Los Angeles County
Biographies
WILLIAM H. HAY
Looking back over a long and useful life W. H. Hay has every reason to be proud of what he has accomplished, for every step of his progress has been characterized by faithful performance of the duty at hand, and a willingness to do a little more than was expected of him. As he is advanced in years and was accorded the position that was his in his home community by reason of his ability, he discharged the responsibilities of good citizenship with the same conscientiousness, and still continues to do so, having more time to devote to civic affairs than formerly, when engrossed with his personal matters.
After many years of active support in the Municipal League, Mr. Hay was appointed in 1935, by Mayor Shaw, a member of the Board of Water and Power Commission. Upon the selection of Mr. Hay, Mayor Shaw received many letters congratulating him on Mr. Hay’s appointment. It is such men as he who make up the great bulwark of the American people, who can be depended upon to do what is right just because it is the proper thing to do and not for fear of punishment or with hope of reward. As has been said by one especially familiar with his career, “He has done much to further the civic and material upbuilding of Los Angeles and such have been his life and labors as one of the world’s great army of constructive workers that there is all of consistency in awarding him representation in this publication.”
Mr. Hay was born at Hamilton, Canada, October 14, 1864. The town of Hamilton, Ontario, was named in honor of his grandfather Hamilton, who went to Canada on a sailing vessel from Scotland. William and Hamilla (Hamilton) Hay, parents of the Los Angeles real estate man, were both born in Scotland and were married in Glasgow. William Hamilton was a Presbyterian minister, and died of apoplexy while engaged in that profession in Canada. His widow afterwards came to Los Angeles, where she died in 1893.
William H. Hay was educated in the public schools of Canada and was fifteen years of age when he came to Los Angeles in 1880. On April 8, 1888, he completed his naturalization as an American citizen before Judge Lucius Shaw, now a member of the State Supreme Court of California. For about sixteen years, Mr. Hay was associated with J. F. White in the real estate business at 4 East First street. He learned the business with Mr. White and afterwards for about ten years they were associated in partnership as White & Hay. For about ten years he was associated with C. E. Norton, the firm of Norton & Hay being located at 318 West Third street. Their office, occupying the ground floor of the building there, was the best known real estate establishment of that time. Since the death of Mr. Norton about 1911 Mr. Hay has carried on his business under his own name.
Mr. hay became interested in farm and ranch property at West Hollywood in 1904 and has developed that district so rapidly that it is now solidly covered with handsome residences. He also put on the market the railroad tract adjoining the depot at San Bernardino and originally owned what is known as Marygold Acres adjoining the Rialto in San Bernardino county. His interests during the last several years have been chiefly concentrated on a magnificent property in the San Fernando Valley, bisected by the beautiful California State Highway. This subdivision is known as Encino Acres and comprised originally over four thousand five hundred acres, has all the basic improvements which make such property immediately available to purchasers. He also marketed the one hundred and sixty acres known as Crescent Heights, West Hollywood, running along Sunset and Santa Monica boulevards, but this property is now all sold.
Mr. Hay is a member of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, a life member of the Los Angeles Athletic Club, a member of the Automobile Club of Southern California, the Municipal League, Young Men’s Christian Association, and the National Defense League of California. During the war he donated use of a sixteen room house on Sunset boulevard [sic] in West Hollywood to the Red Cross for sixteen months. The West Hollywood Red Cross Auxiliary was organized there. Mr. Hay is also said to possess the finest collection of minerals in California.
Mr. Hay is a widely traveled and cultured gentleman. In 1908 he made a trip around the world, going by san Francisco to japan, visiting the larger cities of China, then to Vladivostok and across Siberia by the great Siberian railroad to Moscow, visiting St. Petersburg, Berlin, Paris, London and thence across the ocean to New York and across the continent to his home state. Politically Mr. Hay is a republican [sic] and was one of the staunchest supporters of Hiram Johnson.
Mr. hay was one of the public-spirited citizens of Southern California who advanced two thousand dollars each for the original survey leading to the expansion of San Pedro Harbor.
Mr. Hay will serve on the following committees of the Board: Land, of which he is chairman; Construction, Contract and Purchasing; Employment; Finance, and Public Relations.
Mr. Hay is the owner of the garden of Allah Hotel, one of the finest on the pacific coast.
Mr. Hay married in 1932, Mable H. Garbin, a native of Iowa and descendant of a prominent family. They have one of the finest homes in San Fernando Valley.
Transcribed by K.V. Bunker 9 Feb 2013.
Source: California
of the South Vol. V,
by John Steven McGroarty, Pages
525-527, Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los Angeles,
Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2013 K.V. Bunker.
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BIOGRAPHIES