USA > California > Los Angeles County > Los Angeles > Historical and biographical record of Los Angeles and vicinity : containing a history of the city from its earliest settlement as a Spanish pueblo to the closing year of the nineteenth century ; also containing biographies of well known citizens of the past and present > Part 106
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Like his father Mr. Rust was a pronounced Abolitionist. He was a personal friend of John Brown, whom he sheltered when pursued, and
also furnished him with the famous pikes that were found at Harper's Ferry after the raid. His de- votion to the hero-martyr has never wavered. During the war he served as assistant surgeon and rendered valuable service at several points. Later for many years he conducted a large ware- house in Chicago. The attractive climate of California caused him to remove to Pasadena in 1881, and here he has an orange grove and other interests. He organized the first citrus fair ex- hibited in Battery D Chicago, 1886, and has been active in the development of this industry. He assisted in the building of the Pasadena library and in all ways furthered the progress of the then new colony, now one of the most beautiful cities in the world. He and his wife have four chil- dren, Frank N. and Edward H., and two daugh- ters who are the wives respectively of E. H. Lockwood and Prof. J. D. Graham, of Pasadena.
finally sold out and the firm of Orr & Sutch was formed. When Mr. Sutch withdrew our sub- ject formed a partnership with Mr. Hines, under the firm name of Orr & Hines, which connection still continues, and they have a fine establishment at No. 647 South Broadway.
J. MULLALLY.
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In 1864 Mr. Orr married Miss Rebecca Pyett, also a native of Johnstown, Pa., where she was reared and educated, being a schoolmate of her husband. She was a daughter of James B. Pyett. They have two daughters now living, the oldest of whom, Ellen, is now the wife of Percy Shoe- maker, who is connected with the German- American Savings Bank of Los Angeles. The other daughter, Elsey O., resides with her parents. The family have a pleasant home at No. 1812 Bush street.
During the Civil war Mr. Orr was a member of Company E, Second California Cavalry, and was stationed in Humboldt county and later at Benicia, Cal., where he was honorably dis- charged. He is now an honored member of the Grand Army of the Republic, a prominent Mason, a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Ancient Order United Workmen. In his polit- ical affiliations he is a Republican. He belongs to that class of men whom the world terms self- made, for starting out in life for himself empty- handed, he has conquered all the obstacles in the path to success, and has not only secured for himself a handsome competence, but by his efforts has materially advanced the interests of the com- munity with which he is associated. He is wide- ly and favorably known and ranks among the leading citizens of Los Angeles.
JOSEPH MULLALLY may justly be termed one of the founders of Los Angeles, and as such is entitled to an honored place in its history. He is a member of the Pioneers' So- ciety, and though now well along in years has not relaxed his interest in the city which has been his home and pride for nearly half a cen- tury.
His paternal grandfather, Joseph Mullally, was a native of Ireland, whence he emigrated to the United States at the age of sixteen years. He was a farmer by occupation and his first location was in Virginia, where his son Richard was born. The latter was a distiller in early manhood, but later turned his attention to the manufacturing of brick, and when he had accumulated what in those days was considered a comfortable fortune, he retired. His father had died on his home- stead in Butler county, Ohio, and his own death
took place in Vincennes, Ind. His wife, Jane (Currins) Mullally, a native of Washington county, Pa., passed her last years in Evansville, Ind. Of their nine children, four are yet living.
Joseph Mullally of this article was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, November 18, 1826. He re- ceived a common-school education and under his father learned the business of making brick. The stories of the "forty-niners" fired his youth- ful imagination, and in 1850 he started for the far west, arriving in the vicinity of Placerville, Cal., at the end of a journey lasting one hundred and five days. His entire capital at that time was a one-third interest in a yoke of oxen and wagon, but he was in the possession of youth and strength and the qualities which insure suc- cess. He worked at mining near Placerville and at a point on the middle fork of the American river for a short time, when he wisely came to the decision that he would return to his legitimate line of business and continue in it as long as he could make a reasonable success of the undertak- ing. After working in Sacramento about two months he unfortunately had a severe sick spell and for six weeks was in the hospital. When he recovered sufficiently he yielded to the solicita- tions of some of his friends and for three months engaged in mining near Grapevine Springs. In March, 1851, he went to San Francisco, and there followed his trade until early in 1854, when he concluded to take a trip through the southern part of the state.
