Glendale, California Biographies

Loron T. Rowley

Loron T. Rowley, who is the supervisor of attendance for the city and high schools, was born at Portage City, Wisconsin, June 3, 1860; son of Asa and Hutchinson (Smith) Rowley. The Rowley family in America dates back to colonial times, and its members fought in both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Asa Rowley was a native of Chautauqua County, New York, and Mrs. Rowley was born in Scotland.

Mr. Rowley is an undergraduate of the University of Minnesota where he took the classical course with the class of 1884. He came west in 1883 and brought land in Sunland, California, residing there until five years ago, when he came to Glendale to live. He was one of the early settlers at Sunland, and during that time was a leading citizen; being the first postmaster, first president of the Chamber of Commerce, and was first to have a general store. This store he opened in 1887 and conducted for twenty years, which was followed by three years in the hardware business. He drew the petition for the organization of the school district in 1884, and for twelve years thereafter was clerk of the board of education. In 1899, he drew the alignments for the voting precincts. Uncle am made him forest ranger for two years. He lived retired in Glendale until 1921 when he was appointed supervisor of attendance for the city schools. He is an Elk and a member of the Chamber of Commerce. The Greater Glendale Development Association claims him as its second president. He has been a member of the Red Cross board of directors, and during the late war was awarded a medal for unusual activity in that work. He was also a member of the Legal Advisory Board of exemption for the district, and her received letters of commendation for his activity in auxiliary war work, from General Boree, on behalf of the State and Governor Stephens; from General Crowder, for the United States. He is a Republican.

At Downey, California, in 1883, Mr. Rowley married Virginia Newcomb, a native of Mississippi. Five children were born from this union; Eustace, Robert, Dorothy, Marion and Virginia. Eustace and Robert are veterans of the World War. Eustace enlisted in the Navy in Jun 1917, and served until July 1919. He was given a citation for unusual heroism in aiding in the saving of sixteen lives at the time of the sinking of the liberty boat of the U. S. S. Salem, off the coast of Key West, Florida. Stationed at Mare Island at the time of the explosion, he was in charge of the company that cleared away the debris. Later he was a seaman in the cruiser Marblehead, which was one of Admiral Dewey’s fleet at Manila in 1898. Robert enlisted in the Ambulance Corps on April 17, 1918, and served on the Paive, in Italy, and was awarded the Croce de Guerra by the Italian Government, for services at the front during the last year of the war. He is now a senior at the University of Southern California, taking an electrical engineering course. Dorothy is a sophomore at the University of Southern California, while Marion is a senior at the Glendale Union High School. Virginia passed from this life in January 1922, at the age of thirteen. Mrs. Rowley is vice-president of the Glendale Federation of Parent-Teacher Association, historian of the High School Parent-Teacher Association and secretary of the Women’s Auxiliary to the American Legion. The family home is at 334 Vine Street.

From “History of Glendale and Vicinity” by John Calvin Sherer. The Glendale Publishing Company, c. 1922 F. M. Broadbooks and J. C. Sherer. p. 378-379.