Los Angeles
County
Biographies
HENRY
GRADY WHIDDON
When
Henry Grady Whiddon arrived in California in 1931 with thirteen dollars and
fifty cents in his pockets and visions of success in his head, he could not
foresee that these dreams would come true in the course of the next thirty
years. He is now the owner of one of the
outstanding hardware stores in the area, located at 8230 East Garvey Avenue,
South San Gabriel. He has, in addition,
done considerable construction in the district, and the building occupied by
Beach’s Market, Garvey Pharmacy, Garvey Advertiser, the Medical Building, the
Five and Ten Cent Store and the Shoe Store, all located on East Garvey Avenue,
were built by Mr. Whiddon.
Henry
Grady Whiddon was born in Newville, Alabama, on September 1, 1913. His father, John W. Whiddon, was a buyer for
Buckeye Oil Company for twenty years. He
also had extensive farm holdings around Newville, Alabama. His mother’s maiden name was Roberta
Holland. He attended grade and high
school in Newville, Alabama, and graduated in 1931.
After
Mr. Whiddon arrived in California in 1931, he worked in the composing room of
the Citizen-News in Hollywood for three years and in the Production Department
of the Los Angeles Times for six years.
In 1940 he opened wide the doors to his new venture, the hardware store
at 8230 East Garvey Avenue. From a small
beginning, he has enlarged and remodeled to make it one of the outstanding and
modern stores in South San Gabriel.
On
August 18, 1937, Mr. Whiddon married Martha Bernard, a native Californian. They have one daughter, Patricia Ann Whiddon,
who works as a clerk at the South San Gabriel Branch of the Bank of America.
During
World War II, Mr. Whiddon worked for the United States Office of Price
Administration from 1942 to 1943. Active
in civic affairs, he is past president of the South San Gabriel Chamber of
Commerce. From 1949 to 1958 he was a
member of the South San Gabriel School Board, and is past president of the
Garvey School District. For nine years
he has been a member of the Elks Club, Alhambra Lodge No. 1328. He is a charter member and past president of
the South San Gabriel Lions Club (1950 to 1951) and was Zone Chairman of the
Lions Club in 1952. He has been a member
of Pacific Southwest Hardware Association for seventeen years, and is a gold
card member.
Mr.
Whiddon is interested and active in the progress and the future of San Gabriel.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Historical Volume & Reference Works Including Alhambra, Monterey Park,
Rosemead, San Gabriel & Temple City, by Robert P. Studer,
Page 588, Historical Publ., Los Angeles, California. 1962.
© 2013 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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