History of Los Angeles county, Volume II, Part 33

Author: McGroarty, John Steven, 1862-1944
Publication date: 1923
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 840

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Not only has Mrs. Paddock made a name for herself in the world of music, but she has a daughter equally talented, Mrs. Evelyn Paddock Smith, concert pianist, who is available for concerts, club programs, recitals and musicales. Mrs. Smith was born at Chicago, Illinois, and was educated at Indianapolis, Indiana, Portland, Oregon, Chicago, Illinois, and Los Angeles, California. She took her musical training under Mrs. Francis Striegil Burke, of New York City, who was a personal pupil of Leschetizky. Her press notices have been very gratifying, and among others worth preser- vation are the following :

In speaking of Mrs. Smith the Portland Oregonian said in a recent issue: "Here seems to be a genuine piano talent, supplemented by fine intelligence and, judging from the size of her repertoire, an unusual capacity for work. There was a complete absence of self-consciousness. This was particularly noticeable in the group of eighteenth century pieces with which the program opened, in which the Bach Preamble was a bril- liant tour de force, taken at tremendous speed but with flawless clarity. In the Chopin group, one was amazed at the strength and breadth of the Scherzo, and the Schumann 'Carnival' was delightful, not only because of the intrinsic loveliness of the composition, but because it was played with great variety of expression and color. The scale work in Arensky's 'Etude' was impeccably smooth and clear, and in that good old test piece of pianissimo, Liszt's 'Campanella,' Mrs. Smith aroused her audience to genu- ine enthusiasm."

Referring to the same program mentioned above, the Spectator said : "Her program was delightfully arranged, and especially pleasing was her second number, the Bach 'Preamble,' which she played with true musi- cianly gift in subtile coloring, and with a fine delicacy of appreciation. The Schumann 'Carnival,' so lovely in all its brilliancy and glow of romance, is always appealing and came as a refreshing composition to most of the audience, for it is so seldom played in concert. But in the Russian com- positions Mrs. Smith was able to express more fully the color and glow of the compositions in sweeping effects. Her Chopin numbers, too, were played with rare ability and surprising breadth. It is not too much to say that Mrs. Smith has that poetic expression and subtle appreciation that will bring to her music an ever glorious touch."

The Musical Leader in one issue said of her in part : "Mrs. Smith plays with great brilliance and breadth, displaying the beautiful tone-color and interpretations acclaimed only by an artist of serious study. She revealed real artistic ability and musicianship."

Another journal said: "Mrs. Evelyn Paddock Smith's playing com- bines remarkable facility with a special quality of sincerity and depth and beauty of tone."

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Another notice stated: "Mrs. Smith is clearly gifted as a serious, intellectual pianist who plays with fine sympathy and understanding. She possesses sound technique and masters tonal finish. In interpre- tation she is excellent, and is among the best of the professional pianists of the city."

She married Paul R. Smith, August 3, 1919, in Los Angeles, son of Mrs. and Mr. W. D. Smith, of Salem, Oregon. Mrs. Smith was one of the first teachers whose pupils were granted credit in the Oregon Schools. Since coming to California she has appeared as guest at- many of the reading clubs, including Hollywood Woman's and Santa Monica Woman's clubs. Her studio is at 12 Hollister Terrace, Santa Monica.

J. R. WALLER. There are some individuals who in the face of fierce and determined competition on the part of an opponent whom they deem stronger than they are willing to accept dominance and supervision of their actions. There are others who are willing to fight valiantly in the face of even the most overwhelming odds and who would rather go down with colors flying in support of a principle than to submit to what they believe is unfair and unscrupulous. To the latter class belongs J. R. Waller, of Los Angeles. The greater part of his career until recent years consisted of a continued and persistent fight against big interests which sought to bring him under their dominance. In the end his persistence and courage won him the battle, and today he is the largest independent dealer in cash registers west of Chicago.

