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 33
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In 1850 Los Angeles County, besides the area it now has, included all of what is now San Ber- nardino and Orange Counties and nearly one-half of Kern County; in 1860, all of the area in Orange and part of Kern County, and in 1870 and 1880, all of Orange County.
COUNTY SCHOOL REPORTS.
The first Los Angeles County school report that I have been able to find, and probably the first ever made, is that of County Superintendent J. F. Burns for the school year ending Octo- ber 31, 1855.
It is as follows:
Total number of schools in the county
6
Total number of teachers ..
9
Total number of children attending school .
830
Average daily attendance ..
I34
Total number census children between 4 and 18 years. 1,522
Amount paid teachers by trustees .. . . $1,276
Amount paid teachers by patrons .. 766
Total teachers wages $2,042
Amount spent for building and pur-
chasing school houses .. .. .$ 8,230.75 Total amount expended on the schools of the county ·$10,272.75
Whole number of days taught 399
182
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL, RECORD.
Report for the school year ending October 31, 1860:
Number of schools in the county (3 gram- mar, 4 primary) . 7
Number of teachers (6 mnale, 5 female) .. II
Total number of pupils enrolled 460
Average daily attendance . 140
Total number of census children between 4 and 18 years. .
2,343
Paid for teachers salaries $ 4,827
Value of school houses built .
7,000
Total amount expended on schools dur- ing year
$11,827
The following table gives the number of cen- sus children, enrollment and the number of teachers employed at different periods between 1866 and 1900 in the schools of the county:
Year.
No. Census Children.
Eurollment Public Schools.
Enrollment Private Schools.
No. Teach- ers Public Schools.
1866 ....
2,445
58:
424
14
1869 . . ..
4,424
1,344
534
28
1876.
. . 9,319
5,469
829
86
1880. . .
10,602
6,055
572
130
1885. ..
15,130
11,368
1,031
21I
1890.
23,390
19,068
1,829
391
1895. . . 33,729
25,450
. .
600
1900 .. . . 47,227
32,396
....
839
The census age in 1866 and 1869 was between 5 and 15 years. From 1876 to date, between 5 and 17 years.
In 1889 the formation of Orange County from the southeastern part of Los Angeles took away from the latter county 4,095 census children, 31 districts and 72 teachers,
(For Los Angeles city school reports see Chap- ter XXIV.)
WEALTH OF THE COUNTY.
The following tables of the assessed valuation of property give the assessors' estimates of the wealth of Los Angeles County at different periods from 1852 to 1900, both inclusive.
The first report of a county assessor that I have been able to find is one made by Don Antonio F. Coronel, who filled the office from 1850 (when the county was organized) to 1856. It is made on unruled sheets of Spanish foolscap pasted together into leaves two feet long and stitched into a book of 34 pages, and is covered with blue calico. This one book constitutes the assessment roll for that year. The county then extended from San Juan Capistrano on the south to Tehachapi on the north, and from the Pacific Ocean to the Colorado River. Don Antonio made
a careful and no doubt accurate estimate of the value of the property in his extensive district.
The following are the principal items:
1852.
Number of acres assessed . 1,505,180
Value of real estate .. $ 748,606
Value of improvements . 301,947
Value of personal property 1,183,898
Total .$2,234,451
County assessor's report for the fiscal year ending November 29, 1856:
Total number of acres in the county
assessed 1,003,930
Value of real estate $ 402,219
Value of county improvements 230,336
Value of city real estate
187,582
Value of city improvements 457,535
Value of personal property .
1,213,079
Total $2,490,750
County assessor's report for 1860: Value real estate.
$ 547,253
Value improvements 897,118
Value personal property 1,620,330
Total $3,064,701
County assessment for 1866:
Total value of real estate and im- provements . $1,149,267
Total value of personal property 1,204,125
Total $2,353,392
Comparing the assessment of 1866 with that of 1856, it appears that not only was there no in- crease in value in ten years, but actually a fall- ing off of nearly $140,000. This was due in part to the destruction of cattle and sheep by the great drought of 1863-64. The greatest depres- sion the county has ever known occurred during the early '6os. The division of political senti- inent and the antagonisms growing out of the Civil war had considerable to do with the de- pressed condition of the county.
