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In the beginning
During the late 1880’s four men who were successful in both banking and railroad , converted what was known as the Mission property of the old Rancho Santa Anita into a community. With only scattered homes and several dirt roads, they managed to build a small town, which was "typical of its time, yet unique in spirit." With oak trees still standing, the founders of Monrovia cleared 60 acres for the townsite plot located at Myrtle Avenue and Orange. On May 17, 1886, lots were sold for the first time at $100 to $150 each. However, in order to purchase a plot, each owner was required to build at least a $2,000 house within the first six months. This protected the town from land speculators and allowed it to survive during the collapse of the land boom. The four founders who made up the townsite committee made promises to plant 8,000 pepper trees along the streets, provide free water to the town, and electric street lights. The company’s president was William Monroe, the secretary was John Bicknell, and the treasurer was Edward Spence. Founding Fathers William Monroe William Monroe was not the first settler in the city of Monrovia, however, he was the most important of the four founders. He was born in Scott County, Indiana on June 4, 1841 and attended the University of Ashland. While at college, the Civil War broke out, so Monroe enlisted in the first Cavalry of the Union Army. During his enlistment he married Mary Jane Hall who was a school teacher in Kearney, Nebraska. Milton Hall, the father of Mary, hired Monroe after the war to help build the Union Pacific Railroad west from Omaha, Nebraska. He would later become superintendent of construction for the Southern Pacific Railroad and after several lines were built, he elected to retire and move his family to California. In 1875 Monroe took his family to Los Angeles. By 1880 he had become a member of the City Council and was very active in the community. With money earned from selling a train carload of mules and the railroad jobs, Monroe bought a total of 210 acres from E.J. "Lucky" Baldwin. In 1884 he moved his family into a tent until they built a small cottage. Today the address is 255 Monroe Place. The Monroes lived here until 1889. The family traveled with Monroe during his railroad business and would return to Monrovia often between work trips. At the age of eighty-six Mrs. Monroe passed away and three years later Mr. Monroe died at the age of ninety-four. William Monroe and his family are buried in Live Oak Cemetery on Duarte Road in Monrovia. William Monroe found success in a variety of careers including school superintendent, banker, hotel manager, mayor, council member, real estate developer, broker, railroad contractor and railroad superintendent. However, we will be remembered for the town he founded. James Crank James Crank was born in Bushnell, New York in 1842 and moved to California in 1874. Crank’s biggest venture was the construction of a steam railroad which passed through the northern half of the San Gabriel Valley. It contended with the Southern Pacific and wiped out the exclusive possession of the big four, Huntington, Crocker, Stanford and Hopkins. The railroad passed through Monrovia to the San Gabriel River and in March, 1887, connected with the Santa Fe which was building westward to San Bernardino. People came from the East to Southern California by way of the Santa Fe. Contention between Santa Fe and other railroad companies became intense. In order to get the most passengers, companies lowered the price of tickets as low as $1 to ride from Kansas City, Missouri to Los Angeles. 200,000 people bought tickets at this price. Many outsiders arrived in Monrovia by way of the this railroad and helped in the development of the town. Although James Crank never resided in the city of Monrovia he purchased land from Lucky Baldwin and aided in the onset of Monrovia. John Bicknell Judge John D. Bicknell was born in Vermont, and later moved to Jefferson County, Wisconsin where he attended college. Troubled by his asthma he elected to move to California for the pleasant weather. In 1860 he joined a group of emigrants and at the age of 22 was elected captain of the expedition directing them to Knights Landing in California. John Bicknell stayed in California until he was twenty-five years old, then resolved to go back to Wisconsin to study law. At the age of thirty-seven, he brought his wife to Los Angeles and purchased a home. They had four children. Bicknell became a lawyer for the Southern Pacific and later for Huntington and the Los Angeles Suburban Railway. Through the railroads he met William Monroe. He was president of Western Oil Co. and vice president of the First National Bank with his friend E.F. Spence. He was associated with Crank in the Sierra Madre Vintage Co. John Bicknell purchased property from Lucky Baldwin and banded with the other founders to initiate the town of Monrovia. Bicknell had two daughters who lived in Monrovia, however John Bicknell never resided there. Edward Spence Edward Spence who arrived in Nevada City, California in 1852 participated in mining and was a merchant there for many years. He organized the Commercial Bank in 1872 and helped organize the First National Bank and would become its president in 1881. James Crank and John Bicknell were vice-presidents of this bank. Between 1884-1886, Spence was the mayor of Los Angeles and put together the first salaried fire department. During his term the rate war began for the Santa Fe Railroad which had reached Los Angeles. William Monroe met Mr. Spence and after becoming friends, Monroe told him about the land he had bought in the San Gabriel Valley. Spence elected to purchase land as well. Spence’s first visit to Monrovia was with Sir Arthur Sullivan, composer of music from H.M.S. Pinafore, The Mikado and other Gilbert & Sullivan operas. Edward Spence is reported as being the one who suggested Monrovia as the name for the city. Jeremiah Falvey Although history states that four men founded Monrovia, there is another gentlemen who should be mentioned as one of the founders. Lucky Baldwin resided on a very large ranch so he hired Jeremiah Falvey as his foreman to mange it while he traveled. Falvey was in charge of hiring and firing the workers, taking care of the land, and deciding what should be done with the crops and animals. He knew everyone on the ranch and greeted visitors that arrived. Mr. Falvey met and talked with Monroe and the other founders of Monrovia when they came to talk to Mr. Baldwin about buying some of his land. Falvey decided to buy land as well on December 1, 1885. Jeremiah Falvey owned land in Monrovia until 1903 and assisted in organizing the new town, but he never lived in Monrovia. |