Mr. Waller was born near Booneville, Missouri, May 28, 1866, and is a son of Robert E. and Annie Elizabeth (Guthrie) Waller. His father was born near Covington, Kentucky, in 1830, and his mother in Virginia in 1843, and for the past sixty years they have made their home in Missouri, where they have engaged in farming and raising live stock. Robert E. Waller was for many years a teacher in the public schools, served as justice of the peace and has been always a leading citizen. He is a democrat of the old Kentucky school. At the age of more than ninety-one years he is known throughout the surrounding country as "Squire" Waller, and has the respect and esteem that only come to those who have led useful and honorable lives. Of the six sons in the family five are still living.

J. R. Waller's educational training was limited to attendance at the district school taught by his father, and his earliest memories are those attached to work on a Missouri farm at a wage of fifty-five cents a day. The country was all new, and the residents were democrats practically with- out exception. When he was eleven years old a new neighbor moved into the community who was at once dubbed a "Black Republican." When the lad, after first viewing this curiosity, voiced his astonishment at his white appearance, he was gravely informed by his elders that he was "black inside." Transportation in those days was slow and newcomers few in that section. At the age of eighteen years young Waller, with an elder brother, rented 160 acres of land, and after working the entire year sold their crop for sixty dollars. This decided the youth that farming was not to be his vocation, and he accordingly sought employment in a drug store. at a wage of twenty-five dollars per month, at Malta Bend, Missouri. He retained this position for eighteen months and then went to Denver, Colo -. rado, where for two years he was clerk in a hotel at Manitou Springs. Subsequently he spent about two years as salesman in the furniture store of Johnson & Myers, and in 1892 opened a retail grocery store, of which he was proprietor for two years. Coming to Los Angeles in 1894, he opened a real estate office at 221 West Second Street, but business proved slow. He offered two fifty-foot lots, each with a good two-story house, located next to the Burbank Theatre Building, for $3,500 each, but no buyers appeared. His offer of a good seven-room house on Wall Street for $1,850 also brought no buyers, and after two years of this kind of discouraging work he gave up the realty business.

J. R. Haller

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At this time the cash register was just becoming practical, and Mr. Waller's foresight told him that the business was due to prove a paying one. He accordingly secured the local agency for the Globe cash register, and at first gave as a premium with the sale of each 1,000 cigars, selling the register for $37.50 cash, or for $40 in yearly payments. A year later the Hallwood cash register appeared in the field, and in 1900 Mr. Waller began selling this line for Frank Wear, who at that time was local agent for the company. In a few months he succeeded Mr. Wear and controlled the agency for Southern California, and in spite of the fact that he was battling against monopolistic and unfair competition succeeded in building up an enviable business, employing a large sales force and selling a large production. This was at that time a sub-agency, being a portion of territory assigned to Isaac Freeman of San Francisco, who con- trolled all the Pacific Coast territory. Sufficient pressure from trust head- quarters was brought to bear to cause Mr. Freeman to retire from the field, and when all Pacific Coast stores were closed Mr. Waller was forced to abandon a highly satisfactory and remunerative business which he had built up in the face of the most monstrous competitive conditions. This is a type of methods since barred by permanent injunction by order of the Federal courts.

Deprived of his business, Mr. Waller accepted a position as sales agent for the Bond Automatic Weighing Machine, with his headquarters at Chicago and New York City, necessitating his removal to the East, where he remained for one year. He then returned to the cash register field, locating at Detroit, and later, through the direction of W. T. Wells, then general manager of the Hallwood Company, he took charge of the Western Cash Register Company at Chicago, this being the largest independent cash register company in America. He gave great added impetus to this concern, and after one year was appointed traveling sales manager and chief instructor of agents for the American Cash Register Company, suc- cessors by reorganization of the Hallwood Company. In this capacity he traveled extensively through the United States, instructing sales agents, but when his longing for California became too strong he resigned his position and in 1908 again took up his residence at Los Angeles and at once opened a large store at 643 South Spring Street as an independent, non-trust cash register store, again assuming his courageous stand on his old battlefield in the sale of his favorite Hallwood.

Mr. Waller's was the only independent store on the coast, and the trust immediately resumed hostilities. The competitive battle soon assumed such proportions that the Federal authorities were aroused, resulting in Federal court action. In this now-famous trial, which occurred at Cin- cinnati, Ohio, Mr. Waller was one of the chief witnesses, and through his testimony sixteen Southern California merchants were transported to Cincinnati to give evidence, with the result that a permanent injunction . was made operative against the business octopus. Thus, with fair com- petition restored, Mr. Waller has built up a splendidly successful business of an independent nature. In 1912 he moved to his present establishment, at 353 Los Angeles Street, to enable him to keep in touch more effectively with the wholesale district shoppers. He has always believed in pro- gressiveness and fairness, paying a living wage to his employes and extend- ing generous and courteous service to his patrons. He has succeeded in placing his business in the front rank, and is now sole owner of the largest independent cash register store west of Chicago. Mr. Waller is active in various civic movements and is a hearty co-worker in all that affects the welfare and advancement of the city of his adoption. He is a member of the Optimist Club of Los Angeles, of the One Hundred Per Cent Club of this city, of the Los Angeles, Chamber of Commerce, of the Commercial Board and of the Automobile Club.

On September 15, 1892, at Jefferson City, Missouri, Mr. Waller was united in marriage with Miss Minnie M. Mahan, who was born at Jefferson City, February 21, 1870, a daughter of Thomas B. and Versilla Mahan.

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Mr. Mahan was a strong character and one of the most highly respected men of his county, where he served for twenty-two years in official capaci- ties, including two terms as county tax collector, two terms as county treasurer, two terms as sheriff and several years as councilman of Jefferson City. He was a modest, unassuming man, with many friends. A stanch democrat, "The Red Fox," as he was known, never suffered defeat at an election. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Waller : Edith M., born December 14, 1894, at Los Angeles, educated at the Los Angeles High School and Business College, who is now stenographer for the Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company; Genevieve Leona, born in 1897, a graduate of the Manual Arts School and the University of Southern California, who is now teaching in the public schools ; and Roy Alexander, born December 12, 1899, who is now a salesman in the employ of his father. Both of the daughters of Mr. Waller are accomplished pianists. The sad death of the mother of these children occurred at Los Angeles March 8, 1921.

HON. ENOCH KNIGHT. Many of the older men of Los Angeles have been called to their final reward, but the influence of their upright, honorable and useful lives remains and is plainly shown in the lives of the present generation. They worked hard to lay solid foundations, and the superstructures reared thereon are fashioned in accordance with what had been already built. One of these broad-minded, liberal- handed and representative men of earlier days was Judge Enoch Knight, one of the ablest practitioners at the California bar, and a learned and deeply venerated occupant of the bench.

Judge Knight was born at Sweden, Maine, in 1834, and was there educated and admitted to the bar. At the outbreak of the war between the two sections of the country he raised a company, which he commanded during the period of the war, and he and it saw their heaviest service under General Butler in the New Orleans campaign. After receiving his honorable discharge Judge Knight returned to Maine and resumed the practice of his profession, remaining at Port- land, that state, until 1888.

Leaving his native state in 1888, Judge Knight came to California and, establishing himself at Los Angeles, opened an office in the old Bryson Building. Immediately he began to take an active part in the affairs of the city, and was one of the early members of the California Club, which was then located in the Wilcox Building, Second and Spring streets. He also belonged to the Sunset Club, an organization of sixty members, and was its first president. This club still holds meetings once a month, at which time papers are read and a dinner is served. A zealous democrat, Judge Knight was receiver in the United States Land Office under President Cleveland. In addition to his large and important private law practice Judge Knight did a great deal of newspaper writing, book reviewing and other literary work, and was considered an authority upon many subjects outside of the law, as well as an expert upon professional matters.

By his first marriage, which occurred at Portland, Maine, Judge Knight had three sons and one daughter. He married a second time, in 1900, but only lived eight years thereafter, passing away in June, 1908. Fraternally he maintained membership with the Knights of Pythias. In his passing Los Angeles lost a loyal and public-spirited citizen ; his associates, a kind and sympathetic friend, and his family, a devoted husband and father, and his place is still vacant.

BENJAMIN FORER was prominently identified with business affairs in Southern California for more than a quarter of a century, and became one of the representative business men and honored and influential citizens of Los Angeles, where he numbered among his close friends many of the prominent men of this metropolitan district.

