USA > California > Los Angeles County > Ingersoll's century history, Santa Monica Bay cities prefaced with a brief history of the state of California, a condensed history of Los Angeles County, 1542-1908 > Part 40
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S. W. ODELL, City Attorney of Santa Monica, is a native of Illinois and was born in the town of Hampton, Rock Island County, that state, November 4th, 1864. His father's ancestors were from Yorkshire, England, and in the early days of the country, settled in the State of New York; later moving on to the western frontier in Ohio. His father, John P. Odell, left Ohio and located in Illinois about the year 1850. Mr. Odell's ancestry on his mother's side was partially of Scotch origin. The subject of our sketch received his education in the common schools of Illinois and Iowa, later attending Port Byron Academy, at Port Byron, Illinois, and the Bloomington Law School of the Illinois Wesleyan University, from which he holds a Bachelor's Degree. He was ad- mitted to practice law in the State of Illinois in 1887 and practiced in the courts of that state until the summer of 1903, with the exception of the year 1908, spent at Santa S. W. ODELL. Cruz, California. He maintained an office at Moline, Illinois, for a period of fifteen years and was, for a portion of that time, City Attorney. He came to California in 1903. After some months spent in Los Angeles, he opened an office in Santa Monica in the spring of 1904 becoming soon thereafter a member of the law firm of Tanner, Taft & Odell. He was appointed City Attorney of Santa Monica in April 1907 and his professional services to the new city government have proven invaluable. Mr. Odell married at Port Byron, Illinois, Miss Clara J. W. Morgan, in the year 1888, and they have two sons and one daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Odell are active members of the First M. E. Church of Santa Monica. The family residence is at No. 1034 Second Street.
WILLIAM T. GILLIS comes of the sturdy stock of Nova Scotia, being born in that province, the son of Robert Gillis, a successful shipbuilder in the United States. He passed his youth at the place of his birth and received his educa- tion in Pictou, Nova Scotia, graduating from the Pictou Academy. He then fitted himself for the occupation of a druggist and became the owner of a drug store in Pictou.
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In 1887, drawn by the magic tales of California, he came to this state and located in Santa Monica, where he soon opened a drug store, which he carried on for a number of years, successfully engaged in the drug business. He returned to Santa Monica in 1901 since which time he has been a resident of this city.
He at once became identified with the remarkable real estate transactions which have marked the vicinity of Santa Monica, and have changed the entire aspect of the country within the past few years. As vice president and manager of the Pacific Land Company, he was one of the promotors of Sawtelle and the adjacent lands, which opened up a large acreage for settlement on such terms that the old soldiers, their families and the laboring people were able to secure homes. As a result of the policy pursued here, a thrifty community has grown up which is a valuable addition to the wealth and population of this district.
Later, Mr. Gillis, with other prominent real estate men, organized the Pali- sades Investment Company and also the Santa Monica Investment Company, which secured fifty acres of land known now as the Palisades; one of the most beautiful residence sites in California or, indeed, in the world. The company spent a large sum in improvements and it met with a large sale at most advan- tageous figures.
Mr. Gillis was one of the organizers of the Sunset Brick and Tile Company which began the erection of the extensive plant now owned by the Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company, into which the first company was merged, its projectors retaining an interest in the present company. He is also interested in the South- west Warehouse Company, which owns a large warehouse, located on the tracks of the Southern Pacific and Los Angeles-Pacific Railways. He is a stockholder and director of the Bank of Santa Monica and of the Santa Monica Savings Bank and president of the Santa Monica Water Company.
But Mr. Gillis is not only interested in financial affairs. He takes an active interest in public affairs, being a stalwart Republican in politics. He is also a prominent Mason, being a member and Past Master of Santa Monica Lodge, F. and A. M .; a member of the Los Angeles Commandery, K. T .; and a member of Al Malaikah Temple, of Los Angeles. He holds the rank of past exalted ruler in the Santa Monica Lodge, B. P. O. E., which recently presented him with a handsome jewel in appreciation of his services to the organization.
Mr. Gillis owns and occupies a beautiful home in the Palisade district.
ANTOINE BUSIER, a successful merchant, is a native of Hinesburg, Chittenden County, Vermont, born July 29th, 1862. His father's name was Antoine Busier, Sr., a native of Canada. Mr. Busier came to California in 1885, and after a brief stay in Sacramento, came to Southern California in 1886. He is a tinner by trade, and is a mechanical genius. When a boy he worked in a woolen mill as a loom operator because of his fondness for machinery. Upon coming to Los Angeles in 1886, he worked in the old Baker Iron Works established by the late M. S.
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Baker, at the corner of Second and Main Streets. When he came to Santa Monica he took up the plumbing and tinning business until 1887. Later he worked in the grocery of E. C. Sessions. He was driver, for a time, on the first street car which ran to the Soldiers' Home. He opened the first fruit store in the town in August, 1887 with Victor Hathaway. He soon sold out to Hathaway Brothers and, in 1888, opened a stationery store at 217 Third Street in a building erected for him by W. D. Vawter. There he conducted his business for fourteen years when he removed to his present location in February, 1903. He carries an extensive and well selected stock of books, stationery, periodical literature, toys, etc. He has for fifteen years been a member of the Independent Order of Fores- ters, and its financial secretary for seven years.
In 1906 he married Miss M. E. J. Peters, of Los Angeles. At present the family reside at No. 1524 North Fourth Street.
FRANK E. BUNDY, an influential citizen, property owner and capitalist of Santa Monica, whose name is synonymous with the history and the business growth of the place, is a native of Iowa, having been born in the town of Ames, August 4th, 1871, the son of Nathan and Harriet (Smith) Bundy, who were among the first settlers of Santa Monica.
Mr. Bundy was a boy of five years of age when the family left Iowa, came to California and located in the then embryo City of Santa Monica. He attended the first schools as they were organized, passed through the grades and graduated from the Santa Monica High School.
After leaving school he perfected himself in the trade of jeweler and watch maker and opened a store in this place which he carried on successfully until close application to business and indoor work so impaired his health that his physicians insisted upon a change which would give him employment in the open air. He then embarked in the wholesale and retail oil business and he pushed the trade with such energy and good management that within a period of about four years he found himself the 'possessor of some of the best real estate holdings in Santa Monica, all purchased with the profits of his business. He then closed out the oil business and with renewed force and enthusiasm, inaugurated a series of land deals, the successful prosecution of which have placed him in the front rank of real estate promotors. He took an active interest in the platting and sale of the East Ocean Park tract. "Sierra Vista," the success and fame of which are by no means local, is Mr. Bundy's individual enterprise and his fondest hopes for a substantial and picturesque addition to Santa Monica are here being realized in full.
In 1905 Mr. Bundy erected, at 253-255 North Third Street, the F. E. Bundy Block, one of the most substantial and architecturally perfect brick buildings in the city. It has a frontage of fifty feet on the street, is one hundred and fifty feet deep and three stories in heighth. The first floor is occupied by the Mont-
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gomery Dry Goods House; the second is devoted to offices, single and ensuite, and the third is occupied by modern apartments, known as the Adelaide Apart- ments.
In 1906, Mr. Bundy put up the F. E. Bundy Building No. 2, in Sawtelle. This, in size and architectural finish is fully up to the standard of his Santa Monica building. It occupies the corner of Oregon and Fourth Street and is an office building. In 1904, Mr. Bundy built for his family residence one of the most spacious and beautiful bungalow homes in Santa Monica. He has also (1907) just completed a fine residence in Los Angeles, located at the corner of 16th and Arling- ton streets.
Mr. Bundy married, in 1899, Miss Ethel E. Spaulding, daughter of Jared Spaulding, of Elgin, Ill. Mr. and Mrs. Bundy have two daughters, Adelaide and Elizabeth.
Frank E. Bundy is a plain, unassuming and courteous man of business, devoted to the best interests of his home city, the management of his various and valuable properties, and the happiness of his family.
A. M. MONTGOMERY, leading dry goods merchant of this city, is a native of California, and was born at Jamestown, Toulumne County, April 4th, 1870. His father is a California pioneer of the early sixties, and a sketch of his life appears on another page of this book.
