Founders & Pioneers

b: 2 Aug 1850 West Virginia; d: 16 Apr 1929 LA County, CA; Section S, Lot 041S, Grave 3W

Josiah Harshman operated a cheese factory in Southington, Ohio before moving to Compton in 1876. He established the Anchor Cheese Factory in Compton and began full operation on February 11, 1880. By 1881 Ancho was producing approximately 800 pounds of cheese a day. He continued operating the cheese factory until 1907. He was president of the first bank organized in Compton. Compton now covers his former farm. He donated the land on which Compton High School and Compton Civic Buildings now stand and founded the Free Methodist Church in Watts. Also buried in Woodlawn: his wife Jane Amanda Cross Harshman; daughters Lula Elizabeth Harshman, Nina Bliss Harshman and her husband George A Downing; Clara Maude Harshman and her husband Harold Aus Petterson.

Was born August 27, 1823, in Athern, Maine and died on February 15, 1912 in Redondo, California. Jacob, his wife Martha F. Durrell (1831-1911) and their three children traveled from Maine to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama in 1868, before the Panama Canal was built. Jacob purchased land near Compton where he farmed for thirty years before handing it off to his son Daniel. Daniel farmed until his death in 1915. Nine Hathorn family members are buried in Woodlawn Celestial Park: Jacob’s sister Hannah; wife, Martha; daughters Jennie and Rena; son, Daniel and his wife Margaret; and grandson, Roy and his wife Maud.  

John and his wife Abigail were natives of Vermont and pioneer settlers of Compton. They traveled overland to California with an ox team. They rented farmland and eventually purchased 50 acres of land which John farmed until his death on May 8, 1871, at the age of 57 years. John and Abigail had four sons. Three, Simon, Frank and Lucian operated the Star Dairy which produced cheese and butter.

Abigail E. (Gates) Stockwell, wife of John H. Stockwell, died on May 8, 1871, at the age of 36. Abigail was the first person buried in Compton Rural Cemetery in 1871.

b: May 8, 1819, Lockport, NY d: September 26, 1904, Compton CA; Section 9-2, Lot 011S

Dr Whaley left New York by ship, traveled across Nicaragua then sailed north to California in 1852.  After settling in Tuolume County he moved to the Stockton area where he met G. D. Compton.  He followed Compton to Southern California and hung his shingle on East Main Street near the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks.  Dr. Whaley was Compton's first physician.  He was one of the original trustees of Compton Rural Cemetery, now Woodlawn Celestial Gardens.  In 1951 he was recognized for his contribution to the city and the region when they named the newly constructed school "Franklin S. Whaley Junior High.  Dr. Whaley's wife Anna, daughter Mary and son-in-law Charles I. Maso are also buried at Woodlawn.