Tulare County
Biographies
R. W. BREESE
The development of the oil fields in California brought into more or less prominence a number of men who have since been actively identified with the business interests of the San Joaquin valley. Among these is R. W. Breese, agent of the Associated Oil Company of Visalia. He was born at La Grange, Illinois, July 22, 1888, and attended the schools of his native town until he was eighteen years of age. In the spring of 1906 he came to California, located at Riverside and there embarked in the automobile business. Later he was engaged in the same line at Fresno.
In 1913 he entered the employ of the Standard Oil Company at Fresno, where he remained until the United States entered the World war. He then entered the army, was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Aviation Corps, in charge of lubrication, and was stationed first at Barry Field, near Fort Worth, Texas, and later at San Diego, California. After the armistice was signed in the fall of 1918 he received his honorable discharge and returned to his position with the Standard Oil Company at Fresno, where he remained until 1921, when he left their employ and became a salesman for the Associated Oil Company in Merced, California. This company established a branch at Visalia in July, 1922, but the business was managed from the Hanford plant until May 11, 1923, when Mr. Breese came to Visalia and took control of the business at that point. He has proved to be a “go-getter”, as the business of the Visalia plant has shown an increase every month since he took charge.
History of Tulare County and Kings County, California – Kathleen Edwards Small & J. Larry Smith, Vol. I, Chicago, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1926, Page 422
Transcribed by Jeannie Miyama
NEWTON O. BROWN
Newton O. Brown, dealer in furniture and one of the best known merchants in the city of Porterville, a member of the common council of that city and in other ways an active and influential factor in its civic and commercial life and that of the community at large, is a Hoosier by birth but has been for nearly twenty years a resident of California and is thus thoroughly familiar with interests and conditions here and an enthusiastic promoter of those interests. He was born on a farm in Wayne county, Indiana, October 5, 1876, and is a son of W. M. and Rebecca (Dwire) Brown, the latter of whom is still living, now making her home in Decatur. The late W. M. Brown was a well-to-do farmer and stockman. He died in 1903.
Reared on the home farm in Indiana, Newton O. Brown acquired his education in the rural schools in the neighborhood of his home and supplemented this by a course in the commercial college at Lima, Ohio. He then became a bookkeeper in a commercial establishment at VanWert, Ohio, and a year later engaged in department store work in Laurel, Iowa, and was for ten years in the merchandising business in that state, or until 1908, when he came to California and in Turlock, Stanislaus county, became connected with the mercantile operations of Osborne & Son, proprietors of a general store in that city, continuing this association for ten years, and then in 1918, in association with his brother, J. M. Brown, he became established in the furniture business in Porterville, a line which he since has followed. In 1923 Mr. Brown bought his brother’s interest in the store and has since been carrying on the business independently and is doing very well, proprietor of an admirably equipped and adequately stocked furniture store at No. 209 Main street, where he has all the goods essential to the needs in that line of the fine trade area centering in Porterville. Mr. Brown is a republican as has come to be regarded as one of the leaders of that party in this county. He finds time amid the exactions of his commercial business to give a good citizen’s attention to the city’s general civic interests and is now (1925) representing his ward as a member of the city common council. During the time of his residence in Iowa, Mr. Brown also took a hearty interest in the civic affairs of that state and rendered public service in certain local capacities.
On December 19, 1902, in Decatur, Mr. Brown was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Fleming, who also was born in Indiana, and they have one child: a daughter, Altice Carroll Brown. The Browns are members of the Christian church and Mr. Brown is a member of the local camp of the Modern Woodmen of America.
History of Tulare County and Kings County, California – Kathleen Edwards Small & J. Larry Smith, Vol. I, Chicago, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1926, Page 359
Transcribed by Jeannie Miyama