Lee T. Bashore
1898-1944
Lee T. Bashore Although he was one of many at the time who did not finish high school, he did attend evening classes in public speaking and political science at Citrus Junior College. . . . As a [street car] conductor on the P. E. Red Cars from 1919-1940, he became well acquainted with hundreds of commuters on the line from Glendora to Los Angeles and used this time . . . exchanging ideas and arguing politics. Although he worked 14-hour days, 7 days a week, he spent the evenings after work, at Floyd Reiff's filling station, discussing local politics with the "boys." This led to an appointment to fill out a term on the Glendora City Council where he devoted even more time to becoming involved in local politics. It was only natural to use these contacts as a stepping stone to the state legislature and from there his sights were set on either the U.S. Congress or the lieutenant governorship. His untimely death at age 46 interrupted his master plan. (by Lee T. Bashore, Jr.)
When he started becoming a public figure and getting mentioned in the press, his sister-in-law, Hazel (Ayers) Roberts, began pasting clippings into a scrapbook about him. The clippings came from newspapers throughout California; probably compiled by a clipping service. The scrapbook is filled with letters, photos, news clippings, and other documents. When Hazel became aged and moved from her home in Carlsbad, California, she gave this scrapbook to Lee's oldest son, Lee, Jr., who, in turn, passed it on to his eldest son, Mel Bashore.
This website displays some of the contents of this scrapbook, photographs, stories, and other items documenting the life of Lee Thomas Bashore.
Lee Thomas Bashore
- Born June 7, 1898, Covina, California
- WWI soldier, railroad conductor, citrus grower, California State Legislator.
- Died September 14, 1944, St. Louis, Missouri.
After attending Covina High School (but without graduating), he falsified his age to join the Army, working behind the lines in the motor pool in France. Upon returning to the States, he married Myrtle Leona Ayers in Long Beach on March 17, 1920. They were the parents of two sons: Lee Thomas (born May 13, 1921) and Glenn Hubert (born October 3, 1922).
