El
Dorado County
Biographies
ROGER W. BROWNE
Roger
W. Browne, secretary, treasurer and manager of the El Dorado Irrigation
District for the past six years, has shown himself well qualified for this
responsible position, the duties of which he is discharging in a most
satisfactory manner. Born in Seattle,
Washington, on the 15th of May, 1891, he is a son of Frank J. and
Luella (Bash) Browne. In 1900 the family
moved to Berkeley, this state, where the father was engaged in teaching to the
time of his death. The mother still
resides in that city.
Roger
W. Browne received his early education in public and private schools, after
which he took a University of California extension course. In April, 1917, he went to France with other
students from the University of California and joined the French ambulance
service, serving for twenty months, or until after the close of the war. On his return to this country he went back to
Berkeley, but soon afterward came to Placerville as a ditch tender for the El
Dorado Irrigation District. He was
faithful and efficient in his work and in 1925 was promoted to his present
position. The El Dorado district was
formed under the Wright Act in 1925, at which time it took over the old water
company. The officers of the district
are elected and the manager is appointed by the officers. The district supplies water to the territory
adjacent to Placerville and is rendering valuable service to the ranchers and
gardeners of this locality. Mr. Browne
was elected treasurer of the district and is now performing the duties of both
secretary and treasurer.
In
early manhood Mr. Brown was united in marriage to Miss Georgia May Campbell,
who is also a graduate of the University of California, and they are the
parents of three children: Ruth
Elizabeth, George A. and Roger W., Jr.
Mr. Browne supports the Republican
Party and has been active in local public affairs. He resigned the position of police judge
after five years of service. He is a
member of the Free and Accepted Masons, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the
Lions Club and the Placerville Golf and Country Club. He has been one of the leaders in efforts to
promote the best interests of Placerville, as was evidenced recently in his
successful attempt to provide the community with a theater. Since the destruction by fire of the former
theater, Placerville had been without a public amusement place. Mr. Browne took upon himself the promotion of
a theater, the outcome of which was the erection of the present commodious and
well equipped motion picture house, which is modern and fireproof, at a cost of
sixty thousand dollars. His public-spirited
efforts are appreciated by the people, as is evidenced by their liberal
patronage of the new house. He has
proved a very capable and reliable man under all circumstances and is worthy of
the success which is his.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Wooldridge, J.W.Major History of Sacramento Valley
California, Vol. 3, Pages 119-120. Pioneer Historical
Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010
Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden
Nugget Library's El Dorado County Biographies