USA > California > A history of California and an extended history of its southern coast counties, Volume II > Part 16
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LAMON V. HARKNESS, a resident of Pasadena, is a native of Ohio, his birth occurring in June, 1852. He is the representative of an old New York family prominent in the history of that state, where his father, Stewart V., was born, there reared to manhood, educated and launched in business life. The elder man was one of the original incorporators of the Stand- ard Oil Company and took a prominent part in the early history of the company, being one of the large stockholders. In Ohio, where he es- tablished his home in mature years, he became a citizen of worth. His son, Lamon V. Hark- ness, attended the public schools in pursuit of an education up to his eighteenth year, at which time he put aside his studies to enter upon a business career, inheriting to a large degree the
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sound business judgment and acumen which had brought success to his father. He established himself in New York City and there maintained a profitable business for many years, at the same time dealing extensively in the stock of the Standard Oil Company.
Like the greater part of the population of Southern California, Mr. Harkness first visited this section during the winter months, and after spending one season here was loath to pass an- other amid the rigors of his eastern home. Sev- eral years were thus passed-spending his sunt- mers in his eastern home and the winters in Southern California-and so charmed was he with the conditions that he finally concluded to purchase property in Pasadena, and he now spends much time at his magnificent residence at No. 1201 South Orange Grove avenue. He also owns valuable properties, among them the old Reed place of thirteen acres, familiarly known as Carmelita Ranch. Here he is building a beautiful residence on a sightly location known as Oak Knoll. He has retained his eastern in- terests, however, owning extensive farms in Kentucky, where he breeds the world-famous Kentucky horses. In spite of his many business interests Mr. Harkness is an ardent sportsman, enjoying the gun and rod and being a valued member of various similar organizations of Southern California.
FRANCIS QUARLES STORY, for many years a resident of Southern California, was born in Waukesha, Wis., July 18, 1845; his parents were John P. and Elizabeth (Quarles) Story. He was reared in his native place and educated in its public schools, graduating from the High school before his sixteenth birthday. His first independent employment was as a teacher in the common schools, engaging at this work for one term, when he entered East- man's Business College, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y .. and later was graduated therefrom. He then entered a commercial life as bookkeeper in a large importing and commission house in Boston, and the second year was given entire charge of his department at a fair salary. De- ciding to enter more fully into a commercial life by dealing in' wools himself, he resigned
his position, and for the following six months was engaged in the sorting department of a large woolen mill, working twelve hours each day, and learning the various qualities of all kinds of wool. He received no remuneration for this work or for the following six months, which were passed in grading wools by the fleece for mercantile purposes.
Entering the work upon his own responsi- bility, Mr. Story engaged first as a broker and dealer, and the following year purchased a mill for preparing wools for the market, the main object being to perfect his knowledge as to the shrinkage of wools. In the same year he began the importation of wools and con- tinued to increase his business. At the time of the great Boston fire of 1872 he was occu- Dying the lofts of one of the most substantial granite buildings in the city, largely filled with imported wools. The granite was reduced to fine pebbles and sand: the wool utterly de- stroyed. The failure of the local insurance companies necessarily caused the failure of other enterprises, and among these Mr. Story's enterprise was named. However, he was undaunted by the catastrophe which left him $10,000 in debt, and through the help of his uncle, with whom he was living, and Sam- nel H. Rindge, father of the late Frederick H. Rindge, of Los Angeles, he was enabled to meet his liabilities as they fell due. Mr. Story him- self speaks of this time with more satisfaction than of any other period of his life, for in the upbuilding of his fortunes on the ashes of his first effort he developed traits of character that have brought him personal success and estab- lished his manhood.
However, the steady night and day work gradually told upon Mr. Story's health and finally led to his permanent location in South- ern California. The winters of 1875. 1876. 1877, 1878 and 1879 were spent in traveling throughout Southern California, and in the spring and summers of the years from 1876 to 1879 he engaged in the wool business with B. P. Flint & Co., of San Francisco. He then returned to Massachusetts and passed a part of the year 1879 and all of 1880 in Salem and Boston. In 1881 he again located in San Fran- cisco and made that city his home until March
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two years later, when he removed perma- nently to Southern California, in Alhambra, establishing his home and setting out an orange orchard.
