An illustrated history of Los Angeles County, California. Containing a history of Los Angeles County from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also of prominent citizens of to-day, Part 97

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1092

USA > California > Los Angeles County > An illustrated history of Los Angeles County, California. Containing a history of Los Angeles County from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also of prominent citizens of to-day > Part 97

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URGESS J. REEVE, architect, North Main street, Los Angeles, was born in England, February 16, 1845. During boy- hood he attended school to the age of fourteen years, when he was apprenticed with an archi- tect for three years in the city of London, at an expense of $1,500. After serving his time he was engaged with some of the leading architects of London, and carried on his profession there twenty-two years; and during this time he had the supervision of the construction of some of the finest mansions in that city. . Also he had considerable experience in the erection of large manufacturing buildings in the north part of

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

England. In 1881 he came to America and went to Kansas City, and after remaining there over a year he came to Los Angeles, since which time he has successfully followed his profession here. For the past few years he has been en- gaged mostly on business blocks. He has had a large pra"tieal experience of over thirty years, and has taken a prominent place in the profes- sion here. He married Miss Harriet Smith, a native of England. They have six children, three sons and three daughters. They lost one son in Kansas City.

ETER RICHARDS .- The subject of this sketch is a native of Austria, born in Dal- matia, in 1842. ILis parents were Mathew and Lucretia Richards, both natives of the place of his birth. His father was a seafaring man, and Mr. Richards early imbibed a love for that calling. When sixteen years of age he left home and for many years followed the life and occupation of a sailor. In 1863 he came to California and entered the employ of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, where he was engaged until 1865. He then devoted himself to mining and prospecting through Nevada, Idaho, Mon- tana and Utah, and finally through the Tejon Pass to Southern California. Shortly after his arrival he located at Wilmington, working for General Banning, and afterward established a restaurant at that place, which he conducted until 1869. He then moved to Anaheim, where he was proprietor of a restaurant until 1876, opening the first one ever established in that town. Mr. Richards was successful in his busi- ness operations in that town and acemmnnlated property to the value of about $25,000. In 1876 a fire destroyed his buildings and stock of wines, etc., and left him financially ruined. IIe then went to San Francisco, and for the next three years conducted a grocery store on the corner of Vallejo and Montgomery streets, and afterward established a store at the corner of Larkin and Sutter streets. In 1883 Mr. Rich-

ards visited Mexico with the intention of enter- ing into mining operations, but not suited with the prospects he returned to Los Angeles County and, through M. L. Wieks, became interested in the town of Lancaster, where he opened the first hotel ever built in that town. The next two years were spent by Mr. Richards in San Francisco, Monterey and Ventura, principally in the latter place, where he established a res- taurant. In 1886 he came to Los Angeles County and located at the mission of San Ga- briel and opened a grocery store, nearly opposite the mission church, which he has since con- dueted. He also has property interests in that place, having town lots and acreage land in the immediate vicinity, among which are two acres and a half of orchard property nearly opposite Judge Hamilton's place. In 1874 Mr. Richards married Miss Incarnation Carillo, the daughter of Ramon and Vicentia (Sepúlveda) Carillo. She is first consin of ex-Governor Roumaldo Pacheco and a descendant of the old mission families of Sonthern California. From their marriage there are four children, viz .: Lucretia, Robert M., Alfred J. and Verona. Mr. Richards and his family are members of the Catholic Church. In political matters he is Democratic, consistent in his views and a worker in the ranks of that party. .

ILLIAM ROMMEL, contractor, South Los Angeles street, Los Angeles, is a native of Kentucky, and was born in Jefferson County, eight miles from Louisville. During his boyhood he attended school and then served an apprenticeship at the trade of carpen- ter and joiner under the direction of a promi- nent builder in the city of Lonisville. After working at his trade several years, he engaged in contracting and building on his own account, and for eight years carried on a large and snc- cessful business there. On account of ill health he decided to give up his bright prospects and come to Southern California, and arrived here in 1884, withont friend; to introduce him. An

