USA > California > Los Angeles County > History of Pomona Valley, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the valley who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 75
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In 1911 Mr. Garrison located at Claremont, where he decorated the First National Bank block, the San Antonio block, the packing house of the El Camino Citrus Association, the Congregational Church, a number of the buildings of Pomona College, and the residences of Mrs. McKinney, P. J. Smith, and Mrs. Healy. He maintains a paint store, where he carries a full line of paints and oils, setting up and con- tinuing a standard in the quality of his stock as well as of his work. This pioneer relation of Mr. Garrison to the field in which he so splen- didly excels is as interesting as the status of pioneers generally.
Mr. Garrison's mother was Ann Eliza Van Pelt before her mar- riage, and she came from old Knickerbocker stock, the daughter of Christopher Van Pelt, a machinist and pattern maker. About thirty years ago he joined the Knights of Pythias, and he is now a member of that organization in Pomona, having passed through all the chairs
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and attended the Grand Lodge. In Paterson, Mr. Garrison married Grace H. Hackett, of whom he was bereaved in 1898, leaving one son, Robert B. Garrison, of San Francisco.
JOHN C. STORMENT
Famed as a model home town, in which all that makes for the security and happiness of human life is conscientiously and generously attended to, Pomona owes much of its attraction and repute to such substantial, broad-minded and far-seeing men as John C. Storment, district manager of the Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company, who establish and maintain those institutions utterly indispensable to human progress. His office is at 265 South Thomas Street, and from there he directs the extensive operations of his company in a field where something more than "making money" is the goal, and yet a field so important to society that money, and plenty of it, has been the worker's proper reward.
Mr. Storment was born in Marion County, Ill., the son of S. A. and Harriet Storment, and one of a family of twelve children, and there attended the public schools, finishing his studies at Ewing Col- lege, at Ewing in Jefferson County, Ill. For nine years he taught school in Southern Illinois, and in 1890 was graduated from the nor- mal school of the University of Southern Illinois at Carbondale. Then he was principal of the high school at Metropolis for one year ; and in 1891 he came to California and taught for a year at Azusa.
Removing to Pomona, Mr. Storment taught three years at Lords- burg, and for three years was principal of the Sixth Street school, at Pomona; principal of the La Verne school one year, and also of the San Dimas school four years. In all, he taught school ten years in Illinois and twelve years in the Pomona Valley, so that he well de- serves honorable mention in the history of popular education in these two great states.
In 1903, Mr. Storment entered the life insurance field, and for a year was sub-agent, and for three years district manager of the Citrus Valley agency of the Aetna Life Insurance Company. Then for ten years, he engaged in the real-estate business at Pomona, during which time he made many notable sales. In whatever field he ven- tured, his natural ability, together with his willingness and disposition for hard work, brought him unqualified success.
Two years ago, Mr. Storment accepted a flattering offer from the Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company as special agent, and in 1919 he was made district manager. His first year he wrote $150,000 worth of business, and this entitled him to membership in the Big Tree Club.
This renowned organization is composed of agents of all the life insurance companies of the United States and Canada, who have writ-
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ten $150,000 worth of business or over yearly, and this membership entitles them to a free trip to the annual convention held each year, with all expenses paid. The last convention was held at Pittsburgh on September 25 to 27, 1919, and this he had the honor of attending and participating in. He will also be a member of the Big Tree Club of 1920.
Mr. Storment is also a member of the Monday Morning Club. The agents of the Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company meet every Monday morning at the home office in Los Angeles for mutual benefit, and at such times addresses are delivered and opportunities given for familiar talks. The Pacific Mutual Home Office agency is called the Million Dollar Agency, as they write a million dollars of insurance monthly ; and its members are frequently given banquets by the com- pany. Well may Mr. Storment be congratulated on his association with these wide-awake and representative organizations.
Another ground for congratulating Mr. Storment is the recent victory of the Prohibition party, to which he has belonged for many years, and whose tickets he has long voted. His allegiance to that party led him to help put the last saloon in Pomona out of business. For twenty years he was a member of the Methodist Church of Po- mona, and now he belongs to the Trinity Methodist Church and is active in Sunday School work. He is equally a valuable worker in the Y. M. C. A. field.
At Rockwood, Ill., on June 4, 1891, Mr. Storment was married to Miss Mattie Jeffrey, a native of Illinois and the daughter of W. M. and Elizabeth Jeffrey, and four children have blessed their fortunate union : Bertha studied at Pomona and Occidental Colleges and is now Mrs. Howard S. Norwood of Pasadena; Frank L., pianist of the Occidental College glee club and manager of the college paper, worked his way through Occidental College and is now a student at the Uni- versity of California ; Arthur M. is at present studying at Occidental; and Robert is a student at the Pomona high school.
HAL MAY
A rising young man of Pomona whose executive ability has been amply demonstrated in the management of the Pen-Hill Confectionery Store at 294 West Second Street, famous not only for the high quality of its products, but for the volume of trade done in one of the best appointed shops in the state, is Hal May, who was born in Ballard County, Ky., where he grew up in a farming district. When only six- teen, he left the farm on which he had obtained his start in life, and located at Blandville, where he attended the public schools ; and later he studied at Owensboro College at Owensboro, Ky.
Having finished his studies, he pushed west to California; and in 1907 he settled at Claremont, then a far more modest town than today.
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Soon afterward, he entered the employ of James Anderson, the con- fectioner, and during three and a half years in his store, he gained a thorough knowledge of the confectionery trade. Coming to Pomona in 1912, he entered into partnership with J. P. Edmonds, to conduct the Pen-Hill Confectionery Company; and in the summer of 1918 he bought out his partner and since then has been sole owner of the business.
The Pen-Hill Confectionery Store at 294 West Second Street is one of the pioneer institutions of the kind in Pomona, and does the largest business in that line in the city. The fittings of the store are unusually modern and up-to-date, the mezzanine floor in particular proving very popular with the younger set; and there each Saturday evening, to the sweet strains of an orchestra, society gathers to par- take of the daintiest and purest of ice creams, confectionery and sodas, for which the establishment is famous.
At San Bernardino on August 14, 1913, Mr. May was married to Miss Ruby Witter, of Indiana, the daughter of J. R. and Mabel Witter. His good wife has partaken of his enthusiastic work in boost- ing Pomona and environs, a worthy work that he never fails to push forward as both a live member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Merchants Association. Pomona is glad to number among its enter- prising business men such an aggressive factor as Mr. May; and Hal is more than ever satisfied that he pitched his tent here.
FRANK H. HARWOOD
Missouri has frequently been heard from along the Pacific, and in no instance in recent Pomona Valley history more creditably than in the case of Frank H. Harwood, the thoroughly capable president of the Lemon Growers Association. He was born at Springfield, in the Iron State, on December 13, 1875, the son of Alfred P. Harwood, a Missouri stockman, who married Miss Margaret Burton. The fam- ily came to California in the eventful late eighties, when so many thousands of Easterners first came to know about the wonderful advan- tages of this state, and from the beginning located at Upland. Soon after Alfred Harwood embarked in the citrus industry and has been in it ever since. He is still living, the father of four girls and two boys, three of whom have survived.
Frank Harwood was educated at the public schools of Upland, continuing his studies at the college at Ontario, and was graduated from Pomona College with the Class of '98, when he received the degree of B.S. Leaving college, he also went into the citrus industry, and soon became the first manager of the Lemon Growers Associa- tion at San Dimas. In that position of responsibility he continued for fifteen years, and then he was made president-a real honor, when it
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is remembered that this is the largest lemon growers' association in the Valley.
Naturally for one so well posted on the various and best methods for citrus culture, Mr. Harwood has also engaged in growing for himself of late years. He makes a specialty of grape fruit, for which there is an increasing demand, particularly by the railway companies, and some of the choicest of this dainty edible shipped from the Valley is raised upon his well-kept ranch.
The marriage of Mr. Harwood to Miss Mildred Spencer took place at Los Angeles on March 29, 1905, and three children have blessed the happy union : Elizabeth, Jane and Alfred. A Republican in national politics, although non-partisan in local affairs, Mr. Har- wood belongs to both the Masons and the Elks.
L. E. SHEETS
Pomona has always been a city where opportunity for investment of capital has yielded good returns, and this has proven true of the city's leading music house, the L. E. Sheets Piano Company. L. E. Sheets has been established in the piano business at Pomona since 1907, and his place of business is at 285 North Garey Avenue.
He is a native of Geneva, Ill., born October 3, 1863, and was reared in Batavia, that state. He received a good public school edu- cation, graduated from the Batavia high school, and at the age of twenty, in 1883, went to Dakota Territory, where he taught school for a while, and was also in the hardware business at Esmond until 1888. In 1890 he came to Pomona, where he was employed by one of the pioneer piano dealers of that place, R. S. Bassett, as traveling salesman for his piano house. He afterwards returned to South Dakota and engaged in the music business for three years, going thence to Marion, Iowa, where he continued the occupation for thir- teen years. The allurements of California finally brought him again to the Coast to settle permanently at Pomona, in 1907, where he has been continuously engaged in dealing in pianos ever since. His wide experience, thorough knowledge of the business and good judgment have all been important factors in the success he has achieved. His line of pianos consists of the Knabe Ampico grands and uprights, the Mehlin grands and uprights, which, by the way, are the most costly pianos to produce in the world; the Haines Brothers and other nationally advertised pianos, such as have never been carried by any music house before, outside the large cities. He has a special piano made for him, called the L. E. Sheets piano, In addition he is Po- mona Valley agent for the New Columbia phonograph and records, and also does piano tuning. In 1910 he planted twenty acres of land to oranges, one mile southeast of Claremont, and afterward sold a
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portion, retaining ten acres of the grove. He has twenty-five sheep on the place, and conceived the original idea of fertilizing the grove with sheep manure, an experiment which has proved very successful. Three acres of Valencia orange trees, fertilized in this way, yielded $1,000 worth of fruit per acre in 1919. He is the pioneer in this method of fertilizing. He owns an eight-acre alfalfa ranch in the Chino district on which he raises alfalfa to feed his sheep.
He established domestic ties by his marriage with Miss Charlena Woodbury, of Wisconsin, and three children are the result of their union. Inez is the wife of H. J. Ryan, horticultural commissioner of Los Angeles County. Helen is a graduate of Pomona College, and Robert is in high school. Fraternally he affiliates with the Pomona Lodge of F. & A. M., of which he is past master.
MORGAN P. SILVA
An enterprising agent, thoroughly posted as to his field of work, its past history and its possibilities, who has done much to safeguard the motorist and to promote the recreative sport of motoring, is Mor- gan P. Silva, proprietor of No. 242 of the Tire Service Company, located on Second at Gordon, Pomona, and distributor for Pomona Valley of the famous Firestone tires. He was born in Chicago, Ill., on April 23, 1882, a son of Frank P. and Cornelia (Birgle) Silva. He attended the public schools and a business college of Chicago. After a while he entered the Continental National Bank of Chicago as a messenger boy, and while working himself up, gained a thorough knowledge of banking.
In 1905 he came west to California, and in Los Angeles joined the staff of the Farmers & Merchants Bank, where he became assis- tant exchange teller, in charge of foreign exchange. In 1909, he located at San Francisco and traveled on the road for A. Schilling & Co., the famous tea, coffee and spice merchants. Six years later, he helped organize the People's Baking Company, of San Francisco, in which he is still a stockholder; it built up a large and profitable busi- ness by selling bread direct at the homes of the patrons, for ten cents a loaf, Mr. Silva acting as sales manager; all the employees were dressed in white, even to white sanitary gloves, and now the company is one of the leading baking concerns of San Francisco.
After two years of hard work, he decided to go into business for himself, and in September, 1916, he settled in Pomona as general agent and local distributor for Pomona Valley of Firestone tires, and in the past three years he has built up a very thriving business, his previous experience as purchasing agent for the People's Baking Com- pany making him familiar with this line of business. He started in a small store in the State Bank Building in West Second Street, and
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when his trade grew too large to be handled there, he moved to his present commodious store at Second and Gordon streets. A new modern front has recently been put in, making it one of the most attractive stores on the street. The odd name given by him to his establishment, No. 242 Tire Service Company, is derived from his telephone call.
He conducts an up-to-date vulcanizing plant, and does the largest jobbing business in his line in the Valley, for he has the only tire press in Pomona. This is an hydraulic machine of 200-tons pressure, and is used in pressing steel rims on metal tires such as are used on motor truck wheels. He carries, of course, a large stock of Firestone tires of all sizes, both for autos and motor trucks. He has built up his fine business on the motto that "Service Must be Satisfactory," and since the Firestone Company have given him full authority to settle all claims without referring the same to the home office, it is comparatively easy for him to maintain his high standard and to keep his wide patronage.
Peculiar satisfaction is enjoyed by Mr. Silva in representing the now internationally-famous tires; for the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company are educating the people to send their goods by tire-equipped conveyances, and they have established a "Ship by Truck" bureau in every large city. In the summer of 1919, they held a truck parade in Los Angeles, headed by a band of fifty pieces, and they also publish a magazine devoted to the attainment of the same end.
At Pasadena, Cal., on November 6, 1906, Mr. Silva was married to Miss Anna A. Lacey, a native of Chicago and the daughter of John F. Lacey. One son, Morgan P., Jr., now twelve years of age, has blessed the union. Mr. Silva belongs to the Chamber of Commerce, the Merchants Association, the Elks and the Knights of Pythias.
WALTER A. SHETTEL
In no matter, perhaps, has Pomona, a city widely famous both as a center of trade and a place of residence, been more successful than in the large number of her men and women of affairs who, not satisfied with their own prosperity, have labored long and assiduously to advance the best interests of the town which gave them so gener- ously of her patronage and support. Prominent among those thus contributing to "boost" the Valley and its flourishing municipality, is Walter A. Shettel, the secretary and treasurer of the Orange Belt Emporium, and a member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Merchants Association, distinguished for his live-wire activity.
He was born in Middlebury, Elkhart County, Ind., on September 15, 1882, and there attended the public schools, enjoying such advan- tages as Indiana has long been noted for. His father carried on a general merchandise business in the place, and in time Walter entered
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his father's employ, and grew up in the business, thereby gaining a thorough knowledge of merchandising.
Coming to Pomona in 1910, Mr. Shettel bought an interest in the Orange Belt Emporium, which is now the largest department store in the Pomona Valley, conducted under the presidency of B. Chaffey Shepherd, and reviewed elsewhere in this historical work. Mr. Shettel serves as both secretary and treasurer, and as the buyer of the firm, must be credited with much of the establishment's superiority as the great trade center of Pomona and vicinity. This enviable relation to one of the most attractive communities in all California has devel- oped to the highest Mr. Shettel's natural disposition to take an active part in local civic and commercial life, and whenever any worthy movement is set afoot for the improvement or growth of the city, he is sure to be among the first invited to cooperate or to lead.
Mr. Shettel was married at Middlebury, Ind., in 1904, his bride being Miss Jennie Roth, also a native of Indiana; and one daughter, Maxine, born at Pomona, has blessed the union.
CHARLES H. ALTER, D. D. S.
An example of what ability and ambition, coupled with judicious choice, can accomplish, is afforded in Charles H. Alter, D. D. S., who availed himself of the splendid opportunity open for the establishment of a dental office in the active and growing city of Pomona.
A stranger when he came to this city in 1913, he has been build- ing up a large and lucrative practice in dentistry since that date. His well equipped suite of offices is located in the Investment Building, and he is recognized as a leader in his profession. A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., he was born in the Smoky City, May 18, 1878, and was educated in the public schools. When a small boy he accompanied his parents when they removed to California in 1890, locating in Garvanza, and after three years sojourn there, they moved to Colorado and settled on a ranch. Charles returned to Pittsburgh, Pa., where he grad- uated from the Pittsburgh Dental College in 1901. In 1900, one year before graduating, he opened an office in Pittsburgh, where he continued to practice dentistry until 1904, when the call of the West caused him to return to the Colorado ranch, where he remained until 1913. His choice then fell upon Pomona as a fair field in which to continue the practice of his profession, and his good judgment has been demonstrated in the success he has attained.
His marriage united him with Miss Helen Kissell, a native of Hoboken, N. J., and they are the parents of two children, Ruth Eliz- abeth, born in Colorado, and Mary Edna, a daughter of the Golden West, born at Pomona. In his religious associations, Doctor Alter is a member of Trinity Methodist Church at Pomona, and fraternally he
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affiliates with the Pomona Masonic Lodge. He is a member of the Los Angeles County Dental Association, and a member and secretary and treasurer of the Tri-Counties Dental Association, which com- prises a part of Los Angeles County, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, and a part of San Diego County. During the war he was a member of the dental examining board of Pomona district.
