Los Angeles County

Biographies

JOHN CASPAR AVAKIAN, Los Angeles

Born Harpoot, Armenia, Mar. 1, 1875; his father, for forty-three years Dean Faculty of Euphrates Coll., that city. Early education in that institution; came to U. S., 1888; completed preparatory courses in Troy (N. Y.) public school and Cook Academy, Montour Falls (N. Y.), and finished freshman year at Colgate University. Lectured, 1895-7, in Canada and the eastern U. S. in behalf of persecuted Christians in Ottoman Empire; commercial traveler in New England States, 1897-8; student Rensselaer Poly. Ins., 1898-1902 (grad. with degree C. E.). From graduation to Apr., 1903, asst. eng. Lehigh Valley R. R. and locating eng. Buffalo, Dunkirk & Western R. R. Moved to Los Angeles; asst. eng. (U. S. Reclamation Service) on Yuma project, Ariz., and Klamath project, Ore., 1903-6; June, 1906, opened office in Los Angeles; Oct., 1908, organized Riverside Groves & Water Co. (capital, $1,000,000), of which he is Pres., Gen'l Mang'r and Chief Engineer. Assoc. mem. A. S. C. E.

SOURCE: Greater Los Angeles & Southern California Portraits & Personal Memoranda, Lewis Publishing Company, 1910, P.123

N. H. HAMILTON, Santa Monica

Born Ann Arbor, Mich., Feb. 17, 1852. Home in Minnesota from 1854 to 1878; grad. Winona High School 1871; student Univ. of Michigan, 1872-4; grad. Rush Medical Coll., Chicago, 1877. Resided in North Dakota from 1878 to 1893; came to Santa Monica for his health in that year and was appointed District Surgeon for the S. P. R. R. Co.; one of the organizers and first Pres. of Santa Monica Bay Hospital. Mem. American Medical Assn. (twenty-five years), California State Medical Society and Los Angeles County Medical Assn. In Masonry, mem. of Commandery and Mystic Shrine (Malaikah Temple); Signet Chapter No. 57 R. A. M. of Los Angeles and S. M. Lodge F. & A. M. No. 307. Dir. of Western Masons' Mutual Life Assn. of Los Angeles, and stockholder and dir. of Bank of Santa Monica. Republican. Mem. First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica; also, of Optimist Club of America and Committee of One Hundred on National Health. Married Oct. 21, 1887, to Miss Bertha R. Crookston; three daughters.

SOURCE: Greater Los Angeles & Southern California Portraits & Personal Memoranda, Lewis Publishing Company, 1910, P.124

HOMER HAMLIN, Los Angeles

Born on Pine Island, Minn., 1864. Educated in common and high schools. Came to California, 1886, locating in San Diego, where, in 1887, began civil engineering in City Engineer's office. Located in Los Angeles, 1895, and since been engaged in professional work; 1904-6, in charge of reclamation work at Yuma, Ariz. as Project Engineer; appointed City Engineer of Los Angeles (still in office), 1906; first year of his service completed the out-fall sewer for the city. Is Consulting Engineer for Los Angeles Aqueduct, and Chief Engineer Bureau Harbor Improvements of the city; one of the leading engineers of the Pacific coast. Married, 1889, Miss C. D. Smith.

SOURCE: Greater Los Angeles & Southern California Portraits & Personal Memoranda, Lewis Publishing Company, 1910, P.126

ROBERT DOLLARD, Santa Monica

Born Fall River, Mass., 1842. Educated public schools. Enlisted Apr. 16, 1861, Co. B, Fourth Mass. Inf., serving throughout the war; promoted through all grades to major, receiving that commission in October, 1864. Located at Galesburg, Ill., 1866; admitted to the bar, 1870; prac. there until 1879, when became first settler Douglas Co., Dakota Ty. Mem. of Senate Dakota Ty., First Constitutional Convention, 1883, South Dakota, also, of Second, in 1885; elected Attorney General under provisional government, and on admission of South Dakota, in 1889, became Attorney General of State, also member of House and Senate legislature of that state. Came to Santa Monica, 1907. Mem. Loyal Legion G. A. R. and K. of P. Married 1875, Carrie Dunn at Yates City, Ill.

SOURCE: Greater Los Angeles & Southern California Portraits & Personal Memoranda, Lewis Publishing Company, 1910, P.127