USA > California > Los Angeles County > Los Angeles > A history of California and an extended history of Los Angeles and environs, Biographical, Volume III > Part 7
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The son, Thomas Edward Gibbon, an only child, after about a year at private school, entered Austin Academy at Austin, Ark., remaining for a few months, and later taught a primary depart- ment and took some special studies in the high school at Loneoak, Ark. With this exception, his education was obtained by home study. Leaving school at the age of nineteen he taught summer terms of a public school in the neighborhood in which he was residing for two years and also
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took charge of his father's plantation during that time. On January 3, 1883, he entered what was called the Little Rock Law Class, at Little Rock, an organization of young men who were desirous of studying law and were unable to defray the expense of a college course. He there took up the study of the law, with the result that on the 22nd day of May of that year he was admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of the State of Arkansas, and the District and Federal Courts of that state. The Federal District Court was at that time presided over by Judge Henry C. Cald- well, who was one of Mr. Gibbon's preceptors as a law student and who later became the very well known Judge of the Eighth United States Circuit Court and after his retirement became a citizen of the city of Los Angeles. After Mr. Gibbon received his license to practice law he went back to his old home and taught a three months' summer school, and returned to Little Rock in the autumn of 1883 and there began the practice of his profession. In the autumn of 1884 he was elected to the lower house in the legislature of Arkansas and served in that body during the term of 1884-5. He continued practicing his pro- fession in Little Rock until 1888, when he removed to Los Angeles for his health and upon its restora- tion took up the practice of his profession in this city, where he has continued to reside to the pres- ent time.
Aside from the legal profession, Mr. Gibbon has been active in many other lines during his residence in California, always having at heart the welfare and advancement of his adopted home. In 1891 he organized the Los Angeles Terminal Rail- way Company for a group of St. Louis capitalists, of which company he was, until its absorption by the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Rail- road Company, the vice-president and general counsel. This company purchased the lines of railway extending from Los Angeles to Glendale and Los Angeles to Pasadena and built a line of road between Los Angeles and San Pedro harbor. During his connection with the Los Angeles Terminal Railway Company Mr. Gibbon for a number of years devoted a great deal of time and effort to securing the establishment and development by the United States Government of the deep water harbor at San Pedro. After that harbor became an as- sured fact and work was begun by the govern- ment upon it, Mr. Gibbon interested Senator
William A. Clark of Montana, in the enterprise of building a railway from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City, and for Senator Clark and his asso- ciates in January, 1901, organized the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railway Company, of which he became one of the vice-presidents and general counsel, which position he held for several years until the completion of the line to Salt Lake. His labors in connection with the de- velopment of this railroad had impaired his health to such an extent that he resigned his position with the Salt Lake company and spent some time traveling for the restoration of his health.
In the autumn of 1907 Mr. Gibbon and his associates purchased the Los Angeles Daily Her- ald and for three years he was the president of the Herald Publishing Company and the managing editor of that paper. During the years 1898 and 1899 Mr. Gibbon was a member of the police com- mission of the city of Los Angeles and while holding that office he, with the Hon. M. P. Snyder, mayor, originated the rule limiting the number of saloons in the city of Los Angeles to two hundred and refusing to issue or renew any saloon licenses outside of the policed area of the city. This rule has since become a regulation of the city charter of the city of Los Angeles and the effect of this extreme limitation on the number of retail licenses in the city has been one of the features of the Los Angeles city government which has very generally attracted attention throughout the United States.
When the Board of Harbor Commissioners of the city of Los Angeles was organized, Mr. Gib- bon, at the request of the Chamber of Commerce of the city, was appointed by the mayor a mem- ber of that body, of which he later became presi- dent, and with which he was connected for about four years. While a member of the commission Mr. Gibbon proposed and had adopted a resolu- tion requesting the city counsel of the city of Los Angeles to bring action for the recovery of the tide lands surrounding a considerable portion of San Pedro harbor and as a result of this the city has since acquired title to several hundred acres of property around the harbor valued at many millions of dollars. During his connection with the harbor commission Mr. Gibbon was also instrumental in having Mr. Goodrich, the well- known harbor engineer of New York, employed for the purpose of making a comprehensive scheme for the development and improvement of
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Los Angeles harbor, which scheme is at the present time being carried out by the city in its harbor improvements. As a result of a report made to the board of harbor commissioners by Mr. Gibbon upon a municipal terminal railroad system, and later by direction of the board of har- bor commissioners, presented to the city council, Bion J. Arnold, the well-known municipal trans- portation expert of the city of Chicago, was em- ployed by the city to make a complete scheme for a municipal terminal railroad system for serving the harbor and city.
Mr. Gibbon is a member of the National Geo- graphic Society, The American Academy of Political and Social Science, The American Asso- ciation for Labor Legislation, The National Child Labor Committee, The National Municipal League, The Commonwealth Club of San Fran- cisco, and the Jonathan, University, Bolsa Chico Gun, Los Angeles Athletic, Los Angeles Country, City, Federation and Economic Clubs of the city of Los Angeles. In his political affiliations he is independent in municipal and state, and Demo- cratic in national politics, and his religious asso- ciation is with the Methodist church.
At Little Rock, Ark., December 9, 1891, Mr. Gibbon was united in marriage with Ellen Rose, the daughter of Judge U. M. Rose, and they be- came the parents of two sons, William Rose, a student in Cornell University, and Thomas Ed- ward, Jr., a high school student. The death of Mrs. Gibbon on Monday, March 29, 1915, after a brief illness, was a great shock to family and friends. She was a woman of splendid traits of character, and was known to her friends for her devotion to her home and family and to good works. Funeral services were held at the family residence, No. 2272 Harvard boulevard, and the body was laid to rest in Hollywood cemetery.
W. LEWIS BELL. Although born in Lon- don, England, December 4, 1859, the son of Alexander D. (who was one of the pioneer news- paper men in San Francisco, being at one time editor of the Bulletin of that city) and Elizabeth (Dovey) Bell, W. Lewis Bell, now the president of the Fulton Engine Works of Los Angeles, Cal., may almost be called a "native son" of this state, having come to San Francisco with his parents in 1868 at the early age of eight years
and received his education at public and private schools of that city until the age of seventeen years. Upon leaving school Mr. Bell turned his attention to the business world, serving as an apprentice with the Pacific Iron Works, at the same time receiving a technical education for his life work by attending the Vander Nailen School of Engineering at night until 1882. After the completion of his engineering course Mr. Bell was construction engineer for the Pacific Rolling Mills for a period of eighteen months, being then employed for seven years by the Dow Pumping Engine Company as designer. Coming to Los Angeles he engaged as manager for the Fulton Engine Works of this city, in which capacity he served until 1914, when he was elected president of the company. This firm had been started in 1887 by A. J. McCone, James Chapman and Levi Booth at the corner of Main and Alameda streets and employed twelve men, in 1890 removing to a new location at the corner of Chavez and Queirolo streets, at which time Mr. Chapman sold his interest in the company to Mr. McCone, who in 1891 also bought out Mr. Booth. Mr. Bell going into the business with Mr. McCone, the firm was thereafter known as McCone & Bell until in 1893 it was changed to the Fulton Engine Works, the former filling the office of president until the year 1895, when J. P. McAllister became presi- dent and Mr. McCone vice-president. About 1901 the company enlarged their plant and moved to their present location, facing North Main street at the junction of Alhambra avenue. Upon the death of Mr. McAllister in June, 1914, Mr. Bell became president of the company, Mr. McCone continuing as vice-president, with F. A. McAl- lister as secretary and manager. The company manufactures a general line of hoisting machin- ery, derricks, mining machinery, as well as taking miscellaneous contract machinery work, and from a small concern at first employing twelve men it has grown to a large company with one hundred and twenty-five men in its employ.
In April, 1883, Mr. Bell was united in marriage with Miss Maud Walker in San Francisco, and they are the parents of two sons, Adrian B., a draftsman with the Fulton Engine Works, and Laurence L., who is engaged in farming in the Imperial Valley, Cal. Mr. Bell is a member of the Union League Club and the Knights of Pythias, and in his political preferences he is a Republican.
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CHARLES G. GREENE. For many years a prominent citizen of Los Angeles city and county, and for the greater part of his residence here having been engaged in railroad associations and in banking enterprises of a prominent character, Charles G. Greene is now devoting his time to the care and management of his private interests, being interested in real estate throughout the city and county, and also in local bonds and securities. He is acknowledged to be one of the leading men of the city, and his influence has always been exerted on the side of progress and for the up- building of the country along sane and permanent lines. His connections with the banking business of the county have placed him in close touch with the financial affairs of the country, and his judg- ment has always been acknowledged to be espe- cially sound and reliable.
Mr. Greene is a native of Vermont, having been born at Wells River, October 4, 1868, the son of Charles G. and Anna N. Greene. He received his education in Concord, N. H., attending the public and high schools and graduating from the latter in 1886. After this he entered the employ of the Concord Railroad as a messenger in the freight department, from which position he rose rapidly, until at the time of his resignation, in 1895, he was filling the responsible position of secretary to the president of the Concord & Montreal Railroad, afterwards a part of the Boston-Maine Railroad system. He then accepted a position as assistant traveling auditor for the Maine Central Railroad, with headquarters at Portland, Me., continuing there only six months, however, when he returned to Concord, N. H., and engaged with the Durgin Manufacturing Company as cashier and bookkeeper. Three years later he resigned this position to come to California, locating in Los Angeles, where he lias since made his home. Fortune favored him here, in that he readily found employment, being made chief clerk for Chief Engineer Harry Howgood, of the San Pedro, Los Angeles & Salt Lake Rail- road, serving in this capacity for two years. It was at the termination of this service that he entered upon his splendid career in the banking business, being first with the Los Angeles Trust and Savings Bank in the trust department. In December, 1906, he resigned this position to en- gage with the Adams-Phillips Company as a bond salesman, continuing this association until October, 1907, when he resigned to become vice-
president of the First National Bank of Long Beach. Upon resigning that office in 1909 he assumed the duties of cashier of the Merchants' National Bank of Los Angeles, filling this position until 1911, at which time he was appointed bank examiner of California. Three months later he resigned to assume the vice-presidency of the Citizens' Trust and Savings Bank and served in that capacity until 1913. Mr. Greene is now en- gaged in the bond business, under the firm name of Frank L. Miller & Co., handling only securities of a reliable character.
Mr. Greene has taken an active part in the financial affairs of the Southland, and has done much for the welfare of his city and county. In social and fraternal circles he is well known, being a member of the Jonathan and the Los Angeles Athletic Clubs, and Southern California Lodge, F. & A. M., while in his political views he is a stanch Republican of the old school.
Mr. Greene was twice married, the first time to Miss Elizabeth A. Fletcher, at Concord, N. H., in 1891 ; his second marriage, in May, 1905, was to Miss Grace R. Hersee, of this city. There have been born two children, one of each mar- riage, both well and favorably known in this city, where they are receiving their education. The elder, Marion S., is now a student at the Uni- versity of Southern California, while the younger, Carroll H., is attending a private school. Mr. Greene and his family are members of the Epis- copal church.
OWEN E. ELFTMAN. The birthplace of Owen E. Elftman, a prominent rancher and farmer of Los Angeles county, was Winona, Minn., where he was born May 2, 1871. When he was three years old he came with his parents to California in 1874, the family settling on Banning street, Los Angeles, where the father worked in one of the first lumber yards for some time, removing later to Clearwater Canyon, where the father took up a claim, paying $175 for one hundred and sixty acres of land. Here he raised barley for several years, the first barley planted in that district.
Young Elftman attended school until seventeen years of age. Then, in 1888, he left school and immediately began farming on the Dominguez ranch, near Compton, but lost his first crop by the winter floods. Not discouraged, however, by
Theodore of Manman
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this calamity, he planted one hundred and sixty acres of corn on the western end of the same ranch, where he raised two fine crops, and for the next twelve years farmed one thousand acres of rented land on the mesa on Dominguez hill, where he raised wheat and barley with much profit. The Dominguez ranch is one of the old estates which date back to the days in California before the coming of the "gringo." This property originally comprised ten and one-half leagues of land in Los Angeles county, given by the King of Spain to Juan Jose Dominguez, and though the property has since been divided among the descendants of the old Spanish family, there is still standing, in good repair upon the ranch, and in the possession of a member of the family, the old adobe house where the grandparents lived in the early days of California.
In 1898 Mr. Elftman bought his present prop- erty, consisting of one hundred and twenty acres at Elftman Station, which was named in his honor, and is farming the same to sugar beets and corn. He holds the world's record on the grow- ing of sugar beets, having produced three thou- sand tons of beets on one hundred and sixteen and a half acres, with an average of seventeen per cent of sugar, truly a wonderful showing. He is classed as one of the successful farmers of Compton district, a distinction certainly merited by his persistent endeavor and constant progress in his chosen profession. He is familiar with the early days in the growth of Los Angeles, which he knew first as a small, crude city ; and although so young at the time, remembers stories of the raids of the Mexican bandit, Vasquez, who headed the last of the organized bands of robbers that brought terror to the southern part of the state after the coming of the Yankees had turned the original owners of the land out of their homes, the robber bands wreaking vengeance on the new- comers during years of raids upon the ranches and of the most daring highway robberies.
Aside from his farming interests, Mr. Elftman is the proud possessor of a French draft stallion and has raised some fine colts. The service which he renders to the community where he makes his home is shown by the fact that he is both secre- tary and one of the directors of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank of Compton, and has been on the school board of the Wilmington Union High School and also served as director in the Dominguez school district. By his first marriage,
in 1899, Mr. Elftman is the father of two chil- dren, Edith Mary and Owen Martin Elftman. His present wife, to whom he was married in August, 1908, was Katherine B. Collins, a native of Mis- souri.
THEODORE H. HANEMAN. As the first mayor of Hermosa Beach, the popular resort city, and also one of the most prominent men of that city, and a well known and influential real estate dealer of Los Angeles city and county, Theodore H. Haneman deserves special men- tion in the annals of the county, his work hav- ing been highly constructive. Since 1903 he has been a vital factor in the life of Hermosa Beach. The incorporation of the city oc- curred in 1907, at which time he received a de- cided majority in the race for city trustee, and served as president of the board (mayor) for four consecutive years, representing the Citi- zens League ticket. During that period the city forged ahead with remarkable rapidity, the principal modern improvements having been in- stalled then. These include the splendid new concrete pier, with its long rows of ornamental lights, the wide beach, walk, miles of paved streets, and various other improvements, in the promotion of which Mr. Haneman has taken an active and effective part. He maintains a real estate office at Hermosa, and another, in con- nection with his son, Albert S. Haneman, in the Union Oil building, Los Angeles. He is a stockholder in the local bank and owns much valuable real estate in the beach city and in Los Angeles.
Mr. Haneman is a native of Indiana, born in Shelby county, August 11, 1842. His early life was passed in his native county, and later, in company with a brother, he removed to In- dianapolis, where for twenty years he was one of the city's leading merchants. He has always been a Republican, and took an active part in ward politics in Indianapolis, being a member of various committees and serving his party in many capacities, but never being himself a candidate for office. The first trip of Mr. Hane- man to Southern California was made in May, 1884. Returning east he soon determined to make California his permanent home, and in 1886 returned to Los Angeles and has since re- sided in the county. He established himself
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in the real estate business in Los Angeles, and also, in partnership with his sons B. Harry and Albert S. Haneman, he engaged in the mercan- tile business for six years. He made many real estate investments in the city and also pur- chased valuable property at Corona. In 1903 he came to Hermosa Beach, and since that time has been actively identified with the growth and development of that resort.
The history of the Haneman Realty Com- pany dates back to the year 1902, when his sons, Albert S. and B. Harry Haneman, joined forces and opened a real estate office in Los Angeles, making a specialty of property in and near this city. The undertaking proved a suc- cess, indeed it exceeded their expectations, and in a few years they felt warranted in extending their field of operations. It was in 1905 that they opened an office in Hermosa Beach, and there- after made a specialty of handling property in this flourishing town. Altogether they dis- posed of seven subdivisions of their own in the vicinity of Los Angeles and San Francisco, be- sides handling many other large deals, the transactions passing through the Los Angeles office as well as that at Hermosa Beach. For the splendid business which the sons gathered about them much credit is due B. Harry Hane- man, a man of optimistic spirit and determina- tion, whose early death, June 8, 1910, was a deep loss to the communities which had bene- fited by his efforts. After the death of this son T. H. Haneman stepped into the breach and has since been identified with the business, having in the meantime relinquished his mercantile in- terests. Albert S. Haneman, who is still inter- ested in the business, is a member of the Los Angeles Realty Board and the California State Realty Federation. He owns several valuable tracts of Hermosa Beach property, some of which has recently been improved with a busi- ness block at the corner of Pier and Manhattan avenues, with bungalows in the rear.
The marriage of T. H. Haneman occurred in Indianapolis in 1871, uniting him with Miss Flora E. Ludlow, a native of Springfield, Ohio. Mrs. Haneman, like her husband, is progressive and public spirited and takes an active part in the development and social life of her home city. She is a member of the library board and corresponding secretary of the Hermosa Beach Woman's City Club, of which she was
one of the founders, and is a director of the same. This club is one of the active features in the life of the city, and has been instrumental in securing many valuable improvements, in- cluding the public library and the life-saving apparatus on the beach. To Mr. and Mrs. Haneman were born three sons, the eldest of whom, B. Harry, passed away June 8, 1910; Oliver T. died when six months old; and Al- bert S. is in partnership with his father, under the name of the Haneman Realty Company.
Mr. Haneman is public spirited and progres- sive, and has given freely of time, ability and means for the furtherance of the welfare of Hermosa Beach. He possesses a rare judg- ment and foresight which make him a valuable asset to any movement with which he sees fit to join forces and in the case of his home city, has always been with the movement for progress and public improvement. In this par- ticular he is especially far-seeing, realizing at an early stage in the life of Hermosa Beach that the city was destined to be a popular resort, and understanding the importance of making all improvements of such a nature that they would answer the demands of a city many times larger than the one that then existed. In this he has been proven pre-eminently right, for already the resort is taking on metropolitan airs and its improvements are well to be in accord with its promise.
EUGENE POURROY. One who has seen the city of Los Angeles grow from small begin- nings to its present size and prosperous condition, who has himself had a hard struggle in the early days but is now a progressive and successful citi- zen of the western city, is Eugene Pourroy, who, though a native of the eastern part of France, has associated himself distinctively with the interests of Southern California.
Born September 23, 1856, Mr. Pourroy re- ceived but a limited schooling and when twelve years of age he started out for himself, receiving forty cents a day and board himself. For a time he engaged in railroad construction in his native land, then came to the United States in the year 1881, making his way directly to Los Angeles. For fifteen years he was associated actively with the sheep industry on our western coast, being
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engaged in herding sheep in the San Fernando Valley, the east side of Los Angeles, in the towns of Garvanza, Puente, Riverside, San Bernardino and Mojave, Cal., and also in and around Eugene and Pendleton, Ore., Pampa, Colfax, Spo- kane and Walla Walla, Wash., and in Idaho. In the days when but a few houses stood where the city of Pasadena is now situated, Mr. Pourroy was engaged in herding sheep in that vicinity, the fruitful San Gabriel Valley, when but a few orange groves were started where now many are to be seen, and when the foothills about the valley had not been cleared of underbrush, rattlesnakes and even wildcats, and were not adorned with lawns and villas in the style of the Swiss chalet, as at present. Sheep herding brought many try- ing experiences in the early days, for in the desert country there was drought to be overcome, and in the high mountains cold and blizzards to be en- countered, but Mr. Pourroy persisted in his chosen work, and after being employed a few years by others, became the owner of large bands of sheep, ranging from two thousand to five thou- sand in number.
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