Pioneers leave legacy of development

Dan and Margaret Campbell, who were among Glendale’s leading

pioneers, became involved in many facets of this city’s life during

the 30-plus years of their residency. Dan served as vice president at

one of Glendale’s earliest banks, later opening his own banks. For 14

years, he served as trustee of Glendale Union High School, the same

school his three children attended.

He was also involved in real estate. One of his earliest ventures

was in 1908 when he and George T. Holman, who was active in real

estate operations, teamed up to open a tract bounded by Lexington

Drive, California Avenue, Central Avenue and Maryland Avenue, or to

be precise, one-half block east of Maryland.

The promoters called the tract Glendalia Park and offered lots

with frontages of about 50 feet at prices ranging from $850 to

$1,500. The price included cement sidewalks, curbs, oiled roadways

and newly planted black acacia trees.

Palm trees had already been planted on the main thoroughfare

running north and south, which had been named in honor of L.C. Brand,

the entrepreneur behind so many real estate deals. Incidentally, his

wife, Mary Louise Brand, was honored with two streets named after

her, Louise and Mary. Mary quickly became Maryland, according to

George Goshorn, writing in the Aug. 3, 1964 Glendale News-Press.

Milford, an adjacent street not in the Glendalia Park tract, was

named for Campbell’s Irish mother-in-law, Mary Milford McPeak.

Dan and Margaret were also part of Glendale’s social life. They

were active members of the Glendale Presbyterian Church. They also

associated with the Masonic Lodge. Dan achieved places of honor in

all the higher Masonic orders and Margaret was a prominent Eastern

Star member.

Their oldest son, Dan Jr., became a Ford dealer for many years,

while their younger son, Arthur, entered the dental profession. He

attended USC and opened a dental office in Los Angeles. Their

daughter, Kathleen, attended Pomona College and USC.

In 1923, the Campbells subdivided most of the acreage surrounding

their home near L.C. Brand. A few years later, they left on a

nostalgic trip across the continent where they boarded an ocean liner

and crossed the Atlantic, back to their childhood homes in Ireland.

They had not been in Ireland since their marriage there in 1900.

On their return, they settled back into their comfortable home,

Ard Eevin, looking forward to a leisurely retirement. But Dan became

ill at the age of 59 and after several weeks in a Los Angeles

hospital, he died in April, 1932. Funeral services were conducted at

Glendale Presbyterian Church, with the pastor, Dr. E.W. Edmonds,

officiating. Dan was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Glendale.

Just a few months later, Margaret died at the family home in north

Glendale.

* KATHERINE YAMADA’S column runs Saturdays. To contact her, leave

a message at 637-3241. For more information on Glendale’s history,

contact the reference desk at the Central Library at 548-2027 or

visit the Special Collections Room at Central. It is open from 1:30

to 5:30 Saturdays or by appointment.