Los Angeles County CA Obituary Project Obituaries.....Childs, Ozro W. April 16 1890
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Paula Hinkel phinkel@pacbell.net July 6, 2004, 1:54 am

Los Angeles Times, April 17 & 20, 1890 
Los Angeles Times, April 17, 1890 - age 6

O. W. Childs - Sudden Death of an Old Los Angeles Pioneer.
A Resident of this City for Forty Years - His Experiences as a Land Owner
The Childs Tract - a Large Estate

O. W. Childs, one of the pioneers of Los Angeles county, and one of the best 
known men in the southern part of the State, died suddenly and unexpectedly at 
his residence, at the corner of Main and Eleventh streets, yesterday morning at 
2:30 o'clock.  Mr. Childs has been in bad health for a number of years, and was 
a great sufferer from the asthma and other complaints, which sometimes kept him 
from this business for weeks at a time. For the past week or two he has been 
ailing more than usual, and last week he went to Santa Monica to recuperate.  
He returned to the city Monday, but did not come to his office, attending to 
such matters as needed his attention at his residence.  Wednesday he was up and 
about the house as usual, and spent the evening in conversation with members of 
his family.  He retired about 9 o'clock, in good spirits, stating that he 
intended to go up town in the morning, as there was some important business 
that he would have to attend to.  At 2 o'clock yesterday morning he awoke 
coughing, and got up and sat on the side of the bed for a few seconds, when he 
fell over on the floor.  Medical aid was at once summoned, and every effort 
made to revive him, but without avail, as death was almost instantaneous, the 
immediate cause being paralysis of the heart.

The news of Mr. Child's death spread rapidly, and during the day a large number 
of friends called at the residence to express their sympathy for the family in 
the bereavement.

The funeral will take place Saturday, in accordance with the forms of the 
Catholic Church, and will be private.  There will be no flowers.

Ozro W. Childs was born June 5, 1824, in Sutton, Caledonia county, Vt., and was 
66 years of age at the time of his death.  He came to Los Angeles county in 
November 1850, and has resided here almost continuously ever since.  For a 
number of years after he came to Los Angeles Mr. Childs was in the hardware 
business, but afterward purchased a 50-acre tract in the southeastern part of 
the city, the city giving him in 1864 every block of land from Sixth to Ninth, 
except five, on condition that he should build a zanja, which he did.  It was 
uphill work for a while, but Mr. Childs had faith in the future of the city, 
and in the end succeeded.

In 1884 Mr. Childs subdivided his nursery tract, but retained his home place 
intact, and in the same year built the Grand Opera-house, which was the first 
first-class theater south of San Francisco.  Besides these properties, Mr. 
Childs had large holdings in San Bernardino and San Diego counties, and this 
county, and was interested in a number of the prominent financial institutions 
of the city.  The total value of his estate is estimated at $1,500,000.  Some 
six years ago, Mr. Childs was baptized in the Catholic Church at San Francisco, 
and died in that faith.

Los Angeles Times, April 20, 1890, page 8

The funeral of the late O. W. Childs took place from the Cathedral on Main 
street yesterday morning at 10 o'clock, and was very largely attended, the 
church being crowded.  Father Adam officiated, the services being brief, 
according to the wishes of the family.  The following gentlemen acted as pall-
bearers:  Ex-Mayor W. H. Workman, Geroge Hassen, Col. G. H. Smith, A. Glassell, 
Dr. W. F. Edgar, C. E. Thom, John Koueally and Judge E. M. Ross.

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