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He was best known for his earnest and liberal support of charitable and philanthropic agencies, to which he gave much of his time and attention during the closing period of his life. Mr. Forer was actively concerned . in the founding of nearly every Jewish charitable organization in Los Angeles, and for years was a director of the Kasper Cohn Hospital and an officer of the Hebrew Sheltering Association, both of which noble institutions profited largely from his zealous service and liberal support. He was for years deeply interested in the Jewish Con- sumption Relief, a national organization maintaining a well ordered institution at Duarte, Los Angeles County, and of this he was pres- ident four years. Mr. Forer served as president of B'rith Abraham Lodge of the O. B. A., was one of the founders and builders of the beautiful Beth Israel Temple, and was president of the synagogue for many years. Those in affliction and distress invariably found a helper and a friend in the person of this noble man, who manifested in unselfish service his fine sense of personal stewardship. Generous, genial and kindly, he won the affection as well as the unqualified respect of the community in which he long lived and wrought to goodly ends, and where at his death the entire Jewish population turned out to pay a final tribute of honor to him, his funeral having been one of the most largely attended of all Jewish funerals ever held in Los Angeles, and rich and poor, Jew and Gentile, having marked his death with a sense of loss and sorrow. His final illness was of brief duration and his death occurred November 19, 1921.

Mr. Forer was born in Russia, and was a young man when he came to the United States and established his residence at Paterson, New Jersey, where he engaged successfully in mercantile enterprise. It was about twenty-six years ago that Mr. Forer came with his wife and their four daughters to Los Angeles, where he became associated with different lines of mercantile business and won substantial financial success. His wife, Jennie Forer, whose death occurred five years previous, was greatly loved for her kindness and gentleness to all. Their four daughters remain residents of Los Angeles, California, namely : Lillian, who is the wife of Charles Spitz; Annie, who is the wife of David Horowitz ; Birdie, who is the wife of Louis Rosenmayer ; and Sophie, who is the wife of Morris Klein.

ALMA STETZLER has prestige as one of the talented and successful exponents of voice culture in the City of Los Angeles and is director of the opera classes in the Egan School, her studio being in the Egan Theater Building.

Miss Stetzler was born near Fairbury, Illinois, and is a daughter of George Root and Amanda (Laufear) Stetzler, both representatives of families that were founded in America in the Colonial days and that gave patriot soldiers to the nation in the War of the Revolution, the Root family having had kinship with General Anthony Wayne, one of the heroic figures in the annals of American history. George Stetzler was born at German- town, Pennsylvania, and he and his wife became pioneer settlers first in Illinois and later in Kansas. They finally established their home in Kansas City, Missouri, and it was there that their daughter Alma received her earlier education. As a girl Miss Stetzler gave evidence of marked musical talent, and in the cultivating of her exceptionally beautiful voice she was favored in receiving instruction from such talented teachers as the famous Barducci, who for years was manager of the Lombardi Opera Company ; and Oscar Saenger, one of the foremost vocal teachers in the City of New York. Miss Stetzler's first engagement was with the English Grand Opera Company of Henry W. Savage, and in the meanwhile she became the wife of Francis J. Boyle, who had been for five years with the same company and later was a member of the cast of "Chu Chin Chow," presented by Morris Gest. Mr. and Mrs. Boyle, the latter of whom has retained her maiden name for professional use, were for varying periods associated in the ranks of the companies of Charles Dillingham and the Shuberts, and

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as a member of the Shubert Opera Company Miss Stetzler appeared in "The Peasant Girl," at the time when the celebrated Clifton Crawford like- wise was a member of the cast. She was for three years with "The Choco- late Soldier," under Fred C. Whitney ; occasionally she returned to grand opera; and she appeared also with the Aborn, Sheehan, Boston and Castle Square Opera Companies. She gained high rank and has been in active professional work twenty years, including Chautauqua and concert engagements.

