Herbert P. Barton -- 1013 South Westlake Ave.

As a great-nephew of Clara Barton, founder of the Red Cross, Herbert Parks Barton (1866-1925) settled into the health profession after his graduation from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia in 1890. He served on the New York City Board of Health for two years, then moved to Denver for two years to practice.

An ad for Montezuma Stock, 1900

In 1897 he moved to Southern California, where he settled in Ontario, setting up his practice while helping that city form its Board of Health. Brother Clarence came out to Riverside, where he was listed as a publisher in the 1900 census. That same year Herbert and his family, consisting of wife Frances (Vasseur) (1867-1922), and one son Chandler (1894-1952), moved to Los Angeles. He and Clarence made an investment in the Montezuma Oil Company, which tried drilling in Riverside County, which had had one low-producing well to that point.  They sold out a year later to Minnesota interests, without finding oil.

By 1904 Herbert had changed direction back to health, forming the Clara Barton Hospital near downtown. Starting in a small location at Pico and Hope St., they grew quickly and by 1906, had moved to 447 S. Olive Street, where they were to remain until Herbert's passing in 1925.

The success of the hospital no doubt contributed to the family's reason to move to a new house on South Westlake. Previously they had lived in a smaller place on South Flower closer to the hospital, and that neighborhood was changing from residential to business.

The Barton Residence in 1909

In the Westlake house according to the 1910 census were Herbert, Frances, son Chandler (now 15), and a house servant Hannah Mathson.

Besides the main hospital, a nurse training school was formed, providing skilled nurses to Los Angeles hospitals. Under various names the school continued through 1989.

In 1910, an additional wing for the hospital was begun, adding seventy additional beds on six floors to the facility. Advertising in the annual street directory provided this view of the hospital in 1915:

A 1915 Ad for the Hospital (from lapl.org)

Chandler in the UC
Berkeley Annual in 1916

Son Chandler went off to college at UC Berkeley, with a short break for service in WWI, receiving both an A.B. and M.A. degree with a major in Philosophy.  No doubt if Chandler were alive today, he would be surprised to find his Master's thesis "Individualism and the State: Hegel vs. Plato", available on today's world wide web.

He returned to Los Angeles after college to his parents' home now at 715 S. Ardmore, where he is listed in the 1920 census as a "magazine writer". After a brief marriage around 1930, Chandler ultimately ended up in San Francisco, where he passed away in 1952. He is buried in Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno.

It is believed that in 1922 Frances passed away, as in the following year both Herbert and Chandler are noted as residing at the University Club downtown. Herbert is still there in the 1926 directory, but it is believed he passed away the year prior, since in 1926 the hospital merged with Hollywood Hospital, closing the doors at the South Olive location. By 1929 the name Clara Barton Hospital had disappeared from the directories.

Meanwhile back at 1013 S. Westlake, the next recorded occupant is Del Nethercott, a carpenter who was there in 1927. By 1930 he is gone. Then in 1952 Walter C. Eismann (1914-2001) and wife Eleanor arrive, with Walter's father and mother (W.C. Sr. and Margaret) living next door at 1015. By 1965 Walter and Eleanor have moved on, but Margaret remains next door through at least 1973. Addressing hints at a house now subdivided. By 1987 the site has become what it is today.

Yes, it is the parking lot for a McDonald's. Now that's progress.

Further info:
bio of Herbert Barton
burial site of Chandler Barton
picture of Herbert Barton, 1910

Ben White -- 1327 S. Burlington Ave.

To say Ben White (1870-1946) worked in real estate would be putting it mildly. From his beginnings in San Francisco, he moved to Los Angeles in 1892, and almost all of his public record is related to real estate brokerage. For example he ran thousands of daily ads in the Los Angeles Herald. Between 1900-1910 over 4,000 ads appeared. A particularly prolific day from 1905 is listed below. Of the 23 showing, 17 belonged to Ben.

The Bryson Block
after "modernization"

By 1900 Ben had set up shop in the Bryson Block on the third floor (note office 304 in the ads above). He was to stay in the building until the late '20s when he retired. His business efforts seemed to be selling or exchanging property, rather than investing himself, with rare exception.While for the most part he ran his own business, he partnered in 1901-1902 with William V. Lawlor, who had moved with his wife to L.A. from Butte, Montana in a vain attempt to improve her health. After Mrs. Lawlor died, William moved on to Seattle, then back to Butte, where he set up shop once again in real estate until his death in 1910.

