USA > California > Los Angeles County > Los Angeles > A history of California and an extended history of Los Angeles and environs, Biographical, Volume III > Part 44
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A native of Indiana, Mr. Holtzclaw was born at Bloomfield May 10, 1870, his father being Dr. Z. T. Holtzclaw. His early education was received in Indiana, after which he began his career in the decorating line with Eastman, Schleicher & Lee, of Indianapolis, Ind. Later he became decorator and buyer for the Badger Furniture Company of that city. In the year of 1903 Mr. Holtzclaw disposed of his interests in the east and came to Los Angeles, at which time he engaged in the decorating and house furnishing business, which occupation he has continued.
The marriage of Mr. Holtzclaw to Miss Jessie E. Dunn was solemnized in Chicago, June 3, 1901, and they are the parents of two daughters, Vir- ginia and Marjorie, both of whom attend the public schools of this city. In his political inter-
ests Mr. Holtzclaw is allied with the Progressive party, and his religious association is with the Fifth Church of Christ, Scientist, of Los Angeles.
JOSEPH D. RADFORD. Commencing his banking career when he was a boy of eighteen years, and having been associated with this line of work continually since that time, Joseph D. Radford is today recognized as one of the fore- most bankers in Los Angeles, if not in California. At various times since taking up his permanent residence here he has been associated with the different leading banks in an official capacity of trust and power, and has won the high esteem both of his business associates and of the patrons of the banks.
Mr. Radford is a native of Wisconsin, having been born at Fond du Lac, April 14, 1857. He is the son of Joseph and Frances (Taylor) Rad- ford, well known residents of the community. His youth was spent in his native village, where he received his education, attending the public and high schools and graduating in 1875. Immediate- ly after this he entered the employ of the First National Bank of Fond du Lac as a messenger, this being his first introduction to commercial life, and the commencement of a long and honorable career in the banking business. His service was such that later he was given the position of book- keeper for the bank, where he remained for a number of years. In 1883 he went to Bozeman, Mont., where he was bookkeeper and assistant cashier for Nelson Storey Bank until 1896.
It was in 1896 that Mr. Radford came to Los Angeles and became assistant cashier of the National Bank of California, which position he held until 1899. At that time he moved to San Jose, Cal., where he had accepted the position of cashier of the Garden City Bank and Trust Company. He acted in this capacity until 1902, when he was elected cashier of the First National Bank of San Jose, remaining in this position until 1904, at which time he was made president, re- maining until 1907. At this time he resigned his position and removed to Los Angeles, becoming vice-president of the German-American Savings Bank. Resigning from this position in 1911, he became vice-president of the Hibernian Savings Bank, which office he filled until 1915, then be-
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came vice-president of the Traders Bank of Los Angeles.
Mr. Radford has risen steadily and surely in the line of his chosen work and today occupies an enviable position among the bankers of the state. He has served as president of the Cali- fornia Bankers Association and is widely known throughout the state as a man of sterling worth, and also for his comprehensive grasp of the bank- ing situation throughout the state and the nation.
Locally Mr. Radford is associated with many of the movements for the betterment of civic con- ditions and has always been decidedly pro- gressive in his attitude on municipal affairs. He is a member of the Los Angeles Playground Com- mittee (now serving his third term as president), which has through its efforts made this city the most progressive in the west in the matter of public playgrounds, and a model in this line. An- other public service which has been rendered by him was through his work as chairman of the committee for celebrating the opening of the Owens River Aqueduct in the fall of 1913, which was one of the historical events of the city, wit- nessed and applauded by many thousands of people from all over Southern California.
The marriage of Mr. Radford occurred in Los Angeles in 1908, when he was united with Mrs. Florence (Rivers) Stowell, of this city. Both Mr. and Mrs. Radford are well known socially throughout the more exclusive circles of the city, and both are members of a number of the more prominent clubs. Mr. Radford is associated with the work of the Chamber of Commerce, and with other municipal and federated city clubs, and is a director of the State Y. M. C. A. Mrs. Radford is a member of the Temple Baptist Church, while Mr. Radford is a member of the Emmanuel Pres- byterian.
ARTEMISIA S. VERMILION. For the past twenty-five years Mrs. Artemisia Vermilion has lived in Pasadena and Los Angeles, Cal., the first ten years of her residence in this state having been spent in Pasadena, after which, together with her son, Harry W., she improved their prop- erty on Chester place, Los Angeles, and planned the splendid mansion there where they since lived, and where the death of her son occurred in 1914.
