Los Angeles County
Biographies
GERMAIN
PELLISSIER
PELLISSIER, GERMAIN (Deceased), Capitalist and Sheep Raiser, Los Angeles, California, was born in Hautes-Alpes, in the South of France, September 24, 1849, the son of John Francois Pellissier and Adelaide (Bellue) Pellissier. He married Marie Julie Darfeuille, a native of Paris, at San Francisco, California, June 6, 1876, and to them there were born two daughters, Marie Louise and Adelaide.
Mr. Pellissier, the youngest of a family of ten children, was of one of the old houses of France. The homestead in which he was born, a picturesque stone structure, stands after more than one hundred and fifty years, a historic landmark of Hautes-Alpes. His father was a stockman and farmer, a man of position and culture, who died in 1866 at the age of seventy.
Germain Pellissier, who is remembered as one of the pioneers in the upbuilding of Southern California, was reared on the estate of his father until he reached the age of seventeen. He had attended the public schools of his district meantime, and worked with his father in the raising of sheep, so that, despite his youth, he was thoroughly familiar with the details of the industry.
In 1867, within a year of the death of his father, Mr. Pellissier, determined to visit America. He was possessed of some money, and full of the adventurous spirit of youth, felt that the New World offered better promise for a young man than did his own France. He arrived in San Francisco, February 2, 1867, and for the next few months studied the conditions of that part of the State, but in August, decided to visit Southern California, and located at Los Angeles, which immediately presented to him advantages so alluring that he decided to make his home there permanently.
At this time Los Angeles was a pueblo, with only a few thousand inhabitants and an actual municipal area of twenty-eight square miles, while in 1913 the city limits of Los Angeles comprise 107.62. Mr. Pellissier established his residence at Seventh and Olive streets, then outside the city limits, but a district which became one of the important business centers of Los Angeles. He remained there for twenty-eight years, having built in 1888, the Pellissier Block, which at that time represented the most advanced type of business building. This property still is retained in the family, but the home was transferred many years ago to Cahuenga Boulevard, where the family has since resided.
It is an interesting historical fact and a commentary on the great appreciation of realty values in Los Angeles that the land where the home is situated could have been purchased by Mr. Pellissier, upon his arrival in the city for $1.25 an acre. Several years later he purchased 200 acres for $25 an acre, and this same land is now valued at thousands of dollars per acre. The greater part of the property is still owned by the Pellissier family, but certain portions of it were sold and the district is now one of the very attractive residence sections of Los Angeles.
Mr. Pellissier entered the sheep raising business shortly after his arrival in Los Angeles, and soon became one of the most extensive herdsmen in the Southwest. His flocks ranged over three counties and were counted by the thousands. He was a student of the wool industry and early found that the climate of Southern California was conducive to large yields, so he devoted the greater part of his time to the improvement of his stock. He bettered the breed by importation from France and Australia and so long as he continued in the business, was the owner of the finest sheep in Southern California. In one year he made a record by obtaining a shearing of sixty-two and one-half pounds from one buck. Afterwards a buck raised by him was sold in Australia, perhaps the greatest sheep-raising country in the world, for $2200. He was chiefly noted as the breeder of the famous Rambouillet strain.
Towards the latter part of his life, Mr. Pellissier retired from the sheep-raising industry and as Los Angeles began to grow he concluded to dispose of much of his land for subdivision purposes and reduced the original two hundred acres to about eighty.
All during his residence in Los Angeles, Mr. Pellissier was an enthusiastic worker for her upbuilding and gave liberally of time and money to further the interests of the city. He was a Republican and aided his party to success in various campaigns, but never sought or accepted public office. He was prominent also in financial circles and at one time was an officer and stockholder in seven different banks. A man of fine business talent and mature judgment, he was an important factor in their deliberations.
Mr. Pellissier served for many years as President of the French Benevolent Society of Los Angeles. He was regarded as one of the substantial business men, held membership in various organizations devoted to civic betterment and enjoyed the esteem of the entire community.
He was fond of travel, and on various occasions, accompanied by members of his family, made extended tours of Europe. He not only visited his birthplace in France, but traveled through other countries, including Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Italy.
He was called by death January 15, 1908, and is survived by his wife and two daughters.
Transcribed
2-10-11 Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 588, International News Service, New York, Chicago, San
Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta.
1913.
© 2011 Marilyn R. Pankey.
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