10/17/2023 Chatsworth Historical Society - The Gray Family in Chatworth 1
The Gray Family in Chatsworth
1962 Pigtails to Silver-Grey
Privately printed in 1962 - 25 copies only
Nelson A Gray
1883 University of Illinois
Minerva Collins
In 1885 Nelson Gray (27)
marries Minerva (20)
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The Gray family moved to Chatsworth in 1893, living on a 80-acre ranch north of Lassen to
Devonshire, west of Topanga to Farralone.
Introduction
•Of their 9 children, the first 4 were born in Illinois, the next 2 in
Pasadena, two in Chatsworth, and the last one in Pasadena.
•The Gray's were a prosperous and influential family in the early
development of Chatsworth.
•Chatsworth was founded in 1888; in 1890 the first elementary school at
Topanga and Devonshire was built, as was the Chatsworth Hotel; in
1893 the first railroad station was at Marilla and Topanga.
•1895-1901 Nelson's uncle Darius Mead and wife Kate ran the
Chatsworth Hotel.
•In 1898 they built a second home at 22165 Lassen.
•In 1903 the Pioneer Church was built on their 80 acres, on land
donated by them.
•In 1906 they moved back to Pasadena, then returned to Chatsworth by
1911.
•They sold their property in 1927 to the Spinks estate.
Rancho de Los Robles
Their 1898 home with its 14 rooms cost
$1,200; the 24'x24' central "court" living
room had an 18' ceiling.
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Introduction
•This presentation will cover the family from their start in
Rantoul, Illinois, to their contributions in Chatsworth.
•We are fortunate that their fourth child, Edith Gray, shared her
experiences in Chatsworth in the book, Pigtails to Silver-Grey.
•The family has shared many pictures with us, and much has
been written and remembered in our Chatsworth Historical
Society archives.
This presentation will be posted at our website,
chatsworthhistory.com, Digital Archives, Presentations.
1962 Pigtails to Silver-Grey
Privately printed in 1962 -
25 copies only
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Introduction of the family members in 1909
• With birth year included…..
•Back Row: Edith-1889,
George-1887, Ida-1889,
Clarence-1891
•Front Row: Stanley-1901,
Sadie-1885, Gladys-1903,
Nelson-1857, Minerva-1864
(Helen-1908 on her lap),
Myrtle-1891
Ida and Edith were twins born
in 1889, followed in 1891 by
twins Myrtle and Clarence.
In 1891 they had a household
of six children all under six
years of age
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Rantoul, Champaign County, Illinois
•A biography of Nelson Allison Gray was
published in 1887 (when he was 30),
which included the sketch at right of
"Willow Glen", his parents 485 acre ranch
in Rantoul, Illinois.
•Nelson was born in Wayne, Pennsylvania
in 1857; his father William A. Gray was
also born in Wayne in 1821. His
grandfather Mathew A. Gray (1796-1877)
secured a tract of timber in Wayne
Township, cut down trees and established
a home, married Esther Smith and had
eleven children.
Willow Glen above is from the 1887 Portrait and Biographical album
Champaign County Ill., pg. 727 - Available in the appendix
•Nelson's father William married Sarah Mead in 1845, continued clearing land and farming 260 acres. In
1859 (when Nelson was 2) he sold out and bought a half-interest in a flouring and woolen mill in Kentucky.
Two years later he traded the property for 80 acres in Kansas and 320 acres of wild prairie in Rantoul,
Illinois. By the 1870 census William, Sarah, and Nelson (age 13) were living on a $14,000 estate with a
servant.
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Rantoul, Champaign County, Illinois
•Nelson's father died in August 1880, so it was just his mother and him (aged
21) on the farm.
•In June 1883, Nelson graduated from Illinois Industrial University (in 1885 it
was renamed the University of Illinois). Nelson is a Captain of the University
Battalion in the yearbook (photo at right)
•In the April 1880 census, just up the road was the Collins family, with parents
Charles and Mary, and children "Minnie" Minerva (age 15), Anna, Eugene and
Bessie.
