The Street Seen: Edwin James Vawter (1848 – 1914)
Ocean Park People
E. J. Vawter is involved in many real estate, banking, rail roading and other Ocean Park businesses.
Born in IN, Edwin James Vawter comes to Pasadena with his father, W.D. Vawter (1815 – 1894) and elder brother W.S. Vawter (1845 – 1917) in 1875. From Pasadena, the Vawters open the first general merchandise store in Santa Monica. Operating as the Santa Monica Commercial Company, W. D. Vawter and his two sons are involved in many real estate, banking, rail roading and other Santa Monica businesses.
E.J. Vawter organizes the First National Bank of Ocean Park. He serves as a member of the Santa Monica Board of Trustees, the Library Board, and the School Board. He is president of the Ocean Park Water Company organized in 1896 to supply Ocean Park with water. In 1899, he is president Ocean Park Floral Company and begins growing of carnations and other flowers for the wholesale market.
In 1869, he marries Laura E. Dixon (1851 - 1886) in Indiana and they are the parents of E.J. Vawter, Jr. (1871 - 1926). In 1888, Vawter marries widow Isabelle Louise Nelson (1856 - 1946). Vawter dies unexpectedly at his mountain home in Monrovia in 1914.