Jonathan Sayre Slauson (1829–1905) was a
land developer
Land development is the alteration of landscape in any number of ways such as:
* Changing landforms from a natural or semi-natural state for a purpose such as agriculture or housing
* Subdividing real estate into lots, typically for the purpose ...
in 19th century
Southern California
Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most po ...
who was responsible for establishing the town of
Azusa Azusa may refer to:
Relating to California
From a Native American language, likely Tongva ''Asuksagna:''
*Azusa, California, a city in the United States
*Azusa Pacific University, a Christian-based institution in Azusa, California
*Azusa Street Rev ...
and mayor of
Austin, Nevada
Austin is an unincorporated small town in, and former county seat of, Lander County, Nevada, United States. In 2020, the census-designated place of Austin had a population of 167. It is located on the western slopes of the Toiyabe Range at an ...
.
Biography
Early years
Slauson was born in
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 401,310. The county seat is Goshen. This county was first created in 1683 and reorganized with its present boundaries in 1798.
Orange ...
, on December 11, 1829. He went to an academy in
Poughkeepsie, New York
Poughkeepsie ( ), officially the City of Poughkeepsie, separate from the Town of Poughkeepsie around it) is a city in the U.S. state of New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsi ...
, completed school at the age of sixteen and then studied law, first with a private attorney and then at the New York State Law School, from which he graduated in 1854.
["Wealthy Philanthropist and One of the Best Known Men in Los Angeles Passes Away at His Home—Long Illness Ended"]
''Los Angeles Herald'', December 28, 1905, pp. 1–2.[
Slauson spent nine years as an attorney in New York City, but ill health impelled him to move to ]Austin, Nevada
Austin is an unincorporated small town in, and former county seat of, Lander County, Nevada, United States. In 2020, the census-designated place of Austin had a population of 167. It is located on the western slopes of the Toiyabe Range at an ...
, in 1864, where he became a miner and was also elected mayor. Later, he resumed his law practice, this time in partnership with Charles E. De Long. Between 1868 and 1874 he lived with his family in San Francisco, California.[
In the latter year the Slausons moved to Los Angeles, where he founded the Los Angeles County Bank, which he sold to John E. Plater.][
Slauson purchased about 5,800 acres of land east of Los Angeles and was once called "the father of citrus fruit culture in the foothill region" and "the father of the town of Azusa" because of his holdings in the Azusa region. In 1886, he sold half the acreage to J. D. Bicknell, I. W. Hellman and others and retained 800 acres, which he incorporated as the Azusa Land and Water Company and laid out the design of a town. He also planted "Orange and lemon trees of the choicest budded varieties." He also became a landowner in ]Ontario, California
Ontario is a city in southwestern San Bernardino County in the U.S. state of California, east of downtown Los Angeles and west of downtown San Bernardino, the county seat. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire metropolitan area, ...
, and in Los Angeles.[
Slauson, who was president of the ]Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce
The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce is Southern California's largest not-for-profit business federation, representing the interests of more than 235,000 businesses in L.A. County, more than 1,400 member companies and more than 722,430 employ ...
and the Sunset Club, a social organization, contributed to establishing and assisting churches throughout Southern California
Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most po ...
. His other charities included the Boys' Home at Garvanza
Garvanza is a neighborhood in northeast Los Angeles. Fourteen Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments are located in the neighborhood.
History
The town of Garvanza was originally part of the Rancho San Rafael, owned by Jose Maria Verdugo. Its na ...
, the Los Angeles YMCA
YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams in London, originally ...
, a Los Angeles orphan asylum, the Salvation Army
Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its c ...
Rescue Home, and he raised a fund for the erection of a monument to Spanish–American War veterans in Central Park, now known as Pershing Square.[
He was elected to the ]Los Angeles Board of Education
Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) is a public school district in Los Angeles, California, United States. It is the largest public school system in California in terms of number of students and the 2nd largest public school district in ...
on December 5, 1904, for a two-year term, but he resigned on September 23, 1905.
Slauson died December 28, 1905, and was survived by three children, Mrs. Louise Marshall (wife of Hugh Livingstone Macneil), Mrs. Kate Vosburg and James Slauson.["Death Calls Honored Man"]
''Los Angeles Times'', December 28, 1905, pp. 1 and 8. Thousands of people attended along the route of the funeral cortege and in the vestibule of the City Hall, where Slauson's body lay in state. The procession to St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral was accompanied by a detachment of militia. After a private service at the family home, 2345 South Figueroa Street, interment was at Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery
Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery is a cemetery in Los Angeles at 1831 West Washington Boulevard in the Pico-Union district, southwest of Downtown.
It was founded as Rosedale Cemetery in 1884, when Los Angeles had a population of approximately 28,000, ...
.["Thousands Take Last Sad View"]
''Los Angeles Herald'', December 31, 1905, p. 18."Reverently Laid to Rest"
''Los Angeles Times'', December 31, 1905, p. 14.
Slauson Avenue
The street Slauson Avenue
Slauson Avenue is a major east–west thoroughfare traversing the central part of Los Angeles County, California. It was named for the land developer and Los Angeles Board of Education member J. S. Slauson. It passes through Culver City, Lad ...
was posthumously named and dedicated to him.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Slauson, J. S.
1829 births
1905 deaths
Burials at Angelus-Rosedale Cemetery
History of Los Angeles
School board members in California