Butte County

Biographies

 

 

 

 

 

ADONIRAM GRANT EAMES

 

 

      A. G. EAMES.--A successful business man who founded his fortune when he worked hard to earn his own books by which to learn how to advance and succeed, is A. G. Eames, of Chico. He is a native of California, born at Gilroy, April 5, 1864, a son of William and Sarah Ann (Wilson) Eames, both born at Swansea, N. H. William Eames was a stonemason by trade, who came to California in 1852, via the Nicaragua route. After stopping for a short period in San Francisco he went to Gilroy, and then went into the mining district in Amador County, where he sought the shining metal for a time. He then engaged in the stock and butchering business, supplying the mining camps with meat. In 1876 he moved to Chico, having been engaged by General Bidwell to take care of his stock and retail meat business. He continued this occupation three years then bought an interest in the Second Street Market and entered into partnership with Fred Ackerman under the firm name of Ackerman and Eames, which association continued for two years, when Mr. Eames died, in 1883 in Oakland. He was about fifty-four years old, and had been a Mason for many years. His wife, whom he married in Swansea, N. H., died in Chico, the mother of six children, of whom the three living are: Zilpha, Mrs. Z. E. Fenton, of Seattle; Henry A., of Chico; and A. G., of this review.

      The Eames family came from England to the United States thirteen years after the sailing of the Mayflower, and there is a record of one Thomas Eames, a stonemason, and his wife and child, the latter two being killed by Indians. He married a second time, and his sons went to New Hampshire, Vermont and to Maine.

      A. G. Eames came to Chico in 1876, with his parents, and attended the grammar schools in pursuit of an education. On his arrival here his first work was pumping the pipe organ in the Presbyterian Church, and this he followed for three years, earning enough to pay for his school books and clothes. He was then in the employ of General Bidwell as office boy, and later went to work in the orchards owned by the General. He also drove a delivery wagon in the summer and went to school during the winter months or three years.

      In October,1884, Mr. Eames started in business for himself, and he has continued to manage his own affairs ever since, thereby becoming the oldest merchant in one line without a change in the business. He began at Seventh and Broadway in the Chico Soda Works, which was established in 1870 by Amos Blood. When Mr. Eames took charge of the business it was fifteen hundred dollars in debt, and it had only twenty dollars of working capital. The situation induced him to get busy; he did the work himself, ran the works at the minimum of cost, and at the earliest moment began to realize some returns. He handled ice and mineral waters, wholesaled beer and manufactured soda water. In 1893 he purchased his present site on the corner of Fifth and Ivy Streets and in 1895 built the present plant as well as his residence. In those days storage was provided with natural ice brought from Truckee, but later Mr. Eames built his own ice and cold-storage plant, known as the Chico Ice and Cold Storage, and located the plant on Park Avenue. He built up the business and by 1907 had a capacity of twenty tons of ice a day, besides a cold-storage warehouse. He conducted this enterprise until 1913, when he sold out. He then devoted his time to his original plant and business on Fifth Street, which covers five-eights of a city block at the corner of Fifth and Ivy Streets. He also built and maintains a cold-storage warehouse on the Southern Pacific Railroad. He also became interested in real estate, and he and his family built the Auditorium building. The enterprise was incorporated and the building, a brick structure, is located at the corner of Third and Main Streets.

      At Chico, Mr. Eames was united in marriage with Miss Harriett M. Abbe, a native daughter, born at Colusa, whose father, Sanford Abbe, was a prominent stockman and farmer in the Sacramento Valley. He lived at Colusa until his death. Mrs. Eames was educated at the Chico State Normal School. Mr. and Mrs. Eames are parents of three daughters: Helen, who graduated from the Chico State Normal, and who is now the wife of A. A. Courteney, Jr., Captain and Aide-de-Camp to Major General Helmick, United States Army; Maryann, who attends the Chico high school; and Elizabeth Hortense. Mr. Eames is a Republican in national affairs. He served as a city trustee for fourteen years (until 1915) and was a member of that body when the city hall was built. He is president of the Chico Chamber of Commerce; is a member of Chico Lodge, No. 113, I. O. O. F., and of Chico Lodge, No. 423, B. P. O. Elks. He served seven years as a member of the Second Regiment, California National Guard. Mr. and Mrs. Eames attend the Episcopal Church.

      Having a great desire to round out his education with travel, Mr. Eames spent nine months on trip around the world, and was in England at the outbreak of the great war. He left that country before it came into the conflict. He coursed the globe by way of Japan, China, India and Egypt, and returned to America more than ever satisfied with California and Chico.

 

 

 

Transcribed by Louise E. Shoemaker, February 15th 2008. 

Source: "History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 773-774, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.

© 2008 Louise E. Shoemaker.

 

 

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