Catalina and Teodoro traded a portion of land, which stretched from about Roselawn Avenue all the way up La Crescenta Avenue to Honolulu Avenue, to the daughter and son-in-law of Teodoro’s sister, Maria Antonia Lonjina Masimo Verdugo de Choboya, also known as “Nanita.” In return, they received several sheep and $500.
Nanita’s daughter, Rafaela Choboya, and her husband, Candelario Urquidez, thus became the owners of the property. Later, Rafaela deeded it to her children, Madrilena, Ramon, Frank, Richard, Jose and Maria Urquidez.
Frank Urquidez, grandfather to Don Urquidez, born in 1871, attended La Crescenta Elementary, the first school in the area. He and his brothers planted orchards and vineyards, and he had the first fruit peddler’s license in Los Angeles.
“The brothers also had a rock-crushing business and made a lot of houses out of rock,” Don Urquidez said. “Frank helped make the rock church, St. Luke’s of the Mountains Episcopal Church, at Foothill Boulevard.”
Frank and one of his brothers, Ramon, also built rock houses for themselves, Don Urquidez said.
“Ramon’s was at La Crescenta and Roselawn and was torn down while I was in elementary school when they sold that part of the land,” he said.
“Frank’s rock house was built on what is now 3620 La Crescenta Ave. in the early 1900s.”
Frank Urquidez married Isabel Flores, and they had 13 children. All were baptized at Holy Family Church, and six came to adulthood.
Their daughter, Mary, never finished school, her son said. Instead, she was sent to a convent, Sisters of Charity, a French order, in Boyle Heights.
She later acknowledged that her father was right to send her there, as she needed more discipline.
