Emma Murdoch Emma Murdoch, abandoned by her mining engineer husband, moved here from Los Angeles in 1890 with her infant daughter, Penelope, and her Swedish housekeeper, Jenny. Los Angeles at that time was not a hospitable place for a lady and infant with no resources. Her friend William Lacy, a prominent banker in Los Angeles, came to her rescue. He provided her with a safe and respectable refuge - his home on Fifth Street at Ocean View Boulevard (known today as Green Gables). Emma's years in Pacific Grove were happy ones. She had an intelligent, active little girl to bring up. She was an active member of St. Mary's-by-the-Sea. At the same time, she could not have been considered a truly conventional woman by many Pacific Grove standards. For one thing, she developed strong friendships in the Chinese community. Of course, the Chinese were familiar figures around town; they called every day at back doors, peddling fresh fish. But Emma was interested in people, whatever their color. or background, and was not a believer in "class lines." As a result, she was eventually taken by her Chinese friends to the caves along the coast where fellow Chinese, taken from off-shore boats by fishermen, were smuggled into the country. Little Penelope was allowed--perhaps even encouraged--to play with the Chinese children. Jenny, the Swedish housekeeper, often had to go to Chinatown to fetch Penelope home for supper. Another unconventional aspect of Emma's character was her determination that Penelope would grow up to become as independent and resourceful a woman as she was. She had learned from hard experience that expectations did not always come true, that society did not, in fact, unfailingly protect women. From her toddler days, Penelope, accompanied by the mastiff, King, was allowed to go wherever she wished. (Penelope later learned that for some time Jenny followed her, a block behind, just to be sure.) Although she was not allowed to swim--that was one of very few restrictions--Penelope could spend many happy hours climbing the rocky headlands of the bay. She loved to walk out along the coast to visit the lighthouse keeper Emily Fish. , OCR Text: Emma Murdoch Emma Murdoch, abandoned by her mining engineer husband, moved here from Los Angeles in 1890 with her infant daughter, Penelope, and her Swedish housekeeper, Jenny. Los Angeles at that time was not a hospitable place for a lady and infant with no resources. Her friend William Lacy, a prominent banker in Los Angeles, came to her rescue. He provided her with a safe and respectable refuge - his home on Fifth Street at Ocean View Boulevard (known today as Green Gables). Emma's years in Pacific Grove were happy ones. She had an intelligent, active little girl to bring up. She was an active member of St. Mary's-by-the-Sea. At the same time, she could not have been considered a truly conventional woman by many Pacific Grove standards. For one thing, she developed strong friendships in the Chinese community. Of course, the Chinese were familiar figures around town; they called every day at back doors, peddling fresh fish. But Emma was interested in people, whatever their color. or background, and was not a believer in "class lines." As a result, she was eventually taken by her Chinese friends to the caves along the coast where fellow Chinese, taken from off-shore boats by fishermen, were smuggled into the country. Little Penelope was allowed--perhaps even encouraged--to play with the Chinese children. Jenny, the Swedish housekeeper, often had to go to Chinatown to fetch Penelope home for supper. Another unconventional aspect of Emma's character was her determination that Penelope would grow up to become as independent and resourceful a woman as she was. She had learned from hard experience that expectations did not always come true, that society did not, in fact, unfailingly protect women. From her toddler days, Penelope, accompanied by the mastiff, King, was allowed to go wherever she wished. (Penelope later learned that for some time Jenny followed her, a block behind, just to be sure.) Although she was not allowed to swim--that was one of very few restrictions--Penelope could spend many happy hours climbing the rocky headlands of the bay. She loved to walk out along the coast to visit the lighthouse keeper Emily Fish. , Heritage Society of Pacific Grove,Historical Collections,Names of People about town,E through F File names,L through M File Names,Murdoch,MURDOCH_001.pdf,MURDOCH_001.pdf 1 Page 1, Tags: MURDOCH_001.PDF, MURDOCH_001.pdf 1 Page 1