Los Angeles County, CA, Biographies

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


JAMES L. HOWLAND.
 
        The most extensive nursery in the San Jos� Valley is that owned and 
conducted by the above-named gentleman. His nursery grounds of seventy acres in 
extent are located on Cucamungo avenue, within the town limits of Pomona, and 
about two and a half miles north of the business center of that city. Fully 
forty acres are
devoted to nursery purposes. His productions range from the useful and 
ornamental trees and vines to the most delicate floral productions.  Of citrus 
fruit trees he has 20,000, budded mostly with Washington Navels, and 75,000 of 
the most approved seedlings. Foreseeing the future demand for olive trees, he 
has entered extensively into their production, and has nearly 200,000 of those 
trees, such as his research and study have convinced him are the best suited to 
the climate, soil, etc., of the San Jos� Valley. Of deciduous fruits he has 
about 20,000 trees, comprising a large number of varieties. His shade and 
ornamental trees and floral productions comprise almost innumerable varieties, 
covering in scope the floral world of Southern California. In addition to his 
nursery, Mr. Howland is engaged in fruit-growing, having twenty acres in olive 
trees, ten acres in orange and lemon trees, besides deciduous fruit trees in 
much smaller proportions. All these improvements, including extensive hot 
houses, buildings, complete water system for irrigation, etc., have been made by 
him within the past four or five years. He purchased his land from George B. 
Adams, in 1885. It was originally a portion of the Loop and Meserve tract, and 
until that year was in a wild and uncultivated state. Mr. Howland is a native of 
Massachusetts, dating his birth in Barre, in 1862. He was reared and schooled in 
Springfield, at which place his father, James Howland, a native of Massachusetts 
and a descendant of an old Colonial family, was engaged in business as a 
druggist and chemist. Mr. Howland received the benefits of a good education, 
graduating at the excellent High School of that city. He also, at the age of 
fourteen years, commenced the study of his father's profession, and was employed 
in his store until 1879, when the death of his father left the business 
dependent upon himself. This he successfully conducted until 1882, when he came 
to California and located in the San Jos� Valley. Upon his arrival he determined 
to turn his attention to horticultural pursuits, and entered into the nursery 
business with S. Gates, near Pomona. This partnership existed until 1885, when 
he established his present enterprise. He has achieved a success in his
business that is well merited, for with his industrious habits and sound 
business principles he combined a careful study and research in his calling that 
is commendable. Mr. Howland has other landed interests in San Jos� Valley, among 
which are 600 acres of improved land lying north of his nursery farm and along 
the foothills. A large portion of this land is well adapted to olive culture. 
Mr. Howland is a Republican in politics, and takes an earnest interest in the 
protection policy of that party. He is a member of the National Guard of 
California, being commissioned as First Lieutenant in Company D, Seventh 
Regiment. He is unmarried. His mother, Mrs. Mary E. (Thorpe) Howland, resides 
with him. He has one brother; Harry A. Howland, who is a resident of Pomona.
 
An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California �  Chicago, The Lewis 
Publishing Company, 1889   Page 752
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler