Hugh Livingstone Macneil (August 9, 1850 – October 21, 1901) was a pioneer rancher and town developer in

southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...

Early years

Macneil was born in the town of

Wick Wick most often refers to: * Capillary action ("wicking") ** Candle wick, the cord used in a candle or oil lamp ** Solder wick, a copper-braided wire used to desolder electronic contacts Wick or WICK may also refer to: Places and placenames ...

, Canada West, in 1850. He received a high school education and made plans for college, but the death of his father ended those plans. After a few years of experience in the business life of his Canada, Macneil removed to

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, where, in the capacity of cashier and auditor, he connected himself with the firm of Ingraham, Corbln & May, wholesale grocers.

Career

The Chicago climate proving too severe, Macneil, in 1876, traveled to California. Lingering a short time in

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

, with a letter of introduction from Mr. A. N. Towne, then at the head of the

Southern Pacific The Southern Pacific (or Espee from the railroad initials) was an American Class I railroad network that existed from 1865 to 1996 and operated largely in the Western United States. The system was operated by various companies under the names ...

in that city, he came to

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

. Here, he became connected with the Los Angeles County Bank as cashier. In 1887, he left the bank and spent four years in association with his father-in-law, Jonathan Sayre Slauson, in various land developments. As one of the owners of the Maclay Rancho, in the

San Fernando Valley The San Fernando Valley, known locally as the Valley, is an urbanized valley in Los Angeles County, Los Angeles County, California. Situated to the north of the Los Angeles Basin, it comprises a large portion of Los Angeles, the Municipal corpo ...

, he took an active part in developing and selling the land of the Rancho. The town of

San Fernando, California San Fernando (Spanish language, Spanish for "Ferdinand III of Castile, St. Ferdinand") is a General-law municipality, general-law city in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. It ...

, stands on this land. He acquired a large acreage where the towns of

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

and

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are located, soon after the Chaffeys had organized the Ontario colony, and assisted in promoting and establishing both of these cities. Macneil was also associated with J. S. Slauson, James Slauson and others in organizing the Azusa Land and Water Company, which, in April, 1887, established the town of

Azusa AZUSA refers to a ground-based radar tracking system installed at Cape Canaveral, Florida and the NASA Kennedy Space Center. AZUSA was named after the southern California town Azusa, California where the system was devised in the early 1950s. ...

. Macneil, in 1891, took up his residence there and for the next few years devoted himself to planting orange and lemon lands, the development and transportation of water from the San Gabriel Canon, and the early organization of the Southern California Fruit Exchange. He died in Los Angeles in 1901. He was the first president of the Caledonian Club, one of the early presidents of the

California Club The California Club is an invitation-only private club established in 1888, based in Los Angeles, California. According to the ''Los Angeles Times'', "The people who run Los Angeles belong to the Jonathan Club; the people who own Los Angeles b ...

of Los Angeles, a charter member of the

Los Angeles Athletic Club Los Angeles Athletic Club (LAAC) is a privately owned Sports club, athletic club and social club in Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles, California, United States. Established in 1880, the club is today best known for its John R. Wooden Award pr ...

, and was also a member of the Creel Club and of the Sunset Club. He was for four years a California Fish and Game Commissioner.

Personal life

He was a Republican and a Presbyterian. In Los Angeles, on September 17, 1884, he married Louise Slauson. There were two children, a daughter, Marion, and a son, Sayre (born 1886).

References

Bibliography

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Macneil, Hugh Livingstone 1850 births 1901 deaths Ranchers from California People from San Bernardino County, California Canadian emigrants to the United States People from Brock, Ontario