FELIPE N. LUGO

Los Angeles County

Biographies

FELIPE N. LUGO

Felipe N. Lugo was a scion of one of the old Spanish families of California, whose domain once included what is now the towns of Bell, Downey, Belvedere, Montebello and Lynwood. The San Antonio school in the latter place was named in honor of Antonio Maria Lugo. Felipe N. Lugo was born on May 26, 1866, in the old adobe house near Bell on that part of the old Lugo ranch, the house having been built by Vicente Lugo, father of Felipe. The old rancho formerly was known as Javoneria, because soap was manufactured on it by the Lugos. The adobe house is still standing as a landmark of the old Spanish regime.

The first of the Lugo name to come to California was Jose Antonio Lugo, who came from Spain and settled at Monterey, California, with his family and there a son whom they named Antonio Maria was born in 1784. The elder Lugo received a grant of land from the King of Spain consisting of 29,000 acres and this grant he located in southern California as above mentioned and apportioned it to his sons. Antonio Maria Lugo had a home at the corner of what is now San Pedro and Second streets, also one at the rancho, and in these houses his children were born. Vicente Lugo, father of Felipe, was a cattle raiser and accounted a very prosperous man. The early Spaniards engaged in raising cattle and they also entertained the traveler in royal style. Two sons of Vicente Lugo, Andrew and Pedro, are still living on the ranch on Gage boulevard.

Felipe Lugo returned to ranch life after finishing his education and with his two brothers, Andrew and Pedro carried on a prosperous business of raising and training fine carriage and racing stock. Felipe became one of the best known men in that business in this part of the state. He died on June 20, 1932, aged sixty-six years, and his funeral was conducted from Our Lady Queen of Angeles Church, where four generations of the family have worshipped.

Mr. Lugo was married on August 18, 1888, to Miss Victoria Avila, one of the daughters of Felipe Avila, a member of another of the old Spanish families and of whom more mention is made in the sketch of Mrs. Petra Fraters on another page of this history. The living children of this union are: Andrea, who married Frank Smith, and is the mother of three children, Alicia, Robert and Fred; Felipe, Jr., who married Ida Olivas, and is the father of two sons, Robert and Jerry; Roberto; Tomas; Isidora, who is the wife of Harry Carter; and Martha, who married D. E. Castillo and has a son Tomas. The family home is at 344 East Thirty-fifth street, Los Angeles.

Transcribed 2-18-12 Marilyn R. Pankey.

Source: California of the South Vol. II, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 121-122, Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.

GOLDEN NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPIES

GOLDEN NUGGET INDEX