Boyle-Workman family facts for kids

The Boyle-Workman family was a group of important families who helped build and shape Los Angeles. They were active in the history of early Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Basin and San Gabriel Valley areas, and all of Southern California. Their influence stretched from the 1830s, when California was part of Mexico, through the 1930s, after California became a U.S. state.

David Workman: A Pioneer's Journey

David Workman (born November 7, 1797, died July 1855) came from England. When he was about 20 years old, he moved to the United States around 1817. He settled in Franklin, Missouri, where he started a business making saddles.

David's saddlery business did very well. One of his young helpers was Kit Carson, who later became a famous scout and explorer. David also traveled a lot, buying and selling goods in Mexico and other places.

In 1850, David visited the California gold fields. Two years later, he opened a store in Sacramento, California. After a big fire destroyed his store and most of the town, David visited his younger brother, William Workman, in California. William was a successful cattle rancher at the Rancho La Puente, east of Los Angeles. William convinced David to move to California.

David married Mary Hook, but she and their baby died during childbirth. He then married Mary's sister, Nancy (born May 13, 1807, died January 30, 1888). They had three sons: Thomas H. (1832–1863), Elijah H. (1835–1906), and William H. (1839–1918). While David was away on business trips, Nancy raised their sons in Missouri. In 1854, the family moved to California, arriving in Los Angeles in October.

David helped his brother by moving cattle and sheep to the gold mines. On one of these trips in 1855, he was killed in Stanislaus County, California. He was trying to get a lost animal and fell down a steep cliff. David Workman was buried in November 1855 at his brother's private El Campo Santo Cemetery. This cemetery is now part of the Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum in City of Industry, east of Los Angeles.

After David's death, his wife Nancy and their sons moved to Los Angeles. Thomas died in a boat accident in 1863. However, Elijah and William had successful careers. They worked as saddlers, bought and sold land, and became bankers. Both served on the Los Angeles City Council in the 1860s and 1870s. William H. Workman even became the mayor of Los Angeles from 1887 to 1888. He also served as a parks commissioner and city treasurer. William's grandson, Boyle Workman, was on the city council from 1919 to 1927 and was its president. He wrote a book called "The City That Grew" in 1935, which is still read today.

Andrew A. Boyle: A New Start in Los Angeles

Andrew A. Boyle (born September 29, 1818, died February 9, 1871) was born in Ireland. After his mother died, his father moved to America and was never heard from again. Andrew and his siblings followed, hoping to find their father, but they couldn't. Andrew eventually joined an Irish community in Mexican Texas. During the Texas Revolution in 1836, his army unit was destroyed by Mexican forces. Andrew was the only survivor because his sister had helped the Mexican military commander and begged for her brother's life.

Boyle later moved to New Orleans, where he married Elizabeth Christie. They had one daughter, Maria Elizabeth (1847–1933). Boyle did business in Texas and Mexico. On a trip home, his ship sank in the Gulf of Mexico. When it was reported that no one survived, Elizabeth Boyle became very sick and passed away. Boyle left his daughter with relatives. In 1851, he moved to San Francisco during the Gold Rush and ran a shoe store. He later sent for his daughter Maria. In 1858, they both moved to Los Angeles.

In Los Angeles, Andrew Boyle bought land east of the Los Angeles River. This area was called "Paredon Blanco," which means "White Bluffs." He had a successful vineyard there and also ran a shoe store in town. He built the first brick house in the area and lived a comfortable life. He died at age 53 in 1871.

Boyle became a member of the Los Angeles Common Council, which was the city's government. He served from 1867 to 1868 and again in 1870.

The Next Generation: Building Boyle Heights

After Andrew Boyle died in 1871, his daughter Maria Elizabeth Boyle married William H. Workman in 1867. William H. Workman was the son of David Workman.

In 1875, William H. Workman divided parts of the "Paredon Blanco" land and created a new neighborhood. He named it Boyle Heights after his wife, Maria Elizabeth Boyle Workman. A tough economic time the next year stopped the neighborhood from growing much. But then, during a big growth period in the 1880s, Boyle Heights began to expand. This happened while William H. Workman was the mayor of Los Angeles from 1886 to 1887.

Boyle Heights was a popular place to live until the end of the 1800s. From the 1920s to the 1950s, it became a neighborhood with many different cultures. Today, it is mostly a Latino community.

William H. Workman and Maria Elizabeth Boyle Workman's son, Boyle Workman, was also a mayor of Los Angeles twice. He wrote the book The City That Grew, which tells the history of Los Angeles.

See also

• Boyle-Workman family
  • William H. Workman (January 1, 1839 – February 21, 1918)
  • Boyle Workman (September 20, 1868 – December 25, 1942)
• Workman-Temple family
  • Pliny Fisk Temple (Francisco P. Temple or F.P.T.) (February 13, 1822 – April 27, 1880)
  • Josephine M. Workman – Mona Darkfeather (January 13, 1883 – September 3, 1977)
• Workman and Temple Family Homestead Museum
  • El Campo Santo Cemetery
  • Evergreen Cemetery, Los Angeles