USA > California > Los Angeles County > History of Los Angeles county, Volume II > Part 51
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PETER ORBAN was a resident and active business man of Pasadena for thirty years. His name was very closely associated with the lumber business here, and his success in private affairs was combined with a thorough public spirit and a genial association with other progressive men of the
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E. J. BRENT
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community. It was therefore a distinct loss to Pasadena when he died, following an operation for appendicitis at the University of California Hospital in San Francisco June 4, 1921.
Mr. Orban was born in Summerfield, Illinois, son of Michael and Katherine Orban. His father is still living at Whittier, and there are also two surviving brothers, Michael Orban, Jr., of Whittier, and Jacob Orban, of Monterey.
Peter Orban was educated in his native town in Illinois. When he was only a boy he acquired his first experience in the lumber business at Pomona with the Kerckoff-Cuzner Lumber Company. Later this firm transferred him to Los Angeles and then to Pasadena as manager of the local plant. The Kerckoff-Cuzner Company is the oldest manufacturing institution of Pasadena. In 1904 Mr. Orban established the Orban Lumber Company, and remained its active head for seventeen years. Up to a short time before his death he was connected with several other lumber concerns. He was also a director in the Security National Bank of Pasadena.
Mr. Orban took a deep interest in the Masonic fraternity. He was a past master of Corona Lodge No. 324, F. and A. M., past patron of Golden Crown Court No. 2 of the Order of the Amaranth, a member of Crown Chapter No. 72, R. A. M., Pasadena Commandery No. 31, K. T., and Pasadena Chapter No. 108 of the Eastern Star. He was very active in the republican party, though not in line for office, and was a member of the Overland Club of Pasadena, the Rotary Club and the Flint Ridge Country Club.
At Pasadena, March 24, 1898, he married Maud Moses, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry L. Moses. Mrs. Orban and her two children, Miss Katherine Martha and Paul Henry, survive. Mrs. Orban resides at 1595 North Lake Avenue.
JOHN M. HINES came to Pasadena in 1904, and in the eighteen years before his death developed a business that was an essential and highly appreciated service. He was a member of the undertaking firm of Salisbury & Hines, at 249 North Marengo Avenue.
Mr. Hines, who died August 11, 1922, was born in Illinois, October 12, 1865. He was educated in the public schools of his native state and in the Medical College of Des Moines, Iowa, and as a young man moved to Ottumwa, Iowa, where he was in the undertaking business. In 1904 he came to Pasadena and became associated with Mr. Salisbury in the firm of Salisbury & Hines, funeral directors. His parents were natives of Ireland and were early settlers in Illinois. Mr. Hines was survived by four brothers : George Hines of Pekin, Illinois, William Hines of Chicago, Edward and James Hines of Staceyville, Iowa, and two sisters, Mrs. Kate Flanigan of La Salle, Illinois, and Mrs. M. Marshall of Geary, Illinois.
His character as business man was well set forth in the brief tribute paid him by Doctor Merle Smith, pastor of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Pasadena, who wrote: "He lived, indeed, a beautiful life, full of gentleness and of kindly and unselfish deeds. He was true to every trust. He did his work quietly and faithfully. His character was such as to win the respect and confidence of every one."
The late Mr. Hines was an active member of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, was an organizer of the local Illinois Society, and was affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Modern Woodmen of America and the American Yeoman. He married Miss Helen Sykes, formerly of Michigan. He is survived by Mrs. Hines and by a son, J. Hubert Hines, of Pasadena, and a daughter, Mrs. Delores Garber, of San Francisco.
JOSEPH P. DUPUY came to Los Angeles when its musical life was little better than that found in the average small city of the United States. That Los Angeles is today perhaps the greatest center of music in California
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and one of the most distinctive in the country is due as much to Joseph P. Dupuy as to any other individual. He was a musician by instinct and sound training, great in his natural gift, but did his chief work as an organ- izer and trainer of musical bodies. He was founder of the Orpheus Club, and was intimately associated with the musical life of the city for over a quarter of a century.
Mr. Dupuy, whose death occurred September 24, 1922, was born at Bordeaux, France, in 1865, son of Leon and Elise (LaBoix) Dupuy. Up to the age of seven he attended private schools in his native province. His parents then came to the United States and located at Chicago, where the boy continued his education under private instructors until he was sixteen. He was then sent back to France, and continued his studies in music and the languages until he was twenty. On returning to Chicago he embarked on his career as a musician, singing in church choirs and appearing in many concerts. In 1887 he first came to Los Angeles, and was soloist in St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral until 1892. In that year he returned East, doing opera and concert work, and for a time was director of music at the University of New Mexico.
Mr. Dupuy made his home continuously in Los Angeles from 1897. He was instrumental in securing the first subscription to the Symphony Orchestra, and was also one of the committee for the reorganization of the Ellis Club. He was one of the committee that founded the California Music Teachers Association, was a charter member of the Gamut Club, and, as noted above, was the founder and first director of the Orpheus Club. His pioneer work in the musical field of Los Angeles has been gratefully recognized by the music teachers and artists here. He taught music in the Harvard Military Academy, at Occidental College, was leader of the Boys' Glee Club and was director of the Belcanto Girls' Glee Club. He organized and put on many light operas in former years, and he made the Orpheus Club, with its headquarters at the Union League, a means of training men's voices. During the war he did social service work and for a year was connected with the Y. M. C. A. at San Diego. He was a member of the Pioneer Musicians and the Los Angeles Teachers Association and was a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason. His funeral was held in the Scottish Rite Cathedral, and Rev. Mr. Gooden officiated. The pall- bearers were selected from the members of the Orpheus Club.
In 1895, at Albuquerque, New Mexico, Mr. Dupuy married Miss Ruth Jenks. She was born in England. Her mother was a descendant of the famous scholars Gilbert à Becket and Thomas à Becket. Her parents came to America and settled in Chicago forthy-three years ago. Mrs. Dupuy has two sons. Leon W. Dupuy is a mining engineer in Arizona, connected with the New Cornelia Copper Company. The youngest son is a student in the College of Commerce at the University of Southern Cali- fornia, and is a talented musician. The older son served during the war with the Trench Mortar Battalion at Charleston, South Carolina.
VIOLET ROMER SHAWHAN. At 1055 East Colorado Street in Pasadena is the home and studio of two famous artists, the older, Mrs. Ada Romer Shawhan, a painter whose work has been accorded recognition by many emi- nent critics, and the daughter, better known as Violet Romer, known abroad and in America as a dancer, actress and pantomimist of undisputed power.
The mother and daughter represent some of the most prominent families in California. J. E. Shawhan, grandfather of Violet Romer, was one of the old group of millionaire stock brokers at San Francisco. James M. Shawhan, father of Violet Romer, was the founder with Mr. Burbank of the Los Angeles Record, the first penny newspaper published west of the Mississippi, and was also the founder and editor of the Los Angeles Critic, later known as the Los Angeles Graphic and finally it became the socially prominent publication, the Los Angeles Saturday Night. James M. Shaw- han died in Seattle June 28, 1911. Ada. Romer Shawhan is a daughter of
Violet Pomer
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John L. Romer, who for many years was attorney for the Southern Pacific Railway and other California railroads. He bought every inch of land for many of the railroad lines in California and Nevada. His last work for rail- roads was done for the Western Pacific and the branch line running from Eureka. He died in October, 1913, on the day the last spike was driven in the Eureka Railway.
Mrs. Ada Shawhan has a son, Romer Shawhan, who is now supervis- ing architect for George B. Post & Sons, architects in Cleveland, a notable group of architectural experts with offices 'also in New York and Kansas City. Romer Shawhan served overseas in the first "pursuit group of avi- ators" and was a chasse, pilot or scout, flying over the enemy lines. His plane was shot down, falling from a height of 20,000 feet inside the French lines, and he was badly wounded. He was decorated with the Croix de Guerre and also with medals and badges inscribed with the battles of Cham- pagne-Marne, Aisne-Marne, St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne Defensive Sector, and a Star citation after each one.
