USA > California > Los Angeles County > Los Angeles > A history of California and an extended history of Los Angeles and environs, Biographical, Volume III > Part 61
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61
also made several speeches in Los Angeles dur- ing the campaign of 1888. During the National convention of 1856, having been made chairman of the California delegation, he was placed on the platform committee and was assigned the duty of drafting resolutions in favor of the Pacific Rail- road and against slavery in the territories-two subjects of importance to California-Mr. Wills originating the expression which has since be- come famous in history-"those twin relics of barbarism-polygamy and slavery." There has since risen a discussion as to the origin of this expression and Mr. Wills in a paper upon the subject, written by request for the Historical Society of Southern California, says with truth : "If it can be shown that the phrase in question was used in congress or elsewhere before the 18th day of June, 1856, then others may have some claim to concurrent authorship; but if not, then it can only be one of those cases of parallel- ism in thought and expression which sometimes occur when the idea of plagiarism cannot reason- able be supposed."
Mr. Wills located in Chicago and began the practice of his profession in that city, where he became connected with the famous Sandbar case vs. Illinois Central Railroad, which he finally argued before the United States supreme court, being associated with Edwin M. Stanton in the case. Removing then to Washington, D. C., he was appointed special counsel for the government because of his studies in California of the Spanish and Mexican land laws of this state. This position he held under five successive attorney-generals : Speed, Bates, Stansberry, Hoar and Evarts, which covered the period of consideration of that class of cases which continued from 1862 to 1878. Here he was able to save millions of acres of public land for the nation by defeating the many fraudulent land grants of California and Colorado. In 1870 the honorary degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him by his alma mater. In 1862 he became one of the national volunteers to defend the southern border of Pennsylvania from invasion and served as a private soldier in a company formed in Wash- ington, Pa., commanded by Major H. Ewing, known as the "Silver Grays," which belonged to the Sixth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. He was recommended by James G. Blaine and others for the United States Supreme Bench, but Grant,
1
932
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
owing to tremendous pressure from Pennsylvania, especially Philadelphia, appointed Judge Strong.
The failure of Jay Cooke in 1873 swept away a large part of Mr. Wills' fortune, and from that year to 1878 he was fully occupied in the settle- ment of his financial affairs. In 1880, Mr. Wills, with his wife and daughter, spent a year in Euro- pean travel, and upon their return he retired from the bar to devote himself to reading, study and the composition of an exhaustive work on juris- prudence, which he hoped to make the crowning work of his life. This great project of his later years was to aid in the "invention of some method whereby justice shall, ipso facto, be made law." It was in 1884 that Mr. Wills first came to South- ern California, establishing his home on historic Fort Hill, where he spent the remaining years of his life, passing away November 26, 1891. Al- though a resident of Los Angeles such a com- paratively brief time, yet he took an active inter- est in public affairs here and became one of the helpful citizens. One of his most important works in this city was the part he took in the establishment of the first crematory here, remain- ing a director of the Cremation Society up to the time of his death, and by his example testifying to his belief in this sanitary reform which is rapidly spreading throughout the civilized world. He was a life-long advocate of temperance, lib- erty of thought and action, with charity for all, willing to investigate all innovations and show- ing by his large library, covering all topics, the breadth and scope of his literary attainments. During the years he spent in Washington he be- came a student of modern spiritualism and came to be a firm believer in it, which faith continued to the time of his death.
Mr. Wills' wife was in maidenhood Miss Char- lotte LeMoyne, eldest daughter of the distin- guished physician and surgeon, philanthropist and reformer, Dr. Francis Julius LeMoyne, of Wash- ington, Pa., who was the originator of cremation and built the first crematory in the United States. By their marriage, which occurred in 1848, they became the parents of two children, William Le- Moyne Wills, M. D., a practicing physician, and Madeline Frances Wills, both of Los Angeles. Both are following in the footsteps of their worthy parents and ancestors, doing all they can in philan- thropic work and reform movements which tend to purify political and social conditions.
STEPHEN TOWNSEND. Foremost in enterprises which have for their end the up- building of the best interests of the city, Ste- phen Townsend is named among the representa- tive citizens of Long Beach, and as such is held in the highest esteem by all who know him. He has been a resident of California since 1876, first locating in Pasadena, where he proved an im- portant factor in the development and upbuilding of its best interests, securing its first franchise and building its first railway, and later the Altadena and other street car lines; establishing the Pasa- dena Warehouse and Milling Company and con- ducting the same successfully ; and as a member of the city board of trustees advancing plans which were acceptable to both the conservative and radical element and were acted upon to the entire satisfaction of the people. In 1895 he be- came associated with the interests of Long Beach, in which city he foresaw a future unsurpassed by any other of the towns of Southern California. His efforts, since locating here, have resulted in the material upbuilding of the city, as well as a financial gain for himself, and has at the same time built up a place of prominence in the munici- pal and social life of the city.
