USA > California > Los Angeles County > Los Angeles > A history of California and an extended history of Los Angeles and environs, Biographical, Volume III > Part 28
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The business career of Mr. Eisenmayer com- menced with an apprenticeship with the Dehner- Wuerpel Mill Building Company for a period of three years, terminating in 1889, when he engaged as construction engineer with the St. Louis Stamp- ing Company, which later became the National Enameling and Stamping Company. The erection of this company's plants, occupying respectively forty-three and twenty-seven acres, wherein more than four thousand people were employed, was in charge of Mr. Eisenmayer, who superintended the maintenance and operations of this large con- cern until in 1907 he came to California, having been with the firm for eighteen years. In Granite City, Ill., he held the positions of councilman and superintendent of public works, being actively in- terested in the upbuilding of the city which during the fifteen years of his efficient service grew from a small country place to a city with a population of more than fifteen thousand and supporting a number of large and important industries.
For seven years Mr. Eisenmayer has studied and worked among California's mineral resources, developing and putting to extensive use the great deposits of lesser though important minerals which the pioneers, in their search for gold, passed by as being then impractical to put on the market. Now things are changed, and the Pacific Mineral Products Company, with Mr. Eisenmayer at its head, is making practical use of California's varied mineral wealth, which, in the immediate vicinity of Los Angeles where the factory stands, com- prises a great variety of valuable deposits. Among these materials are found red jasper, oxides, manganese, iron, ochres, umbers, siennas, whiting, kaolin, talc, soapstone, chalk, silica, magnesite,
feldspar, fluorspar and baryta, which are used extensively in the manufacture of paint, paper fillers, electrical insulators, in tanning leather, also for foundry purposes, etc. The company, with a capital stock of $200,000, owns its factory, which has recently been beautifully remodeled, the land on which it stands comprising forty-two thousand square feet, as well as a valuable deposit of kaolin in the vicinity of Victorville, Cal., probably amounting to millions of tons. The demand from the Atlantic coast for this and other mineral sub- stances is great, and the freight rate assured through the Panama canal makes the price to the eastern states not excessive. There is also a de- mand for marble, granites and other miscellaneous minerals, including clays, mica, manganese, paint colors, etc., and with its new machinery installed the company finds itself able to pay dividends of increasing amount each year and is glad to wel- come visitors to inspect its mill.
Mr. Eisenmayer, its president, is a Mason of the Royal Arch degree, and a member of the Republican party. In August, 1892, he was mar- ried in St. Louis, Mo., to Miss Lillie Neidering- house, who died in April, 1903. His second mar- riage was with Marcy L. Kirk in Los Angeles, March 16, 1913. The two sons by the first mar- riage are Charles and Clarence, the elder em- ployed in the estimating department of the Ham- mond Lumber Company, and the younger a student at the University of California.
C. B. WEAVER. Perhaps no builder in Los Angeles has come to the front faster or more prominently than has C. B. Weaver, who came to this city in 1905 and is now considered one of the leading contractors and builders here. His father, Jonathan Weaver, was a well known mill- wright and mill-owner, who built mills at Water- loo and Angola, Ind. The son, C. B. Weaver, was born at Waterloo, Ind., June 21, 1859, and re- ceived a common school education. While yet a youth he began work in and about his father's grist and sawmills in Indiana, and his educa- tion and training have been along practical lines in the great school life, so that now he is thor- oughly familiar with every phase of construction work. A natural-born mechanic, at the age of eighteen years he went to work as a carpenter and builder for the firm of Carpenter & Beard in his
Joseph M. Overall.
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native town, where he was shortly after made foreman of construction. Two years later he became a millwright, engaging with Nordyke & Marmon of Indianapolis, Ind., for a year, during which time he acted as assistant in the construc- tion of the flouring mill at Ligonier, Ind., there- after engaging in the shops of George T. Smith & Co., of Jackson, Mich., manufacturers of mill- ing machinery, from 1882 to 1884. Upon the occasion of the Millers' Convention in Buffalo, N. Y., in 1884, his house sent him to that city to assemble and erect there a model mill. The two years following he built the large flouring mills at Niagara Falls and Rochester, N. Y., being engaged at the time by the firm of Stilwell Bierce, of Dayton, Ohio. In 1886 he associated himself with E. P. Allis & Co., which later became Allis, Chalmers & Co., of Milwaukee, Wis., and for them installed milling machinery and built mills, and while thus employed during the years of 1886 to 1889 inclusive, he erected the mills at Knox- ville and Nashville, Tenn., and at Detroit, Mich. Thus, with the exception of two or three years spent in the manufacture of builders' supplies and screen doors at Greenville, Ohio, Mr. Weaver has been in the building business all his life.
