History of Los Angeles county, Volume II, Part 50

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

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Mr. Pomeroy, who died September 12, 1922, was a life member of the Masonic Lodge, was affiliated with Pasadena Commandery of Knights Templar, and was a member of the Master Builders Associa- tion and the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce. His funeral services were conducted by the Pasadena Commandery.

In 1884, at Yarmouth, Maine, Mr. Pomeroy married Miss Claribel Sargent. She survives, as do also four of their five children. Elsie is the wife of Warren E. Libby, of San Diego; Marion is Mrs. Willis Black, of Kingman, Arizona; Miss Grace lives at home with her mother, and the only son, Philip Sargent Pomeroy, has been well trained in and is continuing his father's contracting business.

JULIUS E. DUNBAR. An example of that thrift and well-applied energy which enables a man to retire from active life at an age when he can still take enjoyment out of the comforts gained through early years of labor is found in the career of Julius E. Dunbar, a resident of Alhambra, who previous to renouncing business cares in 1922 had been identified with a flourishing hardware concern. Prior to com- ing to Alhambra, in 1911, he had spent forty years in the butcher busi- ness at Benton Harbor, Michigan, where, as in California, he was esteemed for his integrity and straightforwardness.

Mr. Dunbar was born in 1856, in New York State, and is a son of Jonathan A. and Harriet Ann (Patton) Dunbar, the former a native of New York and the latter of Connecticut. There were three chil- dren in the family: William Stuben, Julius E. and Rodella. When Julius E. Dunbar was an infant, weighing only three and one-half

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY

pounds, he was transported on a pillow by his parents to a timbered - tract of land in Southwest Michigan, where his parents cleared a virgin farm. During his boyhood in the primitive district he saw deer and wild turkey in plentiful numbers, and he grew up largely in the midst of pioneer surroundings, although he had the benefit of attend- ance at the high school at Benton Harbor, at that time a small and ambitious village. On leaving school he applied himself to learning the business of butchering, in which he was engaged for forty years, during thirty-five years of which he was the proprietor of his own establishment. As Benton Harbor grew so did his business, which became greatly successful, he operating his own slaughter houses and having numerous delivery wagons. At one time in addition to his regular business he supplied three Lake Michigan steamboats, at $1,000 per month each, with their meat. In 1911 he came to Alham- bra, where previously he had purchased a half interest in the old- established hardware store conducted by Mr. Algy. Here he and Mr. Messman, his brother-in-law, operated a retail hardware business, known as the Alhambra Hardware Company, on Main Street, in the personnel of which concern changes were made from time to time. The business was later moved to the corner of First and Main streets, where it developed into the largest establishment of its kind in town, and was operated as Dunbar & Messman. Late Mr. Middleton was admitted to partnership, as a one-third owner, and still later Mr. Dun- bar's son bought the interest of Mr. Messman, and Mr. Dunbar bought Mr. Middleton's holdings, John McKay subsequently becoming a one- third owner. On February 1, 1922, the stock was sold to the new owners and Julius E. Dunbar retired, while his son, Wallace A. Dun- bar, bought the branch store at 1314 West Main Street, where he carries a full line of modern hardware of all kinds. Julius E. Dunbar has been a life long republican, but not a politician. He and his fam- ily belong to the most progressive business and civic element to be found in the city.

Mr. Dunbar married Miss Gertrude Ann Forbes, of Indiana, and to them were born six children, all save the youngest at Benton Har- bor : Wallace A., Harriet Ann, Erma, Lois, Josephine and Raymond Julius. Wallace A. Dunbar was educated in the public schools of Benton Harbor and at the normal and collegiate institute of that place. He became a stockholder in the Alhambra Hardware Store at First and Main streets, which was owned jointly by his father and himself, and this was his initiation into business affairs. In December, 1921, he opened a branch store at 1314 West Main Street, and in Janu- ary, 1922, sold their main store. Wallace A. Dunbar then bought the branch store, where he carries shelf and heavy hardware, builders' goods, stoves, etc., and supplies West Alhambra's hardware needs most pleasingly. He is one of the progressive business men of his community and a live and constructive citizen. He married Miss Lorma Strain, and has one child, Jean. Harriet Ann Dunbar, a gradu- ate of the Benton Harbor High School and a most proficient pianist and vocalist, married Victor Core, a prominent oil man of Tampico, Mexico, where they make their home. Erma, born at St. Joseph, Michigan, a graduate of the Benton Harbor High School and the State Normal School of Los Angeles, was for five years a, teacher in the California public schools prior to her marriage to William Middle- ton, county recorder of Santa Cruz County, Arizona, living at Nogales, and also interested in mercantile and other business affairs there. They have one child, Lois Elizabeth. Lois Dunbar graduated from the Alhambra High School, following which she took a complete course of training at the Pasadena Hospital and became a registered nurse. During the World war she did her share most loyally in the Federal service as a Red Cross nurse, and was stationed at the Bal- loon School, Arcadia, for nine months, being released after the sign-

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY

" ing of the armistice. She married Howard Pease, of Alhambra, a business man of this place and a veteran of the World war, in which he served overseas in the heavy fighting sector as a member of the Ambulance Corps. Josephine Dunbar was educated in the Alhambra schools and married Clarence Hatch, formerly of Alhambra but now of Elmyra, Eastern Washington, where he is a large wheat rancher, harvesting over 1,000 acres annually. They have two children, Phyl- lis and Elene. Raymond Julius Dunbar was born at Benton Harbor, Michigan, April 10. 1897, and educated at Alhambra. When the World war came on he was in his second year of high school, and his patriotism led some eighteen of his fellow-classmen to follow his lead, leave their classes and volunteer for service. Thirteen men were accepted April 9, 1917, in the Fourteenth Company, Coast Artillery, and were called Friday 13, but all returned safely after the war. They first went to Fort Rosecranz, San Diego, where they were trans- ferred to Battery B, Second Anti-Aircraft Battalion, C. A. C., and after a year of intensive training left for France May 31, 1918. They completed training at Fort de Stain, France, where they spent two or three months, and were then sent up to the front to participate in the St. Mihiel drive, through which they passed from start to finish, to the first Argonne battle. They then came back prepared to take part in the contemplated drive on Metz, from which point they were only ten miles distant when the armistice was signed. A week later they received orders to go to Coblenz, but subsequently the orders were changed to send them to the port of embarkation, and December 18, 1918, they sailed from Brest, arriving in New York January 16, 1919, and being honorably discharged at the Presidio, San Francisco, Janu- ary 20, 1919. In July, 1920, at Phoenix, Arizona, Mr. Dunbar married Miss Elene Harmon, of that city, and they have a daughter, Barbara Lois, born March 29, 1921, at San Gabriel. Mr. Dunbar, after his return from overseas, was until recently identified with the McGinley Oil Company of the Montebello oil fields, but is now in the Taft oil fields.

REV. JAMES F. CHAFFEE, D. D. While Pasadena was his home only during the last few years of his life, his service and his saintly character brought Doctor Chaffee a host of friends in his new environment, and he is well remembered in the County of Los Angeles. His son is one of Pasa- dena's leading merchants.

The late Dr. Chaffee died at his home in Pasadena December 6, 1911, at the age of eighty-four. He was born at Dale, Wyoming County, New York, July 11, 1827. When he was thirteen years of age he joined the Free Will Baptist Church. Five years later he became a Methodist, and he soon began directing his talents in preparation for the ministry, which constituted his life work for more than a half a century.

In 1849 he married Miss Calista Hopkins, of Illinois. About the same date he entered the Methodist ministry, and soon afterward he and his wife moved out to the Northwest frontier at what is now the City of Minne- apolis. During the Civil war he was made chaplain of the Fifth Minnesota Infantry, and served in the battles of Corinth, Redwood and Fort Ridgeley, and was once taken prisoner. He devoted the greater part of his active career to the ministry of his church in the Minneapolis Conference. He assisted in the building of every Methodist Church in the City of Minneap- olis, and he served five terms as a delegate to the General Conference and held many of the principal offices.

Doctor Chaffee moved to Pasadena in 1908, and during the last three years of his life his principal work was contributing articles to the church magazines and reviews.

Doctor and Mrs. Chaffee had been married sixty-two years when he died. She survived him and passed away in her home at Pasadena Novem-

Chas. Hatties

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ber 4, 1916, at the venerable age of ninety-two. She shared in the friendship and esteem paid her noble husband.

