Los Angeles County
Biographies
MERICOS H. WHITTIER
WHITTIER, M. H., Oil Operator, Los Angeles, Cal., was born at Caribou, Maine, March 11, 1867, the son of C. G. and Ruth (Keech) Whittier. He married, in Los Angeles, March 13, 1900, Joanna E. Williams of Illinois. Four children were born to them, Donald, Leland, Paul and Helen.
Mr. Whittier’s educational opportunities were limited to a few years’ attendance at the public schools of his native town. He started out for himself early in life, however, and the world at large has been his university.
At the age of twenty-four he went to California, locating at Santa Paula, where he secured employment as a farm hand, but later got a position in the oil fields with the Union Oil Company, where he learned the oil business. He worked for a short time in various capacities, when oil was discovered in Los Angeles, and he associated himself in a co-partnership with Mr. Thomas A. O’Donnell, they becoming drilling contractors. As they became more familiar with the oil industry they branched out as producers and oil operators for themselves. Later Mr. Whittier secured interests in what is known as the Coalinga field. Subsequently he became interested in the Kern River region, and was so impressed with the bright prospects that he abandoned all interests in the Coalinga field and confined himself to the Kern River district. In this new field he was interested in the Green & Whittier Oil Company, the Kern Oil Company and the Shamrock Oil Company. Later these companies were merged into what is known as the Associated Oil Company, the Kern Oil Company and the Shamrock Oil Company. Later these companies were merged into what is known as the Associated Oil Company. Mr. Whittier was an important factor in the organization of this company, being its largest stockholder at the time of its inception, and he is now one of the board of directors. The Associated Oil Company is one of the largest oil companies in the State of California, having its own pipe lines, shops and marketing facilities.
In addition to these holdings he is a large stockholder and director in the following companies: The Rodeo Land and Water Company, which consists of 3100 acres of valuable land lying west of the city of Los Angeles, where the townsite of Beverly is located, one of the most charming residence districts in the vicinity of Los Angeles; also the Amalgamated Oil Company, Titicaca Oil Company of South America, Hondo Oil Company, the Inca Oil Company and various oil interests in Oklahoma. He has recently acquired large interests in the Lost Hills district, and, with others, has organized the Belridge Oil Company, whose holdings consist of 31,000 acres of land in that district, which they are rapidly developing. He is managing director and vice president of this company.
Mr. Whittier is known as one of the most practical oil men in California, and his judgment on lands has been vindicated in nearly every venture he has undertaken. At the present time his offices are located in the Pacific Electric building with the Amalgamated Oil Company, and from there he directs the operations of his various interests.
Being interested in the proper training of the youth of the land, he has given a large part of his time and not a small amount of money in the prosecution of efforts to correct the lives of friendless boys who have not had the advantages of home and training. He is vice president and director of the McKinley Home for Boys at Gardena, California.
Mr. Whittier is a man of unlimited energy, but applies this to his own business and his charitable works rather than to public affairs. He has never taken an active part in politics, nor has he ever held a public office, but he is a believer in clean government and he has at all times been ready to aid any movement that had for its object the upbuilding of Los Angeles or the development of that country which is netting wealth to those who care to work it.
He is a lover of hunting and fishing, his favorite diversion being angling for speckled beauties in the mountain streams of California. But better than all else he loves his home. No amount of financial success, nothing that tends toward gain or glory, can possibly compare with his love for his family and home, both of which border closely upon the ideal.
He is a man of generous instincts and is a liberal giver to charity.
Mr. Whittier holds membership in the Jonathan Club, the Sierra Madre Club and the Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles, and is a 32d degree Mason, being a member of Al Malaikah Temple of Los Angeles.
Transcribed
by Joyce Rugeroni.
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 634, International
News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston,
Atlanta. 1913.
© 2011 Joyce
Rugeroni.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES
BIOGRAPIES