While at Niagara Falls, N. Y., Mr. Weaver was married to Miss Flora Letts of that city in 1885, and they are the parents of three children, Lila, Harland and Dorothy, and their present home is the beautiful residence at No. 1845 Edge- mont street, Los Angeles, built by Mr. Weaver in 1910. Mrs. Weaver and the children are mem- bers of the Episcopal Church at Hollywood, Cal.
The office of Mr. Weaver is located at No. 519 Wright & Callender building, Los Angeles, where his clerks are constantly kept busy, but he makes it a point to be present personally wherever his construction work is going on, and he has a small office in the new Broadway Department Store building in Los Angeles, while that building is in process of construction, thus looking after every detail in the course of construction, a method which has brought him success. He never takes a job too small for his own personal attention nor too large for his own supervision, his patrons thus getting the benefit of his best efforts. In 1914 he successfully completed the second unit of the great Broadway Department Store building, and on August 1st of that year began work on the third unit of the building, which he expects to have completed by June 1, 1915, which building is
probably the largest under construction at the present time in Los Angeles. He also built the new Young Men's Christian Association building in this city in 1909, the Oviatt Hotel at the corner of Flower and Pico streets, and the club house at Boyle Heights, as well as dozens of small store buildings in the city, most of his buildings being Class A, or semi-fireproof structures. Mr. Weaver attends strictly to his business, paying out about $2500 per week, and squaring up all his accounts on the tenth of every month, and by his own enterprise and good business management has be- come one of the most prominent contractors of this city.
JOSEPH M. OVERELL. For fourteen years one of the most substantial and reliable business men in Los Angeles and the founder of a splendid business here, Joseph M. Overell was one of her most loyal and dependable citi- zens. He was born in Newburg, Ind., March 4, 1853, and died at his seaside home in Long Beach, December 13, 1912, after an illness of two years.
It was in 1898 that Mr. Overell came to Los Angeles, and two years later he founded the J. M. Overell Furniture Company, located at Seventh and Main streets. The business pros- pered under his skillful management and is today one of the splendid monuments to his industry and thrift. Associated with him in the business were three of his sons, Arthur, Walter and Ira Overell, who have since continued un- der the same firm name.
The early years of Mr. Overell were spent at Evansville, Ind., his parents removing there from Newburg when Joseph was two years old. He received his education in the Evansville graded schools and later, among the scenes of his childhood, took up the profession of con- tractor and architect. In this he prospered and his native ability and thoroughness soon placed him among the experts of his profession and as the leading contractor and builder in his com- munity. This eventually led him to become interested in the lumber industry, and he at different times was interested in several plan- ing mills. Mr. Overell was a life-long member of the Republican party, and while never active in politics, was well informed and ranked as one of the most reliable party men in the city.
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He was a member of the Knights of Pythias, and also of the Los Angeles Athletic Club, where he was especially popular.
On September 23, 1880, in Evansville, Ind., the home of his childhood, Mr. Overell was united in marriage with Miss Anna Eliza Bierbow- er, the daughter of William and Sarah (Brown) Bierbower, and they became the parents of six sturdy sons. Of these the three eldest are 'mar- ried : Arthur to Grace Brizius; Walter to Beu- lah Jungquist; and Ira to Marie Cajal. The younger sons are : Oscar, who has entered the firm with his brothers; and Robert and Law- rence, who are attending high school. The older sons are well and favorably known in Los Angeles for their sterling business qual- ities, high principles and stanch citizenship.
