Los
Angeles County
Biographies
ERNEST RUDOLPH WERDIN
Many trusts of a public nature were
reposed in Ernest R. Werdin, who rendered effective service in every
connection, and at the time of his death was president of the Los Angeles Fire
Commission and the Los Angeles Paving Company.
In business as well as civic affairs he was an influential factor and
was long engaged in contracting with the above-named Los Angeles Paving
Company, of which he was the executive head.
He was born in Waseca, Minnesota, February 17, 1869, a son of John L.
and Henrietta (Newman) Werdin, who immigrated to the United States from Germany
early in the fifties and became pioneer settlers in Minnesota.
Ernest R. Werdin was reared and
educated in his native state, which he left in 1886, when he was seventeen
years old, coming directly to California.
He located in San Francisco for the first two years of his residence in
the state. In 1888 he came to Los
Angeles and here spent the remainder of his life. He made his initial step in public affairs in
1898, when he was appointed chief criminal deputy sheriff under Sheriff William
Hammil, and occupied that position four years. He was then elected superintendent of streets
and served for two terms, from 1902 to 1904, and it was through his efforts
that the first automobile was purchased by the city in 1903, carrying the
license number eight. He was also made
commissioner of public works in 1902 and with his characteristic zeal and
energy applied himself to these duties.
In 1926 through appointment of Mayor Cryer,
Mr. Werdin became head of the Los Angeles board of fire commissioners, proving
so capable that he was continued in that office for six consecutive terms, or
until his death on October 6, 1932. He
was also honorary assistant chief of the fire department. Gratitude for the important part he played in
bringing the city fire department up to its present high state of efficiency
was expressed in an engrossed testimonial presented to him September 6, 1929,
by officers of the department. He was
also the recipient of several valuable badges that he prized very highly. Meanwhile Mr. Werdin had entered the field of
contracting, in which he met with gratifying success. He conducted an extensive business as president
and general manager of the Los Angeles Paving Company, one of the foremost
corporations of its kind in the city.
One of the largest paving contracts in the city was the paving of
Beverly Boulevard from Beverly Hills to the sea, and many important contracts
were awarded him for other streets in the city of Los Angeles.
On June 3, 1894, in Los Angeles, Mr.
Werdin was united in marriage with Minnie D. Kurrle,
daughter of Frederick and Barbara (Mutz) Kurrle, both of whom were natives of Germany. At the age of
eighteen Mr. Kurrle came to the United States and
first located in Michigan, but in 1877 he journeyed westward to Wilmington,
California, where he became closely identified with building operations as a
contractor. He served as road Commissioner
and materially contributed to Wilmington’s upbuilding and improvement. Several years before his death, he retired
and came to Los Angeles, where he died.
Mr. and Mrs. Werdin had four children:
Florence L., who is the wife of Walter Reed Sprinkel
and the mother of two sons, Reed and Richard Werdin; Edna L. Werdin makes her
home with her mother at 123 South June Street, Los Angeles; Grace D., who
married Horace H. Fulton and has two children, Barbara L. and Donald R.; and E.
Russell Werdin, who, with Mr. Sprinkel is successfully
managing the business carried on by his father.
He married Henriette M. Carson, a member of the Dominguez family and
they have a daughter, Joan Marlyn.
During the World War Mr. Werdin
served as a member of the exemption board in District Twelve, Los Angeles. He was a Republican and was a delegate to
city and county conventions. He was
deeply interested in the preservation of fish and game and served as a deputy
of the California State Fish and Game Commission for years, and for recreation
was fond of hunting and fishing. He was
a member of the Lodge, Chapter, Commandery and Shrine in Masonry, the
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of Pythias. Genial and companionable by nature he enjoyed
the social side of life and was a member of the Jonathan Club, the Hollywood Country
Club, the Rio Hondo Country Club, the Surf and Sand Club, the Del Mar Club, and
the Los Angeles County Pioneers Society.
He was generous to a fault and was always ready to help those less
fortunate than himself. He was a strong
advocate of all that he deemed vital to the welfare of his city, and the simple
weight of his character carried him into important relations. As a public servant he was honest,
industrious and efficient, and in business he was the personification of its
highest ethics. He was devoted to the
ties of home and friendship and his death at the age of sixty-three years was
mourned throughout the city which had been his home for over forty years and
which had largely benefited by his constructive labors and his public spirit.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: California of the South
Vol. IV, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 45-47, Clarke Publ.,
Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPIES