The Five Sons of Henry Newhall

The History of Newhall Ranch

In the Spirit of Continued Legacy

In creating this piece, I scanned the internet and read several books that had bits and pieces about the Newhall Family. I found it amazing just how little I could find out about the 5 sons of Henry Mayo Newhall, other than what I found in Ruth Newhall’s book “A California Legend – The Newhall Land and Farming Company.”

I just recently found a picture the describes George Almer Newhall as a Senator, but the photo was incorrect… and it ends there. Not even so much as a “wiki” on him.

The Five Sons of Henry Newhall grew up in privilege. While they did their best to run the substantial wealth and businesses accumulated by their father, after Henry’s death in 1882, they faced great obstacles at such a young age to continue his legacy. For that, I give them a great deal of credit.

Some of the boys fared well, some not so well. Even in the midst of the many great personal crises they faced, from what I could tell in the research I did, they were always well-liked, true gentlemen, great philanthropists, and great family men. Here are a few personal details of the five sons of Henry Mayo Newhall.

Henry Gregory Newhall

Born: 1853
Died: 1903
Age at death: 50

Wife: Mary Livingston Wyatt
Children: 4 – Alice Livingston Newhall, Gertrude Allbyne Newhall, Donald Victor Newhall, and Leila Gwendolin Newhall

  • Attended YALE – did not graduate, his father was not happy about that.
  • Rebuilt Newhall School when it burned down.
  • Worked on mapping the west with Yale professor.
  • Began working with his father on operations on all of his ranch properties.
  • Devoted to the ranch life.
  • Married and maintained a comfortable lifestyle
  • Built a beautiful home at 21 Chester Place, Los Angeles.
  • Elected President of Newhall Land and Farming.
  • Active supervision of San Francisco and Piojo Ranchos.
  • Presidency ended because of substantial debt and alcoholism.
  • Moved to Europe with wife and 3 year old daughter.
  • Returned from Europe and was appointed engineer and surveyor for the company.
  • He surveyed all borders of the ranches.
  • Died in San Francisco in 1903.
  • Buried in Cypress Lawn Memorial Park

Henry’s Estate in Los Angeles

21 Chester Place
Los Angeles, CA 90007

Note: Years after his death, in the 1960’s, the home he built at 21 Chester Place in Los Angeles was used as the “House” for the Addams family TV show.

William Mayo Newhall

Born: 1855
Died: 1934
Age at death: 79

Wife: Elizabeth Slade
Children: 5 – Margaret Anita Newhall, Edith Newhall, Marion Newhall, Elizabeth Newhall, William Mayo Newhall, Jr. (Died at birth).

  • GRADUATED Yale University
  • Graduated Columbia Law School
  • Became a lawyer Learned trade of HM Newhall and CO.
  • Handled legal issues for the company.
  • Married and maintained a comfortable lifestyle.
  • Elected VP of NLF
  • Mayo gave up law practice and devoted himself to active management of Suey and Todos Santos Ranchos
  • Mayo ran the farming company and traveled between the ranches.
  • Formally elected president to NLF
  • Started cattle improvement by buying bulls that were suited for the land.
  • Stepped down to VP on board of directors and general manager
  • Helped Atholl McBean get the company back on the right path after the death of his brother George left the company almost bankrupt.
  • Died in 1934 Buried in Cypress Lawn Memorial Park

Edwin White Newhall

Born: 1856
Died: 1915
Age at death: 59

Wife 1: Fannie Silliman Hall
Wife 2: Virginia Whiting
Children: 4 – Almer Mayo Newhall, Edwin White Newhall Jr. Virginia Whiting Newhall, Jr. and Frances Henrielle Newhall

  • Graduated from Mass Agricultural College
  • Learned trade of HM Newhall and CO.
  • Trained as an auctioneer
  • Worked in Newhall & Sons
  • Dissolved Newhall & Sons heavily in debt
  • Married and maintained a comfortable lifestyle.
  • Edwin & George settle into H.M. Newhall and Co bought out the other 3 brothers
  • Edwin’s principle interest was sailing his schooner “Virginia” on the San Francisco bay.
  • Was on the board of directors of the Bank of California, Treasurer of the Juvenile Court Committee, California Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
  • Significant time to other philanthropic work.
  • Died in 1915
  • Buried in Cypress lawn Memorial Park

“The Virginia”

Edwin loved to sail his yacht, “The Virginia”, around San Francisco Harbor.

According to Virginia Whiting Newhall’s Obituary page, Edwin and Virginia were active in the city’s most important Yacht clubs and societies. They traveled in the highest circles of San Francisco society. They lived in a fine house at 2950 Pacific Avenue and regularly cruised the bay in the palatial “Newhall Yacht” which was similar to those in the earliest America’s Cup races. As was common in the era, newspapers provide glowing accounts of the high society set, including Virginia and Frances, their friends and cousins.

Virginia was a proud member of the National Society of the Daughters of the Revolution and a member of the California Mayflower Society and national society.

Walter Scott Newhall

Born: 1860
Died: 1906
Age at death: 46

Wife: Nellie Trowbridge Ainsworth
Children: 1- Walter T. Newhall – Stillborn at birth

  • Learned trade of HM Newhall and CO
  • Was trained as an auctioneer.
  • Worked in Newhall & sons
  • Dissolved Newhall & Sons heavily in debt
  • Married and maintained a comfortable lifestyle
  • Became manager of Rancho San Francisco after Henry left
  • Lived in his brother Henry’s house in Los Angeles after Henry left for Europe with his family. He lived there until his death.
  • Got into a business venture in Los Angeles.
  • Made a profit of $100,000 and was able to pay off the debts incurred in the failure of Newhall Sons & CO
  • Died after a short illness in 1906
  • Buried in Cypress Lawn Memorial Park

George Almer Newhall

Born: 1863
Died: 1929
Age at death: 66

Wife: Caroline Taylor
Children: 2 – George Almer Newhall, Jr and Walter Scott Newhall

  • Learned trade of HM Newhall and CO
  • Worked at HM Newhall and Co.
  • Lived at home until his mother died
  • Married in 1903 and maintained a comfortable lifestyle
  • George became president of NLF
  • Edwin & George settle into Newhall and Co bought out the other 3 brothers
  • When Edwin died, his nephew Almer, Edwin’s son, became partners with George in H.M. Newhall and Co.
  • He died in 1929 shortly after the crash of the stock market.
  • He was over 2 million dollars in debt at the time of this death which no one knew about. Being partners with his nephew Almer, Almer was destroyed financially because of the indebtedness of the company.
  • Buried in Cypress lawn Memorial Park

The Estates of George Almer Newhall

1761 Manor Drive – Hillsborough, CA

Rubicon Lodge – Lake Tahoe, CA

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