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 13
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PATRICK J. McGARRY, a son of the late Daniel M. McGarry, whose career as. a prominent-Los Angeles resident has been reviewed on other pages, is a pharmacist by profession and early education, but since his father's death has been active in real estate and insurance circles and is a member of the McGarry Realty Company.
Like his other brothers he was born in Chicago, July 27, 1879, and was an infant when brought by his parents to Los Angeles. He re- ceived his primary education in the Cathedral School and then entered St. Vincent's College, from which he was graduated A. B. in the sum- mer of 1896 and in 1898 received his Master of Arts degree from the same institution. Later he entered the University of California and was graduated from the pharmacy department in 1900. He practiced phar- macy for several years, but in 1903, upon the death of his father, suc- ceeded to the latter's realty interests, and has since continued the realty and fire insurance business. Later his brother, D. F. McGarry, became associated with him under the title McGarry Realty Company.
Mr. McGarry is also a man of many civic and social interests and activities. He served as a member of the Municipal Charities Commis- sion from June 10, 1913, to December 1, 1915, and was commissioner in charge of the Municipal Employment Bureau from its inception in the fall of 1913 until it merged with the State Employment Bureau. For several years he has been a director and secretary of The Tidings, the official organ of the Catholic church in this diocese. In politics, though registered as a republican, Mr. McGarry has the liberal views that char- acterized his father and the McGarry family in general. He is a char- ter member of Los Angeles Council of the Knights of Columbus, served as its grand knight two terms, 1913-14, and is now master of the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus in Southern California. He is a member of the Newman Club of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Athletic Club, and a member of the Alumni Council Newman Club of the University of California. He is president of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Southern California and is a former president of the Federation of Catholic Societies of Los Angeles County.
At Los Angeles November 22, 1913, he married Miss Cecile Hoff- mann, daughter of Emile and Alice (Mullen) Hoffmann. Her mother was a daughter of the late Andrew Mullen of Los Angeles. Emile Hoff- mann's father came from Lorraine and was a pioneer in San Francisco, arriving there by way of the Isthmus of Panama in the early sixties. Mr. and Mrs. McGarry have three young children, Emile Daniel, Alice Patricia and Patrick James McGarry, Jr.
TIMOTHY SPELLACY is the author of this well-written autobiography.
I was born in the beautiful little village of Conneautville, Craw- ford County, Pennsylvania. Was born of rich but honest parents; rich as counted in those days; the evidence of which was the fact that my father cut his own ice.
I have no remembrance of the first year of my existence, and that history comes entirely from tradition, which informed me that at my birth my father was not well pleased, and (after taking one look) .his face indicated disappointment. In the early years of life some of our wealthy relatives insisted that we were descended from royal ancestry. My father and mother were both born in Ireland and naturally claimed descent from the last king, Brian Boru, and made efforts to establish the claim; but upon the ancestral tree there always appeared the mud cabin which convinced that we were from common stock or from that
Spellacy
Jimothy
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noble class that Lincoln claimed the Lord loved, proven by creating so many.
My education consisted in graduation from the Conneautville High School, and I am frank to admit that I did not graduate from the top of the class, and during life I found much trouble in conforming with the great majority in spelling. I had a system of my own, when I found that a specialist in orthography by the name of Webster had induced people to follow his plan, and this interfered with my personal liberty. I tried to adopt his, but even up to twenty-eight or thirty years of age I still insisted on spelling sugar with an "h." I left home at a rather early age and became interested in the production of oil. After one year at the University of Edenburg, Clarion County, Pennsylvania, I graduated as a full-fledged driller and most of my life followed that occupation. I succeeded at times as an oil producer, but found it rather a hard game, as the profits were not always sufficient to satisfy a vicious appetite and the bankers-especially the latter. I found with them flying was easy, but, like Dryas, the great trouble I encountered was when I was compelled to alight. The only time and place with my fellow countrymen where I cut much ice was the winter of '98 and '99, which I spent in Alaska. There being no market for ice, and failing to find gold in sufficient quantities, I returned and anchored in Cali- fornia, and I am pleased to say that in this glorious state I have been shown much honor, no doubt beyond my real worth. I served two terms as chairman of the Democratic State Central Committee, and at one time was nominated and ran for railroad commissioners, in which race I was defeated. Later on I was nominated for Lieutenant Gov- ernor, and this was the glorious epoch of my life. Owing much to the magnificent campaign of the candidate for Governor, the voters came nearly putting me over, but I was defeated by a small majority. I am still here and hope that I may remain for the balance of life and have the pleasure of enjoying the beautiful climate and the fine associations of the good people of this state.