County assessments from 1864 to and includ- ing 1900:
Year.
Total County Assessment Including Railroad Assessment.
1864.
$ 1,622,370
1867.
2,556,083
1868.
3,764,045
1869
5,797,171
1870.
6,918,074
1871.
6,358,022
IS 3
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Total assessment
Year.
for each fiscal year.
1877-78
$ 5,871,881
1872
$ 9,147,073
1873
9,854,593
1879-80.
6,871,913
1874
12,085,IIO
1880-81
7,259,598
1875
14,890,765
1876
14,844,322
*
1882
20,916,835
1883 .
26, 138, 117
1884.
30,922,290
1887-88
27,803,924
1885.
35,344,483
1888-89
39,476,712
1886
40,091,820
1889-90.
46,997, 10I
1887
89,833,506
1890-91
49,320,670
1891-92
45,953.704
1889.
93,647,086
1890
69,475,025
1891
82,616,577
1892.
82,839,924
1893
77,244,050
1894 .
79,495,921
1895
84,797,196
1896
99,520,611
1897
92,580,978
1898
93,256,089
1899
98,391,783
1900
100,136,070
CITY ASSESSMENT-1860
Value each of real estate, improvements and personal property:
Value of real estate
$ 254,250
Value of improvements.
594,009
Value of personal property
577,389
Total.
$1,425,648
CITY ASSESSMENTS.
Year.
Total assessment for each fiscal year.
1860-61
$ 1,425,648
1861-62
1,299,719
1862-63
1,098,469
1863-64
1880
2,915
2,855
306
IO
1884.
5,596
4,684
208
343
Republican.
Democratic.
Prohibition, Native Anı.
1888 ...
. 13, 803
IO, IIO
1,266
81
Republicau.
Democratic.
Prohibition.
Populist.
1892 . . . . 10,226
8,119
1,348
3,086
1869-70
2, 108,061
1870-71
1871-72
2, 134,093
1872-73
4,191,996
1873-74
3,816,679
1874-75
4,589,746
1875-76.
5,935,219
1876-77
5,291,148
Republica1.
Democratic.
Native American.
1856.
.. 522
722
135
Breckenridge.
Donglass,
Bell and Everett.
1860
.356
703
494
201
Republican.
Democratic.
1864
555
744
1868.
748
1,236
Greeley,
O'Connor,
Republican.
Dem.
Deti.
1872.
. 1,312
1,228
650
Republican.
Democratic.
1876
.. 3,040
3,616
Republican.
Democratic. Greenback. Prohibit'n.
1864-65
878,718
1865-66.
989,413
1866-67
1867-68
1,271,290
1868-69
Rep.
Dem. and Populist.
Pro't'u.
Dem.
Party.
Social- ist.
1896. . 16,891
16,043
787
I31
81
108
1881-82 .
7,574,926
1882-83.
9,294,074
1883-84 .
12,232,353
1884-85 .
14,781,865
1 885-86
16,273,535
1886-87
18,448,535
1888
102,701,629
1892-93
45,310,807
1893-94
47,281,778
1894-95
47,396, 165
1895-96
48,814, 145
1896-97
52,242,302
1897-98
52,140,293
1 898-99.
60,930,266
1899-1900.
64,915,326
1900-1901
67,576,047
Vote of Los Angeles County at each presi- dential election from 1856 to 1896, both inclusive, figured on the basis of highest vote cast for any elector.
Republican.
Dem.
Dem.
*
Total County Assessment Including Railroad Assessment.
Year.
1878-79.
5,947,580
Nat.
Nat.
LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY.
