USA > California > Los Angeles County > History of Los Angeles county, Volume II > Part 60
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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY
surrender the Government property at Fort Brown to the Confederates at the order of Gen. David E. Twiggs, and who had distinguished himself on the field of Williamsburg, in the raid toward Richmond, in the Atlanta campaign and on numerous other occasions. During his later years he was the object of much esteem and respect upon the part of his fellow- citizens, and at all times he held a high place in their confidence and respectful affection. In the evening of life he went to the East, where his death occurred at Buffalo, New York, September 5, 1894.
General Stoneman married Miss Mary O. Hardisty, of Baltimore, Maryland, and they became the parents of four children: Cornelius McLean, now deceased; Katharine Cheney, who is unmarried and a resident of Brookline, Massachusetts; George J., a leading attorney of Los Angeles, a brief outline of whose career appears in the following sketch ; and Adele, the wife of Lou Schmiddall, a theatrical promoter of New York City.
GEORGE J. STONEMAN. Prior to locating at Los Angeles in 1920, George J. Stoneman had established a reputation in several states as a lawyer of the highest ability, particularly in Arizona, where he had practiced from territorial days, and this he has fully sustained in his new field of endeavor. The reputation of the eminent corporation attorneys of the country is not established in a day, unusual ability in this broad field demanding not only natural talents, but the most thorough preparation and strenuous, contin- uous and intense application and industry. Broad education and extensive knowledge of business, commercial and industrial principles and conditions are requisites for success. Commencing practice about thirty-three years ago, Mr. Stoneman has advanced steadily to the front in reputation and the legitimate rewards of such a standing.
George J. Stoneman was born May 4, 1868, at Petersburg, Virginia, a son of the late Hon. George and Mary O. (Hardisty) Stoneman. A review of his distinguished father, who was one of the military heroes of the Union Army during the Civil war and later governor of California, will be found in the preceding sketch. At the time of Mr. Stone- man's birth his father was acting as military governor of Virginia, aiding in the work of the reconstruction period. The youth was reared prin- cipally in California, where he attended various schools, and, choosing law for his profession, pursued a course at the University of Michigan, from which he was graduated in 1889, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He immediately went to Seattle, Washington, where he entered actively into practice with the well-known western legist W. Lair Hill, who codified the laws of the states of Oregon and Washington, and remained in that city until 1894. He then went to Arizona and first took up his residence at Globe, but later removed to Phoenix, where he built up a large and important practice, specializing in corporation and mining laws, yet retaining his general practice. He was a member of the Terri- torial Railroad Commission for four years, served as district attorney of Gila County, Arizona, and was prominent in the ranks of the democratic party, being chairman of the State Democratic Committee. Prior to the admission of Arizona to statehood he was president of the Territory Bar Association, and was later president of the state body when Arizona was recognized as a commonwealth. He resided at Phoenix from 1911 until 1920, when he came to Los Angeles and opened offices at 803 H. W. Hellman Building. He is a prodigious worker, and his large practice has been principally in the fields of corporation, interstate commerce and con- stitutional law. He numbers among his clients some of the leading cor- porations of the country, and has represented one side or the other in many of the great cases that have come before the courts.
Mr. Stoneman is a Knight Templar Mason and Shriner, as well as an Elk, and has the unusual and greatly desired distinction of holding mem- bership in the Society of the Cincinnati, which comes to him through his inother's Revolutionary ancestry. During the World war Mr. Stoneman
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made an endeavor to get into active service, which was, denied him because of his age, and, failing in this, threw himself whole-heartedly and unre- servedly into purposeful activities in other ways in behalf of his country's cause. He was at the head of Arizona's "Four-Minute" Men, served as a member of the State Executive Board of the Red Cross and was extremely active in bond sales. While born in Virginia, he has lived as a westerner and is a true western type. The only living son of a remarkably purposeful and distinguished father, he has carried many of the latter's ideas and. ideals into effect, much to the betterment of the communities in which he has resided.
In 1901 Mr. Stoneman was united in marriage with Miss Julia S. Ilamm, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, a native of Missouri and of prominent family connections, and to this union there have come three children: Virginia Hardisty, born June 25, 1902; George, born November 3, 1906; and Mary L., born May 25, 1909.
MRS. S. R. GASTINEAU. Among the highly respected residents of Alhambra one who is esteemed not only for what she is but for what she has accomplished, without assistance, is Mrs. S. R. Gastineau, the pro- prietress of the oldest, largest and most successful millinery business of this thriving community. She has resided here since the town was in infancy, has developed with its opportunities, has shared in its prosperity and has contributed to its general growth and advancement.
Mrs. Gastineau was born in Greene County, Indiana, January 22, 1867, and is a daughter of John and Jane (Fulk) Messenger. During each war since that of the American Revolution members of Mrs. Gas- tineau's family have been soldiers. Her grandmother is still living, at the remarkable age of ninety-seven years, and her father is living at seventy-six years of age. John Messenger was born in Ohio in 1846, and was but fifteen years of age when the Civil war broke out. However, being large and well-matured, he represented himself to the recruiting officer as being over eighteen. He was asked how old he was, and his answer was "Over eighteen," he having placed the number eighteen in one of his shoes. He was accepted and assigned to a company in the Nineteenth Army Corps. seeing service in a number of major engagements under Gen. John A. Logan. He also was with General Sherman in his famous March to the Sea, and throughout his service maintained a reputation for fidelity and bravery. On receiving his honorable discharge the young soldier returned to Indiana and engaged in agricultural pursuits for a number of years, but on coming to California engaged in contracting and built numerous resi- dences and other buildings in the vicinity of Alhambra. He is now past seventy-six years of age and a resident of Alhambra, where he is living in partial retirement. His worthy wife, who also survives, was born in Indiana in 1845. They had but one child.
Mrs. S. R. Gastineau was largely self-educated, and her schooling as a girl came through attendance at the common schools. She was only sixteen years of age when, in Indiana, she was united in marriage with James Gastineau, who was an Indiana farmer. In 1884 they came to California, where in 1887 and later Mr. Gastineau was largely instrumental in the development of water for domestic use and irrigation purposes. In 1889 he became identified with the plumbing business as an employe of R. V. Bishop, and soon thereafter embarked in business on his own account. Being without capital, he was forced to make his initial venture a modest one. His headquarters were established in his barn on South Garfield Street, and his vehicle for business purposes was a wheelbarrow. Soon the business developed to much larger dimensions, and in this development a most prominent part was taken by his wife, who had taken a business course after coming to California and who took entire charge of the books and accounts of the business, with such good effect that her bad accounts amounted to less than $100 on turning the books over to other parties. In addition she. performed numerous other tasks, estimating contracts for
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water, ditches and extensive water tunnels; looking after the men's sup- plies ; cutting out pipe in the shop; going with a team to Los Angeles and transporting supplies and stock, and in every way managing as a superior business woman.
Through her connection with her husband's business Mrs. Gastineau became imbued with the ambition to be the owner of a business of her own. She desired that it be entirely an independent enterprise, and, not wishing to ask her husband for monetary assistance, and herself lacking the neces- sary finances, she evolved a way out of her difficulty by collecting empty liquor bottles that had been thrown away, and these she sold. Within a comparatively short time she had accumulated sufficient capital and in late 1910 opened a beauty parlor and millinery store at 8 East Main Street, Alhambra. Her first order on hair goods netted her sixty dollars, and this was immediately reinvested in the business. From this small beginning has grown the largest and best equipped and stocked millinery store in Alhambra, carrying extensive lines of notions and hair goods, and maintaining a thriving beauty parlor. At the time of her arrival at Alhambra Mrs. Gastineau made her home on Grand Avenue. There were few cultivated fields at that time, sage brush predominating as the principal vegetation, and coyotes and rattlesnakes were numerous. It was necessary at all times to house the poultry securely every evening before dark. The roads were still trails and tally-ho sight-seeing was something of note. During the years that have passed through her own business thrift and sagacity Mrs. Gastineau has prospered and now has valuable city realty holdings and large ranch interests in Northern California. She and her daughters are members of the Order of the Eastern Star. In politics she is an ardent republican, and for several years she has been active in social betterment.
Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Gastineau : John L. and E. Pearle. John L. Gastineau was born August 14, 1884, in Indiana, and after graduating from high school in California, with class honors, attended the Woodbury Business College at Los Angeles, from which he was also graduated. He then adopted his father's business, becoming a master plumber, and was the owner of a business of his own in addition to being the inventor of several ingenious articles. He died in June, 1920, leaving a childless widow, formerly Miss Bertha Campbell. E. Pearle Gastineau was born at Linton, Indiana, May 30, 1886, graduated from high school with highest honors and then pursued a course at Woodbury Business College, Los Angeles. On leaving that institution she went to Inde- pendence, Inyo County, California, where she became one of the most prominent and popular public officials. She was the first deputy county clerk to be paid a salary by that county, and also served as court reporter and deputy county recorder, and was a talented musician and a poetess of merit. She was also the first woman requested to make the race for the offices of county clerk, county recorder or tax collector, but declined these honors, although assured by the leading people of the county that all campaign funds would be furnished and that her election would be unques- tioned. In 1918 Miss Gastineau was united in marriage with James Humphrey, a native of Oklahoma, and they now reside at Holtville, Cali- fornia, where Mr. Humphrey is identified with the federal immigration service. Mr. Humphrey has served honorably through three enlistments in the United States Army. He first enlisted in the Coast Artillery, assembled the great guns at Alcatras Island and fired their first shot, became a corporal three months after enlistment, and made rapid advance- ment. He was honorably discharged in May, 1905, but soon thereafter again enlisted, as a private, was again made corporal after three months, and once more was advanced rapidly, this same routine being carried out in his third enlistment. During his second enlistment he saw service in the Hawaiian Islands, where he installed the first searchlight on Fort Kruger. He also succeeded in placing guns after hydro engineers and officers had given up the task as impossible. In 1915 he again enlisted, joining the
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cavalry at Fort Slocum, New York, whence he was at once sent to the Mexican border with General Pershing's punative expedition, where he saw some skirmishing with the Mexican troops. The troop was still stationed on the Mexican border, with orders to hold itself in readiness to embark for France, when the armistice was signed in 1918. It has always been Mr. Humphrey's desire to get into action at the front, but on each occasion his desires have been frustrated by what he has deemed an unfor- tunate circumstance. He and his wife are the parents of one child: Sarah Vinita, who was born at Holtville, February 16, 1921.
GEORGE S. PATTON was born in Charleston, Virginia, September 30, 1856, a son of George Smith and Susan Thorton (Glassell) Patton. His ancestry includes many distinguished names in American annals. He is directly descended from Mildred Washington and another ancestor was General Hugh Mercer, who commanded the Virginia troops under Wash- ington and was killed at the battle of Princeton. There are numerous towns and counties named after this distinguished Revolutionary leader. In all generations the Pattons have displayed an unequivocal patriotism and many of them have shown strong inclination for military service. That Mr. George S. Patton has no military record is due to his fate in having been born too late for the Civil war and too early for the World war, in which his son, Col. G. S. Patton III, achieved real distinction. Mr. Patton's father was a colonel in the Twenty-second Virginia Infantry during the Civil war and was killed at the battle of Winchester on Sep- tember 19, 1864.
George S. Patton II was educated in the Virginia Military Institute at Lexington, Virginia, and afterward studied law in that city. He came to Los Angeles in 1878, was admitted to the California bar two years later, and was soon prominent in his profession. He served as district attorney of Los Angeles County in 1884. Mr. Patton has always been a democrat, a leader in his party, and has never neglected an opportunity to perform a part of usefulness in his city, state and nation. He was democratic candidate for Congress in 1894, in the sixth district, and in 1916 was democratic candidate for United States senator for California. He has been a vestry man in the Church of Our Savior, Protestant- Episcopal, at San Gabriel for more than twenty-five years. He is a mem- ber of the California Club of Los Angeles.
December 10, 1884, at San Gabriel, he married Miss Ruth Wilson. She is a daughter of Benjamin D. and Margaret Wilson. Her father was one of the first Americans to settle in Los Angeles, and for many years exercised a great influence in that city. He became an extensive land owner, and his properties were widely distributed between the mountains and the sea. Mr. and Mrs. Patton have two children, Col. George Smith Patton and Miss Anne Wilson Patton.
F. A. UTTER. In recorded history there has been no period when the care of the dead has not been a feature of even savage life, and the ceremo- nies have been of a character that has been marked by the measure of civ- ilization. If the habits and customs of nations are studied it will be found that a reverence has been paid to the dead oftentimes such as has not been given to the living. There has never been, however, a time when the proper, dignified, sanitary conduct of funeral obsequies and disposal of the remains of those whose life work had ended have been so complete as at present. Funeral directors and undertakers of the present. day are no longer mere mechanics, but, on the contrary, are carefully trained in this profession. In this modern school is found F. A. Utter of Alhambra, head of the firm of F. A. Utter & Son, a substantial business man and a well-known figure in civic circles.
Mr. Utter was born near Utica, New York, August 20, 1864, and is a son of Rev. Samuel S. and Olive (Ames) Utter, natives of the Empire State. His father, a minister of the Baptist faith, died at Brooklyn, New
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York, at the age of eighty-two years, while his mother passed away there when sixty-seven years old. There were three children in the family : F. A., of this notice; Herbert, prominent in railroad circles as secretary and treasurer of the Missouri Pacific Railway, with offices at New York City ; and Grace, who is unmarried and resides at Brooklyn, at the old home of her parents.
F. A. Utter was taken as a child to Minnesota, where he attended the graded and high schools and graduated from the latter at Faribault. He then went to South Dakota, where he made his home for a time. Returning then to Minnesota, he spent two years in the study of medicine, after which he gave up this profession and returned to New York State. There in 1888 he was united in marriage with Miss Alta Wigglesworth, of Palmyra, New York, a graduate of the Palmyra High School and a young woman of intel- lect and superior accomplishments. To them there were born two children : Vera, a graduate of the high school at Salt Lake City, Utah, born August 24, 1889, married R. R. Lansford, and has two children, Ruth and Lois, and Leon S., born September 27, 1890, at Rochester, New York, a graduate of the Salt Lake City High School and the Salt Lake Business College, a member of the Masons and Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and associated in business with his father. He is married and has two sons, Gerald and Paul.
In 1892 Mr. Utter completed a course in a school of embalming of New York, and in that year engaged in the funeral directing business with his father-in-law, A. G. Wigglesworth. This was a successful business, but in 1895 Mr. Utter's health failed and acting upon the advice of his physician he came to the West, first locating at Salt Lake City, Utah, where he engaged in the same line of business. In February, 1907, he disposed of his interests at Salt Lake City and came to Alhambra, a community at that time of about 1,200 people. Here he purchased the interest of Edward Phillips in the firm of Phillips & Allen, furniture dealers and undertakers, which at that time assumed the style of Utter & Allen. Not long thereafter they disposed of their stock of furniture, and from that time forward continued the business as an undertaking establishment until November, 1920, when Mr. Utter bought the interest of his partner. Since then his son has been admitted to partnership and the business is known as F. A. Utter & Son. From a small-town beginning Mr. Utter has kept fully abreast of the times, and now maintains motor ambulances, automobile motor carriages, and a chapel and parlors of the latest and most appropriate furnishings. His standing in his calling is high, and an indication of this fact is found in his presidency of the Southern California Directors Association.