The identification of Mr. Story with the ma- terial development of this section of Southern California dates from the time of his location in Alhambra. He at once gave his time and attention to all movements tending toward the promotion of the interests of the community, being largely instrumental in the building of the San Gabriel Valley Rapid Transit Railway to Monrovia and Pasadena and acting as its treasurer and for a part of the time its man- ager, up to the time it was sold to the Pacific Improvement Company of the Southern Pa- cific Railway. In 1891 he joined the Chamber of Commerce, and in 1896 was elected a di- rector, and in 1902 its president. He has served on its directory continuously since his election, in 1896, and during this period, be- sides the duties pertaining to the regular stand- ing committees, assisted in the following en- terprises more or less connected with the Chamber's work: Chairman of the Citrus Tariff Executive Committee, which secured a duty of a cent per pound on all citrus fruits, in 1897, and preserved the citrus industry to this state ; as chairman of the Executive Com- mittee of the Nicaraguan Canal Association, which stayed in the fight until Congress passed a bill to build the Panama Canal in 1899; in 1898 was appointed chairman of the local Na- tional Educational Association convention, which, after months of arduous labor, brought to Los Angeles in July, 1899, over twenty- three thousand people, a very large proportion of whom were teachers, and very probably gave the state the best advertising it had re- ceived up to that time. The Chamber of Com- merce passed the following resolution, com- mending "the pre-eminent services of Director Francis Quarles Story":
"Whereas, It is known to the members of this board that Director Story accepted the appointment somewhat reluctantly, but having accepted, he addressed himself to the vexing problems presented with such industry, skill and fidelity as to meet and receive the volun- tary acknowledgment from the officers and
members of the National Educational Associa- tion that all promises made by this Board of the Executive Committee, when that commit- tee visited this city last October, have been more than fulfilled, and that they had never before found such thorough preparations made by a local committee in their behalf.
"Therefore, Be it resolved: That we hereby tender to Director Story the sincere thanks of this Chamber of Commerce for his success in guiding, as its chairman, the deliberations and actions of the Executive Committee, and hereby express the appreciation of this board of the compliment conferred upon it by his extraordinary services as its representative on this important occasion."
Again, in February, 1907, Mr. Story was made chairman of the local Executive Commit- tee of the National Educational Association, and during that summer about thirty-five thou- sand educators visited Southern California. At the time of the great San Francisco disaster of 1906 he was elected chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Citizens' Relief Committee, in behalf of the sufferers, and by a great effort of personal time and attention they succeeded in raising $250,000 for the purpose. In 1901 Mr. Story was made chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Building Committee, which suc- ceeded - in raising subscriptions to the bonds necessary to build the new Chamber of Com- merce building, which cost, with the lot, nearly $350,000. In January, 1903, he was ap- pointed chairman of the Chamber's General Methodist Conference Committee, which raised the funds necessary to bring the Inter- national Methodist Conference to this city. On the 12th of March, 1906, he was made chairman of the Executive Committee of the Citrus Protective League of California, which organization he assisted in effecting, and which, on the 26th of February, 1907, succeed- ed in reducing the rate on citrus fruits to the east ten cents per hundred and making a sav- ing to the growers of over $700,000 per year. In addition to his engrossing interests through his connection with the Chamber of Commerce he has been one of the most active citizens in the advancement of the orange industry, in 1896 being made president of the Alhambra
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Orange Growers' Association, and the follow- ing year was elected president of the Semi- Tropic Fruit Exchange, and has held both offices continuously since. He had also served as vice-president of the Southern California Fruit Exchange since 1898, and was a similar officer in the California Fruit Agency during its existence. and upon its dissolution was elected president of the California Fruit Growers' Exchange. The entire handling of exchange affairs is marked by the finest executive ability, the keenest finan- cial thought and a high character of pro- cedure that gives it respect in America and Europe. Everyone in the directorate feels that this is a life work, and attends to his du- ties accordingly. At the head is F. Q. Story, the president, who is one of those responsible for the organization of the exchange, and who made its probabilities and possibilities so pre- eminent that all interested saw the advantage. His personal probity, earnestness and ability place him in the front rank of the captains of industry, only in his case the profits are not all for himself but are shared equally by all exchange growers-according to the amount of fruit furnished by each. The gross sales of the California Fruit Growers' Exchange for the season of 1906-7 amounted to between $18,000,000 and $19,000,000. In October, 1907, Mr. Story was elected president of the Grow- ers' Supply Company, a company of $500,000 capacity. For many years Mr. Story has served as a director in the First National Bank, has served as its vice-president, and is now a member of its financial and executive committee.
