USA > California > Los Angeles County > History of Los Angeles county, Volume II > Part 52
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The man given the chief credit for the present unrivalled facilities for pleasure in Ocean Park is Ernest Pickering, organizer and president of the company, which constructed and owns the Pickering Pleasure Pier.
Mr. Pickering was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, September 20th, 1873, and acquired his early education in the public schools there. At the age of eighteen he was in the hotel business in Rawlins, Wyoming, and sub- sequently was identified with theatres in Salt Lake City and Pocatello, Idaho. Eventually he developed a successful theatrical enterprise in the control of a series of theatres in Utah. For three years he was in the bakery and confectionery business in the city of Denver and for the ensuing five years engaged in many enterprises. On returning to Salt Lake City in 1903 he acted as manager of the Salt Palace, Utah's largest amusement park.
In 1904 Mr. Pickering came to California and instituted and developed the Seal Gardens on the Long Beach electric car line. He engaged in the real estate business in Los Angeles until 1910 in which year he leased a great portion of the pier property at Venice from the Abbott Kinney Com- pany and it was through Mr. Pickering's efforts that the Giant Ferris Wheel was installed, also the Roller Skating Rink building and the Virginia Reel as well as many other notable enterprises. When the devastating fire of 1912 swept the amusement and business section of Ocean Park, Mr. Pick- ering, looking beyond the dismal picture in the foreground and with a vision possible to be realized only by courage and enterprise of the city of the future, saw a world famed beach resort. He organized the com- pany which procured a fifteen year lease from the Fraser Million Dollar Pier Co. on the charred piling and twisted debris left by the devastating fire and was the first to start the rebuilding of Ocean Park. In the face of almost insurmountable difficulties he proceeded, first constructing a shack of an office which was moved about over the debris no less than fifteen times during the rebuilding process. When others saw that Mr. Picker- ing was going to succeed, they followed and today Ocean Park and Santa Monica are known throughout the length and breadth of the land. Mr. Pick- ering remained as the active head of this company until 1914 when he resigned to take the active management of the Abbot Kinney Company, which position he held until 1915.
In 1917 he opened the Chocolate Palace at San Bernardino, the beautiful store now stands as a monument to his enterprise and foresight.
He was manager of the celebrated Saltair Beach at Salt Lake City, Utah, during the season of 1918 and upon returning to California in 1919 he organized the company which purchased the Pier from the Fraser Million Dollar Pier Company and now owns and operates the largest pleasure pier in the world and is known to all pleasure seekers as the Pickering Pleasure Pier, Ocean Park, California. This company is incorporated for $500,000.00 with Mr. Pickering as President and general manager, Vice-president, General C. Mc C. Reeve, and Lorenzo C. Close, Secretary and Treasurer.
Mr. Pickering is constantly improving the pier property which is 500 feet wide, extending 780 feet into the Pacific Ocean and is one of the most popular amusement places in Southern California. It is the scene of the yearly gathering of the Boy Scouts, the Canadian Picnic and the annual picnic ground for many other organizations. New capital is being
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constantly put in for additional facilities and new improvements. During the years of 1920, 1921, 1922 and 1923 close to $300,000 has been expended on riding devices.
Mr. Pickering holds membership in the Santa Monica-Ocean Park Chamber of Commerce and is one of the Directors and Chairman of Community Welfare. He belongs to the City Club of Los Angeles, the Greater Santa Monica Club, the Rotary Club and the Ocean Park Boosters Club. He is a member of Santa Monica Lodge No. 906, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and Santa Monica Bay Nest No. 112, Fraternal Order Orioles.
Mr. Pickering was married to Mrs. Etta C. Close of Buffalo, New York, in 1907. My her former marriage she has two children, Mrs. Robert Widemann of Los Angeles, California, and Lorenzo C. Close, Secretary and Treasurer of the Pickering Pleasure Pier Company.
JOHN F. HULL, M. D. While he has been a resident of Alhambra only since 1917. Dr. John F. Hull has already established himself firmly in the ranks of his profession and in the confidence of the people, and since his arrival has found time from a constantly-growing practice to contribute to the advancement of his adopted community. He is a native of Keota, Keo- kuk County, Iowa, and a son of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Jones) Hull.
Benjamin Hull was born in Ohio, and as a young man became a flint glass blower, a vocation which he followed until his health was affected and he was forced to seek another vocation. Going to Iowa City, Iowa, he met and married Elizabeth Jones, a native of Indiana, and he subsequently engaged in the hotel business, in addition to which he carried on a bakery and confectionery business. At one time he operated the baggage and hack line at Iowa City, where he and his worthy wife are now living in com- fortable retirement, the former being eighty-two years of age and the latter seventy-four. They were the parents of five children, of whom John F. is the next to the eldest.
The graded and high schools of Iowa City furnished John F. Hull with his early educational training, following which he enrolled as a student at the Iowa State University and was graduated with the class of 1898, receiv- ing the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He began practice at Fort Dodge, Iowa, where he spent one year, and then went to Lake City, Iowa, and engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery for eighteen years, under the most difficult circumstances, entailing hardships and self- sacrifice. In the vicinity the country was new, consisting principally of unfenced prairies, without roads except a few trails which became mud in the spring and fall, dust in the summer and were lost entirely under the snow in the winter months. Through extreme heat and cold the country doctor fought his way, being often guided across the prairies by a single feeble light shining from the home of some sufferer in need of aid. Often he would wade arm-pit deep in snow, seeking the road for his team. His experiences included being lost on the prairies for an entire night during a fierce blizzard, and the freezing of his fingers, his toes and his ears. Doctor Hull built up a splendid practice, but this he left in 1917 to seek a warmer climate. Having passed the examination of the California Board of Med- ical Examiners in 1916, he began practice at Alhambra in the fall of 1917, and has here worked his way to professional prominence. He is a member of the Alhambra Hospital medical staff, physical inspector for the Alham- bra city schools, physician for the Southern California Edison Company and surgeon for the Pacific Electric Railway and the Southern Pacific Railroad. He holds membership in the various organizations of his pro- fession, and as a fraternalist is affiliated with the Blue Lodge, Chapter and Commandery of Masonry at Alhambra; Alhambra Lodge, Knights of Pythias ; Alhambra Camp, Modern Woodmen of America ; and the Ancient Order of United Workmen, at Los Angeles. Doctor Hull belongs also to the Alhambra Chamber of Commerce, the Alhambra Business Men's Asso- ciation and the Los Cazadores Club of Alhambra. As a citizen he is pro-
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gressive and public-spirited, and is a most loyal admirer of Alhambra's great possibilities and a supporter of its present claims.
During 1918 Dr. Hull went to the training camp at Fort Riley, Kansas. He was commissioned a captain of the Medical Corps in May of that year, and was stationed at Fort Riley with Camp Infirmary No. 1 until the armistice was signed, when he received his discharge.
At Lake City, Iowa, in 1910, Doctor Hull was united in marriage with Miss Addie Smith, who was born at Lake City, a daughter of G. C. Smith, now a prominent orange and lemon grower of Whittier Heights, California. She is a graduate of Lake City High School, the Chicago Conservatory of Music and Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, and is a woman of numer- ous graces and accomplishments. To Doctor and Mrs. Hull there have come three children: John Carl, born at Lake City, Iowa, November 9, 1913; Alma Marion, born at Lake City, March 17, 1917; and Donald B., born at Alhambra, California, October 7, 1919.
OSCAR GUSTAV PAUL WEGENER. Among the men who have contributed to the upbuilding and development of the community of Alhambra it is doubtful if any possessed in greater degree versatility such as belonged to the late Capt. Oscar Gustav Paul Wegener. At various times in his active and successful career he was sea captain, hotel proprietor, traveling repre- sentative, fruit grower, apiarist and recreation establishment proprietor, and in the midst of all his activities found time to be a good and public- spirited citizen and a loyal and generous friend.
Captain Wegener was born January 17, 1857, at Berlin, Germany, a son of Robert and Amelia (Bruskow) Wegener, wealthy and prominent people of their locality in Germany, of which country they were natives. Robert Wegener was burgomaster of Dutch Wilmalsdorf for a period of twenty- five years and a wealthy man, and his wife was the owner of the state asylum for the insane, an institution in which the mentally deranged insane of the aristocracy found retreat. This estate located at Dutch Wilmals- dorf, is of great value, and the heirs, Captain Wegener's surviving children, now await its settlement.
Captain Wegener was well educated in his youth, attending a college in the City of Berlin, but instead of entering one of the professions chose a seafaring career and worked his way to a captain's berth, being in the merchantmen service for a period of fourteen years, during which time he accumulated a competence. On what proved to be his last trip, in 1887, he met Miss Louisa Burkhardt, who was born in Hanover, Germany, February 28, 1865, a daughter of August and Alesa (Pecka) Burkhardt, well-to-do merchant of Hanover. Miss Burkhardt boarded the vessel at Bremen, her destination being Galveston, Texas, and long before the voyage of five months had been completed had become engaged to the bluff sea captain. Immediately upon the ship's arrival at port Captain Wegener gave up his sea roving life, married Miss Burkhardt, took out his naturalization papers for American citizenship and settled down at Mobile, Alabama, where he had purchased the St. James Hotel. For five years he continued to be the proprietor of this hostelry, and then sold out and went to New Orleans, where he conducted a store and sewing machine agency for four years. Coming then to San Francisco, he went into the piano and sewing machine business as a traveling salesman, following this line for five years and making a good income, so that he was able to return to his native land for a visit. Broken in health, he returned to California and settled at Alhambra, where he purchased two and one-half acres of land on Marguerita Street, near Mission Road, this being at the time all bare land. He planted it to orange trees, and as this new orchard would bring him no income for several years, he utilized the ground between the trees for the planting of straw- berry plants. In four years he had accumulated enough from his berries to allow him to purchase eight and one-half more acres of bare land, and this was also set out as an orchard. He also engaged in the apiary business, in a large and successful way, and, taking 1,000 stands of bees into the moun-
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tains, in one year made twenty-five tons of honey. He likewise experi- mented with silk worms for one year, but this proved about the only unsuc- cessful enterprise in which he engaged throughout his career. About the year 1907 Captain Wegener built the Walhalla Skating Rink on his grounds, and this also proved a big success and a money-maker.
Mr. Wegener continued to carry on his various enterprises until his death at Alhambra in 1912. Throughout his life he was a worker and a man of wonderful endurance. The school of experience in which he had been brought up in young manhood had been a hard one, for in the days of the merchantmen there was no place for the weakling, the old sailing craft calling for men of the sturdiest manhood. : While his parents were well-to- do, he did not ask them for financial assistance, and all that he had he earned with his own hands, aided by the constant and faithful labor of his devoted wife, a woman of business ability and sound common sense, who survives him as a resident of Alhambra. They became the parents of fourteen children, of whom seven grew to maturity: Hans, born in New Orleans in 1887, received a good education, was a splendid assayer and finally entered the plumbing business at Santa Monica, married Attala Durant and has three daughters; Max, born at San Francisco in 1890, an exceptional scholar who was fitting himself to become an attorney when, at the age of nineteen years, he was accidentally killed by a gunshot while hunting ; Ellen, born at Alhambra in 1892, was educated at Ramona Con- vent, married Ethan Landfear, a banker of San Jose, and has two sons; Margaret, born at Alhambra in 1895, was educated at Ramona Convent, married Max Houser, a sea captain, and resides at Honolulu, H. I .; Robert, born at Alhambra in 1897, was educated at the Alhambra High School, enlisted in the United States Navy during the World war, and for eighteen months traveled all over the world in the transport service, and since his honorable discharge has been carrying on operations on his mother's farm ; Hazel, born at Alhambra in 1902, was educated at the Alhambra High School, married Leon Grist and has one son ; and Paul, born at Alhambra in 1906, is now attending the New Alhambra High School.
Mr. Wegener was a member of the Lutheran Church, to which Mrs. Wegener belongs. Since his death she has carried on the orange grove in a highly successful manner, and the land which was formerly a grain field or bare ground is now entirely surrounded by the City of Alhambra, which, of course, makes it highly valuable as city land.
GEORGE W. STIMSON, who has been a resident of Pasadena since 1885 and who has been an influential figure in connection with the civic and material development and upbuilding of this fair California city, is a native of the old Pine Tree State and a scion of sterling Colonial stock in New England, that cradle of much of our national history. In his vigorous and successful career as a business man and loyal and progressive citizen he has exemplified the best attributes of the fine old American ancestry of which he is a representative, and he still maintains active association with business affairs, mainly in connection with his varied real-estate and financial interests, his office headquarters being in the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce Building.
George Woodbury Stimson was born at Gray, Cumberland County, Maine, a village about sixteen miles north of the City of Portland, and the date of his nativity was September 5, 1848. He is a son of Captain Theophilus and Mary (Lawrence) Stimson, the father likewise having been born in Maine, a representative of a family there established for many generations, his title of captain having been gained as a member of the Militia in Gray. The youthful educational advantages of George W. Stimson included those of Auburn Academy at Auburn, Maine, and as a young man he left New England to establish his residence in Ohio, where eventually he engaged in the wholesale grocery business at Washington Court House, as a member of the firm of Stimson Brothers. He continued
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a member of this firm about twenty years and played a prominent part in the development of its substantial and prosperous business. In 1885 he sold his interest in the business and came to California, where he became actively identified with the real-estate and building business in Los Angeles, where he built over 1,000 residences, largely in the West Lake District, though he has resided at Pasadena during virtually the entire period since he came to this state. In 1893 he went East to recuperate, and while there was asked to become purchasing agent for the Big Four Railroad, which at that time consisted of ten different divisions. This position he accepted and filled until he found that his interests in California required his exclusive attention. He was a vigorous and resourceful factor in the growth and advancement of both Los Angeles and Pasadena, and in this and also in general civic lines he has an appreciable measure of pioneer honors. Mr. Stimson is a director of the Pasadena branch of the Pacific Southwest Trust & Savings Bank of Los Angeles, and has other substantial financial interests.
The political allegiance of Mr. Stimson has ever been given to the republican party, he and his wife are zealous members of the Pasadena Presbyterian Church, of which he has served as a trustee, and he holds membership in the California Club in Los Angeles and the Twilight Club at Pasadena.
At Wilmington, Ohio, on the 30th of September, 1875, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Stimson and Miss Jennie Wickersham, daughter of Robert Wickersham, and the children of this union are five in number : Robert W., who resides in Europe and is engaged in an international com- mercial enterprise that extends into all parts of the civilized world; George Lawrence, engaged in the building business at Pasadena; Cordelia, the wife of Walter A. Hopkins, of Pasadena; Charles E., individually men- tioned in the following sketch; and Jane, the wife of Garretson Dulin, of Pasadena.
CHARLES E. STIMSON is a native son of the City of Pasadena and has here found ample scope for successful business enterprise, as is shown by the fact that he is manager of the Pasadena office of Hunter, Dulin & Com- pany, of which representative corporation he is treasurer. The concern has high standing in the handling of the best grade of bonds and other invest- ment securities.
Charles Ewing Stimson was born at Pasadena on the 6th of March, 1891, and is a son of George W. Stimson, an honored citizen of whom indi- vidual mention is made on other pages of this work, so that further review of the family history is not demanded in the sketch at hand. In the public schools of Pasadena Charles E. Stimson continued his studies until his graduation from the high school in 1908. In 1910 he graduated from the Hotchkiss School, a collegiate preparatory institution, and he then entered historic old Yale University, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1914 and with the degree of Bachelor of Arts.
After completing his university course Mr. Stimson returned to Pasa- dena and assumed a clerical position in the Union National Bank. Later he became a salesman for E. H. Rollins & Sons, bond investments, and since November, 1919, he has been treasurer of Hunter, Dulin & Company, with full charge of the concern's office in Pasadena-210 East Colorado Street. The business activities of Mr. Stimson were interrupted when he entered the nation's service in connection with the World war. He became first lieutenant of the United States Heavy Artillery, and with this command he finally went to the stage of conflict overseas, he having been in service in France about six months when the signing of the armistice brought the war to a close.
Mr. Stimson is a republican in generic political adherency, is a member of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, the Annandale Golf Club and the Yale Club of Southern California, is affiliated with the Alpha Delta Phi
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fraternity of Yale University, and he and his wife are members of the Pres- byterian Church.
On the 2d of March, 1917, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Stimson and Miss Mary D. Sturdivant, whose parents, Mr. and Mrs. George W. Sturdivant, are residents of Pasadena. Mr. and Mrs. Stimson have two fine sons : Charles Ewing, Jr., born December 19, 1919; and George Woodbury Stimson II, born January 9, 1922, and named in honor of his paternal grandfather.
KARL JOHN WEBERG, D. C., Ph. C., President of the Pasadena College of Chiropractic, took up his profession as a result of personal experience having been pronounced a permanent invalid by regular school physicians and having been restored to a life of usefulness by chiropractic.
Doctor Weberg has had an interesting career. He was born at Woburn, Massachusetts, October 21, 1876, son of Louritz and Gustava Weberg. His parents were natives of Norway. His father was a sea captain, and lost his life at sea in 1879. Subsequently the widowed mother returned to Norway. Karl John Weberg began his education in a grammar school at Woburn, and subsequently attended high school in Norway. He served an apprenticeship as a marine engineer, and in 1897 at the age of twenty- one enlisted at Boston in the United States Navy. He was in the service when the Spanish-American war broke out, and he was on one of the ships in Sampson's fleet. This ship was the Vesuvius, the first dynamite throw- ing ship ever produced. His service with the navy continued for ten years, and he was discharged in 1909 at Mare Island, San Francisco, as chief machinist's mate.
On account of injuries received while in the navy he was discharged as the Doctors claimed a permanent invalid and was pensioned accordingly. but subsequently as a result of chiropractic treatments his health was restored, and from that time he has practically dedicated his life to the study and the professional work of chiropractic. In 1915 he graduated with the degree D. C. from the Ratledge College of Chiropractic at Los Angeles ; received the degree D. M .- T. in 1917 from Mechano-Therapy at Chicago, and the degree Ph. C. and Doctor of Naturopathy in 1920 from the Eclectic College of Chiropractic. For the past eight years he has been engaged in chiropractic practice at Pasadena, and in 1922 he founded the Pasadena College of Chiropractic, which was chartered under the California laws January 20, 1922. At the beginning of America's participa- tion in the World war in 1917, Doctor Weberg volunteered his services, and was put on the Reserve list as a commissioned officer in the navy.
Doctor Weberg in his private practice and in the College of Chiropractic has associated with him his accomplished wife, Doctor Emma A. Weberg. who is also a graduate of chiropractic. They were married at San Diego, August 16, 1913. Mrs. Weberg's maiden name was Emma A. Baker. Her parents were I. C. and Annetta ( Wilson) Baker. Her mother was a descendant of John Adams of Massachusetts. I. C. Baker was a descend- ant of an English noble family, and was formerly, a Methodist minister in Illinois. Rev. Mr. Baker now lives with Dr. and Mrs. Weberg. Doctor Weberg has two stepdaughters, Mrs. Gladys A. Culvyhouse and Mrs. Mil- dred G. Daniels.
Doctor Weberg is a republican and at different times has put forth his personal efforts in behalf of prohibition. He is affiliated with Pasadena Lodge No. 272, Free and Accepted Masons, is a member of the Scot- tish Rite parties, Jinnistan Grotto No. 76, of Los Angeles, and also belongs to the California Loyal Order of Moose No. 543, United Spanish American War Veterans, being Past Commander of Eddie S. Moore Camp No. 41. and belongs to Catacataca Panucala Lair No. 4. of the California Military Order of the Serpents. He is a member of the Automobile Club of South- ern California, the Chamber of Commerce and Civic Association of Pasa- dena, the Investment Educational Fellowship and the Lincoln Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church of Pasadena.
Karl J. Weberg
Suma G. Weburg.
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THE ABBOTT SCHOOL OF ARTISTIC DANCING. Mrs. Abbott came to California twelve years ago and started a dancing academy at Anaheim, in the old Opera House. Her immediate success caused her to get into a larger field, and coming to Los Angeles she has for twelve years conducted the school of dancing known as the Abbott School. Until recently the home of this school was on Figueroa Street, but in 1922 she completed and occupied a beautiful new school and grounds located on the brow of one of Hollywood's hills. The building is constructed in soft gray woods, and the interior is also finished in soft gray tones, with furnishings and decora- tions of gray, blue and gold. The building and the entire environment present a most artistic setting and there is a grove and play ground.
With the removal to the new home Mrs. Abbott established a new school, known as the LaVerna Terrace Private Day School. She has assembled a staff of teachers for all the grades, including high school, and besides the regular instruction offers courses in dancing, singing and piano. The school teaches individual attention, outdoor study and games, and its standards are such as to make it one of the best private schools in the county.
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