Isaac Newton Van Nuys

Infobox Person
name= Isaac Van Nuys


image_size = 200px
caption=
birth_date= birth date|1836|11|20|mf=y
birth_place= West Sparta, New York, United States
death_date= death date and age|1912|2|12|1836|11|20|mf=y
death_place=
occupation= Banker
spouse= Susanna H. Lankershim

Isaac Newton Van Nuys (November 20, 1836 – February 12, 1912) was an American businessman, banker and real estate developer. He founded Van Nuys, California, in 1911. As the town's namesake, there have been many schools, streets, and libraries named after Van Nuys.

Biography

He was born in West Sparta, New York, the son of Peter Van Nuys and Harriet Kerr. His father was born in Millstone, New Jersey, on February 7, 1808. He moved to West Sparta, in 1822, where he became a farmer and eventually owned 500 acres. He also served as a town supervisor and justice of the peace. He died January 2, 1875. The mother of Isaac Van Nuys was born in Cayuga County, New York, on April 13, 1809. Peter and Harriet were married on November 19, 1829. They had seven children, Caroline M. Van Nuys (born June 4, 1833); Isaac N.; A. Vinton Van Nuys (born June 8, 1840); Ella L. Van Nuys (November 22, 1842-July 22, 1843); Harriett E. Van Nuys (January 9, 1844-August 9, 1871); Webster B. Van Nuys (born February 8, 1847); and Herbert K. Van Nuys (born April 22, 1852).

Isaac attended the academy at Lima, in which he was a student for one year. His relatives emigrated from Holland and located on Long Island, New York.

In 1865 at age 30, Van Nuys moved to California, the first Van Nuys to actually do so. He first lived in Napa and later Monticello, where he owned a country store. In 1871, Van Nuys moved to Los Angeles, where he bought in with a corporation the San Fernando ranch of sixty thousand acres (240 km²) and engaged in the raising of stock, principally sheep. In 1874, Van Nuys began raising grain. In 1876, he loaded two vessels with wheat at San Pedro as the first grain cargo ever shipped from that point.

In 1880, the Los Angeles Farming and Milling Company was organized with Van Nuys as president and manager. The company had a four-story building for milling to produce flour, meals, cracked wheat, hominy and all kinds of feed. Van Nuys also served as vice-president of the Farmers and Merchants Bank, a director in the Union Bank of Savings, a director in the Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company, and owner of the Van Nuys Hotel, which was erected in 1896 in Southern California.

Also in 1880, Van Nuys married Susanna H. Lankershim, a daughter of Isaac Lankershim of Los Angeles. They had three children—Annis H.; James Benton; and Kate.

On February 22, 1911, lot sales begin at the new town of Van Nuys, California. [ The Valley Observed. (Nov. 24, 2005). " [http://www.americassuburb.com/dates.html San Fernando Valley history and sense of place.] " Obtained Nov. 22, 2006.]

Van Nuys was a member of the Masonic order, connected with Pentalpha Blue Lodge, Signet Chapter, Los Angeles Commandery and Al Malaikah Shrine Temple. He was a Republican and member of the Baptist church. He also founded Hollywood Cemetery.

Isaac N. Van Nuys died at age 75, on February 12, 1912. He is interred at Evergreen Cemetery, Los Angeles, in Section G, Lot 118. [ [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=van+nuys&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=9478& Find a grave] .<]

On February 23, 1944, a Liberty Ship was named for Van Nuys, the late Valley rancher, and launched at San Pedro, California.

ee also

*Van Nuys, California
*Van Nuys, Indiana

References

History of Livingston County, New York by James H. Smith, published by D. Mason & Co, Syracuse, NY

External links

* [http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ca/state1/biographies/invannuys.html American History and Genealogy Project California section - Isaac Newton Van Nuys]

Persondata
NAME= Isaac Newton Van Nuys
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Isaac
SHORT DESCRIPTION=American farmer
DATE OF BIRTH= November 20, 1836
PLACE OF BIRTH=West Sparta, New York, United States
DATE OF DEATH=February 12, 1912
PLACE OF DEATH=