Julia was born on 3 October 1869 in Boonville, Missouri (per her passport) to James Crawford the dentist, and Laura Benedict Crawford. The family moved out to Los Angeles shortly after Julia's birth as they were listed as residing in LA on 16 August 1870. Julia's mother died before 1880 & she was raised by her father & maternal grandmother, Maria Benedict, formerly of New York.
Julia first married James Van Trees and in 1890 had a son named James Crawford Van Trees Jr, who became a successful cinematographer.
On 6 June 1900, Julia married a Michigan native & lawyer named Oliver Ivers, who had amassed a fortune in the oil industry over a period of 14 years until his death in February 1902. Oliver Ivers had large oil holings in Ventura County (see Abilene Petroleum Company later). Ivers was the sole owner & president of Sespe Oil Company & the principal member of the Iverrs-Bardsdale Crude Oil Company.
Oliver Ivers was also a partner of Frank A. Garbutt (more later). In the 1910's, Julia entered the film business writing scenarios for Frank Garbutt's Pallas pictures, where she met Wm D. Taylor. In 1916, she lived at the same address (321 S. Alvarado St.) as the Frank Garbutt family.
Interesting connections to Julia Crawford Ivers:
Verna J. Aldrich (secretary, scenario writer); Verna lived with Elizabeth Kenney (1920 census) and was the secretary for Julia Crawford Ivers in 1922; Verna accompanied Julia on a trip to Hawaii in April of 1922.
Elizabeth Kenney (the 2nd woman in California admitted to the bar); described as "quite tall, elegantly proportioned, of the intellectual blonde type"; Elizabeth was a leader in legislation for women's suffrage; practiced law in Los Angeles for 50 years and was a State inheritance tax appraiser for 25 years (including 1922);
From Julia's Passport dated April 1921:
From Elizabeth's Passport date November 1923:
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