•Nelson and Minerva "Minnie" are married on Feb 11, 1885. Minerva moves
onto the Gray farm with Nelson's mother Sarah. Nelson and Minerva are
members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Gray's
School-house. (per his 1887 biography)
•They have four children in Rantoul -- Sadie, George, and twins Ida and Edith.
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1890 off to Pasadena, California
•Edith discusses in her book the harsh winters and hot summers in Illinois, and Nelson
developed a lung condition which made it necessary to seek a milder climate.
•In March 1889, Nelson buys 8 acres in Pasadena for $1,002.50
•March 1890 - Edith tells the story in Pigtails to Silver-Grey of the 5 day trip to California on the
train, when Ida and Edith were only 8 months old. Minnie's sister Anna traveled with them,
helping to care for the babies and children.
•When they arrived, they lived in a little house on Morton Street while they built a new house at
the corner of Woodbury and North Los Robles (the oaks), in the middle of a large vineyard.
•Fourteen months after their trip to Pasadena another pair of twins arrived, Myrtle Minerva and
Clarence Nelson, to make a household of six children all under six years of age. Minnie's
sister Anna ended up staying with them and helping out for two years.
1889-03-22 LA Times
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1891 Gray meets Barber - Pasadena, California
•Seven months after moving to Pasadena, and active in
Real Estate, Nelson Gray buys 24.5 acres in Pasadena
for $5,000 on San Pasqual St. in November 1890.
•Five months later in 1891, Nelson Gray sells the same
property (less 4 acres) to W.B. Barber for $5,000.
•William B. Barber was president of the San Fernando
Valley Improvement Company. No doubt W.B. Barber
told rancher Nelson Gray about property in his new
development in Chatsworth.
1890-11-28 LA Herald
1891-04-04 LATimes
W. B Barber letterhead from an
1895 court case regarding the 3rd
failure of the Chatsworth Park
Dam (Huntington Library)
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1893 move to Chatsworth, California
•In October 1892, Nelson Gray buys land in Chatsworth Park for $16,000. A 1956 Chatsworth
Grapevine article says that he purchased approximately 200 acres.
•Edith remembers the 1893 carriage ride to Chatsworth when she was 4 years old, and almost
loosing their dog "Fleas" when they were fording the Tujunga river.
•Edith mentions that their belongings, a team of horses and a cow were shipped by freight on a
sideline railroad into the valley (that would be the 1893 Chatsworth Depot)
•She describes the little old rambling house on the southwest corner of Papa's newly purchased
80-acre tract, sheltered under a large spreading oak.
1892-10-15 LA Times
1893-09-15 LA Times
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1893 80-acre ranch north of Lassen to Devonshire,
west of Topanga to Farralone.
•The 1928 aerial photograph at right shows the 80-acre ranch.
•There was an artesian well at the top of the parcel. Nelson
built a reservoir next to it, and irrigation channels would
irrigate the fields south, which were all downhill.
•The Gray House was at the lower left corner of the parcel.
•"Papa had large apricot and peach orchards, we all helped cut
and dry the fruit for market. Our season for cutting apricots
extended over a period of about four or five weeks. A few
weeks later the peaches came in and would run for another
three weeks. On the last day there was little cutting -- just
finishing up in the morning. After lunch we all piled into the
lumber wagon and were off for a swim in Papa's reservoir."
Pg 29,1962 Pigtails to Silver-Grey
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About 1899 - The Lumber Wagon
"As for our vacations, which came
after the fruit season, we went to
the beaches. We traveled by way
of the old lumber wagon, as we
had so much to take along for a
month's outing. Our hired man
would take the wagon back home
and return whenever we were
ready to leave." Pg16, 1962 Pigtails
to Silver-Grey
Posing for a picture in the lumber wagon
Gray Family off to Lime Kiln Canyon at
Chatsworth
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Swimming in the Gray Reservoir Devonshire west of Topanga
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1894 Chatsworth Neighbors camped at Redondo Beach
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1894 The Gray Twins in Chatsworth
The four children
are twin girls on
the left, Ida and
Edith, along with
girl-boy twins
Myrtle and
Clarence on the
right.
Photo courtesy of
Polly Pastre
The swing on the left indicates that this was a play area for the kids near their home on Lassen.
