History of Los Angeles county, Volume II, Part 82

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

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Since 1915 Doctor Brown has served as vice president of the State Board of Medical Examiners. He is a member of the County and State Medical Associations and is a Fellow in the American Medical Association. He is a member and was the first president of the Glendale Physicians Club. Doctor Brown is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, is a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner and is past Grand Associate Patron of the Eastern Star. He is a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Glendale, being on the Board of Stewards and the Board of Religious Education. He is now clerk and is past president of the Board of Trustees of the Glendale Union High School.

August 22, 1901, Doctor Brown married Miss Myrtle Elliot of Ottumwa, Iowa. They have three daughters, Agnes, Bertha and Betty. Mrs. Brown was born and educated in the public schools in Union County, Iowa. She is a member of the Eastern Star and the P. E. O.

JAMES R. GOLDSWORTHY. It is the aim of every American community to increase its population, add to its wealth, and multiply its improvements. This is a proper and laudable ambition, and one which stimulates its people to make it one of the finest places on earth. One of the most vital and com- pelling forces in the wonderful improvement and expansion of Los Angeles County which has won the admiration, and awakened the envy of the country, is that exerted by the intelligent and dependable realtor, whose remarkable work during the past few years have made his business a profession, and given to his own labors the significance of real public service. One of these exemplary citizens of the county who emphatically belongs to the above class, is James R. Goldsworthy of Van Nuys.

Mr. Goldsworthy was born at Georgetown, Colorado, May 5, 1875, and he attended its public schools, and the School of Mines, Golden, Colo- rado. Having prepared himself for the work, for the subsequent twenty years he was engaged in mining, with desirable results. In 1908, because of his long and practical experience, as well as technical knowledge, he was made examiner of mines, with Los Angeles as headquarters, but after five years resigned, and went into the real estate business in that same city. Mining again claimed his attention, and for about eighteen months he fol- lowed his old calling in Arizona. Returning to Los Angeles County, in October, 1919, he located at Van Nuys, and went into the building business. At once he realized the future of this desirable locality, and as soon as he could make arrangements began handling real estate, opening his present business in May, 1920. Mr. Goldsworthy handles all kinds of real estate, specializing in farm lands, of which there are none better than those in this region, loans, insurance and rentals, and is handling the Zelzah Townsite and the Mark Grimes Lot Division, two very desirable propositions. His business has grown to such proportions that he finds it necessary to employ two salesmen. Mr. Goldsworthy is a director in the Bank of Zelzah. Through his membership with the Van Nuys Chamber of Commerce he

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keeps in close touch with local improvements, and he belongs to the Van Nuys Realty Board, the California State Realty Board, the Division Realty Board and the National Realty Board. Fraternally his affiliations are with the Knights of Pythias.

On January 9, 1915, he was married to Miss Ina Davis, who was born at Ramona Park, California. In all of his operations Mr. Goldsworthy works with the idea that his own success and that of his home city depend upon the trained skill and knowledge of the efficient man for this con- stitutes the real public service of the individual no matter in what line the effort is directed. However, the realtor is particularly fitted to render just this kind of service because his calling brings him into such close touch with the people, their homes, their business houses, the sites for their factories, and even with the inauguration of their public utilities. There- fore it is now, as never before, of paramount importance that the very best men be supported in this essential branch of usefulness and civic advancement.

HENRY M. BUTTS is founder and active head of the Monarch Auto Supply Company at Glendale, a large and prosperous business handling automobile supplies and replacement parts. Mr. Butts established the busi- ness October 1, 1916, at 121 South Brand Boulevard. The business was continued at that location until October 1, 1922, when it moved to its present location. Mr. Butts had bought the southeast corner of South Brand Boulevard and Harvard and the Monarch Building was erected thereon, providing room for four stores and also nineteen offices on the second floor. The Monarch Company's business occupies some five thousand square feet of floor space. They do a large business in replacement parts, and handle accessories, tires, and camping goods. The business is a co- partnership, the other partners being, Frederick A. Butts, son of Henry M., and Robert C. Plume, a son-in-law. It is both a wholesale and retail business.

Mr. Butts was born at Russell, Lucas County, Iowa, October 1, 1870. He was educated in public schools there, and as a youth went to the City of Mexico and for many years owned and operated a manufacturing concern there. On coming to California he was located for a brief time in Los Angeles and since 1914 has been a resident of Glendale. He is a member of the Merchants Association, the Chamber of Commerce and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

July 14, 1896, Mr. Butts married Miss Mary Genevieve Cotter of Russell, Iowa, where she was also born and educated. They have three children : Mary G., wife of Robert C. Plume of Glendale; Frederick A. ; and Horatio C.

JAMES EDGAR WHEAT, M. D. The professional stewardship of Dr. Wheat is one of ability, loyalty and effective service, and as one of the able physicians and surgeons in Los Angeles County he is established in successful general practice at San Fernando. He has been one of the public spirited citizens who have been prominently identified with the growth and building of San Fernando, which is today recognized as one of the most attractive towns in the county.

Dr. Wheat was born on a farm in Franklin Township, Delaware County, New York, on the 10th of April, 1861, and he early gained practical experi- ence in connection with the activities of the home farm. In the meanwhile he made good use of the advantages afforded in the public schools and also those of an academy in his native county, namely, the Delaware Literary Institute, this combined discipline so fortifying him that in his three or more years of service as a teacher in the schools of the old Empire State he made an excellent record. The Doctor was twenty-eight years of age when he came to California in 1889, and he established his residence in Los Angeles, where he followed various vocations until 1896, when he began the study of medicine. June 14, 1900, he was graduated in the medical department of the University of California, and in August of that year,

Edward F. Barton

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY

shortly after receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine, he established his home at San Fernando, where he has since been actively engaged in the work of his profession and where he has a large and representative general practice. He holds membership in the Los Angeles County Medical Society, the California State Medical Society, and the American Medical Associa- tion. He is a close student and keeps insistently in touch with the advances made in medical and surgical science. In 1904 Dr. Wheat, with F. M. Powell and T. J. Walker, organized the San Fernando Valley Bank and Dr. Wheat became its president and continued as such after the reorganiza- tion as the First National Bank of San Fernando until 1914. He sold out his interests to Mr. Douglas and continued in the practice of medicine. Dr. Wheat, with Mr. Powell, Geo. E. and R. P. Waite, built the Ray Hotel, the first modern public building put up in the city. He was head of the bank when the present modern bank building was constructed. He was largely instrumental in the building of the city along modern lines during its early history. The Doctor is a valued member of the San Fer- nando Chamber of Commerce, is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, and he and his wife hold membership of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

December 4, 1901, recorded the marriage of Dr. Wheat to Miss Luna Murphy, who was at that time a resident of Los Angeles, where she had attended the University of Southern California, she having been born at Des Moines, Iowa, where she received her earlier education. Dr. and Mrs. Wheat have two children, Lauretta Alice Wheat, a student at Occi- dental College, and James Edgar, Jr., a student in San Fernando High School.

EDWARD F. BARTON. The stability of real-estate investments in Long Beach, California, has been established for years and fortunes have been made in the careful handling of property here. An experienced realtor here is Edward F. Barton, a broad-minded, progressive citizen and honor- able man. Mr. Barton has contributed much to public confidence by his large individual investments and by the soundness of his judgment, whereby many others have invested with profit. In addition to dealing in real estate, loans, exchanges and insurance, Mr. Barton is officially identified with a number of large financial interests in other sections.

Edward F. Barton was born at Moberly, Missouri, September 13, 1890, fourth in a family of six sons born to William and Ida (Knoblock) Barton. . His father was born in Ireland and his mother in France. Both accompanied their parents to the United States when ten years old, and later became acquainted and were married in Missouri. The father was a master mechanic for the Wabash Railroad and spent many years in Missouri, his death occurring at Moberly in 1904. The mother survives and lives in Texas. All their six sons are living but Edward F. is the only one who has selected California as his home.

Mr. Barton's boyhood was spent at Moberly, Missouri, and he was graduated from the high school there in 1909, following which he completed a course in civil engineering in the University of Missouri, at Columbia, Missouri. During the next few years he devoted his time entirely to his profession, making rapid headway because of the thoroughness of his methods and his deep interest in every phase of his work. He served as assistant city engineer of the City of Houston, Texas; was assistant engineer in the construction of the sea wall at Galveston; and assistant engineer in the building of the Interurban Railway between Houston and Galveston. In 1912 he came to California and for five years was con- nected with the engineering department of the Pacific Electric Railway at Los Angeles, and laid out the Torrence yards for the Pacific Electric at Torrance, California.

During the World war the engineering skill of Mr. Barton was utilized by the government, being made assistant engineer of the con- struction department of the Southwestern Ship Building Company, at East San Pedro, which, during his two years there (including six months

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after the signing of the armistice) made the record of turning out eighteen ships, excelling every other shipyard in the United States.

In 1916 Mr. Barton established his home at Long Beach, but it was not until 1919 that he established his present large real-estate and brokerage business here, which he has developed into one of the largest enterprises of its kind in this section. The remarkable growth of Long Beach and its industrial expansion within the past four years, have led Mr. Barton to predict that it will become one of the great cities of the western coast. With the business foresight that has been a leading characteristic through- out his entire career, Mr. Barton very early became interested in oil prospects on Signal Hill and financed some of the first oil wells in the district. At the present time he is president of the Signal Hill Midway Oil Company; is secretary of the American Royalty Company, of Long Beach ; and is vice president and a director of the Sanborn Food Company, of Redlands, California. He understands the industrial situation per- fectly as a large employer of labor, and has the confidence and respect of all who are associated with him. In his real-estate offices at Long Beach, he has a large force of clerks and has fifteen men on outside work, handling all kinds of realty, in the systematic way he does all business.

Mr. Barton was married at Los Angeles, California, on June 9, 1914, to Miss Gladys L. Brown, a native daughter of California. She was born at Redlands, and is a graduate of the Polytechnic Institute at Los Angeles. Her father, Grant A. Brown, a rancher and cattleman of El Monte, breeds Jersey cattle and has the finest registered herd in California. He now resides at Santa Paula, where he owns a large lemon grove. His father, Albert Brown, an early pioneer, once owned the old Neopolitan Hotel, at Sixth and Flower streets, Los Angeles. Mr. and Mrs. Barton have one son, Richard Edward Barton, who was born at El Monte, Cali- fornia, six happy years ago. Mrs. Barton is a member of the Daughters of the Golden West.

Mr. Barton is a member of the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, also of the Long Beach Realty Board, but is too busy a man to give much time to merely social organizations, and the only fraternal body he now belongs to is the Long Beach Lodge No. 888, Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks. He has never had any political ambition but nevertheless is a careful and watchful citizen and has never refused public responsibilities when convinced of his duty in regard to them.

WILLIAM H. MILLS is one of the successful realtors of Glendale, his office headquarters being at 326 East Broadway. He established his office there in December, 1922, and has since done a general insurance and real estate business, specializing on acreage property and investments. He is a member of the Glendale Realty Board, the California Real Estate Associa- tion and is a member of the Automobile Club of Southern California.

Mr. Mills was born at Fairgrove, Michigan, September 17, 1886. He was reared there, attended the grammar and high schools, and as a youth learned the trade of pipe fitter. He worked in that trade in building con- struction, specializing in automatic fire protection in the cities of Cleve- land and Kansas City.

Mr. Mills came to California in 1911, and for a time followed his trade at San Diego, Los Angeles and Oakland. For many years Mr. Mills has been an investor in California real estate, and in August, 1921, he became a resident of Glendale to devote his entire time to realty affairs and for eight months was associated with the Yale Brothers in the real estate busi- ness and later established his own organization in that line.

LOUIS MAC BLANKENHORN formerly vice president of the Blanken- horn Realty Company of Pasadena, is one of the recognized younger lead- ers in the financial and social affairs of that city.

