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 54
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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In 1879, on the resignation of Rev. Julius Stevens as pastor of the Christian Union Church of Humboldt, Mr. Taft was asked to resume his pastoral relations with the church, which he resigned when entering upon his educational work. Up to this time the society had held its meetings in the school house. Mr. Taft
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agreed to serve the church for a year on condition that steps be at once taken to build a house of worship, toward the expense of which he would contribute the salary he received for the year and donate a lot for the church. With this understanding he resumed the pastorate. While the attendance at the meetings and Sunday School was altogether satisfactory but partial progress was made toward building. The coarse lumber was bought and placed on the ground, as also most of the stone for the foundation. As Mr. Taft believed that a house of worship was indispensable to the welfare and future growth of the church, he agreed to labor another year, donating his salary as before. The coursing stone for the foundation having been dressed and mechanics' labor being difficult to obtain, and money scarce, Mr. Taft, with his son, William, as mason tender, took in hand the building of the foundation walls, which were completed before cold weather in autumn. The secretary of the church, J. M. Prouty, had pro- cured plans and specifications for the building from a Chicago architect and, with these before him, Mr. Taft proceeded to lay out the frame work of the build- ing and superintend its erection. The church was completed and dedicated as had been planned and Mr. Taft says: "The day on which the house was dedicated and christened Unity Church, and Miss Mary A. Safford was installed pastor, as his successor, was one of the happiest days of his life."
Mr. Taft's work as an abolitionist and a prohibitionist and a founder of an institution of learning, has given him the personal acquaintance of many of the distinguished men and women of the past and present century ; among them were Garrison, Phillips, Sumner, Longfellow, James Freeman Clark, Edward Everett Hale, Dr. Manning, Senator Wilson, Joshua R. Giddings, A. Bronson Alcott, Fred Douglass, Garrett Smith, George W. Curtis, Mrs. Lucy Stone Blackwell, Antoinette L. Brown, Mary Livermore, Dorothy Dix, Lucretia Mott, Susan B. Anthony and Julia Ward Howe. Of the above he has entertained as guests at his home, A. Bronson Alcott, Garrett Smith, Fred Douglass, Mrs. Livermore, Lucy Stone Blackwell, Antoinette L. Brown, Julia Ward Howe and Susan B. Anthony.
Mr. Taft regards the establishment of righteous civil government as indis- pensable to the preservation of our nation from destruction, holding that the licensed poison drink traffic, so far from being a legitimate business, is a system of legalized robbery and murder and that the political parties, which for a money consideration give legislative sanction to the saloon, betray their sacred trust as administrators of the government, violate the national constitution by bar- gaining away the public health and the public morals, and that by such alliance with the criminal class, make the government the despoiler instead of the pro- tector of its citizens, thereby not only diserowning the government of all moral power but making it a potential teacher of immorality and graft. And that the corrupt financial, political and social conditions everywhere obtaining where this traffic of death is licensed, are but the legitimate harvest from the seed sown by these rum-ruled parties and that the preservation of Christian civilization demands the triumph of a political party pledged to righteous civil government.
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Mr. Taft is a total abstainer from the use of intoxicants, eats very little meat, drinks neither tea nor coffee, reads without glasses, never uses a cane when walking. He is an early riser, writes more easily in the morning than at any other time, is always busy either in his office, library or garden, and takes as deep an interest as ever in social, political and religious questions.
JOHN G. FRENCH, one of the active men in the upbuilding of Venice, was born in Miami county, Ohio, October 22, 1855, son of Asa D. and Ruth E. French. The family moved to White county, Indiana, where he grew up on a farm devoted to stockraising. At the age of 17 years he became a school teacher. His health becoming impaired, he left home in the fall of 1875 for Harvey county, Kansas, and after teaching a year, engaged in the stock and grain ship- ping business. In 1882 he associated himself with the wholesale grain and com- mission business at Atchison, Kansas ; later he engaged in the wholesale grocery business, and while thus engaged became largely interested in real estate in Central Kansas. Retiring from the grocery trade 1888, he engaged in real estate and general mercantile business in Harvey and Pratt counties, Kansas. In 1891 he moved with his family to California, where he became a manufacturers' agent. with offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles. In 1898 he became associated with the Wmn. H. Hoegee Co. of Los Angeles, founding their wholesale business. which he managed. In January, 1905, he became the manager of the Abbot Kinney Co. in the selling of Venice property and overseeing the building of Ven- ice of America. Many of the unique, special features of the famous place are the result of his efforts. Upon the organization of the Ocean Park city school district, in 1904, he was elected a member of the Board, which position he still retains as president and clerk. Being active and energetic in the school work as well as having advanced ideas, he has been a factor in making the school one of the best in the country. He has been an advocate of the unification of the Santa Monica Bay interests, and had his ideas prevailed much more would have been accomplished. Politically Mr. French has been a lifelong Republican, fra- ternally a Knight of Pythias.
PEDRO M. BADILLO, a member of one of the early California families, is a son of Pedro P. Badillo, born in Los Angeles, February 24th, 1868. Pedro P. Badillo was a son of Francisco, a native of Madrid, who came to California in 1812 and was granted a large tract of land as a reward for valuable military services rendered the Spanish government. He lived at Santa Barbara, where he married Peralta Garcia, a native of that place. They had two children-a son, Pedro P., and a daughter, Tomasa, who for many years lived in Los An- geles, where she died in 1874. After the father's death the son came into pos-
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session of valuable lands in Santa Barbara county and of other holdings in Lower California. He married Miss Jane Courtney, a native of California, daughter of Andrew Courtney, and granddaughter of Michael White, one of the best-known American pioneers.
Pedro Badillo grew up in Los Angeles, and in 1892 married Delfina En- riquez. Since 1893 he has been in the secret service of the United States customs department of Southern California. In 1894 he distinguished himself by the detection and capture of three Americans, who were expert smugglers, and sev- enty-four pounds of opium smuggled into this country on the Malibu coast. The men were tried, convicted and sent to the penitentiary. Mr. Badillo is widely known, and highly esteemed for his kindness of heart and strict integrity. He has two sons, Louis and Pedro. The family home is in Santa Monica Cañon.
JAS. W. KENNEDY, one of the prosperous and substantial merchants of Santa Monica, was born in Cleveland, O., December 17th, 1869, son of James Kennedy, a native of Canada. The family lived in the vicinity of Cleveland until 1884, when they came to Santa Monica. Here he clerked in the general store of M. E. Chapin about seven years. He later went to White River, Ariz., where, under the firm name of Schuster & Kennedy, he did a profitable business for six years. He returned to Santa Monica in 1905, and in 1906 purchased the business of A. Mooser, corner Third and Utah. The stock comprises a complete line of cloth- ing and furnishing goods.
W. M. KENDALL, M. D., was born in Leavenworth, Crawford county, In- diana, December 25th, 1869. His father, William H. Kendall, was a druggist of that city and a native of the same State. The Kendall family are of English ancestry, many members of which have attained prominence in the dramatic world as actors in this country and in Europe.
The father died in 1882 and the widow and three children removed to Cin- cinnati, Ohio. Here Dr. Kendall took a high-school course and a course in med- icine at Pulte Medical College, Cincinnati, graduating in 1892. Later he took a special course in surgery and post-graduate course in orificial surgery at Chicago Homeopathic Medical College. Dr. Kendall commenced the practice of his pro- fession in Cincinnati. He remained there three years, then removed to Dayton, Ohio. In August, 1905, he came to California and located at Ocean Park, where he has acquired an extensive practice. He is member of the California State Homeopathic Medical Society and the Los Angeles County Medical Society ; local surgeon for the L. A. & P. Ry., and health officer of the city of Ocean Park. He is a Mason, and member of the B. P. O. E. At the school election, 1908, he was, without opposition, elected a member of the Board of School Trus-
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tees. Dr. Kendall married, November 22nd, 1892, Miss Jessie Todhunter, daughter of W. H. Todhunter, a prominent attorney of Middleton, Ohio. They have two children, Marcus T. and Marion G. Dr. Kendall's home and office is at No. 207-2071/2 Ocean Front, Ocean Park.
JOHN J. PEVELER, resident of California since 1882, is a native of Illinois, born in the city of Chicago, January 12th, 1859. His father, George W. Pev- eler, was a farmer. He joined the United States Army as a volunteer in the Rebellion, went to the front and was killed at the battle of Antietam, September 17th, 1862, leaving a widow and an only child, the subject of this sketch. Young Peveler spent his youth in Chicago, attended the public schools and learned the carpenter trade, and later the cement contracting business. In 1896 Mr. Peveler went to Alaska, where he spent five years and passed through all the excitement and experienced the hardships of the gold seekers of Nome and Dawson. He returned to California in 1901, and for several years had charge of numerous jobs of construction cement work for the Los Angeles-Pacific Rail- way Company. Mr. Peveler married, in 1904, Miss Theresa Langam, a native of Litchfield, Minnesota. They have one daughter, Virginia C. The family residence is at the corner of Ninth street and Nevada avenue, Santa Monica.
