The Street Seen: William D Vawter (1815 – 1894)

Ocean Park

W.D. Vawter is born in IN. Tiring of farm life, the young man went to live with his uncle, Col. John Vawter, who was the proprietor of a grocery store at “Vawter’s Corner,” in Vernon, IN where the nephew became clerk and later partner with his cousin in the business. For many years Vawter was postmaster in the town, a leader in temperance work there, and custodian of the local branch of the American Bible Society.

Vawter married in 1834, Mary Charlotte Tilghman Crowder (18?? – 1851), with six children, namely, Mary Ellen, May, Jane-Cravens, Aramantha Charlotte, William Smith Vawter and Edwin James Vawter. In 1852, Vawter married Charlotte Augusta Knowlton (18?? – 1893), by whom he became the father of two children, Emma K. and Charles Knowlton.

The family comes to Pasadena in 1875 and Vawter is associated with the early development Pasadena (Indiana Colony).

From Pasadena Vawter moved to Santa Monica, and opened the first general store in that town, in a building on Fourth street, later establishing lumber yards and a planning mill. In 1884 Vawter with his sons purchased 100 acres of the Lucas ranch. In 1886 he secured a franchise and with his sons built the first street railway which was later extended to the Soldiers’ Home at Sawtelle, and Vawter lived to see his undertaking become a paying enterprise. With his sons he organized the First National Bank of Santa Monica, opening the same in the brick building on the southeast corner of 3rd Street and Santa Monica Blvd which they built in 1888. Vawter was active the development of the town of Santa Monica. He was also one of the founders of the Presbyterian church in Santa Monica.