Fernald Family

  In the 1900 Census, Frank and his wife Catherine had two children. Frank's brother, R. C. Fernald, was living with them at the time. Frank and R. C. Fernald's occupation was marked as stone cutters.

   On Christmas Eve 1907 Frank's world was turned upside down. Horace Magee entered Frank's Camera and Bicycle Shop and purchased a gun. Frank had no idea what Horace's intentions were. Moments later gun shots rang out from the Ramona Inn. Louis Escallier and Constable Preston Van Swanguen were dead.

   It was the double murder that rocked the community. The trial was held in Riverside. The defense attorney claimed Horace Magee was temporarily insane during the incident. Almost all the citizens of Temecula showed up for court. Many of them took the witness stand to testify to the events that led up to the shooting, or they testified on Horace Magee's character.

   Frank Fernald testified during the court hearings "that he did not know Magee had been drinking at the time he sold him the gun, else he would not have sold it. He did not appear drunk and certainly appeared rational.

   Walter Vergo, who was in Fernald's store when Magee bought the gun, said he considered him rational at that time , and although he knew he had been drinking, he did not consider him drunk. He counted the cartridges and remarked upon there being three gone, and acted entirely rational."

   Riverside Daily Press: Friday Evening, January 31, 1908

In the 1910 Census Frank Fernald's occupation was an owner of a garage. His wife, Mrs. Catherine Fernald's occupation was photographer. She owned her own shop. They had four children at this time.

   Mr. Fernald also sold automobiles. It was reported on February 25, 1916, Frank Fernald's agency sold a Maxwell automobile to Joseph Winkels.

   In other news, what happened to the family when they moved to Inglewood?

   In the Los Angeles City Directory 1920 it stated that Loren V. Fernald and his step father, Archie D. Nichols were auto mechanics at Albertson Motor Company in Inglewood. In 1924 City Directory Neal Fernald and his step father Archie D. Nichols were mechanics living at 3315 W. 66th.

   A general search was conducted in the Inglewood Weekly Newspaper for any further news or obituaries. However, the years 1918 to 1922 were missing on microfilm at the Inglewood Main Library. A general search in the Los Angeles Times will be for future research.

   Author's note: Why is this family so important to research? The family at one time owned a photography studio. If the descendants could be found, there is a chance that photos were preserved of Temecula's residents and businesses between 1900 to 1917. These photos could be new photos that researchers have not viewed yet.