USA > California > Los Angeles County > History of Los Angeles county, Volume II > Part 32
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In the autumn of 1849 a devastating fever broke out in the mines and scores of its victims struggled back to the settlement. Grandma Brunner's house was soon filled. Then sufferers spread their blankets under adjacent oaks, and she and the little girls cared for all as best they could. Again, in an epidemic of small-pox, the Brunner household were nurses to the whole community. Women folks were so few that even such young girls were eagerly welcomed at social gatherings ; homesick fathers sought word with them ; lonesome wives were ever on the waiting list to "borrow" them for brief visits, and universally kind sympathy followed the "little Donner girls" because of the tragedy linked with their name.
It was Captain Hooker's old colored mammy from whom Eliza received her first primer, and the officers of the barracks taught her to write. One of the latter, then Lieut. Tecumseh Sherman, ever remained a warm friend ; and another, Lieutenant Stoneman, became governor of the State of Cali- fornia. Although Mrs. Brunner did not attach much importance to "book learning," Eliza attended the first school at Sonoma for a brief time, and when Miss Doty's school opened the old lady, who could not spare both at a time, sent the sisters month about, and later permitted them a half term at St. Mary's Hall. When thirteen Eliza's half-sister, Elitha, wishing her to have better educational advantages, placed her in the convent at Benicia. This was followed by several years of arduous application in the schools of Sacramento. One of her gala days in the latter city was that on which, amid fervid excitement, the first pony express from eastern points dashed through the streets and on to the waiting boat en route to San Francisco.
On October 10, 1861, occurred the marriage of Eliza Donner to S. O. Houghton, of San Jose, a soldier of the Mexican war and a public-spirited citizen who was closely identified with the upbuilding of the state from its inception and represented it in the Forty-second and Forty-third Congresses. Five sons and two daughters were born to them, of whom Herbert Sutter died in infancy, Francis I., in 1895, and Charles Donner, in 1920. S. O. Houghton, Jr., Stanley W., Eliza P. and Clara H., all residents of Los Angeles County, survived her. In 1869 Mrs. Houghton and her husband were at the lake, timing their visit so as to return on the first train through to Sacramento of the transcontinental railroad. The beauty of this spot of sacred memories to her is best known to the general public by the famous painting of Bierstadt.
Many from far and near sought Mrs. Houghton in the comparative seclusion of her later years at Los Angeles, and numerous clubs and socie- ties conferred upon her honorary membership. Like all her race she was an ardent churchwoman, active in the Episcopal parish of St. James and St. Barnabas. Though a happy wife and a loving mother, she ever carried a touch of melancholy in her great, dark eyes and on her beautiful face a subtle, tender expression that bespoke sympathies easily touched by the suffering of others. Her gentle, yet spirited personality was an inspiration to those without as well as within her home circle until the day of her death. February 19, 1922. In accordance with her last request her ashes were placed in the grave of the husband with whom she lived in devoted fellowship for three and fifty years.
SHERMAN OTIS HOUGHTON bulked large in the affairs of California, and no history of the state should be written without reference to his services. He was one of the first American soldiers to come to Cali- fornia, and played a conspicuous part in the subsequent history and
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development of the state. He was a soldier, an able lawyer, and a real statesman. From 1886 until the close of his life he was a resident of Los Angeles County. The county and city owe a lasting debt to him particularly for his services in keeping Los Angeles city on the main line of the Southern Pacific, and also for his leadership in building the deep-water harbor at San Pedro.
Sherman Otis Houghton was born in the City of New York, April 10, 1827. The Houghton family traces its descent from a Norman ancestor who went to England at the time of the conquest. The first American of the lineage was John Houghton, who immigrated from Lancaster, England, arriving at Charlestown, Massachusetts, in 1635. Ile was one of the founders of Lancaster, Massachusetts, and for several terms represented that town in the general courts. llis descendants were active in the Indian and French wars.
