Los Angeles County
Biographies
THEODORE
RIMPAU
Enshrined in the hearts of those who knew him is the memory of the life of the
late Theodore Rimpau, a California pioneer, who
marched in the front rank of the columns which lead the way to the subsequent
development and progress of the region. He was essentially a big man - big in
that power which understands conditions, grasps situations and molds
opportunities into tangible assets. He had rare judgment and men learned to
lean upon him with the confidence those men can command who prove that they
possess that great wisdom and that uprightness of purpose which is the
handmaiden of wisdom in accomplishing results and lasting benefit. It was in
1848 that Mr. Rimpau arrived in California, and
through his personality and his gracious family relations it was given him to
maintain a truly patrician influence in connection with the social life of the
early pioneer days, while he played a large part in civic and material
development and progress. The fine patrician strain that was instilled by him
and his gracious wife had continued to be in marked evidence in the later
generations for the family that today has representative who keep alive the
spirit and generous hospitality which so notably pervaded the social life of
the early days of the history of California.
Theodore Rimpau was born in Germany, September 28,
1826, a son of Christian and Matilda (Frietz) Rimpau. He was reared and educated in his native land and
became a man of fine intellectual attainments, in which connection it is stated
that he had exceptional facility in the command of six languages. His father, a
prosperous grain merchant, controlled a large export business with other
countries of northern Europe as well as with Great Britain. A scion of one of
the old titled families of Germany, Theodore Rimpau’s
genealogical records date back four centuries, while records of earlier years
had been destroyed by fire.
The name of Rimpau came into historical prominence
and became a part of the early history of California when Theodore Rimpau, then only twenty-two years old, arrived in Buena
Vista, the nucleus of the present city of San Francisco, February 20, 1848.
With some of his countrymen he had crossed the Atlantic Ocean and disembarked
at the port of Havana, Cuba, where he and his companies spent six months. The
first enterprise in which Mr. Rimpau engaged after
landing in Havana was the establishing, in partnership with one of his cousins,
of the first sugar refinery in the western hemisphere. The plague known as the
“black vomit” was then ravaging the country, causing the death of this cousin,
after which Mr. Rimpau left for New York. When the report came that gold had been discovered in California,
Mr. Rimpau was one of the first men to start for the
new Eldorado. He took passage on a vessel which came around the Cape
Horn and landed in San Francisco Bay. Seeing ht e opportunities offered in the
new country he soon bought some ships and began doing a shipping business along
the coast from San Francisco to San Diego, and also engaged in the mercantile
business. He met with success and reverses. Storms destroyed his vessels and a
fire consumed his stock of merchandise. He then decided to come south to the
pueblo of Los Angeles, where later a great part of the Avila family holdings
came under his direct supervision. These he developed until they constituted a
vast estate of considerable value.
It was in the dreamy old Spanish pueblo that Theodore Rimpau
formed the acquaintance of the beautiful Francisca Avila, whose father, Don
Jose Francisco Avila, owned one of the largest Spanish grants of the early days
of California’s history. A sketch of the Avila family will be found on other
pages of this history. On this grant is now located the Los Angeles high
school, many of the city’s better residences, Rimpau
Hill, Wilshire Crest, Washington Square and other important centers. Francisca
Avila became the wife of Theodore Rimpau on December
23, 1850, the ceremony being performed by Reverend Father Sanchez, one of the
pioneer padres, in the old Plaza Church. The bride’s father was born in Spain,
while her mother, Marcelina Encarnacion
Avila, was a native of Los Angeles County and a daughter of Don Ramon
Sepulveda, who was the owner of a large grant - land which today is the site of
Santa Monica, Venice, Ocean Park, Sawtelle and other
towns in the immediate vicinity. The wedding of Mr. Rimpau
and Miss Avila was the first mixed marriage in Los Angeles after its conquest
by the Americans, and connected him with one of the distinguished Spanish
families of California that had settled here with the advent of the founders of
the missions. The first couple here to celebrate their golden wedding
anniversary was Mr. and Mrs. Rimpau.
In 1860, Mr. Rimpau left Los Angeles to take up his
abode on his estate, situated between the city and Capistrano, a property now
known as Irvine ranch. It was in 1868 that he moved to the site of Anaheim,
where he was one of the founders of the village. Here he made his permanent
home on the twenty acres of land, which he improved and which is now owned by
two of his daughters. With the other German colonists he introduced the grape
industry in to California. He also resumed mercantile activities by opening one
of the leading stores in Anaheim, which he and his
sons, Adolph and Fred C., conducted with success for twenty years, and later
with these sons he engaged extensively in raising sheep, which during one
particular dry year were driven by Adolph as far as Salt Lake City with the
loss of but of the large brand. Mr. Rimpau had a strong sense of civic duty and it was his
pride and joy to aid in all that made for a finer and better community. He
served as the first mayor of Anaheim, occupying the office two terms, and his
service as a school trustee covered a quarter of a century. With him there was
no compromise with anything he did not believe to be right. He was quick to
recognize and appreciate true worth, and his life in its thoughtfulness and
consideration for others was outpouring of a kindly, generous and noble spirit.
His wife passed away February 7, 1903, at the age of seventy-one years. He died
in Anaheim on October 3, 1913, aged eighty-seven years.
There were fifteen children born to Mr. and Mrs. Rimpau.
Adolph, who was born in October, 1851, was associated with his father in
business, and with others laid out the city of Corona, Riverside County. He was
engaged in the real estate business under the name of Rimpau
Brothers and later took charge of the Rimpau estate,
which he carefully and wisely managed until his death on October 16, 1916. He
had married Miss Natalia Carrillo, who represented one of the old Spanish
families of southern California, and they had five children born to them.
Albert Rumaldo Rimpau was
born in Los Angeles, June 7, 1853, and served as a deputy in the county clerk’s
office for a time. Later he subdivided, improved and sold large blocks of real
estate. He married Miss Rosa Belle Woodworth, and they had five children. He
died November 25, 1910, and his widow died in 1925.
Fred C. Rimpau was born March 13, 1865, in an adobe house
at 16 Olvera Street, near the Plaza. This structure
was the first state capitol building in California and constitutes one of the
oldest landmarks in Los Angeles, for it was withstood the elements for more
than one hundred twenty-five years. It was already old when in 1847 it was
occupied by Commodore Stockton, who made it his headquarters while here. It was
occupied by John C. Fremont, “The Pathfinder,” and it was here that the first
American flag was raised in Los Angeles. During the subsequent eighty odd years
the building served many purposes. In 1911 a report to the city housing
commission made by Manuel S. Carrezosa, inspector,
called attention to the unsanitary condition of the building, due to the lack
of proper plumbing and ventilation facilities. The installation of such
improvements was very difficult because of the crumbling walls and the general
type of adobe construction. Any excavations as changes would later the
fundamental strength so that the entire building might crumble down. Some members
of the commission were in favor of demolishing the building but others were
averse to such action because of its historical associations. At that time it
was being used as a rooming house for Mexicans. Since then some of the leading
citizens of Los Angeles, together with the Rimpau
family, repaired the building, which was part of the Rimpau
estate and which has many cherished family associations in addition to those
that distinguished it as the old capitol. Fred C. Rimpau
took a course of study at Heald’s Business College
and then went to Tucson, Arizona, where he was a dry
goods merchant three years. He returned to California and entered the store
founded by this father at Anaheim and with this brother Adolph was interested
twenty-five years in that establishment. He married Miss Nellie Smythe, who was also of Spanish descent and who is now
deceased.
Edward Rimpau, the fourth child, was born in Los
Angeles in 1860 and died in 1884.
Frank T. Rimpau was born in Los Angeles on August 4,
1862, and attended the University of California, specializing in pharmacy. From
1882 until 1922 he conducted a drug store at 355 North Main Street, Los
Angeles. He then retired from business to give his attention to the management
of his own properties and assist in the management of the family estate. He
married Miss Louise Berlin, a daughter of a Civil war veteran.
Claudina Rimpau was born in
Los Angeles in 1864 and died in 1889. Matilda Rimpau
was also born in Los Angeles, in 1866, and died in 1887. Robert and Theodore,
Jr., twins, were born in 1867 and died in 1880 of scarlet fever.
Miss Sophia P. Rimpau was born in 1868 and lives in
the old family home at Anaheim, continuing the social regime of the old days.
She is a member of the Ebell Club and other social
organizations and active in church activities.
John L Rimpau was born in Anaheim in August, 1869,
and was engaged in merchandising at Yuma, Arizona, for fifteen years. He died
in Los Angeles in 1910 leaving a widow who was in maiden hood, Miss Ida Everhardy, and a daughter.
Benjamin Alfred Rimpau was born in Anaheim in 1871.
He was connected with the old Boston Dry Goods Store in Los Angeles for
thirty-five years and died, February 5, 1927, leaving a widow, who was Miss
Clara A. Thrall before her marriage, and two children.
James A. Rimpau was born in Anaheim, February 18,
1873, was graduated from St. Vincent’s College and for many years he was in the
employ of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company in California, Arizona, and New
Mexico. In 1912, on account of impaired health he resigned and the next year
took charge of the Rimpau Estate Company, which he is
efficiently managing, thus establishing his position as one of the leading
business men of Los Angeles. He resides with his wife, who was Miss Minnie A.
Hooper, in a beautiful home in Hollywood. They have two daughters and four
grandchildren.
Maria L. Rimpau was born in 1875 in Anaheim and
received a liberal education. She has wisely developed her musical talents and
is well known in musical circles. She married William Eugene Alexander, Jr., of
Los Angeles.
The youngest of the fifteen children was a son who died in early childhood.
Transcribed By:
Michele Y. Larsen on February 3, 2012.
Source: California
of the South Vol. II,
by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 47-52, Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis.
1933.
© 2012 Michele
Y. Larsen.
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