June 12, 2019

Born in Alsace Lorraine, February 3, 1842, Frank A. Forst, El Monte’s first undertaker, emigrated to America in 1863, and a short time later came to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama. Mr. Forst was the son of Joseph and Saloma Forst, who were also natives of France, and who died in that […]

California is justly proud of her educational advantages and facilities, which compare favorably with those of any other state of the Union. Prominent among the well-known instructors and educators, of Los Angeles County and El Monte in particular, is Professor E.A. Farrington. Mr. Farrington was born January 5, 1860, in Franklinville, New York. His father,

One of El Monte’s early settlers, a successful rancher and walnut grower, was Lewis Farmer, born in Harlan County, Kentucky, May 15, 1848. His parents were William C. and Catherine (Bronson) Farmer, natives of Kentucky; Lewis was the first-born of a family of ten children. Remaining at home until he was twenty-two years of age,

About a mile and a half southeast of El Monte may be seen one of the finest walnut groves of Southern California, the pride of its owner, William Elliott, until his death in 1913. When he purchased this property, consisting of seventy acres of wild, barren land, it gave little indication of its present beauty

Alexander Elliott, a brother of William Elliott, a sketch of whom is found elsewhere in these pages, was born in 1862, in Paisley, Scotland, coming in 1867 to Ontario, Canada, with his parents, where he lived until 1884, when, with his brother William, he came to California and settled near El Monte. Mr. Elliott engaged

James R. Durfee, successful rancher and realtor, and a native son of El Monte, was born January 22, 1874. He is the son of James D. and Diantha (Cleminson) Durfee, well known early pioneers of this district a sketch of whom is to be found elsewhere in this work. James R. Durfee, was educated in

James D. Durfee was one of the most successful farmers of this district. His fine farm is located on the Temple Road, about three miles south of El Monte. Mr. Durfee was born in Adams County, Illinois, in 1840. His father, James Durfee, was a native of Rhode Island, and his mother, Nee Cynthia Soule,

Coming to El Monte in 1893 when twenty years of age, Afred C. Drake, has been an active worker in the development and growth of the walnut industry in El Monte. Born March 10, 1873, in New York State, he was an only son of James and Martha (Vincent) Drake, the former of whom was

William R. Dodson for thirty-six years, proprietor of The Dodson Hotel, was born in Crawford County, Arkansas, in 1839. his father Gainaim M. Dodson, was a native of Halifax County, Virginia, who in 1833 went to Kentucky, where he married Miss Nancy P. Thompson, a native of that state, and later settled in the county

Rollie Frank De Garmo, a well known rancher of this district came to California in 1894, and after finishing his education in Williams Commercial College, at Pasadena, he engaged in farming near San Gabriel, moving later onto a fifty-three acre tract near El Monte. In 1899 he moved to Long Beach, where he conducted a