Butte County
Biographies
JAMES ALBERT LEWIS
JAMES ALBERT LEWIS.—Born near Boise City, Idaho, in 1888, James Albert
Lewis is the son of James E. Lewis, who was born in Missouri, and came to
California when a youth of about fifteen years. He married here, claiming for
his bride Miss Martha E. Coon, a native of Illinois who crossed the plains with
her father, William Coon, and settled at Dayton, near Chico. After their
marriage the young pioneers removed to Washington, thence to Oregon, and Idaho,
and in the latter state they took up government land and improved a farm. In
1893 they returned to Butte County.
The third oldest in a family of four
children born to his parents, James Albert Lewis was brought up on the farm,
and educated in the public schools. When twenty years old, he began business on
his own account, and built a store on the Humboldt road. In a short time he
sold out this first venture, and bought the corner of Panama Avenue and Dayton
Road, Chico, where he put up a store building and engaged in the general
merchandise business, and continued in this location until 1914, when he sold
his stock and leased the building. Having been very successful in the grocery
business, Mr. Lewis decided to continue in that line, and bought an interest
with his brother, in a store at Fifth and Ivy Streets, Chico, the firm being
known as Lewis Brothers. One year later, he bought his brother out and
continued the business alone. In 1917 he purchased the corner of Fifth and
Cherry Streets, remodeled the building into a new store, with forty foot front,
on a lot covering sixty-six by one hundred thirty-two feet, and here he
established a first class grocery store. It is a splendid location, and, with a
steady and growing business, Mr. Lewis is coming to the front as one of
Chico’s progressive and enterprising business men. With sound judgment and good
business sense, he has pinned his faith to Chico. Having been raised here since
a very small child, he is well known and well liked in the community, and his
success has been deserved.
Mr. Lewis is a member of the Chico
Business Men’s Association and is a young man of much public spirit, with the
best interest of Chico and Butte County at heart. In politics he is a Democrat.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard
01 July 2009.
Source:
"History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 1198-1199, Historic Record Co, Los
Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2009 Marie Hassard.
Golden Nugget Library's
Butte County Biographies