L. J. Ross

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entire stranger, he immediately engaged in busi- ness, contracting and building, and since then for the past five years has taken a leading posi- tion, and secured it by honorable competition and practical ability. Ile has built a large number of stores, warehouses, residences and business blocks. He superintends the erection of the splendid building of the Young Men's Christian Association, and does it gratuitously, because of his active interest in church work and everything that tends to improve the mor- als of the city and State. Mr. Rommel has as- sociated with hins one brother, and the firm of Rommel Brothers has built up an enviable rep- utation as responsible contractors. They manu- facture Tittman's Refrigerator, said to be supe- rior to any in use. It is growing in favor and they are building up a large trade. Mr. Rom- mel was united in marriage, May 5, 1877, with Miss Mary Freyfogel, from the city of Louis- ville, Kentucky. They have five children: Net- tie, Mamie, Sam, Calvin and Carrie, Mr. Rom- inel is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, a charter member of Southern California Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and he and his wife are consist- ent members of the English Lutheran Church.

ON. L. J. ROSE. The story of the life of Leonard John Rose in some respects sounds like a romance. Although he is an in- tensely practical man, and whatever he does or says has always a directness and a strong flavor of common sense that are characteristic of the man, nevertheless he is more or less an idealist, as will appear in the following brief sketch. Mr. Rose was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1827. His parents immigrated to the United States when he was twelve years of age. Stopping for a short time in New Orleans, they proceeded to Illinois and settled in Waterloo, in the south- ern part of the State, the father engaging in mercantile pursuits. Mr. Rose was educated at Shurtliff College, in Alton. After leaving school he located at Quincy, engaging for a number of

years in the dry-goods business. From there he went to Van Buren County, Iowa, where he continued in the same line of business. Mr. Rose has always been passionately fond of fruits, flowers and animals, and having been quite suc- cessful in business, he purchased and carried on a fancy farm, where he endeavored. to gratify his tastes. But the severity of the winters de- stroyed all his summer accumulations of plants. He became discouraged with trying to carry ont his ideas, and, selling out, he went to Missouri, after losing one child and nearly losing a second with pneumonia from the severity of the Iowa winters. Having resolved to seek a milder climate, he purchased some 200 head of finely bred cattle and fifty fine horses, and fitted up a train for California. Nineteen young men joined him, and they started, in the spring of 1858, overland, for California, via what was known as the Thirty-fifth Parallel route. Ilis was the first party of emigrants that ever at- tempted to come by that route. Lieutenants Whipple and Beale had explored the ronte with a view of ascertaining the feasibility of build- ing a railroad that way, but had only made such a road as would enable them to get through. Mr. Rose's party secured a guide, who had pre- viously been over the same route with Whipple, to conduct the party from Albuquerque. They got along withont serious trouble till they reached the mountain range bounding the valley of the Colorado River. From the summit of this range they saw the river, which seemed near at hand, but the mountain was so steep that they had to let their wagons down with ropes; and after reaching the valley or plain, they began to suffer for want of water. The journey to the river consumed a whole day, and the sufferings of the party became so intense that some of them became insane from thirst. On finally reaching the river, the men unyoked their cattle and let them go loose, and them- selves rushed for the water, lying down in the river and drinking their fill, then becoming stupefied, lay partly in the water and rested and slept. The lieat was so great that the suffering

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of the party was indeseribable. The Mojave Indians eame in upon them in a threatening manner, but Mr. Rose reconciled them for the time by giving them tobaceo and trinkets. They killed his cattle whenever they found them, and roasted the meat without molesta- tion. The following day the emigrants began constructing a raft with which to cross the river. The second day the Indians came into eamp, and not being able to satisfy their de- inands, though giving them what articles they could, the Indians retired; and the third day they failed to make their appearance, and the emigrants' guide warned the party that the ab- senee of the Indians was an evil omen, where- upon they formed their wagons in a semieirele, with the river as their base in the rear, and pre- pared to defend themselves against the treacher- ous savages. They saw large numbers of Indians crossing the river from the other side, and the following day, about 1 o'clock, over 200 of them attacked the camp. The fight waxed hot until night, amid intense excitement and desperation of the emigrants. They killed about seventeen Indians. Nine of the whites were killed and seventeen wounded, Mr. Rose being one of the latter. A council was held at nightfall, and the emigrants resolved to start back. Gathering together what they could carry in one wagon, they abandoned the camp soon after dark, and started on their perilous and almost hopeless journey for Albuquerque. There were two women in the party-the wife of Mr. Rose and the wife of his foreman, Alfred Brown, who was killed in the fight. Ifis widow with her three ehil- dren were taken baek. Later she came to Cali- fornia and became the wife of a prominent man, a judge in Sacramento. After making one day's journey on their return trip, they met a party of emigrants, numbering about forty men, of whom they had had no previous knowledge, and the meeting of whom saved Mr. Rose's party from the inevitable fate of perishing en route, as everybody had given out from exhaustion and from lack of supplies. Mr. Rose and wife had two children, the elder being a little over

