Los Angeles County
Biographies
FRANK WIGGINS
WIGGINS, FRANK, Secretary of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, was born in Richmond, Ind., Nov. 8, 1849, the son of Charles O. Wiggins and Mary (Marshall) Wiggins. He married Amanda P. Wiggins at Los Angeles, May 5, 1886. Mr. Wiggins’ parents were both members of the Society of Friends and he received his education in the schools of that sect.
His father was the owner of a large saddlery business, and it was there he received his first business training. He managed the business until 1886, when failing health sent him to California. In February, 1889, Mr. Wiggins had recovered his health sufficiently to re-enter business, and he became connected with the L. A. Chamber of Commerce, then in its infancy. Since that time he has been intimately connected with every movement for the upbuilding of Los Angeles or the advertisement of the State. He was first in charge of exhibits for the Chamber, a position in which he became a recognized expert. Some of the exhibits which he handled were: The Orange Carnival, Chicago, 1891; Southern California display, World’s Fair, Chicago, 1893; Midwinter Fair, Atlanta, 1894; Los Angeles exhibit at Omaha, Neb., 1896, and at Buffalo, 1901. Mr. Wiggins and Jas. A. Filcher were California Commissioners to the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904. They held the same commissions to the Alaska-Yukon Exposition in 1909. Mr. Wiggins was State Commissioner to the Lewis Clark Exposition and at the Jamestown Exposition; represented the Los Angeles County Exhibit. He also established the permanent Southern California exhibit in Atlantic City, N. J., in 1905, and will play an important part in the Exposition at San Francisco, 1915. In 1895 Mr. Wiggins was made Supt. Of the Chamber of Commerce, and in 1897 was elected Secretary, a position he has filled down to date.
Transcribed
by Joyce Rugeroni.
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 584,
International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Boston, Atlanta. 1913.
© 2011 Joyce
Rugeroni.
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BIOGRAPIES