Mr. Montgomery was but six years of age when the family removed to Santa Monica from the central part of the state. Santa Monica was then but a hamlet of two years' existence, composed of a few hundred courageous and hopeful people and the youthful life of our subject may be said to have started with the material growth of the new city. He attended the first schools opened in the town, passed through the grades as they were established, and graduated at the High School, after which he managed the business of the old North Beach Bath House, later known as the Arcadia Bath House. He held the position for two years. He then took a position as accountant and salesman for H. A. Winslow, grocers, of Santa Monica, and was with the concern about five years. In 1896 he opened a Men's Furnishing Goods Store with F. B. McComas as partner, under the firm name of Montgomery & McComas. In 1899, Mr. Montgomery purchased his partner's interest and soon thereafter bought the dry goods and furnishing goods stock of N. A. Roth, and opened for business in a modest store at No. 223 Third Street, where he remained until December 1st, 1905, when he removed to his present location in the Bundy Block, Nos. 1408-1410 North Third Street. Mont- gomery's is the most extensive dry goods emporium in Los Angeles County out- side of the City of Los Angeles. It has a frontage on Third Street of fifty feet, and a lateral depth of one hundred feet. Its interior equipment is in all respects modern and complete, including a cash and package carrying system. The sales
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rooms are airy and light and the entire establishment is admirably arranged for the handling of their extensive business.
In 1903, Mr. Montgomery opened a store at Pier Avenue, Ocean Park, of the same size, carrying the same line of goods, which in size and arrangement is now a duplicate of his splendid Santa Monica house.
Mr. Montgomery was married January 10th, 1898, to Mrs. Isabella Mallory, and they have one son, Albert Irving, born March 11th, 1902. The family home is one of the many attractive residences of the city, No. 827 Second Street.
Mr. Montgomery is a member of the Santa Monica lodge of Elks, Foresters of America, Native Sons of the Golden West and Santa Monica Board of Trade.
O. G. TULLIS, a resident of Santa Monica, a native of Bloomington, Ill., was born October 16th, 1864, spent his youth and received his early education in his native town. He came with his parents to Los Angeles in 1875. His father was Andrew T. Tullis, a photographer, who for a time owned the old Sunbeam Gallery, for many years one of the leading picture making establishments of old Los Angeles. He finally retired to his ranch in Coldwater Canyon, where he died in 1877. A son, W. L. Tullis, now lives on the home place Mrs. Tullis was, before marriage, Matilda Bush, daughter of Michael Bush, a German. She was a sister of the late venerable Charles Bush, one of the best known pioneers of Los Angeles. She is living at the homestead in Coldwater Canyon. Mr. Tullis attend- ed the early schools of Los Angeles, first at Eighth and Fort Streets, now Broadway, later in the old building that stood on the present site of the County Court House. O. G. TULLIS.
He learned the manufacturing jewelers' trade of his uncle, the late Charles Bush and his brother, Woodford B. Tullis, deceased, 1897. He was a prosperous jeweler of Los Angeles, whose store was located at the corner of Fourth and Spring Streets. Mr. Tullis came to Santa Monica and opened his shop in March, 1885. at 1426 Third Street, in the front room of the postoffice, when the late Judge Boyce was postmaster, and is still doing business at the old stand.
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Mr. Tullis married in Los Angeles Miss Anna C. Berdini and they have one daughter, Olive.
Mr. Tullis is a Mason, Elk, Odd Fellow, Knight of Pythias, Forester and Maccabee. He is one of the substantial merchants of Santa Monica.
The late Judge O. W. Jewett, of Sawtelle, was a native of New York, born in the town of Portland, Chautauqua County, August 7th, 1844.
His father, Oris Jewett, was a mechanic, and for many years was identified with extensive machine works at Lowell, Indiana, where the family moved and located when the son was about six years of age. He there grew up and acquired a good common school education.
In 1861, being at the time only seventeen years of age, he volunteered to defend the cause of the Union and was mustered into the 20th Indiana Infantry and served three years, the term of his enlistment. He then re-enlisted in the First Rhode Island Battery and served until the fall of Richmond and the close of the war, rounding out a continuous service of four years and three months, chiefly in the Army of the Potomac, during which time he participated in some of the bloodiest engagements of the sanguinary conflict-notably Fredericks- burg, Spottsylvania Court House, Mire Run, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and many other minor engagements.
After the war he went into the mining regions of Utah and Montana and followed the occupation of an engineer. By reason of impaired health he relin- quished this business and in 1880 located at Sturgis, then a new town on the fron- tier in South Dakota, where he thoroughly identified himself with the professional and business interest of his adopted city and county. There he held the office of Justice of the Peace from 1882 until 1890 and became a student of the law. He was there admitted to the bar of Mead County in 1890 and was almost immedi- ately elected County Judge, and as a jurist he was held in such high esteem that he was elected without serious opposition for a second term in 1892. He there- after practiced law at Sturgis, having a large clientage.
