Historical and biographical record of southern California; containing a history of southern California from its earliest settlement to the opening year of the twentieth century, Part 79

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman pub. co.
Number of Pages: 1366

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The new building is 155x50, with an L, 32X 60, running northward. The style is in keeping with the so-called mission style. The structure is of solid stone. The purpose of the college is to prepare young men for the priesthood in the Franciscan Order. These young Franciscans are to perpetuate on the Pacific coast the work of the pioneer missionaries.

PROF. O. S. WESTOVER. After years of successful experience in the curio busi- ness in various towns of the west, in 1892 Professor Westover opened a store at Santa Monica and this he has since conducted, maintaining a business which, for diversity of collection and interesting features, has no super- ior on the coast. The building which he occu- pies stands on the beach and was erected by him, while he also superintended the building of his home on Third, near Arizona street. In addition to his business at Santa Monica he is interested in a store at Ocean Park and at one time conducted a curio business in Pasadena and Los Angeles.

O. S. Westover was born in Fayette county, Ind., October 11, 1832. He was one of seven children and is the eldest of three now living. A brother, Charles, lives in Placerville, Cal. Another brother, Fleming, was a member of an Iowa regiment during the Civil war and for many years afterward lived at the Santa Mo- nica, Cal., Soldiers' Home, where he died. The father, Hiram, a native of New York and mem- ber of a New England family, became a farmer of Fayette county, Ind., and later settled in Huntington county, same state, afterward re- moving to Union county, Iowa, and finally to Denver, Colo., where he died. His wife, Mi- nerva Campbell, was born in Maine and died

while the family were en route from Indiana to Iowa. She was a daughter of Daniel Campbell, a cousin of Alexander Campbell, the pioneer in the organization of the Christian Church.

When the family settled in Iowa O. S. West- over was twenty years of age and afterward he taught a subscription school, meantime endur- ing all the discomforts of "boarding round." In 1852 he taught a singing school in Union county, and when twenty-three years of age was elected justice of the peace, serving for one term. In 1862 he crossed the plains to Pike's Peak with cow-teams, and engaged in mining at Central City, Black Hawk, Russell's Gulch and Lake City. It was during his residence in Colorado that he began to collect curios and thus became interested in the business which he still follows.

About 1870 he started in business on Lara- mie street, Denver, and from there in 1882 came to Los Angeles, Cal., and opened a curio establishment on Spring street, this being one of the first of its kind in the city. Later he established himself in similar business: at Og- den and Salt Lake City, returning to California and starting his present store in 1892. In the various places where he has made his home he has made a specialty of collecting anything connected with the history of the locality. He has many interesting and curious specimens in his collection, which well repay careful study and examination.

The first wife of Professor Westover was Lu- cinda Lewis, who was born in Indiana and died in Iowa. Two daughters were born of that union, one of whom, Dora, died in Osceola, lowa, when twenty-two years of age. The older, Mrs. Cynthia May Westover Alden, is president-general of the International Sunshine Society, an author of national prominence, and for some time has been on the editorial depart- ment of the Ladies' Home Journal. She is a graduate of the State University of Colorado. In addition to her writings, she often enters the lecture field and her services are in frequent de- mand for public work of this nature. Her office in' New York City is at No. 96 Fifth avenue.

¿ Professor Westover married his second wife, Isabelle Cornelius, in Iowa. She was born in Indiana. By this marriage there are three chil- dren, namely: Mrs. Gracie Westover Carrillo, of Santa Monica; Walter Ritchie Westover, who is in charge of the Indian curio depart- ment at Wanamaker's store in New York; and Maude, who died at four years of age. Profes- sor Westover is a Republican, with Prohibi- tion tendencies, being a firm believer in the re- striction of the sale of all intoxicants. He has been an officer of the Good Templars' lodge and a member of the grand lodge and has also been connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