During the first week of March, 1854, Mr. Mullally arrived at the adobe village of Los An- geles. Being impressed with its ultimate pos- sibilities, he purchased land in what later was known as the Bernard tract, and there he had his dwelling-place from 1855 until 1860, in the meantime being busily employed in the manu- facture of brick and also connected with the build- ing of a number of substantial houses and business blocks. When he came to the town there were but two brick structures here, the old jail and one small dwelling. In 1854 he built a house for a Mrs. Ross, on Main street, between Second and Third streets, and the same year had charge of the erection of a house for Henry Dalton, at the corner of Second and Main, and the old school- house which stood on the site of the present fine Bryson building. . In 1855 he made the brick for
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the old Rowland mansion, which is an historic landmark. It was the property of J. Rowland (father of Puente's esteemed citizen, William Rowland) and now belongs to J. H. Hudson.
Ill 1861 Mr. Mullally returned to San Fran- cisco, which was having a boom, and there he resided, finding an abundance of paying work during the Downey administration. His heart was true to Los Angeles, however, and he soon returned and continued in the business for which he seemed specially fitted. In 1895 he retired from active life, having acquired a competency and made a record of which he has just cause to be proud. In the early days of his residence here he was quite an important factor in local politics. In 1857 he was chosen as a member of the city council, where he served acceptably for one term before he went to the northern part of the state. Several times since then he has been honored by re-election to the board of city fa- thers, and thus, altogether, has had quite a voice in the management and control of municipal af- fairs. He has stood for everything making for good government and progress and has main- tained an enviable reputation for absolute in- tegrity. He cast his first presidential ballot for General Taylor, and has given the Democratic party his unwavering support ever since that time.
ICHAEL FAY QUINN. The life record of Michael Fay Quinn, who, for over two- score years has been one of the prominent citizens of El Monte, presents many interesting features, and his reminiscences of early years upon the plains and the great western frontier of civilization are more entertaining than a good book. As his name indicates, he is of the stanch old Irish stock, his parents having been born in the Emerald Isle. His grandfather, Michael Quinn, was born in 1761 and died in Wisconsin in 1857, thus nearly completing a century of life. His brother, Lord Quinn of O'Daire, was the first Irish lord created in Ireland. John Quinn, father of our subject, was born in county Limer- ick, in 1808, married Mary Fay in 1832 and came with his family to America in 1836. Two years later he died in Wisconsin, and subsequently his widow, whose nativity had occurred in 1812, be- came the wife of Richard Hartwell, of Ohio.
Six days after her marriage, which took place in Wisconsin, she was summoned to the silent land.
The birth of Michael Fay Quinn took place in New York City, February 14, 1836, and thus he was orphaned at the tender age of four years. His step-father cared for him until he had reached the age of twelve. Then again the lad was left alone, for Mr. Hartwell died, and during the en- suing two years he lived with an aunt who was unkind and arbitrary. Appealing to the courts, the youth had another guardian appointed, and thenceforth fared better. In the spring of 1850 he went to Fort Snelling, Minn., where he ob- tained a position as clerk in a sutler store, owned by a Mr. Steele. Col. Francis Lee, the com- manding officer of the fort, was an old friend and schoolmate of Mr. Hartwell and consequently he used his influence in obtaining a good position for young Quinn. He was placed in the quarter- master's department, and in 1854, when only eighteen years old, he was appointed government wagon-master and started from Fort Leavenworth with an expedition against the Sioux Indians. General Harney commanding, the troops, num- bering some fifteen hundred, surprised a camp of about five thousand of the redskins, at daybreak, September 26, 1854, at Ash Hollow, on the Platte river. Several of the Indians were killed and nearly the entire camp was captured. The general kept several important Indians as host- ages for the good behavior of the rest, and then proceeded to Fort Laramie, where some of the troops were left, the rest of them going to Fort Pierre on the Missouri river, where the great treaty with the Sioux was made by General Har- ney on New Year's day, 1855.
Immediately after his arrival at Fort Pierre Mr. Quinn was sent with twenty-eight six-mule teams and wagons, laden with provisions for the troops at Fort Randall. The journey was safely made within ten days and two days later he started upon the return trip with empty wagons and ten days' provisions, a guide, but no military escort. On the fourth day, a severe snow-storm setting in, the party took refuge in a deep cañon, where were plenty of cottonwood trees and brush. In the morning they found their camp literally buried in deep drifts of snow, and for twenty-two days the storm continued
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with slight abatement. On the twenty-fourth day, after great labor, the party cut its way through the drifts and resumed the difficult jour- ney, camping in another cañon two miles from the first that night. Day after day they plowed through the immense drifts, cutting cottonwood trees for the mules' fodder, and themselves sub- sisting on corn and mule meat, without salt. They arrived at Fort Pierre at the end of thirty- six days, with only forty-eight mules left of their one hundred and eighty mules. Twenty-nine of the thirty-four men were more or less severely frost-bitten, but though our subject was the youngest of the company he had escaped unin- jured.
October 25, 1855, in company with Colonel Lee and a Dr. Campbell (a brother-in-law of President Lincoln), Mr. Quinn left Fort Pierre in a skiff, proceeding down the Missouri to a point about two hundred miles below, where a steamboat had been forced to stop on account of low water. The second night the trio camped on the bank of the river, in a forest where there must have been thousands of wild turkeys. They were so unused to man that they did not fly away and the young man himself shot thirty- six, and filling the boat with them he continued on his journey to the steamer, where the turkeys were highly appreciated. He took passage on the steamboat, which at once started down the river, arriving at St. Louis in due season. On the 2nd of November, 1855, Mr. Quinn matricu- lated in the Illinois State University, where he remained until April 11, 1858, Robert T., son of President Lincoln, being one of his classmates.
The trouble with the Mormons in Utah now being at its height Mr. Quinn joined General Harney's expedition against the law-breakers and was appointed wagonmaster under Captain (later General) W. S. Hancock, quartermaster. Before they reached Utah, however, the Mormons had, outwardly at least, recognized the authority of the government, and Mr. Quinn was appointed United States agent and contracted for all of the material used in the building of Camp Floyd, Utah, which was needed to serve as winter quar- ters for army troops. On the 12th of February 1859, Mr. Quinn joined a company of seventy- two men bound for the El Dorado of California. March 5 found him in Los Angeles and twenty
days later he went to the San Gabriel Cañon gold mines with a party, and though he had sup- plied himself with the necessary outfit and worked diligently for two months he was entirely unsuccessful. Then, like many another man be- fore him, he wisely decided to earn his gold in the sure and legitimate channels of enterprise, and to this resolution he undoubtedly owes his present wealth. Returning to Los Angeles he obtained a position as a carpenter and time- keeper in the building of the old court-house, where the Bullard block now stands. He was paid $30 a week until the work was finished, and thus made his real start in the business world. In December, 1859, he came to El Monte, where he continued to engage in contracting and build - ing enterprises, and also conducted a lumber yard. Subsequently he commenced farming, and for many years has given his chief attention to this line of work, though he also has kept a livery stable in the town of El Monte. He has been actively interested in all local progress, and has manfully borne his share of the work of im- provement.
The first marriage of Mr. Quinn took place December 27, 1867, the lady of his choice being Mrs. Jane Callan. Three children were born of that union, and on the 30th of December, 1876, the wife and mother passed into the silent land. Nine years later, January 7, 1886, Mr. Quinn married Miss Fannie Sawyer, the lady who still presides over the affairs of his household.
RED W. WOOD. A stranger seeking for information in regard to the foremost busi- ness men of Los Angeles for the past quarter of a century, would have the name of Fred W. Wood mentioned to him among the very first. Nor would the result be far different should the question be asked in the various fraternities or political organizations of this city, as he was not only very popular in all of these circles, but was recognized as an efficient and patriotic citizen, ever striving to advance the interests of the com- munity with which he cast his lot so long ago.