I have up to the present time refused to give my age, but, con- fidentially, will say that I was born in the year 1854, and some of the old young men insist that I have passed my prime, but one thing is sure, the real joy of living will prompt me to stay as long as the Lord is willing, and while I know that I have not always followed the Golden Rule, I hope that when I pass to the other side, that I may be admitted to the celestial band and would be happy to play upon any instrument.
I was married in the year 1893 to Miss Elizabeth Doty, of St. Marys, Ohio. For over twenty-five years we have journeyed along the pathway of life, encountering some storms, but, taken all in all, have enjoyed much sunshine, not always having the good things that money buys, but, compared with others, we have no complaint.
I have been what might be called a temperance man, but not a bigoted one. In politics I am a democrat, and sincerely hope that the effort for a world combination may succeed in eliminating the great curse of war and may bring a real democracy which means genuine peace and comfort to the inhabitants of the world.
I am a member of the Knights of Columbus and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
The photograph accompanying this sketch will be criticised by those knowing me best as not a fair copy. I have by special contract rewarded the photographer for removing the many defects that might change the present handsome appearance.
TIMOTHY SPELLACY.
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EDWIN S. ROWLEY has been a factor in Los Angeles financial affairs for thirty years, and has had his home in the city since 1893. It is said that he made twelve distinct visits to southern California before perma- nently locating.
One of the institutions of greatest integrity and strength in south- ern California is the Guaranty Trust & Savings Bank, with resources of over twenty-eight million dollars and whose home at Spring and Seventh streets is one of the landmarks of the Los Angeles district. The name of Edwin S. Rowley has always appeared in a modest rela- tionship to this bank, but he shares the credit with M. N. Avery, its president, in the founding of the institution and as a member of its Board of Directors Mr. Rowley has contributed much to its growth and prosperity.
Edwin S. Rowley was born at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, February 18, 1857, son of Edwin A. and Sarah James (Sears) Rowley. His father, who was born at Shorheim in Addison county, Vermont, and was edu- cated in Middlebury College of his native state, became a lawyer and for many years had a successful practice at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to which state he removed in 1848, when Wisconsin was still a territory. Sarah James Sears was born in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts, and spent her early life until the time of her marriage at Chelsea, Michi- gan. Edwin S. Rowley is the only son of four children. He has one sister living, Mrs. W. M. Sheldon, at Palo Alto.
Mr. Rowley spent ten years of his early life at Oshkosh and ten years at Niles, Michigan, and completed his education in those two cities. At the age of twenty he went to South Dakota and there became identi- fied with banking. During ten years spent in Dakota Territory he or- ganized and was managing head of a number of banks, making his home while there at Woonsocket and Canton, South Dakota. For about seven vears Mr. Rowley was a resident of Omaha and connected with the Union National Bank of that city.
He is a member of all the local Masonic bodies. He also belongs to the Los Angeles Athletic Club and was on its Board of Directors five years, during which time the club building was constructed. He is a member of the California Club 'and the Los Angeles Country Club.
Mr. Rowley married Miss Kate L. Pendexter, of Conway. New Hampshire. Their daughter is Mrs. Thomas C. Ridgway. Mr. Ridg- way is a Los Angeles lawyer with offices in the Union Oil Building, where Mr. Rowley also has his business headquarters.
MICHAEL JOSEPH McGARRY. During his twenty-five years active membership as a member of the Los Angeles bar, Michael Joseph Mc- Garry has practiced as a general practitioner, and at the same time has represented many diverse and important interests, and his name needs no heralding as one of the prominent members of the bar of Southern California. He is a son of the late Daniel M. McGarry, a prominent business man and benefactor of Los Angeles, whose record appears on other pages of this publication.
