Los Angeles County
Biographies
FREDERIC
THOMAS WOODMAN
Frederic Thomas Woodman, who is now president
of the Woodman-Gray Company, well-known finance company of Los Angeles, and who
is likewise one of the outstanding attorneys of Southern California, has
achieved success in a number of activities, including public service, having filled
the office of mayor of Los Angeles most creditably and with exceeding credit to
himself.
Mr. Woodman was born in Concord, New
Hampshire, June 28, 1872, and is a son of Alfred and Maria T. (Gallup) Woodman.
The Woodman family came to America from England in 1632 and settled in Ipswich,
Massachusetts, in which city and in Newport members of the family have lived
for generations. Alfred Woodman was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts, March
9, 1834, and when only thirteen years of age shipped to sea. Eventually he
became captain of the vessel Castillian and made the
long voyage around Cape Horn five different times. He remained a sailor until
the Civil war opened, at which time he enlisted in Company B of the Second New Hampshire
Volunteer Infantry, which was a company composed of mutual friends who had been
reared together and had known each other for many years. Only ten per cent of
these friends returned from the front after the war was concluded. During their
service they carried their own Sharp’s breech-loading rifles, and used them
most effectively in those sanguinary engagements at Vicksburg, Antietam and
Gettysburg. Captain Woodman was wounded several times, and was a prisoner in
both Libby and Belle Isle prisons. After the cessation of hostilities, Mr.
Woodman made his residence in Concord, New Hampshire, and was engaged in the
clothing trade. In Concord, he became known as one of the foremost citizens.
His uncle, William Woodman, was president of the First National Bank of Dover,
and was a philanthropist of note, having left a large amount of money to the
churches of his home city. Joseph Woodman, grandfather of Frederic T., was one
of those stalwart troopers who stood behind the famous stone wall when Lord
Percy marched out of Lexington. Frederic T. Woodman is now the owner of the gun
which his grandfather carried during the Revolutionary war. Another earlier
ancestor was judge of the county court in Newburyport. In fact, the family name
is closely associated with the pioneer history of both Maine and Massachusetts.
On the maternal side of his family,
Mr. Woodman is also descended from representative colonial ancestry. His
mother, Maria T. (Gallup) Woodman, was a daughter of Capt. Thomas Gallup, one
of whose ancestors, with a similar name, commanded the ship which brought
Cotton Mather and other immigrants to this country from England. He enlisted
during the colonial wars from Plainfield, Connecticut, and both he and his son,
Capt. Thomas, Jr., were killed in action at the Narragansett Swamp engagement
during King Philip’s war. The Gallups originally came
from England to
America
in 1628. Another
ancestor of Mrs. Woodman married Governor Winthrop of Massachusetts, and her
grandmother was Sallie Cutler, the granddaughter of an English earl. Frederic
T. Woodman was born on land acquired by an ancestor of his mother on a king’s
grant. It was made to Capt. Thomas Gallup as a reward for his exploit at
Portland Harbor, Maine, when he captured the Indians who murdered Captain
Mason, a familiar story in New England history. Captain Gallup sailed
victoriously into Boston harbor with the red-skinned killers hanging from the
yardarms of his vessel. He owned Gallup Island in Boston harbor, which island
still has the name.
Frederic T. Woodman, in the
acquirement of his education, first attended the public schools of White River
Junction, Vermont, and after graduating from high school began the study of law
in the office of the Hon. John L. Spring in Lebanon, New Hampshire. In the year
1897, he was duly admitted to the bar and began the practice of his new
profession in Concord, New Hampshire. His progress was rapid and his reputation
and clientele grew amazingly. In 1901, the voters expressed their faith in his
ability by electing him to the state legislature, where he served until 1903.
During this time in the state law-making body, he was a member and secretary of
the judiciary committee and chairman of the Merrimac county delegation. When he
left the east in 1908 to come to Los Angeles, on account of the ill health of
his wife, he was moderator of Concord. Mr. Woodman had no well-defined
intention to make Los Angeles his permanent residence when he first came, but
the allurements of glorious Southern California proved too strong. The longer
he stayed the firmer became his attachment for the beauties of life here and
the possibilities for business and professional success. He made fortunate
investments here and established himself in practice.