In a business sense Mr. Wood was a self-made mau, for he had limited advantages in his youth, and was forced to rely upon himself alone in the battle of life. He was born in Prairie du Chien,
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Wis., April 28, 1853, and when five years of age removed with his parents to Illinois. His father enlisted in the Union army at the outbreak of the Civil war and their home was practically broken up during that stormy period. He was colonel of the Seventeenth Illinois Regiment of Volun- teer Infantry, and his two sons, Edwin and Chester F., were both soldiers in the war. In 1868 the family removed to Kansas City, Mo., where Fred W. received some high school privi- leges. He was but sixteen years of age, how- ever, when he began earning his own livelihood entirely, and from that time to the present has had no outside assistance.
For a year or more he was employed in the office of the Kansas City Engineer, and then went to northern Wisconsin, where he was engaged for three years in the construction of some of the lines of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad system. In the fall of 1873 he came to California, and in March of the following year he arrived in Los Angeles, which has since been his place of resi- dence. After spending a few months in various engineering, surveying and mining enterprises in this locality, he became interested, with Prudent Beaudry, in the construction of the Los Angeles city waterworks, and was associated with that great undertaking until its successful completion. For several years he was in the abstract business as a member of the firm of Gillette, Gibson & Wood, and next he was given charge of the immense task of laying out and planting the vineyards near San Gabriel, for J. deBarth Shorb, and of establishing the winery there. In 1889 he resigned his managership and became identified with the Temple street cable railway line in this city, and subsequent to the death of Victor Beaudry, the following year, he served as executive of the estate left by him. In addition to this, Mr. Wood managed the prop- erty of Prudent Beaudry, a brother of Victor Beaudry. The former died in 1893, but Mr. Wood continued to look after the interests of the heirs until his death.
In 1895 Mr. Wood became the general manager of the Los Angeles Street Railway Company, which controls nearly all of the important street railway lines in this city. The service in this particular in Los Angeles compares favorably with that of any other of the large cities of the
United States, and it is estimated that nearly two hundred miles of street railroads are in work- ing order here at the present time. Under the judicious supervision of Mr. Wood and the other officials of the company the general efficiency of the system was greatly improved, and it was his constant study and endeavor to furnish the peo- ple with a cheap, yet thoroughly adequate and satisfactory service. By those who have made the matter a study, it is said that no city of its size on this continent is provided with such a complete and far-reaching system of electric rail- roads, by means of which passengers can be transferred to all parts of the metropolis, at the price of a single fare of five cents.
In his business affairs Mr. Wood was vastly helped by his knowledge of law, which study he pursued in his leisure hours, for several years, finally being admitted to practice in the common and supreme courts of California, about eight years ago. He was a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and associate member the American Electrical Engineers and the American Institute of Architects. In addi- tion to the various enterprises which have been mentioned in which he has been concerned, it may be stated that he was a director in the State Building and Loan Association, and used his time and means in the material upbuilding of the city. Politically he stood high in the estima- tiou of his fellow-citizens, but, in the multiplicity of his duties, he had no desire to occupy public positions. He used his franchise in favor of the Republican party, and took a prominent part in the management of several local campaigns, being chairman of the Los Angeles county cen- tral committee at one time. In the fraternities he was greatly respected and an active member of the Masonic and Odd Fellows orders. In1 the first-named he reached the dignity of the Mystic Shrine and in the Odd Fellows he was a past master. He also was past master of the Legion of Honor.
Seventeen years ago Mr. Wood married Miss Leona Pigné-Dupuytren, who was born in Cali- fornia and is a grand-niece of the renowned Parisian physician, Dr. Dupuytren. Mr. and Mrs. Wood became the parents of a son, who bears the name of Warren Dupuytren. Mr. Wood died in Los Angeles May 19, 1900, at the
Btharrett
Photo by Marceau,
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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
age of forty-seven years, in the prime of man- hood. There are few people who deserve greater honor than he for the upbuilding of the city of Los Angeles, which now attracts visitors from all parts of the United States as well as Europe.
B ENJAMIN F. GARRETT, a soldier of the Civil war and a prominent horticulturist of Covina, was born in Pike county, Il1., May 2, 1835. His parents, John and Elvira (Churchill) Garrett, were natives of Kentucky and cast their lot with the very early settlers of Pike county, John Garrett having moved there in 1830. The paternal grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1812.
