USA > California > Los Angeles County > History of Los Angeles county, Volume II > Part 84
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Newspapers are quite apt at times to enliven their columns with some- what unusual contributions, and some time since one of the daily journals at Long Beach apparently applied "Washington Gridiron" methods in an altogether friendly attack on the city's most prominent citizens. Colonel Heartwell's portion was as follows :
The Velvet Hammer.
The gathering of shekels is a fine and fancy art, And most of us forget the rules that others learn by art; And Col. Charles L. Heartwell trains the eagle on the disc To peck at birdseed in his hand unmindful of the risk. He puts the salt upon his tail, the string upon his leg, And counts his boodle by the bale, the quintal and the keg. He served a former governor as officer of staff, And "Colonel" was the title in formality's behalf. He owns a lot of real estate he deftly gathered in, While he was still devoted to accumulating tin, Tho' now there are a lot of things his energy to share, And money's not the only end and object of his care. He helps the grand old party run the country and the state, Contributing an influence of width and worth and weight. He keeps a flock of motor cars and travels here and there, To shift his mental scenery and get a change of air. His cottage at Ben Lomond is a place of rest and peace Where on week ends he often spends his rubber, gas and grease.
ROY L. KENT. During the last ten or fifteen years a generous share of the building business and real estate development in the Glendale Dis- trict has been handled by the Kents, formerly Charles Kent & Son and since 1919 the Roy L. Kent Company. The firm of Charles Kent & Son was established in March, 1910, to do general contracting. Charles W. Kent retired in 1919, and his son took over the business. The headquarters are at 130 South Brand Boulevard. In former years they made a specialty of bungalow construction, but as contractors in recent years they have handled some of the largest buildings in this vicinity, including the Glen- dale Theatre, Elks, Club, Glendale Research Hospital, Karr's Gateway Market, Pendroy's Department Store, Citizens Building, High School and Grammar School buildings, and also school buildings at Culver City. Besides contracting there is the real estate department, and the architectural depart- ment is under the direction of Charles Crissey. About ten people are employed in the office, and the force is from seventy-five to one hundred on the outside. Mr. Kent handles business properties, and established the industrial zone on San Fernando Boulevard. He owns both improved and unimproved property on Brand Boulevard, Orange and Maryland streets.
Mr. Kent was born at Edinboro, Pennsylvania, March 3, 1886, son of Charles W. and Emma ( Metzenbacher) Kent, his father a native of the same locality, while his mother was born in Venango, Erie County, Pennsylvania. His father was a carpenter and contractor, came to California in 1909, and was in business at Glendale for ten years and has since then retired. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
Roy L. Kent was educated in the public schools of Edinboro, Pennsyl- vania, the Erie Business College and for two years was with American Steel Wire Company at Sharon, Pennsylvania, being assistant paymaster in the plant. When he came to California in 1905 he located at Los Angeles, and spent three years with the Title and Trust Company, and at night carried on the study of architecture. In 1908 he opened an archi-
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tect's office with James Summer, and remained in Los Angeles for six months, at the end of which time he joined his father at Glendale.
Mr. Kent is also a director of the Golden State Building & Loan Asso- ciation, of the Peoples Thrift Bank, and is a director of the Oakmont Country Club, the Sespe Country Club, the Glendale Research Hospital, is president of the Rotary Club, and a director of the Chamber of Com- merce. He is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and since 1912 has been superintendent of the Sunday school of the Baptist Church.
In 1909 Mr. Kent married Miss Elizabeth O'Connor, of New York City. They have three children, James Wesley, John Howard and Ethelwyn. Mrs. Kent was born and educated at Ossining, New York. She is a member of the P. E. O. Sisterhood and the Tuesday Afternoon Club at Glendale.
DANIEL F. BOWLER. The people enjoying the magnificent improve- ments of modern development in one or other of the splendid subdivisions of Los Angeles County probably seldom stop to think of the broad vision, supreme faith and hard work which lie back of the transition of their par- ticular section from ranch land to a residential paradise. Yet it is an actual fact that no development has taken place here or elsewhere until much thought and labor has been expended, and that the remarkable results accruing are due to the work of the realtors, than whom there is no finer class of men to be found in the country. One of these alert, resourceful and public-spirited men of the county who is accomplishing much of a con- structive nature in this region is Daniel F. Bowler of Glendale.