The Blankenhorn family have been factors in the life and affairs of Los Angeles County forty years. His father, the late Louis Blankenhorn,

Hw Burdick Edwin L. Burdick

9. W. Bundeck

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY

was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, in 1847, and as a young man went to Milwaukee and for some years was engaged with the St. Paul Railway in the railroad service. He came to California in 1883, and again identified himself with the early development of steam railroading in Southern California. Later the senior Blankenhorn entered the stock and bond business until retiring in 1914. In 1881 at Milwaukee he married Lillian Stevens, a native of that city. Their four children are George, Mac, David and Barbara. Louis Blankenhorn died at his home in Pasadena, November 16, 1922.

Mac Blankenhorn was born at Pasadena, November 3, 1885, and was reared and educated in his native city, attending the private school of Stephen Cutter Clark, public schools and later Miss Stewart's private school at San Rafael, and in 1903 graduated from Throop Polytechnic, now the California School of Technology. He took an academic (banking) and technical course while at the latter. After com- pleting his education he spent two years with the San Grabriel Valley Bank at Pasadena, and then was associated with his father, Louis Blankenhorn, in the Bond and Stock Brokerage Business in Los Angeles. He subse- quently succeeded and entered into a copartnership with Howard G. Rath in 1907 and in 1914 became a partner in the firm of Blankenhorn Realty Company until 1922, when he sold out his interests to open offices of his own under the style of Mac Blankenhorn. Mr. Blankenhorn was a director of the Pasadena Realty Board, and a very active member for many years. He is also president of the Oak Knoll District Improvement Association. He and nearly all his business and social associates were enthusiastic patriots during the war. Mac Blankenhorn spent one month in the Citizens' Train- ing Camp at Del Monte in August, 1916, and on December 3, 1917, entered the Navy and rose to the rank of ensign. He was put on inactive duty with the Naval Reserve on February 18, 1919, and has served the Reserve Force constantly up to the present. He took part in a cruise in 1920, cover- ing the principal cities of the west coast of Mexico, on a Destroyer. Since then he has given considerable time and effort to establishing an efficient unit in Pasadena, now numbering over 50 active young men and 7 officers. Mr. Blankenhorn has been appointed commanding officer and has received high praise for his executive ability in producing a valuable addition and part of the United States Naval Reserve Force. Mr. Blankenhorn is a pro- gressive Republican, a member of the California Club of Los Angeles, the Annandale Golf Club of Pasadena and the Episcopal Church. Mr. Blanken- horn is treasurer of Marathon Underwear Company and Francis T. Sim- mons Co., both of Chicago.

June 9, 1921, at Chicago, he married Kathryn Elizabeth Simmons, daughter of the late Francis T. Simmons of Chicago. Mrs. Blankenhorn had a very active part in war work having served in all of the Liberty Loan drives in Chicago, and with various social organizations in behalf of the soldiers.

EDWIN LOVELLE BURDICK was born in Truxton, Cortland County, New York, May 29, 1845. He was of English descent. His maternal grandfather was Darius Benjamin, a Revolutionary soldier.

When he was five years of age his parents moved to Elgin, Illinois. There he received the foundation of his education. When he was 18 years of age, he heard his country calling. There were none more brave than he, and he enrolled as corporal in Company C, One Hundred and Forty-first Illinois Regiment, May 12, 1864, flinging the glory of his youth upon the red field of battle. Young in buoyant hope, young in vim, young in reveling in the present, realizing there was no sure tomorrow, only just today. He served with the children of the flag, whistling to the morning star, until the end of the Civil war. Was also county treasurer of Mojave County, Arizona, for two years. Returning home, he entered an academy at Albion, Wisconsin, from which he graduated with the degree, Bachelor of Philosophy.

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Four succeeding years were devoted to the study of medicine, at Rush Medical College at Chicago. After graduating he married Miss Mary S. Potter, a niece of the president, feeling there was not a star in the heaven a man could not climb to, with a woman such as she to give him the uplift.

He located in Valley Falls, Kansas, where for three years he practiced his profession. A man of strong character, he made friends in every walk of life. Health failing, he came to Los Angeles, the sunshine land where the mountains said good-day, and growing better, he practiced his pro- fession successfully for five years. He was appointed assistant surgeon in the army and was quartered in Mojave County, Arizona. He then became physician and superintendent of the Los Angeles County Poor Farm, which position he held for eleven years, proving a noble brother to the homesick, heartsick, weary.