Mr. Townsend is the descendant of English an- cestry, the first members of both paternal and maternal families having located in this country during its colonial period. Descendants drifted into the middle west, and in the state of Ohio, David, the father of Stephen Townsend, was born and reared to manhood as a farmer's son. He married Sidney Madalin, also a native of Ohio, and until 1855 they remained residents of that state and Indiana. In the last-named year they immigrated to Iowa and in Cedar county, near Iowa City, engaged in general farming and stock- raising. He continued in that location until the year 1876, when he brought his family to Cali- fornia and became a member of the Indiana Col- ony, now Pasadena, where he engaged in horti- culture up to the time of his death. He was sur- vived twenty years by his wife, who passed away in 1903, at the age of eighty-three years. Of their thirteen children four are now living, the oldest son, Stephen Townsend, having been born in Hamilton county, Ind., October 19, 1848. He was but seven years old when the family located in Iowa, where he received his education in the public schools and later the Iowa State University. Upon leaving school he began to farm on his own
933
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
responsibility upon land purchased in Franklin county, where he made his home for three years. Following this he was similarly occupied in Cedar county for two years, when in 1876, he accom- panied the family to California. The west ap- pealed to him with its broader opportunities and responsibilities and he readily became one of the most prominent men of the place, developing his latent power of management and executive abil- ity. Prior to his location in Long Beach he purchased twenty acres of land on the Anaheim road, adjoining the city limits and one mile from the beach. The year following his location here he engaged in the real-estate business, laying out various subdivisions, blocks one, ten, fourteen and twenty-four and twenty-five as well as the Tutt tract of fifteen acres ; Heller & Hays tract of fif- teen acres; and is interested in the subdivision of Ocean Pier tract; West ; Riverside tract ; and the Mooreland tract of fifty acres, also Huntington Beach. Since his location here he has been asso- ciated with various real-estate men, the firm first being known as Bailey & Townsend ; a few months later as Townsend & Campbell, and after two years he engaged with his brother, W. H. Townsend. Following this he was alone until 1901, when he became associated with what was known as the Townsend-Robinson Investment Company, now Townsend-Van de Water Com- pany, in which connection he has since re- mained. This is an incorporated company, with capital stock of $50,000; they opened a subdivision to the city of Long Beach of forty acres, this being one of the largest additions to the city. Mr. Townsend is one of the organizers and directors of the Orange County Improvement Association of Newport, of which he acted as president, serv- ing in the same capacity for the La Habra Land & Water Company, and is ex-president of The Sunset Beach Land Company.
In addition to the foregoing Mr. Townsend is vice-president of the First National Bank of Long Beach and president of the First National Bank of Huntington Beach. He organized and is presi- dent of the Land & Navigation Company that purchased eight hundred acres of the Seaside Water Company, where is now being dredged the harbor for Long Beach. He also carries stock
in many other companies and takes an active in- terest in all movements tending to promote the welfare of this section of Southern California. The real-estate firm which he organized is one of the most substantial of its kind in this part of California and carries on an extensive business, the high character of ability enlisted in the work making it one of the most successful enterprises of Long Beach. In addition to his engrossing real- estate interests he has been active in the munici- pal life of Long Beach, in 1903 being elected pres- ident of the board of trustees, which office he filled with efficiency. In Iowa, October 19, 1869, Mr. Townsend was united in marriage with Anna M. Carroll, a native of Indiana. They became the parents of five children, two of whom died in early childhood and Frances Maye died in 1901, aged twenty-eight years; in 1894 she graduated from the College of Music of Southern California University. Ester Belle is the wife of Dr. A. T. Covert, of Long Beach, and is a graduate of the Los Angeles State Normal class of 1893. Vinton Ray, who graduated from the University at Ber- keley in 1903, graduated from the medical de- partment of Southern California University ; in 1905 he married Ada Campbell, the daughter of W. L. Campbell.
Mr. Townsend is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he officiates as a member of the board of trustees and superintend- ent of the Sunday-school, and served on the building committee of the new Long Beach Meth- odist Episcopal Church. He is a director of the Young Men's Christian Association and served as president of the Long Beach Hospital Association, of which he was one of its organizers, and is also a member of the Chamber of Commerce. Mrs. Townsend is a prominent and earnest worker in the Methodist Episcopal Church and was presi- dent of the Ladies' Social Circle, is associated with the Young Men's Christian Association, and is a member of the Ebell Club. It can truly be said of Mr. Townsend that he is representative of the best in American citizenship, living up to a high standard in public and private life, making his influence felt throughout the community for its betterment and moral uplift.
934
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
DR. CLARENCE H. WHITE. One of the prominent men in the oil industry which has brought wealth to Southern California is Dr. Clarence H. White; a graduate from the medical department of several universities, a practicing physician for many years and the organizer and president of the Lake View No. 2 Oil Company.