J. F. MENDENHALL. The successful business career of J. F. Mendenhall, culminat- ing in his present responsible position as super- intendent of the city parks of Los Angeles, is worthy of emulation, and in its scope for identi- fication with the future upbuilding of the city offers many possibilities. A native of the vicin- ity of Carmel, Hamilton county, Ind., Mr. Men- denhall was born June 26, 1844, a son of Ira and Martha (Phelps) Mendenhall. The ancestral connections of the Mendenhalls are first au- thentically located in Germany, from which country some bearing the name emigrated to England, and from the island home three brothers came to America. One of the broth- ers returned to Albion shores, and the two re- inaining located respectively in Virginia and North Carolina. As far back as can be traced they were Quakers in religious affiliation, and the paternal grandfather, Benjamin, who was born in the Old Dominion state, was one of the most ardent of this particular organization. He was one of the very early settlers of Greene county, Ohio, where he owned and ran an oil mill, and he was also one of the first to settle in Hamilton county, Ind., which he reached by team through the almost primeval woods. Set- tling in the wilderness a little north of where Indianapolis now stands, he experienced all of the trials of early Hoosier life, the Indians being particularly dangerous. His son, Ira, was born in Spring Valley, Greene county, Ohio, and became a farmer in Indiana, where he died about twenty years ago. His wife, Mar- tha (Phelps) Mendenhall, was born near Hills- boro, Highland county, Ohio, a daughter of John Phelps, who settled in Ohio, and later re- moved to Indiana, where he founded the town of Carmel. He was of English descent, and his first American relatives settled in the south. Mrs. Mendenhall, who died at the home of her son, J. F., in 1898, when eighty-one years old, was the mother of one son and three daughters, of whom J. F. is the only one living.

Until his eighteenth year J. F. Mendenhall lived on the home farm, and attended the dis- trict schools. In 1864 he went to Indianapolis and spent three years in clerical work in the office of the Northwestern Farmer, and after- wards spent a winter in Columbus, Ohio. Upon returning to Indianapolis he entered the bank- ing establishment of Fletcher & Sharpe, and for eight years held the position of teller of the bank. As an independent venture he then started in the seed business, and for six years catered to a large patronage in the sale of wholesale and retail farm and flower seeds. In June of 1886, he came to California and located in Los Angeles, and engaged in the real-estate business for two or three years, and was then employed in the city assessor's office and the office of the tax collector. Following this was his

appointment of secretary of the park commis- sioners to succeed P. A. Howard, a position which he maintained with credit from January of 1895 until January of 1901. This responsi- bility was resigned at the time to accept the superintendency of the city parks.

The Los Angeles park system, than which no finer exists in the United States, is maintained at a cost of about $60,000 annually, and the number of acres which delight the eye and sat- isfy the artistic appreciation of the most fas- tidious is about four thousand. The depart- ment was organized in 1889, in which year the State Board of Forestry donated fifty thousand trees, mainly eucalyptus: There are more than five hundred foreign trees and plants in the various parks. Animals also abound, and birds in great variety, many of which have been do- nated to the city by people interested in these playgrounds of the people. Artificial lakes have been added to collaborate with nature in completing a perfect whole, and these are sup- plied with water from the river and from the city reservoirs. Twelve parks compose the en- tire system: Westlake, Eastlake, Elysian, Hol- lenbeck, Echo, Central, Prospect, Plaza, St. James, South, Griffith, and the City Hall grounds. Of these Westlake park is the most popular in the city, and all that the mind of man can conceive of in landscape gardening is suggested in its most entrancing form. Beau- tiful and rare trees and flowers, swans and pel- icans and storks, rowboats and sailboats, band concerts, fireworks, and special entertainments draw people by the thousands, and hold them with the indefinable charm which surrounds places of this sort in Southern California. It contains thirty-five acres, ten of which are cov- ered by the lake, and is kept up at an annual expenditure of over $10,000. The name of Dr. E. A. Bryant is inseparably associated with this ideal retreat, for he it was who conceived and carried out the first improvements, planted the first tree, and launched the first boat. East- lake Park, containing fifty-six acres, with a lake of eight acres, has conservatories which cost about $5,000, filled with tropical plants and gorgeous flowers. Throughout the grounds are over three hundred varieties of rare trees, some of them valued as high as $400. Among the plants and flowers in the greenhouses may be mentioned orchids, gloxinias, one hundred varieties of imported Belgian azaleas, and there are over three hundred varieties of cacti. The animals form the nucleus of a really fine zoolog- ical collection. Hollenbeck Park was named for Mrs. Hollenbeck who contributed ten of the twenty-six acres comprising the grounds. Here also are many methods of amusement. and the aviaries, in which are kept parrots. canaries, Australian pheasants, quail and large numbers of tropical birds, form an interesting

Percy Q Towell

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HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.