Michael Joseph McGarry was born in Chicago April 13, 1872, and was about nine years old when his parents came to Los Angeles. He had attended a parochial school in Chicago, and in Los Angeles entered St. Vincent's College, from which institution he received the honorary degree of Master of Arts in 1911. On leaving St. Vincent's and in . pursuance of the plan of his parents to give their sons a thorough and careful education, he went abroad and entered Clongowes Wood Col-
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lege, in Dublin, Ireland. In 1890, having returned to this country, he entered Notre Dame University, at Notre Dame, Indiana, and was graduated from the law department with the degree LL. B. June 21, 1894. He was admitted to the Indiana bar, and on October 9, 1894, was admitted to practice in California. From that date to the present Mr. McGarry has been busy with a growing law practice. He is a director in a number of commercial and mining corporations.
Mr. McGarry has never permitted his name to be considered in connection with any elective public office, but has rendered valuable and highly appreciated services in positions that offer opportunity for a great deal of hard work out of proportion to all the personal honor. He served four years as a park commissioner and two years as a fire commissioner, and in both cases instituted a number of improvements that were essential to the proper growth and development of the city at the time. Mr. McGarry is independent of partisan control so far as politics is concerned, and is governed entirely by the best interests of the community, state and nation. He has been a student of politics and economics for many years, and has seldom been interested in any of the faddist organizations for improving some item of government, but is ready to support any broad and well considered program for good government as applied to all interests concerned.
He is a charter member of the Newman Club, a member of the Chamber of Commerce, of the County, State and American Bar Asso- ciations, has been an officer in the Knights of Columbus, is past exalted ruler of Lodge No. 99, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and is past state president of the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
At Chicago, May 10, 1898, he married Mary Evelyn Quinlan; daughter of T. A. Quinlan Sr. and Alice Ladd, of Chicago. Mr. and Mrs. McGarry have four children, named Florence, Paul. Madeleine and Evelyn.
PAUL OVERTON, general counsel for the Los Angeles Gas & Electric Corporation, studied law under the instruction of two of the most emi- nent justices of the United States Supreme Court at Washington, and has had an unusually wide range of duties in his profession. having spent one year in the Philippine Islands, though the greater part of his professional career has been in Los Angeles.
He was born at Willis, Texas, March 18, 1879, son of Colonel James Frank and Mary L. ( Sturgeon) Overton. In his native state he had a public school education, but during 1895-96 lived in Washington, D. C., and at that time had as his preceptors in law Justices Harlan and Brewer. In 1900 he graduated LL .. B. from the Law Department of Cornell University, and in the same year was admitted to the Texas bar. He practiced about two years in San Antonio and in 1902 re- moved to California and was admitted to the bar in October of that year. He has since been admitted to the Circuit and District Federal Courts of California. In Los Angeles he was first associated with Dun- ning & Craig, attorneys for the Wholesalers Board of Trade. In 1903 he accepted the appointment of Assistant Attorney General of the Phil- ippine Islands, and was absent in the Orient performing his official d11- ties until 1904. Returning to Los Angeles, Mr. Overton became asso- ciated with the Los Angeles Gas & Electric Corporation, at first as assistant general counsel and since 1915 as general counsel in charge of the entire legal department. As counsel for this corporation he has been engaged in important litigation involving intricate constitutional
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questions concerning the regulation and control of public utilites gen- erally as well as the conflict between municipalities and public utilities.
Mr. Overton is a past president of Cornell University Club of Southern California, a member of the University Club, Los Angeles County Bar Association, California State Bar Association, and is a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason and Shriner. He is a past master of West Lake Lodge No. 392, F. and A. M.
FERDINAND RANDALL BAIN. As a resident of Los Angeles Mr. Bain is best known as president of the Southern Counties Gas Com- pany, in which he acquired a large interest some years ago. He first served as vice-president and general manager. Mr. Bain had been a successful financier and business man in New York and Poughkeepsie, where he laid the foundation of the large interests and the reputation which followed him to the West.
