Hanford Morning Journal
02 Jun 1946, Sun · Page 8

The Los Angeles Times - 01 Jun 1946, Sat · Page 11

Statue of George Marston in the park he founded, Balboa Park San Diego, California.

George W. Marston was one of the few who never lost faith in the possibilities of City Park (a large tract of arid land now known the world over as Balboa Park) and he was the man who came forward at the critical moment to employ the finest genius in America to translate the barren wilderness into a spot of perennial beauty by means of well conceived harmonious unified design for its artistic development. The undertaking cost him ten thousand dollars to start with and this was doubtless but the beginning of his benefaction. As in all such cases his financial contribution was of less value than the moral influence which it set in motion for the enthusiasm of the whole citizenship was immediately enlisted in behalf of this neglected asset of San Diego. While the history of the park reflects credit upon many individuals as well as upon the city as a whole it will doubtless be regarded in the future as an enduring memorial to Mr Marston's public spirit and civic pride Mr Marston was the first president of the San Diego Civic Association and for years was active in the San Diego Chapter of the Archaeological Institute the Museum Association the Young Men's Christian Association the California Building Commission Balboa Park and was chairman of the Building and Ground Committee for the Panama California Exposition For seven years he was president of the California State organization of the YMCA during the World war was a member of the National War Work Council and is now a member of the International Committee He has been a trustee of Pomona College since 1887 and president of the board since 1909 and was the first lay moderator of the Congregational Churches of Southern California in 1909 He is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution belongs to the Cuyamaca University Tuesday and Sierra Clubs is a member of the First Congregational Church of San Diego and in politics is an independent who has voted sometimes for republican and sometimes for the democratic ticket He was president of the first Lincoln Roosevelt Club in San Diego May 3 1878 at San Diego Mr Marston married Anna Lee Gunn Mrs Marston has the distinction of having been the first white child born at Sonora in Tuolumne County California Her father Dr Lewis C Gunn crossed the country from Philadelphia to San Francisco riding horseback from Texas to Southern California in 1849 Mrs Marston's mother came to California by sailing vessel around Cape Horn in 1852 Dr Gunn was a prominent Californian in the early days of the state and at one time was editor of the San Francisco Times His brother Douglas Gunn was even better known in San Diego where he was proprietor and editor of the San Diego Union many years and mayor of the city from 1889 to 1891 Mr and Mrs Marston have five children Arthur H who married Elsa Wentcher Miss Mary G Elizabeth LeB wife of Professor William Frederic Bade of the University of California Harriet wife of Professor Leal A Headley of Carleton College Minnesota and Miss Helen D.

The Marston Company of San Diego is the oldest dry goods business in Southern California. It is a business with a remarkable record of growth development and service. As a great business institution it represents in a rare degree the labors and energies and plans of a single individual its founder George W Marston. On the main floor of the store was recently unveiled a handsome bronze tablet with the following inscription To George W Marston founder and president of the Marston Company An idealist in business steadfast in friendship eminent in citizenship Presented October 22 1920 in commemoration of his seventieth birthday and the fiftieth anniversary of his coming to San Diego A tribute from the three hundred employes of the Marston Company. Not alone employees and business associates but thousands of citizens as well confirm the sentiment expressed that Mr Marston has been an idealist in business a man steadfast in his friendships and eminent in citizenship to the degree that he has worked unselfishly and generously at all times to make San Diego not only a center of commerce but a community in which the best social and cultural advantages may be realized. The many points of contact through which Mr Marston has exercised his influence to the good of San Diego can hardly be completely summarized here The purpose of this article is to afford a brief outline of his life and its larger activities Much of his character and his work have long been an integral part of San Diego's history He was born October 22 1850 in Fort Atkinson Wisconsin son of George Phillips and Harriet Marston Marston Both his father and mother were direct descendants of William Marston a native of Yorkshire England who came to this country and settled at Hampton Beach New Hampshire in 1644 George P Marston was a native of Newburyport Massachusetts and went West to Chicago in 1836 when that was a village and military post on Lake Michigan In 1837 he invested in six hundred forty acres of Government timber land in the southern portion of Wisconsin territory He went to Wisconsin and developed his land became a pioneer farmer but in 1851 left his farm and opened a store in the village of Fort Atkinson He was a merchant and leading citizen there until 1870 when he brought his family West to San Diego He lived in San Diego until his death in 1877 and his wife survived until 1888 George W Marston was just twenty years of age when he came by boat to Southern California In the meantime he had attended the public schools of Fort Atkinson the Beloit Academy in Wisconsin and spent one year 1869 70 in the University of Michigan During a portion of 1868 he had worked in a country grist mill and his first employment after coming to San Diego was as hotel clerk in the Horton House from its opening in October 1870 until April 1871 Since his twenty first birthday he has been continuously identified with the mercantile business During 1871 72 he was bookkeeper for the general merchandise firm of A Pauly & Sons and in 1872 73 was a salesman in the store of Joseph Nash He and Charles S Hamilton were fellow clerks in the Nash store and on July 1 1873 they took over the Nash business and as the firm of Hamilton & Marston continued until 1878. On August 15 1878 Mr Marston entered business alone establishing a dry goods and clothing store on the Snyder Corner at Fifth and D now the site of Holzwasser's store at Fifth and Broadway Subsequently he moved his business to the vicinity of the City Hall below G Street and from 1882 to 1896 was at the northeast corner of Fifth and F and from 1896 to 1912 in the Stephen Marston Building at the northwest corner of Fifth and C The present large and handsome store building housing the Marston Company was erected in 1912 on C street between Fifth and Sixth and at that time the Marston Company was incorporated The store building is owned by the Marston Building Company of which Mr Marston is president and principal stockholder He is also president and half owner of the Marston Store business Mr Marston was formerly a director of the Bank of Commerce and until 1920 was a director of the Southern Trust and Commerce Bank At different tinges he has been associated with other men of wealth in business undertakings that have developed the city Fron1 1902 to 1905 he was a leader in promoting additional railroad facilities for San Diego and he served as president of the San Diego Eastern Railway from 1905 to 1907 Mr Marston has never been a politician but has a long and important official record in posts that carry no remuneration and offer opportunities for unremitting and most unselfish devotion to the public welfare From 1882 to 1887 he was a trustee of the San Diego Public Library served in the City Council from 1887 to 1889 was fire commissioner from 1893 to 1895 park commissioner from 1905 to 1909 and again from 1916 to 1918 and trustee of the State Normal School of San Diego during 1905 07 He helped organize many of the civic and social institutions of San Diego and has also been associated with some of the state and national societies As first commissioner of parks he was instrumental in realizing long cherished designs for making the City Park one of the chief centers of beauty of San Diego Of his part in this achievement Smythe's History of San Diego of 1907 says For many years a reservation of fourteen hundred acres in the heart of the town appeared like the most hopeless of waste places and few believed that it would be possible to command the water the money and the genius to develop it to the highest advantage Suddenly the situation changed Civic pride was aroused and directed along intelligent lines. The finest landscape architects were employed to work out comprehensive plans and put them in the way of gradual realization Money was obtained from private and public sources to carry on the work and its administration was vested in the hands of devoted citizens who stood ready to give freely to their time and thought to this labor of love It is seldom if ever true that a great public development may justly be credited to any single individual. The history of the City Park is no exception yet in this instance there is one man who did so much and did it so generously and wisely that he is entitled to unstinted praise and to lasting remembrance. This man is George W Marston.