The entry in the official record book made by Lieut .- Col. Harold E. Hartney, commanding officer of the first pursuit group, American Expedi- tionary Forces in France, says, under date of December 23, 1918:
"On the dissolution of the first pursuit group I wish by this to place on record my appreciation of the work of Capt. Romer Shawhan. This officer served directly and indirectly under my command and observation for a period of eight months. His work as my Operations Officer gave me a splendid opportunity, performed as it was in the pioneer days of the first pursuit group at Chateau Thierry and St. Mihiel, to determine his sterling qualities and worth. Untiring industry, helpfulness, self-sacrifice and self-effacement were the foundation stones of his success and in living (always tactfully but forcefully) up to these principles he displayed the characteristics of a most efficient officer-good judgment, temper forbear- ance, alertness, willingness to accept responsibility, reserve and straight thinking, not to mention personal valor and daring when occasion demanded. To him and to these principles of his the first pursuit group of aviators owes not a small portion of its success.
[Signed ] "Harold E. Hartney, "Lieut .- Col., Air Service."
Violet Romer-Shawhan was born in San Francisco, and early mani- fested such undeniable gifts as to prompt one of the most influential Wom- an's clubs in San Francisco to bring her before the public under their patronage. With the assistance of an eminent conductor, and a symphony orchestra of sixty-five pieces, she was seen, at the age of eighteen, in the Columbia Theatre, San Francisco, as a star in her own right for her first public appearance, winning such renown as to place herself at once in the first ranks of interpretative dancers.
Marc Klaw, the well known theatrical manager, who chanced to be in San Francisco at the time, was so deeply impressed with her talent that he arranged for her to go at once to London, where she danced at The Coli- seum Theatre during the Coronation season and before King George and Queen Mary. From London her fame spread back to the United States and New York heard of her. Harrison Grey Fiske was one who was impressed and forthwith engaged her to originate and render the Egyptian dances and ballets in "Kismet," the remarkable dramatic production in which Otis Skinner appeared so long. It was during this period that she gave her first dance-matinee in New York at the Knickerbocker Theatre, and evoked the adulation of the New York critics, as well as the highest praise from Ameri- ca's most celebrated actress, Mrs. Fiske. It is exceedingly doubtful if ever a debut was made with such signal success as her programme of dances and pantomimic numbers won from the New York critics.
Since then she, achieved distinction by her artistic work in the Chinese production of the "Daughter of Heaven" and for the large ballets in the biblical play of "Joseph and His Brethren," and in an original "Tribute to
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Shakespeare," a series of dramatic dances, given with Tyrone Power in conjunction with one-act scenes from Shakespearean plays.
Many. of the greatest musical and dramatic critics in the world have spoken most favorably of Miss Romer's work. Here it is possible to quote only one such tribute, written by the great musical critic the late Henry Krehbel of New York, who said: "The pleasures of the dance depending as they do, not only upon the lightness and grace and rhythm of the dancer, but upon her power to create images and impulses which the one who watches perhaps never had before, require that the dancer be an actress as well. Few dancers have this power. They merely dance and pose in a certain harmony of feeling and rhythm with the music which. they in a vague way interpret. The young California girl, Violet Romer, the Oriental Dancer in 'Kismet,' who gave her first Dance Concert in New York at the Knickerbocker Theatre, is instinctively an actress as well as a born dancer. There is something genuinely American in the fire and spirit, the grace, refinement and self possession of Miss Romer's work and an entirely fresh imagination which is the America of the future."
With well deserved fame as an individual artist, Miss Romer is also a successful teacher. She received her training abroad in the Italian and Russian technique under the very first masters, and in her own school of artistic dancing has established instruction methods that are unique. She has founded her school upon an ideal, one which assists the pupils to develop individually the dances she gives them until the very spirit of the dancer is ultimately expressed in a dance of exquisite beauty.
Miss Romer chose Pasadena as the place for her home and studio since it is a city made up of wealthy and cultured people most appreciative of her art.
JOHN P. DUNN. Among the political reform forces working steadily, aggressively against corruption in California politics during the nineties, one of the most vigilant and determined figures was the late John P. Dunn of Monrovia. His family still live there, and his two sons are leading attorneys of Los Angeles County.
John P. Dunn was born in Ireland in 1852. When he was three months old his parents came to America and settled at Cohoes, New York. He acquired the equivalent to a high school education in New York, and in 1877, a young man of twenty-five, he came to California and engaged in fire insurance business at San Francisco. Almost immediately he was attracted into local politics, and in 1879 was elected auditor of San Fran- cisco. In 1881 his name was placed on the democratic ticket, and he was elected state controller and was re-elected in 1885. During his service of eight years he used all his official power and was one of the leaders in the forces of public opinion to conserve for California the great volume of revenues withheld by many prominent corporations through various tax evasion devices. In this aggressive fight he retained such prominent attorneys as Stephen White, and was instrumental in recovering into the. state treasury many thousands of dollars in taxes.
