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BELGIANS IN AMERICA:    Biographies of Belgian settlers  

CAMILE DEUTSCH, one of the prominent residents and business men of the Sierra Madre, dates his birth in Belgium, September 20,1848. His parents, John and Agnes (Eichorn) Deutsch were natives of Luxemburg. Mr. Deutsch was deprived of the advantages of a good education, and at the age of eleven year was put to work in a cigar factory, in his native place. Of an energetic disposition, he was not content to live the life of an ill-paid artisan of the old world. Therefore, in 1862, at the age of sixteen years, he emigrated to the United States, and after spending about six months at his trade in New York, he proceeded to Toronto, Canada.  The next year he returned to the United States and followed his calling in Buffalo, New York, for two years and then located at Chicago, Illinois. After working for about two years as a journeyman cigar-maker, he established himself in business in that city as a cigar manufacturer. The great fire of 1871 swept away the results of his year's labor and left him heavily in debt, but with commendable energy and indomitable will be rebuilt his factory and re-established his business, conducting it with success until ill health compelled his retiring from active business pursuits. Seeking a more congenial climate, in October, 1883, Mr. Deutsch came to California and located in Los Angeles, where he engaged in real-estate operations and later in cigar manufacturing. In the spring of 1885 he took up his residence at Sierra Madre, on a four-acre tract west of Baldwin avenue, in block 14. This land was purchased and its improvements commenced in 1884. In the fall of 1885 he established the Sierra Madre Cigar Factory on the corner of Baldwin and Central avenues. He soon secured a good trade for his products, as he manufactured none but first but first class articles. Mr. Deutsch now owns two acres of his original purchase, which he has fully improved, planting oranges, lemons and a variety of deciduous fruits, also erecting a comfortable two-story residence, suitable out-buildings, etc. He has also three and one-half acres in the Sierra Madre tract, about a fourth of a mile east of his residence, which is producing wine grapes. He is the owner of the Sierra Madre Park, a tract of land 640 acres in extend, located about two miles and a half north of Sierra Madre, on the Wilson Peak trail. He is devoting time and money to improving and beautifying this place, and the Sierra Madre Park is destined in the future to rank as one of the favorite resorts is this section Mr. Deutsch is a progressive citizen and a strong believer in the future destiny of Sierra Madre, a faith that he is verifying by the expenditure of money in improvements, etc. He is a strong supporter of schools and of every enterprise that will add to the welfare of the community. He is a school trustee of the Sierra Madre District, and the president and director of the Sierra Madre Hall Company. Politically, be is a Republican. He is a member of Temple Lodge, I. O. O. F., of Chicago. In religious belief he is a consistent Catholic. In 1874 Mr. Deutsch was united in marriage with Miss Louisa Smith, a native of Connecticut, and the daughter of Edwin and Mary E (Russell) Smith, both of whom are natives of that State. The names of the five children from this marriage are as follows: Emma A., William E., Margaret, Rosie and Lilian.

Source : (collective work) : An Illustrated history of Los Angeles County, California : containing a history of Los Angeles County from the earliest period of its occupancy to the present time, together with glimpses of its prospective future, with profuse illustrations of its beautiful scenery, full-page portraits of some of its most eminent men, and biographical mention of many of its pioneers and also of prominent citizens of to-day.; Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1889, 907 pgs.