Los Angeles
County
Biographies
RUFUS
WARD McCONNELL, SR.
One of the oldest and most colorful
residents of San Gabriel Valley is Rufus Ward McConnell, Sr. This spry gentleman has observed the progress
and growth of the Valley for a half century.
Mr. McConnell came to California in
1912, with hopes of becoming associated with a law firm, from Texas where he
served two terms (4 years) as County Judge in Parmer County, Texas. He was elected to this position on a Democratic
ticket. He practiced law for seven years
in Texas, holding a W. L. B. law degree, after passing the Texas Bar exam.
The son of a Missouri homesteader,
Mr. McConnell was born on a farm in Greenfield, Missouri, on February 18, 1872,
where he was raised. His parents were
Elbert and Mary E. McConnell. A teacher
in country schools in Missouri, Mr. McConnell is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Law at Columbia.
After his arrival in Alhambra in
1914, and his failure to establish himself with a law firm, Mr. McConnell went
to work for the Alhambra Post Office.
His plans were to stay with the Post Office for about one year while
looking for an opening in the law profession, but to his surprise, he became so
fond of his job as a rural mail carrier he stayed in the postal service until
he was retired at the age of 65, after 23 years of service as a postal
employee.
This man of varied interests, and
who is some 90 years young, enjoys telling about the early days in
Alhambra. He used a horse and buggy to
deliver the mail at the on start of his career.
Mr. McConnell, one of the two mail carriers during the early phase of
Alhambra’s history, recalls the dirt roads of his 25 mile long route, which
took him to what is known as San Marino,
San Gabriel, Rosemead, Temple City, the southern part of Pasadena, as well as
all of Alhambra. “Las Tunas was the only
oil covered road in those days”, states Mr. McConnell. A man with many friends and fond memories of
his life as a mailman, Mr. McConnell remembers well the friendly people on his
route. Carrying a lot of news as well as
the mail, Mr. McConnell
often
found sweet treats, such as cookies and cakes, left for him in the mail boxes
along the roads. His patrons remembered
him at Christmas time with gifts, some of which he still has in his
possession. In 1923 Alhambra was given
the appointment of a Postmaster and did away with rural routes. At this time Mr. McConnell transferred to the
San Gabriel Post Office, where he remained until his retirement. If he had worked in an office he would have
been dead 20 years ago, claims Mr. McConnell.
His
generosity in loaning his law books to a friend who had nothing to read led to
fame for Sam G. Bratton, State Senator from New Mexico, who later became a Federal
Judge. A member of Phi Delta Phi Honor
Fraternity, Mr. McConnell became a Mason at the age of 22. His hobby is reading western books. He frequently states he was born 50 years too
soon, as he would like to have lived in the Old West.
In
Plainview, Texas, he married Ann E., on October 10, 1906. Mr. and Mrs. McConnell have three daughters,
Mary Ann, former music supervisor of San Gabriel schools; Doris Chatem, and Lois Stenson, who
reside in North Hollywood. The
McConnell’s are proud of their four grandchildren and three
great-grandchildren. During his 89th
year Mr. McConnell obtained his driver’s license, good
for one year, enabling him and his wife to visit his family more often.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Historical Volume & Reference Works Including Alhambra, Monterey Park,
Rosemead, San Gabriel & Temple City, by Robert P. Studer,
Pages 678-679, Historical Publ., Los Angeles, California. 1962.
© 2013 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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