Los Angeles County, CA, Biographies

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


F. J. GILLMORE, 
 
of Pasadena, was born in  Newton, Massachusetts, in August, 1854, and passed his 
early years as a clerk in a general store, receiving an ordinary school 
education. In 1874 he came to California with his mother, who was in feeble 
health, and, after spending a winter here, returned East and attended the 
Centennial. At this, the greatest exhibition the world has ever seen, he learned 
thousands of lessons which one can not learn from books. The next year he came 
again to California, settling in that most favored nook in this world, Pasadena. 
Here he purchased seven and a half acres on Orange Grove avenue, and planted it 
in fruit trees. After devoting a year's time to the improvement of this place, 
he moved into Los Angeles and engaged first in mercantile business and then for 
four years in the grain commission trade. At the expiration of this time he 
returned to Pasadena, where he has since resided, on Orange Grove avenue, 
devoting most of his time to the interests of his estate. He has speculated 
considerably in real estate with marked success. He spent one winter in Florida, 
and can now positively testify that Southern California is far ahead of that 
State, in respect both to the productiveness of the soil and perfection of 
climate, and the intelligence and spirit of enterprise of the people. Mr. 
Gillmore has always taken an active part in politics. During the Presidential 
campaign last year he was chairman of the Los Angeles County Republican 
Committee, and was an efficient worker. The Republican majority was about 3,700, 
a most surprising and highly gratifying result, as it entitled the county to the 
honor of being the banner Republican county of the State. The Republicans of 
Alameda County, the former banner county, have since presented to the Los 
Angeles County committee a beautiful flag as a token of the honor so justly 
earned. This flag is in charge of Mr. Gillmore, to whose efforts the grand 
victory is mostly due. He is a gentleman of rare intelligence and affable 
manner. The characteristics of his pleasant nature are so impressive that they 
cannot be forgotten.
 
An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California �  Chicago, The Lewis 
Publishing Company, 1889   Page 484
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler