USA > California > Los Angeles County > Los Angeles > Los Angeles from the mountains to the sea : with selected biography of actors and witnesses to the period of growth and achievement, Volume II > Part 10
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62
After the war Captain Thorpe located at Marksville, Louisiana, where he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1867. He quickly acquired a professional practice consistent with his unusual attainments and ability. He also served a term as district attorney for the Seventh Judicial Dis- trict. He was in the active practice of law at Louisiana until 1883. He was one of the trustees of the Louisiana State University.
In 1877 Captain Thorpe had become fascinated with the possibilities of investment and development of southern California, and after closing up his affairs in Louisiana returned to the state to make it his permanent home in 1883. He was admitted to the bar of California but never engaged in practice, giving his time to his investments and fruit culture.
S. R. Jhorpe,
67
FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA
For several years he lived on one of his properties near Ventura, and in 1889 established a home in Los Angeles. He was a resident of Los Angeles the rest of his life, though he died in Ventura county September 1, 1905.
Captain Thorpe never aspired to any public office during his resi- dence in California. However, he served as brigadier general of the Pacific Division of the United Confederate Veterans for three terms and was one of the best loved members of the Sam Davis Camp of that order from the date of its organization in Los Angeles. He was also a member of the Sons of the American Revolution and the Society of Colonial Wars.
Captain Thorpe married Helena Barbin, at Marksville, Louisiana, January 20, 1868. She survives him, with home at 971 Menlo avenue, Los Angeles, and all of their children are still living: Mrs. Edwin J. Riche and Mrs. Harry L. Dunnigan, and Andrew Roane, Spencer G. and Carlyle Thorpe.
ROBERT M. CLARKE. A former judge of the Superior Court, Robert M. Clarke has had a busy professional and public career since early man- hood.
A native of California, he was born near Santa Paula in Ventura county March 5, 1879. His father, Robert M. Clarke, Sr., was born at Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in 1825, and came to California around the Horn to San Francisco in 1850, thence going to Suisun, where he was a miner and lumberman. In 1876 he moved into Ventura county and engaged in sheep raising and bee culture until his death in 1883. He married in 1871 Cynthia A. Corey. Their children were: Mrs. Clar- ènce Beckley, of Santa Paula; Mrs. J. R. Cauch, of Santa Paula ; and Robert M. Clarke.
The son attended grammar and high school at Santa Paula, gradu- ating from the latter in 1897, and studied law in private offices there until he was admitted to the bar in 1900. The same year he was elected a member of the Legislature, and was the youngest member in the fol- lowing session. He began practice at Santa Paula and was its first city attorney. He moved from there to Ventura, and in 1908, at the age of twenty-nine, was elected judge of the Superior Court. Judge Clarke gave every satisfaction as a jurist, but in 1914 declined re-election and returned to private practice, with offices in Los Angeles. As a judge he had an exceptional record for cases affirmed on appeal, and since his retirement from the bench he has actively participated in much im- portant litigation. He is a member of the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States.
He is a Mason and is past grand trustee of the Native Sons of the Golden West. He is a member of the California Club, the Los Angeles Athletic Club, the Union League Club and in politics is a republican. At Carpinteria in Santa Barbara county December 27, 1900, he married Edna Thurmond. They have four children : Thurmond, aged sixteen, a student in the Los Angeles High School; Robert and Rosamond, twins, born in 1908, both students in the public schools; and Sue, born in 1913.
A. C. BALCH has been an electrical engineer for thirty years, a pe- riod almost covering the history of modern electrical development. For over twenty years he has been a resident of Los Angeles, and has fur- nished both technical and administrative services in the organization
68
LOS ANGELES
and development of some of the best known utility corporations in this part of the state.
Allan Christopher Balch was born at Valley Falls, New York, March 13, 1864, a son of Ebenezer Atwood and Hannah (Hoag) Balch. His early education was supplied by the Valley Falls schools until he was ten, after which he attended school at Cambridge, New York, and from there entered Cornell University. He graduated with the degree Mechanical Engineer in electrical engineering in 1889. Mr. Balch at once transferred his field of effort to the northwest. At Seattle, Wash- ington, he was engaged in general engineering practice and was general manager for the Union Electric Company until 1891. From 1891 to 1896 he was general manager and then lessee of the Union Power Com- pany of Portland, Oregon.
