and an extended history of Los Angeles and environs, Biographical, Volume III > Part 14
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Fraternally Mr. Kennedy is a Mason of the thirty-second degree and is also a member of the Sierra Madre Club of Los Angeles.
JOHN SCHILLING. Born in Wurtemberg, Germany, August 10, 1855, John Schilling, now a resident of Hynes, Cal., received his education in his native land, attending the Agricultural College at Baden two terms. His father was a wagon- maker, and the son learned the trade of painter, but becoming dissatisfied with the work, turned his attention to farming. For a short time he served in the German army, but because of a broken leg was discharged. At the age of twenty-
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one he engaged in raising horses, cattle and sheep, an occupation to which, together with farming, his later life in California has been devoted.
In 1882 Mr. Schilling came to America to make his way in the new country alone, a poor boy. He found employment in Cincinnati, Ohio, at first receiving only $15 per month, but upon be- coming more valuable to the firm his wages were raised a number of times. Saving his money, he sent for his wife, Theodora (Russ) Schilling, of Baden, Germany, and engaged in stock raising near Cincinnati. Thence he went to Memphis, Tenn., continuing in the raising of cattle on a farm of seventy-seven acres, which was stocked with from seventy-five to one hundred cows for dairy purposes, from two hundred to three hun- dred beef cattle and from one hundred and fifty to five hundred hogs. He also ran a butcher shop in Memphis and for five years was engaged in the saw-mill business there. Selling a part of his land and stock, in 1906, Mr. Schilling came to Cali- fornia, where he bought seventeen acres of land at Hynes, in Los Angeles county, at which place he still lives. He has always had the reputation, wherever he has lived, of being a first-class stock- man and farmer, for he has always believed in having fine blooded stock. He has a dairy of from twenty to forty cows of the Holstein breed and a thoroughbred Holstein bull, and has raised fine beef cattle which he has sold at a good price. Besides his interest in cattle he has raised fine Percheron horses, at present owning six mares for some of which he has refused $900. Mr. Schilling is also farming seventy acres of rented land to sugar beets, in which he has been suc- cessful, and on his own land he has produced thirty-four tons to the acre.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Schilling are as follows: Joseph, a butcher of Hynes, who is married and has two sons ; Mary, of Long Beach ; Josephine, the wife of V. Christenson, of Los An- geles, and the mother of three sons; and John David, who is a machinist by trade.
JOHN A. LINDSAY. One of the attractive country homes near Rivera is that owned by John A. Lindsay, who came to California from Pittsburg, Pa., in 1909, and located on a tract of some eight acres near Rivera, which he at once proceeded to improve and beautify, planting the
acreage to oranges. Although Mr. Lindsay has traveled all over the world, he has not found any place where he would rather establish a home than in Southern California. He is a native of Penn- sylvania, born in Pittsburg April 16, 1887, and there he was reared and educated. After attend- ing the public schools he later entered Mercers- burg Academy, near Chambersburg, Pa., from which he graduated with honors. He then joined the Pennsylvania Naval School and became at- tached to the United States Cruiser Saratoga, a government training ship, and for two years cruised around the world, visiting many of the great world ports and seeing many interesting phases of life. At the close of this time he became associated with the Pennsylvania Railroad, and for three years served as assistant relief clerk in the Pittsburg division.
Since coming to California Mr. Lindsay has been married to Miss Elva A. King, a native of California, her parents having crossed the plains in an early day with ox teams. Both Mr. and Mrs. Lindsay are progressive and public spirited and take much interest in the general welfare of their home community.
ALEXANDER MITCHELL. The new land office receiver in the Los Angeles district, the largest district in the country, with receipts of more than a quarter of a million dollars per year, is Alexander Mitchell, a popular federal appointee and one who has been an enthusiastic and efficient worker for the Democratic party.
