The First Trussell House in Sierra Madre.
When the Trussells first moved to Sierra Madre in July 1881, Davis acquired a 22 acre lot from Mr. Carter, Sierra Madre's developer for $1,100, or $50 per acre. At first the family first had to live in a two room building that had previously been used for beekeeping while Davis and his boys, Cal [23 yrs], Date [20 yrs], Ray [18 yrs], Jacob [15 yrs] set out to build the family a home on their new 22 acre lot. All of them had considerable experience with woodwork and carpentry so I imagine the house went up quickly, the principle limitation being the availability of materials which had to be hauled from Los Angeles. According to a history of Los Angeles County written in 1889, the Trussell family was the first to take residence in the Sierra Madre development, though Sierra Madre Historians don't seem to agree on that point. Some say it was the Gregories, some say it was the Hawks, some say it was the Trussells though most agree that the issue is impossible to resolve. Certainly the Trussell house was one of the first in Sierra Madre. The house was built at the upper most elevations in the Sierra Madre Colony and, in 1881, it must have afforded an incredible view all the way to the ocean. The family continued to live there until 1887 when Davis sold this first house and 11 1/2 acres to J. Blumer and built another house on the north end of his remaining property. This picture was taken shortly before the family moved out. Sitting on the porch are Sarah Trussell and Ed Jones' mother. On the ground left to right: Pinky [Constance], A. Davis Trussell, Winnie Trussell Jones, Winnie's daughter Violet Jones, Clarence Jones (holding father's hand), Ed Jones, and Harry Trussell.