Coming to Los Angeles in 1896, Mr. Balch in 1897 joined Mr. W. G. Kerckhoff in the organization of the San Gabriel Electric Company. Mr. Balch occupied the position of general manager of the San Gabriel Electric Company and of the Pacific Light & Power Company. He had the distinction of installing the first long-distance electric power line in Los Angeles. Other achievements to his credit were putting in the Big Creek Power Plant at Fresno, the Kern River plant, Redondo steam plant and a number of others. He was instrumental in developing electric power for pumping for irrigation, and for drilling and pumping oil wells.
In 1902 Mr. Balch, with William G. Kerckhoff, Kaspare Cohn and A. Haas, acquired the San Joaquin Electric Plant at Fresno and or- ganized the San Joaquin Power Company, which company was reorgan- ized in 1905 under the name of the San Joaquin Light and Power Com- pany and again in 1910 reorganized under the name of the San Joaquin Light & Power Corporation.
Mr. Balch, with the same associates, in 1909 organized the Coalinga Water & Electric Company, which was changed later to the Midland Counties Public Service Corporation.
With his associates, after withdrawing from the Pacific Light & Power Corporation in 1913, Mr. Balch took over the Southern Cali- fornia Gas Company, and with his associates installed the Midway Gas Company, owning a controlling interest in the same.
Mr. Balch is president of the Midland Counties Public Service Cor- poration, Lerdo Land Company, Fresno City Water Company, Bakers- field & Kern Electric Railway Company, Kearney Boulevard Heights Company, Power Transit & Light Company and San Joaquin Holding Company, and vice president of the Southern California Gas Company, Midway Gas Company, San Joaquin Light & Power Corporation and Summit Lake Investment Company.
He is an Alpha Delta Phi, a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite and Knights Templar Mason, a Shriner, a Republican and a member of the California, Los Angeles Athletic, Los Angeles Country, Midwick Country and Crags Country Clubs of Los Angeles, the Sequoia Club of Fresno, the Pacific Union and Bohemian Clubs of San Francisco, is a director of the Southern California Auto Club of Los Angeles, a mem- ber of the Sleepy Hollow Country Club of New York. April 29, 1891, Mr. Balch married Miss Janet Jacks, daughter of David Jacks of Mon- terey, California.
.
69
FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA
WILLIAM A. FARIS is one of the men who has earned a conspicuous success in mercantile affairs at Los Angeles. He had made himself a trusted and efficient assistant to several other local merchants before he started upon his independent career, and in the past fourteen years has developed the Faris-Walker Company into one of the greatest mer- cantile firms on the Pacific Coast.
Mr. Faris was born at Darien, Connecticut, November 1, 1872, son of Alexander C. and Annie J. Faris. His father, a native of the north of Ireland, came at an early age to the United States, locating at Darien, Connecticut, where he was in the grocery and dry goods business until his death. After his decease his widow managed the store and business until 1903, when she came to Los Angeles to make her home with her son.
William A. Faris graduated from high school at the age of sixteen, and the following five years he was employed in the accounting depart- ment and cost department of the Yale and Towne Manufacturing Com- pany, lock manufacturers, at Stanford, Connecticut. That early training with one of the best known organizations of the country served him well in his later career.
On coming to Los Angeles Mr. Faris was for several years asso- ciated with two of the largest dry goods merchants in the city as book- keeper and later as financial manager. In 1905 he resigned and ir. con- junction with Mr. R. M. Walker formed the Faris-Walker Company and established the 5th street store at 5th and Broadway, Los Angeles, California.
Their first store was 60x120 feet. They started with a hundred employes, and the volume of business the first year ran close to a million dollars. Soon after they acquired an adjoining store, 20x120 feet, and gradually increased the floor space until today the organization occupies four buildings with a total selling space of over 125,000 feet. From seven hundred to one thousand people are employed in the business, which runs into several millions of dollars annually.
Mr. Faris is well known in the social and civic affairs of Los Angeles. He is a member of South Gate Lodge, F. and A. M., Pacific Chapter, O. E. S., Los Angeles Commandery No. 9, K. T., all the Scottish Rite bodies and the Shrine. He is also an Elk, a member of the Los Angeles Athletic Club, Los Angeles Country Club, Gamut Club, Y. M. C. A., Automobile Club of Southern California, Chamber of Commerce, Mer- chants and Manufacturers' Association, and in politics is a republican. At Los Angeles May 29, 1915, he married Alice E. Hynes. He occupies a spacious home in Laurel Canon during the summer months and resides at one of the large city hotels in winter.