two years of age. The whole party, or those who survived after their bloody encounter with the savages, together with those whom they had met, returned to New Mexico, the men walking, half bare-footed, their feet being lacerated with cactus thorns. At night they slept under their wagons on the sand, as soundly as on feather beds, in their joy for having escaped being massacred. After stopping in Albuquerque and endeavoring in vain to find other business, Mr. Rose finally purchased : hotel, "The Fonda," in the old city of Santa Fe, and kept it for two years, during which time he made about $14,000. He and his family having sufficiently recruited to continne their journey to the land of flowers and of perpetual suminer, they came by the route known as the " Butter- field Stage Route," to California, reaching Los Angeles in November, 1860. Leaving his fam- ily here, Mr. Rose went up into the northern counties of the State, prospecting for a desirable location; but finding no place he liked as well as Los Angeles County, he returned and settled here. He bought the property now known and famous as "Sunny Slope," two miles north of the old Mission San Gabriel, with a view of realizing his long-cherished ideal of eultivating fruits and flowers and rearing fine stock. He expected at first only to buy 160 acres of land, but he found after engaging in the work, that to carry out his ideas he must enlarge his acre- age, and lie ultimately bought 2,000 aeres. He began in a very small way by planting a few acres of grape-vines and orange trees. At first he had but one small wine tub, being one of the pioneer wine and brandy manufacturers of this part of California. Under' his judicious man- agement, and undergoing the severest struggles and privations, being heavily in debt for several years, his business finally grew to large propor- tions and eventually became very profitable, enabling him to triumph over all obstacles and to become independent. From the annual pro- duction of a few hundred gallons of wine, he pushed ahead with indomitable perseverance, despite all discouragements, till he reached 750,-

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000 gallons of wine of different varieties yearly, and 125,000 gallons of brandy. His goods at- tained a great reputation for their superior qual- ity, standing as high as any American brands in the great markets of America. In Jannary, 1887, Mr. Rose sold his "Sunny Slope" prop- erty for over $1,000,000, to an English syndi- cate, who now control it, and who are now introducing its wines and brandies into English markets. About twenty years ago Mr. Rose began to breed fine trotting horses on an exten- · sive scale, and he has raised some of the fastest and most valuable animals on the American turf, among them "Stamboul," the celebrated stallion, which made the fastest record, within a second or two, in 1888, trotting in 1:143. He is now (February, 1889) on Mr. Rose's great horse ranch, " Rose-Meade," in the San Gabriel Valley, about ten miles east of Los Angeles, on the line of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Mr. Rose has on his ranch 120 head of fine horses. " Stamboul" has a four-year-old filly with a record of 2:30, a two-year-old with a record of 2:29g, and a yearling with a record of 2:414. His breeding ranch comprises 920 acres. On it are 200 acres from which were ent, in 1888, seven crops of two tons each, of alfalfa, to the acre, or fourteen tons per acre in a single year. Mr. Rose has built himself an elegant home, costing in the neighborhood of $100,000, in the city of Los Angeles, where he now resides with his family. It is built on the commanding eminence at the corner of Grand avenne and Fourth street, and is one of the most elaborate and beautiful in Southern California. Mrs. Rose, who has contributed her full share to her husband's success, was the daughter of the late Ezra M. Jones, who was one of the early pio- neers of Iowa, and who afterward, for many years, was a resident of Los Angeles County. Mrs. Rose was born in Indiana, but was reared in Iowa. They were married in the '50's. She has been a remarkable woman in her endurance and her fidelity as a true help-inate. They have nine children; the two eldest are daughters: Mrs. J. V. Watchel and Mrs. E. Sanderson;