The only attempt at founding any institution of the character of our modern reading room and library, during the Mexican era of our city's his-
184
HISTORICAL, AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
tory, was that made by the Amigos del Pais in 1844. The Amigos del Pais (Friends of the Country) was a society or club made up of the leading citizens of the town, both native and foreign. A lot 100 varas square, free of taxes, was granted the society by the ayuntamiento. An adobe building was erected and fitted up with a dancing hall. A reading room was partitioned off from the main hall and a small library of books collected. There were no daily news papers in the reading room. A newspaper six months old was late news, and a book of the last century was quite fresh and readable. The Amigos for a time enjoyed their social privileges and the society flourishied. Then the society ran in debt and its membership fell off. The build- ing was disposed of by lottery. Andrés Pico
drew the lucky number. The McDonald Block, North Main, stands on the site of the Amigos' hall. After the American conquest several at- tempts were made to found a library and reading room. The Mechanics' Institute, in 1856, '57 and '58 was a flourishing literary association. It maintained a course of lectures which were well patronized. The society owned a corrugated iron building on North Spring street, where the Southern California Savings Bank Building now stands. It was ambitious to found a public library and reading room, but the times were un- propitious. Money was scarce and population migratory. The society died and its good inten- tions perished with it or went where all good in- tentions go.
In the early '70s, when the city began to take on a new growth, the project of founding a public library was again revived. On the 7th of Decem- ber, 1872, a meeting was called at the old Merced Theatre, located on North Main street just south of the Pico House or National Hotel; the build- ing is still standing but long since ceased to be used as a theatre. Over two hundred citizens were pres- ent. Gen. J. R. McConnell, a prominent lawyer, acted as president, and W. J. Broderick, then the proprietor of a bookstore, acted as secretary. Sixty- six vice-presidents were selected from the promi- nent men of the city. The Los Angeles Library Association was formed, and a committee was appointed to canvass the city for members, sub- scriptions and donations of books. This commit- tee included ex-Gov. John G. Downey, H. K. W. Bent, Harris Newmark, W. J. Broderick and S. B. Caswell. A life membership cost $50; a yearly membership $5.
Governor Downey gave the use of four rooms on the second floor of his block, corner of North Main and Temple streets, free for three months; these rooms were fitted up with open shelves, news- paper racks and reading tables. The first board
of trustees consisted of J. G. Downey, S. B. Cas- well, H. K. W. Bent, G. H. Smith, Ignacio Sepulveda, W. H. Mace, A. W. Potts, T. W. Temple, R. H. Dalton, Gen. George Stoneman, E. M. Stanford, W. B. Lawlor and J. R. McCon- nell; this board to have control of the library and the appointment of the librarian and assistants.
The legislature of 1873-74 passed an act author- izing the levying a small tax on the property of the city for the maintenance of the library. In 1878, by act of the legislature, the mayor and members of the city council were made ex-officio a board of regents to manage the affairs of the library.
During the '70s subscriptions, donations, balls, theatrical performances and membership fees mainly supplied the funds for the purchase of books and periodicals. The amount raised by taxation was barely sufficient to keep up the run- ning expenses, salary, rent, etc. The period be- tween 1880 and 1889 was not covered by so many donations, but occasional subscriptions and mem- bership fees kept the library running until the adoption of the new charter changed the manner of conducting the institution. The new charter dispensed with the board of regents aud provided for å board of five directors appointed by the mayor. In July, 1889, the library was removed from the Downey Block to the city hall. The Dewey sys- tem of classification was then adopted and is still used. The records show that the library then contained just 6,600 books. An extra large ap- propriation was made that year on condition that $10,000 be applied to the purchase of books.
The librarians, with their term of service, are as follows:
J. C. Littlefield, December, 1872-January, 1879 Patrick Connolly, January, 1879-June, 1880
Mary E. Foy, June, 1880-January, 1884
Jessie A. Gavitt, January, 1884-January, 1889
Lydia A. Prescott, January, 1889-April, 1889
Tessa L. Kelso, April, 1889-May, 1895
Clara B. Fowler, May, 1895-June, 1897
Harriet C. Wadleigh, June, 1897-June, 1900 Mary L. Jones, June, 1900
In 1891 the annual membership fee which at that time was $3.00 was abolished and the library inade free. A training class was organized the same year for training attendants and the follow- ing year (1892) the board of education placed school libraries in custody of the library board.
The total number of volumes in the library November 30, 1899, was 51,334 and the home circulation for the year preceding that date was 26,358,898. The appropriation for the year 1899 was $26,850. The library now occupies all of the third floor of the city hall and all of the avail- able space in the attic.
185
HISTORICAL, AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF SOUTHERN CAL- IFORNIA. Although Southern California is rich in historical material, yet more than a century passed before any society was organized for its preservation. On the evening of November 1st, 1883, in a room of the old Temple Block, corner of North Main and Market streets, used at that time for a council chamber, the following-named gentlemen met for the purpose of organizing an historical society : Col. J. J. Warner, Gen. Jolını Mansfield, H. D. Barrows, N. Levering, Prof. J. M. Guinn, Maj. C. N. Wilson, ex-Gov. J. G. Downey, Prof. Ira More, J. B. Niles, A. Kohler, Don Antonio F. Coronel, George Hansen, A. J. Bradfield, Maj. E. W. Jones and Prof. Marcus Baker. The question of organizing a society was discussed and a plan formulated. At a sub- sequent meeting held December 6th, officers were elected, a constitution and by-laws adopted and the organization completed. The first officers of the society were: J. J. Warner, President, H. D. Barrows, A. F. Coronel, J. G. Downey, John Mansfield, Vice-Presidents; J. M. Guinn, Treas- urer; C. N. Wilson, Secretary. Its meetings at first were held in the council chamber, later on in the city court room, and now at the houses of niembers. During the seventeen years of its existence about two hundred persons have been received into membership. Of these thirty are dead, a number have been lost through removal, withdrawal and non-payment of dues. The active membership is now about fifty.
The Society has issued fifteen annual publica- tions of papers read before it or contributed to it. These publications make over twelve hundred octavo pages and form four complete volumes of valuable history. It has expended in publication, purchase of books and newspaper files about $3,000 cash; and in addition to this it has received in donations of books, curios, files of papers, periodicals, pamphlets, manuscripts, maps, etc., historical material worth at least $3,000 more. Its library includes bound volumes and pamphlets, in all about five thousand titles. Its publications have a wide circulation. They are sent to his- torical, scientific and geographical societies, to public libraries and to the leading colleges and universities of the United States and Europe. Its present officers are Walter R. Bacon, Presi- dent; H. D. Barrows and Mrs. M. Burton William- son, Vice-Presidents; J. M. Guinn, Secretary and Librarian; and Edwin Baxter, Treasurer.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. The Southern California Academy of Science first bore the name of the Southern California Science Association. It was organized in 1891. Its first president was Dr. A. Davidson, and Mrs. Mary E. Hart filled the position of secretary. Its
growthi was slow at first. In 1896 the associa- tion was reorganized and took its present name. Since then it has had a healthy growth. Its present officers and Board of Directors are: W. H. Knight, President; Abbot Kinney, First Vice-President; J. D. Hooker, Second Vice-Presi- dent; W. C. Patterson, Treasurer; B. R. Baum- gardt, Secretary; Prof. J. A. Foshay, D. W. Cun- ningham, Prof. W. L. Watts, A. Campbell Johnston, Prof. Melville Dozier, Dr. S. M. Woodbridge, Directors. Its prospectus thus out- lines the object of the society: "It is the special province of our Academy to engage in those investigations which will acquaint us with our physical environment. No richer field exists for the prosecution of scientific inquiry than that of which Los Angeles is the metropolis. Its pecul- iar topographical features, rugged mountain chains, varied mineral deposits, and plains and fertile valleys, and its strange forms of animal and plant life, furnish abundant material for the physicist and the student of nature." The Academy has an active membership of about one hundred and fifty. The members are divided into sections for special and technical work. The following are the principal sections:
Astronomical-B. R. Baumgardt, Chairman, Prof. Melville Dozier, Secretary.