Mr. Woodman’s rise to a place of
high repute in the Los Angeles bar paralleled that success he had made in the
east. With true public-spirit and a genuine affection for the city of his
adoption, he entered vigorously into the various affairs of the community, made
friends, and in many other ways substantially entrenched himself as a
representative citizen. In 1912, he was appointed as a member of the Los
Angeles Harbor Commission and at their first meeting was elected president. He
served until 1916, and during his incumbency harbor work of much significance
was accomplished. Labor conditions at the harbor then were chaotic, and
violence was threatened, but was averted. Another situation arose which Mr.
Woodman met with legal skill. This was concerning the claim of the Southern
Pacific Company and allied interests to the title to all of the harbor tide
lands, under a deed from the Pacific Holding Company. The city of Los Angeles
claimed title for the purpose of developing commerce and navigation. Mr.
Woodman began action to quiet the Southern Pacific title and at last recovered all
of the tide lands at the harbor for the city, which insured the beautiful
harbor as it now exists. Despite strong opposition, he also directed the
erection of a concrete pier in the outer harbor and further developments in the
inner harbor. With the completion of the Panama Canal, he directed the harbor
improvement beyond the point many citizens then believed necessary, but which
has, with the test of years, proved most important and beneficial.
In 1916, Mr. Woodman was appointed
as mayor of Los Angeles and in 1917 he was elected at the primary for the
regular two-year term, and was the first mayor of the city to be elected at a
primary. His term as mayor was featured by a number of progressive and wise
movements. The war period was at hand during his administration and he did
notable work in suppressing agitators and Workers of the World who became
obstreperous. He did this work without display, but did get the violators in
the hands of the Federal authorities. During his term, he also conducted the negotiations
for the purchase of the Edison Company electric lines in the city, in order not
to condemn them or parallel them with competing lines. He succeeded in reducing
taxes in the two years, which was an act highly appreciated by the citizens.
His knowledge of the law, coupled with his natural business sagacity, made him
an ideal executive for a city undergoing a phenomenal growth.
After retiring from the mayoralty,
Mr. Woodman returned to his law practice. He has conducted many cases of
importance in the local courts, and also in outside courts, and has invariably
observed the ethics and the courtesy of his profession. Mr. Woodman has shown
uncommon versatility in his practice and his capabilities have also been well
expressed in his citizenship and relations with his fellows. He is president of
the Woodman-Gray Company, one of the principal automobile finance companies of
the city, and the Vista Irrigation District, which latter consists of thirteen
thousand acres in the northern part of San Diego county.
It has been a thriving district, and abounds in avocadoes, oranges and lemons,
also other fruits. The assets of the district are in excess of five million
dollars.
Mr. Woodman has been twice married.
On February 6, 1908, in Concord, New Hampshire, he was married to Miss Etta M.
Sanborn, who was born and reared in that city. Her death occurred April 16,
1916. On February 2, 1921, Mr. Woodman was married secondly to Mrs. Katherine
Potter Winter. The family home is situated at 514 Shatto
place in Los Angeles.
Mr. Woodman is a member of the Los
Angeles County, the California State, and the American bar associations. He is
a thirty-second degree Mason, Scottish Rite, and a
member of Al Malaikah Temple of the Mystic Shrine.
Also he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Founders of
America, the Sons of the Revolution and the Society of Colonial Wars, the Los
Angeles Athletic Club, the Los Angeles Country Club, and the Los Angeles
Chamber of Commerce. When he has opportunity and time, Mr. Woodman’s favorite
recreation is travel. In 1925, he and his wife toured Europe by motor car, and
while visiting the many cities of the old country he took advantage of the
chance to study the systems of municipal government. Again in 1929, Mr. Woodman
spent most of the time in Europe, covering Italy, Austria, Germany, Poland and
some of the cities of the Near East. He has observed carefully city
administrations in the many countries and has accumulated much information on
the subject.
Transcribed By:
Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: California
of the South Vol. V,
by John Steven McGroarty, Pages 65-69,
Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los Angeles,
Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 Cecelia
M. Setty.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES
BIOGRAPHIES