Russell Judson Waters--900 West Adams Street

Updated 11/20/2016
 
Born in Vermont in 1843, Russell Judson Waters (1843-1911) became a practicing lawyer in Illinois until 1886, when he moved to southern California, founding the city of Redlands. For many years he was city attorney there. In 1894 he moved to Los Angeles, and was elected to Congress in 1898. He was President of Citizens National Bank, and the State Bank of San Jacinto, as well as President of Home Savings Bank. In an article for the Los Angeles Herald in 1910, the Citizens National Bank Board of Directors read like a who's who of West Adams, including J. Ross Clark, E.L. Doheny, J.J. Fay, Jr., and of course R.J. Waters.

In 1910 Waters lived here at 900 W. Adams St.

Waters' photo in the L.A. Herald

In the house with him when the census taker arrived were his second wife, Maude, whom he married in 1905, along with daughters Mable, Florence, and Myrtle. Maude was three years younger than Arthur Waters, L.A. banker, and Russell's only son. It was a first marriage for Maude. By 1911 she was President of the California Federation of Women, and was touring near Placerville when Russell died of a lingering illness on Sept. 25 of that year. He is buried in Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Located next door to the 2nd Church of Christ Scientist at 946 W. Adams, the house was still extant in 1956. Today the church survives, but sadly this mansion did not. Before it was torn down, however, it was featured in the 1940's movie "Curse of the Cat People". 

Here is a view looking towards the front door in the mid 1940's, and an additional earlier photo of the house is posted below--note the large stone step for dismounting from a horse carriage.

The House in 1904 (courtesy of Men of Achievement in the Great Southwest)

Old Homes of Los Angeles