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 III > Part 64
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Victor Ponet was born in Lemburg, Belgium, on the 9th of March, 1836, a son of Lawrence and Gertrude A. (Wauters) Ponet, his father having been a farmer by vocation and having served as a soldier under the great Napoleon. In the excellent schools of his native land Victor Ponet continued his studies until he had attained to the age of seventeen years, after which he served a three years' apprenticeship to the trade of cabinet-maker, in which he became a skilled artisan. After having followed his trade several years in the City of Paris, France, his ambition and self-reliance led him in 1865 to come to the United States. He readily found employment at his trade in New York City, where he remained until 1867, when he came to California. He made the journey hy way of the Isthmus of Panama and thence proceeded up the coast to San Francisco, where he remained two years. He then came to Los Angeles and entered vigorously and loyally into the civic and business affairs of the city, which then had a population of not more than 4,500 people. In 1885 he sold his business and thereafter he passed two years in making a tour of Europe, in connection with which he found special satisfaction in visiting his old home in Belgium. For many years Mr. Ponet and his wife maintained their home on a ranch southwest of the City of Los Angeles, and much of this land is now included within the corporate limits of the city, their residence having been situated at the juncture of the present Alvarado and Pico streets. Eventually Mr. Ponet subdivided this property and effected its improvement, and he finally removed to his fine ranch at West Hollywood, which continued to be his place of abode during the remainder of his life. His substantial financial success was gained largely through his wise investments in real estate in Los Angeles County, the same having greatly increased in value
Gertrude P. Montgomery
Tistor Brut
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with the remarkable development and upbuilding of this favored section of California. In the early period of his residence in Los Angeles he purchased Fiesta Park, bounded by Pico Street, Twelfth Street, Grand Avenue and Hope Street. On this property he erected one of the hand- some apartment buildings of the city, and the former park is now known as Ponet Square, upon which the family has erected a modern hotel building and eight automobile structures, among the best in Los Angeles. At West Hollywood he purchased a large tract of land upon which he built a spacious and beautiful country house, and he made this one of the ideal places of the county. He accumulated other valuable ranch properties, as well as other realty in the City of Los Angeles, and his liberality in the handling and improving of his various properties con- tributed much to the material development and civic prosperity of Los Angeles.
Mr. Ponet was a man who had fine appreciation of the personal stewardship which success involves, and his gracious character was shown in unostentatious benevolences and charities, as well as in earnest and liberal support of the various activities of the Catholic Church. in this diocese. Mr. and Mrs. Ponet deeded the land and erected on the same the present edifice of St. Victor's Church, and made both land and building a gift to the diocese.
Mr. Ponet was one of the organizers of the German-American Sav- ings Bank of Los Angeles, an institution now bearing the corporate title of the Guaranty Trust & Savings Bank. He became a director of the bank, and in 1894 he was elected its president, a position of which he continued the incumbent three years. He was one of the organizers also of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and gave liberally of his time and money in fostering and developing the new institution, of which he served many years as a trustee. He took lively and helpful interest in all things touching the welfare of Los Angeles and all of Southern California, and was essentially a broad-minded, liberal and public-spirited citizen. He was a most zealous communicant of the Catholic Church, he was affiliated with the Knights of Columbus and he held membership in the Newman and Jonathan clubs.
He served many years as a representative of Belgian consular inter- ests at Los Angeles. On the 5th day of January, 1894, he was appointed consular agent at Los Angeles, and on the 31st of December, 1897, he was made Belgian vice-consul for Southern California and Arizona. On the 20th of May, 1906, there came to him distinguished recognition from the ruler of his native land, as on that date King Leopold of Belgium conferred on him the knightly honor of Chevalier de L'Ordre de Leopold. In politics Mr. Ponet was well fortified in his convictions and gave his allegiance to the republican party. A man of integrity and honor in all the relations of life, he left an enduring and worthy impress upon the history of the city and county of Los Angeles, where he gained pioneer prestige and proved also an apostle of progress.
In the year 1874 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Ponet to Miss Ellen J. Manning, a native of Ireland, and she survived him by five years-a woman whose gentle and gracious personality endeared her to all who came within the sphere of her influence. Mrs. Ponet remained at the beautiful home in West Hollywood until she too was summoned to the life eternal, on the 18th of February, 1919. She had passed her seventieth year and her funeral obsequies were held at St. Vibiana's
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Cathedral, Los Angeles, in the work of which parish she had been active in early years, with a record for unassuming support of charitable and benevolent agencies. Gertrude, the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Ponet, is now the wife of Francis S. Montgomery, of whom individual mention is made on the preceding page of this work. Rev. William Ponet, C. M., a foster son of the subject of this memoir, was afforded the best of educa- tional advantages, prepared himself for and was ordained to the priest- hood of the Catholic Church, and now holds a pastoral charge in the City of San Diego, California.
COL. CAVE J. COUTS. While some of his sons and daughters are prominently connected socially and in business at Los Angeles, the chapters in the life of the late Col. Cave J. Couts which especially concern the history of Southern California were written in and around San Diego. Among the earliest Americans in Southern California Colonel Couts was distinguished not only as a former military man and officer of the United States Army but by extraordinary business ability and many qualities of personal charm.
He was born near Springfield, Tennessee, November 11, 1821, and in that locality his parents also spent their lives. His early education was supervised by his uncle, Cave Johnson, who was a member of President Polk's cabinet as Postmaster General. At the age of seventeen he was appointed a cadet in West Point Military Academy and graduated in 1843, being commissioned a brevet second lieutenant of the regiment of Mounted Rifles. He was on frontier duty at Fort Jesup, Indiana, and in 1845 was sent with a detachment of recruits to Fort Washita in Indian Territory. In the meantime he was commissioned second lieutenant of the First Dragoons, and did frontier duty at Evansville, Arkansas, and Fort Gibson, Indian Territory, until February, 1847. He was then made first lieutenant of the First Dragoons, and during the war with Mexico was on duty along the frontier, passing through Mexico and Arizona to California, crossing the Colorado River on Sunday, November 26, 1848, it taking him three days to cross his regiment. In this connection it is well to mention what appears in his sketch book of line of travel, which is amusing as well as showing his resourcefulness. "Crossing Colorado-used a couple of rafts viz : Felix Grunay No. 2 and Pawnow dash ; also a small row boat made of the body of a wagon and covered with leather-the "Pawnew Flirt"-swam horses and mules about three miles above, could pass but one wagon, or five horses, at a trip on the raft -. F. G. No. 2,' only used as a wharf boat-swam some horses at same place. Landing on this side (west) very bad, as far up and down as examined, being an uninterrupted quick sand. Considerable quantity of cane a short distance from river, and 'screw beans' in abundance, which might be said to have saved us. *
* * Colorado water very good, though at seasons when very low, 'tis said to be so bad that it will kill man and beast to use it."
It would appear from this article that Colonel Couts established the first "Ferry" across the Colorado and from information that he then gathered, it is quite evident that the Colorado must, in times, prior to 1848, have run very low. After confronting many obstacles and enduring much hardship crossing the desert between Colorado and the mountains, he reached Los Angeles with his command on Sunday, January 9, 1849. and the following notation in his sketchbook of line of travel following
1
N. J. Pont
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this information is also found: "From Chihuahua to Los Angeles, 1,057 miles ; from Monterey, Mexico, to Chihuahua, 556 miles ; from Monterey, Mexico, to Los Angeles, 1,613 miles. Colonel Couts served about San Diego, Los Angeles and San Luis Rey to 1851. In 1849 he conducted an expedition to the Gila River and was in charge of the Boundary Survey between the United States of Mexico, stationed at the junction of the Colorado and Gila Rivers or "Camp Calhoun." While on duty there he was complimented by his superior officers in dealing with the Indians and assisting the emigrants. On August 1, 1849, he was elected a dele- gate from San Diego, in accordance with proclamation of Brevet Briga- dier General B. Riley, Governor of California, to form a state con- stitution or plan for a territorial government.
Until thirty years of age his life was that of the soldier, but on April 5, 1851, he married Miss Ysidora Bandini, daughter of Don Juan Bandini of San Diego. The October following his marriage he resigned his commission as a first lieutenant in the regular army, but soon after- ward was appointed colonel and aide de camp on the staff of Governor Bigler, accounting for the military title with which his friends honored him.
Colonel Couts has been described as a man of commanding figure, a little over six feet tall, straight, willowy and active, a perfect horseman, making a splendid appearance as a cavalry officer, and with the natural instincts of a gentleman supplemented by a thorough education. He was devoted to his family and in every transaction betrayed a strict integrity, though he was also a genial companion, fond of music and dancing and a popular figure in social circles. There are some interesting reminders of his methodical business habits. One is a class album containing the autographs of all who were in West Point during his student days. Another is a well written journal of his trip across the country from In- dian Territory to San Diego, this journal being illustrated with views along the route, drawn by his own pen and showing that the Gila River must, at that time, have been considered the boundary between the United States and Mexico. Casa Grande in Arizona was then known as the seven-story temple or Aztec Castle. Only three of these pictures have been published, those of old San Diego, the Mission of San Diego and the Mission of San Luis Rey, all as they appeared in 1850. Lithograph copies of some of these have been widely distributed. On the long list of names of his fellow students at West Point are the signatures of many who became distinguished in the Civil war and in American politics and affairs, such as U. H. Grant (afterwards U. S. Grant), D. H. Hill, W. S. Hancock, F. Denman, Henry M. Judah, James Allen Hardie, R. W. Johnston and J. P. Johnston, C. Benjamin, Earl Van Dorn, A. P. Stewart, John Y. Bicknell, H. Clement Story, W. L. Crittenden, J. Bolivar Buck- ner, James Longstreet.
However, the most interesting part of his story is that which re- lates to the development he instituted in San Diego county. He was one of the first to discover that the climate and soil of that county were adapted to all kinds of agriculture and horticulture. He was the first to plant an orchard on a large scale with the improved varieties of fruits, and for years his was the only orange grove in San Diego County. About two years after leaving the army he lived at old San Diego, where he served a term as county judge. In 1853 he and his family, consisting of his wife and two children, moved to Guajome. Guajome was an
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Indian grant containing 2,219 acres made by the Mexican Government to Andres, an Indian, and to his two sisters. It was bought by Mrs. Don Abel Stearns of Los Angeles and by her presented to Mrs. Couts as a wedding present. In the Indian language the word means "Home of the frog." When Colonel Couts took possession of it in 1852 there was not a sign of a tree, and it was his initiative and enterprise that later covered the tract with orchards, among them several of the tropical fruits, and as the "Chicomoya" or "Anona," "Marego," "Aguacate" (al- ligator plant) and several others, also vineyards and other groves. He put up a camp on the land, made some willow poles and a few boards taken from San Diego, and that served him while he was building more commodious structures. As there was no running water on the land he dug a hole with a spade, and later enlarged that hole to a pond one hun- dred feet in diameter and seven feet deep, which had a constant flow of water, much of it used for irrigation.purposes. Colonel Couts was spe- cial Indian agent, resigning on August 10, 1856, after having made a full report to the Honorable Commissioner of Indian Affairs and calling attention to the condition of the "poor Indian" and making suggestions that, had they been exercised, the Indians would not have been wronged or, as might be said, practically exterminated by the invasion of the white man .- San Luis Rey and San Diego wherein each contained about 2,500 Indians. He also had the supervision of a large number of Indians in and around San Luis Rey, who loved and feared him. He commanded their services and labors, and from the labor of some three hundred In- dians constructed an immense adobe house built in a square containing twenty rooms, with a court yard filled with orange and lemon trees and varieties of flowers. The same labor erected barns, stables, sheds and corrals and also servants' quarters, and finally a neat chapel was dedi- cated to the worship of God. Perhaps due to his military training, he had an almost infallible ability in managing and controlling Indians. He instituted system and order everywhere and visitors frequently knew without being told that "Don Cuevas," as he was generally called, was a military man. He also accumulated thousands of cattle, hundreds of horses and mules and many sheep, and purchased the San Marcos, Buena Vista and La Joya ranches, besides about eight hundred acres of Govern- ment land adjoining his homestead. Altogether his estate aggregated about twenty thousand acres. He was prospering until the passage of the "no fence law," which practically ruined him financially and he was compelled to sell his livestock at a tremendous sacrifice. He was just beginning to recover from this disaster when death came to him while at the Horton House in San Diego July 10, 1874. The tragedy of his useful career was that he was not permitted to enjoy the fruits of his toil and the expenditure of thousands of dollars in developing what might properly be considered a paradise.
Colonel Couts was one of twelve children, his wife was one of ten, and their own family consisted of ten sons and daughters, namely: Abel Stearns Couts, who died in 1855, when nearly four years of age; Maria Antonia, widow of Colonel Chalmers Scott, of Los Angeles; William B., manager of the Baker Estate Realty Company of Los Angeles; Cave J. Jr., a civil engineer by profession, living at Guajome in San Diego coun- ty ; Nancy Dolores, who died in 1868, at the age of eleven ; Ysidora For- ster Fuller, widow of the late Judge Fuller, of Los Angeles, where she resides ; Elena, Mrs. Parker Dear, of Alhambra; Robert Lee, of Los
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Angeles, who died March 18, 1920; John Forster, of San Diego; and Caroline, wife of J. B. Winston, of Los Angeles.
Colonel Couts was fortunate in finding a companion and wife with many of the noblest traits of her sex and her race. Ysidora Bandini continued to live on the old homestead at Guajome after the death of her husband until she passed away in the spring of 1897, and showed marvelous skill in managing the property through the trying years of her early widowhood. She came of a family renowned for physical and mental strength and beauty, and at the time of her marriage she was regarded as the most beautiful young woman in Southern California. Her father, Don Juan Bandini, was a prominent official under the Mexi- can Government living at San Diego, where Mrs. Couts was born. He was highly educated and early foresaw the results of the war with Mexico and was one of the first Southern Californians to ally themselves with the Americans. Three of his daughters, one of them Mrs. Couts, made the first American flag hoisted at San Diego. Mrs. Couts' grand- father, Don Jose Bandini, was a native of old Spain and an admiral in the Spanish Navy, being stationed on the Pacific Coast and was in com- mand in Peru when Don Juan, the father of Mrs. Couts, was born. The Bandini family were originally Italian.
F. A. GESELL has contributed an idea and a plan which have at- tracted much attention in the conservative financial circles as something distinctly new in encouraging and promoting thrift, which in the final estimate is the salvation of a nation as well as of the individual.
A number of banks in the United States are now featuring and have incorporated in their regular banking policy what is known as "Victory Account." Described briefly, a Victory Account is a savings account plus the protection of insurance. Hitherto people have used banks as a means of provision against poverty in old age, and others have employed in- surance companies as a protection against death. Under the plan worked out by Mr. Gesell the Victory Account represents the valuable element in both the old plans. The Victory Account is protected by patents and also copyright.
Its principle is based on the fact that it is easier to deposit three dol- lars eighty-four cents a month and have forty-six dollars eight cents at the end of the year than to try to put forty-six dollars and eight cents into the bank the last week of the year. Such a deposit made regularly for a hundred twenty months with accumulated interest gives a with- drawal value of five hundred dollars, but with the distinctive additional feature of the Victory Account that the depositor or some other member of his family is, from the time of making the first deposit, insured so that if death occurs the bank immediately calls upon the insurance com- pany to make up the difference between the amount on deposit and its total objective, that is in the above example five hundred dollars.
In further explanation of the subject the following is quoted from Investment Review:
"Heretofore the most effective method of saving has been through the savings account or life insurance, and statistics show that in the United States only about ninety-nine people out of each thousand have a savings account while the proportion having life insurance is far less. Life insurance has not been primarily regarded as a method of saving and there has long been a need for something which would impress the
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American public with the vital necessity of systematic saving and in- suring."
The Company introducing the Victory Account to banks is headed by F. A. Gesell and Boyle Workman, one of Los Angeles best known financiers who was connected with the Home Savings Bank in official capacity for twelve years. They have associated with them a number of bankers and other men prominent in the affairs of the Coast.