In her service as a teacher Miss Stetzler did her first work while with Mr. Savage, and she frequently had classes of students in the Savage com- pany while en tour. In vacation period she maintained studios in New York City, where she maintained her home many years. With an opera company she went to Texas, where she sang during an engagement of twenty-five weeks, and she then returned to Kansas City to care for her `mother, who was in impaired health and whom she brought to California. Upon her arrival in this state she became associated with Roland Paul, one of the leading singers and teachers of Los Angeles, and they opened their music studio at the Egan Dramatic School, with which Mr. Paul was con- nected for a term of years. Special attention was here given to training children for practical operatic work, and in this special field of her art Miss Stetzler has attained marked success and high reputation. She takes enthusiastic interest in the training of promising voices and preparing children thoroughly in all phases of opera work. Opera-score recitals figure as an impetus and inspiration, and the one ambition of Miss Stetzler is to make this laudable enterprise so successful financially as to enable her to expand the scope of her work and cause the school to play an even more important part in the advancing of the beautiful art of which she is a distinguished representative. The Egan studios have gained fame that extends throughout the United States, for here artist-teachers of the best talent give themselves loyally and effectively to developing to the highest excellence the voices and incidental artistic capabilities of all students. Mr. Paul has now retired from active work at the studios, and Miss Stetzler is director of the opera classes. She has done and is doing much to further the musical interests of Los Angeles, and is most popular in both profes- sional and social circles in her adopted city.

WALTER GEORGE PESENECKER. A representative citizen and responsible business man of Pasadena is Walter G. Pesenecker, who has built up a large and profitable business "enterprise in this city since he settled here permanently in 1910, and is the leader in the line of house decorating, exterior and interior painting and paper hanging. He has been concerned in this business all his active life, and is thoroughly experienced.

Mr. Pesenecker was born at Saginaw, Michigan, October 27, 1881, and is a son of Michael and Henrietta (Lang) Pesenecker, the latter of whom still resides at Saginaw. Both parents were born in Germany, and in childhood were brought to the United States by their parents. The father of Mr. Pesenecker was a skilled mechanic, and was well known and uni- versally respected at Saginaw, where his death occurred in May, 1911, when aged seventy-four years. Of his family of six children, the three sons and three daughters survive.

Walter George Pesenecker was the fifth of his parents' children in order of birth, and the only one except his brother Louis A., of San Fran- cisco, who live in California. He obtained a public school education at Saginaw, and then learned the painting and decorating trade and afterward worked at the same in Michigan for four years. In 1905 he came to Cali- fornia, and was employed at his trade in San Francisco until the earthquake and fire devastated that city, when he came to Pasadena and resumed trade work here and continued for thirteen months. The rebuilding of San Fran- cisco called for expert workers in his line, and he returned to San Francisco to take advantage of unusual business opportunities, but in 1910 he came back to establish his home and business in Pasadena, completing his arrange-

6H. M. Terenecker.

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY

ments two years later, when he opened his shop at 34 North Broadway, where he carries a large stock of goods in his line, goods of fine quality and modern designs.

Mr. Pesenecker married at San Francisco, July 7, 1907, Miss Margrett Alice Fanhardt, who was born and educated at Los Angeles, California, where her people settled early. Both Mr. and Mrs. Pesenecker are inter- ested in the various activities that make up the strong fabric of pleasant community life. They attend the Christian Science Church. She is a member of the Shakespeare Club of Pasadena and also of the Study Club, and Mr. Pesenecker belongs to the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, the Pasadena Golf Club and the Kiwanis Club of Pasadena. He is a Thirty- second degree Mason and a Shriner, and is a member of San Pasqual Lodge No. 542, F. and A. M., Pasadena. In his political views Mr. Pesenecker is a republican.

ANNA MOUCK RATLEDGE. In the progressive City of Los Angeles, where every branch of the healing art is represented by able practitioners, it is very generally conceded that some systems have in recent years proven more beneficial than others. One of these systems, Chiropractic, has become the profession that already has thousands of adherents for this system, and under trained, skilled operators has produced marvelous results. One of the leading practitioners in this line at Los Angeles is Dr. Anna Mouck Ratledge, who in a comparatively short time has built up an exten- sive practice and whose fame extends all over Southern California.

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History of Los Angeles county, Volume II, Part 33

Author: McGroarty, John Steven, 1862-1944 Publication date: 1923 Publisher: Number of Pages: 840

Author: McGroarty, John Steven, 1862-1944
Publication date: 1923
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 840