Their son, Hugh C. Chaffee, is head of a chain of grocery stores in Southern California, and for many years has been a prominent citizen of Pasadena.

CHARLES WALTERS is proprietor of the Venice Plunge, one of the largest and finest equipped bathing establishments along the Pacific Coast. This pool was constructed about thirteen years ago, and is 100x150 feet. It is filled with filtered salt water, graduated as to depth. Besides the plunge there are hot and cold shower baths and also fresh water baths, massage parlors, and the equipment includes 2,288 steam heated lockers, twenty-eight hair dryers, two medical rooms, one for the ocean bathing beach and the other for the plunge, and there are six instructors in the swimming school, under direction of Elmer M. Orr. There are sixteen hundred boxes for valuables, and the establishment maintains an equip- ment of seventeen thousand bathing suits and operates its own steam laun- dry. The water in the plunge is treated with chlorine and the bathing suits and towels are similarly subjected to a purifying chemical. In 1922 the largest filtering system in the United States ever placed in a plunge was installed as an additional protection for the patrons. The Venice Plunge hires more life guards than any place along the coast. The diving plat- form is the same as that used in the Olympic Games.

Charles Walters was born in Santa Monica, California, November 29, 1876, son of Peter and Mary (Stevenson) Walters. His parents were born in Scotland, and on coming to the United States located at Minnesota, where his father was in the railroad service. After coming to California he was a miner. The mother is still living at Huntington Beach.

Mr. Charles Walters finished his public school education at Santa Monica, and since leaving school has had an active experience in every- thing connected with the operation of bath houses. For fifteen years he operated the Santa Monica Bath House, and on June 16, 1914, took over the Venice Plunge. The national reputation of this establishment has been largely made during his personal management.

Mr. Walters is a republican, a member of Moose Lodge, and takes an active part in local affairs. On September 6, 1900, he married Miss Effie Boren, of Santa Monica. She was born in Orange County, California, was educated in the public schools of Santa Monica, and is a member of the Maccabees Lodge and the Parents-Teachers Association. Mr. and Mrs. Walters have four children, Hugh, Helen, (wife of Frank Mungar), Harvey and Virginia. Hugh Walters has one child, Jean Ethel.

CHARLES MILLIKEN, osteopathic physician and citrus fruit grower, has been a resident of Whittier for the past fifteen years, and is one of the very popular and progressive citizens of that community.

Doctor Milliken was born in Adair County, Missouri, July 16, 1878. His father, Orenzo Burton Milliken, of Scotch-Irish descent and Revolu- tionary stock, was born in Indiana, was a farmer, and also in his early life taught school. He served as a member of the State Guards during the Civil war. The mother of Doctor Milliken was Diana Dorsh, now living in Missouri. She was born in Pennsylvania, of Pennsylvania Dutch and Quaker stock.

Charles Milliken acquired his early education in the public schools of Missouri. He studied osteopathy under Doctor S. S. Still at Des Moines, Iowa, receiving his D. O. degree in 1903. After leaving Des Moines Doctor Milliken practiced for five years at Ord in Calley County, Nebraska. Then, owing to a breakdown of his health, he came to Whittier in 1907 and bought a ranch of five acres at East Whittier. For four years he made the cultivation and management of his citrus grove his primary business and occupation, and found it profitable as well as a means of restoring his health. When he sold his five acre grove in 1911, at $3,000.00 an acre, the sale established the high price up to that time for a grove of three year old trees.

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Having disposed of his property Doctor Milliken made preparations for the resumption of his professional work, and studied and graduated in 1912 from the Los Angeles College of Osteopathy. Since 1913 he has been engaged in a successful practice at Whittier. He is owner of a beautiful home at 310 Park Street, overlooking the city park, and has his offices on the second floor.

Doctor Milliken in 1912 bought ten acres in East La Habra, which was set to lemons, and two years ago bought another ten acre tract in La Habra Heights. This likewise has been set to oranges and lemons. Doctor Milliken is a member of the La Habra Citrus Association, the Whittier Chamber of Commerce, is past master of Whittier Lodge No. 323, F. and A. M., past high priest of Whittier Chapter, R. A. M., is a past patron of the Eastern Star, and is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. He is a republican in politics.

Doctor Milliken married Miss Rose M. Neadermiller, a native of Missouri, of German ancestry. Her father, George Neadermiller, was a farmer.

