Butte County
Biographies
FRANK
M. LOOMIS
FRANK
M. LOOMIS.--This
enterprising native son, now head miller at the Northern Star Mills in Chico,
was born near San Andreas, Calaveras County, February 23, 1868. His father, Philander Loomis, was born in
Ohio and crossed the plains with two of his sons, Judd and Leander Loomis. The former became a judge of the superior
court in Tehama County, and the latter took up his residence in Manton. Philander Loomis mined for a time, then
engaged in ranching near Hanford, and later traveled for some time. Going to Oregon he was engaged in logging at
Prineville, after which he located in Chico, where he lived until his death, in
1913, at the age of eighty-one. He met
an unfortunate end by being burned to death in the fire that destroyed the
Barber Hotel. His death in such a manner
was a sad shock to his relatives and friends.
He married Mrs. Virginia (Hall) Gargus, a native of Missouri, who
crossed the plains with her first husband and their three children. Mr. Gargus died en route, and his widow and
children finished the journey with a family named Haley and settled near Yreka,
where she met Mr. Loomis and later married him.
She passed away while the family was living near Hanford, in 1879,
leaving five children, four now living.
The oldest of the living children, Frank
M. Loomis was brought up on the ranch in Tulare County, where he attended the
public schools. He went to Kansas and
Colorado with his father, spending a year in each state, and accompanied him
overland to Oregon. He worked with his
father at logging and saw-milling, and then returned to California with the
family, who settled on Madeline plains in Lassen County, where he lived until
he was twenty-one years old. He began
working out on the ranches in that section, continuing for about seven
years. In May, 1888, he came to Butte
County, still working as a ranch hand.
In 1898, he entered the employ of the Sperry Flour Company, owner of the
mills in Chico, beginning at the very bottom, and by industrious habits and
close application to the business, worked his way through the various
departments until he became second miller, remaining with that company and in
that position until the company ceased the manufacture of flour in those mills. He then entered the employ of the Northern
Star Mills and two years later came to his present position. He superintended the erection of the mills at
Chico, installed the machinery--a full roller process of four breaks and six
reductions, operated by electric power.
As head miller, he started the mill grinding wheat and manufacturing
flour. The three
brands,
North Star, Eclipse and Search light, are popular throughout this section of
the state. A general feed mill is run in
connection. The business requires the
entire attention of Mr. Loomis and a large business has been built up under his
management.
Mr. Loomis has been married twice. His first wife was Mrs. May (Center) Carrick,
born in Colusa County. They were married
in Willows and became the parents of two children: Vetelene, the wife of H. A. Elliott of Chico;
and Nelson, the elder, who died in infancy.
His second marriage united him with Mrs. Elizabeth (Temaris) Murphy, a
native of Iowa. For one year Mr. and Mrs.
Loomis conducted the Barber Hotel, until it burned down in 1913, at which time
Mr. Loomis's father lost his life. They
have a comfortable home at Ninth and Flume Streets, in Chico, and also own a
residence on the Dayton road and a small prune orchard in Chico Vecino
Mr. Loomis is popular in fraternal circles,
belonging to Chico Lodge, No. 113, 1. O. O. F., in which he is Past Grand;
Chico Encampment, in which he is Past Chief Patriarch; Chico Canton No. 2, of
which he is accountant. He also holds
membership in Chico Parlor,
No.
21, N. S. G. W., of which he is Past President; is Past Chief Counselor of the
Modern Woodmen of America, and was one of the representatives from California
at the meeting of the Head Camp in Buffalo, N. Y., in 1912. Both Mr. and Mrs. Loomis are members of the
Royal Neighbors, in which Mrs. Loomis is Receiver. Mr. Loomis is a Democrat. He is much interested in local history and in
the preservation of the interesting landmarks that have had to do with California
history. His manly traits of character
have won him many friends, and as a typical Californian he is deeply interested
in the advancement of the entire state.
Transcribed by
Rhonda Ruick O'Brien.
Source: "History of
Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 1180-1181, Historic Record Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2009 Rhonda Ruick O'Brien.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County
Biographies