the eldest son, Harry, is the joint owner and manager of the St. Elmo Hotel in this city; Leon J. Rose, Jr., is interested in a hotel and a real-estate business in Ventura County, and married a Miss Fargo, of San Francisco; Gny is in l'aris, studying art, having previously re- ceived the gold medal of the San Francisco Art School; added to his fine inherited natural talent, he is a very hard worker and is enthusi- astically in love with his art; Daisy, Mand, Mabel and Roy are at home with their parents, forming a bright and happy household. In summing up briefly Mr. Rose's characteristics as a man and as a good and useful citizen of Los Angeles County, the imperial resources of which are as yet but partially developed, the task of the biographer is an agreeable one. If every citizen had done as much as he has done in several lines, toward demonstrating the possi- bilities of one section, this Arcadian Valley of the Angels would stand forth to-day, what it must become in the future, as one of the richest valleys in climatic and natural resources in the United States, if not in the world. Formerly the tendency of settlers in Southern California, as a rule, with few exceptions, was toward the moist or low lands, where corn and other crops would grow without irrigation. Mr. Rose in- angurated a new departure by going to the np- lands and mountains, where water, as it came from the mountain ranges and before it disap- peared beneath the surface, could be utilized as wanted only, without liability to excess from winter overflow and its attendant evils, to whrch the low, wet lands were subject. The result has been a splendid vindication of the soundness of his judgment. By intelligent and persistent labor he converted a chaparral waste or moor into one of the finest and most productive estates in America. IIe had the discernment to see then, what is now apparent to all, that while the moist or bottom lands are better for alfalfa and many other crops, the foot-hill lands are vastly superior for vineyards and for citrus fruits, as well as (in the opinion of many) for the raising of fine blooded stock, in all of which

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lines he has had such eminent success. The universal voice of the small vineyard owners of Los Angeles County is, that they have been in- debted to Mr. Rose, more than to any or all other wine-makers, for keeping up the prices of wine grapes to living rates. Small farmers else- where who raise crops that are not immediately perishable, and who correspond to our small vineyard farmers, are not obliged to sell their crops when ripe or see them perish, as grape- growers are, Many of the latter, who have not the necessary capital to own pipes and wine cel- lars, etc., are absolutely dependent on selling their grapes, and that within a very limited time, to the wine-makers, with the alternative of their year's labor being a dead loss if they do not. There has been a tendency among the grape- buyers to take advantage of this state of affairs by compelling growers to sell for less than the cost of production. Mr. Rose has never been willingly a party to this short-sighted, selfish policy. He is too just and too enlightened a man for that. He believes in the motto, which is the highest wisdom in the long run: "Live and let live." Mr. Rose has been a frequent writer on economic questions of current local interest, and it is generally conceded that he has the happy faculty of saying, in the most. direct and effective phraseology, exactly the right thing at the right time. During the cur- rent year (1889) Mr. Rose had one of the most successful sales of fine horses, by anction and otherwise, ever had by one party in the United States, or in the world. His sales inside of two months, including an auction in New York of $118,000, and $50,000 for "Stamboul" at pri- vate sale, amounted to nearly $190,000 for fifty-fonr head, the majority being colts one and two years old. Mr. Rose was elected and served as State Senator from Los Angeles County, for the term commencing 1887, and he lias also been a useful and active member of the State Vitienltural Society and State Board of Agri- culture for several years. Personally he has done much to benefit Southern California by in- troducing many varieties of foreign grapes, as

well as fine horses and cattle. His life has been an active one, as well as a useful one to himself and to his neighbors also. The community in which he lives rejoices in his success, which has been honestly and fairly earned. Mr. Rose's character, as illustrated by his life's work, fnr . nishes to his friends who have known him well a good exemplification of the truth that a man who is both an idealist and a realist is a higher type of manhood than one who is only an ideal - ist, or only a realist, or a utilitarian, or a man of practical affairs solely.

W. ROBBINS, upholsterer and mannfact- urer of mattresses, lounges and Robbins' Patent Bed Lounge, No. 19 New Depot street, Los Angeles, was born in the State of Maine, December 29, 1840. When he was eighteen years of age his parents removed to Wisconsin and he learned his trade there. After living in the Western States fifteen years, he came to California and located in Los Angeles, in 1875. After following his trade some years, he established his present business on First street in 1882, and the following year moved to Spring street. The firm was G. W. Robbins & Co. for two years, and. then Mr. Robbins bought the interest of his partner and removed to Upper Main street, and remained there two years, when he moved to his present location on his own premises, and erected his factory, giving employment during the busy season to twenty or thirty hands. He does all kinds of uphol- stering, parlor furniture and mattress work, and manufactures all the goods he sells. Ile buys all his stock from first hands, and is enabled to compete with Eastern upholsterers, and sells goods to the trade only. He is the pioneer manufacturing upholsterer in Los Angeles, and has built up a large established trade. Hc is the patentee and sole manufacturer of Robbins' Patent Bed Lounge, an article of furniture which has become very popular in the trade, and

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has gained a wide reputation. Mr. Robbins married Mrs. Fletcher, of Michigan, and they have three children.

ENRY J. A. STUHR, importer and dealer in domestic wines and liquors, 127 West First street, Los Angeles, is a native of Hamburg, Germany, and was born February 22, 1849. He emigrated to America when fourteen years of age, went to Alaska, and came the same year to California. He grew up in San Fran- cisco, lived there twelve years, after which he came to Los Angeles, in 1876. Since then he has been identified with the wine business here. He was superintendent for Don Mateo Keller until 1881, for one year ran the business for the estate, and with Weyse Brothers one year. He organized the Los Angeles Vintage Company, and was for four years a partner in that com- pany. In April, 1888, he established his pres- ent business, dealing in all kinds of imported and domestic liquors, California wines and brandies. He has had a practical experience of twenty-five years, and is well and favorably known and has an established trade. Mr. Stuhr was married August 29, 1873, to Miss Norma Machl, a native of Detroit, Michigan. They have three children living: Henry, Norma and Fred. Olga died May 29, 1889, in Detroit, on her way from Europe with her mother.

IMON J. STOCKWELL, a very successful farmer residing near Compton, is the son of John H. Stockwell, who was well known in this county as one of those worthy pioneers who made the overland journey with an ox team thirty years ago. It was by his in- dnstry and perseverance-by hard labor in the woods, the mines and on the farm-that he was enabled to provide for his large family of seven children, four boys and three girls. When first coming to Los Angeles County he rented land, 40

and subsequently purchased fifty acres. This he farmed until his death, which occurred on May 21, 1838, at the age of fifty-seven years, his wife, Abby E. Stockwell, having died May 8, 1871, at the age of thirty-six years, both na- tives of Vermont. Their four sons have worked their own way np in the world. Under the firm name of Stockwell Brothers, Simon, Frank and Lucian conducted a cheese factory known as Star Dairy (S. J. Stockwell as cheese-maker, also butter-maker), one mile north of Compton, for four years, being very successful in the un- dertaking. Later they purchased 100 acres of excellent alfalfa land, have it highly improved, and three good substantial residences have been erected thereon. Their fields are dotted with herds of well-kept cattle and horses, while the general appearance of the place indicates at once the good taste and prosperity of the owners. Simon J. Stockwell makes a specialty of Hol- stein cattle and Clydesdale horses and Poland- China swine of the best breed. He is also running a creamery ou his own premises, the Star Dairy Stock Farm, in his own name. Mr. Stockwell is an acceptable member of the Method- ist Episcopal Church. He is a man highly re- spected by the community in which he resides, as also are his brothers, and their example as business men should inspire other young men who have their own way to make in the world.

W. STOLL, of the firm of H. W. Stoll & Co., proprietors of the Los Angeles Soda- water Works, was born in Germany, February 25, 1839. His parents emigrated to this country when he was only thirteen years of age and located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where they remained twelve years, and in 1864 re- moved to St. Louis, Missouri. From there he went to St. Joseph, the same State, and then to Denver, Colorado, from where he drove across the plains to California, reaching Los Angeles in 1867. During the following yaer he estab- lished the Los Angeles Soda-water Works. Ile

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Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn Publication date: 1889 Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1092

Author: Lewis Publishing Company. cn
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago, Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1092