The sandstone boulder has drill marks in the front left, where it was split from a much larger stone. Stone from
the Bannon Quarry was used to build their milk house, which kept it cool in summer months.
Background buildings: On the left is the1890 Chatsworth Hotel (left side of swing ropes); the 1893 Train Depot
on the right side of the swing; the 1893 water tower just left of the tree trunk. To the right of the tree trunk there is
a train on the tracks.
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1895 Gray Children at the Milk House
"The milk house was built of rocks which had
been hauled down from Mr. Bannon's old
stone quarry in the hills to the west by horse
and wagon, making the walls about twelve
inches thick.
I remember seeing shelves and tables within
those four walls filled with rich milk from our
cows, canned fruits, tomatoes, olives,
mincemeat, pickles, crocks full of fried
sausage and sealed in with rendered lard, and
the old churn full of sour cream ready to be
churned.
One year we helped put up close to 500
quarts of fruits and other foods -- all in two-
quart jars! (The fruits were all peeled too!)"
Pg6, 1962 Pigtails to Silver-Grey
Clarence, Myrtle, Sadie, George, Ida, Edith
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Carriage Shed - Milk House - Clarence in buggy with Paloma
About 1912
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1895 Darius Mead and wife Kate run the Chatsworth Hotel
•Darius Mead owned the Hotel with his wife Kate in 1895. Darius was
the younger brother of Nelson Gray’s mother, Sarah Mead Gray.
•Darius and his brother John were lumbermen in Pennsylvania in the
1870 census, with real estate valued at $50,000.
•Per his obituary, he once possessed a fortune but reverses came,
and he removed to Chatsworth to run the hotel.
•Darius died in December 1901.
•Three months after his death, his wife Kate leased the hotel to Peter
Lopez, who established a "social club" furnishing hard drinks.
•This was at the height of Chatsworth being a "railroad" boomtown,
with men employed in building three tunnels for Southern Pacific and
supplying rip-rap at the Quarry for the San Pedro Breakwater.
•A story on the Chatsworth Hotel from 1901 to 1904 is in the Feb 2016
Smoke Signal
1901-12-18 Darius Mead Obituary
LATimes
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1896 Nelson had purchased 750 acres of land
•(Around 1896) "By now Papa had purchased 750 acres of
land" Pg9, 1962 Pigtails to Silver-Grey
•We used 1903 property tax maps to compile a list of
Chatsworth Parcels and Homesteads that equaled 557
acres. Nelson no doubt had purchased other lots or
homesteads that had been sold by 1903 to equal his 750
acres in 1896…
•Nelson purchased two homesteads that had water on them
(in addition to his 80 acre ranch that had an artesian well)
•The upper left green 160 acres is the Fred Graves
homestead that includes Hialeah Springs.
•The middle green 145 "L" shaped parcel was the
Dejeremias homestead that includes the Santa
Susana Creek.
•Around 1906 Gray piped water from Hialeah Springs to his
reservoir. The pressure from the pipe drove a belting wheel
that pumped water out of his aquifer into his reservoir.
•It is 2.5 miles from Hialeah Springs to the aquifer, and a 700
foot gain.
•The Hialeah Springs story is in the Nov 2017 Smoke Signal
Parcels identified to NA Gray in 1903, overlayed on Google Earth
Green parcels = Homesteads
Yellow parcels = Chatsworth Lots
Dark yellow = 80 acre ranch
Blue outline is 1888 Chatsworth Park Border
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1898 Gray Estate Home "Rancho de Los Robles"
•Their new home was
built a little to the north
of the first house, within
a few feet of the milk
house.
•A cellar and pit were dug
for the new acetylene
light system.
•The two story home with
its 14 rooms cost
$1,200; the 24'x24'
central "court" living
room had an 18' ceiling.
•The house was at 22165
Lassen, facing south,
view looking north.
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1898 Gray Estate Home "Rancho de Los Robles"
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1898 Gray Estate Home "Rancho de Los Robles"
Looking east, milk house is north of house.
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1898 Gray Estate Home "Rancho de Los Robles"
Dress-up Party
On the side
porch
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An Early Christmas Dinner 1911?
Photo above showing the tree in the corner reaching the
18' ceiling (sometimes two trees tied together)
Photo at right taken at the opposite corner of the room.
All the rooms have 10' ceilings; the doors (26 in all) 7'
tall with an additional 2' transom over each, wooden
doorknobs on the inside doors and brass knobs on the
outside.
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1898 Gray Estate Home "Rancho de Los Robles"
Line Art from the
CHS 1982
Calendar
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1893-1903 Rock Art at Momonga (Stoney Point)
•The photo at right from the Gray family
album was titled "Rock with character
inscriptions Chatsworth Park on old Indian
Village"
•The photo is exciting to find because it
represents the oldest photographic record
of this site taken over 120 years ago by the
Gray family as they explored Chatsworth.
•Momonga is the Native American name for
the village and ceremonial site near Stoney
Point.
•Momonga Rock Art has been well
documented by archaeologists, and was
recently included in the justification for
Chatsworth's most recent 2019 Los
Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument, "The
Apeta Momonga Mission Trail"
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1893-1903 Rock Art at Momonga (Stoney Point)
•We have outlined two pictograph areas on the photo at right; the rectangular one is
well documented, and the circled one a “new” find as seen only on the 1893-1903
photo on the previous slide.
•The 2012 photo below is the small section of the main panel that has been
enhanced with D-stretch by an archeologist to bring out the colors embedded in the
rock. The paintings are located in a very shallow sandstone rock shelter that is not
well-protected from the elements, and most of the panel has eroded away and is
difficult to see.
•When it was new and fresh, the main panel may have been as impressive as the
main panel at Burro Flats Painted Cave, which is listed in the National Register of
Historic Places. Three Chumash-Style Pictograph sites in Fernandeño Territory
•If you zoom in and look at the upper right of the 1893-1903 Gray family photo
of the main panel area (circled in yellow), you can see a stick figure of a deer
and a man (our interpretation).
•We recently visited the site (on private property) and confirmed that the rock
formation is the same as in the photo. We saw only faint traces of white today
where the deer and man were, perhaps remnants of that image.
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1900 Chatsworth Oil Company
•The certificate at right was
offered on Ebay in 2016 for $27.
•An accompanying article written
in 1900 stated that the shares
were being offered at 25 cents
each.
•And that no oil had been drilled
for at that time.
Sept. 15, 1900
Stock certificate for 100 shares,
signed by NA Gray, President
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1901 and 1903 - Two children born in Chatsworth
Stanley Collins Gray
was born Dec 11, 1901
With his mother
Minerva on the front
porch at the ranch
Gladys Loretta Gray
was born Nov 2, 1903
Now there are 8 children
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1903 Pioneer Church
"By now more families were coming into our
little valley and there was a growing need for a
church. The school house no longer seemed
adequate. Papa being President of the Official
Board called a meeting at which time the
question of where they would build came up.
That was just what he wanted.
He smiled and said quietly, Well folks, I have a
fine piece of property I would like to give you for
a building site. There are 2 1/2 acres on the east
side of my 80-acre section along the highway.
The Board accepted with much appreciation and
began to lay plans for building. The deed was
given to the church for the property as well as
the privilege of water rights from Papa's artesian
well." Pg38, 1962 Pigtails to Silver-Grey An early photo of the Pioneer Church, looking west.
The church was midway between Devonshire and Lassen on
Topanga Canyon Blvd.
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1903 Pioneer Church
•The Church was built in 1903 with volunteer labor.
•In 1927 The Gray family sold their ranch to the
Spinks family.
•The Spinks family purchased the church in 1962, with
plans to remove the church and develop the
surrounding property.
•The Chatsworth Historical Society was formed to
save the church, which was declared Los Angeles
Historic-Cultural Monument #14 in 1963.
•In 1965, the Church was moved to Oakwood
Memorial Cemetery.
•Church services continue every Sunday at 10 am.
•Visit the full presentation The Chatsworth Pioneer Church
Moving the Church to Oakwood in 1965
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1904 (about) Fruit Cutting Sheds at the Gray ranch
• A few months ago we “rediscovered” an original photo from the archives, from
the Johnson Family. Written in pencil on the front, “Fruit cutting sheds at the
Gray place Farralone and Lassen”.