He was born at Chatham, New York, May 3, 1861, son of Milton and Charlotte M. (Nash) Bain. His father, a native of Columbia county, New York, who was educated in the Claverick Institute, became a New York state farmer, but in 1849 joined a party of twenty-four men who chartered a boat at Hudson, New York, commanded by Captain Waldo, and made a six months voyage to California around the Horn. From San Francisco the party went to Dutch Gulch and were engaged in mining there until 1854. They made their return by way of the Isthmus of Panama, the journey only requiring two months. After that Milton Bain engaged in farming in Dutchess county, New York, until his death.
Ferdinand R. Bain attended private schools at Dover Plains, and in 1878 graduated from Bishop's Preparatory School at Poughkeepsie. His parents died in that year, and he gave up his plans for a college education. For about twenty-five years he was in the real estate and investment business at Poughkeepsie and New York and in that time became a prominent figure in the financial and political life of the city. One of his first large transactions was the purchase of the street railway system of Poughkeepsie. For two years he was its president and general manager. After selling that property to a syndicate he became associated with Benjamin B. Odell, one of New York's best known gover- nors, and bought the Electric Light and Gas Companies of Newburgh and Poughkeepsie. He was president of that corporation one year. After that his interests rapidly broadened and expanded and he became recog- nized as one of the leading figures in banking, railroad and public utility circles in New York state. For two years he was president of the Pough- keepsie Gas and Electric Company. He was also president of the Varick Realty Company, owners of a square block of property in the heart of New York City's business district. Mr. Bain was also a director in the Farmers and Manufacturers National Bank of Poughkeepsie. After 1904 he disposed of most of his Poughkeepsie holdings, except his interest in the Gas Company and the bank, and had his headquarters in New York City, at 35 Wall street. For about seven years he was out of active touch with business affairs, and spent most of the time traveling.
Mr. Bain served as a city alderman at Poughkeepsie in 1886-90, and was then elected a supervisor of Dutchess county for two years. In 1894 he was appointed city assessor for the purpose of reorganizing the assessment system, and filled that office two years. For fourteen years he was secretary of the Dutchess County Agricultural Society.
In 1912 the southern counties surrounding Los Angeles were but
Ferdinand R. Pain
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poorly supplied with gas, the business small and conditions very poor. Mr. Bain took over the plants and business then existing at Fullerton, Anaheim, Orange and Santa Ana and began improvements. He furnished the capital and gave the business the benefit of his personal care and experience, with the result that the Southern Counties Gas Company of today is one of the remarkable institutions of southern California. The great growth is shown in the following comparisons: June 1, 1912, the company was started. At that time they supplied gas to but six towns, while at the present 50 towns are supplied. At first they supplied 6,000,000 feet per month, while now the supply is 500,000,000 feet per month. The original 3,200 meters have been increased to 60,000, and the receipts have been increased from $90,000 per year to $2,250,000. They now extend to the outlying towns, the benefits and savings of natural gas which had previously been wasted. They have over 1,200 miles of distributing mains. The single office that did duty at the begin- ning has given place to two entire floors in the Corporation Building. The Southern Counties Gas Company supplies over 55,000 consumers, and serves a population of over 3,000,000.
Mr. Bain is a member of Triune Lodge, A. F. and A. M., at Poughkeepsie, is a member of the California Club, the Los Angeles Country Club, the Santa Barbara Country Club, the Downtown Club of New York City, the Midday Club of Chicago and the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce.
At Poughkeepsie December 9, 1885, Mr. Bain married Miss Hattie J. Kenworthy. They had three children: Mrs. Ethel M. Sherwood, of New York city : Mrs. Roy Davids, of Albany, New York; and Mrs. Eliot Atwater, of New York City. February 1, 1911, Mr. Bain married Gertrude M. Benchley-Miller, who died in June, 1916, at Santa Barbara.
CHARLES RITTERSBACHER, who died at Los Angeles April 26, 1919, was one of the most distinguished of the pioneer oil operators in what is known as the Mid-Continent Oil Field and also in fields in Cali- fornia. He was a pioneer producer of petroleum, and though he ex- perienced the vicissitudes and fortunes incident to an oil operator's life, he died leaving a generous fortune.