In' 1876 Mr. Story was united in marriage with Miss Charlotte Forrester Devereux. a daughter of Gen. George H. Devereux, of Salem, Mass. She was a woman of rare worth of character, educated and cultured, and was prominent in the social life of Alhambra. She passed away on the Ioth of August, 1897. Mr. Story is a man of many parts, socially enjoy- ing an association with his fellowmen and as a member of the California Club a power in the organization. He has built upon an in- heritance of sterling qualities a character of undoubted worth, trained in childhood to a
reliance upon himself and a demonstration of his abilities. He has never placed undue stress upon family heritage, but nevertheless he is proud of the name which he bears, being a grand-nephew of the noted jurist, Joseph Story, while in his own immediate family his eldest brother is Major General John P. Story, of the United States army, who was chief of artillery for a number of years, and his second brother is William Story, of Colorado, who was the youngest United States circuit judge ever appointed. In personal character Mr. Story is a genial, broad nature, with a kindly hospitality which has won him a wide circle of friends ; an entertaining companion because of his wide fund of information ; a loyal citizen whose liberality in the matter of contributions to the general upbuilding of his adopted state and community are unsurpassed ; and all in all is held in high appreciation by those who have known him during his long residence in the Pacific state.
H. BERT ELLIS, A. B., M. D. Univer- sally recognized as one of the leading physi- cians of the state. Dr. H. Bert Ellis occupies a merited position of prominence among his contemporaries and enjoys the highest con- fidence of those who have sought his advice professionally. In Los Angeles, where he has made his home many years, he is regarded as a citizen of more than ordinary importance, for he has so thoroughly interested himself in questions concerning the physical welfare of the community that he has brought about results of incalculable benefit. He is unques- tionably a man of much native ability and with this has brought to bear in the prose- cution of his profession an application and earnestness and an intense love of the work which have given to him a merited success.
A descendant of stanch English ancestry, Dr. Ellis was born in Lincoln, Me., May 17, 1863, a son of James Henry Ellis, who traced his antecedents to one of the lord mayors of London. His mother, Annie M. (Bullard) Ellis, descended in a direct line from William Bradford, second governor of Massachusetts and the head of the little colony of Puritans
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at Plymouth. J. H. Ellis, who was born in Middleboro, Mass., April 23, 1836, became one of the leading dental surgeons of the maritime provinces and from 1867 to 1883 was located in Fredericton, New Brunswick. His wife was also a native of the Bay state, and was born August 21, 1838. H. Bert Ellis received his primary instruction in the public school near his home, and later attended and graduated from the high school, where he prepared for more advanced work. Entering Acadia Uni- versity, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, in 1881, he ยท was graduated from this institution three years later, after which he came to California and for one year was engaged in agricultural pursuits and business enterprises in Los Angeles and Pasadena. Following this he became a student in the medical department of the University of Southern California, from which institution he was graduated in April, 1888. Having served for a portion of this time as interne at the Los Angeles County Hospital, he was equipped with both a thorough knowledge of his profes- sion and some practical experience, and in ad- dition to this he went at once to Europe, where he pursued a post-graduate course at the universities of Gottingen, Germany, and Vienna, Austria. Returning to his home in Los Angeles he began a practice of his profes- sion, which has continued up to the present time. He has met with unusual success and has built up a large and constantly increasing practice. Since 1893 he has devoted himself exclusively to the treatment of diseases of the eye, car, nose and throat, and has won wide distinction in this important and difficult field of labor.