On the farm in Illinois where Benjamin F. Garrett passed the years of his childhood his sur- roundings and influences were, in the main, iden- tical with those of the hundreds of other farmer lads whose parents, through weary years of toil and privation in the pioneer days, paved the way for coming events of exceeding greatness. From an educational standpoint he was exceptionally for- tunate, being able to avail himself of the teach- ing in the public schools of Pike county, the Griggsville high school and the Illinois College at Jacksonville, I11.
Mr. Garrett's war record has fitted him to ex- cite to breathless interest the listeners around camp-fires, so long as they are lighted to remind heroes of their bravery and their country's appre- ciation. In 1861 he enlisted in Company K, Second Illinois Cavalry, and served under Grant and Sherman until after the siege and capture of Vicksburg, in which he participated. His sub- sequent engagements were at Fort Donelson, Fort Henry and at Jackson, and he was with Banks in the Red river campaign. He also fought at the siege of Mobile, after which his cavalry division was ordered to Texas, where they operated on the Rio Grande. In July, 1865, at the close of the war, he was mustered out of service at Holly Springs, Miss. He was not exempt from the misfortunes of war, having been captured and imprisoned for a short time. Twice wounded, he was at one time incapacitated for about a year, and later, during the Red river campaign, for six months.
After the war Mr. Garrett returned to Pike
county, I11., where for some time he taught in the common and high schools, continuing in the same line of work after his removal to Newton county, Mo. He was also interested in general farming and stock-raising, which he also carried on later in Douglas county, Kans. While there he became an office-holder of prominence, serving as trustee, clerk and treasurer.
In 1895 Mr. Garrett came to Southern Cali- fornia, which he now regards as his permanent home. He married Anna E. Adams, a native of Illinois, and of this union there are three chil- dren: Frances J., John M. and Marshall A.
While entertaining liberal ideas regarding the politics of the administration, Mr. Garrett usually approves of Republican principles, and votes that ticket. He is a member of the Masonic order of Newtonia, Mo.
J. VAWTER may be justly classed among the foremost founders of Santa Monica, for he arrived here before a building had been erected upon the present site of the town, and before an improvement of any kind had been made here. He also was one of the pioneers of Pasadena, and both towns owe a great deal to his foresight and enterprise during the critical period of their development. A broad-minded, liberal man, he has ever been ready to invest his capital in worthy undertakings, and by his jndicions help and timely influence he has safely tided over the crucial point in many a local en- terprise or industry which otherwise must have perished. For a quarter of a century he and his brother, William S., have been influential and highly esteemed citizens of Los Angeles county, and their innumerable friends through- out this region will take pleasure in tracing their history.
The father of these representative citizens was W. D. Vawter, a native of Indiana, and a suc- cessful business man throughout his mature life. E. J. Vawter was born in Vernon, Ind., about twenty miles north of the town of Madison, which is situated on the Ohio river. The date of his nativity is November 26, 1848, and he was an infant when he was deprived of his mother by death. When he was about twenty years of age he embarked in business on his own account, by
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taking charge of a local newspaper, which he managed with fair success for three years. Then, in company with his father, he conducted a mer- cantile establishment in Vernon for three years.
Having decided to try their fortunes in South- ern California, the family came to Santa Monica, where their keen judgment told them a thriving town would ere long be established. They opened a store and sold the first goods ever sold over a counter in this place, and for ten years they gave their chief attention to this line of business. They then engaged in the lumber and real-estate business, and built the first cement sidewalks in the town, as well as the first street- car line running to the Soldiers' Home. They established the First National Bank of Santa Monica, and, after managing it for five years, it passed into the possession of Senator Jones and his friends. The father and brothers then founded the Commercial Company of Santa Monica, of which our subject is the president to-day. A bank was a feature of the enterprise, but was discontinued in 1899. The company is one of the solid business institutions of the state, and its officers are men of sterling integrity and busi- ness sagacity. In 1896 the brothers built a waterworks plant in the southern part of Santa Monica, and it supplies all of that section of the town with pure, sparkling water. Their real- estate interests in that locality are extensive, and recently they embarked in a new venture, that of raising all kinds of flowers and plants upon their beautiful ranch.
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