Abijah Houghton, the grandfather of the late S. O. Houghton, was among the Minute Men at Lexington and Concord, and received a bullet and bayonet wound at the battle of Bunker Hill. The father of S. O. Houghton entered the military service of the United States at the beginning of the War of 1812, as captain of artillery, and attained the rank of colonel. For many years he was a journalist, being a life long friend of Horace Greeley.
In the maternal linc Sherman O. Houghton was descended from French Huguenots who early settled in "East Jersey." His great- grandfather in this line, Bethuel Farrand, served as a lieutenant in the New Jersey troops during the Revolution and was present when Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown. His grandfather, Daniel Farrand, was also with the patriot army. Rhoda Farrand, wife of Bethuel Farrand, was one of the patriotic women celebrated by Wash- ington Irving and others for their work in alleviating the sufferings of the soldiers encamped for the winter at Morristown, New Jersey. Shc received personal thanks from General Washington for her efforts in that behalf.
S. O. Houghton was educated at the Collegiate Institute of New York. At the age of eighteen hc enlisted in the First regiment of New York volunteers, commanded by Colonel J. D. Stevenson. This regiment was mustered into the service of the United States in July, 1846, and after a six month voyage arrived in San Francisco, March 26, 1847. Soon afterward he accompanied a detachment of the regiment commanded by Lieutenant Colonel H. S. Burton to Mexico, and there participated in numerous engagements with Mexican troops. By his twentieth ycar he had won a lieutenancy and was adjutant of his command.
At the close of the Mexican war Mr. Houghton returned to Cali- fornia, arriving in October, 1848. The next year he was one of a party of four who was the first to dig gold in the famous mining district of Sonora, California. In the latter part of 1849 he located at San Jose, and remained in that city until he came to Los Angeles in 1886.
During his residence at San Jose he became an active figure in the state's destinies. He held several municipal offices, was elected clerk of a senate committee in the first Legislature of California, in 1854 was a deputy clerk in the State Supreme Court, and in 1855-56 was mayor of San Josc. He was ordnance officer on the staff of Major-general Halleck, and during the Civil war drilled a company of infantry and another of light artillery for active duty.
He was admitted to the bar in 1857, and for years made a specialty of litigation arriving out of Spanish and Mexican land grants. A number of these cases he carried to the Supreme Court of the United States, and thus perfected title to vast areas.
In this history of Los Angeles County special attention is due his Congressional service. He represented the first district of California in the Forty-second Congress. This district comprised a portion of
WILLIAM H. RORICK
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the City of San Francisco and extended south to the Mexican border. He was reelected to the Forty-third Congress. While in Congress his work for the inner harbor of San Pedro was commenced and continued without interruption through the liberal appropriation he secured for that purpose. He also introduced a bill in Congress for an appropria- tion to cover the expense of an examination by United States engineers of the feasibility of a deep-water harbor at San Pedro and secured a favorable report from them.
While Los Angeles thus owes to him the preliminary work insuring the city a harbor, it is perhaps even more indebted to the veteran lawyer for the Congressional influence he was able to exercise to keep the city on the main line of the Southern Pacific Railroad. When the extension of this road through to San Francisco was projected the company agreed to make Los Angeles its rate terminal point in Southern California provided the citizens would acquire the railroad from Los Angeles to San Pedro and present to the company as part of the system. This was done. Later the Southern Pacific engineers reported that the route through Soledad Canyon was impracticable because of caving and resultant expense of construction, and there- fore recommended that the road be built from a point in the San Bernardino Valley north through Cajon Pass. A bill was introduced into Congress authorizing this change, and tremendous pressure brought to bear upon Colonel Houghton to support it. But as such a change of route would consign Los Angeles to a mere spur track and thus throw the center of wholesale trade elsewhere, probably to Colton or San Bernardino, he inaugurated a determined and successful fight against this, defeated the bill and kept Los Angeles on the main line.
For many years Colonel Houghton was vice-president of the Western Pacific Railroad Company, built by authority of Congress from Sacramento to San Jose to connect the Central Pacific with San Francisco. After establishing himself in Los Angeles he handled many important cases involving extensive riparian rights, in which branch of the law he was a recognized authority.
