The Smith & Garrison Tract is the first of the Fountain Glen real estate tracts in the southeast corner of Ocean Park (Marine, Navy, and Lincoln).
In 1904, B.S. Garrison,1 former slate-writer and now professional medium exposer, is growing berries on irrigated Vawter carnation property in Ocean Park. In 1904, the Vawters2 sell part (5.15 acres) of the northern half of Block 29 of the Lucas Tract to Mrs. Sallie A. Smith3 and B.S. Garrison for $2,000.4
In August 1904, Smith and Garrison subdivide the Smith & Garrison Tract (south side of Marine from Highland to Lincoln) into 13 lots - mostly 100-ft x 136-ft (0.31 acre) lots. To provide access, a 50-ft wide Marine St is created along the north boundary of the tract. Due to the tract’s awkward location (i.e., the middle of Block 29), at Highland, Marine St. is offset from the existing Marine St. on the Santa Fe Tract to the west.
The Smith & Garrison Tract lots are more than 5 times larger than typical Ocean Park residential lots. Smith and Garrison are not typical developers and we don’t know what their intention is here. Are the properties intended as small farms/orchards?
The lots are not offered for sale. In July 1905, the Smith & Garrison Tract is entirely absorbed and re-subdivided into the Fountain Glen Tract (next week’s post). The Smith & Garrison Tract ceases to exist. Although the offset of Marine at Highland is still there today.
Streets established with the Smith & Garrison Tract
Marine St - the M of the M, N, and O streets.
Bishop Simpson Garrison (1860 – 1949). Born in Iowa, Garrison is named for bishop Matthew Simpson (1811–1884) - a friend of Abraham Lincoln.
In 1881, Garrison comes to Wichita, KS, where he marries (1) Mary Agnes Merrill (1863 - 1955). He grows corn, buys land, and becomes involved in residential real estate development. He has plum and cherry orchards. In 1885, he opens a fruit and vegetable canning factory. Garrison is elected a justice of the peace and unsuccessfully runs for city council. Through his wife, he becomes involved with Spiritualist George D. Search. Search teaches Garrison the medium tricks - and defrauds him of $20,000. In 1890, Garrison’s home burns down, and he divorces Mary Merrill. In 1891, the real estate boom is over, and some of his Wichita property is sold at a sheriff’s sale. Garrison decides to do a little medium work on his own account and goes to Oregon. In WA in 1891, he marries (2) Lillian Maude Barnard (1875 - 1926) from Wichita.
In 1896, leaving Oregon, Garrison joins a Spiritualist fraud ring in San Francisco. In 1898, Julia Schlesinger, common-law wife of self-professed medium Louis Schlesinger, convinces Garrison to give up the Spiritualist business, come clean, and expose their fraudulent methods. Garrison apparently deciding that there's a better living to be made as a debunker than as a practitioner. In 1900, Garrison marries (3) Julia, and they are in Los Angeles giving lectures outing fake mediums.
In 1904, Garrison is growing berries on E.J. Vawter property in Ocean Park. In October 1904, Garrison prosecutes Lee Harrison in Santa Monica municipal court for stealing sweet potatoes from his farm.
In 1905, Garrison is a subdivider of the Fountain Glen Tracts. In 1907, Garrison files suit to recover $400 due him for exposing frauds perpetrated by fake mediums operating in Stockton, CA. In 1909, there is a court-ordered sale of some Fountain Glen property to pay off a $2,000 judgment against B. S. Garrison, Julia Garrison, and F.G. Huddleston.
In July 1910, Garrison marries (4) Eva E. Rugg in Santa Ana. In September 1910, Garrison fails to appear for a lecture in Santa Ana (there are death threats from the outed mediums) and disappears. In 1912, he is farming in AZ. In 1916, Garrison is a prominent political operative (organizer of the Rescue Club) in Phoenix AZ, where he dies in 1949.
The Vawters, through their Santa Monica Commercial Company, own Block 29 of the Lucas Tract.
Mrs. Sallie A. O. Smith - we don’t know who she is or what is the basis for her involvement with Garrison. Our guess is that she is a real estate agent. By 1905, Smith is no longer involved in the Fountain Glen property. (In 1905 a Mrs. Sarah (?) Smith sues Garrison in the Santa Monica courts). In August 1904, Garrison deeds Julia a 1/2 interest in the Smith & Garrison Tract - it is not clear whose 1/2 this is.
$2,000 for 1/4 of Block 29 is a good deal for Smith and Garrison - in 1887, the Vawters paid $10,000 for all of Block 29.