Many positions of trust and responsibility have been filled by Dr. Ellis, among them that of lecturer on physiology in the College of Medicine of the University of Southern Cali- fornia, to which he received appointment in October, 1889, shortly after establishing his practice. In October of the following year he was elected professor of the same department and continued to act in that capacity until January, 1896, when he was elected to the chair of ophthalmotology, and in November, 1898, was further honored by being made treasurer of the college of medicine. He is
prominently identified with medical organiza- tions, having served officially in many of them. As president of the Southern California Med- ical Society in 1899 and 1900 he took an active part in its affairs. He was senior vice-presi- dent of the American Medical College Asso- ciation, and has served constantly as secretary or assistant secretary of the Los Angeles County, Southern California, State and Amer- ican Associations, the American Medical Ed- itors Association and of the Doctors Social Club of Los Angeles. Socially he is prominent as a member of the California, Jonathan, Uni- versity and Union League Clubs, and of the Science Association of Southern California.
In his political affiliations Dr. Ellis adheres to the principles advocated in the platform of the Republican party and gives his support to its men and measures. During the years 1903 and 1904 he was a member and president of the Board of Education of the city of Los An- geles. Fraternally he is prominent among the Masons and Elks. In personal character the doctor is such a man as one of his profession should be, possessing the rare qualities of good cheer and sympathy, a patience born of long experience in an alleviation of the ills of man- kind, and confidence which instinctively wins the trust of those about him. He has many friends professionally and socially, and is just- ly considered one of the able men of the city.
MAJOR ERNST F. C. KLOKKE was born in Holland July 21, 1834, and in his native city of Utrecht he attended a select school and ac- quired a thorough commercial education, apply- ing himself with the persistence which has been a noteworthy feature in his career. He was but sixteen years old when he followed the westward trend of civilization, taking passage on a vessel bound for New York City, and bringing with him the strongest auguries for future success, not by an inheritance of wealth or business oppor- tunities aspiring to a position in the western world, but depending instead upon the qualities with which nature had so liberally endowed him. He remained a resident of New York City until 1856, when he came as far west as Chicago and in the ensuing five years began the upbuilding of
Chabformas
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his financial and political fortunes. At the first call for troops upon the breaking out of the Civil war he with countless other stanch patriots en- listed in the Twenty-fourth Illinois Infantry, which regiment formed a part of the Army of the Cumberland, and participated in its battles and minor engagements. His faithful service was attested by the fact that he received constant pro- motion until at the end of his enlistment he was brevetted major for gallantry and meritorious services. In the fall of 1864 he was honorably discharged after a service of three years and three months.
Returning to Chicago Major Klokke engaged in the fur business in which he had been formerly interested. His absence from the city during his days of warfare had not diminished the respect with which associates were beginning to view him, but had rather served to strengthen it, and his rise in public importance rapidly followed his return to civic life. As a Republican in his political affiliations he was prominent in the coun- cils of his party, and through its influence was called upon to fill various positions of trust and responsibility. In 1872 he was elected a member of the board of police commissioners, and the many reforms which were instituted during his tenure of office were largely due to his efforts. In 1877 he was nominated and elected county clerk of Cook county, and for the ensuing five years discharged the duties incumbent upon him in a manner reflecting credit upon himself and with great economy to the county.
