Laura Agnes Standlee
born: 17 Sep 1877 in Rivera, Los Angeles, California
died: Nov 1956 in So. Pasadena, Los Angeles Co., California; 
buried: in Pomona Cemetery, Pomona, Los Angeles Co., CA..  

She married:
Charles Curtis Arrowsmith
on 2 Jun 1898 in Pomona, Los Angeles Co., California
born: 30 Mar 1874 in Metamorah, Woodford, Illinois
died: 14 Jan 1938 in San Fernando, Los Angeles, California
buried: Jan 1938 in Pomona Cem, Pomona, Los Angeles, California. 

Laura (Standlee) Arrowsmith, granddaughter of early California pioneers James Shugg and James Standlee, was born and raised in the Rivera-Downey area of So. California. She married Charles Arrowsmith in Pomona and proceeded to raise a large family which was her primary vocation. She was active in her church and was a pianist-organist. She taught piano and served as church pianist - organist. In her later years she joined the Christian Science Church where she subsequently served as First Reader in the San Fernando church. She was also active in the community, particularly with the Parent Teachers Association. She lived with her sister, Lillian (Standlee) Decker during her last few years in So. Pasadena, California. Through her married years she lived all over the state of California - Pomona, where she was married and Lloyd and Grace were born, Glendale, where Donald and Charles were born, Riverbank, where Margaret was born, Corning where Glen was born, Hanford, where Norman was born, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, San Fernando and other way stations in her husband Charles' working life.
Charles and his family apear in the following Federal Censuses:
1910 CENSUS California, Los Angeles Co., San Antonio Twsp, Precinct 1 Vol 56 ED 339 Sheet 3A line 46 Middleton Drive, Huntington Park House 59, Fam 59
1920 CENSUS California, Marin Co., town of Mill Valley, SD 1 ED 100 Sheet 9B Ward 3407 111 Buena Vista Ave, Dw 75, Fam 75
The details of the early history of education and activities from Charles' birth in Illinois to the family's move to San Diego, CA, then to Pomona, where he met and married Laura Standlee, are not, as yet, discovered. It is known that he and his wife were very active in the Baptist Church in Pomona. It is also known that Charles played cornet in various bands and sang in barbershop quartets, loved to play card games and cribbage, and collected stamps.
Charles Curtis Arrowsmith was involved in retail sales in the mercantile (dry goods) area most of his life, with occasional forays into business for himself in other areas. The combined memories of his son's Glen and Norman has fleshed out the his occupational history as follows:
The 1910 Census shows Charles, Laura, and Elwood living on Middleton Dr., Huntington Park, Los Angeles, with Charles renting a home and working as a clothing salesman. Glen remembers hearing his folks talking of the ranch in Riverbank, Stanislaus Co., CA, and recalls that Charles and his father-in-law Joel Standlee were in on that venture together. Sister Margaret was born in Riverbank in 1915. The land records of Stanislaus Co. for 1914-1915 should be checked to get details.
The family moved to Corning, where Glen was born in 1917. Shortly thereafter the family moved to Kennet, CA, a mining town now under the waters of Oroville Dam, where Charles managed the company store from 1917-1918.
Charles then moved his family to Mill Valley, CA, where he managed a store from 1918 to 1921. He owned a house next door to the Catholic Church on Blythedale Ave., and daughter Margaret was a childhood friend of Eve Arden, the actress of later years. His son Elwood and his wife Marguerite lived on the hill behind them. The 1920 census shows him living at 111 Buena Vista Ave., Mill Valley working as a merchant in wholesale drygoods, Lloyd E. -Elwood - and Marguerite were in the home with Charles and Laura, as were Donald, Charles, Margaret, and Glen.
In 1921 Charles moved his family to Hanford, Kings Co., CA, in 1921 where he worked as a department manager at Cutner-Goldstein Dept. Store until 1923. Son Norman was born there in 1923. Joel Standlee, Laura’s father, worked as a farm laborer in Hanford at the time, so must have been living with Charles' family. Joel was a champion potato sack sewer at that time.
From 1923 to 1928, Charles was in Garden Grove, Orange Co., CA, where he managed Arrowsmith Dry Goods for his brother Ernest. Ernest worked full time in Larson's Hardware Store at that time. Charles's and Ernest's sister Margaret worked as bookkeeper for Arrowsmith Dry Goods, Schneider's Grocery, and Darling's Drug Store - all at the same time. The store (Arrowsmith Dry Goods) was purchased after Ernest sold the 20 acre apricot orchard in Garden Grove to the School District about 1920-21. Ernest built a home on the original site which was sold to school district, and moved it to the Fifth Street site after the sale. Ernest bought land nearby at the corner of Fifth and Acacia St. and built the house for himself and his wife Goldie. Edward and Margaret continued to live in the house on Fifth St.. Some years after Edward and Ernest were deceased, Margaret and then Goldie moved into an apartment at the home of David and Grace Barkman in Adelanto, CA. The details of this period were clarified by copies of deeds and a narrative provided by Grace (Arrowsmith) Barkman July 1999.
Charles moved his family to San Fernando, CA, in the summer of 1929 where he became Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce. As the depression became worse and the Chamber's funds dried up that job ended in 1934. During the period 1933-1938 he worked part time for Cohen's Dept. Store. During this period he was in charge of community service fund raising which paid a small salary.
Charles died of liver cancer in 1938.