Daniel F. Bowler was born at Sparta, Wisconsin, October 10, 1873. He was reared on a farm with a large family of brothers and one sister, all of them had to work their way through school. In their mature careers they furnish a notable illustration of the value of self reliant toil begun in early manhood. All of these brothers became prominent in their respective fields, and four of them are now prominent lawyers in the State of Wisconsin. Daniel F. Bowler completed his education in the University of Wisconsin, and ever since leaving school has been engaged in the real estate and insur- ance business. He has made an unusual success of all his undertakings. As manager for the Milwaukee District of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York he developed a great volume of business, so that his agency was rated as one of the leading ones of the company. He also became interested in the real estate business at Milwaukee, where he devel- oped considerable property. Later he was similarly engaged at Fond du Lac, and from there went to Spirit Lake, Iowa. He subdivided a tract of land on Lake Okoboji in Northern Iowa, developing and selling several miles of lake shore frontage. The aggregate sale of this property amounted to about one million dollars. It is now one of the most beautiful spots in the Middle West, and the place is now known as Francis Sites, named after the former state senator of that county.
For a number of years Mr. Bowler has found an important avenue of his public spirited endeavors in agricultural fairs. He acted as secretary of some and as general manager of others throughout Wisconsin, and also promoted and brought to successful issue several such fairs. He did much to build up the Milwaukee State Fair, one of the foremost institutions of the kind in the United States.
In 1922 Mr. Bowler came to Glendale, California, and established him- self in the real estate business with offices at 200 East Broadway. He is doing a good business in his line, and his coming to Glendale was the result of a definite choice of a permanent home, where already he has shown the same spirit of good citizenship which he exhibited in other localities in the Middle West. He has a large acquaintance with prominent men in South- ern California, and his own talents promise a sphere of conspicuous use- fulness for him.
In October 23, 1901, Mr. Bowler married Miss Margaret Conger, of
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Sparta, Wisconsin, a native of that city, where she was educated. She is a member of the Catholic Church and belongs to the Altar Society and the Tuesday Afternoon Club of Glendale, California. Mr. and Mrs. Bowler have three children: Vera Lucile, Mildred Marie and Clifford Daniel. Mr. Bowler belongs to the Glendale Real Estate Board, the California State Real Estate Board, and the National Real Estate Board. Fraternally he maintains membership with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of Columbus. In him the Glendale Chamber of Commerce has an efficient member. From the above brief notice it is easy to determine the standing of Mr. Bowler, and also to see that the confi- dence and esteem he inspires are the result of intelligent effort and honor- able methods of doing business.
JOSEPH WILLIAM VETTER. It is a somewhat notable fact that while people from all parts of the world flock to California, very few of its native sons leave the Golden State permanently, for they realize that nowhere else can they find such superior surroundings, such unexcelled opportunities or a climate in any way to compare with that of their own state, and so, sensibly, remain here and enjoy what is here. Joseph William Vetter, of Lankershim, is one of these appreciative native sons who is achieving marvelous results with his valuable twenty-acre fruit ranch, and at the same time is taking an intelligent interest in civic matters. He is thoroughly satisfied that nowhere else in the entire world could he do as well as in the fertile San Fernando Valley.
Joseph William Vetter was born in the San Fernando Valley, August 28, 1887, a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Banning) Vetter, natives of Germany. Jacob Vetter was a farmer, and left his native land about 1876 and came to the United States and located at Calabasas, Los Angeles County, California, and for many years followed railroading. Both he and his excellent wife are deceased. He was a stanch democrat and a consistent member of the Catholic Church, and lived up to his ideals in both politics and religion. The following children were born to him and his wife: Jacob, of San Luis Obispo, California; William, of Fresno, California; Peter, of Compton, California; Arnold, of Eagle Rock, Cali- fornia; Ben, of Stockton, California; Frank, of Lankershim, California; Mollie, the widow of Charles Bokeman, of Lankershim; Kate, wife of Ed Wilson, of Los Angeles; and Joseph William, of this review.
