USA > California > Los Angeles County > History of Los Angeles county, Volume III > Part 23
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JUSTUS B. BROWN. This country experienced a great revival in business in the '70s, in the period following the settling of the problems of the reconstruction era, and this was in great measure because of the
A Trustworthy
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efficient work of the young men whose capabilities had been developed, just as their manhood had been tested in the crucial struggle when one section had been pitted against the other in a great war. Today the United States is again facing a similar revival and for the same reason. All over the country in every branch of trade are to be found the alert, ambitious and well-poised young men who during the World war were enrolled in their country's service, and are now proving their value in an equally important manner in the marts of business.
Burbank is fortunate in numbering some of these veterans among its representative citizens, and one of them who is rendering an excellent account of himself is Justus B. Brown, cashier of the Burbank State Bank. He was born at Huntsville, Butler County, Kentucky, October 16, 1891. He there attended the graded schools, and later was a student of the high school course at Morganstown, Kentucky, and completed his education in the University of Kentucky at Bowling Green, Kentucky. For the two subsequent years, from 1912 to 1914, he was engaged in school-teaching, following which he came to the West and began his association with the banking business at Clifton, Arizona, as assistant cashier of the Clifton National Bank, with which institution he was connected until his enlist- ment, in 1917, as a private in Battery D, Three Hundred and Fortieth Field Artillery. Sent overseas, he served abroad for a year, and rose through successive promotions to be captain of his battery. Returning home, he received his honorable discharge in June, 1919.
Returning to Clifton, he entered the First National Bank, but after a few months went to Burleigh, Idaho, and was in the First National Bank of that city until in January, 1922, when he located permanently at Bur- bank and assumed the duties as cashier of the Burbank State Bank, his long experience in the banking business fully qualifying him for his important position. He is adjutant of Burbank Post Number 150, American Legion. Since coming to Burbank he has affiliated with its Chamber of Commerce and Kiwanis Club. He belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and to the Goodfellows Club. The Baptist Church holds his membership.
JOHN WESLEY TRUEWORTHY, M. D. A physician of the old school, beloved by a wide circle of patients and esteemed for the integrity of his character as well as for his professional skill, the late Doctor John Wesley Trueworthy had been a resident of Los Angeles thirty years and had prac- ticed medicine for half a century.
He was born in Troy, New York, May 28, 1843, son of William and Mary Trueworthy, both natives of New York State and of English ances- try. Doctor Trueworthy was four years old when his mother died and was eight at the death of his father, and after that he lived with a friend of the family in Illinois. He acquired a common school education there, and when Lincoln made his first call for troops at the beginning of the Civil war he volunteered in Company H of the Eleventh Illinois Infantry. Though he was enlisted only for three months, he suffered exposure and illness which prevented his reenlistment. After leaving the army he entered the University of Michigan, having acquired his early education in the public schools of Montgomery County, Illinois, and the Hillsboro Academy in that State. From the University of Michigan he entered Rush Medical College in Chicago, graduating in 1865. Doctor Trueworthy prac- ticed for a time at Donnellson, Illinois, and then became one of the early physicians of Emporia, Kansas, and had an extensive practice in that community for fifteen years. While there he was appointed United States pension examiner by President Cleveland, who was his personal friend, and for a number of years he was county coroner and a member of the school board. On leaving Emporia, Doctor Trueworthy practiced medicine at Kansas City, Missouri, for seven or eight years, and while there he organ- ized and for two years was president of the Central Bank.
Doctor Trueworthy removed to Los Angeles in 1892, and he continued
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his work as a physician here for nearly thirty years. His practice was among many of the most prominent families of Southern California, and he attended E. J. "Lucky" Baldwin during his last illness. He was at one time president of the Los Angeles Academy of Medicine. His first office in Los Angeles was in the same building with Senator Flint, Judge C. V. Lant and Donald Barker. Another noted pioneer physician of the city, Dr. M. L. Moore, paid a concise tribute to Doctor Trueworthy when he characterized him "the old time family physician, who is physician, friend, counsellor and advisor." People brought to him their mental as well as their physical ills, and he was a friend and inspired all by his pathetic nature and cheerfulness.
