Résumé

Herding made his way to CA by the 1920s, and began to plan large-scale residential tracts by 1927. He was responsible for laying out the large Leimert Park sub-division in that year.

Private, Swiss Army infantry, two years, before 1917. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: Missouri; Registration County: St Louis (Independent City) Source Information U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 12/14/2021.)

Employee, Unit Construction Company, Saint Louis, MO, 06/1917. Unit Construction maintained its headquarters in the Title Guaranty Building, 1898 building at 706 Chestnut Street designed by the architectural firm of Eames and Young.

Principal, Franz J. Herding, Architect, Los Angeles, CA. The 1930 US Census listed Herding's profession as "Architect--City Planning." In 1932, Herding had an office at 5514 Wilshire Boulevard, Room #501. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1932, p. 975.)

Relocation

Herding was born in Basel, Switzerland in 1887. He traveled to Australia in the 1910s, staying there for an unknown length of time.

At age 27, Herding immigrated to the US from Sydney, Australia on 11/12/1914. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; Roll #: 1712; Volume #: Roll 1712 - Certificates: 73500-73875, 10 Aug 1921-10 Aug 1921, accessed 12/20/2021.) He landed in San Francisco, CA, aboard the Oceanic Steamship Company's S.S. Ventura, arriving on this vessel coming from Sydney and Pago Pago, American Samoa. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Customs Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at San Francisco; NAI Number: 4478116; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; Record Group Number: 85, accessed 12/20/2021.) The S.S. Ventura, first made port on American soil in Honolulu, Hawaii, on 11/06/1914. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Honolulu, Hawaii, compiled 02/13/1900 - 12/30/1953; National Archives Microfilm Publication: A4156; Roll: 064; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787 - 2004; Record Group Number: RG 85, accessed 12/20/2021.)

Between 1914 and 1921, Herding lived in NY, MO, and CA, according to US passport application of 08/06/1921.

In 1917, he resided in Saint Louis, MO, where he lived at 4455 Washington Avenue. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: Missouri; Registration County: St Louis (Independent City) Source Information U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 12/14/2021.)

Herding, his wife Lena and infant daugther Rosaly lived in a multi-family residence at 4372 West Pine Boulevard in Saint Louis, according to the US Census of 1920. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: St Louis Ward 23, St Louis (Independent City), Missouri; Roll: T625_959; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 453, accessed 12/17/2021.)

He was naturalized in the Eastern District Court of Missouri at Saint Louis on 11/12/1920 and continued to live in that city as of 08/06/1921. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at Kansas City; Kansas City, MO; ARC Title: Naturalization Certificate Stubs, 4/6/1916 - 10/3/1927; NAI Number: 6782799; Record Group Title: Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685-2009; Record Group Number: Rg 21, accessed 12/20/2021.)

Harding and his family moved to Los Angeles during the 1920s. In 1930, they dwelled at 3353 North Knoll Drive in Los Angeles, a house with an estimated value of $25,000. This was considerably higher than the local average. At the time, they had a 16-year-old boarder, Catherine Marvich (born 01/29/1914 in WA-d. 10/04/1995 in Los Angeles, CA).

The Herdings remained at 3335 North Knoll Drive a decade later, although the same house had an estimated value of only $5,000 in 1940. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Roll: m-t0627-00398; Page: 16A; Enumeration District: 60-114, accessed 12/20/2021.) According to his World War II draft registration card, Franz, Lena and Rosaly contnued to live at 3355 North Knoll Drive on 04/25/1942. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives At St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War Ii Draft Cards (4th Registration) For the State of California; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147, accessed 12/14/2021.)

According to Los Angeles County voter records of 1950, he and his family still dwelled at 3355 North Knoll Drive. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 12/20/2021.)

Parents

The architect's father was Eugene Herding (born in Bavaria, Germany-d. before 1921).

His mother's maiden name was Bühler (born in Switzerland).

Spouse

He wed Lena M. Schelcher (born c. 1892 in CA) in 04/1918 in Sacramento, CA. (See Marriage Licenses," Sacramento Daily Union, Volume 201, Number 36, 04/05/1918)

According to the 1920 US Census, her parents had been born in Alsace-Lorraine, France. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: St Louis Ward 23, St Louis (Independent City), Missouri; Roll: T625_959; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 453, accessed 12/17/2021.)

In 1918, Lena lived with her parents in Sacramento, CA, at 2430 Q Street, and worked as a music teacher. (See Polk-Husted Directory Company's Sacramento, California, City Directory, 1918, n.p.)

Her father was George Schelcher.

Children

He and Lena had a daughter, Rosaly Louise Herding (born c. 1919 in MO).

Biographical Notes

He Anglicized the spelling of his German middle name from "Josef" to "Joseph."

PCAD earlier mistakenly referred to architect Franz Herding as "Frank Harding." Herding collaborated with architect George Adams, not Frank Harding. (Thank you to researcher Carol Mason for pointing out this mistake to the author in an email of 12/11/2021.)

Herding was Caucasian with a ruddy complexion with hazel eyes and gray hair at age 54. He stood 5-feet, 11-inches tall and weighed 195 pounds. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives At St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; World War Ii Draft Cards (4th Registration) For the State of California; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147, accessed 12/14/2021.)

Herding applied for his first US passport on 08/06/1921 at Saint Louis, MO. He needed the passport to travel to France, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Holland and Gibraltar to visit relatives and to study. He left the US for Europe via the Port of New York.

The architect traveled third class aboard the Norddeutscher Lloyd Linien (NDL) ship, S.S. Bremen, sailing from Cherbourg, France to New York, NY, between 11/06/1937 and 11/11/1937. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1937; Arrival: New York, New York, USA; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Line: 11; Page Number: 96 Source Information: New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, accessed 12/20/2021.)

Voter records for 1950 indicated that Franz and Lena Herding were both registered Democrats. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 12/20/2021.)

SSN: 560586076.