In 1903 he came to California and located at Sawtelle where he formed a partnership with Mr. John Farley and engaged in the real estate business, mean- time practicing his profession. He served as attorney for the Sawtelle Building & Loan Association. He was also president of the Board of Trustees of the Saw- telle City School District, in which position he did much for the advancement of the cause of education and perfection of a sound local school system, not only devoting his best personal energies, but contributing at times money to defray expenses that could not otherwise be provided for. He was public spirited and always ready with his best energies and wise counsel to forward worthy move- ments for the public good. He was a man of the more refined social instincts, a member of the Masonic fraternity, the Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Grand Army of the Republic.
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In politics, Judge Jewett was a consistent Republican, not blindly partisan, but stood for what he deemed wise party measures and a clean administration of public affairs.
Judge Jewett was married at Lowell, Indiana, to Miss Delila Drake. She died at Sturgis, S. D., in 1887, leaving two children-Fred, now deceased, and Hattie, wife of Edward Galvin, of Sturgis, S. D. Mr. and Mrs. Galvin have one daughter, Madge. February 4th, 1889, Judge Jewett married Mrs. Annie, widow of Rev. Francis C. Haney, Assistant Rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, of Montreal, Canada, by which union there is one son, Oris Francis, born at Sturgis, S. D., November 22nd, 1891. Mrs. Jewett is a daughter of James Soutar, a native of Forfarshire, Scotland, a blacksmith by trade, who came to America in 1853 and located at Lachute, Quebec, Canada, about forty miles north of Montreal, where he lived until 1865. He then removed to Black Hills, S. D., where he pursued his trade and incidentally engaged in mining, passing through the great excitement of his home state mining days. He also engaged in farming and lived on the first located land in all that region of country. He finally retired to Sawtelle where with Mrs. Jewett he spent his declining days. He died April 14th, 1908.
Mrs. Jewett spent her girlhood and early married life in the City of Montreal, Canada. Following the death of her first husband she sought the home and protection of her father at Black Hills. Young and ambitious, she caught the spirit of enterprise that pervaded the new and prosperous country and acquired by pre-emption and also by purchase valuable tracts of government land which she improved and stocked with cattle. These enterprises she so astutely managed as to make them profitable. Upon coming to California she disposed of her personal holdings.
Mrs. Jewett is a lady of social refinement and domestic culture. She is sweet spirited and vitally interested in local charities. She is an active member of the Church of Saint Augustine by the Sea, Episcopal, of Santa Monica, is a member and officer of the Order of the Eastern Star, of Sawtelle.
Judge Jewett died October 24th, 1907, and was buried under the auspices of the Masonic fraternity, at Woodlawn Cemetery, Santa Monica.
JOHN J. SEYMOUR is a native of Ohio, born near Washington, C. H. Fayette County, February 16th, 1852. When a child his parents moved to Illinois. He obtained an elementary education in the schools of that state and later entered the State University, graduating with the class of 1877 as a civil engineer.
After graduation he was employed some time in the government service making surveys on the Mississippi River, then in various railroad construction corps in Indiana, Dakota, and later in Colorado with the Denver & Rio Grand R. R. during its palmy construction era. He afterward engaged in mining engineering and was a U. S. Deputy Mineral Surveyor in the San Juan silver mines
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in Colorado. In 1886 he came to California and was for some time engaged in railroad construction in Plumas County and later in a general engineering business in Santa Clara County. In 1890 he located in Fresno where he became general manager and part owner of the Fresno City Water Works. He early became interested in the development of electric water power and assisted in the forma- tion of a company organized to bring electric power from the San Joaquin River in the Sierra Mountains to the City of Fresno. He was president and general manager. This company was one of the pioneers in electric transmission and claimed the distinction at one time of having the longest transmission line (35 miles and later 69 miles) in existence, and of operating its water wheels under the highest head of water, 1400 feet.
His health failing he was obliged to dispose of his business interests in and about Fresno and in 1903 he removed to Santa Monica which he has since made his home, making substantial investments in real estate in this vicinity. Mr. Seymour is recognized as one of Santa Monica's most substantial citizens. He takes a lively personal interest in local public affairs, is one of the charter members of the Santa Monica Board of Trade and its president-elect. Mr. Seymour was married in 1885 to Corinne, a daughter of Dr. Joseph Howells, of Richmond. Indiana, and a cousin of the famous author, William Dean Howells.