CLYDE M. CHURCH has won for himself an influential place in connec- tion with financial affairs in Los Angeles County, where he is vice- president of the Security Trust & Savings Bank of Los Angeles, presi- dent of the First National Bank of South Pasadena, and the Highland Park Bank of Los Angeles, both of which are members of the Federal Reserve System, and he is also president of the South Pasadena Sav- ings Bank, an allied institution. These three banks were merged with the Security Trust & Savings Bank on August 19, 1922.

Mr. Church was born at Marshalltown, Iowa, on the 21st of Sep- tember, 1882, and is a son of Henry A. and Margaret (Owen) Church, who now reside in the City of Los Angeles. The entire active career of Henry A. Church was marked by close association with business and industrial affairs in and about Marshalltown, Iowa, where he was prominently identified with the banking business. He has been a resi- dent of Los Angeles since 1903, and is now living virtually retired. Both he and his wife were born and reared in the state of New York. and from that state he went forth as a gallant young soldier of the Union in the Civil war. As a member of the Eighth New York Heavy Artillery he was in service during virtually the entire period of the war, took part in many engagements, and received injuries at the battles of both Cold Harbor and the Wilderness. After his removal to Iowa he became one of the influential citizens of Marshalltown, in which fine little city his civic liberality and progressiveness were dis- tinctly felt during the passing years. He had no desire for public office, but rendered effective service as a member of the Marshalltown Board of Education. He is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and also with the Grand Army of the Republic. Mr. and Mrs. Henry A. Church have four children: May is the wife of Dr. Cassius C. Cottle, a retired physician residing in the City of Los Angeles. She is, in 1922, vice-president general of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution and having formerly served as state regent of the California Chapter of the same fine patriotic organization. Ralph O. Church is cashier of the First National Bank of Burbank, California, his father being president of this institution, and also of the Burbank Savings Bank, besides being a director of the First National Bank of Montebello and the Montebello Savings Bank. Clyde M. Church, of this review, was the next in order of birth. Harry A. Church is president of the Montebello Savings Bank at Montebello, Los Angeles County.

After having profited by the advantages of the public schools of his native city Clyde M. Church attended the Culver Military Academy on Lake Maxinkukee, Indiana, and in 1901 he took a position in the

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Farmers Bank of Liscomb, Iowa, of which his father was president. In the following year he became associated with his father in founding the St. Anthony Savings Bank at St. Anthony, that state, of which he became cashier and his father the president. He continued cashier of this institution three years, and then, in 1905, came to California and established the Bank of Norwalk at Norwalk, Los Angeles County. As cashier of the new institution he developed the same to a status of solidity and influence, and there he remained until 1911, when he purchased controlling stock in the Highland Park Bank at Highland Park, a suburb of Los Angeles, of which he is now the president. In 1918 he became actively identified with the First National Bank of South Pasadena and the South Pasadena Savings Bank, of each of which he is the president. The First National Bank of South Pasa- dena bases its operations on a capital stock of $50,000; its surplus and undivided profits aggregated 12,883.48 at the time of the official state- ment on the 31st of December, 1921; and the deposits at that time aggregated $687,412.59. The capital stock of the South Pasadena Savings Bank is $25,000, its surplus is of equal amount and its de- posits are in excess of $512,000.

The political views of Mr. Church cause him to be aligned in the ranks of the republican party, and he and his wife are members of the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, the family home being at Highland Park. He is affiliated with Highland Park Lodge No. 382, A. F. and A. M., and at Highland Park he is a member also of Miramonte Lodge No. 79, Knights of Pythias, besides which he is a life member of the Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Church family having been founded in New England in the early Colonial period and a number of its representatives having been patriot soldiers in the Revolution, as were also members of the Owen family, of which the subject of this review is a scion through the maternal line.

At Los Angeles on the 5th of September, 1912, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Church and Miss Isabelle May Bowers, who was. born at Woburn, Massachusetts, a daughter of the late William H. Bowers, a shoe manufacturer at that place, his widow being now a resident of Los Angeles. Mrs. Church graduated from the high school in her native city, and after coming with her widowed mother to Cali- fornia she entered the University of Southern California, in which she was graduated as a member of the class of 1908, she having pre- viously been a student in La Salle Seminary near Boston, Massachu- setts. Mr. and Mrs. Church have three children: Elizabeth May, Eveline Louise and Isabelle Jean, all of whom were born at Highland Park, California.

JEANNETTE MAY DRAKE, the efficient and popular librarian of the Pasadena Public Library, has made an exceptionally admirable record in her chosen profession, and the City of Pasadena has gained much from her effective administration in her present office.

Miss Drake was born at Argenta, Illinois, October 31, 1878, and is a daughter of John Lewis Drake and Aura Belle Drake. She is a gradu- ate of the high school of Decatur, Illinois, and in 1903 she received from the University of Illinois the degree of Bachelor of Library Science. From 1903 to 1905 Miss Drake served as library organizer for the Wis- consin Free Library Commission ; from 1905 to 1908 she was librarian of the public library of Jacksonville, Illinois ; from 1908 to 1910 she was an instructor in the Wisconsin Library School, maintained in connection with the great University of Wisconsin ; from 1910 to 1917 she was librarian of the public library of Sioux City, Iowa, besides which she was president of the Iowa Library Association in 1915-16; in 1917 she became principal of the circulation department of the Los Angeles Public Library, in which position she continued her service until 1919, when she accepted her present post, that of librarian of the Pasadena Public Library, the interests and

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service of which have been signally advanced under her resourceful and loyal administration. She takes deep interest in all cultural activities in her home city and community, and has here won a wide circle of friends, as well as the unequivocal commendation of the patrons of the library of which she has executive supervision.

EDWIN JAMES BRENT was the founder of one of Los Angeles best known mercantile enterprises, Brent's Home Furnishing Store, which for many years has occupied the location at 716-722 South Main Street. As head of this business Mr. Brent easily held a place among the ablest and most successful merchants. He was also widely known for his gen- erous and kindly character as an employer and citizen and was a man of great social charm.

He was born in London, England, in 1857, son of E. J. and Mary Brent. He was educated in London, and at the age of sixteen came to America, in 1873. About three years later he joined a military organiza- tion known as Custer's Adventurers, formed primarily to avenge the Custer massacre. He was in the army in the West for about three years, being finally discharged on account of disability. He then returned to England, and was engaged in the crockery business there for several years.

In 1881 Mr. Brent married Miss Mary West, of London. Six years later they came to California, established their home at Los Angeles, November 1, 1887. A year later Mr. Brent started on a modest scale in the furniture business at 530 South Spring Street, and from there about seventeen years ago moved to the South Main Street location. He was the pioneer in the furniture credit business in Los Angeles, and he also waged a successful fight against the furniture trust.

Mr. Brent was a man beloved of all classes. He especially endeavored to encourage the laboring man in his efforts for advancement. He loved his own home, and his residence on Berkeley Square has for some years been one of the show places of the city. He erected it as a gift to Mrs. Brent. It took thirteen months to build the house, and it was completely furnished and equipped before Mrs. Brent put her foot inside. He gave her the deed to the property. This was one of many tributes which Mr. Brent gave as an expression of his confidence in his wife's judgment and his willing- ness to share with her the credit for his business prosperity. He caused a private office to be set aside for her with her name on the door, and in every sense he considered her a full partner in the business.

Mr. Brent, who died February 8, 1923, was a Knight Templar Mason, which had charge of his funeral. He was also a member of the Maccabees and Elks, the Foresters, belonged to the Athletic Club, the Jonathan Club. the Chamber of Commerce, and the Merchants and Manufacturers Asso- ciation. He was affiliated with the Christian Science Church. He was also a member of the Sons of St. George. A number of years before his death he acquired the property known as Brent's Crags in the Santa Monica District, using it primarily as a vacation and recreation spot for his em- ployes and subsequently made it a public ground.

Mrs. Brent is a member of the Ebell Club, the Friday Morning Club, the Hollywood Woman's Club, the Woman's Rest Home and belongs to all the art and musical organizations of the city. The manager of the business for some time has been a nephew of Mr. Brent, Will Dowland, who came from England eighteen years ago, and has stood in the relationship of a son to Mr. and Mrs. Brent. Mr. Brent is survived by two children, his son, Edwin J., Jr., born in 1902, and a daughter, Mary Gladys Brent, born in 1912. The son is a very talented musician, and at his majority will assume the active management of the business left by his father.

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History of Los Angeles county, Volume II, Part 50

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