Butte County
Biographies
BERTHE FORTIER
BERTHE FORTIER.—A most fitting illustration of the resourcefulness and ability of woman to succeed in the business world is found in Berthe Fortier. She was born in Paterson (sic), N. J. Her father, Pierre A. Fortier, was born in Havre, France, and was one of the college men who served in the Revolution of 1848, after which he had come to America. In France he was the classmate of Alexander Dumas, Jr., and Rosa Bonheur. He was a practical and manufacturing optician, and after coming to America, he engaged in manufacture of eye-glasses. Mr. Fortier’s business was located in New York City and his factory at Paterson, N. J., on the Passaic River. The glass for the Lick Observatory would have been executed by him had not a strong influence taken the contract elsewhere. Mr. Fortier came to San Francisco, where he established the French newspaper, Le Petit Journal, of which he was the editor. He was a leader of the French colony and one of the most prominent French citizens in San Francisco. He died at the age of eighty-seven, in 1900. Mr. Fortier was married in France to Elizabeth Letellier, a native of Alsace, France. She died in San Francisco, just eight months before her husband, at the age of sixty-one years. There were six children, all of whom were talented and have gained prominence in their respective localities.
Miss Fortier was the third youngest and she was raised and educated in San Francisco, where she finished the grammar school at the age of twelve years. She immediately entered mercantile life, becoming a bookkeeper for the D. Samuels Lace House. At the age of fifteen she had the responsibility and power to buy goods and pay for them for the firm. Miss Fortier was next with the White House in the selling capacity, for twelve years, until the time of the big fire on April 18, 1906, after which she started in business as a partner in the firm of Gould, Sullivan and Company, where she was in charge until March 2, 1914. She then disposed of her interests and came to Chico, opening her present store for exclusive ladies’ and children’s ready-to-wear. Miss Fortier has the best class of goods of this kind in Chico. The personality and experience of Miss Fortier, with her own efforts and wide acquaintance throughout the state, have established an enviable trade and clientele in Northern California and Nevada.
The store is located in the Record Building at 121 Broadway. Twice a year she makes a trip to New York to buy goods for her establishment. Her window displays are always attractive, and particularly artistic and unique at the time of local fairs or holiday occasions. Miss Fortier is liberal and ready to help in all public affairs. Her attitude toward her employees is that of a co-worker rather than an employer. In her religious belief Miss Fortier is an Episcopalian.
Transcribed
by Sharon Walford Yost.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 1324-1325, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2009 Sharon
Walford Yost.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies