Los Angeles County CA Archives Biographies.....Dudley, Thomas Horace 1867 - 
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Author: Luther A. Ingersoll (1908)

    HON. THOMAS HORACE DUDLEY, mayor of Santa Monica, and by reason of his
position, leading citizen, is a native of Liecestershire, England, and was born
October 2nd, 1867. His father, Thomas M. S. Dudley, M. D., was a son of Rev.
William Mason Dudley, A. M., vicar of Whitchurch and rector of Laverstoke.

    Dr. Dudley married Emily Frances Draycott, daughter of Thomas Draycott, a
farmer of Liecestershire, who bore him three daughters and a son of whom Thomas
H. was next to the eldest. He was accorded the advantages of good schooling and
passed through the Queen Elizabeth Grammar Schools. While yet a youth, the
knowledge he acquired of American life and customs inspired him with a desire to
try his fortunes in the new world. He came to the United States and located at
Bakersfield, California, in 1889, and there engaged in the real estate and
insurance business. In 1896 he removed to Santa Monica and engaged in the real
estate and insurance business under the firm name of Proctor & Dudley. In
February, 1899, he married Mrs. Matilda Brooks Ryan, of Santa Monica, widow of
the late Francis G. Ryan; a lady of wealth, refinement and social prominence,
and a daughter of Francis Wykoff Brooks (deceased) a California pioneer (see
index). Soon thereafter the real estate firm of Kinney & Ryan, owners and
promoters of the Ocean Park Beach Tract, was succeeded by the firm of Kinney &
Dudley and under Mr Dudley's personal management this, then, new and
comparatively undeveloped seaside resort was made a phenomenal success as time
has duly demonstrated Mr. Dudley also became a factor in other successful
business enterprises. In 1902 he was one of the organizers of the Ocean Park
Bank and has since been its president. In 1903 the Merchants National Bank was
incorporated and he served, as president thereof until early in 190S, when he
was succeeded by James H. Grigsby. In 1905 the Bank of Venice was incorporated
and Mr. Dudley was chosen, and still serves, as its president. In 1900 Mr.
Dudley was elected a member of the Santa Monica City Board of Trustees, serving
as chairman of the Board until 1907. Upon the reorganization of the city
government under a Freeholders Charter in 1907, Mr. Dudley was elected mayor and
is now (1908) the incumbent. He is a membei of the B. P. O. E., and a leading
member and officer of the St. Augustine Episcopal Church of Santa Monica.


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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