Los Angeles County, CA, Biographies

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 
CHARLES W. DAVIS, 
 
architect, Downey Block, North Main street, Los Angeles, is a native of 
Massachusetts, born in Newburyport, March 24, 1826. His parents and grandparents 
were natives of the same State. During his boyhood the subject of this sketch 
attended school in his native town and served an apprenticeship of five years in 
learning the trade of carpenter and joiner. He next entered the office of a 
leading architect in Boston where he remained two years. In 1849, during the 
gold excitement in California, he determined to come to the Pacific Coast, and 
sailed on the ship Euphrasia, Captain Charles Buntin, and was six months and 
fourteen days on the way. When be landed in San Francisco all he had was a $2.50 
gold-piece, and board at that time was $7 per day. His ability as an architect 
was fully
appreciated at that time and his services were in active demand. He immediately 
engaged in business and was the contractor and builder of the Jewish Synagogue 
Immanuel on Satter street, Rev. Thomas Starr King's Church, the Silby Shot 
Tower, the Robert Watt Block on Kearny street, the Tucker jewelry store on 
Montgomery street, and many other prominent buildings; thenceforward he devoted 
his time exclusively to his profession.. After a residence of twenty years in 
San Francisco he resided in Santa Cruz four years, and then, in 1874, he came to 
Los Angeles, where he has since been actively identified with the progress of 
this city. With one exception he is the oldest in his profession in this place. 
He has operated in real estate, laid out the Davis subdivisions on Washington 
street, and has been very successful in his investments generally. He owns the 
Golden Eagle Ranch on the National boulevard, where he has registered Jerseys 
for sale at all times, some of the choicest stock in Southern California. He has 
done much to improve this part of the city. His success in life is owing to his 
own unaided efforts, and he is naturally liberal and generous. For his first 
wife Mr. Davis married Caroline Collins, of Amesbury, Massachusetts; she died, 
leaving three children, two of whom are yet living. For his present wife he 
married Miss Frances Parks Tuttle, of Los Angeles, March 8, 1879. They have two 
sons: Edward W. and Calvin W.; and two daughters, Frances Pearl and Anna 
Diamond.
 
An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California �  Chicago, The Lewis 
Publishing Company, 1889   Page 730
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler