Résumé

Principal, Nathaniel Dryden, Building Contractor, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1893- .

Relocation

Nathaniel Dryden was born in Montgomery County, MO. By 1840, at least, Nathaniel's father, Frederick Drydan, had relocated from VA to farm in Montgomery County, MO, near what would become the town of Bear Creek. The US Census of 1840 indicated that Frederick Dryden's household included four people, three, free whites and one African-American woman, between age 10 and 23, enslaved. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1840; Census Place: Bear Creek, Montgomery, Missouri; Roll: 227; Page: 195; Family History Library Film: 0014856, accessed 06/29/2023.)

When the 1850 US Census was taken in District 61 of Montgomery County, MO, Nathaniel was the youngest of six children in his farming household. The Drydens owned about $2,000 worth of real estate in 1850, more than most of their VA-born neighbors. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives in Washington D.C.; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M432; Residence Date: 1850; Home in 1850: District 61, Montgomery, Missouri; Roll: 407; Page: 175b, accessed 06/29/2023.) It appears that a group of settlers moved from VA, perhaps Montgomery County, VA, and settled in this new Montgomery County in MO. In 1850, the Drydens owned four slaves on their farm, two men and two women. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archive in Washington Dc; Washington, DC; NARA Microform Publication: M432; Title: Seventh Census of the United States, 1850; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29, accessed 06/29/2023.)

In 1860, 11-year-old Nathaniel lived with his large family on a farm near Bear Creek, MO. The Drydens were financially comfortable in 1860, owning $7,500 worth of real estate and possessing other assets totalling about $7,000. The household included Nathaniel's parents, Frederick and Catherine, his siblings James, Mary, Margaret, Catherine, Jane, Susan, Artemus, and Robert, as well as someone named "Catherine Taman" (born c. 1856 in MO). In 1860, many of the Dryden's neighbors were born in VA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives in Washington D.C.; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M653; Residence Date: 1860; Home in 1860: Bear Creek, Montgomery, Missouri; Roll: M653_635; Page: 303; Family History Library Film: 803635, accessed 06/29/2023.)

By 1870, Nathaniel had likely already relocated to Saint Louis, MO, where he lived until at least 1879. A year later, however, the 1880 US Census located him and his family living near his parents in Bear Creek, MO. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Bear Creek, Montgomery, Missouri; Roll: 705; Page: 25D; Enumeration District: 108, accessed 06/29/2023.)

Dryden may have migrated to live in Los Angeles, CA, by the mid-to-late 1880s, and he remained in Southern CA for the remainder of his life. Likely the presence of Helen Brand Dryden's brother Leslie C. Brand (1859-1925), was a motivation to resettle in Los Angeles. Brand became a real estate developer in Los Angeles by 1886, just before the city's real estate bubble burst by 1888. A "Nathaniel Dryden" was reported as living in Los Angeles in 1888, working as a bricklayer. (See Los Angeles Directory for 1888. Los Angeles, CA: n.p., 1888.) Likely this same Nathaniel Dryden was listed as a bricklayer residing at 1341 South Hill Street in 1892. (See Los Angeles City Directory and Gazetteer of Southern California, 1892, p. 207.)

He had become a contractor by 1893, living at 936 Denver Avenue. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1893, p. 278.) Nathaniel Dryden was listed as a contractor living at 1435 Vernon Avenue in 1896. His daughter, living at the same address, was listed as being a student, likely a college student. (SeeLos Angeles, California, City Directory, 1896, p. 489.)

In 1900, Nathaniel, his wife and two daughters had a house at 1435 Valencia Street in Los Angeles, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Los Angeles Ward 4, Los Angeles, California; Roll: 89; Page: 6; Enumeration District: 0043, accessed 06/29/2023.)

The Drydens had a residence at 1555 Manhattan Place in Los Angeles in 1910. They lived here with their daughter Ada, son-in-law William Thompson (born 09/19/1863 in MA-d. 09/28/1916 in North Glendale, CA), her two children Helen Thompson (born c. 1904 in NM) and Edward D. Thompson (born c. 1905 in NM) and a housekeeper, Francis Kollmer (born c. 1886 in Germany). William Thompson worked as a mining operator in 1910, (See Ancestry.com Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Los Angeles Assembly District 72, Los Angeles, California; Roll: T624_82; Page: 3b; Enumeration District: 0208; FHL microfilm: 1374095, accessed 06/29/2023.)

The 1920 US Census located Nathaniel and Helen Dryden living with their younger daughter Ada Thompson in Burbank, CA, on Grand View near 10th Street, presumably in what is now the Grandview neigborhood. The household consisted of Ada, who was listed as a widow, Helen, Edward, Nathahiel, Helen and housekeeper, Hazel F. Sparks (born c. 1895 in CA). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Burbank, Los Angeles, California; Roll: T625_102; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 17, accesed 06/29/2023.) In 1923, their address was listed in the Glendale, California, City Directory, 1923, (p. 180 ) as 1700 Grand View Road. The area was on the border of Burbank and Glendale.

Nathaniel Dryden died at age 75 and was buried in the Brand Family Cemetery in Glendale that served as the final resting place for 27 family members and at least 5 dogs.

Parents

His mother was Catherine E. "Kittie" Sharp (born 08/31/1814 in Washington County, VA-d. 01/01/1896 in Montgomery County, MO), his father, Frederick H. Dryden, (born 07/08/1812 in Washington County, VA). One source, Find-a-Grave.com, displayed a photograph of Frederick's tombstone, that read "Frederick Hamilton Dryden." Another source, Geneanet Community Trees Index, indicated his name to have been "Frederick Hambleton Dryden." Catherine and Frederick wed in Warren County, MO, on 01/11/1838. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. Missouri, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1754-1850 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1997, accessed 06/29/2023.) Prior to 06/29/2023, Frederick's birthplace was erroneously cited as "Montgomery County, MD."

A great grandfather, David Dryden, Jr., erected a two-story log house in 1772, which was listed on the Register of Historic Virginia Homes, and has been called the oldest occupied residence in the state. A relative of Nathaniel's was the San Diego building contractor, David Owen Dryden (1877-1946), who built notable bungalows in the city during the 1910s.

Nathaniel's siblings included: James F. Dryden (born c. 07/1839 in Montgomery County, MO); Mary Dryden (born c. 1842 in MO); Margaret Dryden (born c. 1844 in MO); Sarah Catherine Dryden Parker (born 01/06/1846 in MO-d. 11/13/1944 in Los Angeles County, CA); Jane Rebecca Dryden (born 05/15/1847 in Montgomery County, MO-d. 05/07/1927 in Montgomery City, MO); Susan Dryden Winegar (born 03/06/1854 in MO-d. 11/18/1937 in Greensburg, PA); Artemus Bullard Dryden (born 03/04/1856 in Montgomery County, MO-d. 03/22/1945 in Montgomery City, MO); and Robert Craig Dryden (born 11/05/1857 in Montgomery County, MO-d. 06/14/1930 in Safford, AZ).

Spouse

He married Helen Hewitt Brand (born c. 1856 in Saint Louis, MO), who was the sister of the railroad tycoon/real estate developer/banker, Leslie Brand (1859-1925). Leslie purchased 1,000 acres from the Verdugo Family's huge 36,000-acre Rancho San Rafael in Glendale, CA. (See email from Keith J. Biever to the author, 03/27/2013.)

Helen and Nathaniel married on 11/15/1876 at Saint John's Methodist Episcopal Church in Saint Louis, MO. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation MO UM Commission on Archives and History; Fayette, Missouri; Folder Number: 175a-5 Source Information: Missouri, U.S., United Methodist Church Records, 1856-1970 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016, accessed 06/29/2023.)

Children

He and Helen had two daughters. The elder, Virginia Catherine Dryden Robinson (born 09/21/1877 in Saint Lous, MO-d. 08/05/1977 in Beverly Hills, CA), married Harry Winchester Robinson (1878-1932), scion of the family owning the Robinson's Department Store chain in Southern CA. Ada Brand Dryden Thompson (born 07/01/1879 in Montgomery County, MO-d. 11/02/1976 in Los Angeles County, CA.), was the younger.

Ada married William P. Thompson on 06/01/1902 in Los Angeles. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California Department of Public Health, courtesy of www.vitalsearch-worldwide.com. Digital Images, accessed 06/29/2023.) She and William were also buried in the Brand Family Cemetery, Glendale, CA.

Biographical Notes

Thank you to Keith Biever, a relative of Nathaniel Dryden, for making corrections to this record and providing additional information.

There was a "Nathaniel Leroy Dryden," no immediate relation, who lived at 6612 De Longpre Avenue in Los Angeles in 1924. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1924, accessed 06/29/2023.)