Читать книгу Memoirs of Milwaukee County, Volume 5 - Josiah Seymour Currey - Страница 16

One of the most important business interests of Milwaukee is the Grogan Photo System, Incorporated, located at 322 Reed street, of which Walter Raymond Grogan is president. To him may be credited the practical use of photographs for business purposes, which form of advertisement is now widely used throughout the country, and his system is familiarly known as "The system that creates business." A native of California, he was born in Kent, on the 20th of May, 1870, a son of James M. and Anna Grogan. both deceased The father was born on board a ship while his parents were crossing the English channel. The parents later came to this country and located in California. There John M. Grogan grew to manhood and founded the shipping town of Port Costa of that state. He likewise built up a successful grain business and in his passing in 1900 California lost one of her pioneer and representative citizens, a man who had contributed much to the growth and development of the state. Mrs. Grogan, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, preceded her husband in death, having passed away in 1892.

Walter Raymond Grogan received his education in the schools of Vallejo, California, and upon removal with his parents to San Francisco he put his textbooks aside and started out into the business world. For five years he was active in the newspaper business, being a member of the staff of the San Francisco Call, and the following three or four years he spent in railroad work, being an expert stenographer. Mr. Grogan was of an ambitious nature and spent a great deal of his spare time in studying Spanish, with the result that he soon became able to speak that language fluently. Subsequently he was sent to Central America as salesman for a printing supplies company and he likewise represented several different United States firms in Mexico and Central America. For eighteen years he was active along that line and then determined to go into business on his own account, establishing an engraving and printing business in Mexico City, which he operated with substantial success. In 1912 a revolution involved the country and he then returned to the United States and located in San Francisco, where he took up the manufacture of photo paper. He made the first pocket photo album and was the first to recognize the advantages to be obtained from using photographs for business purposes. In 1918 he removed to Milwaukee, where he established his present business, of which he has always been president. The Grogan Photo System is well-known throughout the United States and Canada, and its business has grown to extensive proportions. When Mr. Grogan first started into the business he employed but one assistant but now in addition to his five sons he has a pay roll numbering thirty-five employees. The safe, conservative policy which Mr. Grogan has inaugurated in the conduct of his business commends itself to the judgment of all and he has secured for the system a patronage which makes the volume of trade one of great importance and magnitude. Branch offices of the system are maintained in Chicago, Philadelphia and Minneapolis.

On the 5th of July, 1890, Mr. Grogan was united in marriage to Miss Laura Best, a daughter of William Best of San Francisco and to them six children have been born, all of whom are living: The eldest son, Raymond E., is now treasurer of the company and is married, having one daughter; the second son, Leslie E., is connected with his father's business as an outside man and he is married. Upon the outbreak of the World war he volunteered his services to the United States, with the result that he had charge of the United States radio station at Honolulu until the close of hostilities; the third member of the Grogan family, Walter Russell, Jr., is secretary of the company. He volunteered his services but was not accepted; Merwin is, like his brothers, active in the conduct of the business; and Elmer is still in school, working for his father in his spare time; Mildred, the youngest member of the family and the only daughter, is attending the Milwaukee public schools.

Fraternally Mr. Grogan is identified with the Masons, belonging to Toltec Lodge, No. 126, Mexico City, Mexico. He is also a member of the Milwaukee Lodge of Elks and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Mexico City, Mexico. He has no club connections but is interested in the growth and development of the community, as is indicated by his membership in the Association of Commerce. His interests have ever been conducted along broad business lines and his efforts have largely brought the business from a rather small concern to the largest and most prominent of its kind in the United States.