His first home in Los Angeles was the old Lincoln Hotel, where a num- ber of prominent people lived at that time. Several of these early friends of the Lincoln Hotel survive him and were pall bearers at his funeral. He was a member of the Knights Templar Commandery No. 9, and was buried under the auspices of that organization. He was also affiliated with the Grand Army of the Republic, and Mrs. Trueworthy became a member of Lincoln Post No. 19 of the Women's Relief Corps. He was also a member of many of the exclusive clubs in the city, including the California, Gamut, University and Sierra Clubs, Chamber of Commerce, the Sequoia League, the Archaeologist Society, the College Men's Association, the University of Michigan Alumni Association, the various medical organ- izations, and was for several years president and director of the Los Angeles Public Library. At the time of his death he was the oldest Rush Medical College man living in Los Angeles.
Doctor Trueworthy, who died in September, 1922, first married Jennie Berry, of Hillsboro, Illinois. She died in Kansas City, and one daughter of that marriage now lives at St. Paul, Minnesota. Doctor Trueworthy's second wife was Mrs. William T. Borton, who survives him. She formerly lived at Emporia, Kansas, and they were married in July, 1896. A son by her first marriage, Edward W. Borton, was a member of the 364th Machine Gun Company, and while in France was cited for extraordinary heroism at Eclisfontaine. Doctor and Mrs. Trueworthy had one daughter, Miss Alberta, who is a graduate of the Cunmock School of Expression, is a favorite in society and has done a great deal of classical dancing. She was a student at the Egan Dramatic School for several years, and finished under Ernest Belcher.
ROBERT HOLMES MACLAY, of San Fernando, is a native son of Cali- fornia, and that he is a representative of one of the most honored and in- fluential families identified with pioneer development in the beautiful San Fernando Valley may readily be understood by reference to the memoir to his honored father, Rev. Charles Maclay, on other pages of this work, a due review of the family history being given in that connection.
Mr. Maclay was born at Santa Clara, California, October 27, 1857, and his early education was acquired in schools there and in San Fernando. As a youth he became associated with his father's development enterprises in the San Fernando District, and for a long period of years he was num- bered among the prominent and successful exponents of farm industry in this locality. Since his retirement from active business, in 1913, he has maintained his residence at San Fernando, where his attractive home is at the corner of Second and Hagar streets.
The year 1895 recorded the marriage of Mr. Maclay and Miss Jennie Beale, who was born and reared in the State of Oregon, a daughter of Thomas Beale, a farmer and stock raiser of Oldsburg, Oregon. Mrs. Maclay passed to the life eternal on the 31st of May, 1916, she having been prominent in the social activities of the home community. She was a loved member of the Ebell Club at San Fernando. Of the two children of Mr. and Mrs. Maclay the first born, Lloyd, died in childhood; Marie B. is the wife of John Gibson, of San Jacinto, San Diego County, and they have one child, John, Jr.
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HENRY CUTLER HUBBARD is one of the sterling pioneer citizens who have contributed distinctly to the development and progress of the beauti- ful San Fernando Valley and since his retirement from active business and industrial enterprise he has maintained his home in the attractive little City of San Fernando. Mr. Hubbard was born in Hartford, Windsor County, Vermont, on the 19th of September, 1844, and is a scion of a fam- ily that was founded in New England in the Colonial era of American his- tory. The parents, George and Sarah (Cutler) Hubbard, were natives of New Hampshire, where the father was a farmer until he came, many years ago, to California and established his residence in Santa Cruz, the remainder of his life having been passed in this state.
Henry C. Hubbard gained the major part of his early education in the schools of Lebanon, New Hampshire, to which state the family moved when he was a boy. As a young man he became associated with the livery business, as he was always a lover of horses. He was a sturdy and am- bitious young man of twenty-four years when he arrived in California, in January, 1868. He was identified with lumbering operations in Santa Cruz County, with a mill at Corrillejos until 1875, in March of which year he came to the San Fernando Valley and became associated with F. M. Wright in extensive farm operations. With this basic line of industry he continued his active connection until about the year 1913, since which time he has lived virtually retired, in the enjoyment of the substantial prosperity gained through previous endeavor along normal and productive lines of industrial and business enterprise. In 1888 he was elected a supervisor of his district, and of this office he continued the incumbent three and one-half years. He has the distinction of being in San Fernando the oldest affiliate of the Masonic fraternity, and in 1914 he was a member of the Los Angeles Aquaduct Board, besides which he gave effective executive service in con- nection with the securing and developing of water rights in the San Fer- nando Valley. He is a member of the Los Angeles Pioneer Society. His political allegiance is given to the republican party, and at San Fernando he and his wife are zealous communicants of St. Simon's Church, Protestant Episcopal, Mrs. Hubbard being president of the Ladies Guild of this parish, besides which she is regent of the local chapter of the Society of the Daugh- ters of the American Revolution, and is an influential member of the Ebell Club, the Woman's Civic League, the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, a charter member of the Woman's Auxiliary of Post 176, American Legion, and a member of the San Fernando Pioneers Society.
On the 27th of November, 1884, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Hubbard and Miss Kate Paxton Maclay, who was born at Santa Clara, California, February 20, 1863, a member of an honored pioneer family of which adequate record is given on other pages of this work, in the memoir dedicated to her father, the late Rev. Charles Maclay. Mr. and Mrs. Hub- bard became the parents of three children, of whom the second, Benjamin Porter Hubbard, is deceased. Catherine became the wife of John L. Egbert, who is survived by their one child, Catherine, and the second marriage of Mrs. Egbert was with H. H. Dace, and their home as it San Fernando; Wright, youngest of the three children, is a resident of Chatsworth, Los Angeles County. Wright Hubbard, graduated from the San Fernando Union High School and the State University of California of Agriculture, at Berkeley, California, having the Degree of Bachelor of Science conferred on him. He was in the World war, in the Ordnance department. He was made first sergeant and was first at Camp Hancock, Georgia, and then trans- ferred to Camp Humphrey, Virginia, where he served until the end of the war.
JOHN T. WILSON, after a career of active and successful achievement is now living virtually retired from active business, and he is favored in own- ing and occupying one of the attractive homes in San Fernando.
Mr. Wilson claims the old Keystone State as the place of his nativity, his birth having occurred at Meadville, Pennsylvania, on the 10th of Janu-
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ary, 1861. He is a son of Christopher N. and Jane (Esley) Wilson, who gained pioneer prestige in California. Christopher N. Wilson, a lawyer by profession, came with his family to California in the year 1870, and engaged in the practice of his profession at Los Angeles. Later he pur- chased a large ranch property in the San Fernando Valley, and he there did effective service in furthering the industrial advancement of this favored section of Los Angeles County. He passed the closing years of his life at San Fernando, and his wife likewise is deceased.
John T. Wilson was a lad of nine years at the time of the family removal to California, and after due discipline in the public schools of Los Angeles he there served an apprenticeship to the printer's trade, as a jour- neyman of which trade he was thereafter employed for a considerable time. He was next identified with construction work'on the line of the Southern Pacific Railway, and he next became superintendent of the large Porter Ranch, of which he continued in charge until his retirement from active business affairs. Mr. Wilson has been one of the liberal and progressive citizens of the San Fernando District of Los Angeles County. He was specially active and influential in furthering the movement that resulted in the erection of the fine modern school building at San Fernando, he is president of the Federal Land Bank at Berkeley, he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and he is a communicant of the Protestant Episcopal Church.
On the 9th of January, 1888, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Wil- son and Miss Graciosa Lopez, who was born in San Fernando, June 19, 1867, and is a representative of one of the old and patrician Spanish fami- lies of California. Her early educational advantages included those of the Los Angeles High School. Mrs. Wilson is one of the twelve children born to Geronimo and Catherina E. Lopez.
Geronimo Lopez was born in San Gabriel, California, September 30, 1829, and was there reared and educated. As a young man he engaged in the contracting business and later became the owner of a large and valu- able ranch in San Fernando Valley. He maintained on his place a stage station that bore his name, and when a post office was there established he was made the postmaster, this station being about one mile north of the San Fernando Mission. Mr. Lopez was one of the influential and honored native sons of California at the time of his death, April 21, 1921, his wife, who was born and reared in Los Angeles, having passed away April 21, 1918, and both having been devout communicants of the Catholic Church. Concerning the children of Mr. and Mrs. Lopez the following brief data is available : Josie J. resides in the City of Bakersfield, this state; Louise is the widow of James McAloman and resides at Monrovia ; Maria I. is the wife of Inocencio Villegas, of San Fernando; Miguel R. and Celeste are deceased ; Graciosa, wife of Mr. Wilson of this review, was the next in order of birth; Ramona is the wife of Charles J. Shaug, of San Fernando; Stephen N. is deceased ; Catherine is the wife of William Mellin, of San Fernando ; Saragosa is the wife of David Britton, of Santa Barbara County ; Elinda is the wife of Joseph Alexander, of Bakersfield; and Rubina is deceased.
Mrs. Wilson is a zealous communicant of the Catholic Church, and in connection with the San Fernando parish she is a member of the Altar Society and the Sacred Heart League. In a secular way Mrs. Wilson is a popular member of the Elective Study Club and the Civic League of San Fernando. Of the three children of Mr. and Mrs. Wilson the first born, Arthur, died at the age of five years. John Jerome, who resides at Holly- wood, married Miss Mildred Aimee Hobbs, who was born and reared in San Francisco, and they have two children, Jack Hobbs and James Foster. John Jerome Wilson is a graduate of Santa Clara College and the Univer- sity of Southern California Law School. He is engaged in the practice of law in Los Angeles, associated with Haas and Dunnigan. Theodore Rol- land, younger son of the subject of this sketch, remains at the parental home. He was engaged in the study of medicine in the University of Southern
JOSEPH H. PRYOR
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California when the war broke out. He enlisted in the field hospital serv- ice, and served in France in field hospitals for about two years. He was discharged from service at San Francisco after the signing of the armistice.
JOSEPH H. PRYOR. Pasadena has claimed not only the leisure years but some of the crystal energies and mature wisdom of the veteran Cali- fornia journalist, Joseph H. Pryor, who is a living example of the truth "once a newspaper man always a newspaper man." While living in the northern part of the state he filled for many years the office of justice of the peace and police judge, and he is always referred to as Judge Pryor. Judge Pryor, who is vice-president of the Pasadena Star-News, has exer- cised the reporter's gift of observation since Civil war times, and much of his observation has gone hand in hand with personal experience in the life and affairs of the state.
He was born in Sonora, Tuolomne County, and was four years of age when his father moved, in 1854, to Shasta County and settled on a ranch. Seven years later came the terrible winter of 1861-62, which destroyed the hopes and ambitions of hundreds of settlers in that part of the state, wiping out the entire cattle herd of the Pryor family. In order to secure better educational advantages for the children the father moved the family to Shasta, then the county seat, while he himself went into the mines of Idaho, but the venture was unsuccessful and he returned to the mines of California. Joseph Pryor, Jr., in the interval virtually became the head of the household, and while attending school he turned up every resource for earning some money, one of these resources being as newsboy selling the old Courier, now known as the Courier-Free Press of Redding. He was old enough to absorb all the passionate patriotism engendered by Civil war times, and though only fourteen he joined a company of local guards- men and felt keenly the insult of being rejected from going to the front on account of his youth. He helped distribute the Courier on the occasion of many extra editions, particularly that edition that followed the news of the assassination of President Lincoln, and from that time he was a real working member of the Courier office. He spent four years in that office as an apprentice, laying the foundation for his life work. He learned not only the mechanical details of the operation of an old Washington press, but also was assigned to the reporting of the news. At the age of eighteen he started with two others a newspaper of his own in San Jose, but after two years of struggle he found himself rich only in experience. After this Judge Pryor was connected in one capacity or another with many of the important dailies of the coast, including the San Francisco Morning Call and the Bulletin. At San Francisco he joined Typographical Union No. 21, and was off duty on account of a strike for several months. About 1874 he, with L. D. Clark, founded the People's Cause in Red Bluff. At that time this was the first daily north of Chico, and is still a thriving paper, known as the Red Bluff News. He conducted this paper for nearly twenty years, a portion of the time associated with others.