W. S. SMITH was born in San Antonio, Texas, March 11, 1879, son of John A. Smith, by birth a Pennsylvanian. In 1884 the family removed to Arizona, and later to San Diego, and finally to San Fernando. Dr. Smith here spent his youth, passed through the San Fernando High School, graduating in 1895. He took a course of study at the University of Southern California, graduating from the department of medicine in 1902. He was two years assistant physician at the Los Angeles County Hospital under Dr. Bryant. He then practiced medi- cine at Phoenix, Arizona. He held the office of County Physician of Yavapi county, was member of the Territorial Board of Examiners of the Insane, and two years Superintendent of the County Hospital.
He was one of the organizers of the Yavapi County Medical Society and its first president. He came to Santa Monica in 1905, and has a wide circle of friends and lucrative practice, being a member of the medical staff of the Santa Monica Bay Hospital. He married, June 15th, 1903, Mabel, daughter of J. S. Wilson, a pioneer and retired merchant of Santa Monica.
ROBERT ALEXANDER PHILLIPS, foremost citizen and merchant of Venice, is a native of Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, born July 7th, 1860, son of Robert Phillips, a thrifty farmer, and Eliza Mackay Phillips, both natives of Belfast, Ireland, who came to America in childhood. Mr. Phillips grew up on the home
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farm. He passed through the public schools, and the Western University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 1879. From 1882 to 1900 he engaged in the produce commission business in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He made a tour of the West and California in 1902, and in 1905 was one of the early investors in Venice. With Dr. Sands he founded the Venice Drug Co. (Inc.). He married, in 1882, Ella M., a daughter of John Burgess, a retired merchant of Pittsburg, and they have three children-Aileen, Lillian and Floyd. He is a leading member of the Chamber of Commerce, and active in the promotion of the best interests of Venice.
C. C. CHENEY, pioneer, crossed the plains as a boy with his father's family. driving an ox team. They located in Lake county, engaged in stock raising, later removed to San Luis Obispo county, and finally settled at Downey, in Los Angeles county, where he spent his youth and studied veterinary surgery, be- coming an expert practitioner. He went to Arizona and engaged in mining. In 1890 he located in the Garapatos, Malibu mountains, where he has developed a valuable ranch property, which as a summer resort is very popular with the people of Santa Monica, Los Angeles and surrounding country. Mr. Cheney married, in 1885, Miss Lucy J., daughter of J. H. Stewart, one of the first set- tlers of the city of Downey. She was born in Salem, Oregon. Mr. Cheney is a public-spirited and enterprising citizen and a member of the Elks' lodge at Santa Monica.
MRS. JOSE DOLORES SEPULVEDA, widow of the late Don José Dolores Sepul- veda, was born in Los Angeles in 1840, and is the only surviving daughter of Johann Gronigen, a native of Holland, who came to America as a ship car- penter on the brig "Danube," which was wrecked off the coast of San Pedro in 1829, he being one of the few survivors. He settled in Los Angeles and by reason of his arrival in town on Sunday and the difficult pronunciation of his German name, the natives called him Juan Domingo, the English of which is John Sunday, and he abandoned thereafter the use of his family name. He became a man of property and influence, with a fine home at the corner of Aliso and Alameda streets, where he lived until his death, December 18th, 1858, leav- ing a large family and a comfortable estate. He married Ramona Teleliz, a member of one of the influential and wealthy families of Southern California. José Dolores Sepulveda was born in Los Angeles April 2nd, 1827, a son of Don Francisco Sepulveda, mention of whom is made on page 132 in this work. There are eight children of Don José Dolores and Louise Domingo Sepulveda living, all in Los Angeles, viz., W. O. Sepulveda; Ascencion, who is Mrs. Frank Bernal; Miguel; Louise, who is Mrs. Reyes ; Plutarch; Angelina, Mrs. Mark Burns ; Victoria, Mrs. George Farrington, and Griselda, Mrs. Charles Earley. There are thirteen grand-children.
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