JAMES STARK BENNETT
Born at Sherburne, N. Y., on May 7, 1879, James Stark Bennett is the son of George Calder and Ella J. (Stark) Bennett. The fam- ily removed to California and settled at Pomona in 1888, where the father died in 1901. His mother is still living and resides at Red- lands. Mr. Bennett acquired his early education in the public schools of Pomona, leaving the high school before the holidays of his senior year. He graduated from the Preparatory School of Pomona Col- lege in 1898, and received his Bachelor's degree from the College in 1903. While attending school he was employed by Alden and. Mer- rill in their retail shoe store at Pomona and in 1900-1901 by Mr. A. S. Avery, who succeeded to their business.
Mr. Bennett entered the Law School of Columbia University in New York in 1903 and added to his education by teaching English to foreigners in the city night schools. In 1905 he received the Mas- ter of Arts degree from the Faculty of Political Science at Columbia and his law degree the following year. He was admitted to the bar of New York on examination in November, 1905, and to that of California on motion, July, 1906. During the years of 1906-1909, he was employed by the firm of Hunsaker & Britt, at the end of which period he formed a partnership with Mr. E. J. Fleming, which was dissolved in 1911, when he entered a partnership with Mr. Garfield R. Jones, this continuing until 1914. Since the first of the year 1915 he has continued in general practice, with offices in the Van Nuys Building, Los Angeles, where he is a member of the City Club, the University Club and the Chamber of Commerce. Since his marriage he has resided at Pasadena, where he is a member of the Cauldron Club, the Neighborhood Club and Board of Trade. He is also a member of the Political Science Club of Columbia University, of the Sierra Club, of the Los Angeles Bar Association, and the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association. In politics he prefers to be a con- sultant and has never held public office, with the exception of filling a temporary vacancy as city attorney of Pasadena in 1913.
On October 8, 1907, Mr. Bennett married Miss Ethelwynn Foote of Pasadena, the daughter of Charles R. and Sarah Frances (Cole) Foote, and they have four daughters, Louise, Caroline, Con- stance and Margaret, and one son, Rollin.
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FREDERICK A. BLATZ
Among all the successful men who have found in Pomona and its unrivaled Valley the finest field for the exercise of their respective talents or genius, no one is more interesting, both as to his personality and his life story, than Frederick A. Blatz, the contracting interior decorator and paper hanger. He was born in New York City on February 18, 1867, of German parents who, with a deep appreciation of the great benefits of education, gave him every opportunity within their means. On February 18, 1880, when thirteen years of age, he made a winter trip to California with his parents, and they traveled by stage from San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara, and thence through Ventura to Los Angeles, which was at that time a small town. He recalls the trip very clearly, with the many interesting experiences and the sights by the way. The Southern Pacific Railroad had just been built down through the Pomona Valley, and they took the trip through the promising region on the train. Nearly all the Valley was covered with sagebrush and cactus, cattle and antelope, although water was scarce, and in many places was hauled to the town from cars on the railroad.
Returning to New York City, Frederick finished his studies and learned telegraphy, studying nights, after which, for five years, he served as train dispatcher on the New York Central, at the Grand Central station. Later, he was with the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad in the same capacity, and wherever he served, there he gave the best of himself, to the satisfaction of all concerned.
In 1905, Mr. Blatz came to California to live, and soon after entered the employ of the Southern Pacific Railroad as inspector on the road. He traveled all over the state and Arizona inspecting the automatic block signals, as well as their batteries, and during the six years that he was in this service, he was often accompanied by his eldest son, Edgar P. Blatz. They traveled on a motor car on the railroad, and during these trips explored many mountains and much desert land, hunting and fishing and prospecting for water. In the North they explored the Mt. Lassen range when, mounted on pack horses, they pushed fifty-five miles back from the railroad; they shot deer and caught trout in the mountain streams, so that in time they caught fish in nearly all the streams from the northern to the southern end of California.
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