Butte County
Biographies
MEDERICK
F. BROUILLARD
M.F.
BROUILLARD.-- As proprietor of the Rose City Wet Wash Laundry of Chico, M. F.
Brouillard has become closely identified with the business life of Chico. He was born near Rochelle, France, in 1878, a
son of Charles and Matilda (Bell) Brouillard.
Charles Brouillard was a farmer who came to Willows, Cal., in 1888, and
where he was joined by his son and other members of his family in 1891. Two years later they moved to Vina, where for
five years he was an assistant winemaker in the Stanford vineyards. He next removed to Shasta County and located
a homestead of one hundred sixty acres, seven and one half miles west of
Redding. He built a house and made other
needed improvements, cleared the land and set out a vineyard and orchard. He added to his place until he had three
hundred acres, seventy-five of which was devoted to trees and vines, and the
balance to general farming. He continued
actively engaged on the farm until his retirement in 1913, when he sold the ranch
and moved to Redding. There he bought
several residences and a twenty-acre fruit ranch as an investment. He died July 9, 1916, while his widow
survived him until May 14, 1918, when she passed away at Redding. The family consisted of nine children, eight
of whom are living. The second youngest
son, Oliver, was killed on the borders of France while in the French army,
during the first year of the world's war.
M.F. Brouillard was reared in France
until he was thirteen, then came with his mother and other members of the
family to join his father at Willows. He
finished his education in the public school of Willows and Vina, and assisted
his father with his work until he was twenty-four. He then established a laundry business in
Redding, in partnership with his brother, under the firm name of Brouillard
Brothers, and for four years they operated the Redding Steam Laundry. He then sold out to his brother and went to
McCloud, where he became manager of the McCloud Laundry for four years. The building burned down and he returned to
Redding, working there and at Kennett for a time. He next went to Red Bluff and started the Red
Bluff Laundry, which he sold out in a year.
In 1913, he arrived in Chico and was employed at the Chico Steam
Laundry. Here he installed the wet wash
department and was placed in charge of same, remaining until September 14,
1914, when he started his present business.
He installed machinery to be run by electric motor, and has a very
complete plant in every particular. He
runs an auto delivery to all parts of Chico and vicinity. His business extends all over Butte County
and into Tehama and Glenn Counties, shipments being made by rail and
stage. He has built up a large patronage
by his courteous treatment and close application to business details.
Mr. Brouillard was married at Redding
to Miss Dolores Avery, a native of England; they have five children: Oliver, William, Carl, Merwin, and
Elmer. Merwin is deceased. Mr. Brouillard is a member of the Woodmen of
the World, and politically he supports Republican men and measures.
Transcribed by Rhonda
Ruick O'Brien.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 1313, Historic Record Co, Los
Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2009 Rhonda Ruick O'Brien.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County
Biographies