History of Los Angeles county, Volume III, Part 34

Author: McGroarty, John Steven, 1862-1944
Publication date: 1923
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 844

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In 1879 Mr. Kennedy took for his third wife Ada M. Goodrich, a na- tive of Illinois, and a daughter of Lucius and Elizabeth (Bontz) Good-

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rich. Her father, born at Astabula, Ohio, in 1819, died in 1877, while her mother, born March 20, 1824, at Erie, Pennsylvania, still survives and makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Kennedy, at Montebello. She is a most remarkable woman, for while she is nearly 100 years of age she re- tains fully her mentality and faculties and is capable of recalling happen- ings of the long ago, while also being able to appreciate the happenings of the present. To Edwin R. and Ada M. Kennedy there were born two chil- dren : Mabel E., born October 4, 1883, in a sod home on the North Dakota prairies, who after receiving a good education and graduating from high school became a teacher, and then entered the real estate field, being a sales- woman of ability, now residing at the home of her late father at Montebello ; and Cordelia, also born in North Dakota, a graduate of the high school and State Normal School of North Dakota, who married Thomas T. Bacheller, Jr., of Forest Lake, Minnesota, in 1912, and has three children: Thomas T. III., Elizabeth A. and Edwin Kennedy.

Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy resided on their North Dakota farm until No- vember 5, 1907, when they paid their first visit to California. After a short stay they returned to North Dakota, where they disposed of their farm and stock, and in June, 1909, returned to California and bought two and one-half acres of land on South Maple Avenue, Montebello, which they set to oranges. Mr. Kennedy remained as a highly respected resident of this locality until his death, November 27, 1915, in the faith of the Bap- tist Church. His widow, her mother, her single daughter and one of her granddaughters still occupy the comfortable home and have made numer- ous friends in the community.

DAVID O. STEWART. A continuous resident of Los Angeles County for a period of twenty-eight years, David O. Stewart may be said to be the "father" of Montebello, in that it was through his efforts while engaged in business as a realtor that this community had its birth and early develop- ment. During a long, active and successful career he has been variously engaged in business lines, and his experiences have been numerous and in- teresting from the time in 1869 that he accompanied a party in the long and hazardous journey across the plains.

Mr. Stewart was born November 1, 1857, in Anderson County, Texas, a son of Capt. James and Lucy Ann (Dougherty) Stewart, and is of Scotch-Irish extraction. His father, who was of Scotch descent, was born in Eastern Tennessee, May 28, 1828, the grandson of a Revolutionary soldier, and a son of William and Cecelia (Hayes) Stewart, the former a soldier in the War of 1812. James Stewart was reared as a farmer, and as a keen observer and great reader secured a good education, so that he added to his income by teaching. In 1852 he married Lucy Ann Dougherty, of Tennessee, and they became the parents of eight children : David O .; Fran- cis E., of Los Angeles ; John J., of Rivera ; Mrs. Daniel W. Standlee, of Rivera, and four who are deceased. In 1848 Captain Stewart had moved to Texas in company with a few other settlers, making the journey by mule and ox-teams and finally settling in Anderson County, where he followed farming and stock raising, and in the winter months taught school. In 1863 he enlisted in General Sibley's famous brigade of the Confederate service, and operated from the Brazos River, Texas, to the Red River in Louisiana, and participated in numerous engagements, including Pleasant Hill and Yellow Bayou, Louisiana. His service covered four years in the cavalry, and he held the rank of captain. Before the engagement at Mans- field the Confederates had been retreating from the enemy for several days, although engaging in daily skirmishes. At Mansfield they secured reinforcements and fought a closely-contested battle, and on the following day, at Pleasant Hill, with still further support, defeated the Federal forces, his command recovering the lost territory. Captain Stewart has always remembered that he and his men tenderly cared for the Federal wounded and decently buried the numerous dead. Following the war Cap- tain Stewart returned to his Texas farm, and in 1869 began his memorable

Tomas L Sandy

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journey across the plains to California, with ox and mule teams, and being constantly harassed by the Indians on the perilous six-months' journey. In California he engaged in general farming and the raising of hogs, and was a pioneer in the curing of salt meats. He established in the latter line a large business for his day in packing and curing, and for many years the Stewart Brand of bacon was the most popular product of its kind in the southern part of the state. He visited the various settlements in person, and thus became one of the most widely known men of his day. He was also a prominent Mason and a lifelong democrat, and the family has always been connected with the Baptist Church.