About fifty banks in California, Michigan, Indiana and New Jersey have adopted the Victory Account, and consequently their service to the public now comprises checking accounts, Victory savings accounts and the regular forms of savings accounts. The corporation does not do business or come in contact with the public but simply furnishes the bank with advertising literature, Victory Account deposit books, etc. The Victory Account is spreading over the United States very rapidly. More recently the people of the Southwest have come to associate the name of F. A. Gesell with another great movement and undertaking, as one of the vice presidents of the League of the Southwest. The president and vice presidents of this League include the governors of eight of the southwest- ern states in addition to Mr. Gesell. Mr. Gesell is credited with exercis- ing much influence in building up the League from a small to a large organization, and he was largely responsible for the holding of the great convention of the League in Los Angeles on April 1, 2 and 3 of 1920. That convention was the making of the League of the Southwest a large and substantial organization.
The League is a non-political alliance between the states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah to foster closer social and commercial relations and to link the com- munities of the southwest in a spirit of brotherhood and the promotion of the civic, commercial and social interests of the territory.
Mr. Gesell, whose business headquarters are in the Garland Building at Los Angeles, is also identified with one of the substantial producing oil companies of the West and was active in its organization.
JOHN T. GAFFEY. A resident of California since he was seven years of age, John T. Gaffey has had a career of many interesting phases. He has been a practical newspaper man, has filled many public offices both appointive and elective, and has directed many large business affairs, though now practically retired.
Mr. Gaffey whose home is at San Pedro, was born in Galway, Ire- land, November 1, 1860, son of Thomas and Ann E. (Tracy) Gaffey. His mother's family was of old Norman Irish stock in Ireland while his father was Scotch Irish. In 1867 the mother brought her seven children by sailing vessel to America, and by way of the Isthmus of Panama landed at San Francisco. Going to Santa Cruz she bought a large cattle and sheep ranch. It was in this environment that John T. Gaffey grew to manhood. His early education was acquired in private schools and later at San Francisco he completed the work of the Lincoln grammar school and the Boys' high school. After one year in the University of California he returned to Santa Cruz in 1879 and there began his newspaper work as reporter for the Santa Cruz Courier. He was with that journal two years and then established the Santa Cruz Herald which he conducted for three years. After selling out he was appointed under sheriff of the county. At the close of his term of office he was appointed clerk of
JOHN T. GAFFEY
MRS. JOHN T. GAFFEY
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the Supreme Court of the Southern District, and the duties of that office brought him to Los Angeles. In 1886 he was elected a member of the Board of Equalization for the Southern District. After four years he engaged in mining in Old Mexico, and during his absence was elected a member of the School Board of Los Angeles. He returned in time to serve in that position for ten months. In 1892 he was elected a member of the City Council, filling the office for six months until he resigned to take charge of Stephen M. White's campaign, and handled it successfully until Mr. White was chosen a member of the United States Senate. For eighteen months beginning in 1894 Mr. Gaffey also served as managing editor of the Los Angeles Herald.
In 1893 he was appointed Collector of Customs by President Cleve- land for the Southern District including Riverside, Orange, Ventura and Los Angeles counties. At the close of his four year term he retired from politics and gave his efforts to his mining interests in Old Mexico and oil operations in Texas until 1906, when. he disposed of most of his holdings and has since enjoyed the comforts of his beautiful home at San Pedro, with only his private affairs to require his supervision. Mr. Gaffey is president of the Bandini Baker Estate Company, is a director of the First National Bank, is president of the Gaffey Investment Com- pany, and is a member of the California Club and the Bohemian Club of San Francisco.
June 1, 1887, he married Arcadia Bandini, daughter of Don Juan Bandini. They have two children, William T. and Mrs. Captain John Mell. The son William T., who was born at Santa Monica, was educated in college at Santa Clara and soon afterward entered the United States Navy. In 1917 he was commissioned an ensign and was in service until the close of the war, being now on the reserve list. The daughter was educated in the Sacred Heart Convent at Menlo Park.
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