Los Angeles County CA Archives Biographies.....Archer, Alvin N. 1844 - 
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Author: Luther A. Ingersoll (1908)

ALVIN N. ARCHER.

    ALVIN N. ARCHER, a well known pioneer citizen of Ocean Park, Santa Monica,
is a native of the State of Maine, born in the town of Charlotte, Washington
County, October 23rd, 1844. His father, John N. Archer, a shoemaker by trade and
occupation, a native of the same state, married Abigal Hughes and they raised a
family of four sons and four daughters of whom Alvin N. was the fifth. Abigal
Hughes was the daughter of John Hughes, a native of Wales, G. B. He was a man of
great physical strength and-a professional athlete. Young Archer left home at
eighteen years of age and in 1862 entered the Union Army for the Civil War. He
was mustered into the service at the town of Lincoln, Penobscot County; First
Maine Artillery, Battery I., which was assigned to the Army of the Potomac. His
regiment was held in the defense of Washington until April, 1864, and was then
sent to the front under the command of General W. S. Hancock. They participated
in all the bloody righting involved in the Siege of Petersburg and it is a
matter of public record that the First Maine Artillery sustained a larger per
cent of losses than any other in the Federal Army. In one instance, when
assaulting the breastworks, Mr. Archer's battery came out with only seven out of
a total of sixty man who made the charge. Mr. Archer received two wounds during
the war and still carries a musket ball under his shoulder blade. He mustered
out in July, 1865, at Philadelphia, Pa., and soon thereafter returned home. For
a time he followed lumbering and in 1877 went to Michigan, located at Midland
and worked for the Flint & Pere Marquette Ry. Co. In 1879 he removed to Madison,
South Dakota, and worked on a bonanza farm. In 1891 he came west to Oregon and
in 1892 to Southern California. He was in poor health and located at Santa
Monica. For the Y. M. C. A. he erected the first building in South Santa Monica
in 1894. For four years he was local agent of the Santa Fe Ry. Company. Later he
held the office of deputy constable and was also the first uniformed policeman
of the new town. He was the prime factor in organizing fire company No. 2, and
for years was its president. He was elected and served as a member of the board
of Freeholders that draughted the present city charter of Santa Monica. He is at
present member of the City Fire Commission having in charge all matters relating
to the present efficient fire department.

    Mr. Archer married at Ocean Park, in 1892, Miss Luetta Litch, a native of
Fredonia, N. Y., and a daughter of Joseph Litch, a one time extensive farmer and
land owner of Chautauqua County, N. Y. He, however, met with financial reverses
and died in middle life. The mother soon passed away leaving the daughter in the
guardianship of her present husband. Mr. and Mrs. Archer have four children—Bula
June, the first child born of American parents in South Santa Monica; Reed M.;
Glen E.; Altha F. The Archer home is No. 245 Hill Street. Mr. Archer is one of
the influential and progressive pioneers of Ocean Park, Santa Monica, and takes
a lively interest in the public welfare of his adopted city.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Ingersoll's century history, Santa Monica Bay cities: prefaced with a brief
history of the state of California, a condensed history of Los Angeles County,
1542 to 1908: supplemented with an encyclopedia of local biography and
embellished with views of historic landmarks and portraits of representative
people.

Los Angeles: Luther A. Ingersoll (1908)


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