Joseph William Vetter attended the public schools of his native county, and assisted his father on a ranch the elder man had bought, but after a short period began ranching for himself. In 1918 he bought his present ranch of twenty acres at Lankershim, which he has planted to fruit, and he has developed it in a most remarkable manner.
On December 1, 1909, Mr. Vetter married Miss Edna Lips, a daughter of Edward and Carrie (Bakeman) Lips. Mrs. Vetter was born at Los Angeles, and educated in its public schools. They have two children : Jack and Notie.
W. T. BURTON is head of the Burton Realty Company at Glendale, a business established by him in 1921 to handle general real estate, invest- ments, insurance and loans, and also a department for contracting and building, rentals and exchanges. The company has recently featured the Burton sub-division of seven acres. The company has its offices on West Broadway.
William Talmage Burton was educated for the law, but so far has not given his time to private practice and has made his mark in the real estate business. He was born at Asheville, North Carolina, March 10, 1896, son of Charles and Cora ( Peterson) Burton. His parents were also natives of North Carolina, his father being a building contractor. William T. Burton attended public schools in his native town, and the Stanley McCormick High School at Burnsville in that state.
On July 6, 1918, soon after reaching his twenty-first birthday, he enlisted in the navy, and was in the service eighteen months. During that time he
Percy Beyer!
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made sixteen trips on the Leviathan, formerly the Vaterland. He received his honorable discharge' November 25, 1919, more than a year after the close of the war. He then entered the law department of the University of Colorado, and transferred from there to the University of Denver, where he was graduated Bachelor of Laws in December, 1921, and at once engaged in the real estate business at Glendale. He was a member of the Realty Board and the California Realty Association, and has interested himself as a member and in the program of civic and business activities outlined by the Glendale Chamber of Commerce. He is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Kappa Sigma college fraternity and the Presbyterian Church.
On November 16, 1922, Mr. Burton married Miss Hazel M. Trapp, of Los Angeles, daughter of Ed and Mary E. (Beal) Trapp. Her parents are natives of California, and Mrs. Burton was born at Huntington Park. She was educated in the public schools of Los Angeles and the University of California at Berkeley, where she graduated Bachelor of Arts in 1921.
PERCY H. BEYER. The name Beyer is known throughout Los Angeles County as synonymous with an unexcelled service and source of supply of some of the most indispensable accessories of the automobile. Mr. Beyer as a youth learned the trade of manufacturing auto tops, and in his Long Beach establishment at 841 East Fourth Street has every facility for sup- plying the needs of the motorist with auto tops, trimmings, seat covers, and the repairing of car bodies.
Mr. Beyer is a native son of California, born at Los Angeles January 5, 1887, son of Henry J. and Matilda (Goehner) Beyer. He is now the only member of the family living in California. He had two sisters, one of whom survives. His father was born in Illinois, of German ancestry, was a business man, and came to California in 1886 from Racine, Wisconsin. He died at Venice, California, in January, 1922. The mother is now living in Racine, and was born in Germany. Percy H. Beyer was reared in Racine, Wisconsin, and after leaving the public schools went to work for the Racine Carriage Company. He learned the trade of carriage trimmer, and soon took up auto trimming. He made the first tops for the old Rambler Car in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He remained at Racine until he was eighteen, and then spent four years in Seattle, Washington, continuing in the same line of work. He followed his trade at Pasadena three years, in Los Angeles three years, and in March, 1917, removed to Long Beach. Here he engaged in business for himself, his first shop being at Fourth and Locust streets. He made a number of changes in location, each move bringing him larger quarters and facilities, and on July 1, 1922, he came to his present estab- lishment at Fourth and Alamitos streets.
Mr. Beyer resides at 425 Loma Avenue in Long Beach. He is an independent voter, and while living in Seattle was a member of the Wash- ington National Guards. He is a life member of Long Beach Lodge No. 888 Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, belongs to the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, the Exchange Club, is past president of the Auto Trades Association, and is a member of Long Beach Parlor of the Native Sons of the Golden West.
Mr. Beyer married at Seattle, Washington, August 2, 1907, Miss Downy Hanson. She was born and educated in Racine, Wisconsin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Hanson of that city.
). LEO FLYNN, who is associated with his brother, J. Mervin Flynn, in the management of the Porter Hotel at San Fernando, is a native son of Los Angeles County, his birth having occurred in the City of Los Angeles on the 10th of February, 1897. The fine and modern hotel build- ing is owned by the mother of the two managers, and a specific mention of the hotel is made on other pages of this work.
Henry Flynn, father of the subject of this review, was born in County Roscommon, Ireland, where he was reared and educated. He
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was a young man when he came to San Francisco, California, where he entered the service of the Southern Pacific Railway Company, with which he later became connected at Los Angeles. He moved with his family to San Fernando in 1901, and here continued his connection with the railway service about one year. Thereafter he was here engaged in the mercantile business until 1915, when he sold his stock and business, his death having occurred on the 1st of August of the following year. He was a stanch democrat, was a third degree member of the Knights of Columbus and was a zealous communicant of the Catholic Church, as is also his widow, who still resides at San Fernando. Mr. Flynn wedded Miss Celia Nolan, of Los Angeles, and two of the six children of this union are the brothers who have joint management of the Porter Hotel. The mother was born and reared in Galway, Ireland. '
The public schools of San Fernando afforded J. Leo Flynn the major part of his preliminary education, and thereafter he continued his studies in the University of California, in which he was a member of the class of 1921. After leaving the university he was identified with ranch enterprise in the San Fernando Valley until he and his brother assumed the manage- ment of the hotel, which they have since conducted with marked ability and success. Mr. Flynn has received the third degree in the Knights of Columbus, and is an earnest communicant of the Catholic Church. He is an active member of the San Fernando Chamber of Commerce and also of the local Kiwanis Club.
Mr. Flynn married Miss Sophia Lockwood, of Los Angeles, and they have one daughter, Margaret Cecilia.
In the World war period J. Leo Flynn was a member of a maritime gun company in the Thirteenth Division, and after eight months of service he was honorably discharged with the rank of corporal. He is an apprecia- tive member of San Fernando Post No. 176, American Legion.
J. MERVIN FLYNN. One of the modern and popular institutions in the beautiful little City of San Fernando is the Porter Hotel, in the man- agement of which the subject of this sketch is associated with his brother, J. Leo Flynn, of whom personal mention is made in the preceding sketch. A record concerning the Porter Hotel also is given in the following sketch. For data concerning the family history reference may be made to the per- sonal sketch of J. Leo Flynn.
J. Mervin Flynn was born in the City of Los Angeles on the 12th of July, 1898, and to the schools of San Fernando he is indebted for his preliminary education, which was advanced by his pursuing a course in the University of California, as a member of the class of 1921. Since July, 1921, he and his brother, J. Leo., have been the progressive and popular managers of the Porter Hotel, which they maintain at a hight stand- ard in all departments and which under their management receives a large and appreciative supporting patronage. Mr. Flynn was in the nation's service in the World war period, as a seaman in the United States Navy, the closing of the war having brought about his honorable discharge after a service of eight months. He is an active member of San Fernando Post No. 176, American Legion, is a democrat in politics, is a communicant of the Catholic Church, is affiliated with the San Fernando Chamber of Commerce and is a third degree member of the Knights of Columbus. With the widowed mother in the home at San Fernando remain the younger children of the family : Harry W., Cecilia, Thomas J. and Francis B.
THE HOTEL PORTER is a well ordered institution that adds much to the attractions and business prestige of San Fernando. The building was erected in 1913, by L. C. Brand, and on the 1st of April of that year it was opened to the public. This attractive hotel is eligibly situated at the corner of Porter and Brand avenues, is two stories in height, has seventy rooms and twenty-five bathrooms, has steam heat, with hot and cold water in all rooms, and all other modern facilities. Its beautiful dining room
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has an adjacent patio that adds to its attractions, and the service through- out is of the type that appeals to a select and appreciative patronage. In December, 1921, Mrs. Celia Flynn purchased the building, and the man- agement has been invested in her two enterprising and popular sons, J. Mervin and J. Leo Flynn, of each of whom individual mention is made in the preceding sketches.
JAMES ANDREW ROGERS, who came to Los Angeles in 1910, was a con- tractor and capitalist, and his activities contributed an important volume to the building construction and improvements in some of the best resi- dential sections of Los Angeles.
Mr. Rogers died January 29, 1923, at the age of fifty-two. He was born March 10, 1871, on the Gulf Coast in Grand Chenier, Louisiana, son of Dr. John B. and Abigald (Doxey) Rogers. His parents represented old Louisiana families. He was reared and educated in New Orleans, had a private tutor, and after finishing his college education took up a business career. On September 19, 1901, he married Miss Hettie Millard, of Ken- tucky.
After his marriage Mr. Rogers moved to old Mexico, where he did an extensive business as a mining contractor. For several years he traveled in and out of Mexico. Subsequently he lived for three years at Washing- ton, D. C., and in 1910 located at Los Angeles, where he launched into the real estate and building business. He bought all his lands from the Schweppe tract, in some of the most eligible locations in Los Angeles, and built a number of high class apartments and other buildings. He was also interested in Southern California farm lands. He was the first builder to insist upon rigid building restrictions, so that both apartments and resi- dences should be set back an appropriate distance from the street. Prior to his death Mr. Rogers had projected some important developments on a five hundred acre tract of land he owned near Fresno. This was largely planted to raising grapes, but he died before realizing his ambitious project there.
Mr. Rogers was prominent in Masonic circles, being a Knight Templar and Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner. He was a member of the Baptist Church. Mrs. Rogers continues to reside at her home, 1152 Fifth Avenue. He has one son, J. Millard Rogers, who was born in 1907.
JULIAN C. WRIGHT, of Azusa, one of the men of enviable fortune in Los Angeles County, is himself a pioneer and represents a pioneer family. He has personal knowledge and recollection of the conditions of utmost simplicity in the life and manners of early Los Angeles.
Mr. Wright was born in Illinois in 1856, son of George and Martha M. (Woodward) Wright. George Wright was a native of Massachusetts, and was twice married, having seven children by his first wife and six by the second. He was a school teacher and surveyor by profession. In 1852 he first crossed the plains to the gold fields in the northern part of Cali- fornia. When he returned to Illinois it was by the Panama Route. In the spring of 1859 he left Illinois with his family, and this time the trip was made dangerous by hostile Indians. On reaching a point near old Fort Stanton, at Albuquerque in New Mexico, a soldier stopped the train on account of the Apache Indians being on the war path. Not until the spring of 1861 were they permitted to resume travel, and after a journey through Yuma, Arizona, and Warner's Hot Springs they reached Los Angeles on the 21st of June. An account of this trip written by Mr. Wright is given at close of this sketch.
George Wright preempted a half section of land a mile south of the present Manchester Avenue is. Los Angeles. His son, Reason Wright, secured a quarter section adjoining, and his daughter, who is a school teacher, acquired a quarter section, paying for it in scrip. All this land remained in the Wright family for many years without a single transfer after that of the Government patent. The claims conflicted with some old
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Spanish grant, but the Wrights eventually proved their title. In the early years the family did farming in the primitive way, and subsequently devel- oped the land as a dairy farm. Julian C. Wright himself lived on the ranch for forty years, being interested with his four brothers in the development of the ranch.
In 1885 Julian C. Wright married Isobel Nelson, daughter of Alexan- der Nelson, who came from Norway to America, and crossed the plains by way of Salt Lake to California about 1857. Alexander Nelson also ac- quired Government land in the vicinity of the Wright ranch. J. C. Wright and wife have one son, Charles Wright, born in 1892, and married Miss Anna Walters, of Pasadena.
By pre-emption and purchase the Wright family secured 840 acres near Los Angeles. The cost of this land was from $1.25 to $25.00 per acre. Julian C. Wright grew up on these lands from the time he was about five years of age and his active experiences identified him with that property until recent years. In 1914 the Wright family gave an option of sale to the South Park Land Company, and the option was eventually exercised and the deal concluded, involving a payment to the Wright family of $808,- 000. Some of the land has since been subdivided and sold as lots and is now one of the attractive residence sections of Los Angeles.
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