USA > California > Los Angeles County > History of Los Angeles county, Volume II > Part 27
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On the 14th of February, 1917, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Steehler and Mrs. Rose (Hunsaker) Lashbrooke, who survives him and who, with their one child, Rosemary Hastings, born in 1918, continues to reside in Los Angeles, her home being at 417 South Mariposa Avenue.
Mrs. Steehler was born and reared in California, as was also her father, William J. Hunsaker, who was born in Contra Costa County and is a representative of one of the honored pioneer families of this state. His father crossed the plains to California in 1847, about two years prior to the historic discovery of gold which brought a great army of argonauts to this state in 1849 and the years immediately following. The father settled at Martinez, near San Francisco, and was one of the venerable pioneers of California at the time of his death.
WILLIAM TIERNEY, whose death occurred November 18, 1921, was a man whose career was of eventful order and who by his own fine ability achieved substantial success and became one of the substantial capitalists of California. From an article appearing in a Los Angeles daily paper at the time of his death are taken the following extracts :
"William Tierney, wealthy figure in sporting circles and for two years manager of the Tia Juana race track, died at the March Field Hospital early this morning from a fracture of the skull received when he was struck by the whirling propeller blade of an airplane yesterday afternoon.
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Mr. Tierney, who was the owner of the Lobban apartments (Los Angeles), where he lived with his wife, flew to March Field with Hubert Kittle, well known aviator, to attend a banquet given to parties interested in aviation. While the officers and men of the field were greeting the Tierney party Mr. Tierney was seen to walk directly into the whirling propeller blades of the machine from which he had just alighted. The blow fractured his skull, and he was rushed to the field hospital, where his death occurred."
William Tierney was born at Manchester, Iowa, February 15, 1863, and was a son of John L. and Catherine Tierney. John L. Tierney was born in Ireland and was a youth when he accompanied his parents to the United States, the family home being established at Schuyler, New York. Later he became a pioneer settler in Iowa, where he founded the town of Manchester, in which he erected the first building. There his death occurred, and his wife was left with a family of eight children. William Tierney gained his early education in the schools of his native town, and at the time of the gold boom at Deadwood, South Dakota, he made his way to that district and found work in the mines. There was celebrated his marriage with Miss Marie Uren, who was born in Michigan, and who died when their only child, John L., who is now a representative physician and surgeon in the City of St. Louis, Missouri, was only fifteen months of age.
In 1896 Mr. Tierney was among the first gold-seekers to go to the newly discovered field in Alaska, and thirty-four weeks were required to complete the trip to the almost inaccessible fields, the journey having been made over the historic White Pass. In Alaska Mr. Tierney met and became the personal friend of both Jack London and Rex Beach, who later achieved fame as authors of novels pertaining to life in Alaska. Mr. Tierney remained in that Arctic country until 1907, and he then made his way to Goldfield, Nevada, where he became associated with Tex Rickard and George Wingfield and where he won large financial success, his estate being still represented in large interests at Goldfield and Tonopah, Nevada.
In 1910 Mr. Tierney established his residence in Los Angeles, where he made judicious investments in real estate, besides which he had capital- istic interests in San Diego, and gained wide reputation in sporting circles during the two years that he was manager of the Tia Juana race track in the Mexican town of that name. Mr. Tierney was a thorough sportsman and business man, strong, vital and loyal, true to his friends and honest and upright in all of the relations of life.
On the 11th of October, 1910, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Tierney and Miss Emma Hermansen, who was born in Germany, but who has been a resident of the United States since she was fifteen years of age. The tragic death of her husband was a grievous shock to Mrs. Tierney, and their mutual devotion made his death the greatest of bereavements to her. She still resides in the Lobban apartment building, of which he was the owner, this being one of the many fine apartment buildings of Los Angeles and being situated at 1038 West Eighth Street.
Dr. John L. Tierney, only child of the subject of this memoir, has achieved high reputation as a diagnostician and lecturer in matters per- taining to the ductless glands of the human system. He was one of the principal speakers at the convention of the American Medical Association held at San Diego in 1920, and was in service one year in France, as a member of the Medical Corps of the American Expeditionary Forces in the World war. He is one of the leading representatives of his profession in the City of St. Louis. The Doctor married Miss Margaret Curran, a member of a prominent family of that city, and they have four children.
ROY L. SHY. A faithful police officer must ever be at war, for crime and lawlessness persist everywhere, and in addition to many other qualities he must possess in his dangerous vocation unusual personal bravery and undaunted courage in pursuing the path of duty. While these qualities may not always be appreciated at their true worth by his law-abiding fellow citizens for whom he daily risks his life, yet their exhibition arouses admira-
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tion and commands respect and brings him more sincere esteem as a man, aside from his official position, than he may conceive. This was evidenced by the people of Los Angeles in their mourning over the accidental death of Detective Sergeant Roy L. Shy, which occurred while on duty on April 15, 1922.
Roy L. Shy, who for fifteen years had been honorably identified with the police force of Los Angeles, was born at La Due, Henry County, Missouri, January 3, 1880. His father had served through the Civil war and after the conflict was over, settled in Henry County, Missouri, where he engaged in farming. Roy L. made a creditable record in the public schools of La Due and in the Normal School at Lawrenceburg, Missouri. He was twenty-one years old when he came to Los Angeles and secured a position as express messenger with the Wells-Fargo Company, where he continued until April 7, 1907, when he became a patrolman on the city police force and continued a member of this well regulated body until his death, well merited promotions coming to him from time to time until he became one of the most highly valued members of the detective branch. Among the numerous records of his efficiency and devotion to duty, one that particularly proved his quality was when he and his partner, Detective Crowe, went to Calexico in pursuit of a criminal, on which expedition both officers were taken sick with a fever and Crowe died, but Detective Shy kept on alone and captured his quarry before he succumbed. Such brave actions and fidelity to duty were not lost in their influence on his comrades, by whom he was admired, and honored.
Before joining the police force Detective Sergeant Shy married, in 1903, at Los Angeles, Miss Alice Mays, who was born at Indianapolis, Indiana, and survives with their two sons, Hugh and Carl. At one time Detective Shy was a deputy sheriff at San Diego, and there, as in Los Angeles, he had many friends. He was a member of the Christian Church and of the Masonic fraternity. His funeral was an impressive sight, from the beginning of the solemn services in the South Park Chris- tian Church, crowded to capacity with hundreds standing outside with bared heads, to the final rites in Inglewood Cemetery, where the Masons had charge of the services. The people mourned not only for the loyal, honorable, faithful police official, who died in seeking to protect their interests, but also for the brave, true-hearted man whom they had known as neighbor and friend.
H. O. STECHHAN is taking a leading part in the splendid activities of one of Southern California's outstanding civic enterprises that is unique not only in the United States but in the entire modern world of art and culture as well. He is general manager of the famous Pasadena Com- munity Playhouse Association, which post he has efficiently filled for three years. This organization is rendering a distinct public service by offering citizen-drama, thereby actually realizing the democratic art ideal of Percy Mackaye. That is, drama "of, for and by the people themselves," for their own entertainment, instead of by paid entertainers. Each suc- ceeding year the Pasadena Community Playhouse is making an admirable record by presenting plays, both classical and modern (most of which the commercial theatre of the day eschews) with the best of local casts and approved examples of artistic modern stagecraft, on a non-commercial basis.
Mr. Stechhan was born in the City of Indianapolis, Indiana, on the 4th of April, 1879, the only son of Otto and Rosa (Sahm) Stechhan, who established their residence at Pasadena in 1920, the death of the father having here occurred January 19, 1922. Otto Stechhan was a prominent furniture manufacturer in the capital city of Indiana, and specially notable for his progressive spirit and civic loyalty. He was the foremost person in the movement that led to the introduction of manual training into the public schools of the United States ; and as a member of the Indiana Legis- lature he sponsored the bill which resulted in establishing the Indianapolis Manual Training High School. He was a man of fine intellectual attain-
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inents and high ideals, and won recognition as one of the leading minor poets in the Hoosier State.