Colonial Houghton was a charter member of the Society of Cali- fornia Pioneers and was one of the five veterans of the Mexican war selected to represent that organization in the re-incorporation of the Veterans' Home Association, of which he was elected director in 1882 and so served until he resigned in 1884.
Colonel Houghton was married twice, each time to a survivor of the "Donner party," whose tragic experiences at Donner Lake during the memorable winter of 1846-47 are a part of the early history of California. His first wife, Mary M. Donner, daughter of Jacob Donner, left one child, also named Mary M. His second wife was Eliza P. Donner, and the story of this interesting woman and California pioneer is fully told in the preceding sketch. '
After retiring from his law practice Colonel Houghton spent his remaining years on a large country place near Long Beach, where he died August 31, 1914, at the age of eighty-six, leaving five surviving children, S. O. Houghton, Jr., Charles Donner, Stanley W., Eliza P. and Clara H., all residents of Los Angeles County.
WILLIAM H. RORICK. Death on July 15, 1921, removed a pioneer and highly respected business man of Los Angeles in the person of William H. Rorick. He had been actively identified with Southern California affairs upwards of half a century, and for many years was engaged in the laundry business, being organizer and general manager of the American Laundry Company.
He was born in 1859 at Wauwatosa, near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, son of Abraham and Jane Anne Rorick. The Rorick name is a contraction of the name Roderick. Two noted resorts in Central New York, Rorick Falls and Rorick's Glen, were at one time owned by a brother of Abraham
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Rorick. Abraham Rorick was a cabinet maker, and for a number of years followed that vocation in New York, where he and his wife were born. Later he removed to Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, and owned and con- ducted an extensive farm, including a large tract of valuable timber and stone quarries. Jane Anne Rorick was a Barnard, a member of the dis- tinguished family of scholars, scientists and educators, including one who was president of Columbia University and in whose honor Barnard Col- lege, the Woman's Annex to that University, is named.
William H. Rorick was reared and educated in Wisconsin, and in 1875 came to Los Angeles. For several years he with his father cultivated oranges in a grove at what is now the northeast corner of Central Avenue and Jefferson Street. In 1880 he became associated with his brother, Charles Rorick, in the grocery business, and the firm of Rorick Brothers, grocers, enjoyed a prosperous existence for seventen years. The home of their store was on the site now occupied by the Title Insurance Building.
Mr. Rorick in 1900 organized the American Steam Laundry Com- pany, and equipped its first plant at Fifth and Central streets. In 1904 he erected the large and complete plant at the corner of Eleventh and Los Angeles streets, and he continued the active management of this successful concern until forced by ill health to retire, about eight months before his death.
In his life time and since his death his many friends have spoken of his virtues as a business associate and of his sterling character and rugged honesty. He possessed a code of honor that marked him as the true gentleman. He was a loving husband and father, and always endeavored faithfully to do his duty to his God, his country, and his friends. He en- joyed the life of the outdoors, and only three days before his death he returned from a vacation of one month at Pine Crest in the San Bernardino Mountains.
Mr. Rorick is survived by Mrs. Rorick, whose maiden name was Nellie Ryan. She is a native daughter, born at San Francisco, her father and mother going to that city in 1865 from New York. Her father was a Union soldier in the Fifty-second New York Regiment, a regiment re- cruited in New York City. He served his enlistment until wounded, and later re-enlisted. He was in the battle of Cold Harbor, Virginia, May 30, 1864, receiving wounds that confined him in the Baltimore, Maryland, Na- tional Hospital from May, 1864, to February, 1865. His discharge papers were signed by Brigadier General Morris and Assistant Surgeon McGill. Shortly after leaving the army service he came to California. Mrs. Rorick was ten years of age when she came to Los Angeles to live with an older sister. She was married to Mr. Rorick in 1892, and they enjoyed a most happy and ideal companionship for nearly thirty years. The only son is Walter B. Rorick, who became associated with his father in the laundry business, and since his father's death has become the active head of the American Laundry Company. Walter Rorick married Miss Katherine Hodges, of Oklahoma. They have two children, Dorothy Adele, born in 1918, and William Walter, born in 1919.