WILLIAM P. BUTTE was one of the founders and is secretary and gen- eral manager of the Pacific Portable Construction Company. This company is probably the most prominent on the Pacific Coast manu- facturing and selling the widely popular "Ready-Cut and Factory-Built" houses, bungalows, garages and other types of buildings. The develop- ment of this type of standard construction is regarded by experts as one of the longest steps forward in reducing building cost, making for economy in the construction of lumber products, and solving many of the problems of housing, one of the most vital needs of our coun- try today.
The following statement concerning the development and an ex- planation of the business has a particular interest and is appropriately included in this publication.
70
LOS ANGELES
About fifteen years ago the Pacific Portable Construction Company was established for the purpose of manufacturing sectional or portable houses, and before many years a large business was built up for this class of structure.
About three years ago however, the Pacific Portable Construction Company felt that their scope of business should be enlarged to include the manufacture of houses of a permanent type as well as those of a portable type. The outcome of their early efforts has been the perfecting of what is known as the Ready-Cut System, and at the present time three- quarters of the demand for houses is for the Ready-Cut type.
Ready-Cut means, as the phrase implies, lumber ready-cut at the mill, notched, marked and prepared ready for nailing into place. When Ready-Cut material is ordered the pieces are not nailed together at the mill in sections, as is the case when a portable house is ordered, but instead the pieces are sent in finished lengths to destination. It is claimed that from ten per cent to fifty per cent carpenter labor, ten per cent to twenty-five per cent lumber and several weeks' time can be saved by buying Ready-Cut material. The Pacific Portable Construction Com- pany has systematized the manufacture of houses much in the same way as the manufacturers of automobiles have carried out their plans. The lumber is ordered in cargo shipments direct from the forest cutters. Hardware, paints, roofing, etc., are purchased in carload quantities at costs which are as low as any broker of material could secure. In this way several intermediate profits are eliminated to the customer's benefit. Big batteries of machinery cut the material at lightning speed with a resultant big saving in labor, and by a process of critical inspection every bit of material that is shipped is the finest grade possible to obtain.
At the present time there are more than five thousand Pacific Ready- Cut Houses standing in the southwest, and there are perhaps as many more Pacific Factory-Built Houses, the latter being of portable type. Full details about the Ready-Cut system are given in a ten-thousand dollar book of designs issued by the company. This book illustrates close to a hundred modern day designs, and each design is accompanied by a miniature blue print floor plan.
Mr. Butte when he first came to southern California was in the roofing business. He was born at Steubenville, Ohio, May 3, 1881, a son of John C. Butte. He was in public schools to the age of fourteen, then spent three years learning the upholstering trade, and after attend- ing business college for a year became assistant superintendent of Hartje Brothers' paper mill. He was with that concern eight years and then came to Los Angeles and was superintendent for the Pioneer Paper Company two years.
Resigning, he and F. W. Barker organized the Pacific Portable Con- struction Company, which is incorporated, and its home offices are at 1330 South Hill street. Mr. Barker is president, and Mr. Butte secretary, treasurer and general manager. The business started with only six em- ployes. At the present time the organization requires the services of a hundred eighty-two people. During the company's first year the output was one house per week. Today they make the houses complete or the materials therefor for five to fifteen houses per day.
Mr. Butte is a York Rite Mason and Shriner, a member of the Los Angeles Athletic Club, Rotary Club, is a republican and a Metho- dist. He married at Toronto, Ohio, on September 27, 1904, to Jennie F. Myers. They have four children: Myers Persohn, born in 1905, attending high school : William F., born in 1912, in the grammar school ; Robert J., born in 1915; and Donald Neil, born in 1917.
Brand Niggues
71
FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA
FRANK WIGGINS. Connected with the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce since its infancy, and its secretary for twenty-two years, dur- ing this period there has been no more valuable or more indefatigable worker in behalf of the industries and institutions of the city and state than Frank Wiggins. To the duties of his important position he has brought executive ability of the highest constructive character, combining splendid organizing capacity with enthusiasm which has its foundation in a sincere belief in his city, and his entire career has been one which has reflected credit upon Los Angeles and the movements and enterprises which have contributed to its greatness.