•A note with the picture says: This was a crowd in Chatsworth in its early
agricultural days. Woman second from left hand side, wearing hat is Emma
Johnson Graves. Scene is a fruit cutting shed near “Tex’s” place. On Gray
farm near Lassen St. & Farralone
•The full story of the photo is in our Nov 2023 Smoke Signal
•And there is a 600dpi image available on our website where you can zoom in
and get great detail of the scene.
•We identified Emma
Johnson and Nelson
Gray's mother Sarah
Mead Gray.
•There are no doubt other
Gray family members
that we have not yet
identified, please help us
out…
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1904 or 05 The older girls go to school in Pasadena
•Sadie, Ida and Edith attend Pasadena High, living with Grandpa Collins at
1272 Summit Ave. (Charles Collins was their mother’s father)
•1906 - One year later, Nelson buys a large house at 1320 Summit Ave, 4
houses north of Grandpa Collins. The family keeps the Chatsworth
ranch, but moves to Pasadena.
•1908 - Their ninth and last child, Helen Gray, is born in Pasadena.
•1908 - Sadie marries Chester Shadwick. Their daughter Alice is born in
Pasadena.
•1909 - Nelson's mother Sarah Mead dies, and before that Sarah had
signed all the papers and the big farm back in Illinois over to Nelson.
•1910 - the Pasadena census lists Nelson Gray as a miner, owning a
mine.
•1911 - In February Nelson announces he will run for Councilman in
Pasadena
•1911 - "Within a few months a good-sized fortune was lost in a gold mine
swindle--the sharks had taken him for a ride to the tune of $100,000 spot
cash" (per Edith in Pigtails to Silver-Grey) 1320 Summit Ave, Pasadena
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1911 Broke and back to Chatsworth
•Sadie and Chester Shadwick move back to the
Chatsworth House first in 1910.
•Edith mentions that the first thing she and her mother did
was to clean the upstairs rooms, as they hadn't been
cleaned since the family left in '06. The men brought up
the bedsprings and mattresses, the furniture and heavy
goods had been shipped ahead on the train.
•And within a few days they were all busy harvesting
summer crops.
•"That fall after we returned home, Sadie and Chester
moved to a Iittle house up across from the creek at the
foot of the hills to the west (where we heard the doves
cooing years before) among large shady trees."
•The Shadwicks had moved to a 7-acre parcel where the
Rockpointe clubhouse is today. They had 7 children and
lived there for more than 20 years. Smoke Signal 2021-05
1958-11-09 Shadwick Anniversary
moved to Chatsworth in 1910
LATimes
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The earliest photos of the DeSoto Dam
The 1896 DeSoto Dam - man standing on intake tower.
Photo about 1911 Chester Shadwick? from the Shadwick photos
•In 1887, Benjamin F. Porter contracts to sell
19,417 acres to F.C. Howes, William Booth Barber,
W.F. Barber and George R. Crow for $500,000.
•Chatsworth Park was founded on March 10, 1888.
•The new purchasers conveyed their interest to the
San Fernando Valley Improvement Company.
•In 1889, The San Fernando Valley Improvement
Co. builds a water-storage earthen dam in the
Mormon Cañon, today’s Browns Canyon. This
dam failed 3 times (the first two were earthen
dams), was rebuilt in 1896, and can still be seen
today at the very north end of DeSoto. (it silted up
in the 1940’s)
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The earliest photos of the DeSoto Dam
Photo circa 1920's
movie filming at the dam
Staging the scene
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The earliest photos of the DeSoto Dam
•In
Photo circa 1920's
movie filming at the dam
Shootout at the dam, film crew at left
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1914 The Chatsworth Chamber of Commerce
•1915 Nelson A. Gray is one of the
founders, and the 2nd president of the
Chatsworth Chamber of Commerce
•Nelson is president eight times in the
first 14 terms.