In 1902/3 Ben married Anna Roes from San Francisco (b. 1871). It appeared that Ben was previously married with three children from a prior relationship. In 1907 the Whites moved into their new home on Burlington, just a block away from fashionable Alvarado Terrace. Daughter Dorothy (b.1907) and son Clarence (b.1909) show up with Anna and Ben in the 1910 census, but not sons Ben A. (b.1896) and Carroll, nor daughter Melba.

The Ben White Home in 1909

 With the mature trees out front, it appeared the house was built before the turn of the century--many grand houses from the late 1890's were built four or five blocks north around that same time.

So after going to the expense of getting listed in Greater Los Angeles, what did Ben do? Why of course he moved the family--not too far over to Washington Blvd. (then Street) where he stayed for a few years. In a different publication of 1913, an article on Ben mentioned his commercial success.

"..in the year 1911 in his office and on his properties in Los Angeles he had more than twenty-five employees. He has become very heavily interested in country property in all parts of California."

Ben in 1910

During that time he took a rare plunge into something other than real estate. On property in Temescal Canyon near Corona, he announced the discovery of oil, and had a well drilled. Unfortunately the well must not have produced much, as in 1921 it was reported that a try with a second well was about to begin. Nothing else was reported . Back to real estate.

By 1915 the Whites had moved once again, but this time to stay.  They bought a home at 1012 N. Heliotrope in east Hollywood, and this became their home until Anna's passing in 1943, followed by Ben's passing in 1949. Son Ben A. came "home" to be counted in the 1930 census.

After the Whites left 1327 S. Burlington, the house had a series of owners/renters until the mid 1930's. The 1920 census found Henry McGee (age 50, cabinet maker), wife Mary, son Fred, and daughters Bertha and Ada. By 1924 Miss Rachel Summerlin, saleslady for the Viavi Co. had moved in. Evidently Viavi was a system of proprietary remedies designed to increase the health of its consumers. A 400+ page book on archive.org can tell you more if you're so inclined.  By 1935, Ethel Tarter (age 51) became the owner and main resident, coming from Las Vegas. Married to Erasmus, a railroad engineer, the 1940 census doesn't show Erasmus at home, but Ethel's full-grown son Earl and his wife live there along with a young grandson. Earl worked as a mechanic, his wife was noted as a beautician.

The close to downtown neighborhood continued its inexorable slide. Nearby apartment buildings were erected, isolating the house, and by 1956 Ethel is renting rooms, living in "Apt. 2" at the address. She continues to do so through 1965, with no one appearing to be in "Apt. 1" if there was such a location. Ethel died in 1966, and by 1973 the house address disappeared from the address books, no doubt an indicator of what the site still is today--a parking lot.

1327 in the outline above (click for larger Google Map)

Thanks, Ben--there are probably not too many photos of the old house still around.

E. H. Lahee -- 1018 South Magnolia

Mr. Lahee ca. 1895

Eugene Horace Lahee (1845-ca.1928), came to the Los Angeles area in 1898 from Chicago, deciding on Covina and purchasing a successful fruit farm. He was originally from Utica, New York, but attended Shurtleff College in Alton, Illinois (now part of the Illinois University system), where he probably met his wife Louise Clawson (1845-ca. 1928), who was born in Alton.  He was an active member in Sons of the American Revolution, where he had the small photo at right taken.

E. H. was elected mayor of Covina for six years, and as the head of the Pacific Electric right-of-way committee, he was critical in convincing landowners to provide right-of-way through El Monte to Covina. (Not everyone was happy though, as indicated by this lawsuit in 1909). As president of the local library association, he led the committee for Covina to procure a Carnegie Library for Covina (which they did), and went on to lead as chairman of the California Library Association.

So what did the Lahees do after all of this Covina success?  They retired to Los Angeles, of course, and settled in this lovely home on Magnolia Street.

1018 S. Magnolia St. in 1910

Odds are good that the Lahees are the ones in the image above. In 1910 the census lists the Lahees, a cousin and one servant in the house.

By 1920 though, retirement must have changed, as the Lahees have moved to 5th Avenue, and then again to 2119 1/2 South 3rd Avenue, where they're both last found in 1928.

And the house? By 1932 four people with different last names are to be found there--indicating it had become a rooming house. The house is found with people through the late 1980's, then the listing disappears from the directories.

Today the lot is the part of the playground for Leo Politi Elementary School, noted for its after-school program.

Today's neighborhood--the green arrow shows the approximate location of the old house.

(courtesy of Google Maps)