Los Angeles County, CA, Biographies

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


J. F. HOLBROOK, 
 
manufacturer of pipe, No. 43 Vine street, Los Angeles, was born in Adams County, 
Indiana, July 21, 1846, a son of Nicholas and Mary (Wehfel) Holbrook.
During his boyhood be attended school at Fort Wayne, Indiana, and learned his 
trade at the same place. Then he went to Pittsburg and worked at his trade until 
1868, and the following year came to California, reaching San Francisco in the 
fall of 1869. He went to San Jose and was there two years. Returned to San 
Francisco and resided there until in the spring of 1873, when he came to Los 
Angeles for Barber & Regan to supervise the manufacture of fourteen miles of 
iron pipe for Cerro Gordo.  During the following year he engaged in business 
with Charles E. Miles in the manufacture of water pipe. They took the contract 
to manufacture three miles of pipe for the Indiana Colony, now Pasadena. In 1875 
Mr. Holbrook bought out his partner's interest, and since then has been sole 
proprietor of the business. He is the oldest pipe manufacturer in Southern 
California. His shops are 70 x100 feet in ground area, giving employment in the 
busy season to twenty and twenty-five hands. He also has large shops at Colton, 
where he employs thirty‑five to fifty hands. He has put in seven miles of pipe 
twenty-four inches in diameter; has manufactured over 150 miles of various sizes 
since he started in business. In 1883 he organized the Union Iron Works, carried 
it on for
three years, and sold to the present owner. Since then he has devoted his whole 
attention to the development of his business. Mr. Holbrook was married January 
1, 1874, to Miss Lora M. Commons, a native of Jefferson County, Missouri. They 
have three children: Fred W., Racine and Charles E. They lost one daughter, 
Jessie.
 
An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California �  Chicago, The Lewis 
Publishing Company, 1889   Page 508
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler