Agenda Packet 11.6.25 (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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French Park Historic District, Santa Ana, CA Orange County United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number Page He successfully defended Buelah Overell, accused of murdering her parents, in a trial that gained national attention. Carl Cowles, who bought the house at 820 N. French, was an attorney who specialized in bankruptcy cases. William Thomas, an attorney, was the first known owner of the house at 932 N. French. In the 1910s, Wallace Rutan, one of the founders of the large and prestigious law firm of Rutan and Tucker, still in existance today, owned the house. Physicians and Dentists: Dr. Charles D. Ball, who helped found the Southern California Medical Association and the Orange County Medical Association, served as 76th District representative to the State Legislature and was a delegate to the Republican National Convention held in Chicago in 1920. He was also a founder of the Orange County Historical Society (1919), a member of the Santa Ana Public Library Board for 27 years, and active in the National Guard, the Oddfellows, and A1 Malaikah Shriners. He was president of the First National Bank in the 1920s, and on the board of several local companies. In 1926, he moved this house from Main St. one block east to 1119 N. Bush Street, preserving it as a residence when Main St. turned to commercial use. Dr. Albert Hervey, a local physican who was active in many civic organizations, built the Colonial Revival house at 1209 N. Spurgeon in 1903. Dr. Albert Zaiser, an early physician, bought the house at 918 N. French in 1923. Dr. John Wehrly (819 N. Spurgeon) was a prominent physician who specialized in internal medicine. He helped found the Orange County Hospital and Poor Farm in 1916, as well as serving as vice-president of the Santa Ana Hospital. His son. Dr. John Wehrly D. D. S., lived in the house until the 1970s. Another well-known local dentist who lived in the neighborhood was Dr. LeRoy Whitson (301 E. Eighth St.). He served the community for over fifty years. Ranchers and Orchardists: The backbone of the success and growth of Santa Ana was the ranching and farming community that surrounded the town. Forming a miles-wide ring around the city were acres and acres of orange groves, vegetable farms, alfalfa operations, dairies, and poultry farms. They were