Mr. Wiggins was born November 8, 1849, at Richmond, Indiana, a son of Charles O. and Mary (Marshall) Wiggins. He received his education in the schools of the Society of Friends, of which his parents were members, and his early business training came as a result of his connection with his father's extensive saddlery industry at Richmond. After assuming the management of this business he conducted it suc- cessfully until 1886, in which year failing health made it advisable that he seek another climate, and he accordingly came to Los Angeles, which city has continued to be his home. By February, 1889, he had recovered his health sufficiently to re-enter business, and at that time became iden- tified with the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, then in its infancy. His abilities were soon recognized by his fellow-members, and in 1890 he was made superintendent of the Chamber, this appointment being followed two years later by his election as secretary, a position which he has since held. He was first in charge of the exhibits for the Cham- ber, a position in which he became a recognized expert, and some of the exhibits which he handled were: The Orange Carnival, Chicago, 1891; Southern California display, World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893; Midwinter Fair, Atlanta, 1894; Los Angeles exhibit at Omaha, 1896; and Los Angeles exhibit at Buffalo, 1901. Mr. Wiggins and James A. Filcher were California Commissioners to the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904, and held the same commissions to the Alaska- Yukon Exposition in 1909. Mr. Wiggins was state commissioner to the Lewis & Clark Exposition, and at the Jamestown Exposition repre- sented the Los Angeles county exhibit. He also established the perma- nent Southern California exhibit at Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 1905, and played an important part in the exposition at San Francisco in 1915.
On May 5, 1886, Mr. Wiggins was united in marriage with Amanda P. Wiggins, of Los Angeles.
RAYMOND M. STAGG. In former years a well-known staff photog- rapher with some of the leading newspapers of the coast, Raymond M. Stagg has developed a flourishing business as a commercial photographer at Los Angeles, and has furnished illustrative material for commercial purposes and the movie stage covering practically everything of interest in the southern part of the state.
Mr. Stagg was born at Stockton, California, January 9, 1886, son of Thomas and Julia (Robbins) Stagg. His father was born at Santa Cruz, California, in 1849. This indicates that the family were among the true California pioneers. Thomas Stagg was educated in his birth town and for several years worked in his father's harness shop. He was in business in that line at Modesto, and finally established a harness business at Manteca, where he is still living and active.
Raymond M. Stagg attended public school to the age of fifteen and spent the next two years herding cattle in Merced County. From there
-
72
LOS ANGELES
he entered Mark Hopkins Art Institute at San Francisco. He also attended Best's Art Institute at San Francisco for a year. He was with the art department of the San Francisco Chronicle one year, then was photographer with the Bulletin two years, and in a similar capacity with the Examiner three years. This experience was varied by one year of work in the mines at Kennett, California, and from there he came to Los Angeles, spending three months as photographer for the Times. After an absence of three months at Denver, he returned to Los Angeles and worked in a lumber yard, carrying lumber for three months. For six months he was a photographer with the Times, and was employed in a similar capacity by the Herald for three years. With that experience behind him, Mr. Stagg engaged as a commercial pho- tographer for himself, and has acquired a large and well-equipped studio and has made a splendid success of the business. He furnishes commercial photographs for all lines of industry.
He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, Ad Club and the Automobile Club of Southern California. At Los Angeles, April 16, 1910, he married Ruth Davidson. They have two children: Dick, born in 1912, and a student in the public schools, and Brett, born in 1917.
THOMAS SAMUEL REYNOLDS. Necessarily the business of life goes on even though hearts may break and friends mourn over the early pass- ing of one seemingly so indispensable, so buoyant and vigorous, so kind, generous and gentle, as was the late Thomas. Samuel Reynolds, of Los Angeles. Within the short circle of his life of but thirty years he had accomplished much in an honorable profession and won confidence in public office, while a particularly sunny disposition invited affection and sterling characteristics cemented friendship.
Thomas Samuel Reynolds was born at San Francisco, California, December 12, 1888, and passed out of life at his home on South Ardmore street, Los Angeles, November 16, 1918. His parents were Thomas A. and Kate M. (Greene) Reynolds. His father, who died May 11, 1919, came to San Francisco in 1868, where he became well known in the leather business, having established one of the first tanneries for light leather. He came to Los Angeles in 1891, where he bought a tannery. The mother of Mr. Reynolds was educated in the schools of San Fran- cisco and afterward was a teacher there.