Born in southern Ohio, Mrs. Vermilion was the daughter of David Sinton, a wealthy hardware merchant of that state, and Morgan McElfrish, the mother dying when the daughter was but three years old. Mrs. Vermilion received her edu- cation at the Methodist Ladies' School near Columbus, Ohio, and became the wife of Town- send Brady Vermilion, a native of Virginia, who died at the age of thirty-seven years, in Evansville, Ind., after an extensive business experience in Ohio and Missouri, and was buried with Masonic honors, he having been a member of the Royal Arch Masons. Mr. and Mrs. Vermilion were the parents of four children, all now deceased, two of whom lived to grow up, namely, Harry W., who throughout life made his home with his mother, and was a railway man of note, with hundreds of friends among railway men; and Lillys H., who married into the Gottschalk fam- ily, and whose son David was adopted by his grandmother, under the name of David Vermilion, upon the death of his mother several years ago.
Mrs. Vermilion has traveled extensively, hav- ing been all over the United States, and nearly always accompanied by her son Harry, whose re- cent death proved almost her death also, she car- ing for little else than her son. Harry W. Ver- milion came to this city twenty-five years ago as a representative of the Missouri Pacific Rail- way, and was well known as a local representa- tive of the Gould railway system, as well as being a member of the California and Los Angeles Country Clubs. At his death at the age of fifty- two years, at the home on Chester place, Mrs. Vermilion received many letters of condolence from railway officials, from the president of the road as well as from those in lower offices, ex- pressions of the high esteem in which Mr. Ver- milion was held by his associates. When her only daughter died several years ago, leaving one son, David Gottschalk, a grand nephew of Judge Gott- schalk, late of Los Angeles, Mrs. Vermilion adopted the boy, and has given him a careful edu- cation, he being now especially well versed in history and philosophy. Assuming his grand- mother's name, Vermilion, he makes his home with her in her beautiful residence. The library contains the large collection of books left by the son, Harry W. Vermilion, among them being ex- pensive editions of the most famous English and American authors.
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ROLLIN W. GRANNIS. The firm of Gran- nis & Son, contractors and builders of Hermosa Beach, Cal., has for its head a man who has had wide experience along the line of contracting and building in many cities of the United States and her possessions, among the latter being Honolulu, where he was engaged in construction work for five years.
The early life of Rollin W. Grannis, the head of the firm of Grannis & Son, was spent in Chi- cago, where he moved with his parents at the age of three months, having been born in New York state in May, 1836. Mr. Grannis' education was received in Chicago, where his father was a large land owner, at one time owning and ranching on the land where the Chicago World's Fair was held later. The son learned the trade of carpen- ter, later becoming a contractor and builder in Chicago, where many of the business blocks now standing on Michigan and Wabash avenues and Madison and Randolph streets were erected by him.
In October, 1872, Mr. Grannis came to Califor- nia and settled in Oakland, where he engaged in building and erected the homes of General Hou- ten, Professor Moe, Mr. Meyers and many others in the bay cities, and also engaged in construction work on the Oakland Bank of Savings block. Re- moving to Bakersfield, Cal., he built the first court house in that city, after which he spent five years in construction work in Honolulu, erecting there the home of Chief Justice Harris and many other fine residences, the first fireproof iron front building and also two ice plants.
Coming to Los Angeles in 1888, Mr. Grannis made his home on the east side of the city, where he built many residences. He devoted much time to work at San Fernando, Cal., and looked up a government claim of one hundred and sixty acres at Calabasas, Cal., developing one hundred acres of the same in farm land. This he sold and in 1912 settled with his son, Frank M. Grannis, at Hermosa Beach, where he is engaged in construc- tion work under the firm name of Grannis & Son, contractors and builders. Numerous buildings at this beach town were built by him, among them being the business block which bears his name, the Mission Apartments and a fine home for Mr. Wilson.
who is in business with his father at Hermosa Beach, and Della May. He holds membership in several societies, being a Mason of the thirty- second degree, which society he joined while liv- ing in Chicago; a charter member of the North- western Masonic Aid, Chicago; and a member of the Independent Order of Red Men, the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias, through all the chairs.