RELLY G. MUNN. A native of Michigan, Mr. Munn was born at Coldwater in 1855, the son of Nathan A. and Miranda Munn. He at- tended the public schools of his native village until he was ten years of age, when with his parents he removed to Oskaloosa, Iowa, where he continued his studies in the grammar and high schools until he was nineteen. He then went to Independence, Kan., with his parents and took up a claim of government land, engaging in farm- ing until 1875. He then disposed of his interests in the farming country and went to Canyon City, Colo., where he drove stage for two years between that city and Fairplay. During this time he had become interested in mining and so gave up his work as stage driver to engage in the life of the miner, being thus occupied for two years. He then moved to Denver, where he made his head- quarters for a number of years, although his operations in the mining industry, which had assumed large proportions by this time, were pursued all over the state. In 1903 Mr. Munn organized the Central Colorado Power Company, of which he became president, their object being the furnishing of electric power and light for a number of mining towns in central Colorado. Two years later, in 1905, he resigned his position as president of this company, owing to greater de- mands on his time, but retained his interests therein until 1913, disposing of them in March of that year. In 1905 he went to Goldfield, Nev., and organized the Goldfield Water & Sewerage
Company, of which he was vice-president until 1907, disposing of his interests in the company in 1913, when he sold his other holdings in that part of the country. During all this time he had continued to maintain a strong interest in the mining industry of that region, and owned much valuable property, also being engaged in the buy- ing and selling of mines.
It was in 1911 that Mr. Munn came to Los Angeles to make his permanent home, retiring from active business and planning to spend his remaining years in quiet enjoyment. The lure of business enterprise called him again, however, and in January of 1913 he organized and established the Pacific Motor Coach Company, becoming its president. He retained this office until August, 1914, at which time he resigned, and again retired from participation in the affairs of commerce and trade.
Since coming to Los Angeles Mr. Munn has formed many valuable friendships, and is re- garded as a man of more than ordinary business ability. He still has large business interests and is investing largely in real estate, believing that there is a splendid opportunity for profitable in- vestment in that line. He is a Democrat in his political views, but has never aspired after official recognition by his party, giving his support to the principles that he believes are right. His marriage took place in Salida, Colo., in February, 1886, uniting him with Miss Ollie Maxon, of that place. Of their union was born one daughter, Adeline, who is a graduate of Miss Wolcott's private school for girls in Denver, and is at present studying art. Both Mr. and Mrs. Munn are well and favor- ably known in Denver and Los Angeles.
JOHN B. ROBY. The birthplace of Mr. Roby was southern Ohio, the date of his birth being July, 1848. He is the son of George W. and Katharine Roby, his father, also a native of southern Ohio, having been born in August, 1823, received his education in that state, and practiced medicine until 1861, when he entered the army as captain of cavalry, and served until 1865, when he was mustered out and went to Ludington, Mich., engaging in the lumber business there. In 1887 he sold out his business at Ludington and removed to Detroit, Mich., having retired from active busi-
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ness life. His death occurred in 1900, while on a visit at Santa Monica, Cal.
The son, John B. Roby, attended the public schools of Ohio, and upon the removal of his family to Ludington, engaged in the lumber busi- ness there with his father until 1887, when his father sold out, then coming to Los Angeles, Cal., where he has since lived in retirement from the cares of business. He is a member of the Uni- versity Club of Los Angeles, his political interests being with the Republican party and his religious affiliations with the Unitarian denomination.
GEORGE RENWICK. A native of Canada, where he was born in Ontario, September 7, 1868, the son of John and Jane (Findlater) Renwick, George Renwick received his education in the public schools, at the age of twelve years leaving school to work on his father's farm until nineteen years of age. Leaving home at that time, he came to California, settling in San Bernardino, where he engaged in the water and oil well drilling con- tracting business until 1901, when he came to Los Angeles and organized the Los Angeles Manu- facturing Company in association with H. L. Brown and H. F. Gansner. When the business was incorporated Mr. Gansner was elected presi- dent, Mr. Brown vice-president, and Mr. Renwick secretary, Mr. Renwick later becoming president and treasurer of the company and Mr. Brown vice-president and secretary. The Los Angeles Manufacturing Company produces a general line of riveted pipes and tanks, both steel and iron, their business extending over Southern Cali- fornia, Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico. When they started in business it was with only twenty assistants, while today there is an average of seventy-five men in their employ, and their plant, which is equipped with the very latest of riveting machinery, covers a space of three and one-half acres.
