Читать книгу History of Fresno County, Vol. 3 - Paul E. Vandor - Страница 28

Though not a native son, Frank Coleman has lived most of his life within the state, having been brought here in pioneer days by his parents. He was born in Jersey City, N. J., April 19, 1857, while his mother was there on a visit. His parents, Patrick and Ann (Grogan) Coleman, were both natives of Ireland and had settled in Rochester, N. Y. upon arriving in the United States and there they lived and prospered until in 1864, when the father brought the family to California, via the Isthmus of Panama, and settled in Contra Costa County near San Pablo, and later located near Martinez, where he followed farming and dairying. Both he and his wife died in Martinez. Frank Coleman was educated in the schools of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, and worked on his father's dairy ranch. He was later in the employ of Bray Bros. Company, and Blum Company, owners of grain warehouses in Martinez, as foreman of their warehouses.

In 1888 Mr. Coleman went to San Francisco and secured employment on the Market Street cable railway as gripman, remaining in that position four years. He was sent to Fresno, in 1893, to recover from an attack of lagrippe, and has been a resident here since that date. Soon after his arrival he found employment with the Madary Planing Mill Company, as driver of a lumber wagon. For the past fourteen years he has been foreman of the yard and tallyman, in all having put in twenty-six years with the company, a record for steady application in which any man might well take pride. Mr. Coleman is a member of the Moose and in politics is a Progressive.

The marriage of Mr. Coleman united him with Mrs. Nancy Pitts, whose maiden name was Gift. She was born in Memphis, Tenn., and came with her parents across the Isthmus to California in 1856, and was raised and educated in Contra Costa County. She has two sons and a daughter by a formed marriage, William F. Pitts, and Robert Pitts. William F., the eldest, was born in Antioch, Contra Costa County, September 18, 1871, and attended the public schools of Martinez. He later took up the study of telegraphy and was operator for the Western Union Company in San Francisco. In 1892 he was sent by that company to Fresno, and later became' telegraph operator for the Associated Press in the office of the Fresno Republican. In 1900 he left Fresno and became salesman for the Pacific Paint Company of San Francisco, later becoming sales manager for the Standard Paint Company of Chicago. In 1915 he returned to California and became business manager of the Burbank Seed and Nursery Company of San Francisco. At present he is traveling salesman for the Cutter Laboratory of Berkeley, Cal. Fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Columbus; the B. P. O. Elks; the Woodmen of the World; and the Native Sons of the Golden West. His marriage united him with Winnie Hodnett, a native of San Francisco, and they have two sons, W. F. Jr., and James H. Both boys are graduates of the Morgan Potts Military Academy of Chicago, with a captain's rank, and are now in the service of the U. S. Army. W. F. is lieutenant in Battery A, One hundred and Forty-fourth Field Artillery, (The Grizzlies); James H. is in the Aviation Corps, U. S. A.