THOMAS COLLY SLAUGHTER. South- ern California, by virtue of her superior climate and general desirability as a residence section, has attracted many men from various parts of the world who have made their mark in their va- rious lines of endeavor, and come here for a home and the pleasant environments to be found in such abundance nowhere else. Among such may be mentioned Thomas Colly Slaughter, who since 1911 has been a resident of Gardena, where he owns a splendid ranch of seventeen acres. He at first engaged in the raising of thoroughbred Hol- stein cows and owned a dairy herd of forty cows, but in 1914 he disposed of his cattle and has since been engaged in hog raising. In this latter line Mr. Slaughter is an expert of national authority, having been engaged in hog raising in Texas on a large scale, and making a scientific study of the subject. He has addressed the Farmers National Congress in Boston, Mass., on this subject, and is a speaker of note on this and other lines. He has also contributed frequently to the various standard agricultural journals of the country on the raising and care of live stock, and his articles are eagerly sought and their advice acknowledged to be of the best.
Mr. Slaughter is a native of Alabama, born at Talladega, Talladega county, February 5, 1859. His father, Miles M. Slaughter, was a druggist and newspaper man and a writer of note. He followed his profession at Dodgeville and Opelika, Ala., serving as mayor of the latter city. Later he went to Pilot Point, Tex., where he engaged in the drug business for many years. The mother was Miss Eliza Colly in her girlhood, both parents being natives of Alabama, and both now deceased. Thomas Colly Slaughter was reared and educated at Opelika, Ala., and his first business experience was in the freight office of the Savannah & Mem-
Mr. Grannis was married to Miss Noon of Chi- cago, and is the father of three sons and one daughter, Rollin W. Jr., Walter A., Frank M., phis Railroad, at Opelika. Later he settled at
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Pilot Point, Tex., where for twenty-five years he was engaged in farming and in the mercantile business. In 1899 he went to Washington state and engaged in the mercantile business at Belling- ham and Sumas, meeting with much success. It was in 1907 that Mr. Slaughter first came to Los Angeles, where he remained for a time. Later he located at Corcoran, Kings county, where he again followed the mercantile business, owning and op- erating a department store there for two years, and also being engaged in farming. Following this he went to Taft, Kern county, where he promoted the Lakeside Oil Company. The lure of Los An- geles and its environs was always with him, how- ever, and in 1911 he returned to establish a perma- nent home near this city, choosing Gardena as the favored spot.
The marriage of Mr. Slaughter occurred in Texas, uniting him with Miss Ollie B. Newman, of that state, the daughter of Capt. Alex New- man, a pioneer of Texas, and for many years engaged in farming and cattle raising on a large scale. Mrs. Slaughter has borne her husband four sons: Leslie L., a graduate of Polytechnic High School, Los Angeles; Jean A., a graduate of the same school and a printer by trade; Miles M., a graduate of the Gardena Agricultural High School; and Thomas C., Jr. Mr. Slaughter is well and favorably known in Gardena, where he takes an active part in local affairs. He is a member of the Odd Fellows.
ALBERT C. MARTIN. One of the leading architects and engineers of Los Angeles, and a man whose work throughout the west is standing the test of comparison with the best, is Albert C. Martin, who is recognized as one of the most prominent members of his profession. He has been in Los Angeles since 1904 and during that time he has been associated with the construction of some of the largest and most splendid struc- tures in the city, and has also constructed build- ings in practically every section of Southern Cali- fornia, and even as far north as Vancouver, Brit- ish Columbia. Mr. Martin combines in his work the qualities of engineer, architect and structural expert, in all of which he is thoroughly pro- ficient, and thus has an advantage over a com- petitor who must leave any of these vital details to another. He is sought in the planning and con-
struction of large buildings in nearly every city in the west, and at the present time has numerous large contracts.
Mr. Martin was born at LaSalle, Ill., September 16, 1879, a son of John and Margaret (Carey) Martin. His boyhood days were spent in LaSalle, where he received his education, attending St. Patrick's parochial school and graduating in 1894. In 1897 he entered the Architectural and Engi- neering department of the University of Illinois, at Champaign, from which he was graduated in 1902 with the degree of Bachelor of Science.
Shortly after his graduation from the Univer- sity of Illinois Mr. Martin accepted a position as draftsman with the Brown-Ketcham Iron Works, of Indianapolis, Ind., continuing in their employ for more than a year, when he resigned to enter another branch of his profession-that of testing steel and iron. He became inspector of steel for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company in the mills and shops in and around Pittsburg, remaining in this position for about a year and qualifying as an expert. Having now learned all about the manu- facture of steel and iron in the great mills, he next turned his attention to steel construction, resigned his position with the railroad company, and ac- cepted another with the Cambria Steel Company, at Johnstown, Pa., now a branch of the United Steel Corporation, and for a time was a designer and estimator in steel construction work.
It was on January 6, 1904, that Mr. Martin came to Los Angeles, where he has since made his home, and where he has won for himself much distinction and honor in his profession. His de- cision to come west was the result of a position offered him as superintendent of construction for Carl Leonardt & Company, one of the largest con- tracting firms of the west. He remained with this company for about a year, and during that time supervised the construction of some of the largest buildings in Los Angeles. Later, resigning from that company, he became engineer of construction for A. F. Rosenheim, an architect of Los Angeles, remaining with him for four years.
It was in September, 1908, that Mr. Martin, having resigned from his position with Mr. Rosen- heim, opened offices for himself as an architect and engineer, and since that time has continued to conduct a rapidly increasing business of his own. He has received many large commissions, and during the past seven years he has constructed several of the most noteworthy structures erected
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in Los Angeles. The Higgins office building, in Los Angeles, is an excellent example of his work, while the handsome and unique court house at Ventura, Cal., recently completed, is another of equal merit, both in design and construction.
The scope of Mr. Martin's knowledge is such that he is able to give personal supervision to every detail of his work, from the original designs to the placing of the last finishing touches, and including the expert testing of every piece of steel or iron that enters into the construction. Close application to such detail and originality of design have won him the confidence and admira- tion of property owners and prospective builders, and his ideas are making a decided impression on the building development of the Southwest.
Aside from his splendid business ability, Mr. Martin is deservedly popular with a wide circle of friends. He is a director of the Architects and Engineers Society of Los Angeles, president of the Southern California Chapter, A. I. A., asso- ciate member of the American Institute of Archi- tects, and of the Los Angeles Architectural Club. He is also a member of the Newman Club of Los Angeles, and of the Knights of Columbus.
The marriage of Mr. Martin took place in Ox- nard, Cal., October 15, 1907, uniting him with Miss Carolyn Borchard, a native of Ventura county, and they have four children: Evelyn M., Margaret M., Albert C., Jr., and Carolyn.
D. P. N. LITTLE. Almost the entire business career of D. P. N. Little, president of the Union Iron Works, of Los Angeles, Cal., has been spent in machinery and construction work, he having been engaged in these lines of business in Massa- chusetts several years before his coming to Cali- fornia.
The son of Solomon and Rebecca (Nye) Little, D. P. N. Little was born in Marshfield, Mass., July 11, 1861, and received his education in the grammar and high schools of that state and at Derby Academy, Hingham, Mass., until the age of fifteen years, when he returned home and devoted four years to work upon his father's farm. Later he went to Boston, where he engaged with the Hancock Inspirator Company for a year, learning the machinist trade with this firm, his next employment being as machinist and pattern
maker for three years with J. G. Buzzell & Com- pany, during which time he took a course in mechanical drawing at a night school, to fit him more thoroughly for his life work. Coming then to Needles, Cal., he spent one year in the hotel business with his brother, going thence to San Francisco to enter into partnership with C. L. Bigelow, under the firm name of Bigelow & Lit- tle or the Bay City Iron Works. Selling out his interest in this company in 1892, Mr. Little re- moved to Los Angeles, going into business inde- pendently here in bridge building and structural steel construction work. In 1899 he bought out the Union Iron Works of this city, which he incor- porated, and of which he becanie president, with H. G. Miller as secretary and treasurer. The busi- ness was at that time located at First and Ala- meda streets, but in a few years was moved to Palmetto and Molino streets, and in the year 1914 the company built the present plant at Fifty-second street and Santa Fe avenue, in Ver- non, an all-steel building with the latest equip- ment and covering a space of four acres, the company also owning the additional surrounding ten acres.
Under ordinary conditions the company gives employment to from one hundred to one hundred and fifty men and the output is shipped to all points in Nevada and Utah as well as throughout Southern California. Of the buildings and bridges constructed by this company we mention the following: in Los Angeles, at Agricultural Park, the Armory, Exposition and Museum build- ings, German Lutheran church, St. Mary's Acad- emy, Manual Arts, Lankershim hotel and addi- tion, Y. M. C. A., Polytechnic high school, Boyle Heights high school, Knights of Columbus Club, Scottish Rite cathedral, Union Tool Company's buildings at Mateo and Palmetto streets and ad- ditions at Torrance. In Pasadena, the Raymond hotel, Chamber of Commerce, and Citizens Bank ; the Glenwood hotel at Riverside, Fullerton high school, First National Bank and Y. M. C. A. of Long Beach ; complete plant of the Golden State Portland Cement Company at Oro Grande, and part of the plant of the Riverside-Portland Ce- ment Company at Crestmore, as well as many important bridges in San Bernardino, Santa Bar- bara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties.
Mr. Little, the president and manager of this corporation, holds membership in the Independent
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Order of Odd Fellows, is a member and a director of the Chamber of Commerce, member of the Municipal League, Merchants and Manufacturers Association, the Los Angeles Athletic and the City Clubs, and in politics is a Republican. He was married in Portsmouth, N. H., on November 1, 1896, to Harriet L. Ham, and they have three children : Luther, Dorothy and Wallace H.
FRANCIS W. BARKER. The president of the Pacific Portable Construction Company which manufactures factory built houses of all descrip- tions, as well as garages, is Francis W. Barker, a native of Concord, Vt., where he was born August 20, 1855, the son of John C. Barker. The educa- tion of Mr. Barker was received in the grammar and high schools and at St. Johnsbury Academy, St. Johnsbury, Vt., attending the academy during the winter months and working in a planing mill during the rest of the year, beginning at the age of sixteen years and continuing for three years. For two years thereafter he was engaged with what is now the Boston and Maine Railroad as fireman, at the close of which time he came west to California, working for three years as engineer in borax mines in the Mojave desert. After this he returned to New England, where for the suc- ceeding eighteen years he filled the office of su- perintendent of the P. H. Potter Lumber Manu- facturing Company in Springfield, Mass., at that time the largest company of its kind in New England. At the close of his association with this firm Mr. Barker organized the Springfield Con- struction Company, of which he himself was pres- ident until March, 1908, when he sold out his in- terest and removed to Los Angeles, Cal. He then commenced the manufacture of portable houses and the following year he organized the Pacific Portable Construction Company, of which he be- came president. The other member of the com- pany is William P. Butte, secretary and manager. Starting in business with only six men in its em- ploy, the company employs from fifty to seventy- five experienced workmen, besides eight engaged at their El Centro branch of the business. The Pacific Portable Construction Company manu- factures a large line of "factory built" houses which are shipped to all parts of California, as well as Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah, having a fully equipped plant and special varieties
of machinery particularly adapted to this line of work, located at the corner of Vernon avenue and Alameda street.
Mr. Barker is the father of three children: Wallace W., who is a Harvard graduate and now holds the position of professor of languages at Morristown Academy, Morristown, N. J .; Mal- vern, assistant manager of the E. A. Feather- stone Company of Los Angeles; and Berne, who is assistant manager of his father's business. Fraternally, Mr. Barker is a Mason, and in poli- tics supports men whom he considers best quali- fied for public office. While a resident of Spring- field, Mass., he was elected a member of the city council in 1896 and in 1897 was made presi- dent of that body.
EDWIN JESSOP MARSHALL. This well- known financier and ranch owner was born in Bal- timore, Md., March 18, 1860, son of Henry Vin- cent and Amanda C. (Jessop) Marshall. He comes from a long line of distinguished ancestors, to which belonged, in America, Humphrey Mar- shall, the botanist, and John Marshall, first chief justice of the United States Supreme Court. The earliest American ancestor was Abraham Mar- shall, a native of Gratton, Derbyshire, England, who came to America in 1682, and settled in Ches- ter, Pa. From him the line of descent is traced through his son, John, who married Hannah Cald- well; their son, Abraham, who married Alice Pen- nock ; their son, Abraham, who married Ann Rob- erts, and their son, H. Vincent Marshall, the father of our subject. The Abraham Mar- shall who lived at the time of the revolu- tion organized a company and joined Gen- eral Braddock on the Brandywine river. But the protests of the Society of Friends, to which he belonged, decided him to resign after a time. Abraham Marshall, the grandfather of our subject, was a lawyer. In order to settle an estate for which he was attorney, he rode on horse- back from Philadelphia to Illinois, and as a fee received a large tract of land in Illinois. He be- came one of the leading figures in the new coun- try, and Marshall county was named after him. During the war between Texas and Mexico he joined the Texans with a company of men and fought in the famous battle of San Jacinto. He was entrusted by General Houston with the charge of Santa Ana, the Mexican general, who was taken
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