Mr. Reynolds practically spent his entire life at Los Angeles. His early education was secured in the public schools and in 1909 he was graduated as a civil engineer from St. Vincent's College, for eight years subsequently being connected with the Pacific Electric Company. En- dowed with robust health and cheery, optimistic temperament, he was a favorite at college, where he was a leader in athletics, as he was also' in scholarship. He was particularly eloquent in debate and easily won the Stephen M. White medal presented by Williamn White, son of Stephen M. White, of the second generation of native sons. In. 1918 Mr. Reynolds was appointed deputy internal revenue officer, and was attend- ing to his official duties when stricken with influenza, which developed into pneumonia. He died after an illness of but eight days.
Mr. Reynolds was married July 8, 1915, to Miss Hazel Connors, who came to this city in 1911 from South Dakota, and is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Connors, who reside on Roosevelt street, Los Angeles. Mrs. Reynolds survives with their little daughter, Romayne Antoinette Reynolds, also the mother and grandmother, Mrs. Hannah Greene.
Mr. Reynolds was always interested in football and was an active
This & Tequalde
73
FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA
member of the Southern California Football Association. He was often called on to umpire school and college games and umpired a game three weeks before taken ill. He was a democrat in politics, and more or less active as an intelligent, wide awake citizen of a country in which he took unmeasured pride. He belonged to the Young Men's Institute, and was a member of the Ramona Parlor of the organization of Native Sons. He had been reared in the Catholic faith and his religion was a part of his life.
WILI. E. KELLER. The most important men in the world today are those who stand in some vital position with respect to the production and distribution of indispensable material, especially foodstuffs. There is probably no man in California who directs and influences a larger volume of business in the grain and milling industries than Will E. Keller, whose career has been well described as one of the most notable among the successful men of Los Angeles.
Mr. Keller was born at Woodville, Mississippi, January 30, 1868, son of Charles E. and Agnes M. (Phares) Keller. He was only twenty-four years of age when he came to Los Angeles, in 1892, and from the first has been identified with the wholesale grain business. It is possible to note only a few of his major operations in that field. About twenty-one years ago he organized the McDonald-Graham Mill- ing Company, at 913 East Third street, the capital of which was $200,000. The company erected a mill with a daily capacity of two hundred fifty barrels, and employed thirty men. In 1902 the name was changed to the Globe Grain and Milling Company, and the capital in- creased to $1,000,000, and Mr. Keller has been president of this cor- poration ever since. At the same time the plant was enlarged to a five hundred barrel mill. In 1902 they also erected a mill of three hundred barrels capacity at Colton; in 1903 an eight hundred barrel mill at San Francisco ; in 1904 a two hundred fifty barrel mill at Wood- land. When the San Francisco mill was destroyed by fire in 1906, it was at once replaced by a mill with a daily capacity of sixteen hundred barrels. A three hundred and fifty barrel mill was erected by these interests in 1909 at El Paso, Texas, which marks the extreme eastern limit of Mr. Keller's operations in the milling business. In 1910 the Globe people built a three hundred barrel mill at San Diego, and in 1912 the Los Angeles plant was torn down and a larger mill of a thousand barrels daily capacity erected in its place. In 1916 the mill at Woodland was converted into a. rice milling plant, with a daily capacity of twenty-four hundred bags.
Mr. Keller has the honor of having constructed the first fireproof flour mills in the west. From California his interests extended into the Pacific northwest. In 1911 his company erected a grain elevator at Portland, Oregon, it being a large and model plant, with a four hundred thousand bushel concrete bulk storage and a ten thousand ton grain warehouse, with docks and other facilities for loading both ships and railroad cars. They also have a grain elevator just completed at Ogden, Utah, constructed of concrete, with a capacity of seven hun- dred thousand bushels, and so arranged that 10,000 bushels of grain can be unloaded from cars per hour, and a like amount loaded out into cars for shipment at the same time, making a total of 20,000 bushels of grain that can be handled per hour. At San Pedro, on the water front, is a four thousand ton steel elevator erected by this company in 1912. Besides handling grain, the various plants manufacture enor- mous quantities of flour and feed stuffs, they also having a number
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.