Ventura County Biographies

L.  M. Lloyd

Submitted by Sandy Neder

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

 
L. M. Lloyd, a prominent business man of San Buenaventura, and a large property 
holder, was born in Lee County, Virginia, November 23, 1835. His father, Absalom 
Lloyd, was also a Virginian; but his great-grandfather, J. Lloyd, came from 
Wales. His mother, Elizabeth (Willis) Lloyd, was born in Johnson County, 
Tennessee, the daughter of Rev. Louis Willis, a clergyman of the Methodist 
Church; they were of German descent. Mr. Lloyd's father was married twice, and 
he was the first child of the second family. He studied law under the direction 
of General Tutt, of St. Joseph, Missouri, three years, and then was admitted to 
the bar. In August following he enlisted in Company C., Third Missouri Cavalry; 
was at first elected a First Lieutenant, and was afterward promoted to Captain. 
His term of service expiring at the end of three years, he went to Colorado and 
engaged in freighting from Nebraska to Denver. He was the first returned 
Confederate soldier that was admitted to the bar in Nebraska, awaiting the 
decision concerning the test oath, by Chief Justice Mason until sometime in 
1866; he continued in his profession in Nebraska City until 1871, when he 
returned to his old home in Missouri and lived there many years engaged in his 
calling. In 1874 he was elected States Attorney for two years, on the Democratic 
ticket, and in 1876 was re-elected. In 1878 he was elected to the State Senate 
from the Sixteenth Senatorial District, and also for the revision session of the 
State Constitutional Convention, serving three sessions. In 1884 he was 
appointed assignee of the Newton County Bank, under a bond of $190,000; and in 
1888 he closed the estate, having settled every claim against the bank. In 1886 
he visited California and Ventura County, and made investments which proved very 
successful. He bought 4,000 acres joining the town of San Buenaventura and 
partly in the corporation. A part of this property he sold at greatly advanced 
prices. He also owns three-fourths of the stock of the Ventura Land and Water 
Company, which firm owns 5,200 acres of land, subdivided, one of the finest 
stock and fruit ranches in the county. They have settled upon it a colony with a 
school-house. On his property here in the city he has built a beautiful 
residence, laid out large grounds and planted flowers, shrubs and ornamental 
trees; it will soon be the most delightful suburban resort and property in the 
whole county. This ranch is stocked with cattle and horses. He has also a 
three-fourths interest in a fine large furniture store in Ventura, stocked 
heavily with choice cabinet-ware, over which Warren E. Lloyd, his son, presides. 
While it is his good fortune to have quite a good share of this world's goods, 
it does not render him in the least van; and he may be seen at work with shovel 
and spade with his men, planting his trees and ornamenting his grounds, - as 
hard at work as if for wages to support his wife and children. He is a 
sagacious, well-informed business man and enjoys the good-will of his fellow 
citizens. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the A. O. U. W. Also 
one of the promoters and trustees of the Scorrit College at Neosho, Missouri.
    In 1864 he married Miss Sarah E. Bramel, born in 1839, in Missouri. Her 
father, John H., was a native of Virginia. They have six children: Lee W., now 
in the University at Berkeley, will graduate in 1892; Lora V., married to Mr. M. 
L. Montgomery; Warren E., at home with his father; Roberta T., also now in the 
University; Ralph B., and Eleanor P. Mr. Lloyd and his wife and family are 
members of the Methodist Church, South. They have been largely instrumental in 
the erection of a fine church edifice in Ventura, having donated about one-third 
of the cost of the property. They believe that Christianity should be the 
paramount principle in life, and that Christian institutions should be liberally 
supported.
 
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF THE COUNTIES OF SANTA BARBARA, SAN LUIS 
OBISPO, AND VENTURA, CALIF. by Ida Addis Storke, 1891, p 380