Upon the expiration of his term as county clerk Major Klokke went abroad and spent some time in traveling through Europe, during which trip he passed considerable time in his old home. Later, after returning to Chicago, he decided to locate in California and accordingly in 1888 came to Los Angeles, which city has ever since re- mained his home. He has invested largely in real estate holdings here and much of his time is occupied in looking after these interests. He owns a fine orange ranch, which is conducted under his personal direction and supervision. His home is located at No. 2105 South Figueroa street, and is one of the beautiful residences of the city, modern in all its appointments and rep- resenting the spirit of hospitality possessed by its owner. Outside of his personal interests
Major Klokke has not engaged actively in busi- ness affairs in Los Angeles. The municipal life of the city, however, has felt the force of his influence, for his loyalty as a citizen prompts him to give his best efforts toward an upright, clean city government, and throughout his entire residence in Southern California his name has ranked foremost among those men regarded as the support of our civic welfare. As a director of the Chamber of Commerce for twelve consecu- tive years he was a power in its upbuilding and advancement. At the present writing ( 1906) he occupies the presidency of the Municipal Art Commission of Los Angeles.
Although busy with business and political af- fairs Major Klokke has also found time for the social side of life. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and of the military order of the Loyal Legion Association of Southern California, of which for two terms he was the president. Fraternally he is a Master Mason. Major Klokke is a man of parts, all of the vari- ous avenues of life in which he has sought dis- tinction yielding returns in response to his mas- terful touch. At the same time he has retained a genial, courteous disposition, a broad hospi- tality and kindliness, giving the best of his life in his daily associations-in friendship, business and political affairs.
GEN. CHARLES FORMAN. The Forman family descends from Scotch and English an- cestry and has been identified with the new world ever since the period of our colonial history. One of their representatives in the Revolutionary war was Miles Forman, whose son, Sands, engaged in agricultural pursuits in Tioga county, N. Y., for many years and until his death. The wife of Sands Forman was Mary Mathews, a native of Tioga coun- ty and the daughter of Isaiah S. Mathews, a Revolutionary soldier. Among their children was a son, Edward, who was a member of an Illinois regiment during the Civil war. An- other son, Charles, whose name introduces this narrative, and who is the only member of the family on the coast, was born and reared near Owego, Tioga county, N. Y., and in 1853 came via Panama to California, arriv-
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ing at the Golden Gate with many other east- erners on board the famous old ship, John L. Stevens. At that time his uncle, Col. Ferris Forman, was postmaster at Sacramento and he was given employment in the postoffice, later, at the close of the term, going to Wash- ington, D. C., in order to close the accounts with the government. Not only was Colonel Forman a veteran of the Mexican war and a colonel in the Civil war, but he also was hon- ored with office as secretary of state, and his nephew on returning from the east became deputy for one term in the secretary's office. From there he went to Nevada and became connected with the Eclipse Mill and Mining Company, the Piute Mill and Mining Com- pany, and other similar enterprises near Vir- ginia City and at Gold Hill. While there he served as major-general of the Nevada Vol- unteers under Governor John H. Kinkead.
As early as 1865 General Forman had made investments in Los Angeles property and in 1882 he removed his family to this city, al- though he did not take up his permanent resi- dence here until five years later. At that time he became interested in the City and Cen- tral Railway Company, of which he was gen- eral manager as well as vice-president. Af- ter eighteen months the title was changed to the Los Angeles Cable Railway Company and in 1890 he disposed of his interest in the plant. On account of somewhat impaired health he relinquished active business affairs for a time, but was still able to superintend his invest- ments and mining interests. On the recovery of his health he again took up commercial and other activities. At this writing he is presi- dent of the Kern River Company, which be- gan construction work in 1902 and has built canals, tunnels and flumes extending over twelve and one-half miles. The water is taken from the river at Kernville and at the end of the flume at Borel there are five water-wheels yielding eighteen thousand seven hundred and fifty horse-power, conveyed to Los Angeles with but a small loss in transmission. In ad- dition to the presidency of this company he aided in organizing and acts as secretary of the Pacific Light and Power Company, which is the parent company of eight similar organi-
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