USA > California > Los Angeles County > History of Los Angeles county, Volume II > Part 38
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Stephen Charles Hubbell was born on his father's farm in Cattaraugus County, New York, May 31, 1841, being eighth in the family. He grew up a farm boy, had a district school education, and largely on his independent resources studied and prepared for the law. He graduated from Cham- berlain Institute at Randolph, New York, and for several years was a teacher, holding a state diploma. He taught school while studying law, and made such rapid progress that he was admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of New York in 1863. Later he was admitted to the Fed- eral Court, including the United States Supreme Court. For six years Judge Hubbell practiced at Jamestown, New York. While there he was appointed surrogate, and that gave him the title by which he was always afterward known as Indge Hubbell
While at Jamestown, January 6, 1868, he married Jane A. Works. She died at Jamestown, June 21, 1869, leaving one child, Charles E. Hubbell, who was born December 6, 1868, and for many years has been a resident of Los Angeles, and is secretary and general manager of the Hubbell Invest- ment Company and commodore of the Los Angeles Yacht Club. Charles E. Hubbell married Anna Cohen, of Los Angeles, and has two children, Rex and Lila.
In 1870, following the death of his wife, Judge Hubbell moved to California, and in order to familiarize himself with the law in this state he became chief clerk in the law office of Winans & Belknap at San Francisco. During the same year he came to Southern California and formed a part- nership with Hulett Clark, then district attorney of San Bernardino County. This partnership continued until the death of Mr. Clark. In 1873 Judge Hubbell moved to Los Angeles, where he formed a partnership with Rod- ney Hudson, then visiting attorney of Los Angeles County. After Judge Hudson retired from that office Judge Hubbell continued his law practice independently, and in a few years had a strong and wealthy clientele. Gradually his other interests caused him to give up more and more of his practice as a lawyer. He became president of the National Bank of Cali- fornia and later one of its directors. He was one of the organizers and founders of the University of Southern California and was on its first Board of Directors and the first treasurer. He was for many years an elder in Emanuel Presbyterian Church.
Judge Hubbell was one of the men who planned and carried out the first system of urban transportation. He helped organize and became president of the first street railway company, known as the Spring and
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Sixth Street Railway Company. He was president of this company for more than ten years, and when it was taken over by the Los Angeles Cable Company he became a director in the latter, but was hardly less influential in its affairs. This company expended $2,000,000, in the building and equipment of cable railways in Los Angeles. Judge Hubbell was also treasurer of the Hubbell Investment Company. He was a member of the first Park Commission and for many years served as park commissioner, and he donated to the municipality what is now known as West Lake Park, a gift that alone, irrespective of his other great services, should commem- orate his name for all time in this city. He was generous of his time and means in supporting every civic, philanthropic and charitable enterprise.
At Manchester, Iowa, February 3, 1873, Judge Hubbell married Miss Lora A. Loomis. She was born in Vermont, and was a small child when her parents, A. R. and Phedora Loomis, moved to Iowa. She was a grad- uate of Grinnell College. Her mother lived to the age of ninety-two. Mrs. Hubbell as a young bride accompanied Judge Hubbell to Los Angeles, and they were approaching the fiftieth anniversary of their wedding when their companionship was broken by death. Mrs. Hubbell survived her husband just nine days, passing away December 23, 1922. In Los Angeles she became known as a woman of unusual force of character and unusual mental gifts. She helped organize and became the first vice-president of the Ruskin Art Club, and was its president from 1888 to 1893, and was also a member of the Friday Morning Club.
Judge and Mrs. Hubbell are survived by two daughters: Lora L., born August 11, 1879, and Mary Snell, born February 20, 1886. The daughter Mary is the wife of William P. Graves, Jr., and has a son, William P. Lora Hubbell became the wife of William P. Jeffries. Both daughters reside in Los Angeles. Mrs. Jeffries has five children, Allerton Hubbell, Sarah Elizabeth, Dorothy Janes, Lawrence Loomis and Stephen Parrish Jeffries.
WILLIAM HAYES PERRY. For many years the late William Hayes Perry was so closely and ably identified with the leading interests of Los Angeles and with many important enterprises of San Francisco that he became a conspicuous figure even in a section where men of great business capacity were not unusual. He was a pioneer along many lines, an important factor in mammoth industries and the founder of others, in fact few prosperous enterprises of his time in Southern California had not felt his furthering influence.
William Hayes Perry was born at Newark, Ohio, October 7, 1832, and was a son of John and Anna Perry, and died at Los Angeles, California, October 29, 1906. ' He had no exceptional advantages of any kind in his youth except reputable ancestors, and his school privileges were somewhat limited in order that he might prepare for a self-supporting future by learning a trade. According to custom, he was apprenticed in boyhood to a local cabinetmaker and wood turner, with whom he remained until he had thoroughly mastered the trade, and was working at the same at Newark when he became interested in the tales of travelers returning from the western coast and to such an extent that in 1853 he joined the party of pioneers headed by Colonel Hollister and made up of men and women starting on their way across the plains to California.
The experiences of this little party were less tragic than were many others of that time, although they met with much hardship and on several occasions had to repel attacks from savage Indians after crossing the Missouri River at Bennett's Ferry, near Council Bluffs, Iowa. Colonel Hollister settled at Santa Barbara, California, but Mr. Perry came to Los Angeles, reaching here in February, 1854.
Like many of the other pioneers to the state, Mr. Perry brought but little capital, but his wants were few. He soon embarked in business, manufacturing all the furniture that he sold, but soon the
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demand grew greater than he could supply in his own shop, and one of his early indications of enterprise was the bringing of goods down from San Francisco for his furniture store and, in spite of difficulties of transportation, being able to make it profitable. By 1856 he admitted a partner, a Mr. Brady, whose interest Wallace Woodworth bought in 1858, and for the next twenty-five years, or until the death of Mr. Woodworth in 1883, the firm of Perry and Woodworth led in the fur- niture trade at Los Angeles.
In the meanwhile Mr. Perry's honesty of purpose and his business acumen so won the confidence of his fellow citizens that in 1865 he was given a franchise from the City of Los Angeles to light the city with gas and he forthwith organized the first gas company here and filled the office of general manager for five years, when he sold the company to the present corporation. In 1873 he embarked in the lumber business in a large way, his first organization being incor- porated as the W. H. Perry Lumber and Mill Company, this being followed by the organization of the Los Angeles and Humboldt Lum- ber Company, at San Pedro; the Pioneer Lumber and Mill Com- pany, at Colton ; and the Los Angeles Storage, Commission and Lum- ber Company, and in equipping his plants, set up the first steam engine at Los Angeles. In 1879 he was elected president and manager of the Los Angeles City Water Company, the affairs of which at that time were heavily involved, but under his management the company was soon put on a sound basis, and he continued manager for a quarter of a century.
Mr. Perry's business sagacity and foresight were exemplified in many directions, including banking and dealing in real estate, his justi- fied faith in the future of Los Angeles making him one of the earliest and most active operators in the city. He served as a director of the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Los Angeles, having been an im- portant factor in that institution from its earliest days, was a stock- holder in the. American National Bank of Los Angeles, and likewise was identified with the Nevada Bank and the Union Trust Company of San Francisco. He was a stockholder in and closely identified with many substantial interests at Los Angeles and elsewhere, his business capacity seemingly covering every field of effort. He was president and a director of the Southern California Pipe and Clay Company ; a director of the Cosmopolis Mill & Trading Company, of Gray's Harbor, Washington ; a stockholder in the Vallejo and Napa Electric Railroad; the Charles Nelson Shipping Company, San Fran- cisco; the Baird Oil and Asphalt Company; the Olinda Crude Oil Company ; the Gas Consumers Association and National Electric Company, San Francisco; the Western Union Oil Company, of Santa Barbara ; the Reed Oil Company, of Kern County, California, and the Home Telephone Company, of Los Angeles. The principal offices held by him in his latter days were the presidencies of such stable organizations as: The W. H. Perry Lumber & Mill Company, the Pioneer Lumber & Mill Company, the Los Angeles City Water Com- pany, and the Crystal Springs Water Company.
Mr. Perry married at Los Angeles, California, in 1858, Miss Eliza- beth Dalton, and their two surviving children are: Mrs. Charles M. Wood and Mrs. E. P. Johnson.
In spite of his manifold business interests and responsibilities Mr. Perry was never unmindful of the civic welfare of Los Angeles, was ever ready to give encouragement to worthy enterprises and was generous and public spirited. He was a thirty-second degree Mason. and a Knight Templar, and was a member of Los Angeles Blue Lodge. F. and A. M.
IDA CHRISTINE IVERSEN. A distinct voucher for the professional ability and loyalty and the personal popularity of Miss Iversen is given in
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the fact that the year 1922 finds her rendering effective service as president of the Los Angeles City Teachers Club, the organization of elementary classroom teachers in the public schools of this city. The club holds meetings twice each month during the school year and issues a monthly bulletin in the interests of the schools, the teachers and the educational work in general. The club employs a full time secretary and its president finds much call for thought, study and constructive work in the administration of her office as chief executive.
The Los Angeles City Teachers Club was organized in 1909, under the earnest and effective direction of Helen Mathewson Laughlin. The primary object of the organization is to bring the teachers together for conference, self-expression and co-operative action in furthering their work. It is the aim of this club to raise the standard of the pro- fession of which its members are representatives, and to promote and to safeguard the interests of the classroom teachers. The history of this club has been one of consecutive growth in membership and influence. It started with a roll of 100 members, and its roster in 1922 is 1,900 members. The first headquarters of the club were at a convenient corner in the rooms of the Young Women's Christian Association, and a box served as its first official desk. The present headquarters, large, comfortable and well equipped, are on the second floor of Hotel Trinity. In connection with the public schools of Los Angeles are maintained nine different teachers' organizations, all of which co-operate earnestly in their activities and service.
Miss Iversen has been president of the Los Angeles City Teachers Club since the close of the year 1920, and her administration has fully justified the distinction thus accorded to her. By the club she was sent as a delegate to the 1921 convention of the National Education Association at Des Moines, Iowa, where the club was represented also by twelve other members, including the chairman of its Kindergarten Section. The club also sent Miss Iversen to the Pan-Pacific Educa- tional Conference, held in Honolulu, August, 1921, this being the only classroom organization in the United States to take such action. Miss Iversen made a report on this convention, which was read and reviewed before several organizations in Los Angeles and elsewhere, with great interest manifested.
The club is affiliated with the Federation of Women's Clubs in California, the National League of Grade Teachers and the National Education Association, thereby widening its influence for co-operative service through inspirational contact. The Los Angeles City Teachers Club actively identifies itself with all constructive educational policies that concern the public schools of this state.
Miss Iversen has been a resident of California twenty years, she having come to this state from Kansas. She is a successful teacher of elementary grades, is an enthusiast in her profession, and is an exponent of progress in the affairs of the club of which she is presi- dent, as well as in all that pertains to popular education.
JOHN EDWARD CUTTER was a resident of California for forty years and passed the closing period of his long, useful and honorable life in the home of his daughter, Mrs. Charlotte M. C. Noyes, at 1434 West- moreland Avenue, Los Angeles, where his death occurred on the 19th of November, 1921. He owned one of the finest orange groves in Southern California, and had done splendid service in the develop- ment of the citrus-fruit industry.
Mr. Cutter was born at Webster, Maine, and was a representative of families founded in New England in the Colonial period of our national history. He was a son of Dr. Benoni Cutter and Olive S. (Drinkwater) Cutter, the former of whom was born at Jaffrey, New Hampshire, and the latter in Cumberland County, Maine. Dr. Cutter became one of the leading physicians of his community in the old
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Pine Tree State, where he and his wife continued to reside until their deaths.
John E. Cutter was born March 16, 1844, and in the schools of his native town he received his youthful education. When the Civil war was precipitated he did not long restrain his youthful patriotism, for in the year 1862, when but eighteen years of age, he enlisted as a private in Company E, Twenty-third Maine Volunteer Infantry, with which he proceeded to the front and with which he continued in serv- ice until the expiration of his term of enlistment, when he received his honorable discharge, in 1863. Later he re-enlisted, and at this time he became a member of Company K, Twenty-ninth Maine Infantry, with which he served in the command of General Banks, in Louisiana, and later in that of General Sheridan, in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. He took part in many engagements, including a number of major battles, and continued in service until victory crowned the Union arms. After the close of the war he took an advanced course in the Maine Wesleyan Seminary at Kents Hill, and soon after his. graduation in this institution he became a teacher in the public schools of his native state, where he continued his effective services for some time, and where he married his first wife, Annie Dinsmore.