Mr. Utter has a number of connections, business, civic and fraternal. He is a member of Alhambra Lodge No. 322, F. and A. M .; San Gabriel Valley Chapter No. 100, R. A. M. ; Alhambra Council No. 23, R. and S. M .; Alhambra Commandery No. 48, K. T .; Los Angeles Consistory No. 3, S. S. R. M. ; and Al Malaikah Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Los Angeles ; and also holds membership in Alhambra Court No. 42, Order of the Ama- ranth ; Alhambra Lodge No. 1328, B. P. O. E .; Alhambra Lodge No. 217, I. O. O. F .; Hermosa Valley Rebekah Lodge No. 303 ; and Alhambra Camp No. 671, W. O. W. Politically he is a republican, and his religious faith is that of the Baptist Church. He also is a member of the San Gabriel Valley Country Club, the Cazadores Club of Alhambra, the Alhambra Cham- ber of Commerce, the Alhambra Business Men's Association and the Cham- ber of Commerce of Monterey Park. Mrs. Utter is a member of the Order of the Amaranth and of a number of the leading social clubs of the city.
H. GILBERT DEAR, who is successfully established in the real-estate and loan business in the City of Alhambra, is another of the native sons of Cali- fornia who is making a record of effective and worthy achievement. He was born on the old Santa Rosa Ranch in Riverside County, August 27, 1887, and is a son of Parker Dear, a representative citizen of whom indi-
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vidual mention is made on other pages, so that further review of the family record is not here demanded. In the public schools of San Diego County H. Gilbert Dear continued his studies until he had virtually completed the work of the tenth grade, and he then initiated his association with business affairs instead of continuing his studies, as his parents wished him to do. For twelve years he was in the employ of the firm of Leavitt & Bartholo- mew, manufacturers of electric fixtures in the City of Los Angeles. In the establishment of this firm he served a thorough apprenticeship, and by his efficient and faithful service won advancement to the position of head fix- ture-maker in charge of the manufacturing department.
In May, 1916, Mr. Dear engaged in the real-estate and loan business at Alhambra, with offices in the building which he rented at 6 East Main Street. He has since purchased and modernized this property, and he is proving substantially successful in his vigorous operations in the handling of town and country realty and the extending of financial loans on approved real-estate security. He is aligned loyally in the local ranks of the repub- lican party, he and his wife are communicants of the Catholic Church, he is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and is a charter member of the Cazadores Club of Alhambra.
In November, 1910, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Dear and Miss Lutie Ruhland, who was born at Los Angeles, on the 18th of December, 1889, and who graduated from one of the state normal schools of Califor- nia. Thereafter she was a successful and popular teacher in the public schools prior to her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Dear have one child, Elaine. born May 20, 1912.
H. C. ABEL is in point of continuous identification with this important line of enterprise the oldest exponent of the real-estate and insurance busi- ness at Alhambra, where he established himself in business in 1909 and where he has done much to further the civic and material advancement of the city and its environs. He has been concerned in the development of various attractive subdivisions and has been most successful in his oper- ations, fair and honorable dealings, true representations of values and careful consideration of the requirements of his patrons having gained to him precedence in the handling of the better class of real-estate in this sec- tion of Los Angeles County.
Mr. Abel was born at Trumansburg, New York, February 26, 1856, and is a son of Andrew J. and Evaline (Robinson) Abel, of whose eight chil- dren he is the eldest son. He profited fully by the advantages of the public schools of his native place, and after experience in the retail mercantile business he became a traveling commercial salesman. In 1880 he estab- lished his residence in Kansas City, Missouri, and he continued his effective services as a traveling salesman until about 1894, when he resigned his position and engaged in the real-estate and general brokerage business, with special attention given to the handling of bonds and other high-grade securities. He made a success of the business, but impaired health finally led him to leave Kansas City, and after remaining about one year in San Antonio, Texas, he came, in 1909, to California and established his present business enterprise at Alhambra.
Mr. Abel has never swerved from the line of close allegiance to the republican party, but has had no desire for public office. He is, however, loyal and progressive as a citizen, and takes lively interest in all that touches the well being and progress of the home city and county. He is an active member of the Community Bible Class of Alhambra.
In 1883 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Abel and Miss Mary McCristal, a representative of an old and influential Ohio family that has been one of special prestige in the legal profession and in connection with judicial office. Mr. and Mrs. Abel became the parents of one son and one daughter, the latter of whom is deceased. The son, Herman W. Abel, who was born in 1887, is a resident of Alhambra.
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