That’s William Wesley Whitson who in 1906 got a hell of a sweet deal on 40 acres in the heart of the neighborhood. For only $115,000 he purchased the George Hill estate thanks to inside information. His sister-in-law Laura Anderson was secretary at a law firm and heard about the property being for sale. She knew the price was a bargain (an adjoining land parcel had recently sold for $300,000). The next year she also suggested the name “Hillcrest” for the development and the name evolved to encompass the surrounding neighborhood. As well as a real estate investor WWW was SD County’s first coroner, a court reporter and a city councilmember. His 1922 census info shows he lived at 110 Laurel Street, was 53 and his occupation was listed as a “lumber merchant.” Check out his ears in this later photo (taken after moving north to develop Los Angeles). What is it about old men and their ears?!?! Whitson returned to the neighborhood in 1957 to help Hillcrest celebrate its 50th anniversary with a golden remembrance of the “good old days.
