Glendale, California Biographies

Herman H. Jennings

Herman J. Jennings. For seventeen years the late Herman H. Jennings conducted a blacksmithing and horseshoeing shop in Tropico, being the first man to establish himself in that business there and remain any length of time. He was born in Cattaraugus county, New York, March 27, 1865, a son of Daniel S. and Mary Ann (Grover) Jennings. His parents were natives of the Empire State and of old Yankee stock. When he was only a few years old his parents moved to Kent County, Michigan, near Grand Rapids, and settled on a farm. Here he grew to manhood and attended the public schools. He farmed and worked in the lumber camps of Michigan until 1890, when he went to Fort Rolla, Missouri, remaining there for one year and then to Coldwater, Kansas, where he took up blacksmithing and farming. In 1893 he returned to Fort Rolla, Missouri, and five years later returned East and plied his trade near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where the city of Carnegie now stands. He remained there for two years and then went to Olean, New York.

Coming to Los Angeles, he was employed at his trade for short time before opening his own shop at Tropico on San Fernando Road near its junction with Central Avenue. Four years later he moved to a shop across the street, nearer to Los Feliz Road, which was burned out in 1913. He then bought property on Los Feliz Road, where he conducted a shop until his death in 1918. He was an Odd Fellow and a Knight of Pythias and politically, a Republican.

At Hastings, Michigan, June 16, 1887, Mr. Jennings married Lucy J. Lancaster, daughter of James L. and Emily (Bunn) Lancaster. Her father was a native of England and her mother of Vermont. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Jennings are: Benzil S., Mrs. John Bowman, Clark and Rose. Mrs. Jennings resides at 419 Los Feliz Road.

From “History of Glendale and Vicinity” by John Calvin Sherer. The Glendale Publishing Company, c. 1922 F. M. Broadbooks and J. C. Sherer. Pg. 432.