A descendant of a New England Puritan fam- ily, who settled in the Plymouth Colony from Eng- land in 1620, Dr. White was born at Wellsburg, Erie county, Pennsylvania, June 12, 1848. He was the son of Welcome Washington and Abigail (Hoard) White, and attended the public schools of Erie county until 1863, and later grad- uated from Newton's Academy, Sherborne, N. Y. He took a course at Stratton's Business College, Erie, Pennsylvania, from 1865 to 1866, after which he began his medical studies. He matricu- lated in the medical department of the University of Michigan in 1868 and studied there one year. He later went to the Detroit Medical College, from which he was graduated in 1872. He at- tended the University of Buffalo from 1874 to 1875. From 1875 to 1877 he was superintendent of schools in Mecosta county, Michigan. In 1879 Dr. White again took up his medical studies and graduated with honors at the Fort Wayne Medical College (University of Indiana) in 1881. In 1894 he took a post graduate course in the Chicago Polyclinic, specializing in abdominal sur- gery. He also completed work in other well known post graduate schools. In 1881 Dr. White commenced the practice of medicine in Reed City, Michigan, where he remained from 1881 to 1895, being chief surgeon and manager of the American Hospital Association of Reed City from 1882 to 1886, and surgeon of the Pere Marquette Rail- road and Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad be- tween the years 1881 and 1895. In 1895 Dr. White removed to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he practiced medicine until the year 1906. He was president of the United States Pension Examining Board of the Ninth Congressional District of Michigan from 1881 to 1895, and of the White & Brainard Lumber Company, Benton, Arkansas, from 1901 to 1906, and was on the surgical staff of the following hospitals: Butterworth Hospital, Union Benevolent Association, the Children's Home and Hospital, St. Mary's Hospital and Grand Rapids Detention Home and Hospital, all of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Dr. White is still engaged in the practice of medicine since coming to California, his office being located at rooms Nos. 532-3-4-5 Wesley Roberts building, West Fourth street, Los An- geles. Dr. White served ably as mayor of Reed City, Michigan, from 1882 to 1886, and as city physician at Grand Rapids, Michigan, from 1898 to 1899, having also been a member of the Health Board of Grand Rapids during the same year, and president of the Osceola Medical Associa- tion from 1880 to 1881, and president of the Med- ical Association of Northern Michigan from 1882 to 1884.
Dr. White was president of the Grand Rapids Medical College for eleven years, during which time he was also professor of the Theory and Practice of Medicine in that institution. He was likewise vice-president of the Michigan State Medical Society from 1894 to 1895, a member of the Peninsula Club, the Lakeside Club and the Lincoln Club of Grand Rapids.
Dr. White first visited Los Angeles in 1906, and in 1910 became interested in the original Lake View Oil Company, being one of the nine persons who furnished the necessary capital to bring into existence the original Lake View gusher. When this, the most noted oil well in California, passed into the hands of the Union Oil Company, upon said company's buying fifty- one per cent of the stock, Dr. White, in 1910 organized the Lake View No. 2 Oil Company, of which he is a principal stockholder and the presi- dent, the other officers of the company being: E. A. Phillips, vice-president ; Floyd G. White, a son of Dr. White, secretary and manager; D. W Wickersham, treasurer, and Charles R. Sligh and Charles B. Judd of Grand Rapids, Michigan, di- rectors, the offices of the company being located at 1010-11-12 Wright & Callender building, Los Angeles, California. Dr. White has carefully arranged that the principal owners in this new company should be his personal friends in Los Angeles and Grand Rapids, and his son Floyd G. White is and has been since the first the able and successful manager and secretary.
Upon the lease of the Lake View No. 2 Oil Company located in the Maricopa flats, in the Midway-Sunset oil fields of Kern county, Cali- fornia, is situated a second celebrated gusher. This Lake View No. 2 gusher is the greatest oil well brought in during the year of 1914, and is under perfect control, gushing thirty thousand
935
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
barrels of oil daily, though now shut off, as the company has four million barrels of oil in its sumps for a market. This company has two wells, both gushers, and sells its products to the Standard Oil Company.
Aside from the presidency of the Lake View No. 2 Oil Company and director of the Lake View Oil Company, Dr. White has many other interests which claim his attention, prominent among them being the practice of medicine, he being a pro- found medical student and a well known prac-
ticing physician. He is also a director of the California-Michigan Land and Water Company and president of the Grand Rapids Society of Southern California. He is known as a thirty- second degree Mason, belonging to both the Knights Templar and the Mystic Shrine, and a member of the City Club and Sierra Madre Club of Los Angeles. In his political affiliations he up- holds the principles of the Republican party. He resides with his family at No. 107 North Union avenue, Los Angeles. 7
2043
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.