GEORGE EDWARDES HALL was a man whose fine personality and excep- tional talent found expression both in distinguished histrionic work and in scenario writing, in which latter field of endeavor he achieved specially high reputation and was one of the most loved and honored representatives of the celebrated film colony in Los Angeles County. All who came within the sphere of his influence felt a sense of personal loss and bereavement when Mr. Hall passed forward to eternal rest, his death having occurred July 2, 1922, at his home, 6415 Romaine Street, in the City of Los Angeles. Though his health had become impaired, Mr. Hall had continued his splendid work as a scenario writer to the end of his life, and his last service in this line was for the Robertson Cole Company. In his productions for the screen he had
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written largely also for other organizations of representative order, including Metro, Pathe and Universal.
Prior to his active identification with the screen industry Mr. Hall has gained high reputation on the speaking stage, and had appeared in important productions both in this country and abroad. He had the distinction of being a member of the Actors Order of Friendship, which was founded by Edwin Forrest and the personnel of which is perpetually limited to 100 actors, eligibility being determined by high achievement in the theatrical profession and by possession of fine personal characteristics. Mr. Hall was one of the pioneers in the moving-picture art and industry, and in all parts of the United States thousands of persons have found pleasure, instruction and diversion in the admirable productions that exemplified his skill as a writer of scenarios. He was director for the British Colonial Company of London, England, for several years. His widow, Mrs. Constance Brinsley Hall, likewise has been a successful and popular writer of scenarios, as well as of other literary productions. The companion- ship of the two was idyllic in all of its relations, in company they had traveled the world over, and to Mrs. Hall came the maximum loss and bereavement of her life when the gracious companionship was severed by the death of her loved and devoted husband, who is survived also by their two sons, Benjamin and George Edwardes, Jr.
Mr. Hall attained to the thirty-second degree in the Scottish Rite of the Masonic fraternity, and it was under the auspices of this time- honored fraternal order that his funeral was held, the obsequies calling forth a full representation from the film colony and also a host of other friends and admirers of the decedent. Interment of the mortal remains of this loved actor and writer was made in beautiful Forest Lawn Cemetery at Los Angeles.
MRS. J. T. ANDERSON. Prominent so long in the field of practical philanthropy, it occasions no surprise at the present time to find women identified with helpful enterprises in every community, and the day has come when recognition is given of their ability to organize and direct these movements also as they bear a noble part in all that concerns human welfare. California has reason to be proud of her great body of capable, intelligent, far-seeing women, and none of her cities can offer better examples than Los Angeles. One of the notable women of Los Angeles at the present day is Mrs. J. T. Anderson, who is president of the Council of Community Service of California.
Mrs. Mary (Hall) Anderson was born at St. Louis, Missouri, and is a daughter of I. Newton and Isabel Hall, the former of whom was born in the City of Norwalk, Ohio, and the latter at St. Louis. She early devel- oped musical talent, and this was cultivated in the best schools of Chicago, Boston and New York, and under such famous private instructors as Emil Leibling. In later years, after becoming a resident of California, she became widely known as a musician, for a long period being director of music in public schools, clubs and churches. Prior to 1895, in which year she was married to Mr. J. T. Anderson and came to reside permanently in Los Angeles, she had accompanied her family on annual tourist visits to Cali- fornia. Mr. Anderson is a graduate of Iowa University and has taken post- graduate work in Iowa University, Berkeley and in Chicago University. He is a lawyer by profession, a writer of scientific and sociological works, and identified with educational development throughout the state.
Mrs. Anderson and her sister, Miss Hall, who is an artist, did much pioneering work in bringing about the recognition of music and art in the public schools of Los Angeles and in organization of art and music centers in clubs, libraries and schools. Mrs. Anderson was the organizer of the Shubert, now the Wa Wan Club, which at that time was the largest music and drama club in the United States and enjoyed the co-operation of the late Madam Modjeska. During this time and later Mrs. Anderson was
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chairman of the music department of the Los Angeles District Federation of Woman's Clubs, and organized the Civic Symphony course and also the Peoples Sunday Afternoon Popular Concerts.
