Los Angeles County
Biographies
THOMAS
D’ARCY QUINN
BEULAH
PEARL QUINN
Thomas
D’Arcy Quinn is the first and only man ever to be elected and re-elected to the
Alhambra City Commission for four consecutive terms – three for duration of
four years and one for duration of five years.
He has another first to his credit, in having been the only city
commissioner in the history of Alhambra to hold the elected office of mayor of
this community for five consecutive years, 1952 through 1957. Mr. Quinn’s steadfast leadership for honest
and positive government on city, county, and state levels has qualified him to
serve the citizens of Alhambra and San Gabriel Valley for a period of some
fifteen years.
Born
in Hoquiam, Washington, on May 10, 1903, Mr. Quinn is the eldest child of six
children, five sons and one daughter, of Thomas Edwin and Helen E. (Pichette) Quinn. His
ancestry on his father’s side of the family has been traced back to
pre-Revolutionary times. His
great-grandparents, Ellen (O’Drane) of Ireland, and
Oliver Edwin Hitchcock, of Canada, settled on Wolf Island on the Saint Lawrence
River in Canada in the 1700’s, where the Hitchcock family home still stands and
is currently used as a famous resort hotel.
Mr. Quinn’s grandparents were Mary (Hitchcock) Quinn, a native of Muskegon,
Michigan, and Dr. Thomas D’Arcy Quinn, of Ireland. Dr. Quinn was a prominent physician in
Michigan.
D’Arcy
Quinn, as he is known locally and throughout the state of California, attended
elementary schools in Hoquiam and in Benton City, Washington, where his family
moved in 1910. An ambitious young boy,
Mr. Quinn ventured into the business world at the age of eleven; his first
paying job was picking strawberries at ten cents a crate. Other jobs during his youth included punching
cattle, harvesting crops, water boy, driver of four-horse wagons, herding
sheep, working in lumber mills and in construction work. In 1916 the Quinn family moved to Portland,
Oregon, where Mr. Quinn attended Benson Tech, studying mechanical engineering. During World War I, D’Arcy Quinn served in
the Merchant Marines. His tour of duty
included various sections of the Pacific Ocean and the Orient. After the war, he returned to Portland, where
he began his career in the automobile business.
An
early interest in aviation prompted Mr. Quinn to learn to fly. The first plane he flew was the JN-4,
nicknamed the “Jenny.” He also piloted a
number of other World War I vintage planes, both military and privately
built. He was one of the pioneers to fly
gliders from Monterey Park Hills and at Redondo Beach, California. For a number of years, Mr. Quinn, piloting
his own “Jenny” aircraft, flew over Alhambra Park, dropping flowers for the
American Legion during their Memorial Day services. He also worked with many early aeronautical
inventors, engineers and others such as Bill Waterhouse, Dave Davis, Alan
Lockheed of Lockheed Corp., on experimental aircraft models. One project he worked on was the Davis
Airfoil Wing, which was used on the B-24 aircraft. Mr. Quinn helped to promote aviation in
southern California and has through the years, continued his interest in
flying.
Mr.
Quinn moved to Alhambra, California, in 1923.
In 1924 he started a used car lot on West Main Street, a business he
owned and operated for two years. During
1926 he went to work in a body and fender repair shop which was located on
North First Street, and in 1927 Mr. Quinn purchased an automobile paint shop on
South Garfield Avenue in Alhambra. In
this business he specialized in custom auto painting. He opened his own body and fender repair
shop, D’Arcy Coach Works, at a leased location at 140 North Garfield
Avenue. D’Arcy Coach Works was well
known for their high and unequalled custom quality body and fender work, also
doing specialized work in custom auto body building, automobile reconstruction,
customized auto painting, automobile tops and upholstering. Mr. Quinn personally built and redesigned
cars for many famous people throughout the United States. He built the first ambulance for the City of
Alhambra. On July 1, 1936, D’Arcy Coach
Works burned to the ground – a total loss.
This disaster left Mr. Quinn penniless:
his insurance had expired a month prior to the fire. Naturally his spirit was dampened for a
while, but with a strong determination and his desire to continue his
automobile reconstruction business, he began clearing the debris and remains
left by the fire, to begin anew.
Assisted financially by one of his well-to-do customers, Mr. Quinn
purchased the property at 140 North Garfield Avenue, and within a few months
began construction on a new modern arch-rib roofed building to house his
business. The building was the most
outstanding of its kind and size, fully equipped with the latest machinery for
the automotive field, at that time, in the San Gabriel Valley. A gala grand opening of the new D’Arcy Coach
Works and Alhambra’s first automobile show was held in October of 1936. During the three-day show, 60,000 people came
from miles around to view the display of new automobiles. The automobile show was co-sponsored by
D’Arcy Coach Works, local automobile dealers and the Post Advocate. This event
has never been equaled in the City of Alhambra.
Mr. Quinn owned and personally operated his business for twenty-seven
years, and in 1952 he purchased additional property, remodeled, and added to
his business the dealership of the Hudson Motor Cars. Ill health forced Mr. Quinn’s retirement in
1957, from actively participating in the business; at this time his brother,
Arch Quinn, took over the operation of the body and fender shop. The building is presently used as a
maintenance station for Pacific Telephone vehicles.
Thomas
D’Arcy Quinn married the former Miss Beulah Pearl Hill, of Los Angeles, on
April 29, 1928, in the church residence of Rev. Sanford MacDonald, of the First
United Brethren Church of Los Angeles, California. Mrs. Quinn was born in Hartwell, Georgia, the
daughter of Thomas Heard and Laura (Holland) Hill. She was educated in elementary and high
schools in the South and was graduated from Spencer College in Birmingham,
Alabama, in 1921, majoring in business.
Mr. and Mrs. Quinn are the parents of two daughters, Laura Lee (Mrs.
Charles R.) McMillen, of Alhambra, was born in the
Garfield Hospital in Monterey Park. She
attended Garfield Elementary School in Alhambra, and San Marino Hall School for
Girls in South Pasadena. Following her
graduation from Alhambra High School in 1946, she attended Pasadena City
College and Long Beach State College, majoring in business and business law. She and her husband are the parents of two
sons, Charles Russell (Rusty) and Thomas D’Arcy, both of whom are native
Alhambrans. Shirley Ann, (Mrs. Edward
Henry) Bowen, was born on December 30, 1930, in the same hospital as her
sister. She attended Garfield Elementary
School, graduating from Alhambra High School in 1949 and from the University of
California at Santa Barbara in 1953, majoring in elementary education. She and her husband, Edward H. Bowen, were
married on June 24, 1955, in the First Methodist Church of Alhambra. They reside in Laguna Beach, California,
where Mr. Bowen is an athletic coach at Laguna Beach High School.
There
are very few men, if any, in the City of Alhambra, who have worked as hard as
D’Arcy Quinn towards the betterment and proper growth of his community, without
regard for personal gains in his business or political aspirations. Mr. Quinn was appointed to the City Planning
Commission on January 7, 1947, serving in this body until June 29, 1948. He was elected to the Alhambra City Commission
on June 8, 1948, as Commissioner of the First District. During his fifteen years of service to the
City of Alhambra, Mr. Quinn has served in various capacities: Advisory Committee, Alhambra Emergency First
Aid Station; Parks and Recreation Commission, five years; Vehicle Parking
District No. 1 Commission, 5 years; chairman of Alhambra Civil Defense and
Disaster Council; president of the City Commission, 5 years; vice-president of
the City Commission, seven years; Commissioner of Finance, two years;
Commissioner of Public Works, two years; Commissioner of Public Works and of
Supplies, one year each; Commissioner of Public Affairs, four years; and as a
Police Reserve Officer. He has served
seven years on the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles County Division of the
League of California Cities; eleven years on the Board of Directors of the Los
Angeles County Sanitation District 2 and 16; and is currently serving on the
State Board of Directors of the League of California Cities. Through the years he has based his goals for
Alhambra on a non-partisan basis – believing that party politics have no place
and serve no worthwhile purpose on a municipal level of government. He is credited for his foresightedness in
initiating the off-street parking areas for the City of Alhambra. Another of his carefully planned
accomplishments was the proper development of Alhambra’s parks and recreational
facilities, foremost of which was the installation of hard-ball diamonds and of
Almansor Park.
