Southern California Vanguards:
The Workman and Temple Family from 1830 to 1930

by Paul Spitzzeri

Few families have had as extensive an involvement in the public life of southern California as the Workman and Temple families. These activities were particularly noteworthy during the century between 1830 and 1930, as the families were at the vanguard of such varied pursuits as ranching, agriculture, real estate and construction, politics, oil and water development, banking, and social activism. The story of the families serves, therefore, as an appropriate case study for the story of southern California.

Part 1: From Pastoral Pueblo to Emerging City, 1830-1876

From the arrival of Jonathan Temple in the Mexican pueblo of Los Angeles in 1828 and that of his half-brother, F. P. F., and of the Workman family thirteen years later, the lives of the Temple and Workman families were linked with the fortunes of a pastoral southern California. Whether in cattle ranching, agriculture, or early business endeavors, the families were at the vanguard of regional activities, even as economic fluctuations from the Gold Rush, floods, and drought led to dramatic rises and losses among southern Californians. Ultimately, Los Angeles' first market growth spurt and the deep investment of William Workman and F. P. F. Temple led to a terrible setback for them and their families.

Part 2: The Boom of the Eighties to the Roaring Twenties, 1876-1930

While this period was one of struggle for the William Workman/F. P. F. Temple branch of the family, the descendants of Workman's brother David, were in the ascendant in terms of economic, social, and political involvement in Los Angeles. Among these were a mayor and city treasurer; City Council president; and a prominent social worker and activist. Meanwhile, Walter P. Temple, son of F. P. F. and Margarita Temple and grandson of William and Nicolasa Workman brought a resurgence of his family in regional affairs through oil, real estate and construction, and philanthropy in the 1920s. Ironically, he mirrored much of the activity and, unfortunately, the results of his forebears and misfortune befell the Temples by the Great Depression.

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