Past Presidents:
New Organization and Bylaws Apr 20, 1914
1914 –Norman C. Johnson
1915 –Nelson A. Gray
1916 –Nelson A. Gray
1917 –Nelson A. Gray
1918 –Nelson A. Gray
1919 –James J. Daly
1920 –James J. Daly
1921 –Alan R. Tillinghast
New Organization and Bylaws Feb 27, 1923
1923 –James J. Daly (elected, resigns early)
1923 –Nelson A. Gray
1924 –Nelson A. Gray
1925 –Nelson A. Gray
1926 –H. J. Breeze
1927 –Nelson A. Gray
1928 –Dr. Armstrong C. Pratt
1929 –Dr. Armstrong C. Pratt
1930 –James P. Butler
1931 –James P. Butler
1932 –James P. Butler
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1917 New Chatsworth Schoolhouse
•Nelson Gray had an active part in the planning and
building of the new schoolhouse, as he was a trustee for
nine years.
•N.A. Gray, president of the Chatsworth Chamber of
Commerce, acts as chairman of the evening during the
opening dedication and exercises.
•For more information visit our presentation at Chatsworth
Park Elementary School
1917-05-08 New Chatsworth
Grammar school LATimes
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1918 Stanley Gray dies
•Jan 1, 1918 Stanley Gray (age 16) dies in Chatsworth
unhitching a team of horses with his cousin Eugene Collins.
•The horses became unmanageable and dragged the boys for
some distance.
"He was crushed between the wagon wheels and the corncrib
when the team of horses were running away and was in the
throws of lock-jaw and was dying. It was a heavy trial for those
of the family who stood around his bedside. I had not known of
the accident until we returned home that night. He died that
next morning before we could reach home.
The folks were grief-stricken. The day of the funeral the
grammar school and high school were both closed as well as all
the stores, honoring his memory. His two brothers and four
brothers-in-law bore his body in the casket tenderly to its resting
place." Pg96, 1962 Pigtails to Silver-Grey
•His cousin Eugene Collins (18) dies 4 months later.
(1918-01-04 Owensmouth
Gazette)
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1926-27 Saugus to the Sea
•In January 1926, Chambers of Commerce of Santa Monica-Ocean Park and 18 Chambers from
the San Fernando Valley met with County officials to improve Topanga Canyon Blvd from the
ocean to Ventura Blvd. They also endorsed the extension of Topanga Canyon through
Owensmouth, Chatsworth, and Saugus.
•The Topanga to Chatsworth route was completed in 1931, but what happened to the extension
through the Santa Susana Mountains?
• In March 1926, 30 engineers and prominent valley residents travelled up Brown’s canyon to the
top of the Santa Susana Range. They left Chatsworth School in automobiles and enjoyed a dinner
of barbecued steaks at the summit, and discussed various routes. A later route stated that “the
preliminary view of the situation is that one of the two routes through the Johnson ranch will be
selected.”
• Three months later, “Saugus to the Sea” proponents met at a banquet at the Chatsworth Women’s
clubhouse, with President N.A. Gray and Secretary Ernest L. Johnson of the Chatsworth Chamber
of Commerce presiding. A following article described the distance through the mountains to
Saugus as 17½ miles.
•The Great Depression started in October 1929, and the project was too costly and difficult to
complete. Smoke Signal 2020-09
1927-03-23 Saugus to the Sea
Topanga extension LATimes
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1926 Gray Family Christmas in Chatsworth
•2012 Memories from Myrtle Shadwick
Gray (1917-2014)
•Christmas was held every other year at
the Gray House.
•35 grandkids, big two story house,
Christmas was potluck. Grandma had a
big turkey.
•Grandpa Gray would cut two or three
trees down and tie them together, and
they would go to the top of the stairs.
•Had Christmas program at the church.
Grandma Gray served buckwheat
pancakes (which is a tradition passed on
to this day).
•Grandpa Gray had a barrel of home-
cured olives, with a dipper for the kids so
they wouldn't get their hands wet.
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Gray Family in later years - notable items
•In the 1930 census Nelson and Minnie are living with their daughter Gladys in Glendale. In the 1940 Census Nelson has
passed away in 1935, and Minnie is living with Edith and Harry McFarland in El Monte. In 1950 Minnie is living with Gladys
and Robert in Pasadena. Minnie passes in 1951.