During these years he was developing valuable orange groves in Los Angeles County. The one on which he built a fine home bungalow, was located at the northeast corner of Alosta and Benlomand streets. Here on fifteen magnificent acres, he did master work, and brought the unlocking key for the golden fruit, and made the earth grow beautiful, so that the loved ones whom he might leave behind him, might tread lighter for his living.

Here in this dear earth's home his only child, an idolized son, Tom Burdicks, short day of life, drew to a close. Here his own kindest angel, through that still door came and led him to the Infinite love. Here his beloved wife after a number of years passed to the true joy of Eternal peace.

HENRY WARREN BURDICK was born in Truxton, Cortland County, New York, August 4, 1849. When an infant, his parents moved to Elgin, Illi- nois. There, as a beginner, he learned to think, study and reason. When but fourteen years his parents moved to Kansas and his father trusted him to follow with the horses and wagons. When settled he entered Washburn College at Topeka, Kansas, where he grew greater and nobler and ready to take in greater things. After finishing at college he contributed to the world's life as an educator. He was a character builder, imparting to his pupils larger views of life. His father passing away, he gave up teaching to superintend their large farm at Nortonville, Kansas, and being a graduate pharmacist he managed a drug store at Carbonville, Kansas.

After his father's death he became the counsel of his mother, and showed her a divinity of love during the remainder of her life. He finally entered the newspaper work. In this work he was snappy and shrewd, brain keenly alive, he was ready to face issues without a tremor. He managed and edited several newspapers successfully, besides contributing to other papers. He was foremost in politics, giving his best efforts to the great Populist movement in Kansas and Oklahoma.

He started for California in October, 1910, and has since been a resident of Los Angeles County. He became an active member of the States Federa- tion, organizing the Kansas State Society and was its secretary, and brought it up from a scattering few attendants to a hall full of enthusiastic workers. Going to his orange ranch near Glendora, he and his brother, Ira D. Burdick, strove to further beautify the already beautiful place. This ranch he sold three years ago after his brother passed away, and has since resided in Los Angeles, resting on his oars. He is a member of the Kansas State His- torical Society, a Mason and a Son of the American Revolution, being a grandson of Darias Benjamin, private, Dutchess and Ulster counties, New York, Militia.

Mr. Burdick is a bachelor. He says he was born alone and likes it. He will never lose life's zest, for his life's roads last turn, will be the best.

IRA DELOSS BURDICK was born in Elgin, Illinois, September 16, 1852. When a child he went with his parents to Topeka, Kansas, where he studied in the public schools, and Washburn College. When he was twenty-four years old he graduated in medicine at Washington, D. C. With him com-

Genevieve Bother Case

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HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY

mencement was the proper term for the finish of his school education. During his senior year he was given the honor of Pro Sector of his class, accomplishing a subject, in a wonderful way, what all the professors told him was impossible. He began the practice of medicine in Topeka, Kansas, and went in with pluck to win. His chief satisfaction was in the number of cases he cured, rather than the number treated. He was the surgeon of the Iron Mountain Railroad for seventeen years.

Dr. Burdick was a man of alert eyes, satisfying memory and yielding pen. His travel abroad, his public life and constant study in many lines gave him enriched views. He was a man of sterling character. A micro- scope could not find a microbe of untruth in him. He gave much unselfish service to the cause of reform, always ready to face issues, working and watching for betterments. For over ten years he was chairman of the Central Committee of the Populist Party in Oklahoma. Among his con- tributions to the press were "Ingersoll on Democracy of Death," "The Clan Nagel of Politics," "Monetary Interests," "Multum in Parvo," and he supplied many large manuscripts to the medical journals.

He was called to California by the illness of a sister, and became so enchanted with the climate and glories of Los Angeles that he decided to remain right there. With his brother, Henry Warren Burdick, they began large improvements of their fine orange ranch. The sturdy ideals of Dr. Burdick were sustained by robust religious convictions. While a humani- tarian and progressive, he was firmly grounded in the old doctrines and was a constant student of the Bible.

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History of Los Angeles county, Volume II, Part 82

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