Scotland was the birthplace of Mr. Mitchell. The son of George and Barbara Jane Mitchell, he was born in 1859 in Aberdeen, where he was educated, graduating from Kings College. At the age of eighteen, in 1877, he came to the United States with an uncle, Alexander Mitchell of Mil- waukee, Wis. His first employment in Milwau- kee was as clerk in the Wisconsin Marine and Fire Insurance Bank, where he remained for three years. Another three or four years were occupied with the lands of the Chicago, Milwau- kee & St. Paul Railway Company in the north- western part of Iowa, for which company he be- came traveling passenger agent in 1884, devoting in all sixteen years to this firm, during the last ten of which he held the position of commercial agent in charge of all the freight and passenger
telphonoine Didier Louis Didier
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business for five western states. He was trans- ferred to Chicago in 1900, and in the following year the health of his youngest son necessitated the removal of the family to California, where Mr. Mitchell has remained ever since, having for thirteen years been successfully engaged in the real estate business in this state.
Mr. Mitchell was married in Denver, Colo., June 28, 1888, to Miss Jessie May Pridham, and four children have been born to them: Lorraine, who is at present engaged in teaching school; George A., who is deputy county surveyor; Bar- bara Isabella, a student at Occidental College, Los Angeles; and Gilbert, a pupil in the public schools.
During his residence in Utah, Mr. Mitchell held the office of First Exalted Ruler of the Salt Lake City Lodge No. 85, B. P. O. E., becoming thereby a life member of the Grand Lodge of the United States; and in Glendale, Cal., his present home, he holds the office of president of the Fraternal Brotherhood lodge of that city.
The political training of Mr. Mitchell for his present position of land office receiver has been such as to make him a most able worker and the choice of the Los Angeles County Democratic Central Committee with apparently no opposition whatever, for he has always been active in the support of the Democratic party. While em- ployed by the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway he was a member of the State Demo- cratic Committee of Utah, the headquarters of the railway company being in Salt Lake City, and during the year 1896 he interested himself actively in the Bryan campaign ; and since coming to Cali- fornia he held the position during 1908 of presi- dent of the Bryan Club of Glendale. His many years of experience with railroads, also, have been of much practical benefit to him and have con- vinced him of the necessity for government own- ership of the railroads, mere regulation by the government not being sufficient, he avers, perma- nently to adjust the difficulties or to counteract the various other evils that constantly arise.
LOUIS DIDIER. Descended from a well- known French family of Hautes-Alpes, France, where he was born, Louis Didier has been a resident of the United States since 1884, com- ing at that time to California and locating at
Puente, where he has since made his home. He is of the splendid type of citizen that has made California one of the finest states in the Union, and his share in the development and growth of the community where he has established his home is by no means a minor part. He is progressive and energetic and every movement that stands for the forwarding of local interests lias always received his instant and hearty sup- port. He is closely identified with the busi- ness interests of the community and is recog- nized as one of the leading men of Puente. His ranch is an especially fine one, carefully and scientifically kept, and he has other extensive interests as well. The home place, two miles from Puente, consists of twelve hundred acres, and on this he is engaged in general farming, raising principally grain, while much attention is also given to the raising of a fine grade of cows, horses and hogs. In 1906 he started a dairy with six head of milch cows, which he has steadily increased until now he has a splen- did herd of eighty Holstein cows, all tested, and his dairy is one of the finest in the state, modern, scientific, and all the output is certified. In addition to his home place he owns extensive real estate all over the county, which has been bought with such wisdom and foresight that it is constantly increasing in valuation. This in- cludes a house and lot on Pico Heights, Los Angeles ; twenty-five acres in full bearing wal- nut trees at Puente, the output of which was eight tons of nuts in 1914; the Didier block in Covina, which he built; and also a residence and three additional lots in Covina ; and a ten- acre orange grove at Puente, all the trees being young. He was one of the founders of the First National Bank of Puente and is still one of the directors of that organization, while his son is the assistant cashier. He is a stockholder of the Puente Rancho Packing Company, a stockholder and director of the Puente City Water Company, and a stockholder in the Home Telephone Com- pany of Covina.