He was born at Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania, October 3, 1857, a son of David and Eleanor Rittersbacher. His father had been a Kansas pioneer. Charles Rittersbacher acquired his education in the public schools of Wilkesbarre, but from boyhood had to depend largely upon his own exertions. He was a machinist by trade, and some years after leaving home he and his two partners, H. G. Johnson and E. A. Aikin, established a machine shop at Corsicana, Texas. Corsicana was then a rapidly developing oil center. During the early eighties Mr. Ritters- bacher, associated with his partners, and with a modest capital, secured a rig and drilled an oil prospect in Corsicana. Mr. Rittersbacher always regarded this as fortunate that his first attempt was successful. They struck oil, and that was one of the first oil strikes in Texas and was the beginning of the development which has made the Mid-Continent field the greatest source of petroleum in America. Mr. Rittersbacher and his associates formed the American Well Prospecting Company.
While the pioneer well produced oil, there were attendant difficul- ties that might well have discouraged veterans in the industry. The operators had none of the modern machinery and appliances for drill- ing and perfecting a well, and before the casing was completed oil ooz- ing from the well trickled down the side of a hill. A drayman who
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was on the scene yielded to the curiosity to see if the oil would burn and touched a match to the ground, and in an instant the flames shot up the hill to the well. The machinery was lost and considerable dif- ficulty was encountered in quenching the fire.
After this pioneer exploit Mr. Rittersbacher gave much of his time to oil development and for eight years was one of the prominent operators in the noted fields at Bartlesville, Oklahoma. After selling his interests there he came to California in 1908. He had been in the oil business thirty-five years when he died. He had drilled wells in Louisiana and also had leases on vast tracts near Taft, in Kern County, California, in what is known as the Mid West Field.
Mr. Rittersbacher was affiliated with the Masonic Order, the Wood- men of the World and was a Lutheran in religion.
He married Laura Kraft at Salina, Kansas, thirty years ago. She was nineteen years old when married and was born near Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Her people moved to Salina, Kansas, when she was five years of age. Mrs. Rittersbacher has a vivid memory of life on the Kansas prairies when she was a girl. The home of her parents was destroyed by a cyclone, the entire north wall having been nipped away. Mrs. Rittersbacher and four children survive her husband: Elmer, Etta, Edgar and Elsie. They are now planning the erection of a per- manent home in southern California.
The late Mr. Rittersbacher was vice president and general man- ager of the American Ventura Oil Company. During the war with Germany his resources were generously used for supporting various war causes, a large amount being invested in Liberty Bonds. The family were all personally active in the war, the children serving either in the army and navy or in Red Cross work.
BENJAMIN E. PAGE. The many important connections of Mr. Page as a lawyer and executive official emphasizes the truth of the assertion that he is one of the versatile members of his profession in southern California. He has spent most of his life in and around Los Angeles, and is as prominent socially as he is professionally. Mr. Page has specialized in banking, mining and corporation law, and as financial and legal adviser to several large financial corporations it is said that millions of dollars have been invested in southern California under his advice and supervision.
Benjamin Edwin Page was born at North Haven, Connecticut, October 16, 1877, son of Dr. Benjamin Maltby and Cornelia ( Blakeslee) Page. ยท He represents old New England stock on both sides. His great- grandfather was a West India merchant and later a New England manu- facturer. His grandfather, Rev. Benjamin St. John Page, a graduate of Yale Theological School, was for many years prominent as a minister of the Congregational and Presbyterian churches. Dr. Benjamin M. Page had a successful career as a physician in Cleveland, Ohio, but on account of ill health gave up his practice and came to California in 1873.
Benjamin E. Page attended the public schools of Pasadena, graduat- ing from high school in 1895, and in 1899 received his degree A. B. from Leland Stanford University. He studied law in the Columbia Law School of New York, graduating LL. B. in 1902. He was admitted to the bar of New York, soon afterward to that of California, and has also been admitted to practice in the United States Supreme Court. He began practice at Los Angeles in the firm of Bicknell, Gibson & Trask, and a few months later formed a partnership with Clarence A. Miller,
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