George Dexter Whitcomb facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Dexter Whitcomb
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| Born | May 13, 1834 Brandon, Vermont, United States
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| Died | June 21, 1914 (aged 80) Glendora, California, United States
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| Nationality | American |
George Dexter Whitcomb (May 13, 1834 – June 21, 1914) was an American inventor and businessman. He is best known for starting the town of Glendora, California.
Contents
A Life of Building
Early Years and Railroads
George Dexter Whitcomb was born in Brandon, Vermont, in 1834. He was one of eight children. His family later moved to Ohio. There, his father worked as a shoemaker and mechanic.
Young George went to public schools. He also worked for a railroad company. He was a ticketing agent and a telegraphist. This job helped him pay for business college in Akron, Ohio. This was the start of his long career with railroads.
In 1856, George moved to Saint Paul, Minnesota. He managed a company that traded with Native Americans. In 1857, he met Leadora Bennett. Her father was a famous steamboat captain. George and Leadora married in 1859.
Soon after, they moved to Chicago. George went back to working for railroads. He became a purchasing agent. When the American Civil War began, he joined the Union Army. His job was to make sure Union railroads had enough supplies.
Building a Business
After the Civil War, George Whitcomb kept working with railroads. He saw how much the country was growing west. He helped build a big bridge over the Ohio River. He also helped lay hundreds of miles of track.
By 1865, George was a top purchasing agent. He then started his own company in Chicago. It was called Whitcomb Mining and Manufacturing Company. This company made machines for coal mining. It also helped develop coal fields. These coal fields supplied the railroads.
In 1871, the terrible Great Chicago Fire destroyed much of the city. George's company offices were rebuilt. Chicago was growing fast after the fire. It was a time for new ideas and big dreams.
George Whitcomb helped with this growth. He kept making mining machines. He also made other small machines. After the First transcontinental railroad was finished in 1869, people needed coal more than ever. They needed faster and safer ways to get it.
Miners used to dig coal with pickaxes. They used mules and wagons to move it. George saw a need for better ways. He invented a small battery-powered train. This train could pull coal cars safely out of mines. He also made better coal drills. These inventions made mining faster and safer.
By the late 1870s, George had a successful company. He had a nice home in Chicago. His family had grown to include more children.
A New Home in California
However, his son Carroll and his wife Leadora became ill. Doctors suggested a warmer climate. Places like Arizona or Southern California were recommended. George always put his family first. He wanted to do whatever he could to help them.
Travel to the West was much faster now. It used to take months, but railroads cut it to six days. Southern California was a popular place. People went there to escape harsh winters and humid summers.
George Whitcomb searched the Los Angeles Basin. He decided to move his family there. He would still run his company, now called the Whitcomb Locomotive Works. He would use telegraph messages. His trusted employees in Chicago would help him.
By the early 1880s, his family lived in Los Angeles. George then focused on his biggest project. He wanted to create a new town.
Founding Glendora
He found a large piece of land. It was once part of a Mexican land grant. George bought hundreds of acres. He teamed up with John W. Cook and Merrick Reynolds. Together, they formed the Glendora Land Company. They also started the Glendora Water Company.
George built a big, 26-room house. He planted groves of oranges and other fruit trees around his home. Once his family was settled, he started planning his new town.
He named the town Glendora. It combined two words. "Glen" was for the glen in the San Gabriel Mountains where his home was. "Dora" was his wife Leadora's nickname. So, it became "Glendora."
The company worked to build the town's infrastructure. They wanted Glendora to be a strong "family town." They built a hotel called the Belleview. They also built a land office. Both were beautiful buildings.
George donated land and money for a school. He also gave land for a church. They drilled to find a good water source. Streets were planned and named. Thousands of Peruvian pepper trees were planted.
George also worked to bring the railroad to Glendora. He talked with railroad leaders. He used his past connections to make sure the train tracks came near the town. He also brought a Los Angeles newspaper to Glendora. This helped tell people about the new town. The town was designed to attract "solid" families. They needed schools, churches, and good businesses. Glendora's basic setup was finished in less than three years.
George Whitcomb cared deeply about Glendora for the next 30 years. His home was a busy place. Many important people visited him there. He convinced Glendorans to wait to make Glendora an official city. He wanted Los Angeles County to pave roads and make other improvements first. Glendora became a city in 1911.
He also helped bring the Pacific Electric Red Cars to Glendora. These light rail trains connected the town to Downtown Los Angeles. George helped start the Glendora School District. He served on its first board.
George and Leadora often traveled to Chicago. They also visited Rochelle, Illinois. This is where his Geo D. Whitcomb Company factory was located. The factory now made trains, cars, and mining equipment.
His Legacy
George Dexter Whitcomb passed away on June 21, 1914. He was 80 years old. He died at his home in Glendora. He was buried in Inglewood Cemetery in Los Angeles. He left behind his wife, three sons, and three daughters.
His company, the Whitcomb Locomotive Works, kept going until 1930. His beautiful home in Glendora was destroyed by fire in the 1920s.
Today, Glendora still honors him. There is Whitcomb Avenue and Whitcomb High School. The Whitcomb Courtyard is at the Glendora Historical Society. But his greatest legacy is the city of Glendora, California, itself.
See also
- Geo D. Whitcomb Company
- Partin Manufacturing Company (automobile company)