Mr. Didier was born in the ancient town of Embrun, Hautes-Alpes, France, June 18, 1866. His father was a farmer and until he was eighteen he resided on the farm, receiving his education in the public schools of his native village. His father, Jaques Didier, had been a farmer in this section for many years; the father's older brother enlisted in the Franco-
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Prussian war in 1870. In maidenhood the wife of Jaques Didier was Madelena Segnorete, also a native of Hautes-Alpes, where she passed her life, her death occurring there in 1906, at the age of seventy-nine. There were seven children born to these parents, all of whom are still living, and three of whom, Casimer, Joseph and Louis, make their homes at Puente. The elder brother, Casimer, came to America at an early age and was so pleased with the opportunities found on the California farms that he induced Louis to join him in 1884, when the latter was eighteen years of age. Louis worked as a ranch hand on the farms in the neighborhood until he was able to accumulate enough capital to start for himself, which he accomplished in a remarkably short time by thrift and rigid economy. He first purchased a small tract which formed the nucleus of his present farm, carrying on general farming and stock-raising. Later he secured twenty-five acres on San Jose creek, which he planted to walnuts, and later added ten acres of vineyard in the same vicin- ity. Gradually, from this small beginning his holdings increased until they have reached their splendid proportions of the present time.
The marriage of Mr. Didier took place in Los Angeles, uniting him with Mrs. Alphonsine (Gaucher) Amar, a native of France and born near the city of Paris. She came to California in 1876 and has since that time made her home here. By her first marriage she became the wife of August Amar, a native of Hautes-Alpes, France, who came to America and located in California about 1869, and from then until the time of his death some twenty years later he was engaged in farming and stock-raising, his home place being the old Thomas Rowland place at Puente. His death occurred in Los Angeles in 1888, and besides his widow he was survived by three children, Constance, wife of Abel Garnier and the mother of one son, Camille Alfonse; August, who died March 14, 1913; and Fidel. By her second marriage Mrs. Didier has become the mother of four children, Louise, Renee, Louis H. (who was married February 6, 1915, to Miss Olive Ireland, of Puente), and Claire. All of the children gradu- ated from the schools of the Rowland district, and Louise and Renee went to the Academy of the Holy Name at Pomona for two years. Louis and Claire are graduates of the high
school in Covina, the former afterwards attend- ing Woodbury Business College in Los An- geles, while Claire went to Normal School in Los Angeles and graduated therefrom. He is now teaching in the Hudson School district at Puente.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Didier are prominent members of their community. Mrs. Didier has been especially interested in educational mat- ters, and as a member of the Rowland district school board she has rendered invaluable service to this cause. Mr. Didier is independent in his political support and gives his endorse- ment to the men and measures that he feels to be most worthy. He is substantial and ener- getic and in the improvement of his home place has given a practical evidence of his character and life. He is a member of the French Legion of Los Angeles, but other than this has not become identified with fraternal or benevolent organizations. In 1904 he and his family en- joyed an extended visit in France and Italy, visiting many of the larger American cities en route, including Chicago, Buffalo and New York.
MARTIN FESLER. The citrus belt of Southern California, with its beautiful homes set among spreading orange groves, its wide streets, almost as smooth and well kept as a city street, its gardens and flowers, its splendid train service and nearness to a great city, has been the Mecca for home-seekers from all over the world. Among those who sought out this locality for a place of permanent abode may be named Martin Fesler, of Bonita avenue, Covina, whose residence is one of the show places of the avenue, and the pride of its owner's heart. When Mr. Fesler came to Covina in 1903 he bought a five-acre orange grove and engaged in fruit raising. Later, in 1906, he sold this property and purchased his present place of ten acres, of which five acres are set to Navel oranges, four acres to Valencias, and one acre to avocado or alligator pear trees. He has one avo- cado tree three years old which is already bearing fruit, and altogether has forty-two trees of this valuable variety.
Mr. Fesler is a native of Indiana, born July 25, 1858, in Anderson, Madison county, where he grew to young manhood, receiving his education
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in the public schools, and later learning the trade of plasterer and cement worker. He followed this occupation for many years in various cities of the west, including Denver, Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. Since taking up the culture of oranges at Covina he has been very successful and prosperous, the result of careful study of the sub- ject as well as a thorough understanding of soil and climatic conditions. His home, which is an especially attractive one and a credit to the city, is marked by an approach of beautiful cement pillars and walks, and a large horseshoe of cement stands at the gate bearing the inscription "Good Luck Ranch." In addition to his handsome orange grove Mr. Fesler is also one of the own- ers of the Bonita Avenue Nursery, of Covina, which is one of the best and most reliable nur- series in the valley, only the best grade of stock being carried.
The marriage of Mr. Fesler was solemnized in Indiana, and united him with Miss Mintie Gray, of Indiana. They have two children, both daugh- ters. The elder, Pearl, later Mrs. Mathias, is now deceased, while Alice makes her home with her parents. In addition to his general interests Mr. Fesler is much interested in all local questions, especially when the welfare of the community is in any way involved. He is interested in all edu- cational matters, and while he resided in Salt Lake City he served as a member of the school board, rendering valuable service on many occasions. He is popular with his business associates, and is a prominent member of the Woodmen of the World.
THE HARVARD SCHOOL. Built in the mission style of architecture which is so peculiarly appropriate for the cities of Southern California, and favored at all times with a fine, health-giving atmosphere from its location at the outskirts of the city of Los Angeles and only twelve miles from the sea, the Harvard School possesses an ideal location for a school for boys.
The purpose of the school is to prepare boys for college, for technical and government schools and for business life. Pupils of the ages of from nine to twenty years are admitted, the course,
which is planned to extend over six years, be- ginning with the seventh and continuing through the twelfth grades. No pupil below the fourth grade is accepted, and those below the seventh grade are prepared as quickly as possible for that grade. The work of the higher classes is done in Harvard Hall, the younger pupils thus being separate from the older ones.
The founders of the Harvard School are Gren- ville C. Emery and Mrs. Ella R. Emery, who in 1900 opened the school for the education of boys whose parents desire for them the best that is to be obtained in the way of instruction under men teachers chiefly, in an institution which pro- vides wide companionship for the students and extensive grounds for amusement and recreation. The buildings are situated upon handsome grounds covering ten acres, with a fine view of the valley and the Sierra Madre mountains in the distance. There are four tennis courts of cement, also basket ball and handball courts, as well as excellent tracks and two finely equipped gymna- siums; and besides the provisions made for all kinds of athletic sports, there are physical and chemical laboratories and manual training shops. An important addition being made to the hand- some group of school buildings is the chapel which follows out the mission style of architec- ture represented in the other buildings, the in- terior finish being in redwood with heavily beamed ceiling. A natatorium is also in prepara- tion, to be built near the gymnasium, and to con- tain a swimming tank 30x75 feet in dimensions, this building also to follow the mission style used in the chapel and the various halls.
The school is a distinctly religious institution, being under the auspices of the Episcopal church, which fact, however, does not oppose the tradi- tional convictions of the pupils, every privilege of whose religion being readily accorded them. Founded in 1900 by Mr. and Mrs. Emery, the school was incorporated in 1911 as The Harvard School upon the Emery Foundation. The trus- tees of the institution are as follows: Rt. Rev. Joseph Horsfall Johnson, D.D., S.T.D., J. M. Elliott, Andrew M. Chaffey, Wesley Clark, Dr. Walter J. Barlow, James Slauson, J. B. Miller, Dr. A. L. Macleish, A. W. Morgan, Hugh C. Stewart, Charles H. Toll, Shirley C. Ward, J. O. Downing, T. B. Brown, Sayre Macneil, Rev. C. H. Hibbard, D.D., Rev. W. F. Hubbard, and Rev. Robert B. Gooden.
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THOMAS BIGGART. A resident of Cali- fornia for almost thirty years, and of Los An- geles for more than twenty years, Thomas Big- gart, now residing near Gardena, in the Moneta district, is a pioneer of the truest type, and has been a prominent figure in the agricultural devel- opment of two counties, having first located in Ventura county. He followed dry farming on a large scale for a number of years, making a de- cided success of his undertakings, and often hav- ing as many as nine hundred acres under culti- vation. He also raised fine horses and mules, being especially well known for many years for the latter, of which he handled an especially good strain. Mr. Biggart is very prominent in his home community at this time, and for many years has given his best efforts for the upbuilding of the town and community. He is vice-president and director of the First National Bank of Gardena, and director of the Citizens Savings Bank of Gardena, and was one of the founders of the Bank of Moneta, and is a director of the same. He stands very high in Masonic circles, being a member of the Blue Lodge at Gardena, and of the Scottish Rite and Shrine in Los Angeles. He now owns a handsome ranch of sixty acres near Gardena, where he makes his home, besides much other valuable property.
Mr. Biggart is a native of the North of Ire- land, born January 1, 1851. When he was a young man he came to America and settled in New York state, where he found work on a farm. Removing to Faulk county, S. Dak., he there tried grain farming for a time, with small success. In 1888 he determined to come to Cali- fornia, locating near Springville, Ventura county, where he engaged in dry farming, raising grain and beans. In 1892 he came to Los An- geles county, locating at Gardena, in the Moneta district, where he has since made his home. At first he rented land and engaged in dry farming, raising grain and hay, and doing general farming on an extensive scale. Later he purchased eighty acres where he now resides, but recently he has disposed of twenty acres of this, thus leaving sixty acres in the home place. Here he was en- gaged for many years in stock raising, but is at this time practically retired from all business in- terests. He owns much valuable property, in- cluding a twenty acre tract in Orange county near Santa Ana, and some valuable business property in Moneta.
Mr. Biggart has been twice married, the first time to Miss Jennie Walker, of New York, who died in 1887, leaving one daughter, now Mrs. Sarah Baum, of Inglewood, and the mother of three children. The second marriage occurred in 1893, uniting him with Miss Alice M. Murdy, a native of Pennsylvania, who has borne him one daughter, Eythel. Mr. Biggart is one of the most progressive citizens of the Moneta district and is wide awake to all that is for the well-being of his community and gives his unqualified support to all measures that stand for the upbuilding and development of the community along sane and permanent lines.
JAMES RICH. One of the former mayors of Tropico, Cal., was James Rich, a native of Morgan county, Tenn., where his birth occurred August 24, 1853, and since his death in Tropico, on January 16, 1915, he has been missed by all classes in the little city which he has done so much to improve.
The education of Mr. Rich was received in Knoxville, Tenn., whither his family had re- moved when he was but six years of age. After graduating from the law department of the Uni- versity of Knoxville he practiced law in that city for twelve years, taking an active part in all . municipal affairs, also teaching school for the long period of twenty-eight years in his home state of Tennessee, serving as county commis- sioner and joining the Masonic fraternity in that state. His marriage occurred in Knoxville, unit- ing him with Mary J. Wells, a companion of his schooldays, and they became the parents of eight children, namely : Eliza, who became the wife of W. C. Seal; Elizabeth, now Mrs. T. C. Haynes; John M., who married Katherine Myner, a native of Dakota ; Minnie Mae, now Mrs. John Dixon; Jessie, who became the wife of H. Miller ; Jamie, who married Charles Little; Samuel H. and Irene, the two last-named making their home in Tropico, Cal., with their mother.
In the year 1906 Mr. Rich re.noved with his family to California, locating in the town of Tropico, one of the pretty foothill suburbs of Los Angeles, where he purchased seven lots in the center of the town and engaged in the real estate business, later establishing a feed and fuel busi- ness, which since his death is being conducted
Friedrich Eichenhofer.
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by his family. For two terms he acted as a school trustee in the town, and was president of the Knights of Pythias Lodge of Tropico, where he was elected mayor in 1913, in which capacity he was serving at the time of his death. Many im- portant improvements were made in the town dur- ing his term of office, the boulevard and street lights being installed, and the new city hall on Brand boulevard erected, Mr. Rich buying the lot and supervising the building of the structure. Perfect confidence was placed in the integrity and ability of Mr. Rich at all times, he being allowed to work out, according to his own ideas, the many improvements which he established during his term as mayor, and his death in 1915 brought a great sense of loss to the city in whose interests he had so faithfully and untiringly given his en- ergies.
MRS. ROSA EICHENHOFER. Appre- ciating almost at first sight the splendid oppor- tunities offered in Los Angeles for profitable business investments where the basis of the investment was real estate, Mrs. Rosa Eichen- hofer lost no time in becoming a property owner in the city of her adoption, and since the time when she first made this her home, in 1887, she has continued to increase her hold- ings. Her investments have been made with more than customary judgment and foresight and to such advantage that from a nest egg of only $250, which had been painstakingly saved bit by bit from her earnings, her re- sources have increased until now she is one of the wealthy women of the city.
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