Botanical-A. Campbell Johnston, Chairman; Louis A. Greata, Secretary.
Agricultural Experiment-S. M. Woodbridge, Director.
Biological-Prof. B. M. Davis, Chairman; Miss Alma S. Brigham, Secretary.
Geological-Prof. Theodore B. Comstock, Chairman; W. M. Jones, Secretary.
General meetings are held the second Tuesday evening of each month from September to June inclusive.
PIONEERS OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY. Among the purposes for which this society was organized are "to collect and preserve the early history of Los Angeles County and to perpetuate the mem- ory of those who, by their honorable labors and heroism, helped to make that history." The work, therefore, of this society is largely histori- cal in its nature and it cannot be classed with purely social or fraternal societies, extended historical notices of which it has been found im- possible to insert in this work.
The preliminary meeting for the organization of a Pioneer Society was held in the business of- fice of the Daily Herald, then located on Third street in the Bradbury Block, August 2, 1897. There were present J. M. Griffith, A. L. Bath, H. S. Orme, M. Teed, J. M. Elliott, J. W. Gillette, J. M. Guinn, H. W. O' Melveny and W.
-
1 86
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
A. Spalding. The question of forming a Pioneer or Old Settlers' Society was discussed and a com- mittee to formulate a plan of organization was appointed. The members of the committee were: H. D. Barrows, J. W. Gillette, J. M. Guinn, Dr. H. S. Orme, Dr. J. S. Griffin, Harris Newmark, Henry W. O'Melveny and B. S. Eaton. The president of the meeting, J. M. Griffith, was made a member of the committee. At the mneet- ing of the committee, August 5, B. S. Eaton was made chairman and J. M. Guinn secretary. A sub-committee, consisting of B. S. Eaton and H. D. Barrows, was appointed to draft a constitution and by -laws and submit them to the general com- mittee at a meeting to be held on August 10. At that meeting the name of the organization was chosen and the time of residence in the county . necessary to render a person eligible to member- ship was fixed at twenty-five years. It was argued that by adopting a movable date for eligibility to membership the society would con- tinue to grow, whereas if a fixed date was adopted the society would begin to decline as soon as all eligible had been enrolled. The growth of the society has proved the wisdom of this argument. A call was issued for persons
eligible to membership under the twenty-five year residence clause to meet at the Chamber of Com- inerce, September 4, 1897, at 8 P. M., for the pur- pose of adopting a constitution and by-laws, electing officers and otherwise completing tlie organization. At the meeting of September 4 twenty-four persons were present and signed the roll. The constitution and by-laws prepared by the committee after a few changes were adopted. The following-named persons were chosen a board of directors: Louis Roeder, W. H. Work- man, H. D. Barrows, J. M. Griffith, B. S. Eaton, J. M. Guinn and H. W. O'Melveny. The directors then proceeded to elect the officers of the society from their number. B. S. Eaton was chosen President; J. M. Griffith, First Vice-Presi- dent; W. H. Workman, Second Vice-President; Louis Roeder, Treasurer; and J. M. Guinn, Secre- tary. The society grew rapidly and at the end of the first year its membership reached two hun- dred; it now numbers three hundred. Its
present officers are: President, W. H. Workman; First Vice-President, R. R. Haines; Second Vice- President, S. A. Rendall; Treasurer, Lonis Roeder; Secretary, J. M. Guinn; Directors, B. S. Eaton, M. Teed.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
PASADENA-THE CROWN OF THE VALLEY.
R. HIRAM A. REID, in his excellent his- tory of Pasadena, published in 1895, lias so thoroughly investigated the sources of Pasa- dena history that there is but little original matter left for those who come after him to examine. In this brief sketch I shall draw to a considerable extent from the doctor's extensive storehouse of facts.
Dr. Reid devotes considerable space in discus- sing the origin of the name of the rancho on which Pasadena is located and its early owners. It may be possible that the baptismal name, "Pascual," of old Hahamovic, chief of the Hahamog-na tribe of Indians, was applied to the region where these aborigines dwelt, but I have found nothing in iny researches to confirm the statement and I doubt whether the story is founded on facts.
Doña Eulalia Perez de Guillen's title to the rancho San Pasqual seems to me to be rather mythical. There is more of romance than reality in it. The story runs that Padre José Maria Zalvidea, after his removal to San Juan Capis- trano, prepared a deed to three and one-half square leagues of land for Eulalia Perez de Guillen and sent it to his friend and successor, Father Sanchez, at San Gabriel, who approved and rati- fied it on Easter Day (called "San Pascual in the Spanish language"). Unfortunately facts do not confirm this romantic story of the origin of the name nor do they confirm Doña Eulalia's title either.
At the head of the list of twenty-four ranchos named by Hugo Reid as belonging to the Mission San Gabriel, when Padre Zalvidea was in charge
187
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
of that mission, appears the rancho San Pasqual. It was certainly so named before Father Zalvidea was transferred to San Juan Capistrano. And again Padre Sanchez was not the successor of Zalvidea, but his contemporary at the mission from 1821 to 1826. If Zalvidea had wished to provide for Doña Eulalia he could have made the deed while at the mission and secured the sig- nature of Father Sanchez if it had been worth while securing it; but the missionaries had no power to deed away the mission lands. These lands belonged to the government and in theory at least were held in trust for the Indians. In 1826, when this deed was supposed to have been made, the Mission San Gabriel was flourishing and the fear of secularization was not imminent.
I think it is extremely doubtful whether Doña Eulalia Perez de Guillen ever had any claim whatever to the rancho San Pasqual; and conse- quently could not have given it to Juan Marine, her discarded husband, in exchange for his house and land at San Gabriel.
Dr. Reid in a note written, as he tells us, after his chapter on the Pre-Pasadenian was in type, gets on the trail of the first private owner of the rancho. Had he found the following entry in the proceedings of the ayuntamiento of Los Angeles, dated December 27, 1833, it would have saved him a great many "unsuccessful trips hunting for documents," and possibly some romancing about the origin of the name. "An espediente was read wherein Don Juan Marine asks posses- sion of the place known as 'Rincon de San Pascual.' The gefe politico asks for a report in conformity with the law in the matter."
After discussion, "it was decided to report that Don Juan Marine is possessed with the necessary qualifications to make that petition, and the land he solicits is not within the twenty leagues consti- tuting the neighboring grant; that it has tempor- ary irrigable lands and a watering place for cat- tle and belongs to the San Gabriel Mission." Marine's application was made after the decree of secularization had been promulgated, but before it had been enforced. Governor Figueroa granted the rancho San Pasqual to Don Juan Marine in February, 1835.
It may be possible that San Pasqual is abbrevi- ated from "La Sabanilla de San Pasqual" (the altar cloth of Holy Easter). It is more probable that the poppy fields so brilliant at Easter time sug- gested to the padres the name given the valley -- Rincon de Sau Pasqual-and that is all the romance that attaches to the name. From Marine or his heirs the rancho passed to José Perez. It would seem from subsequent proceed- ings that Perez' claim was abandoned or probably "denounced," for November 28, 1843, Governor
Micheltorena granted the rancho to Don Manuel Garfias, a young officer of the Mexican army, who had come to California with the governor. Garfias married Luisa Abila, a daughter of Doña Encarnacion Abila. On April 3, 1863, a United States patent for theland comprised in the rancho San Pasqual was issued to Manuel Garfias, but before he had obtained his patent he and his wife, January 15, 1859, had deeded all their "right, title and interest as well" in possession as in expectancy in the rancho to B. D. Wilson.
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