In 1878 Mr. Cutter came with his family to California and estab- lished his residence at Riverside, where both he and his wife taught school and boarded on ranches, their pupils having been Indian chil- dren and their daughter, Charlotte, having been the only white child in the community school.
For the first year Mr. Cutter was principal of the village school at Riverside, and later he taught two terms elsewhere in Riverside County. In 1879 he purchased eight acres of land near Riverside and planted the same to grapes and oranges. In 1887 he bought ten acres. on East Eighth Street, Riverside, and became associated with A. J. and D. C. Twogood in the nursery business. He disposed of his interest in this prosperous business in 1894, and thereafter he con- tinued to give his personal supervision to his fine orange ranch for a long term of years, though he did not apply himself to the strenuous labors that had marked his earlier period of development enterprise. He was one of the organizers of the Riverside Heights Orange Growers Association in 1894, and also became a director of the Riverside Fruit Exchange, in each of which organizations he was an influential figure.
As an earnest and loyal member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Riverside Mr. Cutter was zealous in its work and liberal in its support, even as he was most generous in his contributions to char- itable and benevolent objects. He was a man of gentle and kindly spirit and was ever ready to aid those in affliction or distress. At the time of his death he was one of three remaining charter members of Riverside Post No. 118, Grand Army of the Republic, in which his individual number was 20. Mr. Cutter; a successful and popular teacher, never abated his deep interest in children and in educational matters. He was loved by the school children of Riverside and was known to them by the affectionate title of "Uncle John." He was almost invariably called upon to deliver addresses on school holidays and at other public assemblages in his home county, and his fine literary talent was expressed in a number of beautiful poems. One of his first poems, written at the time of the Civil war, was entitled "We'll Sleep To-Morrow, Boys," and had its inspiration in a state- ment made by his revered commander, General Sheridan, who, after his command had been in battle many hours, rode through the ranks and said, "We'll sleep to-morrow, boys," this to encourage and hearten the men when they were to face an all night's march. Another poen1. "Our Passover," served as the actuating motive at a meeting held by New Englanders in Riverside to honor the Pilgrim Fathers. Mr. Cutter wrote many fervent and noble religious poems, and prior, to
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his final illness he composed the text of an admirable oratorio, entitled "St. Paul," for which the celebrated composer, Mrs. H. H. Beach, expected to write the musical score. The religious faith of Mr. Cutter found expression in his daily life and served as a guide to his course at all times, the while he gave evidence of his sense of spiritual stew- ardship on every possible occasion. It is specially worthy of record in this connection that ten years before the close of his life he had founded a hospital at Bidar, India. He is survived by his second wife, whom he married in Colorado, several years after the death of Annie Dinsmore Cutter. Her maiden name was Ellen Prescott, and who, like himself, was born and reared in Maine. He is also sur- vived by one daughter, Mrs. Charlotte Noyes, in whose home he died. Mr. Cutter is survived also by one brother, Winfield, who resides at Sawtelle, Los Angeles County, and by one granddaughter, Natalie Alberta Noyes.
CHARLES BYRNE MCCOLLUM. The Gamut Club is one of the oldest and most distinctive organizations in Los Angeles, a club primarily based on musical interests, but including in its membership many physicians, lawyers and business men, all united in a common tie of music.
It was the membership of this club that knew best and appreciated most highly the character and service of the late Charles Byrne McCollum, who died February 18, 1923. Mr. McCollum for the past fifteen years was manager of the Gamut Club, having charge of all the financing and the many notable programs carried out under its auspices.