Aside from his interests in the Los Angeles Manufacturing Company, Mr. Renwick also holds the important position of secretary of the Com- monwealth Homebuilders, and is prominent in fraternal circles, holding membership in the Masons, Elks, Eagles and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In his political interests he is allied with the Republican party, and his religious associations are with the Presbyterian Church.
His marriage took place in Santa Ana, Cal., December 18, 1904, uniting him with Miss Juniatta Peterson.
GEORGE W. REILLY. Descended from a long line of Irish and English ancestry, and him- self a native of Canada, born at Prescott, province of Ontario, April 15, 1862, George W. Reilly is today one of the prominent real estate and oil brokers of Los Angeles, having established him- self here in 1911. He possesses the racial char- acteristics of his forebears, having the geniality and charm of the Irish and the cool-headed busi- ness acumen of the English, while the subtle wit of the Emerald Isle lightens all his ways, and makes him a companion for idle hour as well as for wearying business days.
Mr. Reilly is the son of John and Mary (Knapp) Reilly, his father being of the north of Ireland parentage, while his mother is of English extraction. His paternal grandfather was Adam Reilly, a native of Ireland and a loyal subject of the British crown, having served when a very young man in the battle of Waterloo under Wel- lington, where he was distinguished for deeds of rare Irish daring, and won both honorable scars and an emblem of honor. He died in Canada at the age of ninety-nine years, being in mental vigor at that time equal to the average man of sixty. His wife was Elizabeth Reilly, like her husband a native of Ireland. They left Ireland for Canada in 1831, and three days out from Quebec, on the high seas, she gave birth to a male child, whom they named John, and who became the father of the present honored citizen of Los Angeles. After his marriage with Mary Knapp, John Reilly moved to the United States, locating at Ashton, Ill., and after a number of years removed to Superior, Neb., where he resided until his death, in 1912, when he was eighty-one years of age. He and his wife were largely instrumental in making Superior a home city, and Mr. Reilly endowed and established the first church there, the Metho- dist Episcopal. He was prominent in all religious work and also in municipal and political affairs, always being on the side of social uplift and betterment. He occupied a public office for many years, and was so engaged at the time of his death.
George W. Reilly was educated in the public schools of Ashton, Ill., and was for many years
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engaged in railroading, being employed in various capacities, and meeting with much success. His beginning in the real estate business was not made until 1908, when he found himself in Den- ver, Colo., where the real estate opportunities at that time were very good. He mounted rapidly in his new enterprise and soon owned much val- uable property in that city. Among this may be mentioned the Carlton Hotel, which he both owned and operated in connection with his realty business. Feeling the need of rest after an ex- ceptionally severe strain in the business world, Mr. Reilly came to California, remaining for three months in Los Angeles and vicinity, and during that time became convinced that both as a home city and business center he preferred this city to Denver. Accordingly he returned to his Colo- rado home and disposed of his holdings there, returning to Los Angeles in 1911 to make his permanent home here. He is engaged in real estate enterprises and in the oil brokerage busi- ness and is now the owner of much valuable property in the county.
The marriage of Mr. Reilly took place at Elk Creek, Neb., in 1885, uniting him with Miss Mar- garet May Tack, the daughter of John and Mary (Duncan) Tack. The father of Mrs. Reilly was for many years engaged in the mercantile business in Illinois and was a man of considerable means. Mr. and Mrs. Reilly have one child, a daughter, Florence Mildred, now married to Edward Mor- ris, of Kansas City, Mo. Mr. Reilly is well known in many circles in Los Angeles, and is a favorite wherever he is to be found. He is a Republican in politics, but is an independent thinker and is inclined to follow the man and his principles rather than strict party lines. In local matters he is progressive and a booster for all that is for the improvement of his home city. He is a social member of the Ellis Club, and is also associated with several other social and fraternal organiza- tions of the city, and is an active member of a number of municipal organizations.
PARK MICHENER. One of the "native sons" of California is Park Michener, who was born in Los Angeles May 30, 1871, the son of Dr. J. C. and Ellen Michener. He was educated in the grammar and high schools of the same city until he had reached the age of eighteen
years, at which time he took a course at Berkeley Gym, preparatory for the University of California, and graduated therefrom in 1894. Upon the completion of his education he entered commercial life, commencing his business career at San Francisco, where he continued for the space of ten years, going thence to New York City and traveling for a large wholesale house for eight years. After that time Mr. Michener returned to his native city, where he engaged as salesman for the Fifty Associates Company, stocks and bonds, on September 18, 1912, pur- chasing an interest in the company of which he then became superintendent and director, in which business he has met with exceptional suc- cess.
In his political interests Mr. Michener is a Republican, and his religious connections are with the Christian Science Church. He was united in marriage with Miss Sadie Bird in Los Angeles on July 2, 1911.
EDWIN H. WILEY. In 1910 the city of Los Angeles erected the present building occu- pied by its receiving hospital, and now employs a police surgeon, three assistants, three male and three female nurses and one assistant at the East Side station. The man who fills the office of police surgeon of the receiving hospital is Dr. E. H. Wiley, a native of Charleston, Ill., where he was born September 4, 1877. He attended the grammar and high schools, graduating from the latter in 1895, two years later graduating from Williston Seminary at Easthampton, Mass. Then commencing his medical training, he attended the medical department of the Northwestern Uni- versity, graduating in the year 1901, and act- ing as interne for eighteen months at the Cook County Hospital. From there he went to Bessemer, Ala., where he became assistant surgeon for the Tennessee Iron Mountain Railroad Company, and after two years he came to Los Angeles, where since he has carried on the practice of medicine. He was here elected as- sistant police surgeon in 1907, and rose to his present office of police surgeon in January, 1913. The receiving hospital with which he is connected was started by Dr. Bryant, paying no salary and occupying one room over the old city jail, later being removed to the present jail building, where
Cyrus F. MHult.
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it occupied three rooms, one for the directors' of- fice, one for operating, and one for the care of pa- tients. At that time they cared for two hundred patients a month, while today, in their new quar- ters, they take care of from nine hundred to one thousand patients per month, having all modern facilities and equipment for doing first-class work.
In his private practice, which Dr. Wiley con- tinues in addition to his duties as city police sur- geon, he makes a specialty of surgery. He is a member of the American, State and County Med- ical Societies, as well as of the Jonathan and Press Clubs, the Eagles and the W. O. W. By his mar- riage to Miss Mildred Bryan in Los Angeles on September 8, 1909, he is the father of two chil- dren, Joseph E. and Betty B. Wiley.
CYRUS F. McNUTT. Prominent among those who conferred dignity and distinction upon the bar of California was the late Judge Cyrus Finley McNutt, who was one of the leading representatives of the legal profession in Los Angeles during a period of twelve years prior to his death, May 31, 1912. Of Scotch lineage, Judge McNutt was born in Johnson county, Ind., July 29, 1837, a son of John and Mahala (Hensley) McNutt, pioneer farmers of Johnson county, Ind., in which state both passed away after long and useful careers. This son grew to young manhood on the farm of his father and attended the district schools of his locality until he was seventeen years old. His ambition was for further knowledge than could be obtained in the local schools and in 1854 he entered Franklin College, at Franklin, Ind., re- maining for three terms, when he was obliged to return to the farm and take charge of its conduct at the death of his father. His am- bition was to become a lawyer and as soon as he could do so he left the farm to further pre- pare himself for the profession. Under private instruction and personal study, as well as at- tending a law school in Indianapolis, he was able to take the examination for admission to the bar of Indiana, in Johnson county, in 1860. It was in his home county that he opened an office and began the practice of his profession. He formed a partnership with Judge D. D. Banta and T. W. Woolen of Franklin and ac- complished very successful work through this
alliance. Early in 1861 he relinquished this association on account of the ill health of his wife and went with her to her home in Ohio, where she died in June, 1861. This marriage, with Elizabeth S. Finley, of Ripley, Ohio, was celebrated in 1858. At her death she left two sons, John Gilbert, who died in Los Angeles in 1910, and Finley Alexander, now an able attor- ney in Terre Haute, Ind.
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