study to the hundreds of visitors. Central Park, in the center of the city, is beautifully improved, and, guarding the main entrance, is the Spanish cannon captured during the war with Spain at Santiago, Cuba, and presented to the city by General Shafter, its captor. An- other item of interest in this park is the impos- ing monument erected by the city in memory of the soldier lads of the Seventh California Infantry who gave their lives for the cause of freedom in Cuba. One of the most interesting of the parks of the city is the Plaza, which was used by the Dons as a public meeting place when Spanish supremacy was acknowledged in California, and here were held the cock-fights and usual Spanish amusements, and here also was the public market place. Close by is the old Mission church, on North Main street, which was founded in 1818. Elysian Park, one of the most notable of the public amusement centers of Los Angeles, contains five hundred and thirty-two acres of land, and enormous sums of money have been spent in its improve- ment. Fremont Gate and the winding boule- vard cost the popular subscription of $27,000, and gave employment to over one hundred men. In the spring of 1889 thirty-seven thou- sand trees, donated by the State Experimental Station at Santa Monica, were set out at an expense of about $1,800. The nursery depart- ment of all the parks is located in the western end of this park, and the Botanical Gardens, at the head of Chavez ravine, contain the most complete collection of rare and beautiful plants and trees to be found in any of the other parks. Here is the tree which has made California the envied of all her sister states, the Sequoia Gi- gantia, and the Sequoia Sempervirens, or Red- wood, as well as the Juniperus Procera, the lat- ter the only specimen ever imported from west- ern Africa. Elysian Park is maintained at a yearly expenditure of $12,000, and twenty men are constantly employed. Besides those men- tioned there are Echo Park, with its boats and other means of amusement; Prospect Park, with its rare trees, among them the cinna- mon tree and palms; St. James Park, with its one acre of fine improvements; South Park, with its partial improvements, but great promise; Griffith Park, containing three thou- sand and fifteen acres, donated to the city by Hon. Griffith J. Griffith, and containing many fine specimens of the native live oak trees of California, but which is as yet unimproved; and Sunset Park, also unimproved, and at pres- ent used for oil purposes.

The marriage of Mr. Mendenhall and Helen McVickers occurred in Indianapolis, Mrs. Mendenhall being a native of Dayton, Ohio, and a daughter of Acher McVickers, a mer- chant tailor of Indianapolis, and one of the early settlers of that city. Mr. and Mrs. Men-

denhall have one child, Edith, who has a de- cided talent for vocal and instrumental music. Mr. Mendenhall is a stanch Republican, and in- variably votes that ticket. He is a charter member of the Indianapolis Board of Trade. Like his ancestors, he is religiously affiliated with the Society of Friends. No more public- spirited man has promoted the all-around well- being of Los Angeles, nor does any enjoy to a fuller extent the confidence and good-will of all who know him.

PERCY O. BUELL. Upon the broad and fertile acres of the old homestead in Chittenden county, Vt., which for more than a century had provided food and shelter for the ancestors of the Buell family, Percy O. Buell was born Sep- tember 10, 1876. The same rambling and com- modious farmhouse had also witnessed the birth of his father, H. J. Buell, who farmed the old place on an extensive scale and brought to perfection its possibilities for growth. In con- nection also he had a dairy scientifically con- ducted, and rose to a prominent place, as had his forefathers in Chittenden county. In 1884 lie disposed of the landmark with its old-time associations, resigned the office of first select- man and came to Santa Barbara county, Cal., buying a ranch in Montecito valley. He en- gaged in raising hay and grain with considerable success, and in 1888 bought out Wheeler's store at the Montecito postoffice and worked up a large trade in a general mercantile line, continu- ing the same until his death, January 15, 1899. The constantly increasing population and de- mand justified him in enlarging his store from its original 16x20 to 25x60 feet. He was highly esteemed in his adopted county, and his busi- ness sagacity and honest dealings caused him to be widely known throughout Southern Califor- nia. His time was divided between his ranch and store, and his application to business and desire to please won him a deserved success. His marriage to Elsie Whitton, a native of Ver- mont, was blessed with six children, four of whom are living: Percy O., Ada E., Arthur W. and Lester H. Mrs. Buell is still living, and with her children resides at Montecito.

Of his native state of Vermont Percy O. Buell has little remembrance, for he was a mere boy when his parents came to California. He was educated in the public schools of Santa Barbara county, and while quite young was initiated into the general merchandise business in his father's store. Since the death of the elder Buell he has continued to manage the affairs of the store with gratifying success, and from time to time intro- duces such modern and improving methods into his business relations with the public as to keep him in touch with the best commercial element of his county. More and more the surrounding agriculturists and home residents are appreciat-

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ing the benefits in their midst of a well-kept and up-to-date establishment, which thoughtfully supplies their needs at prices compatible with the best interests of all concerned. Mr. Buell is a wide-awake member of society, and has the confidence of all who know him. Fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Uni- form Rank.

