Strangers to Us All Lawyers and Poetry

Orra Eugene Monnette

(1873-1936)
Ohio & California

[photograph accompanying biographical profile]
in
J.C. Bates (ed.), History of the Bench and Bar of California 432 (San Francisco: Bench and Bar Publishing Co., 1912)

"Monnette, Orra Eugene (April 12, 1873-Feb. 23, 1936), banker and lawyer, was born near Bucyrus, Crawford County. After attending Ohio Wesleyan University, he read law and practiced in Bucyrus, Toledo, and Los Angeles. He also founded a bank in Los Angeles." [William Coyle (ed.), Ohio Authors and Their Books: Biographical Data and Selective Bibliographies for Ohio Authors, Native and Resident, 1796-1950 451 (Cleveland: World Publishing Co., for the Ohioana Library Association, 1962)] [Used with the permission of the Ohioana Library Association]

We are informed that the Los Angeles bank Monnette founded was the Bank of America which later merged with the Bank of Italy to form what is today the modern Bank of America, NA. Monnette was also chair of the Los Angeles Public Library and guided that institution during the 1920s and into the 1930s until his death in 1936. Monnette's statue is housed in the rotunda of the Los Angles Public Library's main downtown location. [Information graciously provided by Stu Koblentz, Columbus, Ohio]

Monnette was the "[s]on of Mervin Jeremiah and Olive Adelaide (Hull) Monnette. Married November 6, 1895, to Carrie Lucile Janeway. Attended Bucyrus, Ohio, Union Schools, graduating in 1890; Ohio Wesleyan University of Delaware, Ohio, graduating in 1895, classical course, with the degree of A.B.; also special law course in the same institution in 1895; post-graduate work without degrees. Author and compiler of 'Monnet Family Genealogy.' Has done considerable writing and public speaking. Admitted to law practice by the Supreme Court of and District Courts of Northern District of Ohio. Later moved to the state of California in April, `907. Admitted to the bar there May 1st of the same year, and also in the United States District and Circuit Courts of Southern District of California. Director of Citizens' National and Citizens' Trust and Savings Banks of Los Angeles. Now, President of the Citizens' Trust and Savings Bank, Director of Los Angeles Abstract & Trust Company, Director and Treasurer of Mortgage Guarantee Company of Los Angeles. Member of the Ohio State Bar Association since 1897, the Los Angeles County Bar and California Bar Associations. Phi Beta Kappa (hononary scholastic society), and Phi Kappa Psi fraternity; also of the Masonic bodies, Shriner, Sons of the Revolution, and of the American Revolution, Mayflower Descendants and Colonial Wars, and of the Union League, Jonathan, Athletic and Country clubs of Los Angeles. Republican." [J.C. Bates (ed.), History of the Bench and Bar of California 432 (San Francisco: Bench and Bar Publishing Company, 1912)]

Orra E. Monnette
Wikipedia

Poetry

Orra Eugene Monnette, Red Shining Star (Los Angeles: [s.n.], 1927)

Drama

Orra Eugene Monnette, The Swamp Skeleton. A Forest Play in two acts. With epilogue. Written for the Uplifters (California: Orra Eugene Monnette, 1926)

Writings

Orra Eugene Monnette, Monnett Family Genealogy, an emphasis of a noble Huguenot heritage, somewhat of the first immigrants Isaac and Pierre Monnet (:[Los Angeles]: C.E. Bireley Company, 1911)

__________________, California Chronology: a period of three hundred and fifty years, 1510-1860 (Los Angeles, California: [Standard Printing Co.] 1915)(Napa Valley Genealogical and Biographical Society, 1984)

__________________ (ed.), Spirit of Patriotism as Evidenced by the Revolutionary and Ancestral Records of the Society, Sons of the revolution of the state of California (Los Angeles, California: [Standard Printing Co.], 1915)

__________________, First Settlers of ye Plantations of Piscataway and Woodbridge, olde East New Jersey, 1664-1714, a period of fifty years, 1873-1936 (Los Angeles, California: Leroy Carman Press, 1930)

__________________, A Short Account of Don Felipe de Neve, Spanish Governor of California and Founder of the City of Los Angeles, 1781 ([Los Angeles]: O.E. Monnette, 1930)