No extended or laudatory comment need be made concerning the value of women in California or any other state of the Union during the World war. Mrs. Anderson's useful activities began early and continued to the end. She was chairman of the Los Angeles Council of Defense; chair- man of the Woman's division of the Hoover Food Administration ; county chairman of the Woman's Liberty Loan fund through five campaigns ; county chairman of the county organization of the Red Cross in the first roll call and again chairman in the second call; chairman of the organiza- tion of committees and centers for the salvage department and also of the Survey division of the Red Cross. Mrs. Anderson was also throughout the war a representative of the following departments of Government service (with the privilege of franking) conferred on her by United States: Treasury Department; Department of Justice; Department of the Interior; Twelfth Federal Reserve District and Federal Fair Price Committee. For five years she supervised in the Home Gardens move- ment, co-operating with Departments of Interior and Agriculture, and was very proud when Los Angeles' Food pledges, numbering $215,000, ranked Los Angeles the first city in the United States.
At the close of the war, at the request of national, state, county and city officials, a woman's organization was formed, the nucleus of which were the old precinct committees of war bodies. These faithful, experienced women of Los Angeles named their organization The Council of Com- munity Service, and it was conducted as such until 1921, when it was in- corporated under the laws of California under the name of Council of Community Service of California, to co-operate with similar bodies in other cities. The National Council of Women functions in Los Angeles through this organization. The work is carried on entirely by voluntary contributions. It is made up of individuals and group units organized for real and complete service, done quietly and efficiently. With Mrs. J. T. Anderson as president, the thirty-four other officers and directors represent an organization or club of which she is president or special representative. Mrs. Anderson is a member of the Friday Morning Club, the Woman's City Club, the Wa Wan Club, and the Society of American Musical Optimists, and additionally is a complimentary member of twenty organiza- tions and clubs.
LILLIAN E. PADDOCK, one of the most talented musicians of Los Angeles, is finding expression for her abilities through the teaching of music under Godowsky's special teachers' method and in specializing in accompanying in addition to her piano solo work. She was born and educated at Cleveland, Ohio, in which city her mother was born. Her father went to Ohio in 1863. From childhood displaying undoubted talent for music, her parents had her carefully trained, and she did her first serious work as a disciple of MacDowell, and later was under various other teachers of note. Subsequently she took a rigid training in pipe organ work under Charles Ferry, the far-famed pipe organ teacher now accomplishing so much at Paris.
The system, much used in colleges, under which Mrs. Paddock is teach- ing is a progressive series of piano lessons which form a complete textwork for piano study, arranged in accordance with approved teaching principles. The series consists of printed lessons and exercises, studies and composi- tions, with instructive annotations. The lessons, with supplements on ear training, orchestral instruments and music history, treat the twenty-two sub- jects embraced in the theory of music, in connection with the principles of piano playing, as done in a thorough conservatory course. The exercises are the work of master pianists, and are designed to produce the greatest proficiency in technic with least amount of practice. The studies, selected from the best in existence, are so edited that the pupil will develop the
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greatest amount of skill in interpretation. They are thoroughly annotated so that the student may have full instructions on how to analyze and practice ever before him. The compositions represent eighty-five standard composers and include the finest examples of classic, romantic and modern schools, and a series of educational adaptations for the piano in easy grades by Godowsky.
Mrs. Paddock is firmly convinced of the efficacy of this series for a number of cogent reasons, among them being that the series saves time and expense. It saves the drudgery of unintelligent practice. It saves endless repetition of oral instruction. It develops the intellect. It aids in memorizing, perfects technic, insures correct interpretation, gives the pupil the proper understanding of the law of music, their relations to each other, and their practical application. It enables the teacher to impart more knowledge in a given time, and the pupil to receive more. Only teachers who have passed the required examinations are permitted to teach it, and in this way the student is insured efficient instruction. A number of the leading conservatories honor certificates issued by the Progressive Series teachers, students presenting them being allowed full credit for work done without examination.
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