JAMES CLINTON LEWIS. Twenty-five years after he first came to California, Mr. Lewis established his home in Los Angeles, in May, 1895. In September of the same year he purchased from R. W. Wood the mercantile business on Vernon and Central avenues, in South Los Angeles, and he has since conducted a growing and important trade on this corner. During 1901 he erected a business block, 27x90 feet, and two stories in height, in which build- ing he has since carried a large and complete stock of general mercantile supplies. A va- cancy occurred in the South Los Angeles post- office in 1895 and he was appointed to fill the same, assuming the duties of the office on the Ist of January, 1896, and holding the commis- sion until this locality was incorporated with Los Angeles proper. Corresponding with this change, the South Los Angeles office became Station K of the Los Angeles office, September 15, 1897, and he was chosen superintendent of the station, which position he has since held, the station now being in his new business block.

In Merthyr-Tydvil, county of Glamorgan, Wales, Mr. Lewis was born July 3, 1856, a son of Thomas and Sarah (Hussey) Lewis, natives respectively of Pembrokeshire and Monmouth- shire, England. His mother, who was a daugh- ter of Richard Hussey, died in 1885. His father, who was reared to a seafaring life, but early began to mine in Glamorganshire, came to California via Panama in 1863 and engaged in placer mining for some years, but is now liv- ing on a farm in Sierra county. Three of his children are in the same county, the fourth and oldest being James C., of Los Angeles. He began to work in rolling mills when ten years of age. October 6, 1870, he started for California, via. New York, Aspinwall and Panama, and after a voyage of six weeks arrived in Sierra county November 17. The following year he attended school for eight months, and this is all the schooling he ever had. From 1872 until the fall of 1876 he clerked for Kleckner Brothers at Port Wine, Sierra county. Next he was em- ployed as bookkeeper in the Bank of Ukiah, in Mendocino county. In 1879 he resigned the latter position and began prospecting at Hay- den Hill, Lassen county, Cal., but soon became a clerk at Adin, Modoc county, later acquiring an interest in the business and continuing as part owner for some time. In 1886 he sold his interest, but continued with the new firm for

three years, after which, until 1892, he served as justice of the peace, notary public and col- lector. His next location was Paisley, Ore., where he was clerk in a general store, remain- ing there until his removal to Los Angeles.

While living in Lassen county, in 1883, Mr. Lewis married Miss Lillie M. Kelley, who was born in Sacramento county, this state. They have one child, Harriet May. At this writing Mr. Lewis is a member of the state Republican central committee, representing the seventy- second assembly district. His connection with the Masonic order dates back to his residence in Ukiah, Cal., when he was made a Mason in Abel Lodge No. 146, F. & A. M. Later he was for two years secretary of Adin Lodge No. 250, and from 1884 to 1889 master of the same. At this writing he is connected with Pentalpha Lodge No. 202. He was raised to the Royal Arch degree in Lassen Chapter No. 47, later was high priest of Acacia Chapter at Adin, and is now a member of Signet Chapter No. 57, R. A. M., in Los Angeles. A further promotion in Masonry made him a Knight Templar in Las- sen Commandery No. 13, with which he is still connected.

JOHN LONGAWA. Having been one of the pioneers of California, Mr. Longawa is well posted concerning the development of this state, and no one is more interested than he in its advancement along every line of material, educational and moral progress. He is of Cana- dian parentage. His father, Paul, who was a native of the province of Ontario, took part in the Canadian rebellion as a McKinzie sup- porter, and consequently left that country and settled in the states. His last years were passed on a farm near Malone, St. Lawrence county, N. Y., and his wife, Sophia, also a Canadian by birth, died in the east. Of their nine children, four are living, John being the only one of the number in California. He was born on the homestead near Malone, N. Y., March 18, 1842. At the age of twelve years he began to learn the trade of a carriage painter, and in this he contin- ued at home until 1863. On the 12th of July of that year he took a steamer at New York for Aspinwall, then crossed the isthmus, and from there journeyed on the Golden Gate to San Francisco. Immediately after his arrival in Cal- ifornia he began to work at his trade. Succes- sively he had shops in Marysville, Sacramento and San Francisco, after which he spent two years in Virginia City, Nev. Returning to Sac- ramento, he remained there until 1876, at which time he settled in Santa Barbara.