Mr. McCollum was born in New York City in June, 1855, son of Henry and Nancy (Bingham) McCollum. His father was a native of America and of Scotch parentage, while his mother's people for generations have lived at Windom, Connecticut. Henry McCollum possessed the genius of an inventor. He invented the first perfect cracker baking machine, and also devised the first safe elevator, one with automatically closing doors. Many of the family have been identified with manufacturing. One of the relatives of the late Mr. McCollum perfected the famous Colgate Soap and the Ely Cream Balm and other well known toilet preparations.
Charles B. McCollum was well educated, and for several years was connected with the signal service of the Government. In 1882 he married Miss Emma Clarke, of Syracuse, New York. For a number of years Mr. McCollum was associated with Fred Harvey of the Harvey Railway Eating House System. He did the buying for the chain of Harvey Eating Houses. Mr. McCollum lived in California for twenty-seven years, and for twelve years was associated with A. C. Bilicke in the Hollenbeck Hotel.
He was a member of the exclusive Sunset Club and was a Mason. Mr. McCollum's property holdings were all in the state of New York.
ALFRED KELLER NASH. During a residence in Pasadena of forty- three years, Alfred Keller Nash achieved most of those things that con- stitute success in business, good citizenship and the esteem of friends and associates. He was a pioneer business man of the city and equally well known for his public spirit.
The late Mr. Nash was born at Hamilton, Ohio, October 12, 1842, and he lived a busy and vigorous life until his passing on February 10, 1921, following a day spent in his office and an evening in church services. As a young man of twenty in 1862 he volunteered in the Union Army in Company I, of the Ninety-fifth Illinois Infantry. He saw three years of service and was with his regiment in every battle, to the number of thirteen. He was taken prisoner at Guntown, Mississippi, and for a hun- dred days endured the hardship of confinement in Andersonville Prison. He made his escape and reached the Union lines at Atlanta just half an hour ahead of the bloodhounds set on his trial.
Mr. Nash came to Pasadena with his family on November 5, 1887.
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From that time he was closely associated with the commercial and civic development of the city. He was interested in a number of enterprises. With a brother, J. D. Nash, he was in the grocery business for twelve years. Later he was president for several years of the Mutual Building & Loan Association, now the California Security Loan Corporation. He was also interested in oil development, and was a director of the Amazon Oil Company and the Revenue Oil Company.
By nature sympathetic and generous, he found it possible on many occasions to lighten the burden of years of suffering for aged or distressed persons. His benevolences were conducted always in an unassuming manner, but were prompted by a great love for human nature. It was this personal kindliness that heightened the grief and mourning felt over his passing. A lasting monument to his memory is the statue of the soldier in Library Park. Mr. Nash as commander of the G. A. R. Post first suggested such an appropriate tribute, and he was a leader in seeing the plans carried out. Many of his closest friends were his old G. A. R. comrades. He was also a director of the First Church of Christ, Scientist, when its handsome edifice was built.
His bother, J. H. Nash, now lives at Pasadena. On December 15, 1868, the late A. K. Nash married Miss Lydia Leceva Chaffee, of Vermont. She died in 1906. They were the parents of three sons and one daughter. The daughter, Mrs. Carl Thomas, lives at Pasadena. The two surviving sons are : Fred C. Nash, president of the F. C. Nash & Company, and Edwin Earle Nash, of Pasadena, California.
MRS. A. K. NASH, wife of the late A. K. Nash, was for nearly twenty years one of the prominent women of Pasadena, and as such she deserves a special tribute here.
She died at the family residence in Pasadena April 30, 1906, at the age of sixty-two. She was born in Westminster, Vermont, in 1843, and was married to Mr. Nash in 1868. In 1887 they moved from Marshalltown, Iowa, to Pasadena, and during subsequent years Mrs. Nash shared usefully and earnestly in the social and church life of the community. She was called the mother of the Shakespeare Club of Pasadena, having been largely instrumental in its organization. She continued active in this literary organization until her health failed. She was also a leader in the First Congregational Church at Pasadena and its Sunday School, and was a member of the Woman's Relief Corps.
FRED C. NASH is president of F. C. Nash & Company, formerly the Pasadena Grocery and Department Store, located at 145-155 East Colorado Street and 28 North Broadway in Pasadena. He has been a resident of Pasadena since boyhood, and is a son of the late pioneer citizen and business man, A. K. Nash, whose career has already been reviewed.
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