Читать книгу History of Fresno County, Vol. 4 - Paul E. Vandor - Страница 25

Named in honor of the Civil War general, Sidney J. Shannon is a true type of the manhood of Fresno County, where he is now ably holding the office of Deputy United States Marshal in and for the northern division of the southern district of the State of California, his office being located on the second floor of the Post Office Building in Fresno, while he and his family are nicely domiciled at his residence at 951 Devisadero Street.

He was born at Millerton, Fresno County, on August 27, 1868, and is the third child and second son of the late Jefferson M. and Rebecca Margaret (Baley) Shannon, and a grandson of the late Gillum Baley. He was six years old, when with his parents, he came to the new town of Fresno, then in its infancy. He was one of the first generation of Fresno boys and girls to attend the public schools of Fresno, the schoolhouse being then located at the corner of L and Tulare Streets. In 1881, while a mere lad, he began working for Miller & Lux as chore-boy, doing general all-around work, clerked in their store, rode the range, etc., until after his parents had moved to Alameda where he joined them in July, 1888. He there entered and took a commercial course at a branch of Heald's Business College, located at Oakland.

January 1, 1889, he went to work for the Pacific Improvement Company, entering their general offices in San Francisco. He began as office-boy and ended as chief accountant and paymaster, serving continuously until April 30, 1901, when he went back to work for Miller & Lux as their general auditor. He became well and personally acquainted with the late Henry Miller, who appointed him to take charge of the land department for his great firm, and for many years Mr. Shannon had charge of the buying and selling of lands, particularly the colonization and upbuilding of the following Miller & Lux colonies: Dos Palos; Los Banos; Volta; Gustine; Madera: Mendota; Firebaugh and Newman, looking after all the townsite and colonization projects of the corporation from Mendota in Fresno County to Newman in Stanislaus County. On April 15, 1910, he retired to private life in Fresno. On March 12, 1914, he was appointed Deputy United States Marshal: he is also deputy sheriff of Fresno County.

The epidemic of fire which threatened to destroy Fresno City in the summer of 1918 was stopped by the vigilant and vigorous efforts of Mr. Shannon, who dealt very promptly and severely with the I. W. W. element, and the city was saved. As a reward for his strenuous efforts of the past years of application to business, Mr. Shannon has acquired considerable property. He is furthermore interested with his brothers Scott A., and L. S. as a one-third owner of the Shannon Estate, which owns a large and very valuable vineyard, producing malagas and emperors, choice varieties of table-grapes, in the production and shipping of which the Shannon brothers are experts and their product is eagerly sought in the eastern markets and the markets of the Middle West, where the "Shannon Estate" brand of table grapes are at a premium.

They also own and operate the celebrated Shannon Estate stock ranch at Wheatville, Fresno County. The latter property has been acquired by the Shannon brothers since their father's death.

An able officer and an excellent business man, Mr. Shannon is well-known throughout California. He is particularly well-known among the Native Sons of the Golden West, in which order he is the oldest member in good standing in the state, having been a member for thirty-two years. He is now a member of Fresno Parlor, No. 25, and is past president of Halcyon Parlor at Alameda. He is also an old-time and valued member of the Fresno Lodge, No. 439, B. P. O. Elks; he is a Thirty-second Degree Scottish Rite Mason, a Knight Templar, both at Fresno, and is a life member of Islam Temple at San Francisco.

Mr. Shannon was married to Miss Johanna M. Brock, an Alameda girl, and a daughter of C. C. and Johanna M. (Ankerson) Brock of Alameda. C. C. Brock was a retired ship-master and well-known at the Bay. Mr. and Mrs. Shannon have one daughter, Marie Margaret Shannon, who was married September 4, 1919, to Merrill Ostrom, of Fresno.

The Shannon home continues to be the center of hospitality where the old-time Fresno cordiality continues to greet young and old friends and strangers alike.