One of the best things about Google’s effort to digitize library book collections is that much information on the early days of Los Alamitos has popped up in a number of very unexpected sources. Extensive information which we have been already sharing on this site has been spelunked from the three major beet sugar industry journals [The Sugar Beet Gazette, The Louisiana Planter, Willett’s and Gray’s Journal] which covered all facets of the beet sugar industry in California.
Another source we have found are the minutes of the Southern California Congregational Conference. The site for the first church in the new town of Los Alamitos was a gift from the Bixby Land Company. The Bixbys, of course, were devout Congregationalists — and, it must be noted that even more so were their wives. Lewelly, Jotham and their cousin, John W., all married Hathaway sisters — and their father, George Hathaway was an ardent Congregationalist minister back in their home state of Maine.
The Congregationalists also helped to found the Pomona Colleges, with which the Bixbys have always had a very close connection.
Below we present this text which applies to Los Alamitos, and which was presented at the 1901 Congregationalist Conference.
Minutes of the … annual meeting of the Southern California Congregational Conference held with the …
T.T. Jones Co., 1901 – Religion
In Orange, County : Villa Park has prospered the past year under the labors of Rev. M. D. Reid. Buena Park gave up its minister, Rev. D. W. Morgan, on account of his ill health, and is now served by Rev. H. E. Hays, a licentiate of Drury College. His labors are received with much acceptance.
At Los Alamitos, Rev. J. Fletcher Brown is pastor. Here is the location of a great sugar manufactory, the work of which and dependent prosperity of community has been much retarded by drought. With the strong church at Santa Ana, Rev. J. H. Cooper, pastor, we have one self-supporting and three aided churches and four ministers in Orange County.
The Spanish Work.
(Following is the report of the Rev. A. B. Case made to Superintendent C. L. Maile, for the quarter ending in April;
I praise God for the opportunities which He gave me in April, and for His gracious leading. My Spanish congregations are not large, yet during the month I have presented Christ, clearly, I trust, to some 300 different Mexicans, and it is probable that at least 100 of this number have never heard the Gospel before. Through the effective assistance of my wife and other helpers, regular work at Pomona and at Ivanhoe has been maintained and the preaching circle widened. Twice I spent a day in visiting and with service at Chino. This town of 500 population is six miles southeast of Pomona. Here is located one of the largest beet sugar plants in the country. The “season” now commencing, and lasting through November, brings from the surrounding region a large number of Mexican laborers, many accompanied by their families. As a rule they are a hard people to reach, yet God has given me souls there in former years, and 1 shall labor this year in expectation of others.
A new point which I have visited is Rincon, sixteen miles southeast of Pomona. Here are fifteen or twenty Spanish-speaking families, and at my invitation nearly sixty came out to a meeting one blustering cold night. Rarely have I felt so clearly the Spirit’s presence as wdien explaining God’s plan of salvation to those people. At the close of the service one rough fellow remained for further words, and kneeling alone with me earnestly asked God for a new heart. I long to establish regular work here, and hope to do so, but the great beet fields with their multitudes of Mexican laborers present more urgent calls for the summer.
Los Alamitos, twenty miles southeast of Los Angeles, is another beet sugar town. I held four services here in April and find the opportunity greater than at Chino. The number of Mexicans is much greater, and already we have the nucleus of a church in two families of believers from the- American Board field in Old Mexico. I have just returned from another three days’ visit there with experiences of more than usual interest and encouragement. This, however, will properly be included in my report for May.
Alden B. Case.
30 JAN 1902 – The Pacific, Volume 52, Issues 1-26, By Congregational Churches in California
Los Almitos.—Rev. J. F. Brown resigns his charge of this church. Rev. Oliver L. Corbin of Buena Park adds Los Alamitos to his field of work, preaching there on Sunday afternoons. The two points are about seven miles apart.
Compton.—Evangelistic meetings have been held for two weeks with increasing interest. On the second week Supt. Maile assisted Pastor Richard Hardin, conducting two daily services from January 12th to the 19th. The church is spiritually quickened and numerous conversions arc hoped for from its banner Sunday-school, which has large classes of young people.
19 JUNE 1902 – The Pacific, Volume 52, Issues 1-26; By Congregational Churches in California. Northern California Congregational Conference, p16 —
Buena Park.—Pastor Corbin has taken under his wing Los Alamitos, and both fields have voted for selfsupport and the pastor reports something new to his experience—his salary has been paid in advance. Seven were received on confession of faith at Los Alamitos and two by letter at last communion.
OCT 14-16, 1902 – Annual Minutes of So Cal Congregationalist Association. Los Alamitos Church reports growth of more than ten but less than 20 persons.
The Home missionary, Volumes 74-76; By American Home Missionary Society, Congregational Home Missionary Society, 1902 IN THE BEET SUGAR FIELD
[Beet sugar has been so prominent a subject in Congress lately as to give special interest to the following letter from the Jtev. Alden B. Case, portions of whose address at our last Annual Meeting on “Our Spanish Speaking People in the Southwest” were published in the July number of the Home Missionary.]
Almost my entire time during May was occupied in work among the Mexicans of Los Alamitos (15 miles southeast of Los Angeles). Here is located a beet sugar factory which has a capacity of 700 tons of beets daily. The “run,” commencing in July, is from four to six months, according to the quantity of beets obtainable. In the region tributary to Los Alamitos there are now 7,000 acres in beets. The labor required in these fields is enormous—seeding, thinning, cultivating, pulling, topping and delivering at the factory. The majority of the laborers are Mexicans. Only a few of these are residents of the village. They come from near and from far. One company ot twenty men came all the way from Michoacan, which is one of the most distant states of Mexico. They tell me that they expect to return home in December.
Some of these people find cheap houses to rent in the village, but the most of them live in tents or booths. Groups of these, called “campos,” are found here and there, each containing twenty, thirty, or more laborers, some accompanied by their families. These “camps” are located wherever convenient for work, usually near water and under spreading trees. It is in such places that I have met my Mexican people and often partaken of their cordial hospitality.
After the day of labor and the evening meal we would have our brief service. My stereopticon is a valuable help in this kind of work. The Mexicans gathered here are of the roughest class. One out-ofdoor meeting was interrupted by a scuffle, in which pistols were drawn. An ordinary religious meeting would attract few of them, but the lantern views of Mexico draw everybody, and prepare the way for scenes in the life of Christ and serious words on salvation.
In addition to this work in the camps, Spanish services were held every Sunday at the Congregational church in Los Alamitos. Here I found converts from our American Board Mission in Mexico. Their joy in being sought out by a missionary of their own denomination and having religious services established in their own language was enthusiastic. The Alamitos church had experienced discouragements since its formation three years ago, and has been pressing bravely on with nine American members.
During May twelve Mexicans were received, ten by letter and two on confession. I think heaven was glad to see these Americans and Mexicans shaking hands together around the Lord’s table. Neither understood the language of the other, but there was warm Christian fellowship and mutual rejoicing.
6 JULY 1905, The Pacific, Volume 55, Issues 27-52 By Congregational Churches in California. Northern California Congregational Conference, p.211
Los Alamitos.—When Rev. M. D. Reid of Norwalk commenced work here some four months since, the outlook was discouraging. For a Sunday or two he preached to less than a half dozen; but quiet work in calling and some special services aroused the people and now twenty or thirty attend. A Thimble Club has been formed by the women, and some charitable work is done thereby. This is the seat of a beet sugar factory, and some very fine people are among the residents. We are well equipped with church edifice and comfortable parsonage. It is hoped such will be the development under Mr. Reid that a resident pastor can be supported.