Los Angeles
County
Biographies
JAMES
JOHNSTON WATSON
Liberally endowed with those qualities
which inure success, James J. Watson became a successful figure in real estate
circles of Los Angeles and in his late years one of
the large land owners of southern California.
A member of an old and honored family of the Golden state, he was a son
of Colonel J. A. and Dolores (Dominguez) Watson, who were married in 1855. As a young man the father gained prominence
in the legal profession but devoted the latter part of his life to the care of
his vineyards and orchard. His death occurred in Los Angeles on the 16th
of September, 1869, at the age of forty-five years.
James J. Watson acquired his
education in the Los Angeles Public Schools, Santa Clara College and a business
college. When his studies were finished,
he and his three brothers worked the Watson ranch [sic] for their mother. The ranch was one of the largest in this part
of the state. He afterward became
secretary of the Dominguez Estate and the Dominguez Water Company. Being the oldest son he was manager of the
Watson Land Company, one of the largest land corporations in southern
California, occupying these offices until his death, which occurred in Santa
Barbara on the 20th of August, 1928.
Mr. Watson had an intimate knowledge of the value of the properties in
Los Angeles county [sic] under his management. Fraternally Mr. Watson was identified with
the Benevolent and Protective order of Elks.
The strength that he manifested in business affairs had its root in
those high principles which constitute the basis of all honorable and desirable
success. He was progressive, broadminded
and public-spirited, a citizen whom Los Angeles could ill afford to lose, and
his passing occasioned deep sorrow and regret.
On the 20th of January,
1909, Mr. Watson was married in Los Angeles to Miss Antoinette Larronde, also a member of a pioneer family of California,
and Anita Susana, their only child, resides with her mother at 414 South Rossmore avenue [sic], Los
Angeles. By a former marriage with Miss
Francisca Ferrer, who died, he was the father of two
daughters, Lucile Watson Martin and Grace Watson Rollins. Mrs. Watson is a member of the Ebell Club and the Women’s Athletic Club of Los
Angeles. Mrs. Watson had inherited the
fine mental and moral qualities of her French and Spanish ancestors. Her mother, who bore the maiden name of Juana
Egurrola, was born at Marquina,
near Bilbao Spain, August 29, 1835, and in early life came to Los Angeles,
where she became the wife of Jean Etchemendy in
1865. Mr. Etchemendy
was born at Hasparren, Basses Pyrennes,
France, November 11, 1830, and in his youth went to South America. Leaving that country in 1847, he made the
long trip to California and after reaching San Francisco made his way to the
mines in the northern part of the state.
In 1851 he located in Los Angeles and was financially interested in one
of the first bakeries established here.
Later he moved to the Rancho San Pedro, near Wilmington, California, and
engaged in the raising of sheep on a large scale, there remaining until his
death on March 13, 1872.
On the 14th of September,
1874, Mrs. Juana Etchemendy was married in Los
Angeles to Pierre Larronde, who was also a native of
France, born in St. Palais, in the lower Pyrennes, October 9, 1826.
He attended the schools of that district and afterward learned the trade
of carpenter. Early in the decade of the
’40s he sailed for South America, landing at Buenos Aires, where he remained
until 1847, when he secured passage on a ship bound for San Francisco, and from
that city he journeyed to the mines in the northern part of California. In 1851 he arrived in Los Angeles, which was
then a Spanish pueblo, and began raising sheep on the Rancho San Pedro, a
portion of the old Dominguez ranch [sic]. He prospered in the undertaking,
operating on an extensive scale, but in 1889 sold his sheep, and thereafter
devoted his attention to the management of his interests and investments in Los
Angeles and surrounding districts until his death on the 24th of
May, 1886. Mr. Larronde
owned considerable real estate and some of it is still held by the family. In 1879 he bought the northwest corner at
First and Spring streets [sic] from Frank Carpenter,
acquiring a valuable piece of property, now in possession of his heirs. He was the father of three children: Pierre
Domingo, who became connected with the Franco-American Baking Company;
Antoinette, who is the widow of James J. Watson; and John M., who became
identified with the Title Insurance Company of Los Angeles. By her first husband Mrs. Juana Larronde had three daughters, Madeleine, Marianne and
Caroline Etchemendy, and resided with them and her
son, John M. Larronde, at 237 North Hope street
[sic], Los Angeles, during the latter part of her life, passing away in this
city in July 1924, at an advanced age..
Transcribed by Jeanne Turner.
Source: California
of the South Vol. II, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages
247-249, Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 Jeanne Turner.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES
BIOGRAPIES