The fourth of his parents' children, David O. Stewart secured his edu- cation at night times, by candle light, under the tuition of his father, who was busily engaged during the daylight hours with his stock business, fre- quently walking afoot to Shreveport, Louisiana, in order to market his cattle. In 1869, with his parents, the youth joined a party of about 125 in a train to cross the plains to California. It was the duty of the twelve-year- old lad to drive the mules, horses and extra cattle on the day shift, a perilous and hazardous duty, as the Indians, who would never fight in the open, nor attack at night, were constantly and desperately trying to run off the stock. On one occasion, at the Concho River, the cattle were stampeded, but the men of the party fought the Indians off and recovered their cattle. After a six months journey they were at El Monte, their worldly goods consisting of a yoke of steers, an old grey stallion and the pony which David had ridden across the prairies. On the way his father had paid as high as twenty-five cents a pound for hay in an effort to preserve his work stock from starving. On the day following the party's arrival Captain Stewart, who had but $2.50 in cash, went to Ranchito, where he made ar- rangements to buy fifty-two acres of land, at $35 per acre, on time. He moved on to this land, borrowed $1,000 from a bank until his crop should mature, and, having rented additional lands, paid off his indebtedness when his crop was harvested.

At the age of eighteen years David O. Stewart went to Atlanta, Georgia, where he entered the employ of his uncle, David H. Dougherty, who was engaged in the wholesale and retail dry goods business, and with whom he remained fifteen years. This was quite an enterprise, employing 125 men, and when Mr. Stewart became identified therewith he received $75 per month at the beginning. When he left his uncle's employ he was main buyer for the house and his compensation was advanced rapidly during his service. After severing his connections with this concern Mr. Stewart entered the real estate and gold mining business in the State of Georgia, and in 1895 returned to California and settled at Los Angeles, where he opened a real estate office at 138 South Broadway. While in this business he came into contact with K. Cohen & Company, owners of 1,250 acres of land, of which he was made sole agent. He sold the entire tract within the space of twelve months, and this was the real beginning of Montebello. In 1905 Mr. Stewart moved to Montebello, and built his home at the corner of Mckinley and Cedar avenues, setting his grounds to shade and fruit trees and flowers. Here he is enjoying the comforts that have come as the result of many years of hard, useful and honorable labor.

In 1882 Mr. Stewart married Miss Nudie A. West, a native of Georgia, who died in December, 1911. To this union there came one child: Anna May, born at Atlanta, Georgia, in 1885. She was carefully educated in California, and is now the wife of William G. Shanley, the largest stock dealer in Arizona, a capitalist and a director in the First National Bank of Globe, Arizona. They have one child, Nudie. By a former marriage Mr. Shanley has a daughter, Lilla.

TOMAS L. SANCHEZ. The annals of the Sanchez family run back in Los Angeles County to about the time this country passed from the dominion of Mexico to the United States. Tomas L. Sanchez, a man of

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extensive interests in the Whittier District, was born there, and has had an interesting range of activities, from cattle ranching and stock trading to walnut growing and more recently to oil production.

Mr. Sanchez was born on his father's ranch on Baldwin Hill, near Whittier, June 22, 1857. His father, Juan Matias Sanchez, was a native of New Mexico, member of an old and prominent Spanish family in that territory. In 1848 he brought his family to Southern California, locating at El Monte, and acquired title to some extensive tracts of land in that vicinity. At one time he owned land three leagues square, comprising about 50,000 acres. To secure a loan for a man whom he regarded as a friend he put up what he thought was one small parcel of land as security for a note for $200,000. When the note fell due Juan M. Sanchez found that the security covered all of his holdings, and he thereby lost all he had. He was not entirely bowed down by misfortune, and before he died he had rebuilt his prosperity, although not of the same proportions as formerly. All of his children have been successful, and their aggregate holdings in Los Angeles County make an imposing total.

Tomas L. Sanchez acquired his education under private teachers and for two terms attended St. Vincent's College in Los Angeles. From boyhood he was familiar with the duties of land ownership and cattle raising. When he was fourteen years of age he and his brother Jose took eleven hundred head of horses to Pueblo, Colorado. The stock was wintered there, and in 1872 their father met them and they drove the horses to New Mexico to trade for cattle and sheep. About half were disposed of in this way and the remainder were returned to Colorado. In 1873 the brothers were called to California by the sickness on the subse- quent death of their mother. The following year they were again in Colorado, and in 1875 they went on to St. Louis, Missouri, and enjoyed seven months of higher education in St. Louis University. They then moved their herd of horses to New Mexico for further trading. When part of them had been disposed of Tomas returned to California, leaving his brother Jose to close up the transaction. In 1879 Jose, still engaged in trading with the Navajo Indians, went to the reservation line in New Mexico and was arrested on a false charge by a disgruntled Indian, who alleged that he was trading liquor. Jose was confined in a detention house that was cold and damp, but was later released by the agent when the charge was disproved. His stock, consisting of a hundred head of horses and three thousand sheep, was never returned to him. He went back to Colorado and died from the effects of cold contracted during his detention on the reservation.

Tomas L. Sanchez in 1883 succeeded in selling the remainder of the stock in Colorado. Since then his interests have been closely centered in California. His father died in 1885. He soon afterward removed to Santa Fe Springs with his brother Frank. This region was then a wilder- ness of sage brush and mustard. Tomas Sanchez farmed for three years, being in debt all the time. Later he planted a portion of his land in walnut trees, and that gave him his first secure stake in the financial world. He now owns sixty-three acres in Santa Fe Springs, also fourteen acres in full bearing grafted walnuts in East Whittier, and forty-six acres at Ranchito. The Ranchito place was originally in walnuts, but is now leased to farmers.

Mr. Sanchez' Santa Fe Springs property promises rich returns in oils. He has given an oil lease to the Union Oil Company, and at this writing a well is being sunk about a thousand feet north of the original Bell well. Mr. Sanchez is a member of the Whittier Walnut Association, and is a democrat and a Catholic.

In August, 1905, he married Lipa Gonzales. She was born near Whit- tier, and both her father and grandfather were born in the same district. Her father was Felix Gonzales. They were one of the original families of Southern California. Mr. and Mrs. Sanchez have two children: Narcissa E., a student in the Whittier High School, and Thomas, born in May, 1921.

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HENRY OSWALD. What at the time seems inconsequential frequently turns out to be of the most vital importance. An illustration at hand is the great rate war that was waged between the transcontinental lines during the '80s, and which had so much to do with building up the population of many of the cities of the Pacific Coast. Not only this, but it proved the opportunity needed by so many strugglers of the East and Middle West to gain a foothold in business and to make a success of their lives. One who seized this opportunity was Henry Oswald, now one of the most substan- tial citizens of Montebello.

Mr. Oswald was born June 4, 1863, at Waukegan, Cook County, Illi- nois, and when six years of age was taken by his parents to Williamsville, twelve miles from Buffalo, New York. Later they went to Niagara Falls, New York, where the youth received a limited schooling, and when he was seventeen years of age he returned to his birthplace, where a sister was living. At that place he learned the barber trade, a business which he followed for years, but in which he seemed to make little progress. He was twenty-three years of age when his opportunity came. In 1886 a vicious and exhaustive rate war was staged by the various trans-continental railroad lines, and ticket prices were slashed unbelievably, until at one time, for one hour only, tickets were sold from Chicago to San Francisco for one dollar each. Mr. Oswald, with a young friend, purchased a ticket be- tween these two points for twenty-seven dollars, and upon his arrival at San Francisco was given a rebate of fifteen dollars, which was about all the money he possessed. The low rates had also attracted thousands of others, and as a result the supply of labor far exceeded the demand. Mr. Oswald and his companion accordingly moved on to Los Angeles, at that time in the midst of its memorable boom. At that time the principal promenade was from Temple Street to the Plaza, and the leading hostelry was the U. S. Hotel, then the best in Southern California. Conditions were crude, but even at that time the city had its lure that attracted and held new residents, whose faith in its future was vindicated in the years that followed.

Securing employment at his trade, Mr. Oswald followed it for about twenty years, with little respite, save two and one-half years spent at Bisbee, Arizona. In 1904 he first located at Montebello, where he bought five acres and set it out to oranges, peaches and berries. Four and one-half years later he sold this and returned to Los Angeles, where he founded and conducted successfully a restaurant business. Four years thereafter he sold out and returned to Montebello, buying two and one-half acres of barren land on Lincoln Street. This he set out to a lemon orchard, which he has developed splendidly, and has built a modern home.

Mr. Oswald has been a big factor in the upbuilding of Montebello, dis- playing his faith in the community by his building operations and otherwise. In 1912 he built the first brick block in the town, on the second lot east of Fifth Street, on Whittier Boulevard, this being built to lease. He later improved it with a brick structure adjoining the property on the east. His foresight has been vindicated by the prosperity of this business center. Mr. Oswald has also been active in securing up-to-date conditions. He was one of the first to agitate the question of building a grammar school on Washington Street. At the start he was short the requisite number to secure such a school, but finally located a German who had eleven sons of school age, which proved sufficient, and he and others who were working for the school were rewarded by the building of the first grammar school in the district. The present grammar school, built at a cost of $150,000, adjoins the site of the old building, and in spite of its size is still inadequate for the community's needs. Mr. Oswald's home lies in the Montebello oil belt, where oil is found in three stratas.

In 1889 Mr. Oswald married Miss May Cowdrey, a native of Cleveland, Ohio. There were no children born to this union. In 1909 he married Mrs. Rose Bassett, a widow with one child, who has been adopted by Mr. Oswald, now named Rose Oswald. Mrs. Oswald was born in London,

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England, and came to the United States in 1893 to visit the World's Fair at Chicago. California claimed her, and she has never since left this state.

JOHN E. How. In reviewing the history of Los Angeles the biographer is impressed by the fact that practically all of the city's present prestige is the outcome of the far-sighted vision and faith of the men who were among its citizens during the earlier period of its progress, and among them no one man accomplished more than John E. How, for many years one of the most extensive realty operators of Los Angeles County. Many years have passed since his death, but the results of his public-spirited efforts remain and are enriching the lives of the people of Los Angeles today.

John E. How was born at London, England, in 1840, and studied medicine, which he practiced in London, but subsequently he went into the drug business, and was engaged in it for a few years prior to his immigration to the United States. Upon his arrival in this country he came direct to California, and went into the drug business at San Fran- cisco.

In 1870 Mr. How married Miss Annie McPhail, a native of England, who was brought to the United States in 1860 by her father, John McPhail, one of the foremost men of England, who was detailed as one of the escort sent with the Prince of Wales, later Edward VII of England, upon his visit to this country. She and her brother William McPhail remained in San Francisco, but the father was recalled to England. After their mar- riage John E. How and his wife moved to Oakland, and there three children were born: Frank, who is now an electrical contractor of note of Oak- land; Joseph, who was for many years cashier of the Bank of Italy, is now a prominent contractor of Tucson, Arizona; and Annie, who is Mrs. Joseph Price, of Los Angeles.

Mr. How bought property at Seventh and Harrison streets, and many lots on Webster Street, some of the best realty in the city. In 1881 the How family came to Los Angeles, and Mr. How began at once to invest in real estate, increasing his holdings until he owned in excess of $1,000,000 worth of very desirable property. His home was first on Grand and Sixth Street, but he owned property on Downey Avenue, and he bought a lot on Twelfth at Main Street, which he bought for $600, and inside of two years sold it for $10,000. His wife bought property at the corner of Sixth and Grand Avenue, then called Charity Street, for $600. Mr. How became the owner of Laurel Canon, and its water rights. When the Leadville, Colorado, mines were opened Mr. How went there, and invested extensively, but, while for a time he made a large amount, eventually he lost all of this investment. Mr. How, Victor Hall and C. A. Summer were the heaviest realty dealers in Los Angeles during the earlier days. He sold many additions, among them being the Washington Street part of Bonnie Brae tract, the How tract, and the Riverdale Cemetery tract. A number of the properties which possess historic interest were at one time or the other his, among them being the Rancho San Diego. Various other very valuable holdings were handled by him, but eventually he traded all of his Los Angeles property for mines in South Africa. To look after these he went to Johannesburg, Africa, in 1891, but the journey was attended with great difficulty, and the hardships possibly hastened his death, which occurred in 1895, while he was on a visit to London, England.

Both he and his wife were originally members of the Church of England, but they subsequently became Catholics and were consistent to that faith the remainder of their lives. Mr. How became very prominent in Catholi- cism, and when Cardinal Gibbons made a visit to Los Angeles he was selected as one of that dignitary's escort during the various honors paid him. Mrs. How survived her husband many years and died in 1916, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Price, on Valencia Street.

Mrs. Annie How Price was born at Oakland, California, November 16, 1876, and was educated in a convent of Los Angeles. In 1892 she was married to Dr. Joseph Price, who was born at London, England, in 1864.

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Studying medicine, he graduated from the University of Oxford, England, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine, and came to the United States about 1886. For a time he was engaged in the practice of medicine at Norfolk, Virginia, and then served as a surgeon in the regular United States Army. In 1892 he came to Los Angeles. In 1896 he went to Carson City, Nevada, where he engaged in mining, and while there he was made lieutenant colonel of the National Guard of Nevada. His death occurred in 1919. Doctor and Mrs. Price became the parents of one son, Lawrence E. Price.

Lawrence E. Price was born at Los Angeles, July 9, 1893, and was educated at Saint Vincent's College in Los Angeles and at St. Mary's College in Oakland, California, following which he entered the grain and milling business with the Albers Brothers Milling Company of Oak- land, with whom he remained until 1913, and then returned to his home in Los Angeles, and was with the Los Angeles Farming and Milling Com- pany until that corporation was dissolved in 1915, at which time he entered the Great Western Milling Company of Los Angeles, and only left it to enlist for service in the World war, in the Twenty-sixth Engineering Corps. He was in France nine months, and participated in five of the most important of the engagements. The Twenty-sixth piped water up to the trenches, and had charge of the drinking water service. Mr. Price was made secretary to Colonel Sheidenhelm, who had active charge of all the water service in the First Army Corps of the American Army in France. Prior to the war he was one of New York City's famous engineers, and had charge, as chief engineer, of the Catskill water system. After Mr. Price's return from the army he was employed by the Speckles Brothers interests, but is now operating the Downey Grain Company, successor to the Newmark Grain Company, the oldest grain company in Southern California.

In June, 1920, Lawrence E. Price married Miss Tennessee Cook, who is a descendant of Garcia de Alba, founder of one of the very first of the Spanish families to locate permanently on this far-away western coast. Mrs. Price and her son are proud of the part played by Mr. How in the upbuilding of their home city, and they are doing their part to continue it. Mr. Price is admittedly one of the enterprising young business men of the county, and one who inspires confidence in all with whom he is associated.

WILLIAM STEELE. An excellent example of the worth of the homely qualities of untiring industry and unfailing honesty when rightly applied and well directed is found in the career of the late William Steele, who, although called by death when still in middle life, had so well exercised his energies that he had become a leading citizen of Montebello and the owner of a valuable property. He was truly the architect of his own fortunes, for when he arrived in America he had no means save those represented by his ambition and inherent talent.

Mr. Steele was born near Belfast, Ireland, in 1872, a son of Robert Steele. After attending the public schools of his native locality he was apprenticed to the trade of shoemaker, which he mastered, but never cared to follow this vocation. He was nineteen years of age when he immigrated to the United States, and at once went to Chicago, Illinois, where he secured employment on the street railway. During the following eighteen years he continued to work as a street railway man, and, being ambitious for better things in the future, lost no opportunity to advance himself, and carefully saved his earnings, bit by bit. By August, 1908, he was able to come to California, where he purchased five acres of land on South Cedar Street, this being raw barley land, for which he paid $3,100, going into debt to the extent of $1,100. He immediately set out Valencia oranges, improved the property, and until becoming an invalid continued to improve the property in various ways. About 1915 he contracted a serious illness, from which he never recovered, his death occurring in 1919. When he became incapacitated his sons took up the burden of caring

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History of Los Angeles county, Volume III, Part 34

Author: McGroarty, John Steven, 1862-1944 Publication date: 1923 Publisher: Number of Pages: 844

Author: McGroarty, John Steven, 1862-1944
Publication date: 1923
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 844