El Monte from the Pioneer Days

As a prominent and successful walnut grower, William Shugg held rank among the enterprising citizens of the Mountain View District, his finely improved ranch of nineteen acres being located a mile and a half southeast of El Monte. Mr. Shugg was a native Californian, his birth having occurred in San Gabriel, November 26, 1863. His father, James Shugg, was born in Kelston, England, and was there reared to young manhood. He immigrated to America, and in Michigan, worked in the copper mines in the Lake Superior region. While thus engaged the great gold discovery of California turned his attention toward … Read more

Born April 11, 1859, in the Missouri River Bottoms near St. Louis, Missouri, C. B. Shobe, and early settler of El Monte, Came first to California with his parents when he was but five years of age. His father and mother were “Wash” and Jane (Duncan) Shobe, both natives of Osage County, Missouri. The family came to California by way of Salt Lake City in a large overland wagon train in the charge of Captain Wilhite. The train was threatened at times with Indian attacks, although no major conflict occurred or loss of life was suffered. Mr. Shobe and his … Read more

Solomon Shirpser was one of El Monte’s successful businessmen of the early days and later served as postmaster for a time. He was born in Warsaw, Poland, August 26, 1850, his father being David Shirpser, teamster by trade. When he was five years of age, Solomon Shirpser, with his parents, came to California by way of Panama, stopping at Placerville. Later, the family moved to Vancouver, B.C. In 1860, the family came to San Francisco where Solomon completed his education at Woodbury College. In the meantime his father had gone to Alaska and engaged in the fur trading business. Upon … Read more

A resident of El Monte for nearly fifty years, and esteemed and respected by its citizens, Ephraim J. Shirpser, has contributed much to the City’s improvement and growth. A native of California, born February 12, 1879, he is the son of Solomon Shirpser, a native of Poland, who came to California in 1860, by way of Vancouver B.C., settling first in San Francisco, and later moving to Mendocino County, where the subject of this review was born. When but three years old, E.J. Shirpser was brought to Los Angeles, where he was educated in the common schools, the first of … Read more

Beginning in 1900, and for over twenty-seven years thereafter, E. W. Selbach was one of El Monte’s successful businessmen, as well as a booster and civic worker for the city. He conducted one of the finest and most up-to date meat markets in the City, and built up a very thriving volume business. From the profits of his business and with the able assistance and co-operation of his wife, he built two residences and a number of business buildings on Main Street. Mr. Selbach was a native Californian, born in Pleasanton, February 7, 1871; his father, A. Selbach, was born … Read more

Among the early pioneers of El Monte is the name of Henry Schmidt. Being the “Village Smithy”, he was well known and had an important part in the building of the community in its early stages. He was born in 1842, in Luxenburg, France. After practicing his trade as a blacksmith throughout Europe for a number of years, he came to the United States in 1869. Immediately following his arrival in this country, he came directly to California, settling in the same year in El Monte. He established a blacksmith shop on Main Street, near the present location of the … Read more

One of El Monte’s successful and civic minded citizens, is F.P. Sappington, who came to El Monte when the populations was only about two hundred, with no public improvements, such as sidewalks, paved streets, or street lights. Mr. Sappington’s family history is a very colorful one, and one of which he is justly proud. Belonging to one of the oldest and most prominent families of St. Louis, Missouri, he was born in Sappington, near St. Louis, in 1871. Mr. Sappington was the son of T.J. Sappington, who was born in St. Louis in 1832. The grandfather, John Jr., was born … Read more

Another pioneer of El Monte coming to California in 1880 was David I. Ritter. Born in Herman, Missouri, December 19, 1845, he was the son of Florent and Nancy (Dickison) Ritter, farmers, who were of French birth. Mr. Ritter was educated in the local schools of his home community and remained at home with his parents until he was of age. By then engaged in farming on his own account in the home community in partnership with his brother. In 1880, following his marriage, he came to California, settling in El Monte on a plot of land on the south … Read more

Few early residents of El Monte and vicinity can recall more vividly their experiences or more colorfully describe events and conditions of the pioneer days than can Timoteo Repetto, who was born January 24, 1866, within a stone’s throw of the site of the old original San Gabriel Mission (first known as Mission Vieja) and situated some four or five miles southwest of El Monte. Born of Italian and Spanish parents, Timoteo Repetto is a son of Alexander and Cruy (Alvitri-Serrendell) Repetto, the former being born in Genoa, and the latter a native of California coming from one of the … Read more

The first public weighmaster in this district, is George B. Renfro, who for fifty years, has conducted a public weighing service at the same stand on West Valley Boulevard. Mr. Renfro was born on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River, in a log cabin, about fifteen miles from St. Louis, October 9, 1843. He is the son of James and Martha Renfro, natives of Illinois, and Missouri respectively. The father died in Illinois, in 1881, while he mother lived to come to California, where she died in the home of her son, the subject of this sketch in 1904. … Read more