Since coming to this city, Mr. Longawa has been proprietor of a painter's shop, first located on Cañon Perdido, near State street, in a build- ing erected under his supervision; but in 1899 he removed to No. 107 West Cañon Perdido

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street. In connection with this enterprise, he has a livery business, which he started in 1893 and which he now conducts at the same address with his carriage painting shop. The Club liv- ery is one of the old established enterprises of Santa Barbara, and its proprietor has built up an excellent trade through his uniform relia- bility of transactions and accommodating dis- position. It is said that, while in San Francisco, he was regarded as one of the best carriage painters in all of that city, and his success in striping was so remarkable that he was often called "John the Striper" by the other men in the trade.

The Republican party always receives the stanch support of Mr. Longawa, who is a firm believer in its principles. Fraternally he is con- nected with the Independent Order of Forest- ers and is a charter member of No. 613, B. P. O. E. After coming to Santa Barbara he married Miss Mary Walsh, who was born in Toronto, Canada, and came to this county in 1875. They are the parents of three children: Fred, John and Sophia, the daughter being the wife of Thomas Goux, of Santa Barbara.

CAESAR EUGENE LATAILLADE. Ever since 1892 Mr. Lataillade has represented the third ward of Santa Barbara in the city council, where he is now chairman of the committee on public buildings and the streets and plaza committee. This is not his first experience in municipal affairs, for as early as 1874 he was elected councilman, and re-elected each suc- ceeding 'year until 1878, when he resigned on going to Europe. During his first year in the council the city hall was erected, and recently he served on the committee that built the water tunnel, the city water works and secured most of the street grading and sidewalk improve- ments.

Born in Santa Barbara, December 7, 1849, Mr. Lataillade is a son of Armaud Cæsar Latail- lade, who was born in San Jean de Luce, South France, in 1819, a son of Thomas Lataillade. When eighteen years of age he went to Mexico with two brothers, and, as supercargo of a schooner, worked his way from South America and the Mexican coast to California. His first trip to Santa Barabara was made in 1841, on the brig Choto, with $10,000 worth of goods. On his second trip the value of the goods was $80,000. At various times he acquired owner- ship of various tracts of land, including the fol- lowing ranches: La Zaca, four thousand acres; Corralde Quate, thirteen thousand acres; Cuy- ama (Ist) and Cuyama (2d), seventy thousand acres. The two first named ranches he stocked, and in 1848 sold one-half interest to Gaspar Orena, with whom he continued in partner- ship until his death. December 22, 1848, he was appointed French consul at Monterey by

James K. Polk, the then president. April 12, 1849, he was killed by the accidental discharge of a gun. His body was interred in the old mis- sion.

In 1848 a family of thirteen were murdered one night in San Miguel mission by five strangers, two of whom were Germans, one Irishman and two Americans. Word was re- ceived by Armaud C. Lataillade that the men were coming his way. Gathering together fif- teen men, he went north a few miles to inter- cept them, but they escaped by the foothills. On his return to Santa Barbara, he heard that they were passing Montecito. Again sum- moning the fifteen men, he started in pursuit and overtook them at the present site of Sum- merland. One of the pursuing party overtook one of the murderers, but, before he could cap- ture him, an American murderer killed him with a shot gun. Another murderer, fleeing, threw himself into the ocean and was drowned. Four were captured, brought to Santa Barbara, con- fessed their guilt, and were shot on West De la Guerra street, three hundred feet west of State street. In April of the next year, Mr. Lataillade started with one thousand head of cattle for the mines in the north, while his partner, Mr. Orena, was gathering stock. While arranging his affairs here, on the eve of starting, he found one of the chimneys of his gun faulty, so he took a barrel from an old gun that one of the murderers had carried, went with it to a blacksmith and, while the black- smith was at the forge, he, never supposing the gun was loaded, put the old barrel in the fire. It was discharged into his groin and he died thirty-nine hours afterward.

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Historical and biographical record of southern California; containing a history of southern California from its earliest settlement to the opening year of the twentieth century, Part 79

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918 Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago, Chapman pub. co. Number of Pages: 1366

Author: Guinn, James Miller, 1834-1918
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman pub. co.
Number of Pages: 1366