Mr. Quinn was also instrumental in the formation of the San Gabriel
Valley Municipal Water District in 1958.
He has always felt the need for water conservation in this area of
southern California and has devoted many hours to the growth and development of
the water systems in the San Gabriel Valley.
Alhambra has gained prominence through the efforts of Mr. Quinn in his
leadership for the proper budgeting and financing of the city’s monies which
have upped the standards for local city government. He, together with Mr. Arlin
Stockburger, a former City Manager of Alhambra,
completed the financial plans and groundwork which eventually led to a New City
Hall building for Alhambra. In 1961, the
dream and illustrious vision of these two devoted men came true. A new one million dollar city hall, which was
completely paid for, had been completed and a dedication ceremony was held on
February 4, 1961.
Mr.
Quinn became executive vice-president of People’s Thrift of Alhambra in 1958,
serving in this capacity until the business was sold in 1961, at which time he
became president. He also serves on the
Board of Directors of First Thrift of Los Angeles. Aside from city and business duties, Mr.
Quinn’s affiliation with lodges and clubs are numerous. He is a Past Council Commander of Woodmen of
the World of Alhambra; holds membership in Granada Masonic Lodge No. 608,
Alhambra; Royal Arch Mason, San Gabriel Valley Chapter; B.P.O.E. (Elks) Lodge
No. 1328, Alhambra; Lions Club of Alhambra, serving as president in 1947 and on
their board of directors for two years; Chamber of Commerce of Alhambra,
Alhambra Downtown Improvement Association; Alhambra Y.M.C.A. Board of
Directors; Wing Nuts Association – with membership consisting of flyers of
World War I and II and airplane inventors; Glider Club of Alhambra, serving as
president in 1930; president of the Los Angeles County Division of the League
of California Cities and president of the Mayors’ and Councilmen’s Division of
the State League of California Cities; president in 1961, of the San Gabriel
Basin Water Development and Protection Association. He has also served as chairman of the
Community Chest Drive, and a member of this organization’s Century Club;
chairman in 1948 of the Alhambra Girl Scout Council Finance Committee, chairman
of the March of Dimes and on the Board of Directors of the Alhambra Community
Hospital. Mr. Quinn is the recipient of
many honors and awards: the Lions Club Civic Service Award in 1947; the Civitan
Club Civic Service Award in 1958; the second B’nai B’rith Man of the Year Award
in 1955; the Alhambra Y.M.C.A. Top Producer Award in 1960; the League of
California Cities Outstanding Service Award, 1958-59; and the Alhambra
Community Chest Honor Award.
For
relaxation Mr. Quinn’s hobbies are hunting and fishing, woodworking in his
workshop, various active sports, and anything related to aeronautics. During World War II Mr. Quinn was active with
the California State Guard, aiding in organizing a battalion in Alhambra. During the later years of the Second World
War he served as a chief petty officer in the United States Coast Guard
Reserve.
Pearl Quinn, as she is known locally, is also
active in civic and community affairs.
While her daughters were young, she was active in the Girl Scouts and
Brownies, serving as troop leader and on the Alhambra Girl Scout Council. She and Mr. Quinn were the first among those
who were initially responsible for the purchase of the Girl Scout House in
Alhambra. She is a member of the
Alhambra Chapter No. 193, Order of the Eastern Star, and is a charter member
and first vice president of the Alhambra Community Hospital Women’s Auxiliary,
and a member of the San Gabriel Valley Chapter of the Children’s Hospital
Auxiliary. She is a charter member of
the Alhambra Friends of the Library and a member of the First Methodist Church
of Alhambra. She and Mr. Quinn are
members of the San Gabriel Country Club.
Transcribed
by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Historical Volume &
Reference Works Including Alhambra, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel &
Temple City, by Robert P. Studer, Pages 375-381,
Historical Publ., Los Angeles, California.
1962.
© 2012 V.
Gerald Iaquinta.
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