J. W. TODD, junior member of the undertaking firm of Bresee Brothers and Todd, Santa Monica, is a native of Missouri, was born at Pleasant Hill, in Cass County, that state, November 3rd, 1874. His father, Charles F. Todd, for many years having successfully engaged in business in Missouri, has for eight years lived in retirement in Los Angeles. Mr. Todd received an academic schooling at Wichita, Kansas, and later at Garfield University, same city. He came with the family to California in 1899 and soon thereafter took a position with Bresee Brothers, leading undertakers of Los Angeles, where he acquired a thorough knowledge of undertaking in all its branches. In 1906 he organized the firm of Bresee Brothers & Todd, purchased the undertaking business of A. M. Guidinger, holding a one-third interest in the same and assumed entire management of the same. The building owned and occupied by the company is one of the most spacious and architectural in Santa Monica. The furnishings and equipment are modern and complete in all respects
Mr. Todd married in 1893 Miss Olive Miller, a daughter of M. K. Miller, a prominent business man and two terms mayor of the City of Salida, Colorado. Mrs. Todd is a lady of fine mental attainments and was for more than nine years a teacher in the public schools of Salida.
Mr. Todd is a member of the B. P. O. E., I. O. O. F., Modern Woodmen, Fraternal Brotherhood and of the Christian Church. Mrs. Todd is prominently identified with the Order of the Eastern Star and is an active member of the Crescent Bay Women's Club, Ocean Park, and the Santa Monica Women's Club.
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FRANK C. LANGDON, a pioneer and representative citizen of Sawtelle, is a native of Spencertown, Columbia County, New York, where he was born the 17th day of March, 1856. His father, Lyman W. Langdon, was of New England parentage and ancestry and was born in New Hampshire in 1802, where his boyhood was spent. When a young man he owned boats on the Hudson River, which he navigated to points north of New York City. He married Miss Zulina Hull, who bore him five sons and six daughters, ten of whom grew to maturity In 1857 the family moved to New York and located on a farm in Columbia County. In 1857 they emigrated to Illinois and settled near Galena, in Daviess County. From here three sons, Henry, Eugene and Edgar, volunteered in the Federal Army to fight for the preservation of the Union. Henry lost an arm in the Battle of Corinth, Eugene was wounded at Lookout Mountain, and Edgar lost four fingers of his right hand while on picket duty.
The family in 1866 moved again westward and located on the open prairie in Lyon County, Minnesota, and for several years there lived with Sioux Indians as their principal neighbors.
Returning to Illinois they lived for a time at Cleveland, McHenry County. In 1880 they removed to Brainerd, Minnesota, where the father died in 1882.
Mr. Langdon married in 1879 at Glenwood, Pope County, Minnesota, Miss Nellie E., daughter of Colonel Stephen J. Russell, a farmer by occupation, a veteran of the civil war, for several years sheriff of Douglass County, Minnesota. He was a native of London, England. He came to California in 1892 and lived for a time at Inglewood. He died at Sawtelle July 8th, 1905, at seventy-three years of age. In the winter of 1885-6, Mr. Langdon went to Sims, Morton County, Dakota and engaged in stock raising.
In March, 1888, he went to Montana to prospect for gold. He commenced operations in Lewis and Clark County about eighteen miles northeast of Helena and for a time had indifferent success. In the month of July, while drifting into the side of a bluff at French Bar on the Upper Missouri River, he unearthed a vein of quartz that proved to be a veritable mine of sapphires, rubies and dia- monds of almost fabulous wealth. One, a rose diamond, of twelve karats, value $30,000, was put on exhibition at the Paris Exposition by Prof. Kunz, of Tiffany & Company, New York. This is the first and only vein of sapphire and ruby quartz ever discovered and created a sensation through the mineral world- diamonds in Africa having been found in alluvial washings. Mr. Langdon and a brother, Edgar Langdon, who was associated with him in mining operations, sold their claim for $50,000 cash and the property later passed into the hands of the Rothschilds Brothers, of London, England, who paid $500,000 for it, who developed it and it has since been sold for $20,000,000. Mr. Langdon still owns a quantity of these beautiful gems as souvenirs of his mining exploits. After disposing of his mine interests in Montana, Mr. Langdon returned to Hart River, forty miles west of Bismark, and engaged again in stock raising until 1899 when he came to California.
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