In 1894 H. O. Stechhan attended the Western Military Academy at Upper Alton, Illinois, and three years later he was graduated from the Indianapolis Manual Training High School, as valedictorian of his class. His higher academic education was obtained in Indiana University, at Bloomington, Indiana, as a member of the class of 1901. While an under- graduate in this institution. Mr. Stechhan gained distinction by winning the William Jennings Bryan prize in American history for writing the best essay on "The Participation of the House of Representatives in the Treaty Making Power." At the university he was one of the founders of the "Strut and Fret Dramatic Club," affiliated with the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, and took an active part in college journalism.
Immediately after leaving the university Mr. Stechhan took up news- paper work, in which his novitiate was served with the Indianapolis Sentinel. Later he was associated with the Indianapolis News, and in 1902, as repre- sentative of a newspaper syndicate, he participated in the strenuous gold rush to the Thunder Mountain District of Idaho. Thereafter he worked on the Seattle Times and edited "Pacific Northwest Commerce," a monthly magazine issued under the auspices of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce. For two years subsequently he was associate editor of The Town Crier at Seattle. In 1908 he became editor and publisher of the Wenatchee Republic at Wenatchee, Washington. As promotion representative of the Wenatchee Commercial Club he wrote a popular history of the apple and apple culture, the Wenatchee District being widely known as the "Home of the Big Red Apple." In 1909 he represented that district at the Spokane International Apple Show, and in the following year was its representative at the National Land Show in the City of Chicago. At the same time he assisted in the exploitation of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, following which he did important publicity work for some of the largest industrial and commer- cial corporations of the Pacific Northwest.
Mr. Stechhan came to Southern California in 1912 and here engaged in free-lance literary work. He has written a number of one-act plays that have been successfully produced in "big-time" vaudeville. He is the author of "Balboa," a spectacular pageant-play dealing with the discovery of the Pacific Ocean, this having been published in 1915 by the H. K. Fly Com- pany, New York City. "Balboa" will probably be produced in Los Angeles in the near future. He is also the author of short stories and other articles, some of which have been published in Harper's Weekly, The Forum, Smart. Set, The Theatre Magazine and other leading magazines and periodicals. In 1915 Mr. Stechhan suggested to the directors of the Panama-Pacific Exposition at San Francisco that they set apart a building at the world's fair for a drama-display, and this project was pronounced by the distin- guished French actress, Sarah Bernhardt, one of the most striking proposals for the advancement of the theatre that had ever come to her attention in all of her long and remarkable professional career.
From 1915 to 1918 Mr. Stechhan had charge of the publicity department of the Balboa Amusement Producing Company at Long Beach, California, making it one of the best known film companies of the industry's early days. Within this period also he wrote a number of comedy-dramas for the screen, and the same were successfully filmed. In 1918 Mr. Stechhan moved to his present home, at 264 East Orange Grove Avenue in Pasadena, to become manager of the Pasadena Community Playhouse Association. This organi- zation is recognized as the foremost, non-commercial theater in the United States. Primarily due to the able publicity work of Mr. Stechhan the Asso- ciation and its splendid productions have become known far and wide, and the institution is one of the first to be looked up by many of the host of winter visitors who come to Pasadena from all parts of the world. In three years Mr. Stechhan has been instrumental in building up the membership of the Association from 40 to 1,500, and as general manager he is giving a charac- teristically vigorous and effective administration, in which he takes account
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alike of the civic and social value of the work as well as the finer dramatic ideals. The Association was founded in 1917, and up to the first of Janu- ary, 1922, the total admissions to the Community Playhouse aggregated 250,000. Its seating capacity is less than 500. From an announcement issued by the Association are taken the following statements apropos of this record : "It is doubtful if any non-professional dramatic organization anywhere has ever surpassed this showing in four and a half years. It is one instance where 'the Prophet is not without honor at home.' The Com- munity Playhouse Association is building up a valuable property and ward- robe department, and it visions forward to a model playhouse of its own where the work for which the organization exists may be promoted more satis factorily to the players and the audience as well."