•"Sadie" Sarah Ellen Gray (1885-1978) marries Chester Shadwick and they raise their family in Chatsworth on Devonshire St at
Valley Circle. They then retire to farming in San Bernardino.
•George Allison Gray (1887-1947) and his wife Agnes had 13 children, he was a police officer in the Valley and retired in Simi
Valley.
•Ida Belle Gray (1889-1986) married Charles Urton and they settled in Santa Barbara.
•Edith Anna Gray (1889-1969) married Harry McFarland, a minister. Edith wrote the book Pigtails to Silver-Grey.
•Myrtle Gray (1891-1995) married Fred Gilman, an auto dealer. Myrtle lived her last years in Washington, near her son's family.
•Nelson Clarence Gray (1891-1976) married Edyth Roath. He was a manager of a cement plant in Dinuba, California.
•Stanley Collins Gray (1901-1918). Died young at an accident at the ranch.
•Gladys Loretta Gray (1903-1984) married Robert Haines, an electrical engr. with a Utility Co., living in Pasadena.
•Helen Bernice Gray (1908-1997) married Robert Burns, a contractor, living in Palm Desert, then Prescott.
10/17/2023 Chatsworth Historical Society - The Gray Family in Chatworth 43
1927 The Gray Ranch is sold to the Spinks Estate
•"They sold their home in 1927 to the interests that have it today, known as
the Spinks Estate, which now comprises 55 acres.
The Giddings first managed the property (parents of Mrs. Failor, 10116
Topanga);
then the Alex Summers managed the interest for 13 years during which time
Mr. Summers put in the 30 acres of lemons, 10 acres of oranges and 15 in
alfalfa.
In 1948 the Bob Werrens took over its management and are still there, loving
every inch of the old home and its grounds." (The Grapevine 1956-02-01)
•The church was moved to the Cemetery in 1965, and the property was
developed in 1977-1978 (a few homes north of Mayall at Farralone were built
in 1956-59)
Jim Summers,
son of Alex Summers,
in the Gray reservoir
circa 1937
10/17/2023 Chatsworth Historical Society - The Gray Family in Chatworth 44
1927 The Gray Ranch is sold to the Spinks Estate
•"One remaining clue that marks the location of this home, is the olive tree lined street along the front of the original Gray
property on Lassen Street. These trees have been classified as LA Historic-Cultural Monument #49. The trees were
planted around 1893 by N. A. Gray. They are believed to have been grown out of cuttings taken from olive trees at
Mission San Fernando." (Smoke Signal 2011-06)
Google Maps Street View
2016
•A second remaining clue is
the two palm trees on Lassen
that marked the driveway to
their mansion.
Lassen looking north, Two
Palm Trees at the end of
Nevada St.
The Palm Tree to the east
(on the right) was cut down
after 2016, only the stump
remains today.
Google Maps Street View
2023
10/17/2023 Chatsworth Historical Society - The Gray Family in Chatworth 45
Sources and Acknowledgements
•References:
•Numerous Newspaper articles
•1956-02-01 Chatsworth Grapevine Gray Family History
•1962 - Pigtails to Silver-Grey - Edith Gray McFarland - 201pgs
•2010 PATCH article - Virginia Watson - Pioneer Gray Family
•2012 memories of Myrtle Shadwick by Polly Pastre
•Smoke Signal Newsletter articles
•Shadwick/Rockpointe History Smoke Signal 2021-05
•Gray Family autobiography "Pigtails to Silver-Grey" Smoke Signal 2019-09
•Gray Family Artesian Well Reservoir Smoke Signal 2017-11
•Chatsworth Pioneers The Gray Family Smoke Signal 2011-06
•Prepared by Ann & Ray Vincent in October 2023
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Appendix 1 - 1887 Portrait and biographical album Champaign County Ill - Nelson A Gray Pages
10/17/2023 Chatsworth Historical Society - The Gray Family in Chatworth 47
Appendix 1 - 1887 Portrait and biographical album Champaign County Ill - Nelson A Gray Pages
10/17/2023 Chatsworth Historical Society - The Gray Family in Chatworth 48
Appendix 1 - 1887 Portrait and biographical album Champaign County Ill - Nelson A Gray Pages
