Workman–Temple family

The Workman–Temple family refers to the interconnected Workman and Temple families whose activities shaped the political, economic, agricultural, and landholding history of Southern California from the Mexican Alta California period through the late nineteenth century. The family’s story is centered on William Workman, an English emigrant who reached North America in the early 1820s, and on his daughter Antonia Margarita Workman, who married Francisco P. Temple. Through migration, marriage, ranching, commerce, banking, land acquisition, and political involvement, the family became closely associated with the growth of Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley. William Workman was born in Temple Sowerby in Westmorland, England, in 1802. Encouraged by his older brother David, he emigrated to the United States in 1822 and initially worked in his brother’s saddlery business in Franklin, Missouri. In 1825 he traveled west along the Santa Fe Trail to Taos, New Mexico, where he became a merchant, fur-trading participant, and liquor producer. He partnered with John A. Rowland, and their commercial and political activities brought them into the unstable environment of Mexican New Mexico. Their association included forced declarations of loyalty during the Taos Revolt, later accusations connected with smuggling, and contact with representatives of the Republic of Texas. These circumstances contributed to their decision to leave New Mexico for Alta California. Workman and Rowland led a large, mixed-nationality migration party along the Old Spanish Trail in 1841. The group arrived in the Los Angeles area late that year, and Rowland received a Mexican grant for Rancho La Puente in 1842. Workman settled on the rancho and was formally added as a co-owner in 1845, when the grant was enlarged to nearly 49,000 acres. He built and expanded an adobe residence there with his common-law partner, Maria Nicolasa Urioste de Valencia, whom he later married in a church ceremony. Their surviving children included Antonia Margarita and Joseph Manuel Workman. Workman participated in the political and military upheavals surrounding the transition from Mexican to United States rule. He supported Governor Pío Pico during the Cahuenga Pass conflict, helped negotiate surrender arrangements, and later assisted in efforts involving the release of prisoners and amnesty during the Mexican–American War. After the California Gold Rush began, demand for cattle, hides, tallow, food, and transportation greatly increased the value of his ranching operations. He expanded his holdings, agricultural production, home, chapel, and cemetery, and acquired or participated in transactions involving several neighboring ranchos. The family’s economic reach broadened through the marriage of Antonia Margarita Workman to Francisco P. Temple, commonly known as F. P. Temple. Workman and Temple invested in land subdivisions, ranching properties, railroads, agricultural enterprises, and speculative ventures. Their holdings and projects extended beyond La Puente into areas later associated with Alhambra, San Marino, the Centinela district, and other parts of the Los Angeles region. They also participated in the formation of banking institutions, first with Isaias W. Hellman through Hellman, Temple and Company, and later through the banking house of Temple and Workman. The banking venture became the family’s major financial failure. Liberal lending, weak management, extensive investments, and exposure to the collapse of silver speculation connected with the Comstock Lode undermined the bank’s liquidity. Temple and Workman suspended operations in 1875, reopened after receiving a loan from Elias J. Baldwin, and ultimately closed permanently on January 13, 1876. Much of the family’s wealth was tied to land subject to debt, and the collapse severely damaged both the family and the wider Los Angeles economy. William Workman died by suicide at his rancho on May 17, 1876. The family nevertheless remained a major historical presence through its landholdings, descendants, surviving properties, and association with the early development of Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley.

The Workman–Temple family emerged from the convergence of two family lines and a broader network of associates active in nineteenth-century California. The Workman branch originated in England. William Workman was born in 1802 in Temple Sowerby, Westmorland, and emigrated to the United States with his brother David in 1822. After spending several years in Franklin, Missouri, he traveled to Taos, New Mexico, in 1825. There he pursued commerce, fur-related activity, and liquor production, working with John A. Rowland. Their business careers unfolded amid the political instability of Mexican New Mexico, including the Taos Revolt, accusations of smuggling, and efforts by the Republic of Texas to extend its influence toward the Rio Grande. Workman and Rowland left New Mexico with a large party in 1841 and traveled to Los Angeles by the Old Spanish Trail. Their arrival marked the beginning of the family’s long association with Southern California. Rowland obtained a Mexican land grant for Rancho La Puente in 1842, while Workman settled on the property under an arrangement granting him many of the privileges of an owner. In 1845 Governor Pío Pico formally added Workman to the grant and enlarged it to almost 49,000 acres. Workman established a substantial residence and agricultural operation on the western part of the rancho. Workman’s family life also connected him to local Californio society. He lived for many years with Maria Nicolasa Urioste de Valencia, with whom he had two surviving children, Antonia Margarita and Joseph Manuel. The couple later formalized their relationship through a church marriage at Mission San Gabriel Arcángel. Antonia Margarita’s marriage to Francisco P. Temple created the central Workman–Temple alliance. During the political transition from Mexican to American sovereignty, Workman took part in several important episodes. He supported Pío Pico during the confrontation at Cahuenga Pass and helped arrange surrender terms. During the Mexican–American War, he was involved in efforts to secure the release of captured Americans and in negotiations intended to reduce resistance during the United States’ return to Los Angeles. His position was complicated by his earlier connections to Mexican institutions and by the suspicions of American military authorities. The Gold Rush transformed the family’s economic circumstances. Workman’s cattle, hides, tallow, agricultural goods, and other supplies became more valuable as the mining regions expanded. He used the resulting wealth to enlarge his ranching and farming operations, acquire additional land, and improve his La Puente property. By the 1860s he maintained large herds, vineyards, fruit trees, gardens, agricultural fields, and facilities for producing wine. Floods, drought, changing cattle markets, and the decline of the first Gold Rush economy damaged ranching, but the family responded by diversifying into grain, vineyards, real estate, transportation, and speculation. Workman and his son-in-law Francisco P. Temple became prominent participants in Los Angeles-area land development. Their activities included subdivision projects, railroad promotion, and investment in mineral and oil prospects. They worked with the merchant and banker Isaias W. Hellman in Hellman, Temple and Company, an early Los Angeles banking house. Disagreements later separated Hellman from Temple and Workman. Hellman helped establish Farmers and Merchants Bank with John G. Downey, while Temple and Workman organized their own institution in 1871. The Temple and Workman bank was weakened by liberal lending, insufficient controls, speculative investments, and the regional financial crisis that followed the collapse of silver speculation in 1875. The bank suspended operations, obtained emergency financing from Elias J. Baldwin, and reopened only temporarily. Depositors withdrew the borrowed money, confidence failed, and the institution closed on January 13, 1876. The bank’s insolvency revealed that the family’s apparent wealth was heavily encumbered by mortgages and land obligations. William Workman died by suicide four months later. The collapse also contributed to a severe economic downturn in Los Angeles. The family’s historical importance continued after the financial disaster. Its members and properties remained connected with the growth of the San Gabriel Valley, the subdivision of former ranch lands, and the preservation of sites associated with early Los Angeles history. The family is therefore best understood not as a consumer or corporate brand, but as a historical lineage and regional network whose activities intersected with the formation of Southern California society and economy.

• 1876

  Bank closes and William Workman dies

  [1]Workman–Temple familyen.wikipedia.org

  Temple and Workman closed on January 13, and William Workman died by suicide at his home on May 17 amid the family’s financial collapse.

• 1871

  Temple and Workman banking house begins

  [1]Workman–Temple familyen.wikipedia.org

  After separating from Hellman, Temple and Workman operated their own bank in Los Angeles.

• 1868

  Hellman, Temple and Company is formed

  [1]Workman–Temple familyen.wikipedia.org

  Workman and Francisco P. Temple joined Isaias W. Hellman in establishing an early Los Angeles banking house.

• 1845

  Workman becomes an official co-owner of La Puente

  [1]Workman–Temple familyen.wikipedia.org

  Governor Pío Pico amended the grant to include Workman and expanded the rancho to nearly 49,000 acres.

• 1842

  Rancho La Puente is granted to Rowland

  [1]Workman–Temple familyen.wikipedia.org

  John A. Rowland received the Mexican land grant for Rancho La Puente, where Workman settled and developed his own residence and operations.

• 1841

  Workman–Rowland party reaches California

  [1]Workman–Temple familyen.wikipedia.org

  Workman, Rowland, and a diverse migration party completed the difficult journey from New Mexico to the Los Angeles area by the Old Spanish Trail.

• 1825

  Workman moves to Taos

  [1]Workman–Temple familyen.wikipedia.org

  Workman traveled west along the Santa Fe Trail and settled in Taos, New Mexico, where he entered merchant and liquor-making businesses with John A. Rowland.

• 1822

  William Workman emigrates to the United States

  [1]Workman–Temple familyen.wikipedia.org

  William Workman and his brother David arrived in Philadelphia after sailing from Liverpool, beginning the North American phase of Workman’s life.

Not a commercial brand; a historical family network associated with migration, ranching, land development, agriculture, banking, and the political history of Southern California.

• 1871

  Creation of an independent family banking ventureStrategy

  Background

  Following disagreements with Isaias W. Hellman, Francisco P. Temple and William Workman pursued banking independently.

  Action taken

  They established the Temple and Workman banking house, expanding the family’s involvement from landholding and agriculture into finance.

  Aftermath

  The institution later failed during the 1875–1876 financial crisis, contributing to the collapse of the family’s heavily leveraged wealth.

  Source

1. 1Workman–Temple familyen.wikipedia.org