As an evidence of its appreciation and indicative of Mr. Stechhan's worth in this big work the Governing Board, through its president, James Wheeler Morin, recently addressed a glowing testimonial to him, which reads in part :
"The Pasadena Community Playhouse survives today largely because it has been blessed with a staff almost entirely composed of persons, in almost every instance, who have been devoted to the policy underlying our institu- tion ; and among them all I think you are almost the chief. I wish you to understand the deliberate judgment of the Board and of the friends of the Board, that you have rendered us a service far more than is 'nominated in the bond.' "
In this circumscribed article it is impossible to enter into details concern- ing the work of the Pasadena Community Players, in the shaping of whose policies and programs Mr. Stechhan has exercised a guiding hand at all times, but to note a few of the plays represented in the 1921-22 repertory will give some idea of the scope and breadth of the sterling ideals brought to bear in production : "Pilgrim's Progress," "Pomander Walk," "Seven Keys to Baldpate," "Little Women," "The Dawn of a Tomorrow," "The Things That Count," "King Lear," "Good Gracious, Annabelle," "Beyond the Horizon," "The Yellow Jacket," "Strife," "The Great Divide," "Ruddi- gore" and "The Pirates of Penzance" (Gilbert and Sullivan operas), "Potash and Perlmutter" and a lot of other equally interesting things. These titles indicate that the Pasadena Community Players are not "high- brow" but truly representative.
In its productions native writers are favored, and the American drama- tist has been widely represented. Each summer a number of worth-while outdoor presentations have been made in the open air theater of Brookside Park. The Association also conducts a summer art colony, a department devoted to juvenile dramatics, and it has promoted community songs, Easter and Christmas festivals and other projects representing cultural ideals in community affairs.
Recently, in association with Gilmor Brown, director of the Pasadena Community Playhouse and one of the best known among the younger pro- ducers for the American stage, Mr. Stechhan organized the Gilmor Brown Players, a semi-professional group, for the purpose of putting on literary drama for clubs, churches and high schools in Southern California. Their repertory includes "Arms and the Man," Shaw : "Twelfth Night," Shakes- peare; "The Importance of Being Earnest," Wilde; "The Romancers," Rostand; "The Imaginary Invalid," Moliere; The Old English Morality, "Everyman," and "The Book of Job" from the Old Testament.
In national affairs Mr. Stechhan is a republican, but in local elections he supports the men and measures meeting his approval, regardless of party lines. He has been a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks since 1902 and holds membership in the Pasadena Chamber of Com- merce, the Pasadena Community Playhouse Association, the Fine Arts Society, the Pasadena Kiwanis Club, the Young Men's Christian Associa- tion, the Authors' League of America, the National Drama League of America and is a charter member of the University Club of Pasadena, which he serves as secretary and member of the Executive Committee.
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At Tacoma, Washington, on the 2d of May, 1912, was solemnized the marriage of H. O. Stechhan and Miss Bessie F. Bruce, who was born at Missoula, Montana, a daughter of Charles and Mary Bruce. They moved to Seattle, Washington, when Mrs. Stechhan was a child, where she was reared and educated. Mr. and Mrs. Stechhan became the parents of two children, David, deceased, and Rosemary, who is four years of age at the time of this writing, in 1922.
HIPPOLITE VIGNES. Self-made men are to be found in every country, but nowhere have they developed as in the United States, for the oppor- tunities here afforded are so much better that one who possesses energy, ambition and thrift can rise far above his beginnings and take a place among the successful. In the career of the late Hippolite Vignes this was clearly demonstrated and his record proves that a man need not depart from the strict principles laid down in the Golden Rule to achieve the rewards of this world. A man of great ambition, he never allowed his desire for success to cloud his appreciation of the rights of others, and as a result he made and retained the warm personal friendship of many and the enmity of but few.