About the time he began his official term in the state capitol, in 1881. Mr. Dunn bought twenty acres of land at Duarte, ten acres of wild land and ten acres planted to oranges. When he retired from office in 1890 he moved to this ranch. However, he was not permitted to give all his time to its management, since as a recognized leader in the fight for cleanliness in state government he was chosen secretary in 1892 of the Citizens Defense. Association, an organization largely sponsored by Senator Phelan and the. San Francisco Examiner. During the year or so he served as secretary. he made another powerful drive for the reform in political affairs. In. 1894 Mr. Dunn was appointed by President Cleveland registrar of the United States Land Office at San Francisco, and he held that post until 1898.
After this official term he returned to Duarte, and from 1900 to 1906 was secretary of the Duarte Fruit Exchange. He was an able business
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man, was fearless and just in the performance of his public duty, and at all times was resourceful and equal to the emergency that confronted him. He was a member of the old Mission Church at San Gabriel, was a devout Christian and a life long democrat.
In 1880 he married Miss Mary Mahoney, a native of New York. All their four children were born in California, and each received the best educational advantages. The oldest is Walter F. Dunn, who attended Ignatius College at San Francisco, graduated from the Monrovia High School, received his A. B. degree from Stanford University, and since 1906 has been an able member of the bar at Monrovia. For the past six years he has been president of the Board of City Trustees, was city attorney in 1908-10 and since 1910 has been city attorney of Arcadia, and city attorney of El Monte since its incorporation as a city.
John P. Dunn, Jr., the second child, was educated in the Citrus Union High School at Azusa, in Stanford University, and is also an attorney, with offices in the Stock Exchange Building at Los Angeles. He has been city attorney of Monrovia for six years, and is a past president of the City Attorneys Association of Southern California.
The older of the two daughters is Mary Alice, who graduated from the Monrovia High School and Stanford University, and is the wife of Dal M. Lemmon, their two sons being Vincent and Richard. Miss Theresa Dunn is a graduate of the Monrovia High School, received her A. B. degree from Stanford University, and is a teacher in the Monrovia High School.
THOMAS LYELL PUCKETT, who enjoys the distinction of being, in point of years actually engaged in business, the oldest authorized Ford auto- mobile dealer in the San Gabriel Valley, and one of the oldest in Southern California, and is one of Alhambra's most progressive and popular citizens. He is entirely a self-made man, and has devoted his attention to his present line of business since 1913, with the exception of the period which he spent in the Flying Corps of the United States Army during the World war.
Mr. Puckett was born at Shelbino, Missouri, August 27, 1891, and is a son of Thomas Leonard and ida May (Lyell) Puckett, the former a native of Bolivar, Tennessee, and the latter of Shelby County, Missouri. They came to California to make their home in 1911, and still reside in this state. They are the parents of two sons: Thomas Lyell, of this notice, and Charles Russell, of Upland, California. The father of Thomas Leonard Puckett was a surgeon in the Confederate Army during the Civil war, and lost his legs in that service and the father of Mrs. Puckett, Thomas Lyell, with his brother John came to California by ox teams in 1849, and after being successful in mining operations returned to the east by sailing vessel via Cape Horn.
T. Lyell Puckett received a good practical education in his youth, first attending the grammar school at Shelbino, Missouri, then spend- ing his first year of high school at Glendale, California, subsequently completing his high school training at his native place, and then taking one term each at the University of Missouri and Central College, Fayette, Missouri. He entered his present business in 1913 in a small place on Main Street, near Stoneman, Alhambra, now occupied by the United Theatres, and moved from there to a portion of the building now occupied by the Home Furniture Company, just next door to the Pacific Electric Depot on Main Street, near Stoneman. His next removal was to North Garfield Avenue, where he occupied several different buildings for various periods until securing his present com- modious and handsome location at Nos. 103 to 111 North Garfield Boulevard, where he has a ground floor space of 130x150 feet. Mr. Puckett has been in the automobile business continuously from 1913 to the present, and in 1921 sold about 1,000 cars, including Ford auto-
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mobiles, Fordson tractors and Lincoln automobiles. He is now equipped with all modern Ford equipment, and employs Ford factory schooled men competent to assemble and rebuild Ford cars without sending any part of the work out of the establishment. Mr. Puckett has built up an excellent business from small beginnings. As before noted, he is the oldest Ford agent, in point of years in business, in the San Gabriel Valley, and there are only a few others in Southern Cali- fornia who have exceeded him in years in business, one of them being Fred Nadean of Los Angeles.
In June, 1917, Mr. Puckett enlisted in the aviation service of the Signal Corps, United States Army, and February 11, 1918, began attending the School of Military Aeronautics at the University of Southern California. From there he was sent to Rockwell Field April 24, 1918, on which day he took his first flight. From that time forward for short periods he received dual instruction, in all amounting to four hours and ten minutes, after which he did solo work, or flew alone. He was then commissioned as lieutenant and sent to March Field, Riverside, July 17, 1918. Following this he remained in the service on five fields in Texas and one in Louisiana until receiving his honor- able discharge in February, 1919. During this time he was engaged in some very dangerous work. At Camp Dix he was director of athletic flying, and at Ellington Field took an engineering course and was also instructor in accuracy and acrobatic flying. With his fellow instructors he had strenuous and hazardous duties. For eight or nine hours a day he would be in the air, engaged in dual flying, that being the training of cadets, or new men, each of whom would receive from fifteen to forty-five minutes' instruction at a time.
Mr. Puckett is a member of the Los Angeles Athletic Club and the San Gabriel Country Club; Alhambra Post No. 139, American Legion ; the Alhambra Chamber of Commerce, the Alhambra Busi- ness Men's Association, the San Gabriel Valley Auto Dealers Asso- ciation ; Alhambra Lodge, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks : Alhambra Lodge No. 322, F. and A. M .; San Gabriel Chapter, R. A. M. ; the Council and the Commandery of Masonry, and Al Malaikah Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. He votes the democratic ticket. On April 14, 1920, Mr. Puckett married Miss Ynez Hannon, born at Los Angeles, daughter of Frank Hannon, one of Los Angeles County's well and favorably known business men.
THE WESTLAKE SCHOOL OF MUSIC, at 131 South Rampart Boulevard, was established in 1910 by Mrs. Birdiene McNamara, its present proprietor and director. The first building occupied by the school was the old home of E. R. Brainard on West Seventh Street, which was ideally arranged for the purpose, but after a year and one-half the property was sold, and to prevent another forced removal Mrs. McNamara acquired ground and built a school of her own. This school is ideally located in the heart of the Wilshire District, convenient to three car lines.
While primarily a piano school, it emphasizes the work of teaching children. Mrs. McNamara has a wonderful gift in training and inspiring children to fundamental musical accomplishments, and has laid the founda- tion of sound musical education for hundreds of young people in Southern California. She also conducts a normal class for teachers, and her own teachers are recruited from those she has personally trained.
Mrs. McNaniara was born in Milwaukee, lived at Lake Geneva, Wis- consin, and at the age of nine years was brought to California. Her father, A. C. Hogaboom, was a paving contractor, and subsequently col- onized a town in North Dakota. Her mother was Jennie Northrup Hoga- boom. Mrs. McNamara's brother, Winfield Hogaboom, produced "The Daughters of Dons," and is a successful publicity man and has had charge of publicity campaigns for political and other purposes. In 1910 Miss Birdiene Hogaboom was married to James McNamara of Los Angeles.
Ernest Pickering
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One of Mrs. McNamara's pupils is Miss Beatrice Fenner, a blind girl now eighteen, who has made wonderful advancement under the guidance of Mrs. McNamara and is now teaching a class of blind pupils. Mrs. McNamara is a member of the Los Angeles Teachers' Association.
ERNEST PICKERING. It is not for nothing that the Santa Monica Bay District, fourteen miles West of Los Angeles, is known as "The Playground of the Pacific." What nature has done in climate, scenery, surf and beach, men have supplemented with their art and architecture in constituting a fairyland of beauty for joy and pleasure.
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