While at Red Bluff he married Miss Flora Church, daughter of John E. Church, a prominent Northern California merchant. Her father when eighteen years of age with others chartered a vessel, loaded it with mer- chandise at New Bedford, Massachusetts, and sailed around Cape Horn, landing in San Francisco in 1849, where they disposed of the cargo, and he started one of the pioneer stores at Weaverville, Trinity County, Cali- fornia. Judge Pryor's two children were born at Red Bluff, a daughter who died at the age of four years, and a son, Percy, still living in Pasadena, and engaged in the real estate business. He recently married Miss Ruth Butler, of Los Angeles.
After leaving Red Bluff Judge Pryor was again in San. Francisco, and for four years owned a half interest in the Pacific Coast Educational Jour- nal, the official organ of the State Department of Public Instruction. From there he moved to Marin County, purchased a half interest in the San Rafael Journal, and at the same time bought the Sausalito News. These
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two papers he continued to publish for about two years, finally disposing of his interest in the Journal and retaining the News, which he published for nearly twenty years. For over eight years he was both police judge and justice of the peace, performing the duties of these offices in addition to operating his newspaper.
After the San Francisco earthquake Judge Pryor sold his paper in Marin County, and determined to get out of the newspaper business and enjoy life. Then followed a European tour with his family, and with the persistence and wit of a born newspaper man he saw Europe as few ordi- nary travelers do. But after months of wandering Mr. Pryor realized the old truth that to enjoy life is to fill it with interests by work. Shortly after his return to California he therefore bought a half interest in the Pasadena News from Mrs. Walter S. Melick and became associated with Lon F. Chapin. After a short period Judge Pryor sold his interest to Mr. Chapin, and in 1914 Judge Pryor repurchased the News, which had changed hands in the meantime, and shortly afterward sold a one-half interest to Mr. Chapin, and then a few months afterward came the merger of the Star and the News, the former published for many years previously by Charles H. and W. F. Prisk and A. J. Hosking. Since the founding of the present Star-News Judge Pryor has been associate editor and manager.
Since coming to Southern California Judge Pryor has also engaged extensively in the culture of citrus fruit, and has owned three citrus groves. He is a member of the Masonic order. For many years he was a member of the Union League Club of San Francisco and the Altadena Country Club, but recently has turned over his interest in the Altadena Club to his son. Though past three score and ten, few younger men have a greater variety of interests and a more settled philosophy of life.
Judge Pryor's mother, Mrs. Priscilla Pryor, who spent her declining years in San Francisco, passed away in the spring of 1921, at the good old age of ninety-three. She came with her husband by sailing vessel from England and arrived in San Francisco in February, 1850.
WILLIAM A. THOMPSON, a dependable realtor, is one of the sound busi- ness men of Burbank who is not only carrying on a large and flourishing business, but is rendering a valuable service through his participation in civic affairs. He was born at Bloomigton, Illinois, November 26, 1862, and attended the schools of his native city and those of Jackson, Kansas, and as soon as he reached his majority became interested in farming. Elected county treasurer of Jackson County, Kansas, he held the office from 1899 to 1904, and then established himself in a hardware business at Holton, Kansas. Three years later he sold and went to Brownsville, Texas, where he was in business as a realtor until 1912. In that year he came to Burbank and began handling real estate in this city and its vicinity. He handles city and farm properties and sells a general line of insurance, makes loans, collects rents, and makes exchanges, and in addition to his work, employment is afforded to two persons. The offices are conveniently located at 126 West Second Street, Burbank. Mr. Thompson has never handled subdivision properties, and is pursuing the same policy that he always followed. Three of the best old-line insurance companies are repre- sented, and Mr. Thompson is experienced in giving advice with reference to placing insurance.
Mr. Thompson married in November, 1882, Miss Alice Hodges, of Soldier, Kansas, and they became the parents of two children : Arthur, who is deceased ; and Clarence A., who is a resident of Burbank. Mrs. Thomp- son was born in Kansas, where she was educated. She died January 16, 1912, a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. There is one grandchild in the family, little Margaret Jean. One of the public- spirited accomplishments of Mr. Thompson is his work in connection with the organizing of the Burbank Realty Board in 1921. The following were the first officials: W. A. Thompson, president ; C. R. Graham, vice presi-
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