Mr. Vignes was born at Los Angeles, June 1, 1867, a son of John M. Vignes, who was born at Bordeaux, France, in 1826. John M. Vignes came to the United States in 1847 'and settled on the present site of Marysville, California, whence he removed in 1855 to Los Angeles. He married at the Plaza Miss Mercedes Ruiz, June 21, 1855, she having been born at Santa Barbara, California, September 24, 1835, of Spanish parentage, and a distant relative of Ramona. Their honeymoon was spent at his wife's uncle's home, a Spanish pueblo on Aliso Street, at that time the principal street of Los Angeles. To them were born seven children, of whom six are alive and residents of Los Angeles County, and there are twelve grand- children and eight great-grandchildren. Mr. Vignes was associated in business with his uncle, Louis Vignes, who came from France, and they had the first winery in this section, the site being at what is now Jefferson and San Pedro streets. Later he was engaged in the nursery business and carried on operations as an orange grower, and at one time owned one of the largest orchards in this section, from which he shipped fruit to all parts of the country. He was closely associated with and a warm friend of Governor Pico Pio. Mr. Vignes passed to his final rest December 6, 1909, his wife having died January 1, 1906.
Hippolite Vignes attended the public schools and St. Vincent's College, after leaving which he began to assist his father in the cultivation of the nursery and orchard, and was so engaged until he was about twenty-six years of age, when he was made deputy sheriff of Los Angeles County, under Sheriff Cline, and retained that post two years. Subsequently he worked in different parts of the county administration, and eventually became station master of the Salt Lake Railroad, holding that position until 1906, when he established himself in the produce business and remained there until his death, which occurred May 22, 1921. He made a success of his business, which developed and expanded rapidly, and this is now being carried on by his son. Public-spirited and charitable, Mr. Vignes always studied and fostered movements which aimed to improve the public weal, and worthy religious and educational enterprises did not seek his support in vain.
On October 4, 1894, at Los Angeles, Mr. Vignes was united in marriage with Miss Hannah Williams, a native of South Wales, who came to California in early girlhood. To this union there were born two children : Hortense Clair, born November 13, 1895; and Benjamin Charles, born June 27, 1898. The latter is carrying on the business founded by his father in a way that assures its future success, and is accounted one of the capable and energetic business men of the younger generation at Los Angeles.
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RICHARD HENRY NORTON was born May 5, 1851, a subject of Great Britain, and died at Los Angeles, California, January 25, 1921, a loyal and honored American citizen whose stewardship had been shown in large and worthy achievement. One of the most active practical idealists in the later political history of Southern California, Mr. Norton leaves a name and memory that should be viewed with rever- ence and gratitude by all lovers of true democracy and political free- com in this fair Southland.
Mr. Norton was a man whose desire was to serve others to the uttermost, without self-seeking. Coming to Los Angeles in 1900 and desiring to retire from active work in his profession, that of mining engineer, which he had followed in different parts of the world, he became interested in the hide-bound political condition of Los Angeles. He was a man who could not do things by halves. Any cause that claimed his interest automatically presented itself as one in which he must throw himself heart and soul. Whatever may be the grieving of the dear "Old Timers" for the "good old days" of convention and one-man rule of the government of California, the facts recognized by most people are that such a system was pernicious and oligarchical in the extreme. What was considered radical twenty years ago is recognized as conservative to-day. To the courage and vision of no one man more than to Mr. Norton is due the change in the old regime to the democratic principles of the initiative, referendum and the recall.
In 1902 Mr. Norton and Dr. John R. Haynes, with four other public-spirited citizens, organized the Direct Legislation League of Los Angeles. This organization was scoffed at and derided, but from its efforts came the present city charter of Los Angeles-providing for initiative, referendum and recall. In those days these few men had to fight not only active opposition but also that far more difficult enemy, public apathy and lethargic indifference as to the methods of bungling the city affairs. In 1904 a member of the Los Angeles City Council was recalled, pursuant to the provisions of the new city char- ter. Mr. Norton was the head and backbone of this movement, carried even its heaviest financial end, and again had the assistance of Dr. Haynes, as well as that, somewhat later, of the late Edwin T. Earl and Thomas E. Gibbon. This recall was the first in California, and proved what had seemed virtually impossible of achievement-that the power of the old political machine in Los Angeles was actually broken.
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