Surf City’s old-school upholsterer

JERRY PERSON

Several kids these days know nothing of the hardships of past

generations and how they had to make do with what they had.

It wasn’t unusual to recycle old furniture instead of going out to

buy new pieces. Members of older generations had their furniture

reupholstered to look new, and it would last for many more years.

This week, we’ll look at one of our past masters of the needle and

thread. From 1949 through the 1980s, Huddleson’s Upholstery was a

mainstay in our town.

Lloyd was born on June 26, 1896, in Prescott, Wis. He had a

brother, Dean, and a sister, Zilla.

In 1906, the Huddleson family packed its belongings into a wagon

and moved to the small farming community of Plummer, Minn. It was a

large farm that needed hard labor to it. Lloyd grew up fast and

learned to handle a man’s job fast.

By 1910, the 14-year-old future upholsterer was driving the farm’s

big steam-thrashing machines next to farm hands twice his age. Going

to school meant getting up before daybreak to do his chores, then

riding to school on horseback.

After school, Lloyd would ride the range, often in deep snow,

before coming home after dark. To help pass the time during those

cold Minnesota winters, Lloyd learned to play several musical

instruments.

As time went on, Lloyd went to work constructing several new roads

in rural Minnesota and in 1917, he met Leial Shafer. A year later, a

Thief River Falls Presbyterian minister joined the two in marriage.

The young couple enjoyed the next four months together, but the

country was at war and Lloyd became one of Uncle Sam’s own. He was

sent to study electrical engineering at the University of Minnesota,

where he received his degree. In his spare time, Lloyd found time to

play in a local band.

When World War I ended, Lloyd returned to St. Hilaire, Minn., and

in a couple of months he moved to Chisolm, Minn., for a job at the

Oliver Iron Mining Co. Lloyd and Leial spent the next six years in

Chisolm before moving to Leial’s hometown of Edmore, Mich., and a job

at the Ford Motor Co.

Not only did Lloyd work days at Ford, but he spent four to seven

nights a week playing in a local orchestra to feed his wife and four

children -- Claire, Cecil, Ila and Mabel. After six years at Ford,

Lloyd ran his own gas station and machine shop in Detroit.

Lloyd wanted a warmer climate for himself and his family, so the

family moved to Prescott, Ariz., to work at Fort Whipple. His next

job was as an electrical engineer for Southerland Engineering.

Because of the high altitude and the long hours of hard work, Lloyd’s

health began to decline. The family moved to Los Angeles in 1941, and

because of its climate, Lloyd’s health improved.

With a renewed vigor, he moved his family to Huntington Beach,

where he learned the upholstery business.

In 1949, Lloyd opened his own upholstery shop at 1013 Orange Ave.,

where it remained through the 1970s. Lloyd and Leial made their home

at 313 Eleventh St. Their upholstery business became a treasured part

of Huntington Beach’s rich history.

On Christmas Day, we reflect on those who have added to the rich

history of our town in decades past. As for me, I wish that the

spirit of Christmas be with all of you on this day and throughout the

coming year.

* JERRY PERSON is a local historian and longtime Huntington Beach

resident. If you have ideas for future columns, write him at P.O. Box

7182, Huntington Beach, CA 92615.